THE TURKISH HISTORY WITH Sir PAUL RYCAUT's CONTINUATION Mahomethes Quartus Magnus Turcarum Imperator Qui nunc Regnat Anno 1687. Sold by T Basset at the George neat S t Dunstans Church in Fleet street THE TURKISH HISTORY FROM THE ORIGINAL of that NATION To the GROWTH of the Ottoman Empire WITH THE LIVES and CONQUESTS OF THEIR Princes and Emperors By RICHARD KNOLLES sometime Fellow of Lincoln-College in Oxford WITH A CONTINUATION To this Present Year MDCLXXXVII Whereunto is added The Present State of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE By Sir PAUL RYCAUT late Consul of Smyrna The Sixth EDITION with the Effigies of all the Kings and Emperors Newly Engraven at large upon Copper The First Uolume LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXVII The AUTHOR to the READER THE long and still declining state of the Christian Commonweal with the utter ruin and subversion of the Empire of the East and many other most glorious Kingdoms and Provinces of the Christians never to be sufficiently lamented might with the due consideration thereof worthily move even a right stony heart to ruth but therewith also to call to remembrance the dishonour done unto the blessed Name of our Saviour Christ Iesus the desolation of his Church here militant upon Earth the dreadful danger daily threatned unto the poor remainder thereof the millions of Souls cast headlong into eternal Destruction the infininit number of woful Christians whose grievous groanings under the heavy yoke of Infidelity no tongue is able to express with the carelesness of the Great for the redress thereof might give just cause unto any good Christian to fit down and with the heavy Prophet to say as he did of Jerusalem O how hath the Lord darkned the Daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel and remembred not his footstool in the day of his wrath All which miseries with many others so great as greater there can none be the Prince of darkness and Author of all mischief hath by the persecuting Princes of all Ages and antient Hereticks his Ministers labored from time to time to bring upon the Church of God to the obscuring of his blessed Name and utter subversion of his most sacred Word but yet by none no not by them all together so much prevailed as by the false Prophet Mahomet born in an unhappy hour to the great destruction of Mankind whose most gross and blasphemous Doctrine first fantasied by himself in Arabia and so by him obtruded upon the World and afterwards by the Sarasin Caliphes his seduced Successors with greater Forces maintained was by them together with their Empire dispersed over a great part of the face of the Earth to the unspeakable ruin and destruction of the Christian Religion and State especially in Asia and Africk with some good part of Europe also But the unity of this great Mahometan Monarchy being once dissolved and it divided into many Kingdoms and so after the manner of worldly things drawing unto the fatal period of it self in process of time became of far less force than before and so less dreadful unto the Christian Princes of the West by whom these Sarasins were again expulsed out of all the parts of Europe excepting one corner of Spain which they yet held within the remembrance of our Fathers until that by their Victorious Forces they were thence at length happily removed also after that they had possessed the same above the space of 700 Years In this declination of the Sarasins the first Champions of the Mahometan Superstition who though they had lost much yet held they many Kingdoms both in Asia and Africk taken for the most part from the Christians arise the Turks an obscure and base People before scarce known unto the World yet fierce and couragious who by their Valour first aspired unto the Kingdom of Persia with divers other large Provinces from whence they were about 170 Years after again expulsed by the Tartars and enforced to retire themselves into the lesser Asia where taking the benefit of the discord of the Christian Princes of the East and the carelesness of the Christians in general they in some good measure repaired their former losses again and maintained the state of a Kingdom at Iconium in Cilicia now of them called Caramania holding in their subjection the greatest part of that fruitful Country still seeking to gain from the Christians what they had before lost unto the Tartars But this Kingdom of the Turks declining also by the dismembring of the same there slept up among the Turks in Bythinia one Osman or Othoman of the Oguzian Tribe or Family a Man of great spirit and valour who by little and little growing up amongst the rest of his Countrymen and other the effeminate Christians on that side of Asia at last like another Romulus took upon him the Name of a Sultan or King and is right worthily accounted the first Founder of the mighty Empire of the Turks which continued by many descents directly in the Line of himself even unto Achmat who now reigneth is from a small beginning become the greatest terrour of the World and holding in subjection many great and mighty Kingdoms in Asia Europe and Africk is grown to that height of pride as that it threatneth destruction unto the rest of the Kingdoms of the Earth labouring with nothing more than with the weight of it self In the greatness whereof is swallowed up both the Name and Empire of the Sarasins the glorious Empire of the Greeks the renowned Kingdoms of Macedonia Peloponesus Epirus Bulgaria Servia Bosna Armenia Cyprus Syria Egypt Judea Tunes Algiers Media Mesopotamia with a great part of Hungary as also of the Persian Kingdom and all those Churches and Places so much spoken of in holy Scripture the Romans only excepted and in brief so much of Christendom as far exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left So that at this present if you consider the beginning progress and perpetual felicity of this the Othoman Empire there is in this World nothing more admirable and strange if the greatness and lustre thereof nothing more magnificent and glorious if the Power and Strength thereof nothing more Dreadful or Dangerous Which wondering at nothing but at the Beauty of it self and drunk with the pleasant Wine of perpetual felicity holdeth all the rest of the World in Scorn thundering out nothing still but Bloud and War with a full persuasion in timeâ— to Rule over all prefixing unto it self no other limits than the uttermost bounds of the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same The causes whereof are many and right lamentable but for the most part are shut up in the Counsels of the Great as that for me to seek after them were great Folly Yet amongst the rest some others there be so pregnant and manifest as that the blind
Diseases without help consumed in so great a distress Don Alvarus the Governour considering the great extremity they were now brought unto attempted with Don Sanchius de Leyva Admiral of the Neapolitan Gallies Belingerius de Requesenes Admiral of the Sicilian Gallies and some others by night to have escaped away into a Gally which lay under the Castle but in doing thereof were perceived by the Turks and so all taken Whereupon such Souldiers as sickness and the Enemies Sword had yet left alive pinched with extream necessity forsaken of their best Captains and out of all hope of relief also covenanting for their lives only with the Enemy yielded themselves into most miserable Captivity In this unfortunate expedition perished about eighteen thousand Christians some with sickness some drowned but most slain beside the loss of a great part of the Fleet also Of this Victory Pial sent news by one of his Gallies to Constantinople which for the more manifesting thereof dragged at the Poop thereof a great Ensign of the Christians with the Picture of Christ Crucified therein Which was no sooner come into the Haven but that the rumor of the overthrow of the Christians was forthwith blown through the whole City the Turks exceedingly rejoycing one with another for the news of so great a Victory yea many of them not so contented came by heaps to the Gate of the House where the Emperor Ferdinands Embassador lay and there meeting with his Servants by way of derision asked them if they had any Brethren Kinsmen or Friends in the Spanish Fleet at Zerbi for if you have said they you shall shortly see them here Besides that they with many words most insolently bragged of their own Valour and scorned the Cowardise of the Christians asking who were able to withstand them now that the Spaniard was also overcome All which with much more the Embassadors Men with great grief were enforced to hear but there was no remedy seeing God had so appointed it Shortly after in September the victorious Fleet returned to Constantinople dragging with it the Prisoners Spoils and Gallies of the Christians a sight no less pleasant unto the Turks than heavy unto the Christians and that night it lay at Anchor near unto the Rocks in the face of the City with the greater Pomp and Glory to come the next day into the Haven At which time Solyman himself was come down into a Gallery near unto the Havens Mouth adjoyning unto his Garden the better to see the coming in of the Fleet and the Christian Captains set there to shew upon the