THE GENERALL HISTORIE of the Turkes from The first beginning of that Nation to the rising of the Othoman Familie with all the notable expeditions of the Christian Princes against them Together with THE LIVES AND CONquests of the OTHOMAN Kings and Emperours Faithfullie collected out of the-best Histories both auntient and moderne and digested into one continuat Historie vntill this present Yeare 1603 BY RICHARD KNOLLES LONDON Printed by Adam 〈◊〉 TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF ENGLAND SCOTLAND FRAVNCE AND IRELAND defendor of the faith c. IT may of some and not without iust cause most gratious and dread Soueraigne be imputed vnto me for no small presumption to present vnto your royall Maiestie a prince of so great learning and iudgement these homely fruits of mine endeuours and paines taken in the Generall Historie of the Turks and strange successe of their great and mightie Othoman Empire Whereunto for all that I was the rather induced not only by the rare and wonderfull clemencie ioyned vnto many other the great and most resplendent vertues of your heroicall mind the least whereof is sufficient to haue cheared vp my weake and feeble spirits but also by the encouragement of the right Worshipfull my most especiall friend Sir Peter Manwood knight the first moouer of me to take this great Worke in hand and my continuall and onely comfort and helper therein Which to doe I was also the more desirous seeing diuers little volumes and small parts of the Historie presented vnto the greatest Princes as the little Treatise of Pau. Iouius de Rebus Turcicis dedicated vnto the great and mightie Emperour Charles the fift and the small Historie of Coelius Secundus de Bello Melitensi vnto her late sacred Maiestie of most happie and blessed memorie the rare Phoenix of her sex who now resteth in glorie with diuers others of like sort by the learned authors thereof still commended some to one great prince of their times some to others all filling me vvith good hope that this whole and continuat Historie of that Northerne and warlike Nation vvhich in short time by God his appointment hath brought such fatall mutations vpon a great part of the world as former times haue sildome or neuer seene drawne euen from the first beginning thereof and continued vnto this present yeare not together to my knowledge by any one before written should with your most noble Maiestie find no lesse grace and fauour than hath almost euery part thereof with other the aforesaid and such like most mightie and famous Princes and the rather for that your Maiestie hath not disdained in your Lepanto or Heroicall Song vvith your learned Muse to adorne and set forth the greatest and most glorious victorie that euer was by any the Christian confederat princes obtained against these the Othoman Kings or Emperors Besides that the matter and argument of this Historie and such like so much concerning the state and good of the Christian commonweale in generall neuer by any so much impugned or endangered as by these the naturall capitall enemies therof of right vnto none so properly belongeth as vnto your most excellent Maiestie with the rest of the Christian princes sitting at the helme of your Estates who onely by your vnited forces the barbarous enemies greatest terrour are able to giue remedie thereunto in the chiefest ranke of whom your sacred Maiestie for glorie honour strength and power God long preserue the same is now second vnto none Thus persuaded and encouraged I in all humble and dutifull manner doe present vnto your Maiestie these my weake endeuours which how vnworthie soeuer they be of so great and princely a fauour as well for the meanenesse of me the Author as for the plainenesse of the style yet if for the worthinesse of the matter or of your owne great and infinit clemencie you vouchsafe them your Maiesties fauourable regard they shall no doubt liue no lesse fortunat than if they had beene more happily borne and brought to light seruing if to no other vse yet as faire warnings vnto such great ones as God hath here vpon earth exalted aboue the rest vnto the highest degrees of power and of state for the good gouernment and defence of his church and people Accept them I beseech you most mightie Monarch into your gratious protection so shall I if God spare life be comforted encouraged vnder so mightie a fauor to proceed to amend what shall be found amisse and adde what future times and better helpe shall descrie and minister vnto me for the perfection of this Historie and according to my bounden dutie incessantly in all humilitie pray vnto the great God of all might and power by whom all kings and princes raigne to his glory long to preserue your most royall Maiestie in blessed health and peace to rule and raigne ouer vs and these your great kingdomes so happily by you vnited and so likewise his will so being your