their naturall king or rather their brother borne and brought vp amongst them they all with one consent answered That they would spend their liues and goods in his quarrell so long as he should keepe his armie whole and defend the citie of CAPVA But if it should so chance that the Aragonians should be ouerthrowne or els for feare abandon that citie and the French king as victor to approch the citie of NAPLES he should doe both against reason and equitie if by exacting fidelitie and allegeance of his subjects apprehended with so just a feare he should so expose that noble citie with the fruitfull countrey thereabout to bee spoiled and destroyed by a mercilesse and cruell enemie Whilest Ferdinand was thus busied in appeasing and confirming his wauering subjects at NAPLES the French king had taken diuers cities and was come before CAPVA The citizens of CAPVA although they were alwayes well affected to the Aragonian kings yet seeing the French king as a most violent tempest to beare downe all before him began now to consult amongst themselues of yeelding vp the cittie whereunto they were the more prickt forward by the suddaine reuolt of the great captaine Triuultius with his followers as also by the departure of Verginius and Petilianus two great and famous commaunders who seeing themselues forsaken of Triuultius fled with their companies vnto the citie of NOLA In this discomfiture of king Ferdinand his armie the Frenchmen had entered into the suburbes of the citie which thing Gothfredus and Gaspar two valiant Germane captaines beholding sallied with their companies out of the citie of purpose to abate the pride of the French to confirme the doubtfull citizens These worthie captaines when they had with exceeding valour repulsed the French and thought to haue againe returned into the citie could not be suffered to enter but were by the citisens shut out of the gate in danger to haue had their throats cut by the enemie In which perplexitie they were glad vpon their knees to entreat the cowardly citisens standing vpon the wals not in such traiterous manner to betray their friends readie in their defence to bestow their liues and with much entreating at length obtained of those heartlesse men that they might by ten and ten in a companie be receiued in at one gate of the citie and so put out at another farthest from the danger of the enemie in which sort when they had passed through the citie they tooke the way towards NAPLES and vpon the way met with the king at AVERSA vnto whom they declared all that had happened in his absence at CAPVA Who although he saw his armie dispersed and all things now desperat yet went hee on forward and came to the very gates of CAPVA and there called vpon diuers of the cheefe men of the citie requiring to be let in But when hee saw there was none to giue him answer and an ensigne of the French king displayed vpon the wall in token that the citie was become French hee returned to NAPLES where he found the gates now shut against him and all the citisens vp againe in armes and not willing to receiue any of the souldiors which came from CAPVA more than the king himselfe for flying fame preuenting his returne had filled euerie corner of the citie with report That all the cheefe captaines of his armie were either gone ouer to the enemie or els for safegard of their liues fled That the whole armie was broken vp and CAPVA yeelded to the French Wherfore the Neapolitanes framing their fancies according to the condition of the time began now also to fawne vpon the good fortune of the French and to haue king Ferdinand in contempt which hee well perceiuing and fetching a compasse farther off from the cittie came vnto the castle whereinto he was receiued with his followers by his faithfull captaines therein before left But prouidently foreseeing that he could not there long stay but that hee should bee besieged by his enemies both by sea and land he commended the keeping of that peece vnto Alphonsus D'aualus a most valiant captaine and departed himselfe with twentie gallies well appointed vnto AENARIA an Island not farre from NAPLES hauing in it a commodious harbour and a strong castle where fortune neuer firme but in miserie seemed againe to deride the poore remainder of his honor For comming thether the captaine of the castle vnworthely named Iustus forgetting his dutie towards his soueraigne of whom he had before receiued many extraordinarie fauours most traiterously now in his so hard distresse shut the gates of the castle against him at his landing and vnkindly refused to receiue him With which vnexpected ingratitude the poore king was wonderfully perplexed and almost abashed yet with earnest entreatie and ample commemoration of the benefits and preferments which both his father and himselfe had in times past bestowed vpon him he preuailed so much with this vnthankefull man that hee was content to receiue him into the castle so that he would come but himselfe alone of which his offer when no more could be got the king seemed to accept So the captain hauing opened a port to receiue him in was in the very entrance thereof suddenly stabd to the heart with a dagger by king Ferdinand and slaine in the middest of his armed souldiours Which was done with such a countenance and majestie that the warders with their weapons in their hands dismayed with his look forthwith at his commaundement opened the gate and receiued him in with all his followers Whereby it appeareth That in the countenance of princes resteth a certaine diuine majestie in all fortunes aboue the common course of nature which is of power to daunt the hearts of most disloyall traitors in the performance of their vnnaturall treasons The next day after the departure of king Ferdinand from the castle of NAPLES Charles the French king was receiued into the citie with such pompe triumph and acclamation of the Neapolitanes as if they had euen then by the benefit of that forraine king been restored vnto perfect libertie and deliuered out of some long and hard bondage Shortly after the castle of NAPLES with all the strong places thereabout were yeelded vnto the French and embassadours sent from all the princes and people of that kingdome yeelding themselues into the power of the French king Then Ferdinand seeing all lost and gone departed from AENARIA where he lay expecting the euent of his hard fortune and sailed into SICILIA Thus the house of ARAGON in lesse than fiue moneths lost the kingdome of NAPLES about 63 yeares after that it was first taken from the French by Alphonsus the elder this Ferdinand his great grandfather The report of the great preparation made by the French for this warre had long before filled the eares of them which dwelt in any part of the Turks dominions in EVROPE but when they saw the French ensignes displayed vpon the wals of the castles and
repaired thither out of ITALY FRANCE SPAINE GERMANIE and other places of Christendome cheerfully to aduenture their liues in defence both of the place and of the Christian religion against the common enemie of Christianitie The Great Master taking a generall view of all the forces he had to oppose against so puissant an enemie found that he had in the citie sixteene thousand able men in which number were reckoned manie Iewes and other men of seruile condition who in the siege following did right good seruice The great Bassa conducted by the false traitour Demetrius safely landed both his armie and artillerie in the island the two and twentith day of Iune not farre from the citie At which time the Great Master considering that the safetie of the citie consisted more in the liuely valour of the defendants than in the strength of the dead wals or other warlike prouision thought 〈◊〉 requisite as a part of his duetie by cheerfull persuasions to encourage them valiantly to wiâ—hstand the force of their enemies And therefore calling them all together spake vnto them as followeth At length valiant souldiours and fellowes at armes we see the Turkes our mortall enemies 〈◊〉 we were before aduertised as well by letters from our friends as by common fame breathing after 〈◊〉 destruction in readinesse to destroy our churches our oratories our alters our religion and whatsoeuer els we account sacred or religious seeking the ruine of this noble citie and the cruell death of vs all gaping at once to deuour our liues our wealth our hope with all our former honour And 〈◊〉 as I cannot denie but that the chance of warre is doubtfull and the euent thereof vncertaine so when I consider your valiant courage and cheerfulnesse of mind I presently conceiue a most assured hope of victorie They haue entered into armes against vs not so much for anie desert of ours or vpon 〈◊〉 other quarrell as for the vnsatiable desire of rule and the great despite they beare against vs and the Christian religion But to withstand their furie and to frustrate their designes we want neither wâ—â—pons nor artillerie nor prouision for many yeares we haue a most strong garrison of Frenchmen Spaniards Germaines English and others the verie chiualrie of Christendome and that which 〈◊〉 is Christ Iesus our Captaine and Generall by whose power we shall no doubt easily repulse the 〈◊〉 force of our most wicked and gracelesse enemies The care wee haue for the defence of the Christiâ—â— faith wherunto we are by speciall profession bound will animate and encourage vs against them which seeke for nothing more than to extend their wicked and grose superstition to the great dishonour of God and of his sonne Christ Iesus Besides that we are warlike Frenchmen Italians Germaines and other worthy Christians they are of CARIA LYDIA CAPADOCIA and the other delicat countries of ASIA effeminat persons brought vp to pleasure I say it not to draw you into anie manifest or ineuitable danger neither to feed you with vaine hope or to fill your eares with windie words bâ—â— this I promise and assure you of that if this siege shall continue long hither will come such strong 〈◊〉 out of FRANCE ITALY GERMANIE and SPAINE as will serue not onely to raise the siege bâ—â— to recouer againe the empires of CONSTANTINOPLE and TRAPEZONDE Then shall our enâ—mies see no good end of their counsels but all their deuises so confounded as that they shall hardly be able by speedie flight to saue themselues But suppose the hardest should happen which I feare 〈◊〉 would not anie man account his life most happely and honourably spent in defence of a good conscience and the quarrell of Christ Iesus Truely my great yeares and course of life now almost spent 〈◊〉 defeâ—â— of the Christian religion as I euer desired doth call me forth as one so assured of that good laid 〈◊〉 for me in heauen by Christ Iesus whose battell we are to fight that I no whit feare anie enemies force or future chance which for all that I haue as farre as I could and to the vttermost of my power so prouided for as that we will not I hope be therwith ouerwhelmed Be you therefore of good cheâ—re and comfort as I know you are and shew your selues valiant and couragious which resteth wholy iâ— your selues and as for all the rest time and our discretion shall right well prouide I doubt not The valiant men and worthy souldiours resting vpon the assurance of their aged gouernor departed euerie man to his charge full of hope and courage Now had the Bassa landed his great armie and sent Demetrius the traiterous knight Meligalus his companion with certaine troupes of horsemen and some foot to view the ground where he might best encampe with his armie Demetrius in great pride riding about the citie was knowne by Anthony Damboyse the Great Masters brother by whose leaue he sallied out with a troupe of gallant horsemen and skirmished with them but the Turkes being mo in number cast about to haue encloased them which Anthony perceiuing turned vpon them that were comming behind him and that with such force that he slew or wounded most part of them In this hoat skirmish Demetrius hauing his horse slaine vnder him and himselfe ouerthrowne was there troden to death vnder the horses feet an end too good for so false a traitour Muratius a French knight vnaduisedly dispoiling his dead bodie was by the Turkes slaine and his head presented vnto the Bassa in stead of Demetrius The Bassa approaching the citie at the first comming tooke a great orchard which the Great Master had strongly entrenched and therein placed certaine companies of souldiours with some small pieces of ordinance which place if it could haue beene kept might haue fitly serued the defendants to haue at their pleasure sallied out vpon the enemie But they which were appointed to the keeping thereof either terrified with the sight of so great an armie or else doubting to be able to hold it against so great a power abandoned it by night and retired into the citie leauing the great ordinance behind them for hast In this place the Bassa by the counsell of George Frapaine a Christian fugitiue of the RHODES and now master of his ordinance began to plant his batterie from thence to batter the tower called Nicholea or S. Nicholas his tower distant froÌ„ the citie three hundreth paces But against this place Damboyse had so aptly mounted two great Basiliskes that he made him glad quickly to forsake the same yet finding no other place more conuenient for his purpose shortly after he neere vnto the same place planted againe his batterie of farre greater force than before Wherein beside the ordinance of greatest charge he had three hundred smaller pieces for batterie wherewith at the first he did small harme for that this George Frapaine repenting himselfe as it was thought of his foule treason bestowed the shot to small purpose
foule and vnworthie death of their late Sultan notwithstanding that the Ianizaries reproued them therefore and threatened them with death who like giddie brained fooles as they tearmed them enured to the slauerie of the Mamalukes joyfully and thankefully accepted not of their deliuerance for the Aegyptians were as yet vncertaine of their estate and therefore as men in suspence not without cause stood in doubt what should become of themselues fearing least the Turkes a warlike nation and a terrour to all the princes of EVROPE and ASIA nothing more courteous than the Mamalukes should with no lesse insolencie rage and tyrannize ouer them vnder their warlike and cruell emperour Besides that the wofull sight of Tomombeius hanging in the gate as the vnworthie scorne of fortune wonderfully wounded their hearts for why it was yet fresh in their remembrance that he with the good liking of all men and generall fauour of the nobilitie with good fame rise by all the degrees of honour both in field and court vnto the height of regall dignitie and therefore greeued the more to see him by ineuitable destinie cast downe headlong so shamefully to end his life and empire together A notable spectacle vndoubtedly amongst the rarest examples of worldly fragilitie both to the happie and vnfortunat the one not to be too proud or too much to flatter themselues in their greatest blisse and the other to learne thereby with patience to endure the heauie and vnworthie changes and chances of this wretched and miserable world And so much the more did Tomombeius so hanging moue men to compassion for that the majestie of his tall and strong bodie and reuerend countenance with his long and hoarie beard well agreed with his imperiall dignitie and martiall disposition The same fortune with Tomombeius ran also diuers of the princes of the Mamalukes with some others of the common sort also Tomombeius thus taken out of the way and all the Mamalukes almost slaine and no power of the enemie to be heard of in all AEGIPT to renew the warre Selymus deuiding his forces sent them forth with his captaines to take in the countries and prouinces of AEGIPT lying further off They of ALEXANDRIA after the battell of CAIRE hauing thrust out the garrison and easily surprised the castle of PHARVS which the weake defendants chose rather vpon hope of present reward to deliuer than with doubtfull euent to defend yeelded themselues many dayes before vnto the Turkes DAMIATA also called in auntient time PELVSIVM opened their gates and submitted themselues to the victors There was no citie betwixt the riuer of Nilus and the borders of IVDEA and ARABIA which yeelded not to the obedience of Selymus The kings also of AFRICKE bordering vpon CYRENAICA tributaries or confederats of the Aegyptian Sultans sent their embassadours with presents to Selymus There remained now none but the wild Arabians a people neuer to be tamed and especially they of AFRICKE who hauing lost many of their friends and kinsmen in aiding Tomombeius would not as it was thought submit themselues vnto the Turkish obedience This wandering kind of people liuing for most part by theft had filled the countries from Euphrates where it runneth by the Palmyrens with all the inner parts of AEGIPT and AFRICKE vnto the Atlanticke sea with huge multitudes of men and being deuided into many companies vnder diuers leaders haue no certaine dwelling places but liue an hard and frugall kind of life in tents and waggons after the manner of the Tartars their greatest wealth is a good seruiceable horse with a launce or a bundell of darts they were alway at discord variance amongst themselues by reason whereof they could neuer agree for the expulsing of the Mamalukes who otherwise had not been able to haue stood against them if they should haue joyned their forces together So that the late Aegyptian Sultans seemed to hold their state and empire amongst so populous a nation rather by their discord than their owne strength Wherefore Selymus hauing now by fit men vpon his faith before giuen allured many of their cheâ—fetaines and greatest commaunders to CAIRE honourably both entertained and rewarded them By whose example others moued came also in dayly and hauing receiued their rewards gaue the oath of their allegeance to Selymus Others which could by no faire promises or words be woon being cunningly intercepted by other captaines and deliuered to Selymus endured the paines of their vaine obstinacie and mallice The other remote nations toward AETHIOPIA as they had in former time rather acknowledged the friendship than the command of the Aegyptian Sultans so now induced with the fame of the victorie easily joyned in like amitie with the Turke About the same time Selymus sent certaine troupes of horsemen to SVEZZIA a port of the red sea of old called ARSINOE about three dayes journey from CAIRE in which port Campson the great Sultan a little before the comming of the Turks had with infinit charge and foure yeares trauell built a strong fleet against the Portingals who by their conquests in INDIA had taken away all the rich trade of the Indian marchandise into the gulfe of ARABIA to the great hinderance of the Aegyptian kings customes ouer which fleet a little before the beginning of the Turkish warres Campson had appointed one Amyrases and Ray Salomon Generals with a strong power of Mamalukes and great store of ordinance against the Portingals These valiant captaines hauing yet done nothing in the seruice they were appointed vnto as they lay at GIDDA the port of the famous citie of MECHA wherein is the temple of their great prophet Mahomet vnderstanding of the death of Campson of the comming 〈◊〉 Selymus into AEGIPT fell at variance betwixt themselues one of them being willing to continue his obedience towards the new Sultan and the other no lesse desirous to follow the good fortune of the victor Wherupon a mutinie arising among the souldiors Amyrases who fauoured Tomombeius was enforced to flie to MECHA But shortly after Ray Salomon requiring to haue him and threatening all hostilitie except he were forthwith deliuered he was apprehended by them of MECHA fearing to haue GIDDA their port spoiled and so sent backe againe to the fleet Ray Salomon that he might be Admirall alone his associat being taken out of the way and by some notable fact to insinuate himselfe into the fauour of the conquerour caused Amyrases in the night to be cast ouer boord and giuing to the souldiors two moneths pay and swearing them to the obedience of Selymus in few dayes sayling came backe againe to ARSINOE where leauing the fleet hee came directly himselfe to Selymus at CAIRE of whom he was gratiously receiued After that all the princes which were before tributaries or confederates to the late Sultans of AEGIPT euen vnto the confines of Dauid the most mightie king of ETHIOPIA whom some call Presbiter Iohn without delay entred into the like subjection or confederation with the Turkes AEGIPT with
they would for all that keep it to the last man For that perhaps the like honourable occasion for them to shew theÌ„selues in should neuer again be offred wherfore they had as they said resolued in that place to spend their liues for the glorie of God and the Christian religion The course of this life they said was but short but that honour and fame was for euer and whereas death is to all men prefined it were to be wished that the life which is to nature due should rather seeme to be by vs franckly giuen to God and our countrey than reserued as natures debt Which if it should so happen they would so vse the matter as that the barbarous enemie should haue neither pleasure nor joy which should not cost him much bloud euen of his best souldiors This they willed the knights to tell the Great master and to request him not to bee too carefull of them but to promise vnto himselfe those things of them which best beseemed resolute men especially of them who had vowed themselues to that sacred warre This answere of greater resolution than fortune receiued the three knights when they had diligently viewed the castle returned to the Grand master who calling to counsell his knights and hauing heard the answere of the besieged would needs heare also what opinion the three knights themselues were of concerning the keeping of the castle of whom Castriot was of opinion That the place was still to be defended and that if he were there to commaund he would vndertake to performe it and there rather to lose his life than to forsake it after he had once taken vpon him the charge thereof But Roces the French knight was farre of another mind and said plainely that the place could not possibly be holden against so strong an enemie and that if Iulius Caesar himselfe were aliue and saw to what straight the place was brought especially all the rampiers being either beaten downe or â—ore shaken such a power of obstinat enemies lying round about it he would neuer suffer so many valiant souldiors to be lost but quit the place and reserue his men to further seruice for why it was the part of valiant men to performe so much as was of men to be performed but to striue to do more was no manhood at all Wherefore he thought it best to doe that which men vse with members mortified whose recouerie is desperat in which case we doubt not to make a seperation so to saue the rest of the bodie with life The Spanish knight in most part agreeing with Castriot said That he thought it not good that the place should so easily be forsaken first for that the ditches and bulwarkes were yet defencible and then because he saw so great a consent amongst the defendants and such a cheerefulnesse to withstand the enemie which thing as hee said presaged victorie These opinions of the knights thorowly in counsell debated and euery particular well wayed it seemed good to the greater part that they which were in the castle should for certain daies yet hold it out especially because it was not the manner of the knights of the Order easily to abandon their strong holds but rather to keepe them to the last that euen therein the barbarous enemie might perceiue with whom he had to doe and so see his pride abated For if they should haue forsaken the place they might haue beene thought to haue done it for feare whereby the enemies insolencie might haue beene encreased and the honourable Order of those sacred knights disgraced But the Turkes intentiue to that they had before determined the three and twentith day of Iune assembling all their forces both by sea and land round about the castle in the dead time of the night on euery side set vp scaling ladders made bridges wrought mines and with two and thirtie great pieces of artillerie battered the rest of the wals yet standing and presently gaue a most terrible assault The defendants on the other side beat downe some repulsed others slew many euer more carefull how to wound the enemie than to saue themselues and where he pressed fastest on there to shew their greatest valour Great were the outcries made on both sides mixt with exhortation mirth and mourning the face of the whole fight was diuers vncertaine cruell and dreadfull and now it was the third houre of the day when still the victorie stood doubtfull and had not the furie of the great ordinance beene so terrible that it had now beaten downe all the wals vnto the very rocke whereon the castle stood the defendants might for some longer time haue endured the enemies force But the very rocke bared both of wals and defendants and more than foure hundred slaine a man could scarcely now shew himselfe but hee was presently strucke in pieces Monserratus Gouernour of the castle and Garas of EVâ—oeA men of equall valour integritie and honour were both slaine with one shot for a short and transitorie life made partakers of immortalitie together Yet the rest which stood in defence of the castle nothing terrified with so great a losse and slaughter of their fellowes but augmented rather as it were with new courage from aboue fought with greater force than before ouerthrew the Turks ensignes now set vp in the castle slew the ensigne-bearers captaines and colonels now respecting nothing more but honourably to lay downe their liues for their religion and the obtaining of immortall fame By this time the Sunne was mounted to the middle of heauen great was the heat and men exceeding wearie the murdering shot neuer ceased and such was the multitude of the enemie that he still sent in fresh men in stead of them that were wearied or wounded On the other side the small number of the Christians and those weakened with labor watching thirst and wounds did what men might yet at length were ouercome by a greater force and so the castle by the Turks woon but with such slaughter of their men that it was a wonder that so many should be slaine of so few The defendants were all slaine euery man in valiant fight Here may I not in silence passe ouer the inhumane and more than barbarous crueltie of the Turks against the dead bodies of the slaine knights that thereby may appeare that crueltie neuer wanteth whereon to shew it selfe mercilesse yea euen after death The Turks after they had taken the castle finding certaine of the knights yet breathing and but halfe dead first cut their hearts out of their breasts and then their heads from their bodies after that they hanged them vp by the heeles in their red cloakes with white crosses which manner of attire they after an auntient custome vse in time of war as they doe blacke in time of peace in the sight of the castles S. ANGELO and S. MICHAELL And yet Mustapha the Turks Generall not so contented commaunded them afterwards to be fast
gaue occasion for many that loued her not to say That so troubled an estate required the gouernment of some worthie man Wherefore shee fearing lest that the Senat making choise of some other she and her children should be remooued from the gouernment thought it best for the preseruation of her state and her childrens to make choice of some notable valiant man for her husband that for her and hers should take vpon him the managing of so weightie affaires But to check this her purpose the onely remedie of her troubled thoughts shee had at the death of the late emperour Constantine her husband at such time as the soueraigntie was by the Senat confirmed vnto her and her sonnes solemnly sworne neuer more to marrie which her oath was for the more assurance conceiued into writing and so deliuered vnto the Patriarch to keepe This troubled her more than to find out the man whom she could thinke worthie of her selfe with so great honor Shee held then in prison one Diogenes Romanus a man of great renown honorably discended whose father hauing married the neece of the emperour Romanus Argirus and aspiring to the empire being conuicted thereof slew himselfe for feare to be enforced by torments to bewray his confederats This Diogenes was by the late emperour Constantine for his good seruice against the Scythes who then much troubled the empire highly promoted with most honourable testimonie in the charters of his promotions That such honours were bestowed vpon him not of the emperours meere bountie but as the due rewards of his woorthie deserts Notwithstanding after the death of the emperour he sicke of his fathers disease and swelling with the pride of ambition sought by secret meanes to haue aspired vnto the empire Whereof the empresse hauing intelligence caused him to be apprehended and brought in bonds to CONSTANTINOPLE where being found guiltie of the foule treason and so committed to safe keeping was shortly after brought foorth to the judgement seat againe to receiue the heauie sentence of death In which wofull plight standing as a man out of hope and now vtterly forlorne he mooued all the beholders with a sorrowfull compassion For beside that he was a man of exceeding strength so was he of incomparable feature and beautie adorned with many other rare qualities and vertues answerable thereunto wherewith the empresse mooued with the rest or pearsed with a secret good liking is hard to say reuoked the sentence of condemnation readie to haue beene pronounced vpon him and gaue him pardon And shortly after hauing set him at libertie sent for him as he was going into CAPADOCIA his natiue countrey and made him generall of all her forces with a ful resolution in her selfe to marie him and to make him emperour if shee might by any meanes get the writing out of the Patriarches hand wherein her oath for neuer marrying againe was comprised For the compassing whereof she entred into a deepe deuice full of feminine policie with one of her Eunuches whom she purposed to vse as her pander for the circumuenting of the Patriarch This craftie Eunuche instructed by his mistresse comming to the Patriarch Ioannes Xiliphilinus a man both for his place and integritie of life much honoured told him in great secret That the empresse had so far set her good liking vpon a yoong gentleman a nephew of his called Barda then a gallant of the court as that she could be content to take him to her husband and to make him emperour if shee might by his holinesse be persuaded that she might with safe conscience do it and by him be discharged of the rash oath she had vnaduisedly taken neuer to marrie againe whereof hee had the keeping The Patriarch otherwise a contemner of worldly honours yet mooued with so great a preferment of his nephew promised the Eunuch to do therein whatsoeuer the empresse had desired which he accordingly performed And so sending for the Senators one by one in whose good liking the matter cheefly rested he with much grauitie propounded vnto them the dangerous estate of the common weale with the troubles dayly encreasing and the continual feare of forreine enemies not to be repressed by the weake hand of a woman or the authoritie of yoong children but requiring as he said the valiant courage of some woorthie man After that hee began to find great fault with the rash oath which the empresse had taken a little before the death of her husband neuer to marrie and vtterly condemning the same as contrarie to the word of God and vnjustly exacted of her rather to satisfie the jealous humour of the emperour her late husband than for any good of the common-weale he in fine persuaded them that the vnlawfull oath might be reuoked and the empresse set at libertie at her pleasure by their good liking to make choice of such a man for her husband as might better vndertake so weightie affaires of the empire more fit for a man than for so tender a lady and three yoong children The greater part of the Senat thus persuaded by the Patriarch and the rest with gifts and promises ouercome by the empresse the Patriarch deliuered vnto her the writing she so much desired discharged her of her oath whereupon shee foorthwith calling vnto her certaine of her secret friends married Diogenes whom she caused to be proclaimed emperour Now thought Eudocia after the manner of women to haue had her husband whom she euen from the bottom of dispaire had exalted vnto the highest tipe of honour in all things loyall and pliant whereunto he for a while at the first forced himselfe but afterwards being a man of a proud nature and haughtie spirit became wearie of such obseruance and began by little and little to take euerie day more and more vpon him And for that the imperiall prouinces in the East were in some part lost and the rest in no small danger he aswell for the redresse thereof as for his owne honour and to shew himselfe an emperour indeed and not the seruant of the empresse left the court and passed ouer into ASIA although it were with a small armie and euill appointed for why it was no easie matter for him to furnish out the armie with all things necessarie which by the sloth and sparing of the late emperours had to the great danger and dishonour of the empire beene vtterly neglected Neuerthelesse the Turkish Sultan who at the same time with a great power inuaded the prouinces of the empire hearing of his comming and that he was a man of great valour and doubting what power he might bring with him retired himselfe and diuiding his armie sent the one part thereof into the South part of ASIA and the other into the North which spoiled all the countrey before them as they went and suddenly surprising the citie of NEO-CESARIA sacked it and so laded with the spoile thereof departed But the emperour vnderstanding thereof and not a
spoile vnto the Venetians by whom they were all taken but not a man found in them The hauen thus gained Theodorus Lascaris the emperours sonne in law was presently readie vpon the shore with a select companie of the brauest gallants of the citie and of the court to haue hindered the Latines from landing who running their ships a ground landed with such cheerefulnesse and courage and with such hast that in one moment you might haue seene them leape out of their ships take land enter into the battell and lay about them like mad men This hote skirmish endured a great while for that they were onely footmen that sustained this brunt for the horses could not so soone be landed and the Greekes were brauely mounted All this great fight the Constantinopolitanes beheld with doubtfull hearts expecting what should bee the euent thereof There were in the citie sixtie thousand of the flower of Greece which brauely sallying out made the battell much more doubtfull yet such was the valour and resolution of the Latines that in fine the Greekes discomfited were glad to retire themselues againe into the citie but with what losse was not certainely knowne easie it were to guesse that it was right great for that the old tyrant Alexius discouraged therewith and doubtfull of his owne state with Theodorus Lascaris his sonne in law and some few others of his trustie friends hard to be found in so dangerous a case the next night following secretly fled out of the citie carrying away with him a wonderfull masse of treasure which hee against all such euents had caused to bee secretly hidden by his daughter Irene in a monasterie of Nuns within the citie whereof she was the abbesse and so saued himselfe The flight of the tyrant once bruted the next morning the Constantinopolitanes taking the old emperour Isaack out of prison saluted him againe for their emperour rejoycing greatly for his deliuerance and the safegard of his life and after that opened the gates of the citie vnto the Latines calling and saluting them by the names of the reuengers and sauiours of the libertie of the Greekes as also of the life and majestie of their emperour they requested them that they might see and salute Alexius their young prince whom they had so long desired and so was the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the submission of the citizens for that time saued from saccage and spoile The old emperour thus deliuered and together with his sonne Alexius again placed in the imperiall seat gaue the most heartie thanks that possibly he could vnto the Latine princes for that by their bountie charitie and valour the Greeke empire had beene deliuered out of a long and miserable seruitude and for his owne particular that he had receiued of them so great good that albeit his sight could not be restored to him againe neuerthelesse hee acknowledged his life his libertie his empire his countrey his sonne to haue been vnto him by them restored and he likewise to them for which their so great deserts he could not as hee said render them condigne thankes or deuise rewards or honours answerable to their demerits and valour and that therefore he did ratefie and confirme whatsoeuer his sonne had before promised vnto them for his deliuerance and not onely that but farther promised That if they were not therewith contented hee would of his owne bountie giue them better contentment not meaning they should goe discontented that had saued his life and otherwise so highly pleasured him Hereupon this good old emperour began to consult with his friends about the meanes whereby he might satisfie and content the Latines in such things as the young prince his sonne had vnto them promised And to the intent that the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE might the more willingly doe that he was to command them and the more cheerefully pay such impositions as hee was to lay vpon them hee intreated all the Latines to retire themselues out of the citie into their campe or about their ships which they accordingly did But the imposition being set downe and what euery man was to pay seemed vnto the Greeks as men of long accustomed to receiue tribute of others and not to pay tribute to others a matter most heauie and intollerable In this verie instant that this exaction was required died the old emperour Isaack who hauing of long beene kept in a darke and stinking prison in continuall feare of death and now deliuered and restored to his empire could not endure so sudden and vnexpected a change both of the aire and of his manner of liuing but so suddenly died At this exaction imposed for the contentment of the Latines the light Constantinopolitans grieuously murmured and exclaimed saying That it was a villanous thing to see the Greeke empire engaged and bound by a yoong boy vnto a couetous and proud nation and so to bee spoiled and bared of coyne That the great and rich island of CRETE lying in the midst of the sea was by him giuen as a gift vnto the Latines That the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE and the Greeke church had by him beene enforced and constrained to yeeld vnto the See of ROME to receiue the opinions of the Latine church to submit it selfe vnto the obeisance of old ROME from whence it had once happily departed euer since the time that the empire was by Constantine the Great translated thence to them Thus euerie one said for himselfe in particular thus all men said in generall And therof the noble men in their assemblies and the vulgar people in their meetings grieuously complained whereupon a great sedition and tumult was raised in the citie Some presently tooke vp armes and the common people all enraged ran furiously disordered vnto the palace with a purpose to haue committed some great outrage vpon the person of the yong emperour Alexius who in that so sudden an insurrection as might well haue troubled a right constant man without longer stay resolued vpon a most wholesome and necessarie point for the appeasing of the peoples furie vnto whom assembled in a woonderfull multitude he shewed himselfe from aboue in his pallace promising them to remaine in their power and not from thencefoorth to do any thing without their aduice and liking but wholy to depend vpon them with which good words the people held themselues well content and so was the tumult for that time appeased But foorthwith the yoong emperour considering the injurie done vnto him began to burne with the desire of reuenge and to change his purpose Hee could not together satisfie the citizens and the Latines for if he would keepe his promise with the Latines he must of necessitie offend his owne people neither was there any meanes to bee found to satisfie both the one and the other But thinking himselfe more bound to keepe his promise with the Latines whose forces he knew not how to withstand he sent secretly to request the marques of MONT-FERRAT generall of the armie