Poop of the Admiral Galley namely Don Alvarus de Sandes Don Sanchius de Leyva Don Billingerus de Requesenes all of late great Commanders as for the Christian Gallies all disarmed and unrigged so to seem the more contemptible in comparison of the Turks they were towed at the Tail of the Turks Gallies They which then saw Solymans countenance perceived not in him any sign at all of any insolent joy I my self saith Busbequius then the Emperor Ferdinands Embassador there saw him two days after going to the Church with the same countenance he had always with the same severity and gravity as if this Victory had nothing concerned him nor any thing chanced strange or unexpected so capable was the great Heart of that old Sire of any Fortune were it never so great and his mind so setled as to receive so great applause and rejoycing without moving Within a few days after the Christian Captives before almost starved with Hunger were brought to the Court many of whom could scarce stand upon their Legs some others for weakness fell down and fainted and othersome died outright they were all scornfully led in Triumph with their Arms disordered and scornfully put upon them the Turks in the mean time insulting round about them promising unto themselves the Empire of the whole World and vainly asking What Enemy they were to fear now that the Spaniard was overcome Alvarus Sandes as chief of all the Prisoners being brought into the Divano before the Visier Bassaes and demanded by Rustan Bassa What his Master meant being not able to defend his own to invade other Mens answered That it beseemed not him to judge thereon and himself to have done but his Duty with such faithfulness as was meet to put in execution what he was commanded by his Lord although he had no good Fortune therein After that he besought the Bassaes upon his Knee to speak for him unto Solyman for that he had at home a poor Wife with certain small Children for whom he requested him to spare him Whereunto Rustan Bassa contrary to his manner courteously answered his Sovereign to be of a mild and gentle Nature and that he was in good hope his Pardon might be of him obtained so was he commanded away unto Caradines his Castle towards the Black Sea. But he was not gone far but that he was called back again for that the great Chamberlain a Man in great credit with Solyman had not as yet seen him for which cause he was sent for back again wherewith he was not a little troubled fearing lest the Bassaes having changed their minds would have put him to death The rest of the Captives of the better sort were committed to the Castle of Pera and amongst them Don Sanchius de Leyva with his two base Sons and also Don Billingerus Requesenes which two great Men with Don Alvarus de Sandes were nevertheless afterwards with much ado and almost beyond all hope at the request of the Emperor and by the dexterity of his Embassador by Solyman set at liberty although he had before denied them unto Salviat the French Kings Embassador who had been an earnest intercessor for them Yet before they were delivered out of Prison the Mufti or Turks great Priest was asked his opinion Whether it were lawful for a greater number of Turks to exchange a few Christian Captives for the Embassador beside the Rewards he had promised unto the Bassaes to further the matter had also undertaken that forty common Prisoners of the Turks should be set at liberty for them whereunto the Mufti answered That the Doctors of their Law were of divers opinions concerning that question some saying that it was lawful and some not howbeit as then it was by him resolved upon unto the more favourable part and the exchange allowed There were amongst the Prisoners taken at Zerbi besides these Noblemen of whom we have before spoken two other noble Gentlemen right honourably Born Don Iohn of Cardona Don Billinger his Son in Law and Don Gasto the Duke of Medina his Son to whom yet but a Youth his Father nevertheless had given an honourable place in the Army Of these two Don Iohn had wisely taken order for a great sum of Mony to be left in the Island of Chio by the way as the Turks Fleet went to Constantinople from whence he afterwards in safety
passed among the great Bassaes there was not any man found that made any account of that defect but all with one accord without farther respect sought to set forward the ambitious desire of their proud Lord and Master At last after long consultation and large discourses it was agreed upon by the great Bassaes Mahomet Sinan and Mustapha That it would be better and less danger to attempt War against the Persians than against the Christian Princes Mustapha amongst the rest preferring the Valour of the Latines whereof he had made good tryal especially at Famagusta before the Armies and Forces of the Georgians and Persians Whereby it is apparent to the World that neither the zeal of their Religion nor any injury receiv'd from the Persian King but only the ambitious desire of Amurath to subdue a Kingdom both in his own conceit and other mens relations evil governed by an effeminate and sottish King and through civil dissention brought into great danger was the first provocation of making this War. Upon this resolution there arose new consultations touching the manner thereof and upon what coast they should begin their journey for the more honourable success thereof Which point Amurath greatly urged protesting before his chief Counsellors that he would not enter into that War except he were in great hope to bear away the Victory Some thought it most convenient to send the Army to Babylon and from thence to Syras called in old time Persepolis the chief City of the Country of Persia others there were that gave advise that the Army should be directly sent to Tauris there to erect strong Fortresses and to take possession of all the Country round about it and there wanted not some as it is reported that thought it better to send two several Armies for both the fore-named Places and so by bringing the Enemy into a straight to enforce him to yield to whatsoever should be of him required But Amurath durst not repose such Confidence in his Forces as to think that with his Battels divided and so weakened he should be able to conquer that Enemy who had always most valiantly fought against the monstrous and puissant Armies of his Ancestors and therefore firmly resolved with himself to send one only Army and so with his united Forces to seek the overthrow of the Enemy And so preferring the strong hope he had conceived to conquer the Country of Siruan and the chief Cities of Media the great before the difficulty of making War upon the Coast of Scyras reposing also great hope in the notable help that was promised him by the Tartars called Praecopenses he confirmed the great Bassaes his Counsellors in the same Opinion and withall discovered unto them a matter which to all of them but especially to Sinan seemed most strange namely that he was determined not to go himself in Person with his Army but to send one of his worthiest Captains in his stead The Causes why he so did were many but especially for that he was troubled with the falling Sickness and feared greatly and that not without good cause lest his Son Mahomet being much favoured of the People might peradventure in his absence be untimely advanced to the Empire beside the Dangers that he suspected at the hands of the Christian Potentates and withall perswaded it to be unto himself a great Honour to perform those things by his Servants which had in those Countries been unfortunately attempted by his most noble Predecessors in their own Persons While they were thus consulting about the Expedition and the great Bassaes Sinan Mustapha and others made means to be sent as the Sovereign Ministers of their Lords Designment he dispatched away sundry Posts and light Horse-men with order to the Bassaes and Governours of Van Babylon and Erzirum in the Frontiers of his Dominions that they should by often inroads spoyl the Towns and Castles of the Persians and by all means to do them what harm they could Which they were not slack to put in Execution and especially Vstref or rather Husreve Bassa of Van who with often Incursions did much Mischief as well in the Countries Tributary as subject to the Persian King. A forcible preparative for greater Troubles to ensue Now in these great Preparations for the Persian War which for many years after notably exercised the greatest part of the Turks Forces to the great quiet of the Christian Common-wealth Stephen Bathor the late Vayvod of Transilvania but now by the Commendation of Amurath become King of Polonia in the beginning of his Reign by his Ambassadour the great Lord Iohn of Syenna entred into a strong League and Confederation with the great Turkish Sultan Amurath at Constantinople Which for that it sheweth in what Terms that famous Kingdom then and yet standeth with the Turks 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 serving to no other end but to shew the greatness of his Power plainly to set it down as it was on his part at the same time by him confirmed The League betwixt the most puissant and and mighty Princes Sultan Amurath the Turkish Emperour and Stephen King of Polonia agreed upon and concluded at