most noble posteritie after you euen to the worlds end Your Maiesties most humble and obedient subiect Richard Knolles THE AVTHORS INDVCTIon to the Christian Reader vnto the Historie of the Turkes following THE long and still declining state of the Christian commonweale with the vtter ruine and subuersion of the Empire of the East and many other most glorious kingdomes and prouinces of the Christians neuer to be sufficiently lamented might with the due consideration thereof worthily mooue euen a right stonie heart to ruth but therewith also to call to remembrance the dishonour done vnto the blessed name of our Sauiour Christ Iesus the desolation of his Church here millitant vpon earth the dreadfull danger daily threatened vnto the poore remainder thereof the millions of soules cast headlong into eternall destruction the infinit numbers of wofull Christians whose grieuous gronings vnder the heauie yoke of infidelitie no tongue is able to expresse with the carelesnesse of the great for the redresse thereof might giue iust cause vnto any good Christian to sit downe and with the heauie Prophet to say as he did of Hierusalem O how hath the Lord darkened the daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast downe from heauen vnto the earth the beautie of Israel and remembred not his footstoole in the day of his wrath All which miseries with many others so great as greater there can none be the prince of darkenesse and author of all mischiefe hath by the persecuting princes of all ages and auntient heretickes his ministers laboured from time to time to bring vpon the Church of God to the obscuring of his blessed name and vtter subuersion of his most sacred word but yet by none no not by them all together so much preuailed as by the false Prophet Mahomet borne in an vnhappie houre to the great destruction of mankind whose most grosse and blasphemous doctrine first phantasied by himselfe in Arabia and so by him obtruded vnto the world and afterwards by
them now that the Spaniards was also ouercome All which with much more the embassadours men with great greefe were enforced to heare but there was no remedie seeing God had so appointed it Shortly after in September the victorious fleet returned to CONSTANTINOPLE dragging with it the prisoners spoiles and gallies of the Christians a sight no lesse pleasant vnto the Turks than heauie vnto the Christians and that night it lay at anker neere vnto the rocks in the face of the citie with the greater pompe and glorie to come the next day into the hauen At which time Solyman himselfe was come downe into a gallerie neere vnto the hauens mouth adjoyning vnto his garden the better to see the comming in of the fleet and the Christian captains set there to shew vpon the poupe of the Admirall gallie namely Don Aluarus de Sandes Don Sanchius de Leyua and Don Bellingerus de Requesenes all of late great commaunders as for the Christian gallies all disarmed and vnrigged so to seeme the more contemptible in comparison of the Turks they were towed at the taile of the Turks gallies They which then saw Solymans countenance perceiued not in him any signe at all of any insolent joy I my selfe sayth Busbequius then the emperour Ferdinands embassadour there saw him two dayes after going to the church with the same countenance he had alwayes with the same seueritie and grauitie as if this victorie had nothing concerned him nor any thing chanced strange or vnexpected so capable was the great heart of that old sire of any fortune were it neuer so great and his mind so setled as to receiue so great applause and rejoycing without mouing Within a few dayes after the Christian captiues before almost starued with hunger were brought to the Court many of whom could scarce stand vpon their legs some others for weakenesse fell downe and fainted and othersome died outright they were all scornfully led in triumph with their Armes disordered scornfully put vpon them the Turkes in the meane time insulting round about them promising vnto themselues the empire of the whole world and vainely asking What enemie they were to feare now that the Spaniard was ouercome Aluarus Sandes as cheefe of all the prisoners being brought into the Diuano before the Visier Bassaes and demaunded by Rustan Bassa What his master meant being not able to defend his owne to inuade other mens answered That it beseemed not him to judge thereon and himselfe to haue done but his dutie with such faithfulnesse as was meet to put in execution what he was commaunded by his lord although he had no good fortune therein After that he besought the Bassaes vpon his knee to speak for him vnto Solyman for that he had at home a poore wife with certaine small children for whom he requested him to spare him Wherunto Rustan Bassa contrarie to his manner courteously answered his Soueraigne to be of a mild and gentle nature and that