forkes rakes sythes plowes and harrowes which he had brought ouer with him and why he set them not to work but suffered them like an euill husband to rot and rust beside him All which with much more the good king was glad to put vp For now his forces greatly deminished as well by sicknesse as by the former losses finding himselfe farre too weake he would faine haue retired backe againe to DAMIATA which the Sultan foreseeing got so betwixt him and home that now there was no remedie but either to fight it out or yeeld The king himselfe had been often before intreated by his nobilitie whilest the riuer was yet vnpossessed by the enemie to haue conueyed himselfe by water to DAMIATA for that in the safetie of his person consisted as they said the safetie of his kingdome whatsoeuer became of them whereunto hee could neuer bee persuaded saying That he would neuer forsake his people because he would not be forsaken of them but was resolued to endure with them whatsoeuer it should please God to lay vpon him So passing the riuer by the same foord whereby his brother had not long before vnfortunatly passed and comming to the place where the battell was fought hee might see the dead bodies of the Christians pitifully mangled with their heads and hands cut off For the Sultan the more to encourage his soldiors had before the battell proclaimed That whosoeuer should bring him the head or hand of a Christian should haue a great reward for his labour in hope whereof they had so dismembred them But long he had not there stayed but that the Sultan began suddainely to appeare with a most huge great armie as if he would euen with the sight thereof haue discouraged the Christians against whom for all that the Frenchmen in good order opposed themselues for the space of three houres made great resistance but what could one doe against ten and he also fainting for sicknesse and food the hard plight wherein the greatest part of the French armie then was In conclusion oppressed with the multitude of their enemies and no way left to flie they were all ouerthrowne and slaine except some few saued in hope of great ransome The king himselfe with his two brethren Alphonsus and Charles and some few others were taken prisoners brought vnto the Sultan who demaunding of him What had mooued him so to make war against him was answered by the king That it was for religion the defence of the name of his God In this vnfortunat battell fought the fift of Aprill in the yeare 1250 besides the common souldiors were slaine most of the nobilitie of FRANCE and all their rents taken The Sultan presently vpon this ouerthrow sent of his owne souldiors the like number that the French were of with French ensignes and disguised in the attire of the slaine Frenchmen to DAMIATA where the duke of BURGUNDIE the French queene and the Popes Legat lay in hope to haue been so let in for Frenchmen but they were not so well masked but that they were by them of the citie discouered for enemies and so kept out and deceiued of their purpose The Christians thus ouerthrowne and the French king taken prisoner Melech-sala the Sultan taking compassion vpon him and yet minding of his life to make his owne gaine cheering him vp with comfortable speeches began to talke with him of his deliuerance and of a good attonement to be made betwixt them The conditions whereof propounded by the Sultan were That the king should foorthwith deliuer againe vnto him the citie of DAMIATA and moreouer pay vnto him for the ransome of himselfe and his and for the charges of the war eight thousand pound of gold That all prisoners should on both sides be frankly set at libertie and so a peace to be taken for ten yeares For the more assurance whereof the Sultan offered to sweare That if he failed in the performance therof to renounce his Mahomet requiring likewise of the king to sweare If he failed in any thing that he had promised to denie his Christ to be God Which prophane oath the king detesting and wishing rather to die than to giue the same the Sultan woondring at his constancie tooke his word without any oath at all and so published the league But whilest they were comming together to DAMIATA Melech-sala now in the pride of this victorie feaâ—ing nothing lesse than the sudden change of fortune or the mischiefe hanging ouer his head was in the presence of a number of his noble men suddenly slaine by two desperat Mamalukes and one Turqueminus a sturdie slaue of their owne order and vocation by whose procurement it was supposed to haue beene done by the consent of the whole armie created Sultan in his stead who reuoking the league before concluded by Melech-sala made another in his owne name with the king much vpon the same conditions that the other was which after he had receiued DAMIATA he caused to be openly proclaimed Neuerthelesse after that king Lewis had paied his ransome and was with the remnant of his armie by the Genowaies transported from DAMIATA to PTOLEMAIS the false miscreant performed not the halfe of that he had promised of twelue thousand Christian captiues that should haue been set free scarce enlarging foure thousand and killing all the sicke souldiers whom by his promise he ought to haue reliued neither suffring any Christian to carrie any of his goods with him out of AEGYPT which by the league he ought to haue done also The French king comming to PTOLEMAIS and purposing to haue returned home was intreated by the master of the Templars and Hospitalars and other the nobilitie of the Christians to stay which he did almost by the space of foure yeares in which time he repaired the cities of CESAREA and IOPPE and fortified many strong places for the defence of the Christians against the infidels And so commending the protection thereof vnto the knights of the sacred war and sending his brethren away before him followed after himselfe greatly lamented for by all the Christians in SIRIA and so arriued in FRANCE the sixt yeare from the time of his departing thence This was the end of this long and vnfortunat expedition of Lewis the French king wherein as some write were eightie thousand Christians lost howbeit the French Chronicles extenuating their losse report of two and thirtie thousand French six thousand to haue returned againe into FRANCE The citie of DAMIATA in the space of a few yeares twice woon and twice lost by the Christians was shortly after the deliuering vp thereof by the Sultan rased downe to the ground because it should no more serue the Christians for an entrance into his kingdome The late Aegyptian Sultans thus oftentimes inuaded by the Christian princes and reposing no great assurance in the prowesse of the effeminat Aegyptians a people fitter for marchandize and other base occupations than for chiualrie and war had for the
called Anne with whom amongst other honourable and beautifull dames sent by the king her brother for the accompanying of her to CONSTANTINOPLE was one Marcesina a rare paragon of such a feature as if nature had in her meant to bestow her greatest skill From whose mouth alwaies flowed a fountaine of most sugred words and out of her eies issued as it were nets to entangle the amorous in vpon this so faire an object the emperour not fearing further harme tooke pleasure oftentimes to feed his eies vntill that at length caught with her lookes he had lost his libertie and was of a great emperor become her thrall in such sort as that in comparison of her he seemed little or nothing to regard the yoong empresse his wife but so far doated vpon her that he suffered her to be attired and honoured with the same attire and honour that the empresse was her selfe whom she now so farre exceeded both in grace and fauour with the emperour and honour of the people as that shee almost alone enjoyed the same without regard of her vnto whom it was of more right due Whilest she thus alone triumpheth at length it fortuned that shee in all her glorie attended vpon with most of the gallants of the court and some of the emperours guard would needs goe whether for deuotion or for her recreation I know not to visite the monasterie and faire church which Blemmydes a noble man of great renowne both for his integritie of life and learning had of his owne cost and charges but lately built in the countrey where he together with his monkes as men wearie of the world liued a deuout and solitarie contemplatiue life after the manner of that time with the great good opinion of the people in generall This Blemmydes was afterward for his vpright life and profound learning chosen Patriarch of CONSTANTINOPLE which great honour next vnto the emperour himselfe he refused contenting himselfe with his cell Marcesina comming thither in great pompe and thinking to haue entred the church had the dores shut against her by the monkes before commaunded so to doe by Blemmydes their founder and so was to her great disgrace kept out For that deuout man deemed it a great impietie to suffer that so wicked and shamelesse a woman against whom he had most sharply both spoken and written with her prophane and wicked feet to tread vpon the sacred pauement of his church She enraged with this indignitie hardly by so proud a woman to be with patience disgested and prickt forward by her flattering â—ollowers also returning to the court grieuously complained thereof vnto the emperour stirring him vp by all meanes she could to reuenge the same persuading him to haue been therein himselfe disgraced Whereunto were joyned also the hard speeches of her pickthanke fauourits who to currie Fauell spared not to put oyle as it were ynto the fire for the stirring vp of the emperour vnto reuenge Who with so great a complaint nothing mooued vnto wrath but strucke as it were to the heart with a remorse of conscience and oppressed with heauinesse with teares running downe his cheekes and fetching a deepe sigh said Why prouoke you me to punish so deuout and just a man whereas if I would my selfe haue liued without reproch and infamie I should haue kept my imperiall majestie vnpolluted or stained But now sith I my selfe haue beene the cause both of mine owne disgrace and of the empires I may thanke mine owne deserts if of such euill seed as I haue sowne I now reape also an euill haruest After the death of this good emperour Theodorus his sonne borne the first yeare of his fathers raigne being then about three and thirtie yeares old was by the generall consent of the people saluted emperour in his stead who in the beginning of his empire renewed the league which his father had made with Iathatines the Turkish Sultan And so hauing prouided for the securitie of his affaires in ASIA he with a puissant armie passed ouer the strait of HELLESPONTUS into EUROPE to appease the troubles there raised in MACEDONIA and THRACIA by the king of BULGARIA his brother in law and Michaell Angelus Despot of THESSALIA who vpon the death of the old emperour began to spoile those countries not without hope at length to haue joyned them vnto their owne by whose comming they were for all that disappointed of their purpose and glad to sue to him for peace But whilest he was there busied he was aduertised by letters from NICE That Michaell Paleologus whom he had left there gouernour in his absence was secretly fled vnto the Turks with which newes he was not a little troubled The cause of whose flight as Paleologus himselfe gaue it out was for that he perceiued himselfe diuers waies by many his enemies brought into disgrace and the emperours eares so filled with their odious complaints so cunningly framed against him as that they were not easily or in short time to bee refelled and therefore fearing in the emperours heauie displeasure to be suddainely taken away to haue willingly gone into exile if so happely he might saue his life from the mallice of them that sought after it At his comming to ICONIUM he found Iathatines the Sultan making great preparation against the Tartars who hauing driuen the Turks out of PERSIA and the other farre Easterne countries as is before declared and running still on did with their continuall incursions spoile a great part of their territories in the lesser ASIA also and now lay at AXARA a towne not far off from ICONIUM against whom the Sultan now making the greatest preparation hee could gladly welcommed Paleologus whom he knew to be a right valiant and worthie captaine commending to his charge the leading of certaine bands of Greekes whom he had retained to serue him in those warres as he had others also of the Latines vnder the conduct of Boniface Moline a nobleman of VENICE and so hauing put all things in readinesse and strengthened with these forraine supplies of the Greekes and Latines set forward against his enemies the Tartars who at the first sight of the strange ensignes and souldiors were much dismayed fearing some greater force had been come to the aid of the Turkes Neuerthelesse joyning with them in battell had with them at the first a most terrible and bloodie conflict wherein that part of the armie that stood against Paleologus and his Greekes was put to the worse to the great discomfiture of the Tartars being euen vpon the point to haue fled had not one of the greatest commaunders in the Turks armie and a nigh kinsman of the Sultans for an old grudge that he bare vnto the Sultan with all his regiment in the heat of the battell reuolted vnto the Tartars whereby the fortune of the battell was in a moment as it were quite altered they which but now were about to haue fled fighting like lyons and they that were
although most men were of opinion That Othoman for the rare gifts and vertues as well of bodie as of mind was to be preferred before the rest of his brethren the sonnes of Ertogrul yet were there some and they also men of great grauitie and experience who had in suspect the yoong mans age as of it selfe slipperie and for most part prone to vice especially in the libertie of great power and therefore thought it better to make choice of Dunder Ertogruls brother and Othomans vncle a man of far greater grauitie judgement and experience But Dunder himselfe being indeed a wise man and far from all ambition persuaded them in that choice not to haue any regard at all vnto his honour or preferment but to consider what were best for their state and welfare in generall For he prouidently foresaw in what danger the Oguzian state stood exposed on the one side to the mortall hatred and trecheries of the Greekes grieued to see themselues spoiled by the Turks and naturally hating them for the Mahometane religion and on the other side not surely backt with the Sultans of ICONIUM brought in thraldome to the Tartars and daily growne weaker and weaker Vnto which inconueniences and dangers he said an old weake and ouerworne bodie as was his could giue no helpe or remedie at all but required the helpe of a wise politicke vigillant stirring and valiant man such as they all well knew was Othoman his brothers son Thus before he came vnto the election he in priuat declared his mind vnto the cheefe of the Oguzian familie and afterward at their request comming vnto the generall assemblie all mens minds and eyes now fixed vpon Othoman he first of all by his example to encourage the rest for the good of the Oguzian tribe his antient house and familie saluted him their great lord and gouernour promising vnto him all loyaltie with the vttermost of his seruice whereunto by and by ensued the great applause of the rest of the people as vnto a gouernour sent vnto them by God Vnto whom they joyfully wished all happie successe with long life a most prosperous gouernment Thus with all mens good liking was Othoman made the great gouernour of the Oguzian Turks and so become amongst them a great commander and honoured with the name of Osman-Beg or The lord Osman Yet was this his honour included in a small circuit plaine and homely without any great pompe or shew as commaunding amongst rough and rude heardsmen and shepheards not acquainted with the courtesie of other more ciuile nations for as yet they were the same homely Scythian Nomades that they were before and could not as yet be persuaded to forsake their woonted rude and vnciuile manners by long tradition receiued from their auncestors and so best agreeing with their nature and calling Amongst which rude heardsmen this new gouernour himselfe not too far exceeding the rest in ciuilitie commaunded much like vnto another Romulus of whom also the Turks report many such things as do the Romanes of their founder which for breuitie I thought good to passe ouer Now it fortuned that Othoman euen in the beginning of his gouernment fell first at ods with on Hagionicholaus or S. Nicolas captaine of EINEGIOL a castle there by for that he had oftentimes of purpose troubled and molested these Oguzian heardsmen in passing too and fro with their cattell by his castle For which cause Othoman was enforced to request the captaine of BILEZVGA another castle thereby also his neighbour and friend that his people in passing that way to the mountaines might with their goods and cattell as occasion should require take the refuge of his castle which the courteous captaine well acquainted with old Ertogrul Othomans father easily granted yet with this prouiso That none should with such goods or cattell haue accesse into his castle but the Turks women only which his courtesie Othoman refused not So was the castle of BILEZVGA from that time forward a refuge vnto the Turks women who passing that way and there shrowded with their goods cattell vsually presented the captain with some one homely countrey present or other which afterwards was the losse of the castle Yet was not Othoman vnmindfull of the wrong done vnto his people by his euill neighbour the captaine of EINEGIOL but purposing to be therof reuenged made choice of seuentie of his best and most able men whom he appointed secretly to passe the mountaine ORMENIVS and so if it were possible to surprise or set on fire his enemies castle Of which his designment the warie captaine hauing intelligence by one of his espials in place conuenient vpon the mountaine laied a strong ambush for the cutting off of such as were by Othoman sent to haue surprised his castle whereof Othoman no lesse warie than he before warned by his scouts and augmenting the number of his men marched directly vnto the place where the enemie lay Where betwixt them for so small a number was fought a right cruell and bloodie battell and many slaine on both sides amongst whom Hozza Othomans nephew was one The victorie neuerthelesse fell vnto Othoman after which time his people in much more safetie fed their cattell in the summer time on the mountaines as their manner was and so in quiet passed to and fro Shortly after Othoman by night surprised the little castle of CHALCE not far from EINEGIOL and there without mercie put to the sword all the Christians he found therein and so afterwards burnt the castle which outrage was the beginning and occasion of great troubles therof ensuing For the Christians of the countries adjoyning much grieued therewith and assembling themselues together complained vnto the captaine of CARA-CHIZAR the greatest commmander thereabout That these Turks which not many yeares before were of meere pittie receiued as poore heardsmen into that countrey began now in warlike manner to lay violent hands vpon the antient lands and possessions of the Christians which insolencie as they said iâ— it were longer winked at and suffered by him and other such men of account and authoritie as werâ— to reforme the same they would no doubt in short time driue both them and all the rest of the Christians out of their natiue countries wherefore it were now high time and moâ—e than necessarie for him and all the rest to awake as it were out of the dead sleepe wherein they had long time drousily slept and joyning their forces together to expulse those vnthankfull enchroching mercilesse strangers out of their countries The mischiefe they said being now spred far therefore needed speedie remedie and that repentance would come too late when it was past cure The captaine mooued with the indignitie of the late fact and just complaint of the poore countrey people sent with all speed a strong company of souldiours vnder the leading of Calanus his brother with commâ—undement that they should march vnto the castle of EINEGIOL and there to joyne with
These extraordinarie fauours gaue occasion for many to thinke That Sultan Aladin hauing no children intended to make Othoman his adoptiue sonne and successor in his kingdome The presents and charters sent him Othoman humbly accepted sending vnto Aladin the fift part of the spoile of NICE taken from the Christians but the princely honors due vnto the Sultan onely he vsed not during the life of Aladin intending not long after to haue gone himselfe in person to visit the Sultan and so to haue grown into his further fauour But hauing prepared all things for so honourable a journey at what time as he was about to set forward he was certainely informed of the death of Aladin and that Sahib one of his great counsellors had taken vpon him the dignitie of the Sultan as is before declared which newes much discontented the aspiring mind of this Oguzian Turke in good hope to haue succeeded him in the kingdome or at least wise to haue shared the greatest part thereof vnto himselfe whereof he was now altogether disappointed Yet immediatly after the death of Aladin he thought it now fit time to take vpon him the princely honours before graunted vnto him by the Sultan in his life time which he for modestie sake had forborne Aladin yet liuing wherefore he made one Dursu surnamed Fakiche that is to say a man learned in the Turkish law bishop and judge of CARA-CHISAR commaunding the publicke prayers which were wont to be made for the health and prosperous raigne of the great Sultan to be now made in his owne name which was first openly done by the said bishop in the pulpit of CARA-CHISAR At the same time he began also to coine money in his owne name and to take vpon him all other honours belonging vnto a Sultan or king which was about ten yeares after the death of his father Ertogrâ—l and in the yeare of our Lord 1300 vnto which time the beginning of the great empire of the Turkes is vnder the fortune of this Othoman to be of right referred as then by him thus begun When Othoman had thus taken vpon him the majestie of a king he made his sonne Orchanes prince and gouernour of CARA-CHISAR promoting his principall followers to be gouernours of other strong castles and forts diuers of which places retaine the name of those captains at this day He himselfe made choice of the cittie NEAPOLIS about twentie miles from NICE to seat his regall pallace in where also diuers of his nobilitie built them houses and changed the name of the citie calling it DESPOTOPOLIS as who should say The citie of the lord or prince For all this Othoman ceased not to deuise by all meanes hee could to augment his kingdome and for that cause being accompanied with his sonne Orchanes made many rodes into the countries adjoyning vpon him surprizing such places as might best serue his purpose for the enlargement of his kingdome all which in particular to rehearse were tedious The Christian princes rulers of the countries bordering vpon this new kingdome fearing lest the greatnesse of Othoman might in short time be their vtter confusion agreed to joyne all their forces together and so to commit to the fortune of one great battell their owne estates with his According to which resolution the Christian confederat princes which were for the most part of MYSIA and BYTHINIA leuying the greatest forces they were able to make with fire and sword inuaded Othomans kingdome Who hauing knowledge beforehand of this great preparation made against him had in a readinesse all his captaines and men of war and hearing that his enemies had entred his dominion in warlike manner marched directly towards them and meeting with them in the confines of PHRIGIA and BYTHINIA fought with them a great and mortall battaile wherein many were slaine on both sides as well Turks as Christians and after a long fight obtained of them a right bloodie victorie In this battaile Casteleanus one of the greatest Christian captaines was slaine another called Tekensis of the country which he gouerned in PHRIGIA chased by Othoman vnto the castle of VLUBAD not far distant from the place where the battaile was fought was for feare deliuered vnto him by the captaine of the same castle and was afterward by Othomans commaundement most cruelly cut in pieces within the view of his cheefe castle which Othoman afterward subdued with all the countrey thereabouts The other Christian princes and captaines saued themselues by flying into stronger holds farther off The prince of BYTHINIA the cheefe author of this war fled into the strong cittie of PRUSA which the Turks now call BURUSA whether Othoman not long after led his armie in good hope to haue woon the same but finding it not possible to be taken by force began presently at one time to build two great and strong castles vpon the cheefe passages leading to the citie which castles he with great industrie finished in one yeare and in the one placed as captaine Actemeur his nephew in the other one Balabanzuck both men of great courage and skilfull in feats of war in this sort hauing blocked vp the citie of PRUSA so that little or nothing could without great danger be brought into it he subdued the most part of BYTHINIA and so returned home leauing the two castles well manned with strong garrisons vnder the charge of the captaines beforenamed Othoman returning home to NEAPOLIS honorably rewarded his souldiors according to their deserts establishing such a quiet and pleasing gouernment in his kingdome that people in great number resorted from far into his dominions there to seat themselues whereby his kingdome became in few yeares exceeding populous and he for his politicke gouernment most famous And so liuing in great quietnesse certaine yeares being now become aged and much troubled with the gout his old souldiors accustomed to liue by the wars abhorring peace came vnto him requesting him as it were with one voice to take some honourable war in hand for the inlarging of his kingdome with great chearfulnesse offring to spend their liues in his seruice rather than to grow old in idlenesse which forwardnesse of his men of war greatly pleased him and so giuing them thanks for that time dismissed them promising that he would not be long vnmindfull of their request But yet thinking it good to make all things safe at home before hee tooke any great wars in hand abroad thought it expedient to call vnto him Michael Cossi the onely Christian captaine whom for his great deserts he had at all times suffered to liue in quiet with his possessions as it were in the heart of his kingdome and by faire means if it might be to persuade him to forsake the Christian religion and to become a follower of Mahomets so to take away all occasion of mistrust which if he should refuse to doe then forgetting all former friendship â—o make war vpon him as his vtter enemie Whereupon Cossi
iustus cum viderit vltionem The just shall rejoyce when he seeth the reuenge calling himselfe just and the emperours casting downe reuenge But the old emperour thus shut vp in his chamber differing nothing but in name from a prison not long after the state of his bodie ouerthrowne with greefe and corrupt humors distilling out of his head first lost one of his eyes and shortly after the other also and so oppressed with eternall darkenesse mingled as saith the Scripture his drinke with teares and eat the bread of sorrow being oftentimes to his great greefe most bitterly mocked and derided not of them onely which were by his enemies set to guard him but of his owne seruants also Not long after the yong emperour falling sicke in such sort as that it was thought he would not recouer Catacuzenus and the rest of his greatest fauorits and followers carefull of their own estate and yet doubtfull of the old blind emperour deuised many things against him but all tending to one purpose for the shortening of his daies But in the end all other deuises set apart they put him to the choice either to put on the habit of a religious and so for euer to bid the world farwell or els to take what should otherwise ensue the best wherof was either death exile or perpetuall imprisonment in the lothsome castle of forgetfulnesse For the putting whereof in execution Synadenus of all others to him most hatefull was appointed At which hard choice the old emperor as with a world of woes sodainly oppressed lay a great while vpon his bed as a man speechlesse for what could he do els except he had an heart of steele or adamant being then compassed about with many barbarous and mercilesse soldiors and his domesticall seruants kept from him and no man left that would vouchsafe to direct him being blind whither to go or where to stand But to make the matter short would he would he not they made choice for him thēselues polling and shauing him and casting a monkes habit vpon him changed his name after the manner of the religious and called him by the name of Anthonie the monke Glad was Esaeias the false Patriarch of this the hard estate of the old emperour for that now that he was professed a religious there was left no hope for him to recouer againe the empire either cause for himselfe to feare Yet he thought it good to be aduised in what sort remembrance should be made of him in the church prayers if any were at all from thenceforth to be made Whereof to be by the old emperour himselfe resolued he seeming to be very sorie for that which was done but purposing indeed therein to deride him sent vnto him two bishops to know what his pleasure was to haue done therein Vnto which their demaund he oppressed with heauinesse and fetching a great sigh euen from the bottome of his heart answered As in poore Lazarus appeared a double miracle That being dead he rise and being bound walked euen so was it to be done in me though in quite contrarie manner for loe being aliue I am dead as ouerwhelmed with the waues of calamitie and woe and being loose am bound not my hands and feet onely but my tongue also wherewith vnable to doe any thing els I might yet at least bewaile my woes and wrongs vnto the aire and such as by chance should heare me and vnto this most wofull darkenesse wherein I must for euer sit But shame hath closed my mouth my brethren abhorre me and my mothers sonnes account me for a stranger vnto them and the very light of mine eyes is not with me my friends and neighbours stood vp against me and all that saw me laughed me to scorne my feet had almost slipped and my footsteps were almost ouerthrowne for I fretted against the wicked when I saw the peace of the vngodly The emperours long agoe gaue great priuiledges vnto the Church euen those which it at this day enjoyeth and the Church gaue to them againe power to chuse whom they would to be Patriarchs Now concerning him that sent you I not onely nominated him vnto the Patriarchship but I my selfe made choice of him and preferred him before many other right worthie and most famous men being himselfe a man growne old in a poore priuat life neuer before preferred or for any other thing famous I will not say how often I haue holpen him and done him good But now when hee should againe haue relieued me in my calamitie he joyneth hands with mine enemies against me more cruell vpon me than any other bloodie handed executioner not ashamed to aske me how I would bee remembred in the church faigning himselfe to be ignorant and sorrie for mine estate much like vnto the Aegyptian crocodile of NILE which hauing killed some liuing beast lieth vpon the dead bodie and washeth the head thereof with her warme teares which she afterwards deuoureth together with the bodie But what to answere him vnto this his catching question I know not for if I shall say As an emperor I shall forthwith be slaine by them which for that purpose haue me in hold but if I say As Anthonie the monke it shall be taken as the franke confession of mine estate by them which haue craftely contriued mine ouerthrow as if I had not by compulsion but euen of mine owne free will put on this monasticall habit which God knoweth was neuer in my thought Hauing thus said he sent them away without any other answere vnto their demaund but sitting downe vpon his bed side said My soule returne again into thy rest for the Lord hath dealt well with thee neither spoke any one word more in declaration of his greefe his tongue there staied by his singular wisedome or els with the greatnesse of his greefe and so against his will in silence passing ouer his sorow his mind with the greatnesse of his woes ouercome and as it were astonished before the humors gathered into the braine could be dissolued into teares For as the Sunne sending forth his moderat beames draweth vnto it many exhalations and vapours but casting the same foorth more plentifully doth with his immoderat heat consume the same before they can be drawne vp so the moderat affections of the mind may haue their greefes by words and teares expressed but such as exceed all measure and with their vehemencie as it were ouerthrow the mind commonly make men to stand still mute silent or if they speak at all to speak idly and nothing to the purpose as men beside themselues or in an extasie But for the resolution of the question by the bishops demaunded the deuout Patriarch decreed That in the Church prayers he should be remembred before the emperor his nephew by the name of The most religious and zealous monke Anthonie which was done God wot for no good zeale to the poore blind man but the better to colour the
the Bassaes said they maruailed that the king in so long time did neuer shew himselfe as he had alwaies before done Whereunto the Bassaes answered That he had been dangerously sicke and was as yet but a little recouered and that therefore the physicians would not suffer him to looke abroad or take the aire for feare of casting him downe againe Then will wee our selues said the pentioners goe in and see his majestie and with that were readie to force in vpon the Bassaes. Eiuases seeing their importunitie desired them to hold themselues contented and not as then to trouble the king for that hee had that day as hee said taken physicke but to morrow said he we will request his majestie if he so please to shew himselfe that you may see him wherewith they for that time held themselues content Now amongst the kings physicians there was one Geordiron a Persian a man of a quicke spirit and subtill deuise which found means to deceiue the pentioners he deuised that the dead bodie of the king being apparrelled in royall large robes should be brought betwixt two as if he had been led into an high open gallerie and being there set to haue a boy so neatly placed behind him vnder his large robes as that he vnperceiued might moue the kings hand vp to his head as if he should stroke his face or beard as his manner was The next day the dead king being accordingly brought foorth by the Bassaes in his rich robes and wrapped with clothes about his head as if it had been for feare of the aire or of taking cold and so placed in an high open gallerie as was before deuised suddainely the physician came running in â—uming and raging as if he had been halfe mad readie to teare his clothes for anger and in great choller casting his cap against the ground asked the Bassaes if they meant to kill the king by bringing him into the open aire We said he haue with great pains in long time a little recouered him and will you thus foolishly cast him downe againe Pardon vs good doctor said Eiuases for these gentlemen pointing to the pentioners were so importunat to see his majestie that to satisfie their desires he was content to be led forth of his chamber wherof we hope shall ensue no harme The pentioners seeing the king many times moouing his hand to his face and as it were stroking his beard held themselues well contented supposing him to haue beene aliue although but weake and therefore not willing to speake vnto them The physicians taking him vp amongst them carried him into his lodging againe which was but fast by making as if they had carried an extreame sicke man Thus was his death cunningly concealed one and fortie daies vntill the comming of Amurath his sonne This Mahomet was both wise and valiant and withall exceeding bountifull but ambitious aboue measure and may of right be accounted the restorer of the Turkes kingdome for he recouered againe all those countries in ASIA which Tamerlane had taken away and giuen vnto other Mahometane princes after the ouerthrow of Baiazet And when as the kingdome of the Turkes was rent in peeces and almost brought to naught by ciuile wars and the ambition of himselfe and his brethren he at length got possession of the whole and so left it to his sonne Amurath an entire kingdome in the former greatnesse althogh not much by him augmented His bodie lieth buried in a faire tombe made of artificiall stone very beautifull to behold in a chappell at the East side of PRUSA where we leaue him at his rest FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Mahomet the first Emperours Of the East Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Rupertus duke of Bauaria 1400. 10. Sigismund king of Hungarie 1411. 28. Kings Of England Henrie the fourth 1399. 13. Henrie the fift 1413. 9. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Iohn Stuart otherwise called Robert 1390. 16. Iames the first 1424. 13. Bishops of Rome Boniface the IX 1391. 14. Innocent the VII 1405. 2. Gregorie the XII 1407. 2. Alexander the V. 1410. 1. Iohn the XXIII 1411. 5. Martin the V. 1417. 13. AMVRATH II. AMVRANTHES SECVNDUS SEXTVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1422 Europam luctu funestis cladibus implens Saeuus Amurathes totus in arma ruit Maior at Huniades virtute fortibus ausis Cogit eum trepida vertere terga fuga Consilia Eugenij bellum furialia suadent Sacrorum antistes Martia ad arma ruit Arma viri tractent curet sua templa sacerdos Europae exitium res tulit ista graue Fierce Amurath doth EUROPE fill with blood and wofull cries And wholie giuen to martiall deeds doth whole in armes arise But yet Huniades than he of greater strength and might Enforced him right fearefully to turne his backe in flight Eugenius his infernall spels stirs vp a fatall jarre Who hauing charge of sacred rites runs headlong into warre Leaue martiall deeds to martiall men and let the priest goe praie Such diuelish councell worse receiu'd wrought EUROPS great decaie THE LIFE OF AMVRATH THE SECOND OF THAT NAME SIXT KING OF THE TVRKES AND THE GREAT ESTABLISHER OF THEIR KINGDOME AFter that the death of Mahomet had been politiquely concealed one and fortie daies by the three great Bassaes Baiazet Eiuases and Ibrahim Amurath or Murat as the Turkes call him his eldest sonne at that time comming to PRUSA was by them placed in his fathers seat and the death of Mahomet at the same time published wherevpon great troubles began on euerie side to arise The princes of SMYRNA and MENTESIA rose vp in armes and at THESSALONICA an obscure fellow crept as it were out of a chimneys corner tooke vpon him the name and person of Mustapha the sonne of Baiazet which was slaine many yeares before in the great battaile against Tamerlane at mount STELLA as is before declared in the life of the vnfortunate Sultan Baiazet This counterfait Mustapha animated by the Grecian princes and going from THESSALONICA to VARDARIUM set so good a countenance vpon the matter with such a grace and majestie that not onely the countrey people apt to beleeue any thing but men of greater place and calling also as Tzunites Beg the prince of SMYRNA his sonne with the sonnes of old Eurenoses Bassa persuaded that he was the verie son of the great Baiazet repaired vnto him as vnto their naturall prince and soueraigne From VARDARIUM he went to SERRae and from thence to HADRIANOPLE Amurath being as then at PRUSA where he was receiued as if it had been that noble prince Mustapha whom hee feigned himselfe to be so that in short time he was honoured as a king in all parts of the Turkish kingdome in EUROPE Amurath to represse this so great and dangerous a rebellion sent Baiazet Bassa a man of great authoritie in his court with a strong armie into EUROPE This