Constantinople in the Year of our Saviour Christ Jesu 1577 and of the Prophet Mahomet 985. I Sultan Amurath the Son of Selym Chan the Son of Solyman Chan the Son of Selym Chan the Son of Bajazet Chan the Son of the Great Emperour Mahomet Chan c. Prince of these present times the only Monarch of this age of power able to confound the power of the whole World the shadow of Divine Clemency and Grace Great Emperour of many Kingdoms Countries Provinces Cities and Towns Lord of Mecha that is to say of the house of the glory of God of the resplendent City of Medina and of the most blessed City of Hierusalem Prince of the most fruitful Country of Aegypt Imen Zenan Aden and many other such like In most loving manner declare That the most Glorious and Renowned Stephen King of Polonia Great Duke of Lithuania Russia Prusia Masovia Samogitia Kiovia Livonia and many other Countrys moe Prince of the couragious followers of Jesus Governour of all the affairs of the people and family of the Nazarets the welcomest cloud of Rain and most sweet fountain of Glory and Vertue eternal Lord and Heir of the felicity and honour of the aforesaid noble Kingdom of Polonia unto whom all the distressed repair for refuge wishing a most happy success and blessed end to all his actions offering unto us many Religious vows and Eternal praises worthy our perpetual Love and most Holy League and with great Devotion 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 us sending the Honourable Lord John
antient obedience of those martial men is not now as it was in former times when they were with a more severe Discipline governed but now grown proud and insolent as the manner of men is living in continual pay with Weapons in their hands doubt noâ— to do whatsoever seemeth unto themselves best be it never so foul or unreasonable Which although it be in many places of this History to be seen yet for the more manifestation thereof I thought it not amiss here briefly to set down an Example or two of their notorious Insolency Not many years before the Janizaries in Cyprus with like Insolency slew Achmetes Bassa Governour of that Island pretending for the colour of so foul a fact that he had defrauded them of their pay and oppressed them of the Country with intolerable exactions Amurath highly offended with this their Disloyalty in killing their General whom they had never before complained of thought it much to concern the Majesty of himself and the repressing of the like Insolency in others not to suffer it to go unpunished and for that purpose sent another new Governour into Cyprus with ten Gallies furnished as well in other necessary Provision as with such a convenient number of Souldiers as might suffice to chastise the Insolency of the chief Offendors This new Governour arrived in Cyprus dissembling the secret Commandment he had for the executing of the Transgressors by certain trusty men gave it out among the Janizaries That Amurath was so far from being angry with the death of Achmetes as that he thought him worthily slain by the Janizaries for defrauding them of their Wages and oppressing of his other Subjects Which report the new Governour had of purpose given out to put them in Security and without further trouble to bring them into his danger Hereupon the Janizaries chearfully and with all due Reverence received their new Governour but shortly after to be sure they by an unexpected guile when as nothing was less feared compassed in all the new come Souldiers and slew them every Mothers Son and not so contented seised also upon the Gallies that brought them Which second outrage though Amurath took in evil part as seeing his Majesty therein contemned yet was he content to pass it over being loth to add edomestical Troubles to the great War he had in hand with the Persian But to end this matter with the Opinion of their own greatest Bassaes concerning these masterful men It fortuned that whilst Busbequius Ambassador for Ferdinand the Emperour unto Solyman lay in the Turks Camp at such time as Solyman in Person himself was gon over the Straight in Asia to countenance his eldest Son Solymus against his younger Brother Bajazet That upon a light Quarrel though heavily taken between the Followers of the said Ambassador and certain Janizaries washing themselves at the Sea-side the Ambassador for the quieting thereof was glad to use the help of Rustan the great Bassa Solyman's Son-in-Law who understanding of the matter by a Messenger sent of purpose adviseth the Ambassador to cut off all occasion of Contention with those most naughty Fellows asking him further if he knew not that it was now the time of War in which time they so raigned as that Solyman himself was not able to rule them but stood in fear of them Which speech fell not rashly from Rustan a man right well acquainted with his Lord and Masters Grief for that most notable Prince feared nothing more than lest some secret and dangerous Treason should lie hidden among the Janizaries which breaking out upon the sudden might work his final Destruction whereof he needed not to seek for any further Example than to his Grandfather Bajazet For as true it is That great are the Commodities of a perpetual Army of a Princes own so are the Incommodities also not small if they be not carefully met withall but especially for that the Prince is ever in doubt of Rebellion and that it is still in the Power of those armed Souldiers at their Pleasure to translate the Kingdom to whom they list Whereof there have been many great Examples although there are many ways for the remedying of the same But now that we have by occasion of the Occurrents of that time a little stept out of the way year 1585 let us return again unto the Wars of Persia the chief Object of Amuraths haughty Designs Now according to the Commandments gon out through all the Cities of the Empire the Souldiers of all sorts began to flock together and all those that were either desirous to be established in their former Charges and Governments or ambitiously sought to be now promoted repaired to Osman as unto a King and the sovereign Moderator of the Turkish Empire presenting him very large and liberal Gifts whereby he gathered together a huge heap of infinite 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 levied a wonderful great number both of Men and Monies And now was the time come that called him away to go towards Erzirum where he was greatly expected of his huge Army there assembled together And notwithstanding the great dearth of Victual that commonly raigneth in those quarters yet thither he must where he arrived about the latter end of the Month of Iuly in the year 1585 and there taking a view of his whole Army and of all the Provision necessary for so important and famous an Enterprise he daily laboured to hasten his departure In this City of Erzirum were met together all the Souldiers of the Provinces that were wont to send help but yet in greater number than ever was gathered by any General before for that every man forsook his own private Business and upon assured hopes of new Rewards and unwonted Honours were all induced to follow the Fame of this their new Visier and General only the People of Egypt and Damasco were busied with other more private Quarrels at home whereof because they were both of great Importance and also fell out at this very instant leaving Osman with his Army for a while at Erzirum I will in as few words as I may make a brief rehearsal Amurath had heretofore taken Hassan Bassa the Eunuch out of the Seraglio from the charge he had there to serve in the Queens Court and at her instance sent him as Bassa to Caire the great City of Egypt Which great Office beside the Honour belonging unto it is also beneficial to them whose good hap it is to be advanced thereunto the Riches the multitude of People inhabiting therein being so great that it seemeth not to be one City but rather to contain within the large Circuit thereof many Cities This man being exceeding covetous and therefore desirous to handle the matter in such sort as that he should little need to seek for any more such grants at the Kings hands