he was in good hope his pardon might bee of him obtained so was he commaunded away vnto Caradines his castle towards the blacke sea But he was not gone farre but that he was called backe againe for that the Great Chamberlain a man in great credit with Solyman had not as yet seene him for which cause hee was sent for backe againe wherewith he was not a little troubled fearing least the Bassaes hauing changed their minds would haue put him to death The rest of the captiues of the better sort were committed to the castle of PERA and amongst them Don Sanchius de Leyua with his two base sons and also Don Bellingerus Requesenes which two great men with Don Aluarus de Sandes were neuerthelesse afterwards with much adoe and almost beyond all hope at the request of the emperour and by the dexteritie of his embassadour by Solyman set at libertie although he had before denied them vnto Saluiat the French kings embassadour who had beene an earnest intercessour for them Yet before they were deliuered out of prison the Muphti or Turkes great priest was asked his opinion Whether it were lawfull for a greater number of Turkes to exchange a few Christian captiues for the embassadour beside the rewards he had promised vnto the Bassaes to further the matter had also vndertaken that fortie common prisoners of the Turkes should be set at libertie for them whereunto the Muphti answered That the doctors of their law were of diuers opinions concerning that question some saying that it was lawfull and some not howbeit as then it was by him resolued vpon vnto the more fauourable part and the exchange allowed There were among the prisoners taken at ZERBI besides these noble men of whom we haue before spoken two other noble gentlemen right honourably borne Don Iohn of CARDONA Don Bellinger his sonne in law and Don Gasto the duke of MEDINA his sonne to whom yet but a youth his father neuerthelesse had giuen an honourable place in the armie Of these two Don Iohn had wisely taken order for a great summe of money to be left in the island of CHIO by the way as the Turkes fleet went to CONSTANTINOPLE from whence he afterwards in safetie got into SPAINE But Gasto was by Piall Bassa vpon hope of a great raunsome purposely hid out of the way which had like to haue wrought his destruction for Solyman hauing gotten an inckling thereof by the instigation of Rustan laboured for nothing more than to haue Gasto found out so to haue a more just occasion for the putting of Piall to death being taken tardie in so manifest a fault But all that labour was spent in vaine Gasto being by death taken away but whether by the plague as some reported or by Piall his meanes as it was more like least the truth should be found out is vncertaine But certaine it was that being with great care sought for by the duke his fathers seruants he could neuer be heard of more So that it was thought Piall for the safegard of his owne life not to haue spared Gasto his prisoners life Who neuerthelesse for a long time liued in great feare and not daring to come to CONSTANTINOPLE took occasion with a few gallies to wander about amongst the islands of AEGEVM as if he had there something to doe but indeed so shunning the sight of his angrie lord for feare he should haue been compelled in bonds to haue answered the matter Vntill at length he appeased at the request of Suleiman Bassa the eunuch and Solymans great chamberlaine and of Selymus Solymans son granted him his pardon in these words well worth the marking out of the mouth of an infidell prince Well haue he from me pardon and forgiuenesse for so great an offence but let God the most iust reuenger of villanies take of him due punishment after this life So fully he seemed to be persuaded that no euill deed ought to remaine without punishment either in this life or in
great quiet of the Christian commonweale Stephen Bathor the late Vayuod of TRANSYLVANIA but now by the commendation of Amâ—rath become king of POLONIA in the beginning of his reigne by his embassador the great lord Iohn of SYENNA entered into a strong league and confederation with the great Turkish Sultan Amurath at CONSTANTINOPLE Which for that it sheweth in what tearmes that famous kingdome then and yet standeth with the Turkes great empire and withall containeth matter well worth the Christian consideration it shall not be impertinent to our purpose omitting the long and glorious stile of that barbarous Monarch seruing to no other end but to shew the greatnesse of his power plainely to set it downe as it was on his part at the same time by him confirmed The League betwixt the most puissant and mightie Princes Sultan Amurath the Turkish emperour and Stephen king of POLONIA agreed vpon and concluded at CONSTANTINOPLE in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ Iesu 1577 and of the Prophet Mahomet 985. I Sultan Amurath the sonne of Selym Chan