the way towards CROIA But when he began to draw neere to the citie he sent Amesa before with two seruitours attending vpon him as if he had been his Secretarie to certifie the Gouernour of his comming This young gentleman as he was of a most sharpe wit and well spoken so had be framed his countenance and attire that he seemed to be a naturall Turke who assoone as he was come into the citie he went vnto the gouernor whom after he had saluted according to the Turkish manner hee deliuered his message as from Scanderbeg his maister with so good grace and words so well placed that all he said was verily beleeued for truth But when Scanderbeg himself came and had deliuered the great commaunders letters the Gouernour made no further question of the matter but presently deliuered vnto him the gouernment of the citie and the next day departed out of CROIA with all his houshould towards HADRIANOPLE Scanderbeg hauing by this pollicie got the gouernment of the cheefe citie of EPIRVS the night following found meanes in the dead time of the night to receiue into the citie the souldiors of DIBRA who were by this time come according as he had before appointed most part of them hee placed in most conuenient places of the citie and for the speedie suppression of the Turkish garrison hee with the rest first set vpon the Turkes which kept the watch vpon the wall and slue them and afterwards breaking into their priuate houses slew many of them in their beds the Christian citizens also taking vp armes at the same time helped to increase the slaughter of the Turks so that in the space of a few houres there was none of the Turkish garrison left aliue except some few which were content to forsake their Mahometan superstition and to become Christians Many of the Turks might so haue saued their liues and would not choosing rather to die and as it is reported also to kill themselues than to forsake their damnable superstition so small is the regard of life vnto resolute mindes in what quarrell soeuer The citie of CROIA being thus happily by Scanderbeg recouered wherein appeared both the greatest difficultie and hope of his good or bad successe in so great an attempt he presently sent Amesa backe again into DIBRA and other speedie messengers likewise into all the parts of EPIRVS to dispierce the newes and to stirre vp the people to take vp armes for the recouerie of their lost libertie but flying Fame the speedie post had preuented the messengers by him sent and alreadie filled euerie corner of EPIRVS with report of Scanderbeg his comming and of all that was done at CROIA And the oppressed Epirots which had long wished to see that happie daie were now vp in armes in euerie place wanting nothing but leaders whose comming although they greatly desired yet they stayed not therevpon but running together by heapes as the mâ—ner of the common people is in all great tumults they set vpon the Turkes garrisons which lay abroad in the countrey and slew most part of them whereby it came to passe that no Turke could stirre in the countrey but that he was snatched vp and slaine so that in few daies there was not a Turke to be found in EPIRVS but such as lay in garrisons in strong townes In this 〈◊〉 of the people the Gouernour of CROIA with all his reâ—â—nue was by the countrie people by the way as he went set vpon and slaine and all his goods taken as a prey When Scanderbeg had thus recouered CROIA and scoured the countrey yet to remooue the garrisons which Amurath had put in euerie strong citie was thought to be a matter of great importance and more difficultie For which purpose he commaunded those whom he had appointed for captaines speedily to repaire vnto CROIA with all the power they could make 〈◊〉 which time also diuers noble men his nigh kinsmen resorted vnto him with their followers so that within a few daies he had together at CROIA twelue thousand souldiours well appointed With this armie he marched from CROIA to PETRELLA a strong citie 25 miles distant from CROIA and encamped before it This citie is strongly scituate vpon the top of a steepe rocâ—e mountaine as all the rest of the cities of EPIRUS be and was by the Turks well furnished with men munition and others things needfull yet Scanderbeg was in good hope that the Turkish garison there terrified with the fortune of the garrison of CROIA and the slaughter of the Turks in the countrey round about would be glad to hearken vnto reasonable conditions Which to make proofe of as soone as he was encamped he sent one of those souldiours which had followed him out of HUNGARIE a faithfull and wise fellow vnto PETRELLA to offer vnto the souldiors That if they would yeeld vp the citie it should be at their choice either to continue in seruice with Scanderbeg with whom they should find most bountifull entertainement or else to depart in safetie with bagge and baggage at their pleasure with an honourable reward to bee diuided amongst them The subtile messenger comming thether and framing his tale according to the present occasion and necessitie of the time first declared vnto them how that Amurath of late vanquished by the Hungarians in a great battaile and looking euerie day to bee set vpon by diuers other Christian princes was so busied that he had no leasure to looke into EPIRVS or to send them any releefe after that he in the name of Scanderbeg offered them the conditions before rehearsed setting the same forth with many great words willing them oftentimes by the way to consider the dreadfull miserie that but the other day befell to the garrison at CROIA and other their fellowes abroad in the countrey whose dead bodies as then lay in euerie corner of EPIRVS for a prey to the hungrie dogs and greedie wolues which thing was easily beleeued of them of the garrison for that diuers of the Turks lately fled out of the countrey into the citie had themselues seene the same to be true The Gouernour hauing a little considered of the matter was content to giue vp the citie vpon condition that he with the souldiours might in safetie depart with such things as they had not couenanting vpon any further reward because it should not be said that he had sould the citie Which when Scanderbeg had faithfully promised to performe the Turkish Gouernour comming forth with all his garrison yeelded vp the citie and Scanderbeg mindfull of his promise gaue vnto them both meat and money and sent them with a sufficient conuoy of horsemen in safetie out of EPIRVS When Scanderbeg had thus gained PETRELLA he placed therein a conuenient garrison and set all things in order as he thought good but suffered none to enter into the citie more than the appointed garrison although it was then verie cold and frostie weather This done he presently raised his campe and
horse as he was hawking Old Amurath throughly wearied with continuall warres and other troubles incident vnto restlesse roomes resolued now to retire himselfe to a more priuat and quiâ—â— kind of life and therfore sent for his sonne Mahomet being then but fifteene yeares old to whom hee voluntarily resigned his kingdome appointing Caly Bassa his tutor with one Chosroe a learned doctor of their 〈◊〉 to be his trustie counsellors and cheefe directers And so taking with him Hamze-Beg one 〈…〉 noblemen in whom he tooke greatest pleasure departed to MAGNESIA and there as a man wearie of the world gaue himselfe to a solitarie and monasticall kind of life in the companie of certaine religious Turkish monks as they accounted of them Many great kings and princes as well Mahometanes as Christians glad before of the Hungarian victorie were now no lesse sorrie to heare of the late concluded peace betwixt king Vladislaus and the old Sultan Amurath as being of opinion That the prosecution of that warre so happily begun would haue beene the vtter ruine and destruction of the Turkish kingdome Wherefore they sought by all possible meanes to induce the young king Vladislaus to breake the league he had so lately and so solemnely made with the Turke especially Iohn Palaeologius the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE did by letters importune the king to remember the confederation he had made with the other Christian princes for the maintenance of the wars against the common enemie of Christianitie which princes were now prest and readie as he said to assist him with their promised aid adding moreouer That whereas Amurath had diuerse times sought to joyne with him in amitie and friendship hee had vtterly rejected that offer of peace preferring the vniuersall profit like to ensue to all Christendome by that religious warre befoâ—◠〈◊〉 owne proper securitie and profit being for his part in readinesse to joyne his forces with the kings if he would presently enter into armes which he could neuer doe in better time than now whilest Amurath terrified with his late ouerthrow and still beset with doubtfull waâ— had drawne his greatest forces out of EVROPE into ASIA in such disordered hast as that 〈◊〉 should seeme he rather fled for feare of his enemies in EVROPE than marched to encounter hiâ— enemies in ASIA and now being wearie of all had betaken himselfe vnto a priuat kind of 〈◊〉 To conclude he requested the king not to leaue him and the other Christian princes of small pâ—â—wer as a prey vnto the Turke who would assuredly with all hostilitie inuade them so soone 〈◊〉 he thought himselfe safe from the danger of the Hungarians At the same time also and vpon the departure of the Turkes embassadours for the performance of such things as they had promised letters came from Francis the Cardinall of FLORENCE Generall of the Christian fleet declaring how that Amurath hauing left almost none in EVROPE was with all the power hee could make gone ouer into ASIA against the Caramanian king leauing a most faire occasion for the Christians easily to recouer whatsoeuer they had before lost in EVROPE and that hee was in good time come with his fleet vnto the straits of HELLESPONTVS according vnto promise and there lay readie to embarre the Turks passage backe againe out of ASIA Both these letters being read in the Counsell so much mooued the king with all the reâ—â— of the nobilitie of HVNGARIE there present as that they were neuer more sorrie or ashamed for any thing they had done in their liues than for the league so lately with Amurath concluded for why they saw that all the plot they had laied for their immortall glorie was now by this â—astie peace that they had made with the Turke without the good liking or knowledge of their confederats brought to nought and that they had thereby most shamefully deceiued the generall expectation thaâ— the Christian commonweale had conceiued of them and that they of long time called the protectors of the Christian faith the defendours of true religion the reuengers of Christ his name and deliuerers of the faithfull nations should now be accounted the breakers of the Christian league men forgetfull of their confederation both with the Latines and the Greeks contemneâ—s of immortalitie and louers of their owne profit onely In this doubtfulnesse of minds whilst they stood yet thus 〈◊〉 Iulian the Cardinall and Lâ—gat alwaies an enemie vnto the peace and by reason of his place a man in greatest authoritie next vnto the king tooke occasion to dissuade the same as folloâ—eth If any of you right worthie said hee shall happily maruell that I should speake of breaking the league and violating our faith let him first vnderstand That I at this present am to persuade you to nothing els but the faithfull obseruing both of the one and the other led with like repentance with you repentance I say and not sorrow when as I as from a watch-tower foreseeing all these things which were decreed against my will to sort also contrarie to your expectation am now for the dutie of my legation and the Zeale vnto the Christian religion enforced with you to doubt and so much the rather for that at this present 〈◊〉 question is of the losse and hazard of all our honours and credit in common which except we by common consent and wonted valour endeuour to amend ô how much it is to be feared least for shame neither may you goe out of HVNGARIE or I returne to ROME where all things are with most deepe judgement censured Consider I pray you into what miseries this hastie resoluâ—â—â—â— hath cast vs. We haue entred into league with the Turke an infidell to violate our faith with the 〈◊〉 and to breake the holy league before made with the great bishop and the other Christian prinâ—â—s our confederats And that for what for what profit I say Forsooth that so we might againe recoâ—â—â— SERVIA long before destroied Verily a small and wofull profit which may againe in short time be 〈◊〉 off and depriueth vs of others farre greater and of much longer continuance For what can bee more fond or inconsiderat than in our consultations to haue regard to our priuat profit only and not the publicke without respect of religion honestie or conscience It is not demaunded of you at this present right honorable what you owe vnto the periured Turke but you are by me Iulian the great bishops and the confederat Christian princes Legat and Agent before the tribunall seat of your owne consciences accused of breach of faith breach of league and breach of promise and thereof euen by your owne judgement rather than by the iudgement of God or other man I will condemne you Answere me you noble Worthies After you had happily six moneths made warres against the Turkes in BVLGARIA and the borders of THRACIA and after that triumphantly returning into HVNGARIE receiued you not honourable embassages from almost all ITALIE and from the
with whom hee was conuersant but vnto such as were more secret and inward with him hee discouered the great affection and fauour the great emperour Mahomet had of long borne him with the large offer of his gifts and preferments assuring them of the like also if they would conforme themselues vnto his appetite seeking hereby so much as he could to allure them into the participation of his most execrable treason yet when he had said what he could he found none but a few of the baser sort of the common souldiours which were willing to hearken vnto him or to follow him When Moses saw how much he had laboured and how little preuailed fearing to be discouered hee fled by night to SFETIGRADE accompanied with a few base fellowes and easily obtained the gouernours passe with safe conduct to CONSTANTINOPLE where he arriued a little before the returne of Sebalias from BELGRADE and was of Mahomet both joyfully receiued and honourably entertained When Scanderbeg vnderstood that Moses was thus reuolted at the first report thereof hee was so troubled with the strangenesse of the fact that he stood speechlesse as a man astonied but after he had pawsed a while and vpon further enquirie had found it to be true he according to his heroicall disposition said no more but that he could easily haue Moses excused for that hee was carried away with the violence of such fortune as might haue alienated the mind of a right constant man And when diuers of his friends according to the manner of the world with hard speeches seemed to agrauate his offence he could not abide to heare the same but commanded them to hold their peace and no more to vse such speeches wishing that all treason and euill fortune were together with Moses gone out of EPIRVS Vpon this newes Scanderbeg accompanied with Amesa his nephew and a troupe of horsemen presently went into the countrey of DIBRA and there with all care caused most diligent enquirie to be made if any could be found partakers of the conspiracie with Moses But finding none he much rejoyced in the fidelitie of his subjects and hauing set all things in good order in that prouince returned himselfe to CROIA Moses remaining in the Turks court ceased not to solicite Mahomet to proceed in his warres against Scanderbeg promising to doe therein great matters euen to the spending of his life in that seruice But the craftie tyrant thinking it not good to trust him too farre before hee had further triall of him delayed him off vntill the next Spring pretending that the yeare was too far spent to begin warres In the meane time he caused all Moses talke his behauior and actions to be diligently obserued and noted and oftentimes himselfe discoursed with him concerning the managing of that warre all which he did especially to sound the depth of Moses his thoughts And finding nothing in him but the most assured and vndoubted signes of a mind deuoted to his seruice and altogether estranged from Scanderbeg in the beginning of the Spring he committed to his charge the leading of fifteene thousand horsemen for the inuading of EPIRVS such men as Moses himselfe should make choice of for a greater number he required not for the vanquishing of Scanderbeg These soldiors although they detested so few in number to enter that fatall countrey of EPIRVS as men faire warned by other mens harmes yet heartened on by the opinion they had conceiued of their new Generall and the hope they had by his meanes to find friends in that countrey to joyne with them were the willinger to goe So Moses furnished with a noâ—â—ble armie and all warlike prouision he could desire for the destruction of his countrey and blinded with the imagination of a kingdome set forward marching through THRACIA and Mâ—CEDONIA forgetting the loyaltie due vnto his soueraigne and the loue hee ought to haue borne vnto his natiue countrey came and entered into DIBRA Scanderbeg by his espials vnderstanding of the comming of Moses as also what strength hee was of stood not now vpon any policie against him who had of long been priuie to all his stratagemes but was readie euen at his first entrance with true valour to encounter him As both the armies stood raunged in order of battaile a messenger came from the Turks campe to know of Scanderbeg if any one of his armie durst to proue his fortune hand to hand against one of the Turks before the beginning of the generall battell By which messenger answere was returned That the challenge should be accepted The name of the Turk which made this braue challenge was Ahemaze a man for his valour and courage of great name amongst the Turkes Vpon this proud challenge Zacharias Groppa a gentleman of no lesse reputation amongst the Christians hastely stept forth before Scanderbeg as if he had beene afraid to haue beene preuented by some other and requested that he might be the man to abate the Turkes pride Scanderbeg embracing him commended his noble mind and wishing him good fortune gaue him leaue to carrie with him into the field the first honour of the Christian armie As he was arming himselfe his companions fellowes in armes standing about him wished vnto him not more courage or strength than he had but onely the fortune of Manessi Vpon his armour hee put on many rich jewels and ornaments the allurements or rather the rewards of the enemie if hee could vanquish him The Turkish champion was no sooner come into the plaine betwixt both armies made shew of himselfe in great brauerie as if his match had yet beene scarcely found but he saw Zacharias come forth brauely mounted and readie to charge him to whom Ahemaze calling aloud said there would bee time ynough for him to hasten to his death and therefore requested to talke with him before So when he had learned of him both his name and place he propounded such like conditions of the combat as had beene long before derided by Manessi whereof Zacharias in no better sort accepted In few words it was agreed vpon betwixt them That each of them should abide his owne fortune without any helpe or aid of others and that the victor should haue full power ouer the bodie and spoile of the vanquished Thus agreed they withdrew themselues one a good distance from another and with their launces charged ran together with such force that with the violence of the encounter they brake their launces one vpon the other and were both horse and man ouerthrowne Both vnhorsed they nimbly recouered themselues and with their scimitars fiercely assailed the one the other on foot Fortune it should seeme had determined to beautifie that combat with varietie standing a great while indifferent to both After many sturdie strokes giuen without any hurt done by reason they were so strongly armed it fortuned that both their swords were beaten out of their hands then grapling together with their bare hands as if
in my better fortune that hauing so cleared my selfe of all suspition which he perhaps hath conceiued by reason of my captiuitie and long stay with you I may at length with my wife and children so escape from him Wherein you may helpe me much if you shall openly make shew as if you were greeued with my escape and seeme to be highly offended with the keepers of the prison for the same In the meane time whilest I shall stay in the tyrants court expecting some fit time for my escape I will stand you in stead of an intelligencer so that your enemie shall not to my knowledge either attempt or goe about any thing against you which shall be kept from your hearing or knowledge Scanderbeg refused not to graunt whatsoeuer he had requested but said vnto him Amesa sithence we haue graunted you life with all the good things thereunto belonging we will not prohibit you to vse that our gift to your most good and to the preseruation of them who for euer may most justly call vpon you as debtor vnto them for their welfare and libertie Go thy waies proceed take thy time and occasion as seemeth vnto thee best and at length reforme thy selfe whilest thou yet hast sufficient time and space We now beleeue you in all things and well like of this your deuise Amesa you shall herein deceiue no man but your selfe if you shall longer follow the faith court of the barbarous king whereas like danger is both of bodie and soule both to thee and thine Whensoeuer thou shalt returne vnto vs thou canst not doe vs a greater pleasure and in what regard thou hast heretofore been with vs in the same thou shalt be with vs againe The same night Amesa by secret order from Scanderbeg escaped both out of prison and out of CROIA and in the morning it was all ouer the citie that he was gone and the keepers sharply rebuked for their negligence He comming to CONSTANTINOPLE easily persuaded Mahomet that he was by chance escaped with all things els that he told him yet was he not for all that so well graced of him as before not for any distrust he had in the man but for the euill successe hee had in the former warres Now whether Amesa neglected his promised returne or could find no oportunitie to performe the same is vncertaine but certaine it is that shortly after he died at CONSTANTINOPLE poysoned as was thought by the commaundement of Mahomet who could no longer endure the sight of him whom he reckoned the author of the notable ouerthrow receiued in AEMATHIA This was the wofull end of this noble and valiant man well worthie of remembrance had not his haughtie thoughts soared too high with the desire of soueraignetie When Mahomet vnderstood in what manner Isaack Bassa was ouerthrowne and his armie discomfited hee was therewith much greeued and justly blamed the Bassaes securitie yet such was his credit with his soueraigne that the matter was in better sort passed ouer than was supposed it would haue beene Neuerthelesse Mahomet in reuenge thereof would willingly haue imployed all his forces vpon Scanderbeg if his more vrgent affaires would haue so permitted For at the same time besides that great warres began to arise betwixt him and the Venetians which continued for many yeares after hee was certainely enformed That the Christian princes were making a strong confederation against him At which time Mahomet disdaining openly to sue for peace at Scanderbegs hands cunningly practised by such as were sent to redeeme the prisoners and also by the Sanzacke himselfe to persuade Scanderbeg to require peace of him assuring him that if he did but aske it it would for a long time bee easily obtained Which thing Scanderbeg well acquainted with the Turkish policie vtterly refused to do Wherefore Mahomet for defence of his countries bordering vpon EPIRVS sent two of his most expert captaines Sinam and Hamur with each of them foureteene thousand souldiors into MACEDONIA expressely charging them not to enter at any time or vpon any occasion into EPIRVS or by any meanes to prouoke Scanderbeg which his commaundement they so well obserued that the Epirots by the spacâ— of almost two yeares enjoyed the fruits of peace although there was no peace at all concluded So that the remembrance of old injuries wearing out with time at length by the mediation of the same captaines a peace for a yeare was agreed vpon betwixt Mahomet and Scanderbeg In which time he passed ouer into APVLIA and there notably aided king Ferdinand against the French the proceeding wherein as not pertinent to our historie I of purpose passe ouer After that the time of the peace before concluded was expired all things now going well with Mahomet as he desired he determined according to his wonted maner to trouble the quiet estate of Scanderbeg and so sending a new supplie of souldiors vnto Synam-beg who then lay with a strong garrison vpon the frontiers of EPIRVS commaunded him with all his power to make warres vpon Scanderbeg Synam accordingly with an armie of twentie thousand men entred into EPIRVS where he was forthwith encountered by Scanderbeg and his armie vtterly ouerthrown so that but few escaped by flight with Synam himselfe Presently after he sent Asam-beg another of his captaines into the same seruice with an armie of thirtie thousand whom Scanderbeg also in plaine battaile vanquished at OCRIDA in which battaile Asam himselfe was sore wounded and finding no way to escape was glad to yeeld himselfe prisoner to Scanderbeg by whom hee was courteously vsed and afterwards set at libertie Iussum-beg following Asam with eighteene thousand into EPIRVS was set vpon by Scanderbeg also and hauing lost part of his armie was glad by speedie flight to saue himselfe with the rest After all this Caraza-beg an old captain and a man of great experience who had beene a great commaunder and a companion with Scanderbeg in the time of old Amurath requested of Mahomet That he might proue his fortune against his old acquaintance Scanderbeg assuring him of better successe than before The long and approued experience of this old leader put Mahomet in such hope of good speed that he gaue presenâ— order for the leuying of such an armie as Caraza had requested and for ten thousand mo than he had at the first required With this strong armie in number almost fortie thousand Caraza set forward hauing before filled the minds of men with the expectation of some great matter to haue beene by him done Scanderbeg vnderstanding certainely that Caraza was comming stood more in doubt of the man than of his power and therefore assembled greater forces than hee had vsually done before and to welcome him sent two thousand of his best and most expert souldiors secretly into the enemies country who lying in ambush amongst the woods mountaines whereby Caraza must needs passe suddenly set vpon foure thousand horsemen the forerunners of Caraza his armie
kingdome of PONTVS which Vsun-Cassanes of right claimed as his wiues dowrie into the forme of a prouince and so vnited it vnto the Turkish empire Which so manifest a wrong Vsun-Cassanes in the newnesse of his so late atchieued greatnesse durst not aduenture to redresse but after that he was surely seated and had with the course of time ouercome all dangers at home being daily prickt forward with the remembrance of the former injuries still suggested by the importunitie of his wife Despina and the solicitation of the Venetians to whom he had by solemne promise bound himselfe he determined now to take the matter in hand and to trie his forces vpon his proud enemie the Turkish emperour Hereupon he raised a great armie and being well appointed of all things necessarie passing through ARMENIA toward PONTVS neere vnto the riuer EVPHRATES was encountred by Mustapha Mahomet his eldest sonne a young prince of great hope and Amurath the great Bassa of ROMANIA whom Mahomet fearing such a matter had sent before with a strong armie out of EVROPE to joyne with such forces as Mustapha had alreadie raised in ASIA so to withstand the inuasion of the Persian These two great commaunders Mustapha and Amurath joyning battell with Vsun-Cassanes were by him in the plaine field ouerthrowne where Amurath the great Bassa himselfe with thirtie thousand Turkes were slaine Mustapha with the rest of the armie by shamefull flight sauing themselues Now when Mahomet vnderstood that Amurath was slaine and his armie discomfited he was therewith exceedingly troubled But purposing to be thereof reuenged gaue order into all parts of his dominions for the leuying of new forces so that at the time by him appointed was assembled a great and mightie armie of three hundred and twentie thousand men Vsun-Cassanes in like manner was in the field with an armie nothing in number inferiour vnto his enemie These two Mahometane kings drawing after them their hugie armies met togither neere the mountaines of ARMENIA where at the first encounter one of the Turks greatest Bassaes was slaine with fortie thousand Turkes With which hard beginning the prowd tyrant was so daunted that he could hardly be persuaded to proue his fortune anie farther but contenting himselfe with that losse was about to haue retired and had vndoubtedly so done if some of his most expert and valiant captaines which might be bold with him had not sharpely reproued him that hauing so populous an armie as scarcely felt that small losse he should once thinke of returning without victorie With which their comfortable persuasions he was againe encouraged to giue battell Yet for his more safetie he withdrew his armie into a strait betwixt two mountaines and with his cariages fortified the front thereof as with a trench behind which cariages he placed his great ordinance and on either side his archers The Persians as men of great valouâ— and thereto encouraged with their former victories came on as men fearing no perill to haue charged the Turkes euen in their strength presenting their whole armie before they were aware into the mouth of the Turkes artillerie which suddenly discharged amongst the thickest of them brake their rankes and tooke away a number of them Besides that the Persian horses terrified with the vnacquainted and thundring report of the great ordinance were not to be ruled by their riders but starting backe ran some one way some another as if they had felt neither bit nor rider Which their confusion Mahomet perceiuing presently tooke hold of the occasion offered and with his horsemen fiercely charged them being now by themselues entangled and out of order Neuerthelesse the Persians made great resistance and slew manie of the Turkes but still fighting confusedly and out of order they were at the last enforced to flie In which fight a great number of them were slaine and their tents also taken Zeinal Vsun-Cassanes his eldest sonne labouring to stay the flight of the Persians was slaine with a small shot So the honour of the day remained with the Turkes yet had they no great cause to brag of their winnings hauing lost in that battaile fortie thousand souldiours whereas of the Persians fell not aboue ten thousand Mahomet contenting himselfe with this deere bought victorie returned homewards And Vsun-Cassanes leauing another of his sonnes with his armie for the defence of ARMENIA returned likewise to TAVRIS But whilest the Christian princes were in their greatest expectation what might bee the euent of these warres betwixt these two mightie Mahometane kings they vpon the suddaine concluded a peace and confirmed the same with new affinitie excluding the Christians quite out of the same This last battell betwixt Mahomet Vsun-Cassanes was fought in the yeare of our Lord 1474 about foure yeares before the death of Vsun-Cassanes who died the fifth of Ianuarie in the yeare 1478. In the time of these warres died the noble Mustapha Mahomet his eldest sonne at ICONIVM hauing spent himselfe with reuelling amongst his paragons or as some write commanded to die by his father vpon this occasion This youthfull prince vpon a time comming to the court to see his father or as they tearme it to kisse his hand became amorous of the wife of Achmetes Bassa a ladie of incomparable beautie and daughter to Isaack Bassa the cheefe men in the Turkish empire next vnto Mahomet himselfe but finding no meanes how to compasse her in whom his soule liued he awaited a time when as shee after the manner of the Turkes went to bathe her selfe and there as he found her all disroabed shamefully forced her without regard either of his owne honour or of hers Of this so foule an outrage Achmetes her husband with his clothes and hat all rent for madnesse came and greeuously complained to Mahomet crauing vengeance for the same vnto whom Mahomet againe replied Art not thou thy selfe my slaue and if my sonne Mustapha haue knowne thy wife is shee not my bondslaue hee hath had to doe withall cease therefore thus to complaine and hold thy selfe therewith content Neuerthelesse hee in secret sharpely reproued his sonne for so hainous and dishonourable a fact by him committed and commaunded him out of his sight and as hee was of a seuere nature caused him within a few dayes after to be secretly strangled Neuerthelesse the wrong done vnto the Bassa sunke so deep into his haughtie mind as that he would neuer admit excuse therefore but put away his wife the ground of the implacable hatred betwixt him and the great Bassa Isaack his father in law and in fine the very cause of his vtter destruction as is afterward declared in the life of Baiazet Mahomet deliuered of his greatest feare by the peace he had lately concluded with Vsun-Cassanes the Persian king was now at good leisure to employ all his forces against the Christians And bearing a deadly hatred against the princes of EPIRVS and ALBANIA with a wonderfull desire to extend his empire vnto the
Were they not nay are they not still readie with great assurance and courage at all assayes to encounter vs. You take a wrong course by force to constraine them They haue taken vpon them the defence of this place and are not thence to be remoued there shall you be sure still to find them either aliue or dead And what account they make of their liues you see they will sell them vnto vs deare for their countrey and preferre an honourable death before a seruile life Wherefore against men so set downe policie is to be vsed and them whom we cannot by force subdue let vs by delay and time ouercome If you will win SCODRA blocke it vp build strong forts in places conuenient round about it and furnish them with good souldiors make a bridge ouer BOLIANA with a strong castle on either side to stop the passage which done besiege the other weaker cities of the Venetians which are as it were the lims of SCODRA and subdue the countrey round about which will be no hard matter for you to doe being master of the field so must SCODRA at length of necessitie yeeld vnto you as of late did CROIA enforced thereunto by famine Thus may you in safetie without slaughter of your people come to the full of your desires The wholesome counsell of the Bassa so well pleased Mahomet himselfe and the rest there present that the assault was laid aside and present order taken for the speedie execution of that which was by him so well plotted Whereupon the Bassa of CONSTANTINOPLE with his forces was sent to ZABIACHE a citie in the borders of DALMATIA standing vpon the lake of SCVTARIE not farre from ASCRIVIVM which in few daies was yeelded vnto him The Bassa possessed of the citie thrust out all the inhabitants and leauing therein a garrison of Turks returned againe to the campe at SCODRA At the same time the great Bassa of ASIA was also sent by Mahomet against DRIVASTO a citie also of the Venetians which when hee had besieged and sore battered by the space of sixteene dayes the great tyrant came thither in person himselfe and the next day after his comming tooke the citie without any great resistance Such as hee found vpon the wals he put to the sword of the rest he tooke three hundred away with him vnto the campe at SCODRA and there in the face of the citie caused them all to be cruelly slain of purpose so to terrifie the defendants The next day after hee sent the great Bassa of CONSTANTINOPLE to LYSSA called also ALESSA a citie of the Venetians situated vpon the riuer Drinus about thirtie miles from SCODRA The Bassa comming thither found the citie desolate for the citizens hearing of his comming were for feare before fled for which cause he set the citie on fire Here the Turks digged vp the bones of the worthie prince Scanderbeg for the superstitious opinion they had of the vertue of them and happie was he that could get any little part thereof to set in gold or other jewell as a thing of great price as is before declared All these things thus done Mahomet committed the direction of all things concerning the siege of SCODRA vnto the discretion of Achmetes By whose persuasion he leauing a great power for the continuing of the siege departed thence himselfe with fortie thousand souldiors for CONSTANTINOPLE cursing and banning by the way all the countrey of EPIRVS all the inhabitants therein and euery part thereof their corne their cattell whatsoeuer els was fruitfull but aboue all other things the citie of SCODRA with all that therein was for that he had neuer receiued greater dishonour or losse than there After his departure which was about the seuenth of September the two great Bassaes of CONSTANTINOPLE and ASIA according to order before taken built a great bridge ouer the riuer Boliana and on either side a strong castle to the intent that no releefe should that way bee brought into the citie Which worke when they had brought to perfection and furnished both castles with garrisons ordinance and all things necessarie they left Achmetes Bassa with fortie thousand souldiours to continue the siege and returned themselues the one to CONSTANTINOPLE and the other into ASIA The warie and politicke Bassa mindfull of the charge he had taken vpon him tooke such order that no releefe could possibly be brought vnto the citie either by land or by water and so lying still before it a long time brought it at length into such distresse and want of all things that the poore Christians were faine to eat all manner of vncleane and loathsome things horses were daintie meat yea they were glad to eat dogs cats rats and the skins of beasts sod it exceedeth all credit to tell at what exceeding great price a little mouse was sold or puddings made of dogs guâ—s All these bare shifts and extremities the poore Christians were content to endure euen vnto the last gaspe rather than to yeeld themselues into the hands of their mercilesse enemies Whilest SCODRA thus lay in the suds the Venetians wearie of the long and chargeable warre they had to their great losse now maintained against so mightie an enemie by the space of sixteene yeares and hauing no meanes to releeue their distressed subjects in SCODRA thought it best to proue if they could procure a peace from the tyrant For which purpose they sent Benedictus Triuisanus a graue Senatour and a man of great experience to CONSTANTINOPLE who so well vsed the matter that after long debating too and fro at length a peace was concluded whereof the cheefe capitulations were That the Venetians should deliuer vnto Mahomet the citie of SCODRA the island of LEMNOS and the strong castle of TENARVS in PELOPONESVS and pay him yearely eight thousand duckats That they might freely after their wonted manner trafficke into the Euxine by the straits of Hellespontus and Bosphorus Thracius other parts of his dominions Concerning the citizens of SCODRA it was comprised in the same peace That it should bee at their owne choice either to liue there still vnder the gouernment of the Turkish emperour or els at their pleasure to depart in safetie with their goods whether they would Triuisanus hauing in this manner concluded a peace in his returne homeward the fourth of Aprill found the Venetian Admirall riding at anker in the mouth of Boliana from whence they both by letters certified the Gouernour and citizens of SCODRA in what manner the peace was concluded with the Turke and what prouision was therein made for them Vpon receit of which letters the gouernor calling together the citizens declared vnto them how the case stood and there with them entered into consultation vpon this hard question Whether they would remaine there still in their natiue country vnder the Turkish tyrannie or forsaking the same liue amongst other Christians in perpetuall exile But after the matter had beene throughly debated and