contenting himself as it should seem with that he had already got from the Persians and holding his league in some reasonable sort with the Christians yet not so but that many a bloody broyl tending at last even to the breach of the League passed betwixt the Turks and the Christians which for the Continuation of the History we will briefly set down year 1587 as they are unto us by the Writers of our time reported In February the year following which was the year 1587 the Christians provoked by the often outrages of the Turks setting upon the Castle of Koppan not far from the lake of Balaton being then frozen by good fortune surprised it There was at that time in the Castle three of the Turks Sanzacks and about a thousand Turks of whom an hundred and ninety of the better sort with seventy Women besides divers of the meaner sort fell into the hands of the Christians the rest saving themselves by flight or by creeping into secret corners an hundred Horses for service were there taken also and so much Booty as was esteemed to be worth forty thousand Duckats Of the three Sanzacks that were there present Alis Sanzack of Koppan was taken and brought first to Vienna and afterward presented to the Emperour Another of them standing upon his defence in a vault under Ground was there smothered the third escaped by flight but was afterwards the same year taken with divers others as shall be forthwith declared The eighth of August following four of the Turks great Commanders in Hungary viz. The Bassa of Ziget the Sanzacks of Mohas of Quinque Ecclesiae and the new Sanzack of Koppan with five thousand Souldiers brake into the borders of the Christians and in most cruel manner destroyed seventeen Country Villages about Limbach carrying away with them all the miserable Country People with the spoil of the Country Whereof George County Serinus Son to that most valiant County Nicholas Serinus slain at Ziget Commander of the Garrison of Canisia understanding with as much speed as was possible raised such Forces as he was able out of his Territory betwixt the Rivers of Drauus and Mura and calling unto his aid the County Nadasti the Lord Bathianius and some other valiant Captains that had the charge of those Frontiers with such diligence took the Streights and Passages whereby the Turks must needs return among the Marishes that the Turks coming back again that way with a very rich Prey â—nd many Prisoners being in the break of the day hardly charged by those most expert and resolute Souldiers in those streight and troublesome Passages about a mile from Canisia were at length discomfited and put to flight with such a miserable slaughter that many of them yielded up their Scimiters pittifully crying for Mercy other some fled back into the Woods and Forrests and many running headlong into the Marishes there perished or sticking fast in the deep mud cried together for mercy and help of their Enemies In this Conflict Muhamet the Sanzack of Quinque Ecclesiae Son to Haly Bassa slain in the Battel of Lepanto was taken Prisoner Sinan Beg Sanzack of Mohaz thinking to escape through the Marish stuck fast with his Horse and was shot through the Head with a small shot and there died The Bassa of Ziget with Chasan the new Sanzack of Koppan seeing all desperate and lost fled betimes out of the Battel but he of Koppan wandering up and down in the Woods was the next night after the Battel with others taken the Bassa of Ziget almost spent with Hunger and Grief of Mind escaped on foot seven days after to Bresenza There were taken of the Turks a thousand three hundred of whom many died afterwards of their Wounds In this Battel there was slain of the Turks with them that perished in the Marishes and Woods about 2000 and of the Turks Horses were taken about 1500. All the Prey before taken by the Turks with the miserable Captives was again recovered The number of them that performed this notable Service was in all but fifteen hundred foot and five hundred horse of whom there was but eleven slain but most of the rest wounded Four hundred heads of the slain Turks were after the manner of those bordering Souldiers carried for shew to Canisia with five hundred Prisoners The Christian Souldiers with the help of the Country People ceased not for certain days to hunt after the Turks that were fled into the Woods as after wild Beasts of whom they found a great number divers others also seeing no means to escape came forth of their lurking Places and yielded themselves Amurath understanding of all these Troubles that had so happened commanded Aly the Bassa of Buda to be strangled for that he had broken the League and not restrained the Insolency of his Sanzacks whom he might have commanded and in his stead placed Sinan Bassa whom before in disgrace he had now at the request of his Wife again received into Favour and restored to his former Dignity About this time also Sigismund the King of Sweden's Son now after the Death of King Stephen chosen King of Polonia and Maximilian the Emperous Brother rejected even in the beginning of his Reign sought to renew the League which Stephen's Predecessor and other the Polonian Kings had before made with Amurath and his Predecessors the Turkish Sultans And to that purpose writ unto him as followeth Sigismund the Third King of Polonia unto Amurath the Third Emperour of the Turks sendeth greeting THE Almighty long keep and preserve your Majesty in Health and Honour Most Mighty Prince our best beloved Friend and Neighbour after that we by the Grace and Goodness of God were chosen to govern the Kingdom of Polonia and the Ambassadors of that Kingdom had signified so much unto us we providing us of Necessaries came to Danske the eighteenth of October from whence we send John Zamogil our Secretary to give your Majesty to understand of this our coming For being told by the Polonian Ambassadors That we were chosen unto the Government of that Kingdom upon Condition That according unto the Custom of our Predecessors the Polonian Kings we should keep Love and Friendship with the most excellent Mussulman Emperours we promise unto your Sovereign Majesty that we are willing with the like or greater Zeal and Devotion to continue that Amity and Friendship with your most excellent Majesty and the Othoman Emperours your Successors For confirmation whereof so soon as we shall come unto Cracovia the regal City of Polonia and there be crowned we will forthwith send our great Ambassador unto your Majesty In the mean time we most earnestly request your Majesty that our Kingdom may on your Majesties behalf rest in Safety and Peace which we perswade our selves you will easily grant So wishing unto you all Health and Happiness we bid you farewell From Danske the 18th of October in the year 1587 and of our Reign the
many yet some affirm yea such as have conversed in the East that Sukan Mahomet had but three Sons which were Mustapha Achmat and Osman notwithstanding it is hard to discover in this Personage any signs of an Imposture I have often frequented with him and carefully observed his Carriage and Actions and have always noted in him a Carriage and Mind borne to great matters This is all that we could learn of this man. Stephano or Tomsho of whom we have made mention in the year 1612 having overthrown Constantine the lawful Prince and made himself Vayvod of Moldavia by the Support and Tyranny of the Turk as he held it by Usurpation without any just Title so he governed with all Cruelty and Inhumanity preferring Cruelty before Clemency and imitating that Tyrant who said openly That he respected not the Love of his Subjects so as they feared him Even so this Stephano at his first Entrance plotted how he might root out all the Noblemen in the Country whom in their Language they call Boyers with all others of Credit and Authority in the Country both for that they supported Constantine as for the Jealousie he had of them being best able to resist his tyrannous Designs being also the common Disposition of such as usurp any Estate by wicked Practices to be always in fear to be dispossessed and to be entreated according to their Merits He began first with the Lord of Botacan Brother to the Princess Widow of Ieremy whom he caused with two others of the chief Noblemen to be miserably and inhumanely impailed as if they had been two notable Thieves and Murderers and not content herewith soon after he caused threescore and fifteen Boyers to be apprehended cutting of all their Heads and would not pardon any one notwithstanding the great instance that was made by their Kinsfolks charging them with the Crime of Treason as if they had conspired against his Person having no proof at all but these his Cruelties did nothing daunt the Boyers as Stephano had persuaded himself but contrariwise they were the more incensed and many of them took Arms openly and had then seised upon him been revenged of his Cruèlties and set their Country at liberty which had not been ruined as it was afterwards if he had not been assisted by the Citizens of Yas whom he conjured to second him in this occasion promising them immunities of all Subsidies in regard of which promise these poor Wretches preferring their private Profit before their publick Safety employed themselves in the Service of this Tyrant and fought valiantly against the Boyers who were come to assault him in the City of Yas but finding that he was better assisted than they expected after some light Skirmish they retired as well as they could whereof many were taken Prisoners whom the Tyrant caused to be slain in cold blood or empailed to terrifie the rest The Boyers which escaped from this Defeat knowing that there was no hope of Mercy in Stephano who was full of Revenge nor by consequence any Safety in Moldavia during his Government they resolved to have recourse unto the Princess Widow to Ieremy who had fled into Polonia when as she received News of the taking of her Son Constantine This Princess understanding from the Boyers of the tyrannous Government of Stephano and that most of the Moldavians were resolved to shake off the Yoke of his Tyranny and desired to have Prince Alexander in his place remembring the good usage they had received from the deceased Prince Ieremy his Father These Considerations together with a desire of Command under her Son who was then but sixteen years old were strong Motives to perswade both her and her