the sonne of Solyman Chan the sonne of Selym Chan the sonne of Baiazet Chan the sonne of the Great Emperour Mahomet Chan c. Prince of these present times the onely Monarch of this age of power able to confound the power of the whole world the shaddow of diuine clemencie and grace Great Emperour of many kingdomes countries prouinces cities and townes lord of MECHA that is to say of the house of the glorie of God of the resplendent citie of MEDINA and of the most blessed citie of IERVSALEM prince of the most fruitfull countrey of AEGIPT IMEN ZENAN ADEN and many other such like in most louing manner declare That the most glorious and renowmed Stephen king of POLONIA great duke of LITHYANIA RVSSIA PRVSIA MASOVIA SAMOGITIA KIOVIA LIVONIA and many other countries moe prince of the couragious followers of Iesus Gouernour of all the affaires of the people and familie of the Nazarets the welcommest cloud of raine and most sweet fountaine of glorie and vertue eternall lord and heire of the felicitie and honour of the aforesaid noble kingdome of POLONIA vnto whom all the distressed repaire for refuge wishing a most happie successe and blessed end to all his actions offering vnto vs many religious vowes and eternall praises worthie our perpetuall loue and most holy league and with great deuotion performing these and other like honours as for the dispatch of his letters to our most glorious court for the new confirming of the most sacred league and confederation with vs sending the honourable lord Iohn of SYENNA his most faithfull counsellour his embassadour to our imperiall court declaring his loue and integritie and purging himselfe of all the suspition of hostilitie hath requested the league and confederation to be renewed At whose instance we haue giuen these our letters confirming the said league of peace and confederation wherein we commaund that none of our Counsellors Beglerbegs Sanzacks Generals of our armies Captaines or seruants shall doe or on my behalfe presume to doe any hurt vnto the kingdome countries cities castles townes islands or whatsoeuer else to the kingdome of POLONIA belonging And in like manner that none of the Nobilitie Generals Captaines or others whosoeuer belonging vnto the king of POLONIA shall dare to doe any harme vnto my kingdomes cities castles or towns confining vnto the kingdome of POLONIA In briefe my will is that he being a mortall enemie vnto mine enemies and a fast friend vnto my friends shall doe no grieuance or harme vnto any my subiects or things whatsoeuer vnto my iurisdiction belonging So in like manner communding also that no hurt by any meanes or for any occasion be done by our people vnto the subiects or whatsoeuer else vnto the iurisdiction of the king of POLONIA appertaining The creatures embassadours messengers and men of whatsoeuer condition else shall on both sides freely without let or trouble come and go without any harme receiuing either in their persons or goods It shall be lawfull also for the king of POLONIA his subiects to seeke throughout out empire for any the Polonian captiues taken before the time of this league and the same so found if they haue not receiued the Turkish religion but still remaine Christians to redeeme without the contradiction of any man And that whatsoeuer shall be taken and carried away after the confirmation of this league shall be all againe freely and without any thing paying deliuered and restored That the merchants on both parts may freely traffique with all kind of merchandise in the blacke and white sea as also vpon the maine and so paying their vsuall and lawfull custome to be in nothing wronged or molested If any of the Polonian merchants shall die in our dominion the goods of him so dead shall not be embeseled but kept in safetie vntill his brethren or other his friends shall come with the king of POLONIA his letters vpon the shewing whereof hauing also our letters mandatorie the goods shall be forthwith restored vnto the dead mans heires In which sort also my merchants shall be dealt withall if any of them shall chance to die in the kingdome of POLONIA If any wrong be done within the limits of mine empire vnto any belonging vnto the kingdome of POLONIA after the date of these letters confirming the league the dooer of the wrong shall by my commaundement be sought out and being found shall be punished and the wrong done without any delay or contradiction forthwith recompenced And the like iustice to be also on the behalfe of the king of POLONIA administred If any debtor shall depart out of mine empire into the Polonian territorie wheresoeuer he shall chance to be found by his creditor he shall be brought to the iudge of that place to be examined and whatsoeuer it shall be proued him of right to owe the iudge of that place shall according to the equitie of the cause make the creditor to be satisfied But if the