many reasons on both parts alledged at length it was by generall consent concluded That they should all forsake the citie and the house of bondage as dangerous both to their soules and bodies and liue as it should please God amongst other Christians So the Turks giuing pledges for the safe departure of the Christians in SCODRA they all at an appointed day with bag and baggage came out of the citie and were by the Venetians carefully transported into other paâ—â—s of their territorie in ITALIE where they liued in peace The Turks who had now besieged the citie a whole yeare after the departure of the Christians entered the citie with great joy and triumph which with many others therabout hath euer since to the great ruth of all Christendome remained in the possession of the faithlesse infidels Thus was the strong citie of SCODRA lost and the long warres ended betwixt Mahomet and the Venetians which happened in the yeare 1478. Mahomet now at peace with the Venetians sent the same Achmetes Bassa by whom he had but a litle before taken in SCODRA with his fleet of gallies against one Leonard prince of NERITVS ZACYNTHVS and CEPHALENIA islands neere vnto PELOPONESVS where the Bassa arriuing easily tooke the same islands the poore prince for safegard of his life being glad to flie into ITALIE with his wife treasure to king Ferdinand whose nigh kinswoman he had maried About the same time Alis-Beg surnamed Michal Ogli Isa Beg the sonne of Cassanes and Bâ—lâ— Beg surnamed Malcozogli men of great account amongst the Turks and most honourably descended entred into TRANSYLVANIA with a great armie of an hundred thousand men and brought such a generall feare vpon the country that Stephanus Batore the Vaiuod was glad with all speed to flie vnto Matthias king of HVNGARIE to declare vnto him the danger of his countrey and to craue his aid Matthias at the same time lay sicke of the gout neuerthelesse he tooke such order by his captaines Stephanus Cherepetrus and Paulus Kinisius countie of TEMESWARE that the Turks were encountred not farre from ALBA IVLIA and there in a great and bloudie battell ouerthrowne wherein Isa one of their great captains was slaine with 30 thousand Turks mo Neither was this victorie gained by the Christians without losse Bator the Vayuod himselfe being sore wounded and eight thousand men slaine Mahomet in his ambitious humour had long time desired to haue in his subjection the island of the RHODES For why it grieued him that so small an island should lie so nie his great dominions in ASIA holden by a few Christians to the great trouble of his merchants trading in the Mediteranean beside manie other harmes daily from thence receiued and to haue no feeling of his greatnesse But forasmuch as the winning of that place was thought to be a matter of great difficultie and in former times vnfortunatly attempted by some of the Mahometane princes he purposed now with good aduise to take this enterprise in hand Wherefore calling togither his graue counsellors and most expert men of warre after he had declared vnto them the manifold injuries receiued from them of the RHODES he propounded the matter Whether it were best to attempt the winning of that island or not Some forward men persuaded him to reuenge those injuries done by those Christians and to subdue that island which for the neernesse vnto CARIA might of right be accounted as part of his dominion and not to forbeare that enterprise for feare of repulse forasmuch as he was able to bring mo men to assaile it than were stones in the wall about it Others better aduised declared the strength of the island with the valour of the defendants men alwaies brought vp in armes and as it were chosen out of all parts of Christendome so that it was as they said like to proue a matter of more difficultie than was by some supposed whereof some of the Mahometane princes had to their no small dishonour alreadie made sufficient triall Alleadging farther that that small island which scarcely appeared in the sea was not of that worth as that he should thereon gage his honour with the liues of so manie good men and most valiant souldiours as might serue for the conquest of a kingdome For all that Mahomet prickt forward with the spurs of ambition and continuall solicitation of Anthonius Meligalus a fugitiue knight of the RHODES resolued to follow the counsell of them which persuaded the warre This Meligalus was a knight of the order which when he had prodigally consumed his substance which was great with two others Demetrius and Sophonius men of his owne qualitie and disposition fled vnto the Turkish emperour presenting vnto him a perfect plot of the citie with all the strength both of it and the isle wherein it stood and which way he might with most ease win it In which seruice they frankly offered to spend their liues but hoping indeed by such foule treacherie to repaire their broken estate All things being now in readinesse Mahomet appointed Mesithes Paleologus one of his chiefe Bassaes the neere kinsman of Constantinus Paleologus the last emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE Generall for that expedition committing to his charge the whole managing of that so great an action Mesithes embarking his armie in number eightie thousand and throughly furnished with all things necessarie for the siege set forward from CONSTANTINOPLE and with a pleasant gale of wind sayled alongst the coast of ASIA the lesse towards the RHODES where by the way he called vnto him Demetrius one of the fugitiue knights to learne of him the best meanes for the safe landing of his aâ—mie As for the arch traitor Meligalus and chiefe author of this warre he was fallen sick vpon the way and in the extremitie of his sicknesse growing both troublesome and loathsome vnto the Turkes that were with him in the same gallie was by the marriners throwne ouer-boord aliue crying out in vaine for helpe no man vouchsafing to haue anie compassion vpon him and so swallowed vp of the sea receiued amiddest the waues the just guerdon of his treacherie At this time Peter Damboyse a Frenchman an Auergnoies a man of singular gouernment was Great Master of the RHODES whose valiancie was such that commonly once in eight daies he had certaine intelligence what great matters passed in the Turkes court and therewith oâ— such deepe judgement that he was seldome or neuer ouertaken or deceiued with anie false aduertisements This carefull Graund Master was not ignorant of all these great preparations neither of the comming of the Bassa and therefore had before strongly fortified the citie and so stored the same with all things needfull as might well haue serued for manie yeares siege but especially with such shot and powder that it was deemed as indeed it was an especiall meanes whereby the citie was afterwards preserued At the same time manie noble and valiant gentlemen hearing of the Turkes designes
to lead a priuat life Which thing if he shall refuse to graunt although he neither feare the lawes of God or man yet as I haue at HIERVSALEM so will I also shortly at MECHA if by your leaue I may complaine vnto the great prophet of the iniuries done vnto me by my cruell and vnnaturall brother and afterwards make proofe of your compassion towards me all which I hope shall much auaile But if which I would not I shall proue all these things in vaine sith desperation enforceth men to all extremities I will goe with fire sword and slaughter by secret and open force by right and wrong and hated will vex my hatefull brother by all manner of mischeefe by all manner of reuenge Neither will I make an end of confounding of all vntill I be either receiued into part of the empire or els together with my life leaue those desperat and lost things for him alone to enioy For I deeme it much better quickly to die than with disgrace and infamie to protract a lingering loathed life The great Sultan in courteous manner comforted the distressed prince willing him to bee of good cheere and patiently to beare his present hap for as much as it became a man borne in so high fortune not to be discouraged with any mischance or dismaied if things fell out otherwise than he looked for commending him withall for that hee saw in him no lesse courage than might well haue becommed his better estate and willing him to liue still in hope promised to doe what in him lay to reconcile him vnto his brother and to persuade him that he might be receiued into some part of the kingdome And to that purpose shortly after dispatched away an honourable embassage to Baiazet Zemes in the meane while by the same Sultans leaue vpon a superstitious deuotion trauelled into ARABIA to visit the temple of Mahomet at MECHA and his sepulchre at MEDINA Vpon his returne to CAIRE the embassadours before sent returned also but not hauing obtained any thing they desired for Baiazet would not giue eare to any agreement but seemed altogether to contemne and despise his brother Wherfore Zemes more vpon stomacke and desire of reuenge than for any hope he had of the empire determined with himselfe to make open warre vpon him reposing some good hope in his secret friends and in the reuolt of some of the great captaines who discontented with the gouernment of Baiazet secretly wished for his returne Whilest hee was thus plotting these waightie matters a messenger with letters came fitly from the king of CARAMANIA offering with all the power he could make to joyne with him if he would take vp armes against his brother This poore titular king then liued in ARMENIA and being able by his friends to make some good force was in hope by joyning with Zemes to recouer some part of the Caramanian kingdome from whence his father was not many yeares before driuen by the force of the late Turkish emperour Mahomet the Great Baiazet his father It is hard to say whether of these distressed and exiled princes gaue the greater encouragement to the other to take this desperat war in hand being both together farre vnable by all the friends they could make to encounter with the great power of Baiazet But what is so dangerous or desperat which aspiring minds will not attempt in hope of a kingdome whose brightnesse so dazeleth their eyes that they can see nothing but it Hereupon Zemes hauing receiued great gifts of the Aegyptian Sultan with promise of aid departed from CAIRE the Sultan earnestly persuading him to the contrarie as it was before appointed met with the Caramannian king vpon the borders of ASIA the lesser where they concluded to joyne together such forces as they had and to inuade Baiazet Which they accordingly did for raising all the power they could they entered into CILICIA now called CARAMANNIA and joyning their armies together encamped betweene ICONIVM and LARENDA Neither did Baiazet in time of so great a danger sit still not so much fearing his brothers power as the reuolting of his captaines and souldiors whom he knew either to loue or at least not to hate the young prince his brother Wherfore he raised a great armie and sent Achmetes the great man of war before with the one part thereof himselfe following after with a far greater strength for at that time he had vnder his ensignes two hundred thousand men As he was marching with this great armie a rumor was raised in the campe That some of his cheefe captaines had conspired to betray him into the hands of his brother and that many of the souldiours secretly fauouring Zemes would vpon the joyning of the battell forsake him and take part with his brother Which report so troubled Baiazet that he stood in doubt what to doe or whom to trust but knowing that nothing winneth the heart of the common souldiour more than the Generals bountie he forthwith caused a wonderfull masse of money to bee deuided amongst the captaines and souldiors loding their minds with ample promises of farre greater rewards for their fidelitie and valour to be shewed in that present seruice Hauing thus assured vnto himselfe the wauering minds of his souldiours he began to draw néere to ICONIVM where his enemies lay encamped and by glosing letters and flattering messengers made shew openly as if he had beene very desirous to come to some good agreement with them but secretly went about to stop all the straits passages in such manner as that it should not be possible for them againe to retire backe into SYRIA for hee doubted nothing more but least they being but few in number so in strength far vnequall vnto him would not vpon so great disaduantage hazard the fortune of a battell but retire themselues into SYRIA and so to his exceeding trouble and infinit charge protract the warre Zemes perceiuing his brothers subtill drift and seeing no such reuolt as he had hoped for and as had before by letters to him beene promised and waighing with reason his owne weake forces retired in good time vnto the straits of the mountaine AMANVS which deuideth CILICIA from SYRIA Here despairing of all good successe in the enterprise he had taken in hand he persuaded the Caramannian king his confederat to giue place vnto the time and to reserue himselfe vnto his better fortune and so breaking vp his armie with a few of his followers came downe to the sea coast of CILICIA where he hired a tall ship to attend in readinesse that if any suddaine danger should arise he might goe aboord and so saue himselfe by sea In the mean time he sent a messenger vnto Damboys Great Master of the RHODES certifying him That for as much as he had no place of safetie left amongst his owne people wherein hee might shrowd himselfe from the furie of his brother still seeking after his life hee would vpon
his safe conduct come vnto him into his island of the RHODES Which his request the Great Master easily graunted deeming the flight of so great a prince from the Turke to be a thing much profitable to the Christian commonweale and thereupon he presently sent forth certaine gallies to fetch him from the troublesome coast of CICILIA But before these gallies were come Zemes was enforced by the sudden accesse of his enemies for the auoiding of present danger to go aboord on that ship which he had prouidently before prepared to be in readinesse for such purpose And hauing put a little from the shoare shot backe againe an arrow with letters made fast vnto it directed vnto his brother Baiazet containing as followeth Thou knowest most vnkind and cruell brother that I flie not vnto the Christians the mortall enemies of the Othoman family for hatred of my religion or nation but enforced thereunto by thy iniurious dealing and dangerous practises which thou incessantly attemptest against me yea euen in my extreame miserie But this assured hope I carrie with me that the time will come when as thou the author of so great wrong or thy children shall receiue the iust guerdon of this thy present tyrannie against thy brother It is reported that when Baiazet had read these letters he was so troubled in mind that for certaine daies he gaue himselfe wholy to mourning and heauinesse and would in no wise be comforted insomuch that he was brought into the campe by the Bassaes as a man halfe distraught of his wits shunning for a season all mens speech and companie Zemes sailing to the RHODES was there honourably receiued of the Great Master and all the rest of the knights of the order to whom in their publike assembly three daies after he openly declared the causes of the discord betwixt his brother and him alleadging for the colour of his rebellion That although Baiazet were his elder brother yet that he was borne whilest his father yet liued in priuat estate vnder subjection and commaund long before hee possessed the kingdome and so no kings sonne whereas hee himselfe was the first borne of his father being an emperour and so not heire of his fathers priuat fortune as was Baiazet but of his greatest honour and empire and yet not of such an hautie mind but that he could haue beene content to haue giuen place vnto his brother so that he could haue beene contented likewise to haue granted him some small portion of the empire wherein he might safely haue liued as a poore prince and his brother but that such was his pride as that he would not vouchsafe to suffer him to liue so much as a poore priuat life in anie corner of so large an empire and was therefore by his vnnaturall and tyranous dealing enforced to craue aid of the Christian princes Of whom for so much as he had alwaies heard much honour he was in good hope to find succour and reliefe in that his distressed estate protesting vnto God and the world that if euer it should be his good fortune by their meanes and helpe to obtaine the empire he would neuer be vnmindfull of so great a benefit but to make with them a perpetuall and inuiolable peace and so to rest their fast friend for euer The Great Master on the other side comforting him with cheerfull speeches promised to keepe him in safetie from the furie of his brother and farther to commend his cause to the other great kings and princes of Christendome This exiled prince Zemes was about the age of eight and twentie yeares when he came to the RHODES of stature tall somewhat corpulent and well limbd gray eied but looking something a squint hooke nosed and in the middle rising in such manner as the Persians commend in their kings of colour browne spare of speech and by nature cholericke a great feeder so that he seemed rather to deuoure his meat than to eat it much delighted in swimming and to lie abroad in the night pensiue and melancholy which men imputed to his great cares neuer merrie but in the companie of the graund Master a religious obseruer of his superstition from which he could neuer be drawne during the long time he liued in exile learned as among the Turkes so that he writ the historie of his fathers life But leauing him in safe keeping with the Graund Master of the RHODES let vs againe returne to the course of our historie Baiazet hauing now the second time chased away his brother after he had well quieted that part of his troubled kingdome in ASIA returned againe to CONSTANTINOPLE carefully attending when some new motion should be made by his brother to his farther disquiet But after he vnderstood that he was with the Great Master of the RHODES he sent certaine of the Bassaes amongst whom Achmetes the great souldiour is reported to haue beene one vnto the Great Master requesting him to deliuer vp Zemes offering for him a wonderfull summe of money Which dishonourable request when it could by no meanes be obtained the same embassadors in the name of their master concluded a peace verie commodious for the Rhodians wherein amongst other things it was agreed That the Great Master should keepe Zemes in safe custodie so that he should no more trouble the Turkish empire in consideration whereof and for his honorable vsage Baiazet should yearly pay vnto the Great Master thirtie thousand duckets the first of August which was afterward accordingly paied It fortuned that whilest Achmetes the great Bassa emploied in matters abroad was absent from the court Baiazet discoursing with the other Bassaes his graue counsellors vpon his late expedition into ASIA against his brother seemed to be highly offended with the vntrustinesse and doubtfull faith of some of his greatest captaines and souldiours yet vpon whom he might justly lay the blame he well knew not although it seemed by his talke he should somewhat distrust the great captaine Achmetes Hereupon Isaack the most auntient Bassa of the court and of greatest authoritie next vnto Baiazet himselfe whose daughter a ladie of exceeding beautie Achmetes had long before married but doubting that she had yeelded her honour to the wanton lust of Mustapha the eldest sonne of Mahomet the late emperoer had put her from him and would by no meanes be reconciled for which cause there was a secret hatred euer after betwixt those two great Bassaes perceiuing the emperours discontented and suspitious humor and desiring nothing more than the destruction of Achmetes tooke hold vpon this opportunitie and by all meanes he could deuise encreased the suspition of the treason which had alreadie too much possessed the jealous emperour sometimes craftily imagining intelligence to haue passed betwixt Zemes and Achmetes and forthwith amplifying his power and authoritie which as hee said was so great with the Ianizaries and souldiors of the court that they by reason of his often imploiments were wholy at his deuotion
Erdebil whom Iouius calleth by the name of Harduelles a man honorably discended amongst the Persians who contemning worldly honour riches pleasure and whatsoeuer else belonged vnto delicacie of life commonly accounted the greatest part of humane felicitie as meere vanities and trifles led such a straight and austerâ— kind of life with such continencie and contempt of the world as that the vulgar people for most part giuen to pleasure wondering at that in him which they could not or would not themselues imitate began to haue the man in singular admiration for the opinion they had conceiued of his vpright life and rare vertues The fame of this new prophet for so he was accounted was growne so great in the Persian kingdome that people without number resorted out of all parts of PERSIA and ARMENIA vnto the great citie of TAVRIS to see the man And he the more to seduce the multitude delighted with nouelties began to inuay against the common receiued opinion of the Mahometanes concerning the true successours of their great prophet and to reuiue the opinion of Giâ—ni surnamed Soâ—i persuading the people as if he had been inspired with some diuine inspiration That none of the professors of the Mahometane religion should inherit the kingdome of heauen after they were dead but such as were the followers of Haly the true successour of the great prophet Mahomet and his fellow in writing Whom he taught them onely to honour as priuie to the mind of the great prophet and so to receiue his writings as of all others most authenticall rejecting Ebubekir Omer and Osman with their writings as most wicked accursed men whom the Turkes had euer and yet doe with the other Mahometanes honour and worship as the true successours of their great prophet Mahomet and his sincere interpretors togither with the aforesaid Haly whom the Persians doe onely acknowledge and therefore in their praiers doe commonly say Cursed be Ebubekir Omer and Osman and God be fauourable to Haly and well pleased with him Which their difference about the true successor of their prophet in whom was no truth hath been and yet is one of the greatest causes of the mortall wars betweene the Turks and Persians and not the diuers interpretation of their law as manie haue written which among the Turkes and Persians is all one Vsun-Cassanes mooued with the fame and vertues of this new prophet or rather as some thought desirous to win the hearts of the multitude of them that had receiued this new phantasie gaue him in mariage his daughter Martha begotten of the Christian ladie Despina the daughter of Calo Ioannes emperour of TRAPEZONDE Which marriage the Christian emperour made with that Mahometane prince and he also accepted thereof thereby to strengthen themselues against the Turkish emperour Mahomet the Great whose power was then become a terrour vnto all his neighbour princes but to how small purpose this policie serued them both is before declared in the life of the same Mahomet At the conclusion of this marriage the emperour had specially couenanted with Vsun-Cassanes that his daughter Despina might haue the free exercise of the Christian religion Whereby it easily came to passe that this Martha her daughter instructed by her mother became a Christian also who now married by her father vnto this precise hypocrit Haider Erdebil in short time bare him a sonne called Hysmael whom she so much as she could trained vp in the principles of the Christian religion Whereby it came to passe that afterwards when hee had by rare fortune obtained the kingdome of PERSIA he alwaies during his life had the Christians in good regard and neuer found fault with their religion Haider thus graced with the marriage of the great kings daughter Martha only for his rare vertues and puritie of life as was commonly supposed grew now into farre greater credit and estimation of the people than before So that his doctrine and opinions began to be generally receiued and the number of his followers so greatly augmented that Iacup succeeding his father Vsun-Cassanes but lately dead began to haue the power and credit of Haider his brother in law in suspect and to distrust least the Persians who secretly fauoured the remainder of the posteritie of their auntient kings should assemble togither vnder the colour of this new superstition and raise some dangerous rebellion before he were well setled in his seat For he was not ignorant that Asembeius Vsun-Cassanes his father had but by force and pollicie vsurped the kingdome hauing killed Moloonchres the lawfull king whereof there arose two factions some fauouring the vsurper and other some the poore remainder of the discent of their auntient kings of the race of Tamerlane For which causes Iacup as hee was of suspitious and troublesome nature and aboue measure jealous of his state nothing regarding the neere alliance or reputed holinesse of his godly brother in law caused him suspecting no such matter to be secretly murthered and so hauing strucke off his head with fire and sword persecuted all the professors of that new doctrine so to deliuer himselfe for euer of that his vaine and needlesse feare Hysmael the sonne of Haider who was afterwards called the great Sophi of PERSIA being then but a child as it were by fatall destinie escaped the furie of his cruell vncle Iacup and fled into HIRCANIA vnto one Pyrchales his fathers friend who then ruled in a small territorie neere vnto the Caspian sea Amongst many other of the disciples and followers of Haider which in that cruell persecution were glad to flie for safegard of their liues the two before named Chasan Shelife and Schach Culi afterwards surnamed Cuselbas in outward shew both of vertue and learning not inferiour vnto their master flying that dangerous tempest and passing ouer the riuer Euphrates came into ARMENIA the lesser and there tooke vp their dwelling at the great mountaine ANTITAVRVS at the foot whereof the broken rockes haue diuers darke and obscure caues made partly by art and partly by nature which place is of the inhabitants called Teke-Ili whereof diuers historiographers I know not whether deceiued by the name of the place or else wittingly transferring the name of the place vnto the man that liued therein haue called this Schach Culi who of the two proued of greater fame by the name of Techellis by which name we will also from henceforth call him A thing heretofore much vsed amongst the religious and also some of the children of great princes who oftentimes bare the names of the places where they were borne or where they most liued This place is both wholsome and exceeding pleasant for the varietie of fruits and liuely springs wherwith the plaines adjoyning are continually watered and the mountains at all times of the yeare garnished Here Shelife with his companion Techellis hauing separated themselues farre from the companie of men and giuen themselues wholy to a contemplatiue life for diuers
other Sciemscia the eldest gouernor of CARAMANIA for his towardlinesse most deerely beloued of his father died of a naturall death before him and was of him and his subjects greatly lamented Alemscia died in like manner of whose death as soone as he was aduertised by mourning letters written in blacke paper with white characters as their manner of writing is in certifying of heauie newes he cast from him his scepter with all other tokens of honour and caused generall mourning to be made for him in the court and through all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the space of three daies during which time all shops were shut vp all trading forbidden and no signe of mirth to be seene and for a certaine space after the manner of their superstition caused solemne sacrifices to be made for the health of his soule and 7000 Aspers to be giuen weekly vnto the poore His dead bodie was afterward with all princely pompe conuaied to PRVSA and there with great solemnitie buried Tzihan gouernor of CARIA and Mahomet gouernor of CAPHA vpon their fathers heauie displeasure were by his commaundement both strangled Of his other foure sonnes Achmet otherwise called Achomates Machmut or Mahometes Corcut or Corcuthus and Selymus the second namely Mahometes was of greatest hope and expectation not giuen to sensualitie or voluptuous pleasure as Achomates his eldest brother neither altogither bookish as was Corcuthus nor yet of so fierce and cruell a disposition as Selymus but of such a liuely spirit sharpe wit bountifull disposition and princely carriage of himselfe that in the judgement of most men he seemed alreadie worthie of a kingdome Which immoderat fauour of the people caused his elder brother Achomates yea and Baiazet also himselfe to haue him in no small jealousie as if he had affected the empire and was in short time the cause of his vntimely death Which thing he nothing doubting hastened as fatall things are by such meanes as hee least feared might haue procured anie such mortall distrust or danger Most of Baiazet his children were by diuers women yet Achomates and this Mahometes were by one and the same mother for which cause Mahometes tooke greater pleasure in him than in any his other brethren although it were not answered with like loue againe Achomates was lord and gouernour of AMASIA and this Mahometes of MAGNESIA who desirous to see the manner of his brothers life and gouernment disguised himselfe with two of his familiar and faithfull friends as if they had been religious men of that order which the Turkes call Imailer These men are for most part comely personages borne of good houses who in cleanly attire made after an homely fashion doe at their pleasure wander vp and downe from towne to towne and countrey to countrey noting the disposition and manners of the people whereof as fitteth best their purpose they make large discourses afterwards to others they commonly carrie about with them siluer cymbals whereon they play most cunningly and thereunto sing pleasant and wanton ditties for which idle delight they receiue money of the people as an almes giuen them of deuotion These are the common corrupters of youth and defilers of other mens beds men altogither giuen to ease and pleasure and are of the Turkes called The religious brethren of Loue but might of right better be tearmed Epicurus his hogs than professours of anie religion at all Mahometes and his two consorts as men of this profession trauelled vp and downe the countries of PONTVS and CAPADOCIA where Achomates commaunded and so to the citie of AMASIA receiuing for their merrie glee by the way as they went the almes and deuotion of the foolish countrey people And being at the length come to AMASIA vpon a solemne holiday they awaited the comming of Achomates to the church who passing by staied a while listening attentiuely vnto their pleasant and alluring harmonie which was for that purpose most curiously and skilfully before deuised and by them both with their instruments and voices performed When they had ended their musicke and according to the manner of their idle profession expected his deuotion Achomates being a man of a spare hand commaunds fiue aspers to be giuen them in reward which is about six pence of our money Mahometes disdaining his brothers base reward as a signe of his miserable disposition would in no wise discouer himselfe as he had before determined but taking horse returned with speed to MAGNESIA from whence hee writ taunting letters vnto his brother Achomates scoffing at his good husbandrie no praise to a prince and in contempt sent him backe againe his fiue aspers which thing Achomates tooke in so euill part as that he was neuer afterwards friends with him The report of this fact was in short time dispersed throughout all parts of the Turkish empire diuers men diuersly deeming of his purpose therein Not long after Mahometes had in this sort plaied with his brother Achomates he attired himselfe with certaine of his trustie followers as if they had beene seafaring men and with a small bark came to CONSTANTINOPLE and there landing as aduenturers from sea tooke diligent view both of the imperiall citie and of the citie of PERA standing opposite against it curiously noting how all things were by his fathers appointment ordered and gouerned It happened whilest he was thus staying at CONSTANTINOPLE that Baiazet had appointed a solemne assembly of all his chiefe Bassaes at the court which Mahometes was desirous to haue the sight of as also of the fashion of his fathers court but as he with his companions pressed to haue entred in at the court gate they were by their base apparell taken of the porters to haue been rude mariners and so by them kept out Wherefore consulting what to doe in that case he went and presently bought a most beautifull Christian captiue boy and the next day comming againe to the court with two of his companions as if they had been aduenturers at sea requested to be let in for that they had brought a present for the emperour So finding means to be admitted vnto the presence of Baiazet one of his consorts as if he had been a sea captaine boldly stept forth and with due reuerence offered the present vnto the emperour which he thankfully tooke and in token thereof gaue him his hand to kisse and commaunded a rich garment wrought with gold to be giuen vnto him with two other of lesse valour vnto Mahometesâ—nd â—nd his fellow supposed to be the said captaines followers who all this while stood a farre off as if it had beene for reuerence of the emperor but in deed for feare to be discouered As these counterfeit guests were returning from the court in their garments of fauour they happened to meet with three courtiers which knew Mahometes who dismounting from their horses had done him honour and due reuerence as to the sonne of the great emperour had he not by secret signes forbidden them as one
vnwilling to be knowne When he had thus seene his father the court and the imperiall citie he went againe aboord and so with speed returned to MAGNESIA The report of this his doing had in short time filled both the citie and the court and was at last brought to Baiazet his eares which raised in his suspitious head manie a troublesome thought greatly fearing that in these slie practises lay hidden some secret and desperat conspiracie dangerous to himselfe and his other children Wherefore after long discourse had with the three great Bassaes then of his secret counsell concerning the matter to rid himselfe of all feare he resolued in anie case to take him away And therefore caused them in his name to write vnto Asmehemadi a gallant courtier and alwaies neere vnto Mahometes to poison him with a secret poison for that purpose inclosed in those letters sent vnto him with promise of great rewards and preferments for that his seruice to be afterwards receiued from the emperour Charging him withall that if he could not effect the matter he should so conceale it as that Mahometes should haue no distrust thereof the least suspition whereof would tend to his vtter destruction This Asmehemedi for some vnkindnesse bare a secret grudge against Mahometes which Baiazet knowing of made choise of him the rather And he on the other side partly to performe the old tyrants commaund and partly to reuenge his owne priuat vigilantly awaited all opportunities to bring to effect that he had in charge At length it fortuned that Mahometes hauing disported himselfe in his gardens of pleasure and being thirstie after his exercise called for drinke Asmehemedi alwaies at hand in a gilt boule fetcht him such drinke as he desired wherinto he had secretly conuaied the deadly poison sent from Baiazet Mahometes hauing drunke thereof in short time began to feele himselfe euill at ease and presently sent for his phisitions who thinking that he had but something distempered himselfe with drinking too much cold drinke in his heat perceiued not that hee was poisoned vntill that within six daies after he died Of whose death Baiazet aduertised could not abstaine from mourning although he himselfe had beene the onely author thereof and the more to manifest his heauinesse commaunded all the court to mourne with him and prayers to be made in their temples after their superstitious manner and almes to be giuen to the poore for the health of his soule His dead bodie was afterwards carried to PRVSA and there honourably buried with his auncestors Asmehemedi the traitour in reward of his vnfaithfulnesse towards his master was by the commaundement of Baiâ—zet cast into prison and neuer afterwards seene being there as it was thought secretly made away Now had Baiazet but three sonnes left Achomates Selymus and Corcutus Achomates gouernour of AMASIA was a man both politike and valiant but much giuen to pleasure and delight him Baiazet and most part of the great men of the court fauoured aboue the rest of his brethren except such as were before corrupted by Selymus Corcutus for his mild and quiet nature was of most men beloued but not thought so fit for the gouernment of so great an empire especially by the Ianizaries and souldiours of the court for that he was as they thought altogither drowned in the studie of philosophie a thing nothing agreeing with their humour Yet might Baiazet seeme to doe him wrong if he should not according to his promise againe restore him vnto the possession of the empire which he had almost thirtie yeares before receiued at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more hautie disposition than to brooke the life of a subject vnder the commaund of either of his brethren and altogither giuen to martiall affaires sought by infinit bountie faigned courtesie subtile pollicie and by all other meanes good and bad to aspire vnto the empire Him therefore the Ianizaries with all the great souldiours of the court yea and some of the chiefe Bassaes also corrupted with gifts wished aboue the rest for their lord and soueraigne desiring rather to liue vnder him which was like to set all the world on a hurlie burlie whereby they might increase their honour and wealth the certaine rewards of their aduentures than to lead an idle and vnprofitable life as they tearmed it vnder a quiet and peaceable prince Whilest men stood thus diuersly affected towards these princes of so great hope Baiazet now farre worne with yeares and so grieuously tormented with the gout that hee was not able to helpe himselfe for the quietnesse of his subjects and preuenting of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his children after his death determined whilest he yet liued for the auoiding of these and other such like mischeefes to establish the succession in some one of his sonnes who wholly possessed of the kingdome might easily represse the pride of the other And although he had set downe with himselfe that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his birthright as of the especiall affection he bare vnto him yet to discouer the disposition of his subjects and how they stood affected it was giuen out in generall tearmes That hee meant before his death to make it knowne to the world who should succeed him in the empire without naming any one of his sonnes leauing that for euery man to deuine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that euery one of his sonnes with like ambition began now to make small account of their former preferments as thinking onely vpon the empire it selfe First of all Selymus whom Baiazet had made gouernor of the kingdome of TRAPEZOND rigging vp all the ships he could in PONTVS sayled from TRAPEZOND ouer the Euxine now called the Blacke sea to the citie of CAPHA called in auntient time THEODOSIA and from thence by land came to Mahometes king of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mightie prince whose daughter he had without the good liking of his father before married and discouering vnto him his entended purpose besought him by the sacred bonds of the affinitie betwixt them not to shrinke from him his louing sonne in law in so fit an oportunitie for his aduancement and withall shewed vnto him what great hope of obtaining the empire was proposed vnto him by his most faithfull friends and the souldiors of the court if hee would but come neerer vnto his father then about to transferre the empire to some one of his sonnes and either by faire meanes to procure his fauour or by entering with his armie into THRACIA to terrifie him from appointing either of his other brethren for his successour The Tartar king commending his high deuise as a kind father in law with wonderfull celeritie caused great store of shipping to bee made readie in the Ponticke sea and MoeOTIS but especially at the ports of COPA and TANA