Son to embrace this occasion the which they imparted to Prince Visinouisky Son in law to the Princess and to Prince Corresky who at that time aspired to marry her youngest Daughter These Princes not only allowed of this Design but they offered themselves willingly to accompany Prince Alexander into Moldavia and to take the whole care of his Army This Resolution being taken they presently employed all their credit to levy men and had within less than two Months drawn together ten or twelve thousand Foot and Horse Polonians Cossacks and Transilvanians whereof the Vayvod Stephano being advertised be presently levied what Forces he could of Moldavians Tartarians and Valachians having drawn together an Army of almost twenty thousand men which he kept about Yas and there resolved to attend the Princes of Polonia Prince Alexander being advanced with his Army within two Leagues of Caminithe in Podolia he was much troubled to pass the River of Niestre which divides that Country from Moldavia fearing the Fort of Cochina in the which there was a strong Garrison of Moldavians and store of Munition to defend the Passage of the said River but it fell out happily for Prince Alexander for the Captain which commanded in the said Fort being much discontented at the Cruelties of the Vayvod Stephano came voluntarily of himself to offer his Service to Alexander and brought him the Keys of the Fort leaving all to his Disposition so as he past his Army easily into Moldavia and in sign of joy discharged many Vollies of his great Ordnance which made Stephano distrust the Affections of the Moldavians and to feel a pricking in his Conscience which doth never abandon Tyrants and Usurpers Prince Alexander making some stay with his Army at Cochina in the year 1615 advanced towards Yas and being come within half a days Journey he sent forth eight hundred Cossacks chosen out of a great number to discover the Countenance of his Enemies Army but they were not far advanced before they encountered fifteen hundred Tartarians sent by Stephano to give some charge to the Polonians Although the Cossacks were fewer in number yet finding the Taertarians in disorder they charged them so resolutely as they defeated a great part and put the rest to rout After which Exploit they brought word to Prince Alexander that Stephano's Army might be about the number of fifteen thousand men but they were such as were gathered up in the Country and not trained up to Arms who were rather drawn to it by constraint than of their free will and therefore were not much to be feared This happy Success together with the Report made by the Cossacks did greatly encourage Alexander's Army being also much incensed against Stephano for certain Letters which he had written to their Prince full of Threats as if both he and they had been already at his mercy the which did the more encourage the Polonians and made them resolve rather to dye fighting than to fall into the hands of this cruel Tyrant The same day there came certain Deputies of the Moldavians to Prince Alexander without the privity of Stephano to know what his Design was and to intreat him to take pity of Moldavia which was threatned with a speedy ruine if the War
Cherbanne who came with one hundred and fifty Horse to Prince Alexander to assure him that his Master was coming to his aid with five or six thousand men was pursued by the Turks near unto Yas whereas he thought to have found the said Prince and of all his Troop only himself and one more escaped so as the Prince could have no certain news of the said Cherbanne Prince Coresky who had remained with two thousand five hundred Horse not far from Cotnard was also encountred by a great Troop of Turks and Tartarians which he could not well discover by reason of a little Mountain that covered them the Prince seeing some of them appear charged them but finding that as he defeated one Troop a fresh succeeded in his place he was forced to make his Retreat with this advantage that he had almost slain six thousand of his Enemies having not lost above two hundred and fifty of his own men But the Prince was wounded with two Arrows one in the Thigh and the other in the Back which was a great disaster for himself and for the whole Army He which commanded this Troop of Turks being much amazed at this unexpected Encounter having gathered his men together and joyned them to fifteen thousand others whom the Bassa had sent he being yet at Yas he caused this Army to approach within a quarter of a League to the Polonians where having encouraged his men in what he could he told them that to shew his Affection unto the Sultan's Service in this occasion he was resolved to send a Challenge to Prince Coresky whom he confest to be the most valiant of all the Polonian Army so as he presently dispatched one of his Captains to go unto the Prince and to call him in the behalf of his General The Captain coming to Alexander's Camp demanded to speak with Prince Coresky who being brought unto him delivered the Charge he had from his General The Prince although he were neither able to stand nor to sit on Horse-back by reason of his Wounds yet would he needs have accepted this Challenge if Prince Alexander and the chief Noblemen of the Army had not conjured him to excuse himself by reason of his Indisposition letting him know that the event of such a Combat did not only import him but all those of his Party who had their chief hope in him whereunto the Princâ—sses added their instant Intreaties and among others his dear Spouse who was much afflicted for his Wounds The Lord of Tischeuich a brave and valiant Gentleman being then present intreated Prince Alexander to give him leave to accept of the Challenge for Prince Coresky his Cousin the which was willingly granted so as he sent a Gentleman with the said Turk to know if the General would yield thereunto which he did willingly not being ignorant of the Quality and Valour of the said Tischeuich It was agreed that the Combate should be betwixt both Armies lying in a plain open Field within a quarter of a League one of another with promise that neither Party should be assisted These two brave Warriours having taken leave of their Friends came to the place appointed in view of both Armies The Turks General being about fifty Paces from his Army caused Water to be brought with the which he washed his Mouth Eyes Nose Ears and Privy Parts believing according to his Law that this washing would serve as a purifying then turning toward the East he made his Prayer after which he went to Horse-back being richly armed and furnished and then marched softly towards his Adversary who attended him well mounted and armed and so they began their Combat their chief Arms being Bows and Arrows which they spent without hurting one another till at last Tischeuich having a Peâ—ronel shot the Turk thorow the Body and overthrew him who striving to rise again Tischeuich passed over him with his Horse and wounded him in the right Arm and at the next blow slew him after which he cut off his head and carried it to Prince Alexander The Polonians were very joyful of the happy Success of this famous Combate and the Turks being much amazed advertised the Bassa and Michna that it was necessary they should bring the rest of their Army and their Cannon if they would be revenged of the Polonians In the mean time the Traitor Bicho who had abandoned Prince Alexander with a Troop of two thousand Tartarians and Moldavians found means to get before the Polonian Army and to cut off the way betwixt Cotnarde and the Town of Bothocan six Leagues off The Valachians and Transilvanianâ— led by the General of Michna's Army invested them upon the right hand and the body of the Turks Army followed behind so as there remained nothing but upon the left hand a Wood of Timber-trees which might favour their Retreat Skinder Bassa hearing the Success of the Combate commanded his Army to advance presently with sixteen Cannons The Princes seeing themselves environed by so many Enemies they resolved to fortifie themselves with their Carts and Carriages and to defend themselves but what could five or six thousand men prevail against two or three and twenty thousand for so many were thought to be in the Turks Army True it is they expected daily Prince Cherbanne and the Lord Bossi who were within two days Journey and brought with them ten or twelve thousand men This made the Bassa and Michna to advance to force the Polonians to yield or fight Coming near unto their Camp and seeing them invested on all sides but towards the Wood they approached their Cannon which had been able to have spoiled their Camp but it was not their design they only desired to take the Princes and Princesses Prisoners with the chief Noble-men Whereupon they sent to summon the Polonian Army to deliver into their hands the said Princes and Lords promising that the rest of the Army should depart with Bag and Baggage whereunto they would not yield but made an Answer all with one consent That they would rather dye than commit such Baseness and Treachery This being reported to the Bassa and Prince Michna they commanded that some of their Cannon should be charged with small Bullets and discharged through the Polonian Army whereby there were a great number slain and wounded The Princes who had but some small pieces made certain Vollies but to small purpose neither had they any more Bullets left and little Powder for that by ill chance part had been burnt some few days before so as all things seemed to foretell their ruine at hand The Lord of Tischeuich having judiciously observed that remaining in that inclosure he could not escape Death or at least Captivity resolved with five hundred Horse the most valiant among the Polonians to force through three or four Squadrons which were set in guard by the Wood side to the end none might escape that Place being most suspected to the Turks the which they