debtor cannot himselfe personally be found no other man shall by reason of an other mans debt be taken detained or molested neither shall the innocent be troubled for the guiltie in either or both our kingdomes In briefe vpon whatsoeuer conditions and capitulations the league of peace and confederation was in the time of my father my grandfather or great grandfather of famous memorie made with the kings of POLONIA vpon the same conditions and capitulations be it now made also Whatsoeuer hurt hath hitherto been done to either part by reason of the disagreement of the Gouernors and captaines shall all be on both parties neglected and forgotten Also after the time of these letters confirming the league and confederation Whereas the king of POLONIA shall in time 〈◊〉 a certaine summe of money vsed to be paied vnto the Tartars the Tartar Chan and his sonne Mirzeleby their princes shall restore the same againe and not to dare to suffer his armies by any meanes
trouble to bring them into his danger Hereupon the Ianizaries cheerfully and with all due reuerence receiued their new Gouernor but shortly after to be sure they by an vnexpected guile when as nothing was lesse feared compassed in all the new come souldiors and slew them euerie mothers sonne and not so contented seized also vpon the gallies that brought them Which second outrage though Amurath tooke in euill part as seeing his majestie therein contemned yet was he content to passe it ouer being loth to adde domesticall troubles to the great wars he had in hand with the Persian But to end this matter with the opinion of one of their own greatest Bassaes concerning these maisterfull men It fortuned that whilest Busbequius embassadour for Ferdinand the emperour vnto Solyman lay in the Turkes campe at such time as Solyman in person himselfe was gone ouer the strait into ASIA to countenance his eldest sonne Selymus against his younger brother Baiazet that vpon a light quarrell though heauily taken betweene the followers of the said embassadour and certaine Ianizaries washing themselues at the sea side the embassadour for the quieting thereof was glad to vse the helpe of Rustan the great Bassa Solyman his sonne in law who vnderstanding the matter by a messenger sent of purpose aduised the embassadour to cut off all occasion of contention with those most naughtie fellowes asking him farther if he knew not that it was now the time of warre in which time they so raigned as that Solyman himselfe was not able to rule them but stood in feare of them Which speech fell not rashly from Rustan a man right well acquainted with his lord masters griefe for that most notable prince feared nothing more than least some secret dangerous treason should lie hidden among the Ianizaries which breaking out vpon the sudden might worke his finall destruction whereof hee needed not to seeke for any farther example than to his grandfather Baiazet For as true it is That great are the commodities of a perpetuall armie of a princes owne so are the incommodities also not small if they be not carefully met withall but especially for that the prince is euer in doubt of rebellion and that it is still in the power of those armed souldiors at their pleasure to translate the kingdome to whom they list Whereof there haue been many great examples although there are many waies for the remedying of the same But now that we haue by occasion of the occurrents of that time a little stept out of the way let vs returne againe vnto the wars of PERSIA the chiefe object of Amuraths hautie desires Now according to the commandements gone out through all the cities of the empire the souldiors of all sorts began to flock togither and all those that were either desirous to be established in their former charges and gouernments or ambitiously sought to be now promoted repaired to Osman as vnto a king and the soueraigne moderator of the Turkish empire presenting him verie large and liberall gifts whereby he gathered togither a huge heape of infinit treasure and so entertaining them with all affable courtesie and promising both rewards and honours to such as would follow him in his purposed expedition he leuied a wonderfull great number both of men and monies And now was the time come that called him away to go towards ERZIRVM where he was greatly expected of his huge armie there assembled togither And notwithstanding the great dearth of victuall that commonly raigneth in those quarters yet thither he must where he arriued about the latter end of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare 1585 and there taking a view of his whole armie and of all the prouision necessarie for so important and famous an enterprice he daily laboured to hasten his departure In this citie of ERZIRVM were met togither all the souldiors of the prouinces that were wont to send helpe but yet in a greater number than euer