then too late perceiuing the treacherie of the Bassaes and how he had been by them betraied pausing a while at the strangenesse of the matter afterwards in fuâ—ie brake out into these words False and forsworne doe you thus betray me and with such monstrous villanie requite mine infinit bountie Why doe you not also as murtherers take away my life which could not endure for a while to expect the dissolution of this my weake and aged bodie but deposing your iust lawfull soueraigne must needs in post hast set vp a most wicked and gracelesse man to raigne ouer you But much good doe it you with your desired emperour the contemner of God and murtherer of his father to whom â—re it belong you shall full dearely pay the price of this your perfidious dealing and treacherie against me And he himselfe beginning his empire of most vnnaturall treason murther and bloudshed shall not I hope escape the heauâ—e hand of God the vndoubted and â—euere reuenger of so great impietie and treason Mustapha with Bostanges and Aiax as false as himselfe returning backe againe to the souldiours speaking not a word of the sorrow and indignation of Baiazet told them how that he was well content to resigne the empire and so had appointed Selymus vnto whom both God and the generall consent of the men of warre had alreadie deliuered the empire to succeed him in the empire When this their speech was generally reported they whom Selymus had before corrupted began now to hold vp their heads and looke big on the matter and others who before stood doubtfull what to doe seeing now no other remedie in hast joyned themselues vnto the same faction Whilest all things were thus disorderly carried by the vnruly souldiours Selymus was by them mounted vpon a couragious horse and so with all pomp conducted vp and downe most of the faire streetes of the imperiall citie and with the generall voice and clamour of the people how soeuer their minds were for most part otherwise affected saluted emperour And the same day both the great Bassaes and the soldiors in generall were all solemnely sworne vnto Selymus as their onely lord and emperour Corcutus whether it were for greefe of his hope now lost or for feare of his life although Selymus had promised to giue him the citie of MYTILENE with the Island of LESBOS secretly embarked himselfe and so returned to MAGNESIA Baiazet of late one of the greatest monarchs of the world but now thus thrust out of his empire by his sonne detesting both him and the treacherie of his subjects and ouercome with sorrow and melancholie determined of himselfe before hee were thereto enforced by Selymus to forsake CONSTANTINOPLE and to retire himselfe to DIMOTICA a small cittie wholesomely situated in THRACIA not farre from HADRIANOPLE where in former time he had for his pleasure bestowed great cost now as he thought best fitted his present estate Wherfore causing great store of treasure plate jewels and rich furniture to be trussed vp he with fiue hundred of his houshold seruants full of heauinesse and sorrow with teares trickling downe his aged cheekes departed out of the imperiall citie towards HADRIANOPLE with purpose from thence to haue gone to DIMOTICA Selymus brought him about two miles vpon his way and so returning againe to CONSTANTINOPLE tooke possession of the pallace Baiazet being then about seuentie six yeares old or as some report full fourescore and beside his old disease of the gout sore weakened with heauinesse and greefe of mind was not able to trauell aboue fiue or six miles a day but was constrained by the extremitie of his paine and weakenesse to stay sometimes two or three dayes in a place Whilest hee was thus trauelling Selymus no lesse carefull of the keeping of his estate than he had before beene for the obtaining of the same began now to doubt That if hee should depart from CONSTANTINOPLE and with all his forces passe ouer into ASIA against his brother Achomates Baiazet in the meane time might in his absence returne to CONSTANTINOPLE and so againe possesse himselfe both of the citie and the empire Wherefore to rid himselfe of that feare he resolued most viper like before his going to kill his father and so most vnnaturally to depriue him of life of whom hee had first receiued life such is the cruell and accursed nature of ambition that it knoweth neither father mother brother wife kindred or friend no sometimes not her owne children the furie whereof was neuer in any one more pregnant than in this most monstrous and cruell tyrant Selymus The readiest and most secret way he could deuise for the effecting of this his damnable deuise which without great impietie could not bee so much as once by him thought vpon was to worke it by poyson vpon which resolution hee secretly compacted with Hamon a Iew his fathers cheefe physition to poyson him promising him for his reward a pension of ten duckats a day during his life And for that men are oftentimes with terrour and feare as well as with reward enforced to bee the ministers of mischeefe hee to bee the more sure of this Iew prone ynough for gaine to doe euill threatened him with most cruell death if hee did not both secretly and speedily worke this feat commaunding him so soone as he had done it to return vnto him to CONSTANTINOPLE The deceitfull Iew moued both with the feare of death and hope of reward two great motiues comming shortly after to Baiazet and finding him very weake seeming to be very carefull of him told him That he would prepare for him a potion which should both restore to him his health and also strengthen his weake bodie if it would please him to take it the next morning early lying in his bed Baiazet nothing mistrusting his old physition whom he had so often so long trusted said hee would gladly take it Early the next morning commeth the Iew with the deadly potion in a cup of gold Baiazet yet sleeping which he set downe in the chaire of estate and so stood waiting vntill the aged prince should of himselfe awake But Baiazet still sleeping soundly as oftentimes it chanceth when men sleepe their last and withall somewhat longer than stood with the Iewes purpose he presuming of his wonted practise awaked him and told him that the time to take the potion was almost past and asked him if it were his pleasure then to take it Baiazet doubting no treason willed him to bring it whereof when the Iew had taken the sey hauing before himselfe taken a preseruatiue against that poyson he gaue it to Baiazet to drinke who cheerefully dranke it vp the physition commaunding them that waited in his bed-chamber and attended on his person to keepe him well couered with warme clothes and not to giue him any thing to drinke vntill hee had well sweat This cursed Iew hauing thus poysoned the aged prince to auoid the danger of
two wings so that all his spearemen were in the right wing and the archers and carbines in the left in the maine battaile stood the Ianizaries with the rest of the footmen On the otherside Achomates hauing no footmen deuided his horsemen into two wings also Whilest both armies stood thus raunged expecting but the signall of battaile a messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his masters name to trie the equitie of their quarrell in plaine combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then tooke both God the world to witnesse that Selymus was the onely cause of all the guiltlesse bloud to be shed in the battaile and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrell at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to doe yet would not his soldiors suffer him so to aduenture his person and their owne safetie and so with that answere returned the messenger backe againe to his master giuing him for his reward a thousand aspers Achomates hauing receiued this answere without further delay charged the right wing of his brothers armie who valiantly receiued the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handie blowes they were not able longer to endure the force of the Persian horsemen who being well armed both horse and man had before requested to be placed in the formost rankes by whose valour the right wing of Selymus his armie was disordered and not without great losse enforced to retire backe vpon their fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all meanes to encourage them againe and presently brought on the left wing with their arrowes and pistols in stead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Ianizaries also who with their shot enforced Achomates his horsemen to retire Achomates himselfe carefully attending euery danger with greater courage than fortune came in with fresh troupes of horsemen by whose valour the battell before declining was againe renewed and the victorie made doubtfull but in the furie of this battell whilest he was bearing all downe before him and now in great hope of the victorie Canoglis with his Tartarian horsemen rising out of ambush came behind him and with great outcries caused their enemies then in the greatest heat of their fight to turne vpon them at which time also the footmen standing close together assailed them afront and the horsemen whom the Persians had at first put to flight now moued with shame were againe returned into the battaile so that Achomates his small armie was beset and hardly assailed on euery side In fine his ensignes being ouerthrowne and many of his men slaine the rest were faine to betake themselues to flight Where Achomates hauing lost the field and now too late seeking to saue himselfe by flight fell with his horse into a ditch which the raine falling the day before had filled with water and myre and being there knowne and taken by his enemies could not obtaine so much fauour at their hands as to bee presently slaine but was reserued to the farther pleasure of his cruell brother Selymus vnderstanding of his taking sent Kirengen the same squint-eyed captain which had before strangled Corcutus who with a bow string strangled him also His dead bodie was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commaundement in royall manner buried with his ancestours in PRVSA Now Amurat Achomates his sonne vnderstanding vpon the way by the Persian horsemen who serred together had againe made themselues way through the Turkes armie of the losse of the field and the taking of his father returned backe againe to AMASIA and there after good deliberation resolued with his brother to betake themselues both to flight he with the Persian horsemen passing ouer the riuer Euphrates fled vnto Hysmaell the Persian king but Aladin the younger brother passing ouer the mountaine AMANVS in CILICIA fled into SIRIA and so to Campson Gaurus the great Sultan of AEGYPT After this victorie Selymus hauing in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser ASIA vnder his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to haue returned to CONSTANTINOPLE but vnderstanding that the plague was hot there hee changed his purpose and passing ouer at CALLIPOLIS and so trauelling through GRECIA came to HADRIANOPLE where hee spent all the rest of that Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the mortalitie was ceased returned to CONSTANTINOPLE where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late plague Hysmaell the Persian king whose fame had then filled the world hearing of the arriuall of Amurat sent for him and demaunded of him the cause of his comming The distressed young prince who but of late had lost his father together with the hope of so great an empire now glad for safegard of his life to flie into strange countries oppressed with sorrow by his heauie countenance and abundance of teares more than by words expressed the cause of his comming yet in short strained speech declared vnto him how that his father his vncle with the rest of his cousins all princes of great honour had of late beene cruelly murdered by the vnmercifull tyrant Selymus who with like furie sought also after the life of himselfe and his brother the poore remainders of the Othoman familie who to saue their liues were both glad to flie his brother into AEGYPT and himselfe to the feet of his imperiall majestie Hysmaell moued with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatnesse of his fame to take the poore exiled prince into his protection and to giue him releefe willed him to be of good comfort and promised him aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gaue him one of his owne daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his tyrannie become odious to the world should by any means miscarie as with tyrants it commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman familie sore shaken with his vnnaturall crueltie none was to be preferred before this poore prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if hee should inuade him with an armie out of PERSIA that vpon the first stirre all the lesser ASIA mourning for the vnworthie death of Achomates would at once reuolt from him who for his crueltie and shamefull murthers had worthely deserued to bee hated together both of God and man Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmaell furnished Amurat his new sonne in law with ten thousand horsemen willing him to passe ouer the riuer of Euphrates at ARSENGA and to enter into CAPADOCIA as well to make proofe how the people of that countrey were affected towards him as of the strength of the enemie after whom he sent Vsta-Ogli the most famous cheefetaine amongst the Persians with twentie thousand horsemen moe with
to haue lost eightie thousand men amongst whom was his great lieutenant of ASIA with many other of his forward captaines and best souldiours Of the defendants few or none of name were lost but of the countrey people it is supposed that there was aboue sixtie thousand slaine and carried away into captiuitie all the â—ountrey about VIENNA was miserably spoiled all their trees and vines being by the Turkes cut downe to the ground Solyman according to his promise restored BVDA vnto king Iohn who by solemne writing acknowledged himselfe his vassaile and to hold the kingdome of HVNGARIE of him as his lord and soueraigne Vnto him Solyman joyned Aloysius Grittus as his legat to helpe him to prouide such things as should be needfull for the defence of that kingdome It happened one day whilest Solyman lay at BVDA and had giuen king Iohn with diuers of the nobilitie of HVNGARIE accesse into his pauilion that he fell earnestly in hand with king Iohn to pardon Paulus bishop of STRIGONIVM and Petrus Perenus who had taken part with king Ferdinand and to receiue them into his former fauour which men king Iohn could in no case like of because that they as traitors vnto their prince and countrey forgetting their faith and oath had performed the like duetie vnto Ferdinand as they had but a little before done vnto him at the time of his coronation wherein he shewing himselfe vnwilling to be entreated said That their mutable minds fraught with infidelitie would neuer containe themselues within the bounds of loyaltie but find occasion to commit some fowler treason than they had before whereunto Solyman straining his voice a little as one somewhat moued most honourably replied Can any thing said he happen vnto thee in this life better or more honourable than if by thy kindnesse thine enemies shall be of all men accounted ingratefull that is to say men noted with eternall infamie when as in thy selfe the commendation of a good and courteous prince shall for euer remaine And so not long after fearing the cold of Winter then approching dangerous for his beasts for carriage especially his camels bred and brought vp in the hoat countries of ASIA he set forward to BELGRADE and so trauelling through THRACIA returned to CONSTANTINOPLE All this while that Solyman thus raged in HVNGARIE and AVSTRIA Charles the emperour lately reconciled to Clement the seauenth of that name then bishop of ROME with a strong armie besieged FLORENCE by his lieutenant Daualus who might haue done much against the Turkes if he had been so well imploied labouring by all meanes to represse the libertie of the citisens whereunto they had but a little before aspired and to bring them againe vnder the subjection of the family of Medices wherof Clement was the chiefe Which thing with much adoe he brought to passe inuesting Alexander the bishops nephew in the dukedome of FLORENCE and afterward giuing him his base daughter in marriage forgetting his brother Ferdinand in the meane time thrust out of the kingdome of HVNGARIE by Solyman and the dukedome of AVSTRIA wasted by the Turkes with the citie of VIENNA in danger to haue been lost Which common calamities might well haue moued both the emperour and the bishop to haue had more regard of than by oppressing the libertie of one free citie to seeke how to serue their owne priuat respects The yeare following which was 1530 Solyman with great solemnitie and triumph after the Turkish manner circumcised three of his sonnes Mustapha Muhamet and Selymus at CONSTANTINOPLE Solyman hardly disgesting the dishonour he had before receiued at VIENNA and oftentimes solicited by king Iohn for aid against Ferdinand who with greater stomacke than power ceased not continually to molest him but most of all prickt forward with the insatiable desire of enlarging his empire after the manner of the Othoman kings accounting his neighbour princes alwaies his enemies and their dominions the objects of his victories and spoile for his souldiors raised such an armie as for the greatnesse thereof might worthely haue beene a terrour vnto the world Not so much purposing the protection of king Iohn which he in shew most pretended neither the siege of VIENNA as was commonly bruted as the conquering of AVSTRIA CARINTHIA CROATIA STIRIA and the rest of king Ferdinands dominions and so afterwards of all GERMANIE For the accomplishment whereof he had in his immoderat desires prefined vnto himselfe the space of three yeares which the great monarchs of ROME could not performe in more than so many hundreds It was commonly reported that the proud tyrant would manie times say That whatsoeuer belonged vnto the empire of ROME was of right his for as much as he was rightfully possessed both of the imperiall seat scepter of Constantine the great Commaunder of the world which his great grandfather Mahomet had by law of armes woon from Constantine the late Christian emperour whom he slew at CONSTANTINOPLE And therefore both in his common talke and writings as oft as hee had occasion to make any mention of Charles the emperour he would proudly and as it were in disdaine tearme him by the name of the king of Spaine but neuer by the name of emperour The discord of the Christian princes and the great troubles euen then arising in GERMANIE about matters of religion did not a little encourage the barbarous tyrant to take in hand this great expedition King Ferdinand certainly aduertised that Solyman was in person himselfe setting forward with his huge armie sent vnto him three embassadours whereof Leonardus Negarola a noble gentleman well learned and skilfull in diuers languages was chiefe with rich presents and reasonable offers to intreat with him for peace Who meeting him vpon the borders of SERVIA were by him courteously receiued and patiently heard yet obtained of him no other answere but that they should follow his campe and attend his further pleasure The report wherof brought a generall feare vpon all GERMANIE but especially them of AVSTRIA in whose fresh remembrance as yet remained the bleeding wounds of their countrey their brethren and friends slaine their wiues and children led away into captiuitie their goods and cattell lost their houses and fields burnt and thousands of other grieuous calamities which they had endured in the late inuasion of the Turkes Charles the emperour had in verie good time a little before for a while well appeased the discention then arising in GERMANIE about matters of religion putting them in hope of a free and generall Counsell to be holden for the deciding of all such matters and in a great assembly of the states of the empire holden at RATISBONE shewing the greatnesse of the imminent danger so puissant an enemie threatning vnto them all the calamities of warre with the manifold mischeefes like to ensue if they should in so vnfit time fall at variance amongst themselues offering with great resolution to goe in person himselfe with all his old expert
him to draw the emperour vnto battell had as they said brought no greater pieces of batterie with him Which report of the prisoners was also confirmed by the embassadours of king Ferdinand whom Solyman gaue leaue to depart at GVNZA giuing to euerie one of them a gowne of veluet and a piece of plate with letters vnto the emperour and king Ferdinand his brother wherein proudly vsurping the titles of many kingdomes he most insolently writ himselfe lord and soueraigne of almost all countries and nations But the effect therof was That he was come into HVNGARIE to reuenge the wrongs which they had don vnto king Iohn his friend and vassall and would with fire and sword enter their countries and by the power of God and his great prophet Mahomet the fauourers of just quarrels giue them battell if they durst meet him Wherefore if they would as valiant and couragious princes meet him in the field he would in one battell end quarrell with them and in reward of the victorie either win or lose the empire of the world When Solyman had thus a great while laine at the siege of GVNZA and thereto giuen diuers sharpe assaults being still with great losse and dishonour repulsed he in the space of foure daies cast vp neere vnto the towne ditch two great mounts of faggots and earth as if they had beene two great mountaines of such height that they ouertopped not the wals onely but euen the highest towers in the towne by which wonderfull worke the greatnesse of the Turkes armie might easily be conjectured one of these great mounts he cast vp directly against the face of the towne and the other at a corner of the same to flanker alongst the wall from whence he did with his shot not onely beat them which appeared vpon the wals for the defence thereof but them also which vpon occasion went too and fro in the streets These mounts being with incredible celeritie brought to perfection the towne ditch filled vp and many of the defendants either slaine or wounded vpon the wals the Turkes gaue a most furious assault at that place which was before shaken with the mine against whom the valiant captaine as need was in that extreame danger opposed all the strength he had left But the Turks still pressing on with their infinit multitude were got vp to the top of the wals with eight ensignes from whence they had repulsed the defendants which being all either wounded or wearied shrowded themselues vnder the defence of their penthouses being neither able nor of courage to make further resistance so that the wals were now abandoned and the towne there left without defendants when suddenly such a great clamour was made by the loud outcries and lamentation of the women and children and other fearefull people that the Turkes which had recouered the top of the wals strucken with a sudden feare thinking the towne to haue been full of souldiors stood as men astonied and dismayed whereupon the defendants began againe to take courage and to shew themselues at whose sight the Turkes possessed with a needlesse feare forsooke the wals and could not by any persuasions or threats of their captaines be brought on againe to the assault The towne was that day in all mens judgements defended by the mightie power of God and not by the strength of man It greeued the proud tyrant aboue measure that so base a towne should so long hold out against all his power so that oftentimes in his rage he would threaten to rase it downe to the ground and not to leaue any signe thereof remaining which he would vndoubtedly haue in time performed had not Abraham the great Bassa by whose counsell he was altogether directed otherwise persuaded him who waiting a fit time when his choller was past told him that it was not worth his name and greatnesse to spend his time and forces vpon so small a towne of no importance by rasing whereof he should neither get honour nor profit for why no man would meruaile if he with so puissant an armie should take so small a thing especially by long siege whereby the strongest places are enforced to yeeld and when he had so taken it yet it would bee accounted a greater honour for so little a towne to haue holden out so long than for him to haue with so great forces in long time constrained it but if it should otherwise fall out as the chances of warre are vncertaine that he should by any occasion bee constrained to leaue it hee should thereby get no small dishonour wherefore it were more wisedome to spare his souldiors labour in so small a matter whereof he was not to expect either honour or profit and forto reserue them for his greater designes and not vainely to spend his forces time in the besieging of so base a village from whence he might now depart with lesse dishonor than hee could afterwards when hee had proued the vttermost of his forces and yet in the end glad peraduenture to forsake it wherefore it were more for his honour to raise his siege and calling the Gouernour of the towne vnto him to giue him the towne as it were of bountie than to spend so many good men as he must needs cast away in the winning of it by force With these and like reasons the Bassa preuailed so much with Solyman that Nicholas the worthie gouernor of the towne was by a herault at armes sent for to come vnto the great Bassa Solyman disdaining as it should seeme to speake with him himselfe The Gouernour being sent for although he was greeuously wounded and in small hope of life yet stoutly refused to come to any parley except he were first well assured both by safe conduct and good hostages for the safetie of his person and that nothing should be exacted of him not beseeming his religion and honor Which stout answere caused Solyman and the Bassa to thinke that his strength was not yet so weakened but that he was still able to hold out the siege and thereupon that he required for his safetie was forthwith graunted and two men of great account sent for hostages for him into the citie with Solymans safe conduct Which being receiued the Gouernour went forth and was by Abraham the great Bassa honourably receiued into the campe and commanded to sit downe by him in his tent where he was by him first by the way of courtesie demaunded whether hee had recouered his old infirmitie wherewith he was troubled at such time as he was sent embassadour vnto Solyman at CONSTANTINOPLE After that whether the wounds he had receiued in the last assault were dangerous or not but last of all and that which most concerned the matter vpon what hope he alone had so long and so obstinately withstood the mightie Sultan Solyman when as all his neighbours round about him had so willingly submitted themselues saying further That he maruelled much why he reposed any
the points of their speares shewed it vnto their fellowes in great choller railing against king Ferdinand which in his owne kingdome in the beginning of the warre had made no better prouision but with such corrupt and pestilent bread to feed them being strangers which were onely for his defence and quarrell to aduenture their liues And but a little before a certaine Spaniard being but a common souldiour comming into the Generals tent and casting the like bread down at the feet of Vastius bitterly cursing the emperour and king Ferdinand had raised a wonderfull tumult wherefore the Italian souldiours flocking togither out of their tents gaue many hard speeches concerning their pay their victuals and the difficulties of the Hungarian warre There one Titus Marconius of VOLATERRA a man of a troublesome spirit but reasonably well spoken was by the other souldiours set vp vpon a great heape of saddles that he might be the better heard and by diuers seditious captaines requested frankly to speake his mind so farre as he thought concerned the safetie and welfare of them all Where it is reported that he spake vnto them in this seditious manner as followeth And shall the Spaniards said he beloued companions and fellowes in armes as you haue heard go into ITALIE and to our great hurt againe returne into their old Wintering places and that which I am ashamed to say as notable guests lie with our wiues and we Italians as banished men fight this Winter with ice and snow in HVNGARIE and that forsooth for a most beggarly king and him also to the Hungarians a foreuer and meere stranger against a naturall borne prince of his subiects well beloued and strongly backt with the power and wealth of the Turkish emperour And that which might iustly grieue any couragious mind vnder the conduct of Maramaldus who oftentimes blinded with anger and hastie crueltie hath so furiously thrust vs thorow with his sword that he seemeth not more to desire the name of a captaine for any thing than for the killing and murthering of vs now his souldiours Neither can I beleeue that you who haue oftentimes beene captaines and auntients your selues will be so mad as to serue vnder a common captaine without hope of any pay of any prouision of victorie or returne Truely it delighteth me not so much to haue come hither for the honour of the Italian name no more reckoned of than a rush although I haue eleuen times serued as it doth this day ashame me to see this shamefull end of the warre ended before it was well begun But in Regall dignitie is no shame nor equitie in rewarding the souldiour for kings now adaies make account of souldiours onely according to their necessitie this is it alone that giueth vs pay this is that getteth vs loue this is it maintaineth our reputation all which peace once by victorie obtained leese their grace So fareth it with vs at this present fellow souldiours the emperour and his brother king Ferdinand deliuered from the feare of a most dangerous warre to ease themselues of this multitude of vs seeke to thrust vs into HVNGARIE as beasts to the slaughter by the spending of our bloud hoping to purchase vnto themselues victorie and by the losse of vs to take no harme themselues though the Turkes and Hungarians should with sword and famine vtterly destroy vs shut vp with the ice of Danubius and the snow of the Alpes But peraduenture you vnderstand not these deuises no more than you vnderstand what this terrible and bloudie comet shooting his beames towards ITALY pretendeth Verily it is not fatall either to Solyman or Caesar but rather threatneth vnto vs death and destruction for they with like counsell full of safetie and discretion would not open any way vnto their owne destinies but warely withdrew themselues one from the other and shunned all the dangers of the field Wherefore if it were lawfull for them without any blemish of their Maiesties so notably to prouide to keepe themselues out of danger when as on each side halfe the world lay as a reward of the victorie shall not we looke to our selues that we he not thrust thither from whence appeareth no hope of returne but with vtter destruction when as we may doe it without offence and by good right especially seeing no pay is offered vs. Thus you see what a goodly end is made of this notable warre wherein onely we the Italians in stead of commendation and reward reape iniurie and disgrace and are peraduenture of purpose exiled into HVNGARIE that this floure of chiualrie being drawne out of ITALIE and sent farre out of the way colonies of Spaniards and Germanes may be placed in our steads Truly it seemeth hard dealing to be sent out of the way into a barbarous countrey where wee shall find all hostilitie and no place of refuge to receiue vs being distressed Beside this we shall also whether we will or no feele how heauie and intollerable it will be both to our bodies and minds to endure the miseries of this Winter and dangerous warre and in the meane time with no small hearts greefe imagine what things our children our brethren our kinsmen yea and our wiues suffer at home of the Spaniards and Germanes Wherefore worthie companions it concerneth vs more at this time to haue a good foresight than valiantly to fight The occasion presented vnto vs far our safetie and welfare standeth vpon a tickle point it must be done without delay and we must hie vs hence before that the Spaniards trusse vp their baggage and so preuenting the emperours formost companies come first our selues into ITALIE for if we shall stay but a little to consult vpon the matter Vastius and our other proud commaunders will presently be here the very betrayers of the Italian bloud who for their owne gaine and our mischeefe haue brought vs into these straits who I know will most earnestly intreat vs and with many subtilties seeke to seduce vs by offering vs great pay and whatsoeuer els we shall require which will all proue but words But you if you be men refuse to talke with them as with your common enemies or rather in reuenge of their old iniuries kill them Here wanteth not in this assembly valiant men for courage and integritie of life their betters farre which can lead you forth order your battell and fortunately vse this your courage and forwardnesse Wherefore if you be wise set forward resolutely and good fortune no doubt will attend you in your hast for the full accomplishment of your desire consisteth in your hast onely Marconius had no sooner made an end of this mutinous speech but the tumultuous souldiors in euery band began highly to commend and approue the same and by and by such a confused noise was heard thorow all the assemblie as vseth to rise amongst the discontented vulgar people readie to rise in armes but the drums presently striking vp a march they made no
those countries were not many euerie man almost in the countrey be he neuer so poore keeping a horse to serue vpon Maylat beset with the multitude of his enemies and finding himselfe too weake to encounter them despairing also of aid from king Ferdinand whom he knew to be busied in a greater warre forsooke the field and fled againe into the strong towne of FOGARAS as he had done the yeare before when he was ouercharged by king Iohn his power for there as in a most strong place both by nature and fortification he had laid vp his greatest substance and prouision for the wars but especially the rich spoile he had long before taken from Grittus Achomates comming thâ—â—her with his power and perceiuing the place was not to be battered or taken by force but with much labour and long time thought it best to assay if he could ouercome him by craft and deceit Wherefore he sent a messenger vnto Maylat to persuade him to yeeld himselfe vnto Solyman and to make choise rather to be called of him his friend than to be judged his enemie of whom he might well hope of all goodnesse which had giuen whole kingdomes vnto his enemies promising that he would vse the vttermost of his credit which was not small and labour for him as his friend that he might feele the fruit of his clemencie and bountie and still enjoy the gouernment of TRANSILVANIA paying him some small yearely tribute as he had before requested for as much as he could take no course better being beset with so many enemies than to make his peace vpon reasonable conditions and that with as much speed as were possible in which doing besides that he should well prouide for his owne safetie he should also saue both his wealth and honour for Solyman was comming as he said with his victorious armie who would with assured death reuenge his vaine hope of holding out the siege if he should vpon a stubborne and obstinate mind then refuse to obay his commaund Whereunto Maylat who foresaw that it was better for him to make a certaine peace than to endure an vncertaine warre answered That he could be content to conclude a peace so that it were not vpon any hard conditions and would not greatly refuse Solymans commaund which was wont to be both reasonable and just wherefore vpon sufficient pledges he would come into the campe in presence to agree vpon the conditions of the peace and demaunded to haue Achomates his sonne a valiant young gentleman deliuered in hostage Which thing Achomates denied for that he had as he said before giuen him to Solyman as the manner was and therefore had ouer him no more power but he promised for him that was but one to giue foure of his best captaines Which offer Maylat misdoubting no deceit accepted and with a great and gallant retinue attended vpon came into the enemies campe where he was courteously and honourably receiued But the parley as it could not be conueniently begun immediatly after their first salutation so could it by no meanes be then ended but was deferred vntill the next day to the intent that the treacherous Moldauian might take his well acquainted and well knowne guest whom he had against that time inuited to a solemne banquet By that meanes the next day about the middest of dinner fortune so fauouring the intended treacherie Maylat who was of so proud and cholericke a nature that he could not well brooke the least indignitie was by occasion of some insolent speech of purpose ministred by the Moldauian guests put into such a fret that laying his hand vpon his sword he in a rage flung from the table at which time all the other guests starting vp also laid hands vpon him and tooke him fuming and in vaine crying out that he was shamefully betraied His followers were all forthwith stript of all their brauerie by the needie Moldauians and their horses and armour taken from them Whilest Maylat was yet furiously exclaiming of this treason in came Achomates who to seeme guiltlesse of the matter with deepe dissimulation sharpely reproued the false Moldauian that he had in doing so foule a fact shamefully violated the lawes of hospitalitie reuerenced of all nations falsified the faith which he had giuen him for his safetie and betraied the liues of such notable captaines as lay in hostage for him Whereunto the Moldauian as if it had been in contempt scornfully answered That he had vpon good cause taken Maylat prisoner and so would in safetie keepe him for Solyman vnto whom it onely belonged to judge whether he had justly or vnjustly detained him Not long after the strong towne of FOGARIS was deliuered with the hostages but whether by feare or by corruption of Maylats lieutenant is vncertaine So Valentinus Turaccus and Maylat two of the greatest noble men of HVNGARIE sufficient of themselues to haue restored the Hungarian kingdome first rent in sunder with ciuile discord and afterward with the inuasion of the Turkes fell into the hands of the enemie not vanquished in battell but deceiued by treason The towne being thus surrendred almost all the countrey of TRANSILVANIA was by Solymans consent deliuered to the young king vnto whom all the people most willingly submitted themselues and tooke the oath of obedience remembring that his father had almost for thirtie yeares space with great justice and quietnesse gouerned that prouince and with manie presents honoured the young king lying in LIPPA with the queene his mother and his two tutors the bishop and Vicche At the same time Charles the emperour at the importunat sute of his subjects of SPAINE had prepared a great force both by sea and land for the conquering of ALGIERS from whence the Turkish pirats did so infest all that coast of the countrey from GADES to the mountaines PYRENEI that the Spaniards all trade of merchandise being set apart were glad to keepe continuall watch and ward all alongst that coast for defence of the countrey Wherefore although he well knew of the comming of the Turks to BVDA and how hardly he was by the Lantgraue and others spoken of for leauing his brother so hardly bestead to go against a sort of pirats in AFFRICKE yet persisting in his former determination he departed out of GERMANIE into ITALIE where by the way hee was met by Octauius Farnesius his sonne in law Alphonsus Vastius his lieutenant by the Venetian embassadours neere to VERONA and so brought to MILLAINE where he was with great solemnitie joyfully receiued of the citisens and vnder a canopie of gold brought vnto the pallace he himselfe going in a plaine blacke cloake and a homely cap in mourning wise when as the women and vulgar people vpon a curious simplicitie expected to haue seene so great an emperour in his royall robes glistering with gold and pretious stone and the imperiall crowne vpon his head His heauie countenance answerable also to his attire was