Arms and which We shall continue so to do And therefore We give notice to all Our Subjects that they peaceably submit unto Our power lest Our Clemency be turn'd into Severity and that contrary to Our Nature being provok'd by so many Injuries Treasons and Rebellions We be enforc'd to execute Our Wrath on those who have abus'd Our Indulgence and cause them to taste the direful effects of Our Rigour Given at Vienna the 21st of March 1671. The Emperor to establish and confirm this his Remonstrance by force of Arms caused his Regiments which were in Bohemia Silesia Moravia and Austria to march with speed into Hungary with Cannon and all the Train of Artillery Which when the Malecontents perceived and consider'd their ill Fortune and Successes having in every place been worsted in all the Fights and Reencounters against the Emperor's Forces and that the Grand Vizier had forbidden Apafi Prince of Transilvania and all the Pashas of Hungary to yield Assistance or Protection to them They began then to think they had taken false Courses against their Sovereign Prince and resolved for the future to submit with blind obedience to the Commands and Decrees of the Emperor serving themselves only of Prayers and Petitions to obtain his Pardon and a remission of his Rigours and Oppressions But it was now too late for his Imperial Majesty being highly provok'd by their frequent Rebellions was so far from granting their Requests That besides their usual Taxes and Impositions he laid a farther charge on them of maintaining an Army of 30.000 Men which were quarter'd in their Cities and Towns and upon their Lands and Estates of Inheritance With these Successes and the Destruction and Death of the Chief Leaders of the Malecontented Party Hungary was consider'd by the Imperialists as a Conquered Kingdom year 1672. and therefore to be subjected unto such Laws as the Emperor should please to impose upon them The great Office and Dignity of Palatine who was always a Person of the noblest Descent and highest Degree was by the ancient Privileges of that Kingdom elected at a Diet consisting of the several Orders of the Nation But now the Emperor assumed this Power unto himself pretending that the same was forfeited to him by the Revolt of the People and so in the lieu of Palatine he thought fit to Govern by such a Person as he himself should chuse and impose without the Concurrence of the States by the Name and Title of Vice King And in lieu and by way of resemblance of a Diet he erected a Sovereign Chamber oâ— Council coâ—sisting of a President Chancelâ—â—r and two Sâ—crâ—taries one a German and thâ— other a Hungarian with about six or seven Councellors or so many as his Imperial Majesty should think fit to add to whom the Administration of all the Affairs of that Kingdom was committed The Person destinated and appointed for this considerable charge was Iohn Gasper Ampringhen Prince oâ— the Empire and Grand Master of the Teutonick Order which was an Office so considerable that the late Arch-Duke Leopold Uncle to the present Emperor did not disdain to own this Prince being an Hungarian by Birth and qualified with many Vertues and having perform'd many brave Actions and Atchievements was esteemed worthy of this August honour His zeal for Religion and advancement of the Christian Cause was well known to all the World having in the year 1664 brought two Regiments one of Horse and the other of Foot to the Imperial Army commanded by the Cavaliers of his own Order and maintained at his own expence during all the time that that War lasted After which and that the Turks renew'd their War again in Candia he sent a considerable body of Foot Commandeâ— by several Cavaliers of his own Order into the Service of the Venetian Republick and afterwards went himself in Chief to Command them within the besieged City where he perform'd such noble Actions of Chivalry as obtain'd the acknowledgement of the Senate and procured likewise a Brief from the Pope with such obliging Expressions as denoted the singular esteem he had of his Person and Merits In fine such were the deserts and qualifications of this Grand Master that the Emperor remain'd entirely satisâ—ied with his Abilities as being agreeable and every ways suiting with this Honourable Promotion to which being called he appeared at Vienna attended with a great and an expensive Equipage and with many Knights of his own Order ANNO 1673. This new Vice-King having taken his Instructions and Leave from the Emperor departed from Vienna and made his Entry into Cassovia on the 22 d â—ay of March with Acclamations and universal Contentment of the People Great was the expectation which the World conceived of the wisdom and good conduct of this new Vice-King as the only person who was able to appease the Disturbances and compose the Disorders of that Kingdom And indeed he so well behaved himself together with the Sovereign Council over which he presided that Justice took its course the Poor were relieved from the Oppression of their unmerciful Lords and a stop given to the proceedings of those wickednesses which in the Licentious times of War had passed without punishment All orders of Men began now to yield due obedience to their Superiours Innocence was protected and Offences punished the Soldiers lived under the good Discipline of their Officers and the Citizens in good Correspondence with the Soldiers Many wholsome Laws were made for the benefit of the People and for their Security from the violence of the Army especially in their Marches And above all the Vice-King endeavoured to reconcile the affections of the Malecontents by his gentleness and moderation towards them But what the Civil Magistrates acted in order to a composure and setlement was disturbed and over-thrown by the Ecclesiastical Courts whose business being to extirpate Heresie as they called it thy proceeded by methods agreeable thereunto which were to take away their Churches Seize and Imprison their Pastors and Teachers and prosecute the People with the severity of their Courts The which Persecutions so exasperated the Spirits of the Protestants against the Emperor and his Government that the Fire of War which had for some time been cover'd with Embers was ready to break out into a more violent Flame than before For now the Protestants were encouraged by an Alliance they had made with the Transilvanians and by the Protection which the Turk had promised to give them within his Dominions notwithstanding the assurances formerly made to the Emperor by the Vizier to the contrary The Transilvanians pretended a quarrel for recovery of the Counties of Zatmar and Zambolich belonging to their Principality which the Prince Ragotski had without right yielded to the Emperor The Turks declared themselves offended by the daily Hostilities committed by the Imperialists who pursuing the Malecontents within their Dominions did not abstain from those Violences which are usually practised in an
pry into the Secrets of the Empire Hereof the Cham having had some Intimation and seeing the Disorders arising in the Court and fearing to be sent away he desired to be dismist pretending that his Presence was necessary in his own Country he took leave of the Sultan at a Solemn Audience and being richly presented he began his Journey homewards being accompanied out of Adrianople by the Grand Vizier After the Departure of the Cham the Grand Vizier's Wife who was Sister to the Grand Seignior was forbidden the Court which was an evident demonstration that her Husband was not likely to continue long in that Office. The Heer Heemskirk who had been sent to the Assistance of Monsieur Coâ—yer Ambassador for the States-General at Constantinople for management of the Peace between the Emperor and the Turks or rather for want of an English Ambassaâ—or the two former Sir William Hussey and Mr. Herbert being both Dead At that time the Turks seeming inclinable to a Peace King William thought it not fit to let pass this Opportunity for want of an Ambassador from England but rather qualified Monsieur Heemskirk then at Vienna with the Title of English Ambassador to the Grand Seignior of which we have formerly made some mention the which had currantly passed with the Turks had not the French discovered the matter and declared that this Heemskirk was no English Man nor no Minister of the King of Enland but a German and one under Notion of an Ambassador sent for a Spy to deceive the Turks Upon which Insinuation Heemskirk was not able afterwards to treat with the Turks nor would they accept of any Propositions from him or acknowledge him