was gathered by any Generall before for that euerie man forsooke his owne priuat businesse and vpon assured hopes of new rewards and vnwonted honours were all induced to follow the fame of this their new Visier and Generall onely the people of AEGYPT and DAMASCO were busied with other more priuat quarrels at home whereof because they were both of great importance and also fell out at this verie instant leauing Osman with his armie for a while at ERZIRVM I will in as few words as I may make a briefe rehearsall Amurath had heretofore taken Hassan Bassa the Eunuch out of the Serraglio from the charge he had there to serue in the queens Court and at her instance sent him as Bassa to CAIRE the great citie of AEGYPT Which great office beside the honour belonging vnto it is also beneficiall to them whose good hap it is to be aduanced thereunto the riches the multitude of people inhabiting therein being so great that it seemeth not to be one citie but rather to containe within the large circuit thereof many cities This man being exceeding couetous and therefore desirous to handle the matter in such sort as that he should little need to seeke for any more such grants at the kings hands sought by all manner of meanes to oppresse the whole nation and by all importunities to wring and extort from them rewards and bribes without regard of honestie or reason By which his sinister and corrupt dealing he had now made himselfe so odious and intollerable to the people in generall that they in great number and many times began to go to CONSTANTINOPLE and with humble petitions to request the king to take from them such a cruell and vnjust Gouernour so that generally in the Court there was no talke but of the villanies and mischiefes that were reported of the couetous Eunuch At last Amurath seeing that these publike exclamations went daily so farre as that he could not for shame let them go any further without due punishment he resolued with himselfe to call him to the Court and hauing sent vnto him certaine messengers admonished him sundrie times to returne home But the Eunuch loth to leaue so fit an occasion to enrich himselfe did still delay his returne alleadging diuers faigned excuses for his longer stay Which thing when Amurath vnderstood thinking himselfe thereby deluded he determined to prouide for so great a disorder and by punishing of the mischieuous Eunuch to satisfie in some part the discontented minds of his oppressed subjects in CAIRE There sat at that time among the chiefe Bassaes of the Court one Ebrain or as most call him Ibrahim by nation a Sclauonian a young man of the age of two and thirtie years or therabouts of verie faire conditions and of a reasonable judgement vpon whom Amurath himselfe had determined to bestow his owne daughter to wife and so to make him his sonne in law And therefore being now minded to remoue the Eunuch from his office and to satisfie
vnto the Admirall of the Turkes gallies lying below in the riuer That he should at an appointed time come vp the riuer with his gallies as high as the fort and on that side at leastwise to make shew as if he would assault it at which time they of the towne would be likewise readie to sallie out and to assaile it indeed on the other side by land The Admirall accordingly came vp the riuer with his gallies and by discharging of certaine great pieces made shew as if he would on that side haue battered the fort but was so welcommed thereout of that he was glad with his rent gallies quickly to fall downe the riuer againe further off out of danger But whiles the thundering shot was thus flying too and fro towards the riuer they of the towne sallying out assaulted the fort on the other side toward the land and that with such desperat resolution that some of them were got vp to the top of the rampiers and there for the space of two houres maintained a most cruell fight wherein many of them were slaine and wounded and the rest enforced with shame to retire The Christians thus still lying at the siege and intentiue to all occasions partly by their espials and partly by such as they had taken prisoners vnderstood that a new supplie both of men and victuals was shortly to be put into STRIGONIVM and therefore sent out certaine companies of souldiors who lying in two conuenient places the one vpon the riuer the other by land might intercept the said supply Both which places were before by the prouident enemie possessed who suddenly assayling the Christians comming thither and fearing no such matter slew some of them and put the rest to flight who neuerthelesse in their retreat brake the bridge which the Turkes had made of boats vnder the castle of STRIGONIVM ouer Danubius Of which boats some were carried away with the violence of the streame and of the rest thirtie fell into the hands of the Christians without losse of any man more than fiue who making