away and drowned Wherefore the emperour caused a bridge to be made ouer it of the masts and saile yards of the broken ships which were by chance there taken vp and so passed ouer the Italians and Germanes The Spaniards marching higher vp the brooke found a fourd whereby they passed ouer After which time the Turkes pursued them no further being called backe againe by Assan their gouernour as for the Moores and Numidians which still followed at hand alwayes readie to skirmish they were easily repulsed by the harquebusiers and field pieces appointed to euery nation but vpon such sicke and wounded men as were not able to keepe way with the armie they exercised all manner of crueltie for there was none which in that small hope possessed with feare of their owne safetie was greatly moued with the compassion of their fellowes miserie The next day passing ouer another little riuer which the souldiors waded ouer vp to the breasts they came in three dayes march to the rode where the fleet lay and encamped in the ruines of the old citie TIPASA neere vnto the sea side which serued them in stead of a fortresse against the Barbarians The sea was now calme the wind laied and the weather so faire that all men thought the souldiours might now well be embarked and transported into EVROPE wherefore the emperour to the great joy of the whole armie commaunded euery man to make himselfe readie to goe abourd in such sort that first the Italians next the Germanes and last of all the Spaniards should be embarked but so many ships and gallies as is before said being lost by shipwracke it was thought that those which were left were not able to receiue the whole armie although it were crouded together as close as were possible Wherefore the emperour commanded the masters and owners of the ships to cast all the horses ouerbourd into the sea reputing it an vnmercifull part to preferre the safegard of those horses although they were of great worth before the life of the basest common souldiour or horseboy in his campe which thing much grieued the minds of the noblemen and owners of those goodly beasts not only for that they were not without extreame necessitie for the present depriued of such an inestimable treasure but should for euer as they said lose the most notable race of horses in SPAINE there with greefe and vaine compassion was to be seene goodly horses of seruice bearing high their proud heads swimming all about the sea vnto the ships neerest vnto them for safegard as if it had beene to the shore and in the end wearied with long swimming to be there drowned But scarce halfe the souldiors were yet embarked when the East and Northeast wind and straightwaies after diuers contrarie winds almost as great as the first rose whereupon the ships which had alreadie taken in the souldiours not expecting any commaund for feare of being driuen vpon the rockes directed their course according as the wind carried them with full sailes alongst the coast They were quickly out of sight and dispersed with the tempest some into one countrey some into another carrying the fame of that shipwrack and the report that all was lost into all the Islands of the Mediteranean and ports of ITALIE The force of this tempest was so great and the billow went so high that some of the ships were in the sight of their fellowes swallowed vp of the sea But amongst the rest two Spanish ships full of souldiors were by wonderfull mishap by contrarie winds driuen againe to ALGIERS and there set fast vpon that fatall shore where the Numidian horsemen with a multitude of Moores following them came running downe to the sea side to kill them as they should come to shore for the barbarous people thirsting after Christian bloud would not receiue them to mercie although they were readie to yeeld themselues and couenanted nothing but the safegard of their liues At which their crueltie the Spaniards disdaining with their weapons in their hands got to shore and standing close together as desperat men withstood them who had with their multitude quickly compassed them in round yet in despight of what that barbarous multitude without regard of humanitie or law of armes could doe they made way thorow the midst of them from the place where they were cast on shore vnto the very gates of the citie But seeing the Turkes sallie out they called vnto them offering to yeeld themselues prisoners to Assan without further resistance if they would assure them their liues which they were in good hope of for that he was borne of Christian parents in SARDINIA and was attended vpon with many renegate Spaniards So Assan comming forth of the citie gaue them his faith for their safetie and beating away the Moores and Numidians courteously saued them all wisely making great account of so great a gaine as would redound vnto him by so many prisoners joined with no small commendation of his clemencie in sauing them Of the Germans the third part neuer returned home but were either lost with shipwracke or els dead of the sicknesse ensuing so great miseries The emperour persuaded or rather ouerruled by Auria to auoid the violence of the tempest sailed alongst the coast of AFFRICKE Eastward to BVZIA the castle whereof was kept with a small garrison of Spaniards where the emperour landing found some fresh victuall though not much yet such as did both him and the other noblemen no small pleasure Whilest the emperour lay at BVZIA expecting fairer weather a great ship of GENVA laded with victuall chanced to come into the bay to the great rejoycing of the hungrie souldiours but such was the violence of the tempest that her ankers came home and she driuen vpon the flats was cast away yet so as that part of the victuall driuen to shore and halfe spoiled with the salt water well relieued the encreasing want In the meane time the emperour when he had long looked for the assuaging of the tempest and was now out of hope of any new supplie of victuall sent away Gonzaga with the Sicilian and Rhodian gallies for the wind before at North was now come to Northwest and put them in hope to aduenture againe to sea rather than to stay there longer So although with a troublesome yet a prosperous course they came in short time into the port of VTICA now called FARâ—NAS where Muleasses king of TVNES bountifully releeued Gonzaga and his fleet with all kind of victuall and other necessaries From whence they afterward departed and landed all in safetie at DREPANVM in SICILIA The blustering winds were now at length wearie of blowing and the raging sea became calme so that the skilfull sea men for feare of new dangers and wearie of those that were past thought it best to aduenture againe to sea Almost euery houre they were reasoning in counsell What course they were for most safetie best to take when some
began as men amased now too late to betake themselues to their weapons for in making resistance they were quickly slaine by the Numidians which came in with Abdamaelech who thus possessed of the castle the cheefe strength of that kingdome let in his friends which were many in the citie by whom he was presently saluted king the rest of the citisens either well liking of the matter or at least not daring for feare to stirre But as in these worldly things for which men so vainely toyle is no assurance so this new king shortly after fell sicke and died when he had raigned but six and thirtie dayes and was afterwards royally enterred After whose death his mightie friends with the cheefe of the citisens persuaded and encouraged by Touarres the Spaniard chose Mahometes his son a child scarse twelue yeares old to reigne in his fathers place appointing Abdalages Maniphaet brother to him whom Amida slew Abdelchirinus Mesuar Schyriffus a great man in their Mahometane superstition Perellus a Christian knight to be his directers and gouernours which foure swayed all at their pleasure But Abdelchirinus tendering the welfare of his countrey and deuising out of season how to set vp one of the royall bloud that were of himselfe able to gouerne the kingdome saying That it was not for the common good to be ruled by a child was for his labor by his other three fellowes suddenly slaine with all his kindred and knowne friends After whose death the other three erected a manner of Triumvirat gouernment euery one of them laying hand vpon one part of the state or other as liked him best Amida thus shut out of TVNES and hauing lost his kingdome wandered vp and downe to LEPTIS CYRAPOLIS and many other places crauing aid of euery man to recouer his kingdome miserably rent in sunder as he said by most wicked men who insolently triumphed ouer the boy king Which they of TVNES knew well to be true and daily complained of the death of Abdelchirinus whom they called the faithfull counsellor and father of his country Whilest Amida is thus trudging vp and down crauing helpe of this and that prince proouing his friends and sounding his subjects affection towards him Muleasses growne miserable with long imprisonment and the calamitie of his disaster fortune obtained of the young king his nephew so much fauour as that hee might sometime goe out of the castle to the church vnder colour whereof hee tooke sanctuarie a place in TVNES holden in such reuerence amongst the Moores as that it was a most inuiolate refuge to all such as fled thereunto Not long after at such time as Bernardinus Mendoza the Admirall of SPAIN came to GVLETTA with the Spanish fleet Muleasses at the request of Touarres was conueyed out of the Sanctuarie to the lake and so by water to GVLETTA there to be present at the consultation there holden for the vtter subuersion of Amida and the driuing out of the Turks out of such cities as they yet held alongst the sea coast in AFFRICA Muleasses had hardly before escaped the hands of certaine of his enemies in TVNES who sought after his life preserued by an old woman who mooued with pitie hid him from their furie vnder a great heape of garlike and had he not now in good time escaped to GVLETTA he had againe fallen into the hands of his mercilesse sonne Amida who shortly after recouered againe his kingdome and would not as he said himselfe haue spared him for the reuerence of any sanctuarie For the citisens of TVNES wearie of the euill gouernment of such as were in authoritie about the yong king and not a little offended with the king himselfe for espousing Melucca his cousin one of Muleasses his daughters secretly encouraged Amida by letters to repaire to the citie promising to aid him in recouering his kingdome Whereupon he came in such hast that the young king had scarce time to get out of the citie and Amida entring without resistance and holpen by his friends easily obtained againe the kingdome and exercised most exquisit crueltie vpon his enemies of whom he caused some to be torne in peeces and deuoured of fierce mastiues kept hungrie for that purpose Perellus he caused to be tortured his secrets to be cut off and himselfe afterwards burnt to ashes in the market place But Muleasses stayed not long at GVLETTA offended with the couetousnesse of Touarres who as he said had not faithfully restored such things as he had before put him in trust withall but had auaritiously in his miserie deceiued him of part of his rich houshold stuffe with certaine notable pretious stones some of his treasure wherof the blind king so greeuously complained to Charles the emperour that for deciding the matter they were both commaunded to repaire vnto him into GERMANIE where in conclusion to end the strife Touarres was discharged of his gouernment and Muleasses sent into SICILIE there to be kept of the common charge of that rich island Muleasses by the way comming to ROME was honourably feasted by Cardinall Fernesius at which time he shewed himselfe both in his apparrell and behauiour not forgetfull of his better fortune and being brought vnto the presence of Paulus the great bishop would doe him no greater honour but to kisse his knee accounting it too great an indignitie to haue kissed his foot He was of stature tall and of a princely disposition vnworthie of so hard a fortune had he not in like manner before vnmercifully dealt with his owne brethren Barbarussa wearie of his long lying to so small purpose in PROVINCE requested the French king either thorowly to employ him or els to giue him leaue to depart offering if he so pleased to spoile all alongst the coast of SPAINE from the mountain PYRaeNEI to CADIZ But he not ignorant what hard speeches ran of him alreadie in all parts of Christendome for bringing in the Turkes was loth to leaue vnto the memorie of all posteritie the foule remembrance of so wofull a slaughter besides that he was aduised to disburden his countrey of such troublesome guests who rouing about did much harme in the prouince where they lay and as it was reported now and then snatcht vp one countrey peisant or other and chained them for slaues in their gallies Wherefore in supplie of the Turkes that were dead the king gaue vnto Barbarussa all the Mahometane slaues in his gallies to the number of about foure hundred and furnishing him with all kind of prouision and bestowing great gifts vpon him and his captaines sent him away and with him Strozza with certaine gallies his embassadour to Solyman So the Turkes departing out of PROVINCE kept alongst the coast vntill they came neere vnto SAVONA whither the Germanes sent diuers presents and fresh victuals to Barbarussa which he tooke so thankfully that he protested not to hurt any of their territorie From thence he kept a right course to the island
haue built him a stately tombe erected also in memoriall of him a Mahometane church called the church of Mahomet the lesser for the difference of Mahomet the great who woon CONSTANTINOPLE Whereunto he also annexed a monasterie and a colledge with many things mo after the grosse manner of their superstition for the health of his soule as he vainly supposed After that Solyman according to his wonted manner which was but euery second or third yeare to take in hand some notable expedition ceased from warres by the space of two yeares in which time many of the great princes and worthie men of that age died amongst whom was Francis the French king Hariadenus Barbarussa that famous Turke of whom we haue so often spoken who being of great yeares and no lesse fame left this life in the yeare 1547 and was buried at a house of his owne called Besictas neere vnto BOSPHORVS THRACIVS on EVROPE side not farre from the mouth of Euxinum about foure miles from PERA where he had but few yeares before at one time sold about sixteene thousand Christian captiues taken out of CORCYRA and to make famous that place appointed for his buriall he of his owne cost built there a Mahometane temple there yet with his sepulchre to be seene that place was in auntient time called IASONIVM About which time also died of conceit that famous captaine Alphonsus Daualus Vastius taken away by vntimely death when he had liued but fortie fiue yeares At which time Charles the emperour by his embassadour Gerardus Veltunich concluded a peace with Solyman for fiue years wherein king Ferdinand was also included which peace was afterwards before the expiration thereof by Solyman at the request of Henrie the French king broken Solyman had now almost three yeares taken his rest when it fortuned that Ercases Imirza king of SIRVAN moued with the often injuries of Tamas his brother the great Persian king fled to Solyman at CONSTANTINOPLE to craue aid of him against his brother Solyman glad of such an occasion to worke vpon entertained him with all courtesie and promised to take vpon him his quarrell and to protect him against his vnnaturall brother And when he had made all things readie for so great an expedition passed ouer into ASIA and after long and painefull trauell entred at last with a puissant armie into ARMENIA and there in the borders of the Persian kingdome first besieged the citie of VAN which after ten daies siege was yeelded vnto him vpon condition that the Persian souldiors there in garrison might with life and libertie depart with their armes as souldiors which was at the first by Solyman granted and so the citie surrendred From thence Solyman sent his chiefe commanders with a great part of his armie to burne and spoile the enemies countrey which they for a time cheerfully performed and running farre into the countrey striue as it were amongst themselues who should doe most harme where Imirza amongst the rest for whose sake Solyman had vndertaken this warre was as forward as the best to wast and spoile his brothers kingdome sparing nothing that came to hand the best and richest things he got he presented to Solyman to draw him on still in that warre But that serued not his turne to recouer againe his kingdome of SIRVAN for Tamas without shewing any power to withstand the Turks had after his wonted manner caused his people to withdraw themselues far into the mountaine country leauing nothing behind them in that wast countrey to relieue them but the bare ground so that the farther the Turks went the more they wanted without hope of better successe than such as they had before to their losse made proofe of in their former expeditions into that great kingdome The conceit whereof so much pierced not the common souldiors onely but euen the captaines themselues that to make an end of that long and vnprofitable warre taken in hand for another mans good they consulted amongst themselues either to kill Imirza or else to disgrace him with Solyman Which they so cunningly wrought some suggesting false suspitions of his treacherous dealing in the proceeding of that warre and others with like craft vnder colour of friendship giuing him warning in secret of the danger he was in the one filling Solymans head with distrust and the other Imirzas with feare briefly to shut the matter vp in their owne tearmes They persuaded the hare to flie and the hounds to follow Imirza doubting some sudden mischiefe fled for succour to an old acquaintance of his one of the princes of CHALDEA who most treacherously sent him in bonds to Tamas his brother his most cruell enemie who glad to haue the author of all his troubles with the Turks deliuered into his hands cast him in prison and that Solyman nor any other should in his behalfe further prosecute the warre or by his meanes hope for victorie caused him to be in prison murthered In this expedition against the Persian king Solyman was occupied a yeare and nine moneths all which time the Turks endured great troubles and were oftentimes hardly distressed by the Persians vntill at last Solyman himselfe wearie of that tedious warre wherein he had got neither honour nor profit thought it best so to make an end and thereupon returned againe to CONSTANTINOPLE in the yeare 1549. In the meane time it fortuned that one Dragut Raises a notable pirat of the Turks had craftily surprised the citie of AFRICA in the kingdome of TVNES called in auntient time APHRODISEVM and also LEPTIS PARVA and now of the Moores called MAHAMEDIA and there setling himselfe as in a place both commodious and of good assurance exceedingly troubled the Christians both by sea and land especially such as traded in the Mediterranean So that the emperour moued as well with the manifold injuries done by that arch-pirat vpon the frontiers of his dominions as by the daily complaint of his poore subjects commaunded the Viceroy of SICILIE and Auria his Admirall to leauie a sufficient power in time to represse that pirat before he grew to farther strength Whereupon they with a strong fleet well manned and thorowly appointed for that purpose and aided by the knights of MALTA passed ouer into AFFRICKE and landing their forces by the space of three moneths besieged the citie before possessed by the pirat which with continuall batterie they had at length made saultable And hearing that Dragut was comming with a new supply to relieue it they with all sceleritie assailed it both by sea and land and in the space of a few houres tooke it by force the tenth day of September in the yeare 1550 in which assault many of the enemies were slaine and the rest taken Auria hauing thus dispossessed the pirat and aduisedly considering that the citie was not without an infinit charge to be holden by the Christians among so many of the infidels rased it downe to the ground carrying away
vnderstood that the prouince was in quiet as indeed it was and that he thereupon returned But vnto Solyman he told another tale in secret which he maliciously had deuised That he by most apparent signes and manifest presumptions had perceiued the whole armie so enclined towards Mustapha that if hee should haue attempted any thing against him by plaine force hee should haue beene vtterly forsaken and had therefore in so dangerous a case left the matter as it was to his graue further direction This tale suspitiously told raised in the wicked and vnnaturall father nothing degenerating from the naturall crueltie of his auncestors new and great suspitions whereof to disburden his disquieted mind he conceiued with himselfe a most horrible deuice Wherefore the yeare following which was the yeare 1553 he raised a great armie giuing it out That the Persians had with greater power than before inuaded SIRIA and that therefore he for the loue of his countrey and defence of his empire was determined to goe thither with his armie and in person himselfe to represse the attempts of his enemies Wherfore the armie being assembled and all things necessarie orderly prouided he commaunded to set forward and in few dayes after followed himselfe who comming at length into SIRIA presently by trustie messengers commaunded Mustapha to come vnto him at ALEPPO for there he lay encamped And yet for all these shaddowes the matter was not so closely by Solyman conueied although he was exceeding carefull thereof but that his mortall and deadly hatred against his sonne was perceiued by the Bassaes and other great men about him insomuch that Achmat Bassa by a secret and trustie messenger gaue him warning thereof that so he might in time the better prouide for the safegard of his life Neither could Mustapha himselfe but maruell that his aged father without any apparent reason should come so far with so great an armie yet trusting to his owne innocencie though wonderfully troubled and perplexed in mind he resolued although it were with the extreame danger of his life to obey and yeeld to his fathers commaund for he thought it more commendable and honourable to incurre the danger of death than liuing to fall into the foule suspition of disloyaltie In so great a perplexitie of mind after he had with himselfe much discoursed too and fro what course hee were best to take at length he boldly and resolutely asked the doctor whom as we haue before said he had alwaies with him in his court Whether the empire of the world or a blessed life were of man more to be desired to whom the doctor frankely answered That the empire of the world to him that would enter into the due consideration thereof brought with it no felicitie more than a vain shew and vtter apparance of good nothing being more fraile or vncertaine than worldly honour bringing with it feare vexation of mind tribulation suspition murder wrong wickednesse spoile ruine and captiuitie with infinit mischeefes of like nature not to be desired of him that would attaine to true felicitie by which meanes the blessed life was to be lost and not gained But they vnto whom God had giuen the grace rightly to consider and weigh the fragilitie and shortnesse of this our estate which the common sort deemeth to be the onely life and to striue against the vanities of this world and to embrace and follow an vpright kind of life had vndoubtedly a place assigned for them in heauen and prepared by the great God where they should at length enjoy life and blisse eternall This answere of the great doctor wonderfully satisfied the troubled mind of the young prince foreseeing as it were the approch of his owne end and so staying not any longer discourse forthwith set forward towards his father and making great hast came at length to his fathers campe and not farre off pitched his tents in the open field But this his so hastie comming the more encreased the suspition in the mind of his wicked father neither spared Rustan in the meane time with his craftie and subtile deuices to augment the same for by a signe giuen he caused the Ianizaries and cheefe men in the armie to goe as if it had beene for honours sake to meet Mustapha which they all without delay presently did at his commaund and so all together set forward In the meane time he the most craftie varlet with troubled countenance for he could notably dissemble as a man halfe dismayed came in hast into Solymans pauillion and falsely told him That the Ianizaries and almost all the best souldiors of the armie were of themselues without leaue gone to meet Mustapha and that he feared what would ensue thereof Which newes so troubled the old tyrant that he became pale for feare and going out of his tent and finding them gone easily beleeued all to be true that the false Bassa had told him Neither wanted Mustapha strange warning of his end so neere at hand for the third day before his setting forwards towards his father falling asleepe in the euening he thought he saw his prophet Mahomet in bright apparrell to take him by the hand and lead him into a most pleasant place beautified with most glorious and stately pallaces and most delicate and pleasant gardens and pointing to euery thing with his finger to say thus vnto him Here rest they for euer which in this world haue led an vpright and godly life following vertue and detesting vice and after that turning his face to the other side to haue shewed him two great and swift riuers whereof the one boyled with water blacker than pitch and in them appeared as he thought numbers of men wallowing and tumbling some vp some downe crying horribly for mercie And there said he are punished all such as in this fraile life haue been the malicious workers of iniquitie the cheefe of whom as he said were emperours kings princes and other great men of the world Mustapha awaking and troubled with this melancholie dreame called vnto him his doctor and hauing told him all the matter asked him what the same might signifie who standing a great while in a muse for the Mahometanes are exceeding superstitious attributing much vnto dreames full of sorrow and greefe at length answered That this vision for so it pleased him to tearme it was vndoubtedly to be feared as presaging vnto him the extreame perill of his life and therefore requested him to haue great care both of his life and honour But Mustapha as he was of a notable spirit and courage regarding nothing that answer stoutly replied What shall I suffer my selfe to be terrified and ouercome with childish and vaine feare why rather hast I not courageously and resolutely to my father and so much the more boldly because I know assuredly I haue alwayes as reason was reuerenced his majestie that against his will I neuer turned mine eyes or foot against his most royall seat
much lesse affected his empire except the most high God had called him to a better life neither then without the generall good liking choise of the whole armie that so I might at length without murder without bloud without tyrannie well and justly reigne and in loue and peace inuiolate liue with my brethren for I haue set down with my selfe and chosen if it be my fathers pleasure so rather to die in his obedience than reigning many yeares to be reputed of all men especially my competitours a rebell or traitor Hauing thus said he came vnto his fathers campe and pitching his tents as we haue before said suted himselfe all in white in token of his innocencie and writing certaine letters which the Turkes when they are about to go to any place of danger vse to write and alwaies to carrie with them for they are wonderfull foolish in their superstition and putting them in his bosome attended vpon with a few of his most trustie followers came with great reuerence towards the tent of his father fully resoluing to haue kissed his hand as their vsuall manner is But when he was come to the entrance of the tent remembring that he had yet his dagger girt to him hee entered not vntill he had put it off because he would not come into his fathers sight with any weapon if happily so hee might cleere himselfe of his fathers needlesse suspition So when he was come into the more inward roomes of the tent he was with such honour as belonged to his state cheerfully receiued by his fathers eunuchs But seeing nothing else prouided but one seat whereon to sit himselfe alone he perplexed in mind stood still a while musing at length asked where the emperour his father was Whereunto they answered That he should by and by see him and with that casting his eye aside he saw seauen Muts these are strong men bereft of their speech whom the Turkish tyrants haue alwaies in readinesse the more secretly to execute their bloudie butcherie comming from the other side of the tent towards him at whose sight strucken with a sudden terrour said no more but Lo my death and with that arising was about to haue fled but in vaine for he was caught hold on by the eunuch and Muts and by force drawne to the place appointed for his death where without further stay the Muts cast a bow string about his necke he poore wretch still striuing and requesting that he might speake but two words to his father before he died All which the murtherer for no addition is sufficient significantly to expresse his vnnaturall villanie both heard and saw by a trauers from the other side of the tent but was so farre from being moued with compassion that thinking it long till he were dispatched with a most terrible and cruell voice he rated the villaines enured to bloud saying Will you neuer dispatch that I bid you will you neuer make an end of this traitor for whom I haue not rested one night these ten yeares in quiet Which horrible commaunding speeches yet thundring in their eares those butcherly Muts threw the poore innocent prince vpon the ground and with the helpe of the eunuchs forcibly drawing the knotted bow string both waies by the commaundement of a most wicked father strangled him With like barbarous crueltie he shortly after caused Mahomet his nephew Mustapha his sonne to bee strangled also This vnnaturall and strange murther committed he presently commaunded the Bassa of AMASIA Mustaphaes lieutenant to be apprehended and his head in his owne presence to bee strucke off Which done he sent for Tzihanger the crooked yet ignorant of all that was happened and in sporting wise as if he had done a thing worth commendations bid him go meet his brother Mustapha which thing Tzihanger with a merrie and cheerfull countenance hasted to doe as one glad of his brothers comming But as soone as he came vnto the place where he saw his brother lying dead vpon the ground strangled it is not to be spoken how he was in mind tormented He was scarcely come to the place where this detestable murther was committed when his father sent vnto him certaine of his seruants to offer vnto him all Mustaphaes treasure horses seruants jewels tents and withall the gouernment of the prouince of AMASIA but Tzihanger filled with extreame heauinesse for the vnmercifull death of his welbeloued brother spake vnto them in this sort Ah wicked and vngodly Cain traitor I may not say father take thou now the treasures the horses the seruants the iewels and the prouince of Mustapha How came it into thy wicked cruell and sauage breast so vngratiously and contrarie to all humanitie I will not say the reuerence of thine owne bloud to kill thy worthie warlike and noble sonne the mirror of courtesie and prince of greatest hope the like of whom the Othoman family neuer yet had nor neuer shall I will therefore my selfe prouide that thou nor none for thee shall euer hereafter in such sort shamefully triumph ouer a poore crooked wretch And hauing thus much said stabd himselfe with his owne dagger into the bodie whereof he in short time died which so soone as it came to the old Tygers eares it is hard to say how much he grieued His dead bodie was by his fathers commaundement carried from ALEPPO in SYRIA to CONSTANTINOPLE and afterwards honourably buried on the other side of the hauen at PERA For all this bloudie tragedie his couetous mind was not so troubled but that he could forthwith command all Mustaphaes treasures and riches to be brought to his tent which his souldiors in hope to haue the same giuen them for a prey willingly hasted to performe In the meane time the souldiors which were in Mustaphaes campe not knowing what was become of their master seeing such a multitude of souldiors thrusting into their campe without all order to represse their tumultuous insolencie stept out in their armour and notably repulsed them not without much bloudshed At length the noise of this stirre was heard by the rest of the kings souldiors who seeing the tumult to increase more and more ran in to helpe their fellowes so that in short time there began a hoat skirmish and cruell fight on both sides insomuch that two thousand were slaine and mo wounded neither had the broile so ended had not Achomat bassa a graue captaine and for his long experience of no small authoritie amongst the souldiors kept backe the Ianizaries and staied their furie and turning likewise to Mustaphaes souldiors by gentle and mild words and courteous persuasions in this manner appeased their rage What my brethren said he will you now degenerating from your auntient loyaltie for which you haue bin for so many ages commended impugne the commaund of the great Sultan our dread soueraigne Truely I cannot sufficiently maruell what thing should moue you whom I haue hitherto proued to haue been most
phrophet with your knowne and approued Valour Now remaineth onely that euerie one of you thinke with vs how this warre may best be managed and so to referre your deuises vnto vs which that you may the better doe Loe I here deliuer vnto you the situation of the whole island and proiect of all their fortifications which wee haue receiued of most expert and skilfull men Solymans purpose thus made knowne and the matter well considered after that they which best knew the strong places and manners of the Malteses had declared their opinions what they thought to bee most expedient it was decreed that they should with all speed set forward wherefore victuall and other things necessarie for such an expedition being with wonderfull celeritie prepared they expected but wind Of these things Io. Valetta a Frenchman Graund master of MALTA and of the knights of the Order being both by letters and messengers aduertised for he had alwaies fit men his intelligencers at CONSTANTINOPLE who warily noted the purposes and actions of Solyman was not afraid but knowing that of God depended the victorie and that men were to watch labour and foresee he assembled a counsell of his knights and in few words spake vnto them in this sort What Solyman prepareth most noble and valiant knights and what a great warre he prouideth against vs you with me of late right well vnderstand wherefore it is needlesse for me to vse any long speech with you concerning that matter The enemie is knowne his insatiable ambition is knowne his strength is knowne and his mortall hate against vs and the Christian name is sufficiently knowne Wherefore let vs all as one first reconcile our selues to God and then prouide all such things as shall be needfull for the warre In breefe noble knights to reconcile our selues vnto God and to appease his displeasure two things are of vs to be performed whereof the one consisteth in amendment of life with a holy conuersation the other in the religious worshipping of him with a firme and constant trust in his helpe with prayer which is called godlinesse By these meanes our auncestors obtained many victories against the Indels in the East Neither is it to be doubted but if we shall in these things ioyne together we shall also frustrat all the force and furie of this proud tyrant But for as much as God vsually helpeth them which labour and take paines and not the negligent and slouthfull we must of necessitie ioyne vnto them those helpes which both our profession and the course of war requireth which partly consisteth in our selues and partly in the other Christian princes For victuall armour money and other such things as in warres are requisit we will so prouide that no man shall iustly complaine that we spared either cost or paines I will poure out all my store neither will I for desire of life refuse any danger As for the Christian princes I cannot persuade my selfe that they will lie still in so fit an oportunitie and in so great a danger not of our estate onely but much more of their owne Verely I will not spare to exhort euery one of them both by letters and by messengers which in part we haue alreadie done and I doubt not but wee shall haue aid ynough from the Pope the Emperour and the king of Spaine such is their Christian zeale and they I hope shall moue the rest As for you the princes and very light of this sacred Order and the rest of our brethren most valiant knights I am well assured you will so fight for the most holy Christian religion for your liues and goods and for the glorie of the Latine name against a most cruell tyrant the rooter out of all true religion of all ciuilitie and good learning the plague of the world hated of God and man as that hee shall feele the sting of the crosse which he so much contemneth euen in the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE yea in his houses of pleasure For we shall not haue now to doe with him in the Island of the RHODES far from the helpe of our friends from ASIA from EVROPE from AEGIPT inclosed with our enemies both by sea and land but in the eyes of ITALIE and SPAINE in places strongly fortified from whence the enemie may easily be circumuented which that it may so fall out let vs not cease to pray vnto Almightie God and to craue his readie helpe When the Graund Master had thus said all that were present promised with one assent rather to lose their liues than in any part to faile the common cause or to come into the power of Solyman After that publicke prayer and supplication was made in euery church through the Isle and three colonels chosen out of all the knights one an Italian surnamed Imperator another Borneas a Frenchman and Quatrius a Spaniard the third all aduised men and most expert souldiors who should with all diligence prouide all things necessarie for the warre By whose appointment the suburbes and trees which might any way be hurtfull to the fortified places were ouerthrowne the fortifications were thorowly viewed the garrisons strengthened and all manner of prouision most plentifully destributed and letters from the Great Master sent vnto the Great Bishop and other Christian princes requesting their aid against the common enemie Messengers were also dismissed into diuers places to certifie both the knights of the Order and others of the Turkes preparation Solymans fleet departing from CONSTANTINOPLE the two and twentith day of March in the yeare 1565 kept a direct course towards PELOPONESVS and so came to METHON where Mustapha Bassa one of the Turkes greatest captaines a man of 75 yeares and Generall of the land forces mustered the armie wherein were numbred seuen thousand horsmen of them which are of the Turkes called Spahi out of the lesser ASIA conducted by the Gouernour of that countrey and two lieutenants of CILICIA fiue hundred and of the Island of LESDOS now callled METYLENE foure hundred he had of the Ianizaries foure thousand and fiue hundred led by two colonels appointed by Solyman for that the cheefe captaine of the Ianizaries which they call the Aga neuer departeth from the citie but when the Sultan goeth himselfe Besides these was a certaine kind of men amongst the Turkes who liue of the reuenewes of the church of them there was in the armie thirteene thousand who had at CONSTANTINOPLE vowed their liues for their superstition Out of THRACIA and PELOPONESVS were come two colonels and one lieutenant with twelue hundred horsemen and three thousand fiue hundred voluntaries out of diuers countries There also Piall Bassa Solymans Admirall tooke view of the fleet wherein were found a hundred and thirtie gallies two and twentie ships for burthen some greater some lesser besides one that was cast away neere vnto METHONE wherein was losâ— six thousand barrels of pouder thirteene thousand great shot and foure hundred Spaâ—â—â—â— besides these