for a publick Minister but committed him to Custody and kept him under a strict Guaâ—d and so was detained for some Months until the Lord Paget was sent to supply the Office of a true and undoubted Ambassador at which time Heer Heemskirk was called to Audience and had his Dismission Upon Departure Heemskirk said He was sorry that his Endeavours for putting an end to this Bloody War had been unsuccessful To which the Vizier answered That Peace would be when God pleased and was not at the Pleasure and Will of Man And so without saying any thing more material Heemskirk was dismissed and began his Journey from Adrianople towards Belgrade on the 2d of March. During these Matters great were the Disorders at Court the Grand Vizier grew weary of his Office and would gladly have been rid of it could he have done it with safety and Name his Successor and in the mean time his Wife endeavoured to accommodate Matters between her Husband and the Kuzlir-Aga Notwithstanding which Differences and the great Animosities yet they slackned nothing of their Diligences to be early this Year in the Field and accordingly Commands were issued out to dispose all things thereunto And an Aga was sent to Walachia for 500 Horses to carry Flour to Belgrade The French Ambassador perswaded the Turks to open their Campaign this Year by way of Transylvania and to induce them to follow his Advice he assured them that his King would have an Army this Year in Germany of 100000 Men but the Turks never gave much Credence to the Boastings of the French whom they commonly styled with the Name of Yalangi Francos And to second this Opinion of the French the Nogay Tartars who were setled in a Part of Moldavia made an Incursion through that Province into Transylvania and took from thence about 6000 Captives and a considerable Booty These Nogay Tartars were called into those Countries by the Tartar Han to succour and assist him at the time when the Moscovites came against Crim and were then placed with their Families in good Numbers about Budziac and part of Moldavia the Prince of which made Complaint to the Grand Seignior that being deprived of a great part of his Country by his new come Guests the Provinces were entirely ruined and the People no longer able to support the Charge and pay their Tribute But this Complaint having but little Effect the whole Blame of these Miscarriages were attributed to the ill Conduct of the Grand Vizier for which cause he was Deposed and the Embrahor or Master of the Horse was sent to demand and receive the Seals from him and the Chimacam of Adrianople employed to Seal up his House Hereupon the Deposed Vizier obtained by the assistance of Friends a Hattesheriffe or Royal Command from the Grand Seignior to return towards his Government of Tripoli de Soria without molestation for which he gave the Messenger that brought it five Purses of Money Notwithstanding which a Capigi with several Bostangees were dispatched after him to bring him back and having overtaken him he was committed Prisoner between the Ports from whence very few escape with their Lives nor did he long survive his Estate being all seized and confiscated to the Use of the Sultan Another Capigi-Basha was likewise sent to fetch the Head of Ali Pasha who was Great Vizier before this last Deposed Vizier Likewise about the same time the Kahya of Osman Pasha the lately deceased Chimacam of Adrianople was put under Arrest and his Master's Money Jewels and Goods with his own were demanded to bring Money into the Seraglio But before we proceed any farther it may not be from our Purpose to deâ—lare an Action which happened in the Port of Smyrna in the Month of March a follows One Capt. Hely Commander of a Merchant's Ship of 30 Guns having brought some Goods to Smyrna from Legorne and finding no Goods that presented for a Voyage back again he resolved to seek his Fortune in some other Port The same Morning Captain Marine a French Merchant-Man and Captain Teissere another French Man weighed also and accompanied the English Ship half way to the Castle where they remained a Back-stays for several Hours and seeing Captain Hely turning out watched an Opportunity to bear down upon him which Hely endeavouring to avoid all that was possible could not yet hinder the French Man from falling foul of him by which he broke his Sprit-sail Yard and Jack-staff and presented many Musquets and Pistols at the Men to provoke them to Fight or commit some rash Action to the Breach of the Peace in the Grand Seignior's Port but Captain Hely managed his Business with such Moderation and Courage that he saved the King's Jack and took it in and then hoisted it again and the French cutting some of their own Mizen-Shrouds Hely got clear and Sailed away towards the Castle with a good part of the French Man's Colours being foul of a Block That Night Hely having procured Materials to repair his Damage sailed away and the next Day got within five Miles of Murine Rowing to come up to him which he did near Cape Caraborno and there engaged him and after four Hours Fight in which Hely fired above 200 of his Cannon he took the French Ship which was
was easily to be gathered how bloody a siege this was unto the Turks forasmuch as all those Bodies were the Bodies of men of good account and place for the Bodies of such common Souldiers as were slain they still threw into the River running by The Fort newly built upon the Bank of Danubius much troubled the besieged Turks in Strigonium because nothing could without danger of it be sent up the River for their Relief Wherefore they by fit Messengers sent word out of the Castle to the Admiral of the Turks Gallies lying below in the River That he should at an appointed time come up the River 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 Town would be likewise ready to sally out and to assail it indeed on the other side by Land. The Admiral accordingly came up the River with his Gallies and by discharging of certain great pieces made shew as if he would on that side have battered the Fort but was so welcomed thereout that he was glad with his rent Gallies quickly to fall down the River again further off out of danger But whilst the thundering shot was thus flying too and fro towards the River they of the Town sallying out assaulted the Fort on the other side toward the Land and that with such desperate Resolution that some of them were got up to the top of the Rampiers and there for the space of two hours maintained a most cruel fight wherein many of them were slain and wounded and the rest enforced with shame to retire The Christians thus still lying at the siege and intentive to all Occasions partly by their Espials and partly by such as they had taken Prisoners understood that a new supply both of Men and Victuals was shortly to be put into Strigonium and therefore sent out certain Companies of Souldiers who lying in two convenient Places the one upon the River the other by Land might intercept the said supply Both which Places were before by the provident Enemy possessed who suddenly assailing the Christians coming thither and fearing no such matter slew some of them and put the rest to flight who nevertheless in their retreat brake the Bridge which the Turks had made of Boats under the Castle of Strigonium over Danubius Of which Boats some were carried away with the Violence of the Stream and of the rest thirty fell into the hands of the Christians without loss of any man more than five who making too much haste out of a little Boat fell into the River and so perished In this time Fame the fore-runner of all great Attempts had brought News into the Christian Camp That Sinan Bassa the Turks great General was coming to the relief of Strigonium of whose Power divers diversly reported But the greater part doubting the worst and weary 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 seem the greater certain it is that the News of the coming of so great and puissant an Enemy raised many a troubled thought in the Minds of so great a Multitude Now were the besieged Turks in great wants in Strigonium as appeared by Letters intercepted from the Sanzack to the Bassa of Buda declaring unto him the hard estate of the besieged and humbly craving his promised help without which the City could not for want of Victuals possiâ—ly be defended by the fainting Souldiers above three days Which Letters being read in the Camp caused great Preparation to be made for the continuing of the siege and the withstanding of the Enemy whose coming was every hour expected All this while the great Ordnance never ceased on either side whereby many were slain as well of the Christians as of the Turks and amongst others many of the Canoneers But forasmuch as the rife Fame of Sinan Bassa's coming increased daily and the Christian Camp possessed with a general fear gave unto the wise just Suspition of some great Mischief likely to ensure Matthias the General entered into Counsel with County Ferdinand Hardeck the Lord Palfi the Lord Vngenade President of the Counsel for the Wars and Erasmus Eraun Governour of Comara What was the best to be done in so dangerous a time Who with general consent agreed betimes before the coming of Sinan to raise the siege and to remove with the Army into