too much hast out of a little boat fell into the riuer so perished In this time Fame the forerunner of all great attempts had brought newes into the Christian campe That Sinan Bassa the Turks great Generall was comming to the reliefe of STRIGONIVM of whose power diuers diuersly reported But the greater part doubting the worst and wearie of the long siege and of the calamities incident thereunto added still something to the last report to make the danger of longer stay to seeme the greater certaine it is that the newes of the comming of so great and puissant an enemie raised many a troubled thought in the minds of so great a multitude Now were the besieged Turks in great wants in STRIGONIVM as appeared by letters intercepted from the Sanzacke to the Bassa of BVDA declaring vnto him the hard estate of the besieged and humbly crauing his promised helpe without which the citie could not for want of victuals possibly be defended by the fainting souldiors aboue three dayes Which letters being read in the campe caused great preparation to be made for the continuing of the siege and the withstanding of the enemie whose comming was euery houre expected All this while the great ordinance neuer ceased on either side wherby many were slaine as well of the Christians as of the Turks and amongst others many of the cannoniers But for as much as the rife fame of Sinan Bassaes comming encreased dayly and the Christian campe possessed with a generall feare gaue vnto the wise just suspition of some great mischiefe likely to ensue Matthias the Generall entered into counsell with countie Ferdinand Hardeck the lord Palfi the lord Vngenade president of the counsell for the warres and Erasmus Eraun gouernor of COMORA What were best to be done in so dangerous a time who with generall consent agreed betimes before the comming of Sinan to raise the siege and to remoue with the armie into some place of more safetie Which their determinat resolution the day following being the six and twentith of Iune they made knowne to the other princes and great commanders in the armie who wonderfully discontented therewith especially the Germans both openly by word and solemnely by writing protested against the same as most dishonourable and altogether made without their knowledge or good liking To whom the president of the counsell for their further satisfaction declared That the enemie was comming with a very great armie and euen now at hand whose strength encreased dayly and with what power hee had purposed to assaile them in their tents was vncertaine besides that it was manifestly knowne vnto the world how that in the former assaults they had lost many of their best souldiors beside others that died in the campe and that the place wherein they lay encamped was subject to many dangers For which so vrgent causes the Generall had resolued to raise his siege and before the comming of so strong an enemie to remoue his armie into a place of more safetie Which reasons for all that did not so well satisfie the Germane princes and commaunders but that they still vrged their former protestation requesting his excellencie to haue them excused before God and the world if they yeelding to his commaund as to their Generall did that which they thought not altogether best and which they would not haue otherwise done For the more euidence whereof the said Germane princes and great commaunders caused their said protestation to be solemnely conceiued in writing which they firmed with their seales and subscribed with their owne hands in order as followeth Francis duke of SAXONIE Augustus duke of BRVNSWICK Sebastian Schlick countie Wigand Maltzan Ernestus of ALSTAN Henry Phlugk Iohn Nicholas Ruswormb Henry Curwigger Heerrath Iohn of OBERHAVSEN Henry Rottcirch Melchior of NOTHVVITH But the Archduke with the rest constant in their former resolution first sent away the great ordinance and raising the siege the eight and twentith of Iune followed after with the whole armie passing ouer Danubius not farre from KOKARA doubtfully expecting what course Sinan the great Bassa who was then reported to be euen at hand would take Yet before their departure they set the old towne on fire and rased the fort S. Nicholas before taken from the enemie which they had once purposed to haue kept This vnexpected departure of the Christians much gladded the besieged Turkes who for want of victuals had not beene able long to haue holden out Yet lay the lord Teuffenbach still at the siege of HATVVAN labouring by all meanes to take from the besieged Turkes their water and with earth and faggots to fill vp their ditches which worke he had now happily brought to some good perfection Whereof they in the towne by letters aduertised the Bassa of BVDA and that except they were within the space of three daies relieued they should be enforced to yeeld the towne Which their distresse the