hard victorie so doe they propound vnto vs honour glorie fame and most honourable rewards and open vnto vs the way both for the defence of the present and recouerie of that hath been before lost What then stand we still looking for or why do we not in Gods name joine that battell which is vnto vs not only necessarie but profitable also Thus much said they began to intreat and beseech the Generall and the rest not longer to suffer the Christian common-weale to receiue losse vpon losse but to repose their only hope in the good successe of one worthie battell and neuer to looke for the like opportunitie if they let slip the present This matter of so great consequence thus throughly debated amongst the greatest commaunders they thought it good to heare also the opinions of other notable captaines of no lesse experience than themselues then in the fleet before they would conclude any thing Amongst the rest Anthonius Cornea and Gabriel Serbellio both Spaniards and for their great wisedome and valour had in generall reputation of all men being demaunded their opinions with most substantiall reasons declared the necessitie of giuing battell and that it was not so dangerous as to be therefore shunned or delaied For so much as that violent enemie was far easier to be dealt withall at sea than by land where he must fight without his huge multitude of men the Turks chiefe hope and only meanes whereby they haue obtained so many victories against the Christians And so concluded their opinions with an effectuall persuasion to set forward to CORCYRA and without delay as occasion serued to giue the enemie battell Which their opinion being generally well liked was shortly after by the Generall and the rest approued and a resolution set downe for the giuing of battell which was no sooner knowne but there was a generall rejoycing through the armie euerie man cheerfully preparing himselfe to lay downe his life in the publike defence of the Christian common-weale and that with such an earnest desire of battell that euerie day seemed now nothing else but a delay of a most assured victorie Yet before they should come into the sight of the enemie the three Admirals thought it good to bring forth the fleet into the sea and there to martiall the same in such sort as if they should euen then presently haue joyned battell to the intent that by such orderly disposing of their fleet and by appointing vnto euerie man his place he was to keepe they might so acquaint them with the order of the battell as that they should when time serued of themselues without farther direction martiall themselues and so more readily enter into battell The next day the Admirals brought foorth their fleets into the open sea in the right wing which consisted of three and fiftie gallies was Auria placed in the left wing was Augustinus Barbadicus with the like number of gallies also and in the middle battell stood the Generall with seauentie gallies on the right hand of the Generall stood Columnius and on the left Venerius his associats Thus with equall front the fleet set forward as if they should euen presently haue joyned battell Betwixt the wings and the middle battell was left no more space but for three gallies to row in the rearward behind the Generall followed Requisenius the great Commendor of CASTILE with his gallies after Columnius followed the Admirall gallie of GENVA wherein was Alexander Farnesius prince of PARMA and behind Venerius came the Admirall gallie of SAVOY and in her the prince of VRBIN in the space betwixt the middle battell and the left wing was placed Paulus Iordanus and betwixt the middle battell and the right wing was Petrus Iustinianus with the gallies of MALTA vpon the left wing attended Anthonius Canalis and Quirinus on the right About halfe a mile behind all the rest followed Aluarus Bacianus Marquesse of SANCRACE and Admirall of the Neapolitane fleet with thirtie gallies a man of great experience in matters at sea and now so placed to be at all times readie to relieue this or that part of the fleet as the fortune of the battell or impression of the enemie should require The Christians had reposed great hope in six galeasses which furnished with great store of ordinance and certaine select companies of most resolute souldiors seemed rather like castles than ships These galeasses conducted by Franciscus Dodus a most expert captaine were placed about a mile before the fleet two of them before each wing and the other two before the middle battell so far distant one from another as that with equall space they answered the whole breadth of the front of the fleet which was almost the space of fiue miles and serued the same in stead of most strong bulwarks The gallies throughout the fleet kept not close togither but such a conuenient distance one from another as might serue for them at libertie to discharge their ordinance when time should require In the wings as also in the maine battell were the Popes the kings and the Venetian gallies indifferently intermixed that by the equalitie of the danger they should haue more care to relieue one another than if they had serued apart Ioannes Cardonius a most valiant captaine with eight gallies of SICILIE and two galiots was appointed to go ten miles before the fleet to descrie what he might of the enemies doings and in his returne to joine the one halfe of his gallies to the one wing and the other halfe to the other In this sort they departed from MESSANA with purpose to seeke out the enemie and not long after came to PAXO where of a small broile at the first was like to haue risen a great mischiefe for the next day whilest Don Iohn staied there to take a view of the Venetian gallies and how they were furnished both of men and munition he finding them but weakly manned for supplying of that want appointed foure thousand Spaniards and a thousand Italians to be put aboord into the Venetian gallies where most need was Amongst these souldiors was one companie vnder the commaund of Mutius Tortona their captaine a man of an vnquiet and furious nature who going aboord the gallie of Andreas Calergus first fell to words with the captaine of the gallie and after much stirre into plaine fight so that in a trice they were altogither by the eares as well the souldiours as the captaines of all which stirre Mutius was the onely author Venerius being not farre off and hearing of the matter sent the captaine of his owne gallie to appease the tumult who thrusting himselfe into the middest of the furious multitude was by Mutius in his furie fouly intreated and diuers of them that came with him shrewdly beaten Which thing Venerius himselfe also of an hoat nature taking as done in disgrace of the Venetians and therewith exceedingly moued to the terrour of others caused Mutius and his ensign-bearer
And that if the action well begun should be effectually prosecuted by the goodnesse of God the direction of the commaunders and the resolution of the souldiors in short time the Christians should carrie the victorie from the Turkes and make him their Generall equall not onely with the great cheefetaines of the present time but euen with the most famous commanders of all former ages Whereunto Don Iohn replied That the action then in hand no lesse concerned the Spaniards than the Venetians and that he had in his life desired nothing more than to stand the Christian commonweale in stead That he pointed at the same marke with Fuscarinus and in zeale to doe good vnto the Christian commonweale gaue place to no man but indeed to performe it was a thing much more difficult than to say it Lesser things he said were to be ouerpassed to reserue themselues for the performance of greater and therefore maruelled that Fuscarinus alone could not see things most manifest before his eyes who otherwise could with his piercing wit see through the deepest matters Could he thinke by any other meanes to abate the power of the Turke than if they kept their fleet whole That it was euer the manner of the greatest and most worthie commaunders rather to shun the present dangers than to encrease their territories That nothing was so well purposed which might not be of some wrongfully suspected but his faithfull meaning to be pure and without spot and albeit that the oportunitie serued not for him to shew it yet was his desire and endeuour nothing the lesse And that Fuscarinus should doe well more intentiuely to consider what the cause the matter and the time required That the manner of warre at land and at sea were much different And that although warres of both sorts were to giue place vnto the most vnseasonable time of the yeare vnfit for any kind of warre yet might men at land better endure the winter stormes in their tents and cabins than at sea in their gallies where oftentimes will skill wisedome nor valour helpe not but that except it be so prouided and foreseene that the seasonable time of the yeare and commodious for sayling may be taken all must togither perish by shipwracke What would hee haue them to striue aboue their power with the winter stormes and famine the greatest extremities of nature Besides that he was verily persuaded that the Turks enjoying the commodities of a good harbour and of a rich citie would there in safetie winter the countrey of PELOPONESYS relieuing them with all necessaries When as the Christians in the meane time except they in time returned home should lie exposed to the rage of the sea standing as it were in a continuall watch not laying away their weapons in the depth of winter and dead time of the yeare which in reason ought to giue rest to all men And that therefore euerie man ought for the present to beare his owne grieuances and not by the harmes of his friends and confederats to seeke his owne auaile And that he bearing himselfe vpon the inward integritie of his good will toward the Venetians would this say howsoeuer Fuscarinus should vnderstand it That if the kings fleet should by long staying there perish it would no lesse concerne the Venetians than the king himselfe and taking God to witnesse would solemnly promise Nothing to be vnto him more leifer or religious than to be prest so soone as the time of the yeare would giue leaue and by his endeuour to make all men to know that he had no lesse care of the Venetian State than of the kings affaires neither desired any thing more than to be accounted and in deed to be a most constant vpholder of that most Christian league and that beyond all expectation euen in the judgement of the Venetians themselues but for the present they must pardon him if he gaue place vnto the necessitie of the time As for the offer of the communicating of their victuals that would not be any helpe but the destruction of both the fleets for so they should both sooner feele the want wherefore it were much better to preserue the fleet which they might vse in the next yeares warres than wilfully to cast away the same by famine and the rage of the sea In briefe what an indignitie should the Christians sustaine if they themselues should by the same meanes be ouerthrowne whereby they had thought to haue ouerthrowne others Now the Spaniards were so resolutely set downe for their departure that not only without the consent of the Venetians but euen without their priuitie their departing was resolued vpon and secret commandement giuen vnto the masters of the gallies with all the hast that might be to depart thence to MESSANA Which the Venetian Admirall vnderstanding and therewith troubled as with an vnexpected matter came aboord the Generall and greatly complained of his purpose for so sudden a departure requesting him a while to stay vntill the two gallies made fast togither in the harbour of NAVARINVM as is before said with the ordinance vpon them might be put in good safetie and neither they or any thing else left for a prey vnto the enemie With much adoe Fuscarinus persuaded him to stay that night that those gallies might bee brought out of the harbour and all things put in order for their departure The rest of the night was spent in debating of the matter too and fro where Don Iohn would needs haue it conceiued into a publike instrument in writing That the fleet by the generall consent of the three Admirals returned for lacke of victuals whereunto the Venetian Admirall hardly consented But when the instrument should haue been made and confirmed Don Iohn better aduised by one of his secretaries That the same would redound vnto the great dishonour both of the king and himselfe that the fleet comming out of the fruitfull countrey of SICILIA should in a moneths space want victuals changed his mind for the writing and onely requested the Venetian Admirall to credit him and Columnius in that they had said concerning the want of victuals promising him that if vpon the way he should meet with the victuals that were sent for he would forthwith returne and giue him aid as the time and occurrents should require but in the meane time to proceed by common consent to doe that which was most needfull Hereupon they returned and comming to CORCYRA they met the expected ship laded with victuals Now is not Fuscarinus vnmindfull of his dutie but comming to Don Iohn put him in remembrance of his promise telling him That it was not vnlike but that the enemie so soone as he vnderstood of their departure would come out of the bay and returne with his fleet towards CONSTANTINOPLE and being but weakly manâ—â—d and worse furnished of marriners might easily be ouertaken vpon the way and ouerthrowne But Don Iohn was not by any meanes to be thereunto persuaded
king to loose his mony which he trusted into our hands and which we haue lost not by greater strength nor by any trecherous stratageme of our enemies but by our owne too too important feare and too base a regard of our liues before which it was the dutie of euery one of vs to haue preferred the care of honour For if by fighting and courageous sustaining the assaults of our enemies though they had beene stronger and better armed than we this misfortune had happened vnto vs and that we could in any sort haue represented to the king and the world an honourable and bloudie battell we should not now haue had any need to seeke meanes how to repay this losse and to restore the thing that violently was taken from vs by such as were more mightie than our selues and these honourable souldiors also should more easily haue disgested with vs this lamentable calamitie But we haue lost that money and in very deed hauing as it were willingly bestowed it vpon the Georgians and Persians to redeeme our liues and to saue vs from their furie are bound to repay it or els for euer hereafter to be challenged as lawfull debtors to the king for it And therefore my good friends and companions if you will take a good course let euery one of vs without any further consultation put his hand into his priuat purse if he haue not foolishly cast that also into the hands of the rauenous enemie and with our owne money let vs succour the necessitie of these men and haue regard to the honour of our king So shall wee make our flight lesse blame worthie we shall iustifie our actions more honestly and that which is of greatest importance we shall the better pacifie the wrath of Amurath which he might most iustly conceiue against vs. I my selfe before you all am most readie to disburse foure thousand duckats towards it if it shall please you all to follow me accordingly we shall deliuer these souldiors from their great necessitie and acquite our sâ—lues from the intricat bonds of most troublesome displeasures There might a man haue seene a thousand countenances changed a thousand manner of wayes for one softly whispered many a curse and shame vpon the king vpon Mahomet yea and vpon God himselfe another denied to disburse any thing another determined priuily to steale away and some said one thing and some another but in the end euery man was induced to follow the example of Mahamet and thereupon hauing made a purse according to euery mans abilitie there was collected thirtie thousand duckats among them And presently after word was sent to Leuent Ogli at ZAGHEN to send thither graine muttons and other necessarie prouisions that they might the better continue the defence of the fort Two dayes onely stayed Mahamet in TEFLIS and hauing changed such souldiors as desired to be dismissed and also appointed Homar Bassa Gouernour of TEFLIS in stead of Giusuf that there gouerned before he departed But before his departure consultation was had Whether they should keepe the way of TOMANIS or the way they came through the countrey of Mustaffa the Georgian and in the end they resolued to keepe the way of TOMANIS and therupon order was taken that they should all passe the riuer The Curdi were the first that went ouer and had alreadie pitched their tents vpon the further side of the water when the Generall began to reuoke his former order and sent them word That they should returne because he was now determined to goe backe the same way he came At which message all the Sanzackes were in a rage and in plaine tearmes sent him answere That these mutabilities beseemed not them being men accustomed to warre but to be rather childrens play than manly resolution and that for their parts they were not minded to change their journey but would goe on the same way they had begun and so forwards they went say the Generall what he could and by the way of TOMANIS arriued at CHARS long before Mahamet who was much grieued at this their so great disobedience but seeing no other remedie he with the Bassa of CARAEMIT and Mustaffa the Georgian put themselues on their journey euen by the same way they came to TEFLIS At last Mahamet arriued at ALTVNCHALA the cheefe castle of Mustaffa the Georgian and burning with the desire of reuenge of those losses which he thought himselfe to haue receiued by the trecherie of Mustaffa or as some thought seeking by this meanes to make Amurath beleeue that in truth all the forepassed mischeefes had happened not through their cowardise but through the trecherous and malitious deuices of the Georgian and so to make their receiued losses seeme more pardonable he deuised with himselfe how to find out such a plot as that Mustaffa might vpon the sudden be taken away as guiltie of so foule a treason and that he had deuised was in this sort To call a counsell into his owne pauillion as if he had receiued some commaundement from the Court and hauing caused Mustaffa to come into that roome whiles the said counterfeit commaundement should be in reading to cause his lieutenant with those cheefe of his band that stood about him to fall vpon him and presently to cut off his head This pretended counsell was accordingly called wherein sat the Bassa himselfe and with him the Bassa of CARAEMIT certaine Sanzackes subject to the jurisdiction of ERZIRVM the Capigi Bassa or cheefe gentleman vshier and the Generals lieutenant with whom he had vpon their solemne oathes for secrecie communicated his entended deceit The Georgian Mustaffa was also called accordingly who both because he was beloued of moe than one and had also vsed all diligent circumspection but especially hauing heard in the armie some priuie whisperings of such a matter knew full well of all that was deuised against him and therefore prouided also for his owne defence But as touching his going to the counsell he thought he might not denie so to doe least by his absence he might seeme guiltie of the fault whereof he was peraduenture not without cause suspected and thereby to leaue his cities for a prey to their enemies now in the heart of his countrey And therefore resoluing to goe he deuised how so to doe with most safetie and so as if need should be he might be able to turne the mischiefe entended against him vpon the head of the Generall himselfe And therefore hauing chosen out fiftie of his most faithfull and resolute souldiors he commaunded them to follow him to the counsell appointed in the Generals pauillion and being come thither to stay there readie and attentiue at his first and one onely call suddenly and forcibly to rush into the pauillion with their weapons rather than any wrong should be done vnto him to shew their valour against the Turkes without exception of any person whatsoeuer These men by nature enemies vnto the Turks vnderstanding well his meaning
also in like manner to dissemble with him faigning that he would once more trie his forces against the same Arabians and so vsed the matter that the Subbassi arming himselfe came vnto him without any suspition of the mischeefe intended against him But as soone as he was come the Sanzacke tooke him aliue and presently caused him in most cruell manner to be flaine quicke Thus hauing passed ouer the troubles that staied the people of AEGYPT and DAMASCO and the countries thereabouts from resorting to Osman the Turkes great Generall at ERZIRVM let vs againe returne thither where we left him taking a view of the preparations against the Persian and prosecute those affaires which of all others most exercised the forces of the two mightiest Mahometane monarchs and with the expectation thereof filled the world from the East to the West The straight commaundement from Amurath together with the fame and reputation of Osman the Generall had drawne together such a world of people of all sorts to ERZIRVM as that it seemed not the power of one king alone but rather the vnited forces of many kings Wherefore Osman perceiuing that he had gathered together too great a number of people and too huge an armie and that it might so fall out that he might want victuall for so great a multitude neither so greatly fearing his enemies forces as that he needed to lead so populous an armie against them determined to discharge a great number of such as he thought most weake and least able to endure trauell so that out of this great multitude hee drew out about fortie thousand persons who liberally according to euery mans abilitie redeeming the ordinarie perils of the warres returned home to their owne dwellings And so in Osmans armie remained the number of an hundred and fourescore thousand persons or thereabouts With this multitude the Generall departed from ERZIRVM about the eleuenth of August this yeare 1585 towards TAVRIS continuing for all that the speech for NASSIVAN But he had scarce marched two dayes when diuers souldiors of GRaeCIA and CONSTANTINOPLE presented themselues before him vpbraiding him with great improuidencie and telling him that they began alreadie to feele the want of victuall by wanting the same day their ordinarie allowance of corne for their horses so that if in the beginning and as it were in the enterance of so long a journey they felt such want they could not tell with what judgement or discretion hee meant to lead so great a companie so farre as NASSIVAN nor by what cunning conceit he had presumed to sustaine so great an armie in the seruice of their lord Osman quietly heard their complaints and presently prouided for them by causing such store of barley to be destributed among them as they desired and seuerely punished the officers that had the charge for the allowance of corne who most couetously began to make marchandise of the common prouision by conuerting it to their owne priuat vses And hauing thus quieted their troubled minds he proceeded on his journey and by the way of HASSAN CHALASSI and of CHARS arriued vpon the Calderan plaines famous for the memorable battels there fought betweene Selymus and Hysmaell In these plaines hee tooke a generall review of his armie wherein there wanted a number that by reason of sicknesse being not able to continue the journey were enforced to stay behind some in one place some in another Remouing thence he tooke the way not to NASSIVAN as he had still hitherto giuen it out he would but now directly to TAVRIS Which so sudden an alteration of the journey as soone as the souldiours of GREECE and CONSTANTINOPLE heard they fell into a great rage and comming againe before the Generall reuelled with him in this sort to his face And what are we thou villaine thou Turke thou dolt whom thou handlest in this sort We are neither oxen nor sheepe of the mountaines for the leading of whom thou thinkest thou art come out neither can we brooke these thy lies and deceits If thou hast publickly professed to lead vs to NASSIVAN and by that speech hast trained vs from the furthest bounds of GRaeCIA to what end now after thou hast wearied vs so much doest thou deceiue vs with such vanities and prolong our iourney and set before vs such strange and important dangers as our minds neuer once thought on But if this was thy first purpose and intent and that now not foolishly or by chaunce but vpon premeditation and good aduice thou changest thine opinion why diddest thou dismisse so many souldiours as might haue made the armie more terrible and stronger for the enterprise of TAVRIS Doest thou thinke that by suffering others to redeeme their liberties and so to encrease thy riches thou shalt set our liues to sale and to make vs slaues to the Persians At these arrogant speeches the Generall was exceedingly troubled seeing his good meaning and the earnest desire he had to aduance the majestie and glorie of his king taken in so euill part and those his best souldiours so highly offended And although he could indeed haue readily vsed the sharpest and hardest prouisions and remedies for it that in such occasions are ordinarily applied yet vpon good aduice he forbare so to doe and in stead of rigour and punishment resolued to worke by more easie meanes Whereupon causing many of the captaines and chiefe men amongst those seditious souldiors to come before him he first persuaded them That the former speech for NASSIVAN was not raised at all by him nor that he was minded at that time to goe for TAVRIS but all that was done he had done to fulfill the commaundement of the Sultan who had charged him so to doe to the end to lessen the Persian preparations which they would vndoubtedly haue made farre greater if the speech had beene giuen out at the first for TAVRIS Which his princely care of their safetie they for their parts ought willingly to further for that in so doing they should still preserue that great opinion which both the king and the world had conceiued of their valour and fidelitie Neither needed they to feare that the souldiors which were dismissed might weaken the armie for that they themselues were not onely sufficient to pierce into TAVRIS and to open the way vpon the enemies but to daunt them euen with their lookes and that those which were discharged had but purged the hoast of all cowardise and left nothing in it but vertue and courage By this mild answere of the Generall the tumultuous souldiours were sufficiently pacified but much better apayed and contented they were as soone as he put his hand to the common purse and bestowed among them all a small quantitie of monies for by this his kind vsage all their stomackes were ouercome and they themselues became so willing and so couragious that now they durst venture not to TAVRIS only but to CASBIN yea euen to the furthest parts of
clock in the forenoone deliuered vp the citie vnto the Bassa and the Christian garrison was all come out the countie himselfe with a few of his friends was with a conuoy of Turks brought in safetie to the appointed place but the Italians and other garrison souldiors that came behind and ought to haue beene by the Gouernour protected were contrary to the Turks promise spoyled of all that they had and hardly escaping with life came that night to HOCHSTRATE and the next day to ALTENBVRG Thus was RAB one of the strongest bulwarkes of Christendome traiterously deliuered vnto the most mortall enemie of the Christian religion being euen then when it was giuen vp victualled for a yeare and sufficiently furnished with all things necessarie for defence all which prouision together with the citie fell into the hands of the faithlesse enemie A losse neuer to haue beene sufficiently lamented had it not beene about foure yeares after euen as it were miraculously againe recouered to the great rejoysing of all that side of Christendome as in the processe of this Historie shall appeare Sinan glad of this victorie as of the greatest trophey of his masters glorie ouer the Christians gaue him speedie knowledge thereof both by letters and messengers Of whom he was for that good seruice highly commended and afterward bountifully rewarded for now had Amurath alreadie in hope deuoured all AVSTRIA with the prouinces thereabout The great Bassa because he would not with too long stay hinder the course of his victorie without delay repaired the rent citie new fortified the battered bulwarkes enlarged the ditches and filled the cathedrall church with earth in manner of a strong bulwarke where vpon he planted great store of great ordinance and with exceeding speed dispatched all things necessarie for the holding of the place In the meane time he sent certaine Tartars to summon the towne and castle of PAPPA which castle and little towne subject thereunto the Christians the night following set on fire because it should not stand the enemie in any stead for the farther troubling of the countrey and so fled The Bassa hauing at his pleasure disposed of all things in RAB and leauing there foure thousand Ianizaries and two thousand horsemen in garrison departed thence with his armie and laid siege to KOMARA a strong towne of that most fertile island which the Hungarians call SCHVT which situated in the verie point thereof about foure miles from RAB is on the East South and North enclosed with the two armes of Danubius All these waies Sinan with his fleet which he had there notably well appointed laid hard siege vnto the towne and gaue thereunto diuers assaults and by land the Beglerbeg of GRaeCE ceased not both by continuall batterie and mines to shake the wals and bulwarks thereof Thus was the citie on all sides both by water and by land hardly laid vnto But the Christians within with no lesse courage defended themselues and the citie than did the Turkes assaile them shewing indeed that the libertie of their religion and countrey was vnto them dearer than their liues Matthias the archduke in the meane time not ignorant how much it concerned the emperour his brother to haue this citie defended hauing after his late ouerthrow gathered togither a good armie of Germanes Bohemians and Hungarians resolued to go and raise the siege and so marching forward with his armie came and encamped the 28 day of October at NITRIA about fiue miles from KOMARA Now were the Tartars a little before departed from the came with purpose to returne home yea the Turkes themselues wearie of the siege and wanting victuall both for themselues and their horses began also as men discouraged to shrinke away Which the Bassa well considering thought it not best with his heartlesse souldiors and armie now sore weakened to abide the comming of the Christians and therefore vpon their approach he forthwith forsooke the citie which he had by the space of three weekes hardly besieged and by a bridge made of boats transported his armie and artillerie ouer Danubius to DOTIS where the next day after he brake vp his armie Immediatly after the Turkes were thus departed the Archduke arriued at KOMARA where he with great diligence caused the breaches to be repaired the mines to be filled vp and new bulwarkes and rampiers to be made in diuers places for the more strength of the citie leauing the charge thereof still vnto the lord Braun the old Gouernour who in the defence thereof had receiued a grieuous wound in his right knee of whom also this notable fact is reported The Bassa in time of the late siege of KOMARA vnder the colour of a parley had sent fiue Turks into the citie to the Gouernour but in deed to proue if he were by any meanes to be woon to yeeld vp the citie and not to hold it out to the last The faithfull Gouernour hauing giuen them the hearing vntill they had discharged their whole treacherie presently caused foure of their heads to he strucken off and to be set vpon long pikes vpon one of the bulwarkes for the Bassa to looke vpon but the fift the beholder of this tragedie he sent backe vnto the Bassa to tell him That although he had found one in RAB to serue his turne he was much deceiued if in him he thought to find Countie Hardeck and that he wished rather to die the emperours faithfull seruant in the bloud of the Turkes than to betray the citie committed to his charge Countie Hardeck late Gouernour of RAB generally before suspected to haue treacherously betraied that strong towne vnto the Bassa was therefore sent for to VIENNA and there by the emperours commaundement committed to prison Where among many things laid to his charge as that he should in the beginning of the siege negligently haue suffered many things to be done by the enemie which afterwards turned to the great danger of the towne and that in the time of the siege he had caused some of the canoniers to discharge certain great pieces against the enemie with pouder onely without shot and that seeing one piece among the rest to do the enemie much harme he had caused the same to be remooued and so placed as that it serued to little or no vse beside that he as it should seeme making small reckoning of the towne should oftentimes say That if the Turkes should win it he should be but one towne the richer with diuers other such things giuing just cause of suspition The thing that lay most heauie vpon him was the testimonie of one of Sinan Bassa his chamber who being taken young by the Turkes and seruing in the Bassaes chamber was now fled from the Turks and comming to the Archduke in the time of his siege declared vnto him that there was treason in his campe and that he but three daies before by the commaundement of his master had deliuered two bags full of duckats vnto two Christians
not as sometime it falleth out in these worldly things both vnto men and commonweales which brought vnto the last cast euen as it were to the bottome of dispaire by the goodnesse of God contrarie to all hope find sometime such vnexpected helpe and reliefe as that thereby they beyond their hope euen to the astonishment of the world mount vp againe vnto a greater lustre of their state than was that from which they before fell it had euen so by the singulaâ— mercy of God now happened vnto the Valachians not knowing which way to turne themselues There was at CRAILOVVA a citie in the confines of VALACHIA towards the confines of the Hungarians and Turks where the gouernour of these borders is for the defence thereof with a strong garrison alwayes resiant a noble gentleman called Ion Michael sonne to Peter the Palatine of that countrey the aforesaid Alexander his predecessour who as he was vnto the people for the honour of his father the prerogatiue of his birth the comelinesse of his person and talnesse of his stature well knowne so was he for his zeale towards the Christian religion his loue towards his countrey his kindnesse towards his equals his courtesie towards his inferiours his vpright dealing his constancie and bountie vnto them no lesse gracious and for other the noble vertues of his heroicall mind and naturall disposition for the performance of great matters his deepe wisdome and quicke foresight his sweet and pleasing speech void of all affectation vnto all good men most deare whose fame both for the honour of his house and of his owne vertues still more and more encreasing and rife in the eares of Alexander the Vayuod was the cause that he commaunded him as the readie or rather naturall competitour of his state and honour to be secretly apprehended and so taken out of the way whereof he by good fortune hauing intelligence and carefull of his owne health for safegard of himselfe fled first into HVNGARIE and there not staying long God so directing him went to CONSTANTINOPLE in the yeare 1591 to sue for the Vayuod his place all the nobilitie of his countrey and the prouinces thereunto adjoyning secretly rejoysing thereat About which time the chiefe and most graue of the Valachian nobilitie and counsellours prostrating themselues at the feet of Amurath most grieuously complained vnto him of the manifold and intollerable injuries they had alreadie sustained and were still like to endure without hope of redresse from Alexander their Vayuod and the followers of his Court the Turks garrisons and marchants with plentifull teares orderly declaring many his most foule and detestable facts and afterward highly commending Ion Michael for his rare vertues as the true heire of their prouince most humbly requested Amurath either to haue him appointed the lawfull Gouernour of their countrey or els some other place by him assigned for them to dwell in wishing any where to liue rather than vnder the heauie commaund of so mercilesse a man as was Alexander For the furthering of which their sute Michael his vncle by the mothers side a Greekâ— borne and a man for his exceeding wealth in great fauor in the Turks Court spared for no cost So Michael by the goodnesse of God was by Amurath with great solemnitie created Vayuod of VALACHIA and the oppressed and almost forlorne state of that sometime most flourishing countrey by little and little well relieued although not altogither without most sharpe and violent remedies such as extremities oft require began now againe to lift vp the head and to aspire vnto the auntient libertie and honour thereof At the beginning of whose happie soueraigntie Alexander his predecessour in his owne conscience guiltie of his euill and shamefull gouernment of that so notable and great a prouince and now in feare to be called to account secretly fled But certaine yeares after remouing to CONSTANTINOPLE with his wife and there attempting diuers euill meanes for the obtaining of the Palatinat of MOLDAVIA and for those his vnlawfull practises accused by the Palatines Agent he was by the commandement of Amurath taken in his owne house and there in his princely apparell most miserably strangled vpon Palme sunday in the yeare 1597 about six yeares after his departure out of VALACHIA Michael thus made Vayuod of VALACHIA long it was not but that it fortuned the reuerend father Cornelius de Nona sent from Pope Clement the Eight vnto the Great duke of MVSCOVIE in his returne conferring with Sigismund the Transyluanian Prince and Aaron the Palatine of MOLDAVIA enformed them of the great consent of diuers zealous Christian princes for the maintenance of the warre against the dangerous and common enemie with many graue and effectuall reasons persuading them but especially for that they were themselues Christians in that Christian quarrell to joyne vnto them their forces also raised in those their countries neere vnto the great riuers Danubius and Nester but vnto Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA he could not for diuers his other important businesses then come whom for all that the aforesaid Transyluanian prince Sigismund his neighbour desirously sought to draw into the fellowship of that warre euen for the same reasons almost wherewith he had been himselfe mooued First by diuers great reasons remouing such doubts as might justly seeme to hinder him from giuing therunto his consent and then by declaring the Turkish insolencie daily increasing with the infinit grieuances by them deuised against the miserable Valachians when as the incursions of the Turks or Tartars or their passages that way no lesse troublesome than their inroads was almost euerie moneth to be feared their armies as friends to be in Winter and Sommer receiued their souldiors to their great charges relieued and their commaunders and captaines rewarded VALACHIA thus impouerished was not able as he said to pay the great sums it did alreadie owe neither was to expect any releasement of the euils it was wrapped in much lesse was it able to suffice vnto the grieuous exactions to be thereunto by them afterwards imposed None of his predecessours as he told him and as truth was had for many yeares now past for any long time or with any securitie held their state or gouernment but that either by the calumniation of the enuious or bribes of their ambitious competitours brought into suspition with the Sultan they were violently thrust out or most cruelly put to death In briefe he said it was a wise mans part not without most manifest waightie reasons to promise vnto himselfe better fortune or more assurance of his state than had his vnfortunat predecessours before him but warned by their harmes betimes to prouide for his owne safetie By which persuasion he so preuailed that the Vayuod whose name whose fame whose wealth and life togither with his subjects was all thereby endangered although he would not for the waightinesse of the matter at the first yeeld thereunto yet assuredly promised with