some place of more safety Which their determinate Resolution the day following being the six and twentieth of Iune they made known to the other Princes and great Commanders in the Army who wonderfully discontented therewith especially the Germans both openly by word and solemnly by writing protested against the same as most dishonourable and altogether made without their Knowledge or good likeing To whom the President of the Counsel for their further Satisfaction declared That the Enemy was coming with a very great Army and even now at hand whose strength encreased daily and with what Power he had purposed to assail them in their Tents was uncertain besides that it was manifestly know unto the World how that in the former asâ—aults they had lost many of their best Souldiers beside others that died in the Camp and that the Place wherein they lay encamped was subject to many dangers for which so urgent Causes the General had resolved to raise his siege and before the coming of so strong an Enemy to remove his Army into a place of more safety Which Reasons for all that did not so well satisfie the German Princes and Commanders but that they still urged their former Protestation requesting his Excellency to have them excused before God and the World if they yielding to his Command as to their General did that which they thought not altogether best and which they would not otherwise have done For the more Evidence whereof the said German Princes and great Commanders caused their said Protestation to be solemnly conceived in Writing which they affirmed with their Seals and subscribed with their own hands in order as followeth Francis Duke of Saxony Augustus Duke of Brunswick Sebastian Schlick County Wig and Malâ—zan Ernestus of Aâ—â—tan Henry Phlugk Iohn Nicholas Ruswormb Henry Curwigger Heerrath Iohn Oberhausan Henry Rottcirch Melchior of Nothwith But the Arch-duke with the rest constant in their former Resolution first sent away the great Ordnance and raising the siege the 28 th of Iune followed after with the whole Army passing over Danubius not far from Kokara doubtfully expecting what course Sinan the great Bassa who was then reported to be even at hand would take Yet before their departure they set the old Town on fire and raised the Fort St. Nicholas before taken from the Enemy which they had once purposed to have kept This unexpected departure of the Christians much gladded the besieged Turks who for want of Victuals had not been able long
to have holden out Yet lay the Lord Teuffenbach still at the siege of Hatwan labouring by all means to take from the besieged Turks their Water and with Earth and Faggots to fill up their Ditches which work he had now happily brought to some good Perfection Whereof they in the Town by Letters advertised the Bassa of Buda and that except they were within the space of three days relieved they should be enforced to yield the Town Which their distress the Basâ—a considering with speed assembled all his Forces and so set forward to relieve them hoping to have come upon the Christians before they were aware of his coming But Teuffenbach understanding thereof with five thousand chosen Horsemen went out of the Camp to meet him and suddenly coming upon him fearing no such thing slew five thousand of the Turks put the Bassa to flight and together with the Victory obtained an exceeding rich Prey Now was there no less expectation and hope of the winning or yielding up of Hatwan than was before of Strigonium but according to the chance of War it fell out otherwise For Teuffenbach having with continual battery laied the breaches fair open and made choice of such Souldiers as he thought meetest for the assault was in the performing thereof so notably repulsed by the Turks that he was glad to retire with the loss of his best and most resolute Souldiers which put him out of all hope of taking the Town by force For beside the loss of these good men he had scarce so many sound men left as might suffice to furnish his Garrisons for defence of those Frontiers by reason that the Hungarians were almost all shrunk home and of the Germans were left scarce two thousand Besides that he had oftentimes craved new Supplies of the Arch-duke but all in vain for which Causes he was glad to abandon two strong Forts he had built before Hatwan and to leave the Town now brought to great Extremity Thus two notable Cities which were now as it were in the hands of the Christians and by the recovery whereof the brâ—ken state of the afflicted Christians in Hungary had been much strengthned were as it were again restored unto the barbarous and cruel Enemy Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of Strigonium and Hatwan the Rascians of whom we have before spoken striving still more and more to rid themselves from the Turkish Thraldom gathered themselves together to the number of fifteen thousand between Buda and Belgrade under a General of their own chusing For fear of whom the Bassa of Temeswar with an Army of fourteen thousand went to fortifie and victual Lippa doubting lest it should by them be surprised but having done that he went for in his return he was met with by the same Rascians and twice fought withall in one day and both times put to the worse with the loss of the greatest part of his Army After which Victory the Rascians took Beczkerek a strong Town standing in a Marish four miles from Belgrade and slew all the Turks they found therein After that they took a Castle called Ottadt and dealt with the Turks in like manner From thence they went and besieged Beche a Castle standing upon the River Tibiscus or Teise where the Town adjoyning unto it yielded presently but they in the Castle standing a while upon their Guard offered at last to yield also upon certain Conditions But the Rascians knowing that the Turks thereabouts had conveyed into the Castle the best part of their Walth and withal that it was but weakly manned would accept of no Conditions but needs have it absolutely delivered up to their Pleasure In the mean time the old Bassa of Temeswar and his Son knowing it to tend to their dishonour to suffer this base People so to rage at their pleasure about them gathered together 11000 Turks and so in great haste came to relieve the besieged Castle Upon whom the Rascians turned themselves and in plain Battel overthrew the Bassa and so pursued the Victory that of those 11000 Turks scarcely escaped 1000 the Bassa himself being there slain and with him three Sanzacks his Son escaped by flight In this Battel the Rascians took 18 great pieces of Artillery and not long after took also Wersetza and Luâ—z two strong places After which so happy Success they sent unto the Arch-duke Matthias for Aid but especially for Canoneers professing themselves now utter Enemies unto the Turks The Rascians also about Temeswar sent word unto the other in the Camp that they would come and joyn with them and they which inhabit the Country between the River Danubius and Tibiscus by Messengers sent of purpose unto the Lord Teuffenbach the Arch-dukes Lieutenant in the upper part of Hungary offered in short time to send him ten or twelve thousand men so that he would receive them and their Country into the Emperours Protection which he easily granted them and thereof assured them by writing And to the Arch-duke himself they sent also their trusty Messengers requesting him to send them a General to lead them promising unto him all Obedience which Messengers departing from them the fourteenth of Iune shortly after returned with such answer as was thought most convenient for their present State. Thus against the coming of Sinan was Hungary almost all on a broil The Emperour long before distrusting the Turks purpose for War and well considering what a difficulty it would be for him with his own Forces only to withstand so puissant an Enemy as Amurath had by his Ambassadors prayed Aid of divers Christian Princes but especially of them of the Empire as those whom this War concerned most Wherefore he after the antient and wonted manner of his State in so common and imminent a danger appointed a general Assembly of the Princes and States of the Empire to be holden at Ratisbone in the latter end of February which for sundry urgent Causes was put off until March and again until April and so afterward until May. At which time the Emperour in Person himself with the Princes Electors and other the great States of the Empire being met together with great Pomp at Ratisbone and solemnly assembled in the Bishops Palace began there to sit in Council the second of Iune Unto which Princes and States so assembled after that the Emperour had first by the Mouth of Philip County Palatine of the Rhine given great thanks for their so ready appearance and briefly declared the Cause of their Assembly he himself after some complaint made of the Turkish Infidelity in express words declared unto them how that he by his Ambassador then lying at Constantinople had in the year 1591 made a League for eight years with the present Turkish Sultan Amurath which League Amurath himself had approved and confirmed and thereof sent him publick and solemn Instruments wherein it was provided That no hostility should be on either side during that time attempted And