condition women were slaine great with child and yong children hanging at their mothers breasts it booted not to crie for mercie the bloudie sword deuouring all The furie of the Wallons here exceeded who ript the children out of their mothers wombs and made thongs and points of the skins of men and women whom they had flaine quicke Which their crueltie they afterwards excused when they were therefore reproued by pretending that thereby they did teach the Turkes hereafter not so wickedly to blaspheme against Christ or with such their wonted and barbarous crueltie to torment the Christians that fell into their hands for feare of like themselues In this assault and furie perished of the Turkes about foure thousand and of the Christians not past three hundred In this towne beside that which the fire deuoured was found a verie rich prey The first that entred the towne was one Terskie a notable captaine with his companie after whom followed Ruswurme who each of them were thought in their entrance at the breach to haue slaine with their owne hand eight or ten Turkes Now in the meane time Mahomet the great Sultan being come to BELGRADE remoued thence to come downe into the heart of HVNGARIE sending Cicala Bassa before him and at length after long looking for the second of September arriued at BVDA hauing in his armie about two hundred thousand men and three hundred field pieces From thence he presently sent fortie thousand to TEMESVVAR but staied there himselfe with the rest of his armie The Christians yet lying at HATVVAN and doubting least the Sultan suddenly passing the riuer should come vpon them not yet readie for battell departing thence and retiring backe againe came and encamped not farre from VACIA And albeit that the Archduke before his departure from HATVVAN had left a conuenient garrison for the keeping of the towne yet such was the terrour of the Turkes approach that the next day after they that were there left in garrison forsooke the towne and setting it on fire followed themselues after the campe This comming of the Turkish Sultan to BVDA brought also a great feare vpon them at VIENNA as much doubting least he should that way haue turned his forces which caused them both day and night to labour for the better fortification of the citie and for the prouision of all things as if it had been for a present siege But Mahomet not prouided for the vndertaking of so strong a place and not ignorant of the disgrace his great grandfather the victorious Solyman had sometime receiued vnder the walles thereof had no purpose thereto as hauing bent his thoughts quite another way In the vpper part of HVNGARIE is an auntient famous citie well fortified and honoured with a bishops See called AGRIA not farre from HATVVAN Vpon this citie as the chiefe fortresse of the Christians in those quatters had Mahomet at his comming into HVNGARIE cast his eyes and began now that way to make head with purpose by taking of that citie and placing there of a strong garrison to hinder the vniting of the emperours forces with the Transyluanians for the mutuall strengthening of the one the other by the way of the vpper HVNGARIE Which the Archduke perceiuing sent thither forthwith the valiant Colonell Terskie with a notable companie of Italians and Germanes and a thousand other harquebusiers who all arriued there in safetie At which time also the lord Teusfenbach sent into the citie three thousand footmen vnder the conduct of countie Turn with good store of warlike prouision needfull for the defence thereof The one and twentith of September Mahomet attended vpon by the great Bassaes Ibrahim Giaffar Hassan and Cicala for old Sinan was now dead with his armie of an hundred and fiftie thousand men came and encamped betweene the two riuers of Danubius and Tibiscus couering a great part of the countrey with his tents Approaching the citie he with wonderfull celeritie cast vp fiue great mounts and from them with such furie battered the wals that the Christians were glad night and day to stand in armes for the defence thereof And although that the wals were so great and in many places so weakly fortified as that they were not but by a greater garrison to be defended against so puissant an enemie and that therefore the defendants with their honour lawfully might euen the first day haue set the citie on fire and retired themselues into the castle which was both faire and strong and the onely place to be trusted vnto yet for the space of six daies they worthily defended the whole citie against the furie of the enemies and out of it did them great harme But seeing the danger daily encreasing and that the citie was not longer to be holden they set it on fire hauing before conuaâ—ed all the best of their substance with themselues into the castle which the Turkes quickly perceiuing brake so suddenly into the citie as if they would togither with the Christians haue entred â—he castle also but in the attempting therof they were notably repulsed and many of them slaine Adjoyning to the castle was a great and strong bulwarke against which the Turks for certaine daies furiously thundred with their great ordinance and that without intermission and hauing in diuers places sore shaken it in the space of two daies assaulted it twelue times but not without the wonderfull losse of their men and yet gaue it not so ouer but as men with their losse more enraged came on againe with 〈◊〉 furie than before and so at last by plaine force tooke iâ— and there put to the sword all them they found therein except such as by good hap got betimes into the castle This bulwarke thus lost the Christians the next day sallying out againe recouered wherein they slâ—w a great numbeâ— of the Turkes with the losse of some thirtie men and as many moe wounded The besieged now diuers times both by letters and messengers craued aid of Maximilian the Generall giuing him to vnderstand that they could not long hold out for want of shot and poâ—der if they were not betimes relieued whereof the enemie also was not ignorant yet were they resolued to hold it out euen to the last man although the great Sultan had oftentimes by messengers sent of purpose willed them to yeeld it vp with promise that they should in safetie with life and good depart otherwise threatning vnto them greater extremities than was of late shewed vnto the Turks at HATVVAN if they should as obstinat men hold it out vnto the last Whereunto they neuer answered him any thing for Terskie had forbid them all parlâ—y with the enemie and in the middest of the market place had caused a paire of gallowes to be set vp threatning to hang him thereon whosoeuer he were that should once make motion of yeelding vp the citie Whilest the besieged thus liue in hope of reliefe the Archduke vpon the comming oâ—er of the Sultan towards
gained the distressed citie But whilest they thus lay vpon the passages behold newes was brought vnto them how that the Bassa of BOSNA with the Sanzackes of SIGETH QVINQVE ECCLESIae and COPPAN with ten thousand Turkes were comming to oppresse them and to open the passages by them holden But they knowing their owne strength and nothing fearing so small a force stayed not for their comming but went to meet them and in a place of good aduantage waiting for them vpon their first appearance with great assurance and courage charged them brake their array and slew the greatest part of them together with the Bassa himselfe yet with so much adoe as that had not the lord Palfi in good time sent in vnto their aid certain companies of fresh men it was not without cause doubted but that the Haiduckes had been put to the worse aboue three hundred of them hauing there alreadie lost their liues The Tartars yet neuerthelesse in good number held on their way towards BVDA with purpose to haue ouerrun the countrey and so to haue withdrawne the Imperials from the citie but for as much as that base nation was knowne to be good for nothing but to rob and spoile the lord Swartzenburg his regiment only going against them and encountering them ouerthrew them in such sort that part of them being there slaine in fight and part for feare driuen into the Danubie the greatest number of them there most miserably perished Basta the emperours lieutenant in the vpper HVNGARIE at the same time lay at CASSOVIA with eighteene thousand men doubting least the enemies armie which he heard to bee at hand should come to besiege that citie In the meane time Ibrahim Bassa Generall of the Turkes forces came to SOLNOCH with an armie of fiftie thousand strong amongst whom were ten thousand Ianizaries but for all that vnderstanding that Basta nothing dismayed awaited his comming at CASSOVIA not thinking it good to goe any further his souldiors being alreadie wearie with long trauell neither yet safe there to stay so neere vnto his strong enemie retired backe againe to BELGRADE a place of more strength and securitie expecting a great fleet of ships which charged vpon the Danubius were to bring victuals for the armie as also for the reliefe of BVDA ALBA REGALIS and other such distressed places with diuers great pieces for batterie and other lesse artillerie vpon carriages with a number of ladders and other instruments of war declaring their purpose for the performance of some notable exploit all guarded with fiue thousand Turkes which conducted it vp the riuer Of all which the Imperials vnderstanding the lord Palfi dispatched his lieutenant with a conuenient power and the captaine of the Hussars with his followers all good and valiant souldiors to cut off this conuoy Who to make the matter short suddenly assailing them and so comming to handy blowes cut in peeces the conuoy and rifled the ships of whom the greater part were there sunke in the deepe riuer and so tooke an exceeding great bootie deemed to be worth a million of gold where amongst other things of great value there was found abourd an hundred thousand dollars which were all deuided amongst the souldiors as a reward of their trauell This great ouerthrow once knowne at BVDA ALBA REGALIS and the cities thereabouts brought vpon them a great feare yea the armie of Ibrahim grew thereby much discontented as being at once disappointed both of their victuals and their pay Besides that the Imperials ouerran all the countrey thereabout ransacking sacking and destroying the countrey villages and castles without mercie although the poore inhabitants offered them large contribution to haue staied their furie which would not bee accepted Vpon this notable ouerthrow also the lord Swartzenburg was determined with all his forces to come againe to the siege of BVDA in hope in so great a discomfiture and want of victuals to haue had it deliuered vnto him and for that purpose sent for certaine great pieces of artillerie to VIENNA But whilest things went thus well in the lower HVNGARIE colonell Rodoler of S. Andrewes in the vpper countrey tooke occasion also vpon this ouerthrow of the Turkes with fiue hundred horse and six hundred foot to shew himselfe with this small companie before AGRIA hauing yet left the greatest part of his forces a little off in secret ambush Which small companie the Bassa of AGRIA beholding presently put himselfe in arms and so sallying out began an hot and braue skirmish when suddenly the other souldiors left in ambush starting out and couragiously assailing their enemies brake their order put them to flight pursuing them at the heeles euen to the gates of the citie and had there beene a greater force of footmen it was verely thought that the Turks dismaied with the flight and altogether confounded had abandoned the defence of the place and the Christians euen then become masters of the citie which had beene the cause of their notable ouerthrow in the yeare 1596. Neuerthelesse they with great brauerie and small losse retired hauing slaine a great number of the Turkes and carrying away with them an hundred prisoners with a bootie of fiue hundred horse and much other cattell The free Haiduckes also strengthened with new supplies had done great harme in the countrey about BVDA scouring freely all ouer it finding none to oppose themselues against them for which cause the poore Christians which yet dwelt in that country rise vp against the Turks promising their obedience vnto the emperour and moreouer to the intent they might bee no more molested by the Imperials offered to take vp armes themselues against the enemie and to the vttermost of their power to hinder his passage both by land and water These same Haiduckes also had broken downe all the bridges which the Turkes had made betwixt BVDA and ALBA REGALIS to the end they should not that way commodiously bring either victuals or munition from the one place to the other And the lord Palfi and Nadasti vnderstanding by their espials That the Tartars deuided into three companies had ouerrun a great part of the country and with a great bootie were retiring towards BVDA presently went out against them and enforced them to fight which barbarous people better inured to filtch than to fight there lost all their liues together with that they had before stolne After which victorie these valiant men turning their forces against certaine other places of the Turkes there by tooke two of their castles with much rich spoile which castles they sacked and burnt together with the great towne of ZOINA breaking downe also the bridge vpon the riuer Traua Now at this time the Turkes at BVDA held themselues male content within the citie hauing no Gouernour their Bassa being before taken by the Haiduckes and they themselues pinched also with great want of victuals T Wherefore doubting some sudden attempt of the Christians as men dismaied they for their more
being come neere vnto him began an hot and bloudie skirmish with him Yet the Bassa to prosecute his entended purpose for the recouerie of ALBA REGALIS the next day sent away part of 〈◊〉 â—rmie to make proofe if happily the citie might yet be againe recouered and himselfe in the meane time with the rest of his armie offered battell vnto the Christians so to busie them that they should not be able to trouble them whom he had sent to ALBA REGALIS or to relieue the citie if it should chance to bee by them distressed When as the duke before enformed of the basenesse of the souldiors in the Bassaes armie and that although he were for number of men farre aboue him yet that for old hardie and expert souldiors he was strong ynough for him valiantly went out and encountered him and so euen at the first onset by plaine valour disordering the formost squadrons of the Turkes battell enforced them to retire with the losse of six thousand men amongst whom were the Bassa of BVDA six Sanzackes with diuers other captaines and commaunders of good place and marke At which time he also tooke from them diuers pieces of great artillerie and had vndoubtedly with a notable slaughter ouerthrowne all the rest of the Bassaes armie had not a great squadron of the Tartars euen at that instant shewed themselues at the backes of the Christians and so staying them giuen leisure vnto the Bassa againe to restore his disordered battaile Whereupon the duke contenting himselfe with the victorie he had alreadie gotten in good order retired againe into his trenches hauing in this conflict not lost aboue three hundred of his people But whilest both armies thus lay and new supplies still repairing vnto them expecting but when they should come to a generall day of battaile the Ianizaries still murmuring that it was now no time of the yeare longer to keepe the field by their importunitie enforced the Bassa to retire to BVDA and there to disband his armie In which his retreat many were by the Christians cut off in the tayle of his armie and a number of prisoners taken and amongst the rest fiftie of the French mutiners of PAPPA whom the archduke Matthias at the instance of duke Mercurie afterwards pardoned Neither sped they much better that were sent by the Bassa to haue attempted the taking of ALBA REGALIS for being come neere thereunto they were so welcomed with great shot out of the citie and charged with often sallies by the strong garrison that seeing no hope to preuaile they were glad to rise and to returne againe vnto the Bassa that sent them About the same time that the duke began to besiege ALBA REGALIS Ferdinand the archduke hauing receiued great aid from the Pope with the other princes of ITALIE and the king of SPAINE and so now thirtie thousand strong by the aduise of the duke of MANTVA his lieutenant Generall resolued to besiege CANISIA which to haue again recouered out of the hands of the Turkes concerned much not them of STIRIA and AVSTRIA onely but the other prouinces adjoyning yea and ITALIE it selfe also whereupon hee with his armie in good order came the tenth of September and encamped before it the duke of MANTVA and Don Iohn di Medices with two thousand harquebusiers and two cornets of horse being come the day before to take view of the towne at whom the Turkes made diuers shot but without any harme doing And albeit that the Turks there in garrison in number not past a thousand accounting amongst them three hundred of the Wallons sometime of the garrison of PAPPA with their often and gallant sallies greatly troubled the Christians and that great bands of other Turkes came many times out of the strong towne and fortresses thereby to skirmish with them and to see if they could put any moe souldiors into the towne for the more assurance thereof yet such was the carefulnesse of the Christian commaunders and valour of their souldiors that the Turkes both in the one place and the other were to their cost still repulsed and put to flight with the losse also of some of their small castles and forts thereabout To approach this strong towne and to plant a batterie against it seemed to be a matter of great difficultie for that it was as we haue elsewhere said enuironed round with a marish yet meanes was found to drie it a little and to fill it vp on the one side and to come so neere the towne that hauing planted three tyre of artillerie against it the Christians began furiously to batter it beating downe both the wals the houses and other buildings therein Yea at length they had brought their approaches so neere that they were come with their trenches euen close vnto the towne ditch persuading the Turks now whilest they might vpon good conditions to surrender the towne and so to saue their liues Wherunto their fierce and enraged minds were so farre from hearkening that brauing the Christians they said That they would in despight of all their forces keepe the place for their Sultan doe what they could Whereupon the Archduke and the duke of MANTVA by the aduise of Medices and the rest of the principall captaines and commaunders in the armie resolued to giue a generall assault vnto the towne In the meane time newes was brought into the campe of the winning of ALBA REGALIS which there made great rejoycing in signe whereof the Christians as the manner is in triumph many times discharged their great ordinance and by fit men persuaded the garrison souldiors in CANISIA to yeeld and not to cast themselues into such danger as had their fellowes at ALBA REGALIS for that in so doing they should not onely saue their liues but easily also obtaine such other good conditions as they could reasonably desire whereas otherwise they should to their cost find the Christians strong enough to constraine them which must needs bring with it their vtter ruine and and destruction Whereunto the garrison souldiors amongst whom the renegat Wallons were the chiefe contemptuously answered That they little feared such weake assaylants and with great crie and scorne commaunding the messengers to depart in token of their confidence as also not to seeme inferiour vnto the Christians oftentimes to small purpose discharged their great ordinance as had the Christians the day before Now though the wals of the towne were with continuall batterie sore shaken and the breaches almost laid open yet was the intended assault for a while delaid vntill the bridges might be made that were to be laid ouer the towne ditch for the Christians to passe ouer vpon But all things as was thought now in a readinesse and the Florentines with some other of the Italians whose lot it was to giue the first assault being come forward the bridge whereby they were to passe the towne ditch was found both too short and too weake for them to get ouer vnto the other
it Neuerthelesse the late Persian warre so emptied the most couetous Sultan Amurath his offers and exhausted his treasures that all ouer his empire the value of his gold was beyond all credit enhaunsed insomuch that a Checcine was twice so much worth as before beside that the mettall whereof his gold and siluer was made was so embased that it gaue occasion vnto the Ianizaries to set fire vpon the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE to the great terrour not of the vulgar sort onely but of the Grand signior himselfe also And in the citie of ALEPPO onely were in the name of the great Sultan threescore thousand Checcines taken vp in prest of the marchants there which how well they were repayed we leaue for them to report Now albeit that the Turks reuenewes be not so great as the largenesse of his empire and the fruitfulnesse of his countries might seeme to affourd all the soile being his owne yet hath he in his dominion a commoditie of greater value and vse than are the reuenewes themselues which is the multitude of the Timariots or pentioners which are all horsemen so called of Timaro that is a stipend which they haue of the great Sultan viz. the possession of certaine villages and townes which they hold during their life and for which they stand bound for euery threescore duckats they haue of yearely reuenew to maintaine one horseman either with bow and arrowes or els with targuet and launce and that as well in time of peace as warre for the Othoman emperours take vnto themselues all such lands as they by the sword win from their enemies as well Mahometanes as Christians all which they deuide into Timars or as we may call them Commendams which they giue vnto their souldiors of good desert for tearme of life vpon condition that they shall as is aforesaid according to the proportion thereof keepe certaine men and horses fit for seruice alwaies readie whensoeuer they shall be called vpon Wherein consisteth the greatest pollicie of the Turks and the surest meane for the preseruation of their empire For if by this meanes the care of manuring the ground were not committed vnto the souldiors for the profit they hope thereof but left in the hand of the plaine painefull husbandman all would in that so warlike an empire lie wast and desolate the Turks themselues commonly saying That wheresoeuer the Grand signior his horse setteth his foot the grasse will there no more grow meaning the destruction that their great armies bring in all places where they come The institution of these Timariots and the taking vp of the Azamoglans for so they call those children which are taken vp from their Christian parents to be brought vp for Ianizaries are the two chiefe pillars of the Turkes empire and the strength of their warres both which seeme to be deuised vnto the imitation of the Romanes as are diuers things moe in the Turkish gouernment for the Romane emperours vsed their owne subjects in their warres and of them consisted the Praetorian armie which neuer departed from the emperours side but were still to guard his person as doe the Ianizaries the great Turke And in the Romane empire lands were giuen vnto souldiors of good desert for them to take the profit of during their liues in reward of their good seruice and valour which were called Beneficia and they which had them Beneficiarij or as wee tearme them Benefices and Beneficed men Alexander Seuerus graunted vnto such souldiors heires that they might enjoy those lands and commendams vpon condition also that they themselues should serue as had their fathers otherwise not Constantine also the great gaue vnto his captaines that had well deserued of him certaine lands for them to liue vpon during the tearme of their life The like fees in FRAVNCE which they called Feâ—da were of temporaries made perpetuities by these their late kings These Timariot horsemen iâ— the Turkish empire serue to two great and most notable purposes whereof the first is that by them the Grand signior as with a bridle keepeth the rest of his subjects in euery part of his great empire in awe so that they cannot so soone moue but that they shall haue these his Timariots as faulcons in their neckes for to that purpose they are dispersed all ouer his dominions and empire The other vse of them and no lesse profitable than the former is for that out of them he is alwaies able at his pleasure to draw into the field an hundred and fiftie thousand horsemen well furnished readie to goe whether soeuer he shall commaund them with all whom he is not at one farthing charge Which so great a power of horsemen cannot be continually maintained for lesse than fourteene millions of duckats yearely Wherefore it is to be maruelled that some comparing the Turkes reuenewes with the Christians make no mention of this so great a part of the Othoman emperours wealth and strength seruing him first for the suppressing of all such tumults as might arise in his empire and then as a most principall strength of his continuall warres alwaies readie to serue him in his greatest expeditions The number of these Timariot horsemen is now growne very great taking encrease together with the Turkes empire It is reported that Amurath the third father to this Mahomet that now raigneth in his late warres against the Persian subdued vnto himselfe so much territorie as serued him to erect therein fortie thousand Timariots and appointed at TAVRIS a new receit which was yearly worth vnto him a million of gold These Timariots are in all accounted to bee seuen hundred and nineteene thousand fighting men of whom two hundred fiftie seuen thousand haue their abode and dwelling in EVROPE and foure hundred sixtie two thousand in ASIA and AFRICKE Beside these Timariots the Grand signior hath a great number of other horsemen also vnto whom he giueth pay which are his Spahi Vlufagi and Carapici of his Court being indeed the nurseries and seminaries of the great officers and gouernours of his empire for from among them are ordinarily chosen the Sanzacks which afterwards through their good deserts or the Sultans great fauour become Visiers Beglerbegs and Bassaes the chiefe rulers of that so mightie a Monarchie He hath also still in his armies a great multitude of other horsemen called Acanzij being indeed but rurall clownes yet for certaine priuiledges which they haue are bound to goe vnto the warres being euen of the Turkes themselues accounted of small worth or value in comparison of the Timariots He receiueth great aid also from the Tartars in his warres as also from the Valachians and Moldauians vntill that now of late by the example of the Transyluanians they haue to the great benefit of the rest of the Christian commonweale reuolted from him all which are to be accounted as the Romanes Auxiliarij that is to say such as come to aid and assist him And thus much for
him and afterward not to forget them that were farther off The proceeding of Scanderbeg with the late ouerthrow of SEREMET with his armie in EPIRVS stucke in his stomacke in reuenge whereof he now sent one Balabanus Badera a most valiant captaine with fifteene thousand horsemen and three thousand foot to inuade EPIRVS This Balabanus was an Epirot borne a chorles sonne of that countrey and being of a boy taken captiue of the Turkes as hee was keeping of his fathers cattell and of long time brought vp in seruitude amongst them framing himselfe both to their religion and manners after long seruice got the credit of a good common souldiour But when as at the taking of CONSTANTINOPLE it was his fortune to bee the first man of the Turkes armie that gained the top of the wals and entered the cittie hee was for that peece of seruice euer afterwards of Mahomet greatly esteemed and beside his other great preferments now sent Generall of his armie into EPIRVS Who as soone as hee was come to ALCHRIA a citie vpon the frontiers of that countrey sent manie rich presents to Scanderbeg making shew as if hee had beene desirous peaceably to lie vpon the borders committed to his charge without farther purpose to trouble his countrey yet in deed waiting nothing more than some notable opportunitie suddenly to doe him the greatest mischiefe he could But Scanderbeg well seeing into the malice of the man rejected his faigned friendship and giftes and in derision sent him a spade a mattocke a flaile with other such instruments belonging vnto husbandrie willing him to take in hand those tooles and to follow his fathers trade of life and to leaue the conducting of armies vnto men of greater skill and better place Which disgrace Balabanus tooke in exceeding euill part purposing in himselfe if euer it lay in his power to be thereof reuenged Wherefore knowing that Scanderbeg with a small power lay not farre off vpon the frontiers of his kingdome he determined suddenly in the night to set vpon him before he were aware of his comming and so if it were possible to ouerthrow him but Scanderbeg hauing knowledge thereof by his scouts set forward in good order to haue met him When Balabanus perceiuing that hee was discouered staied vpon the way and encamped within two miles of Scanderbeg who had then in his armie but foure thousand horsemen and one thousand and fiue hundred foote but all choise men and most expert souldiours and then lay in a large pleasant valley called VALCHAL At the farther end whereof Balabanus lay also encamped neere vnto a rough and wooddie hill which enclosed that part of the valley Whilest both armies thus lay within view one of another Scanderbeg well considering the ground the enemie had taken and that it was like he would offer him battell with cheerefull speeches encouraged his souldiours straitly charging them vpon paine of his displeasure that if the enemie vpon the fortune of the battell should chance to flie or to retire they should not in anie case pursue them farther than the straits of the hill whereby the enemie lay ghessing too truly that hee would in so conuenient a place leaue part of his armie in ambush as a sure refuge to trust vnto whatsoeuer should befall When he had thus encouraged and instructed his souldiours he rise with his armie and in good order retired vnto the rising of an hill which was a good way behind the place where he before lay of purpose to haue the aduantage of the ground if the enemie should follow to giue him battell Balabanus seeing him retire and the small number of his armie thought verily that he had fled for feare and therefore to stay him who ment nothing lesse than to flie set forward in great hast The Turkes thinking vpon so great aduantage to haue found no great resistance followed after Scanderbeg as if they had had him in chase and by that time they were come to the place where hee staied were by their hast greatly disordered and out of aray Scanderbeg his old trustie souldiours nothing dismaied with the hastie comming hideous clamour of the Turks receiued them with great courage so that there began a fierce battell with much slaughter on both sides which for a great while stood doubtfull Yet such was the inuincible courage of Scanderbeg his resolute souldiours that the Turkes who as then fought in great disorder were at last put to flight and with much slaughter chased vnto the straits of the mountaine where Scanderbeg had before commaunded his men to stay But certaine of his best and principall captaines forgetting what he had said vnto them and led on whether with the heat and furie of the battell or rather with ineuitable destinie is hard to say vnaduisedly pursued the enemie into those straits whereof they were by Scanderbeg before warned and charged that they should not enter where they were on euerie side beset with their enemies arising out of ambush and after they had a long time desperatly fought as wild beasts enclosed with hunters at last oppressed with multitude were there togither taken and brought to Balabanus by whom they were forthwith sent to Mahomet to CONSTANTINOPLE Who as soone as hee heard of their taking is reported with great rejoycing to haue said Now am I sure that the strength of Scanderbeg is broken The names of the principall men which were there taken was Moses Golemus of DIBRA the greatest captaine of EPIRVS next vnto Scanderbeg himselfe Giuriza Vladerius Scanderbeg his kinsman Musachius Scanderbeg his nephew by his sister Angelina Ginius Musachius Ioannes Perlatus who valiantly defended SFETIGRADE against Amurath Nicholaus Berisius Georgius Chucca and Ginius Manessius whereof euerie one of them was able to haue conducted a great armie and might worthely haue beene accounted amongst the greatest captaines of that age The taking of these worthie men brought such a generall sorrow and heauinesse vpon EPIRVS that the victorie was nothing accounted of euerie man lamenting the losse of such notable leaders Scanderbeg carefull of their deliuerance presently sent an embassadour to Mahomet requesting that hee might redeeme his prisoners either by exchanging of others for them or else for such raunsome as it should please him to set downe But hee knowing them to be Scanderbeg his best captaines would neither exchange them for others not grant that they should be raunsomed for anie gold but after hee had vsed them with all the dispight he could deuise caused them all by little and little to be flaine quicke in which miserable torment they liued fifteene daies and so died Scanderbeg hearing thereof was therewith rather encouraged than discouraged and in reuenge thereof with fire and sword entered into the Turkes dominion sparing nothing that hee could either burne or possibly by anie other meanes destroie Mahomet glad of the taking of these notable men although they were bought with the liues of manie of his people
commended Balabanus highly as the onely man that knew how to fight against Scanderbeg and in reward of his good seruice sent him diuers rich giftes with commaundement to repaire againe his armie and to proceed in his warres so happely begun Which thing Balabanus with all diligence performed Yet trusting more vnto his pollicie than his strength lying at ALCHRIA sent againe diuers rich presents to Scanderbeg as desirous to liue in peace by him but seeking indeed to bring him into securitie and so suddenly if it were possible to entrap him Which thing Scanderbeg well perceiuing rejected his faigned friendship togither with his presents as sent from a base peisant Whereupon Balabanus entered into a new deuise and by secret meanes with great rewards corrupted Scanderbeg his scouts whereof some were Balabanus his kinsmen though it were to Scanderbeg vnknowne By which practise he had vpon the sudden in the night oppressed Scanderbeg lying encamped in ORONYCHEVM if Scanderbeg himselfe who commonly spent most part of the night in carefull watch going about the campe had not in the silence of the night a farre off perceiued the comming of the enemie by the noise of his horses and thereupon with wonderfull celeritie putting his armie in such order as he best could was readie to receiue him and at last after a great fight put him to flight and hauing him in chase slew most part of his armie Balabanus himselfe with a small remnant hardly escaping Now when Mahomet vnderstood that Balabanus was ouerthrowne and his armie lost hee was in doubt whether to send another Generall or else againe to prooue the fortune of the old But after hee had well considered that Balabanus was a right valiant captaine and one that well knew the countrey of EPIRVS and withall a mortall enemie to Scanderbeg he resolued to staie vpon him and not to send anie other So committing to his charge fourteene thousand horsemen and three thousand foot sent him againe to inuade EPIRVS and the more to encourage him promised to make him king of that countrey if he could subdue Scanderbeg Balabanus with this armie comming to ALCHRIA and still in vaine plotting how hee might circumuent his warie enemie after his wonted manner sent diuers presents to Scanderbeg which he still scornefully refused Three moneths he lay still at ALCHRIA with nothing more troubled than with his owne thoughts but finding nothing that pleased himselfe hee determined to aduenture by plaine force to subdue him And vpon that resolution marched with all his armie into the great plaines neere vnto SFETIGRADE whither Scanderbeg came with his armie also which then consisted of eight thousand horsemen and fifteene hundred foot with which small power hee refused not to joyne battaile with Balabanus being in number two to one But after they were come to handâ—e blowes to haue seene Scanderbeg his men fight a man would haue said them to haue beene rather raging lyons than men they so furiously assailed their enemies without regard of perill or danger as men nothing afraid to die Scanderbeg with great skill gouerned that battaile carefully prouiding for euery danger himselfe valiantly fighting in the head of his battaile but not without care of the rest still sending speedie releefe where most need was and bringing in fresh supplies in stead of them that were wounded or slaine performed all the parts of a most worthie cheefetaine and valiant souldior where most perill was there was hee straight and at his presence danger fled as if victorie had attended vpon him But whilest he thus fought in the middest of his enemies his horse fortuned to be slaine vnder him and falling down with him sore brused one of his armes whereof he complained long time after The Turkes seeing him downe pressed on fiercely to haue slaine him but hee was quickly rescued by his owne souldiors and remounted And forthwith encountering with one Suliman a great commaunder in the Turkes armie slew him in fight hand to hand whereupon such a terrour fell vpon the Turkes that they began to retire and after a while to betake themselues to plaine flight Scanderbeg pursuing them with such execution that of that great armie few escaped with Balabanus to carrie newes home Balabanus now thrice vanquished by Scanderbeg and in the last battaile hauing lost what hee could loose except he should haue lost himselfe returned to Mahomet at CONSTANTINOPLE of whom he was sharpely rebuked for the great ouerthrowes he had so often receiued At which time Balabanus at first gaue place to the kings furie but afterwards when the heat was ouer hee with a large discourse cunningly excused himselfe imputing all those his mishaps vnto the appointment of God and the fortune of warre and in the end told Mahomet plainely That it was but in vaine to send such small armies into EPIRVS But if it would please him at once to send two valiant captains with a puissant and strong armie who deuiding the same betwixt them and entering at one time into diuers parts of EPIRVS might spoile the countrey before them and enclose Scanderbeg betwixt them if he should aduenture to giue either of them battaile being before resolued neither of them to offer him battaile or yet to accept of the same being by him offered except the other were also at hand and so by mutuall consent to vndertake him but neuer single By which course hee promised vnto him an easie and assured victorie for as much as it were impossible for any man so beset and as it were on euery side coupt vp with his enemies either to escape or yet to make any great resistance This persuasion of Balabanus so well fitted the tyrants humor that he appointed Balabanus himselfe to be the man to put his own deuise in execution giuing him commission to leuie such an armie as he should thinke sufficient for the performance of that seruice and withall to associate vnto himselfe for his companion which soeuer of his captaines as he pleased Balabanus according to his commission tooke musters of the men of warre and made choice of fortie thousand good souldiours and chose one Iacup Arnauth otherwise called Iames the Epirot because he was also borne in EPIRVS a valiant captain to be his companion whom he sent with sixteene thousand soldiors by the way of THESSALIA and GRECIA into EPIRVS commaunding him in no case to joyne battaile with Scanderbeg vntill he himselfe were also come into the countrey with the other part of the armie And so setting both forward Balabanus taking the neerer way through THRACIA and MACEDONIA came first into EPIRVS with twentie thousand horsemen and foure thousand foot and encamped in the valey of VALCHALL Scanderbeg both by his espials and letters from his secret friends in the Turkes court hauing certaine intelligence of all Balabanus his intent and purpose had in readinesse against his comming a strong armie of eight thousand horsemen and foure thousand foot all choise souldiours And now hearing