fetch in such booty of Horses or Cattel as they should find near unto the Emperors Camp and withal commanded them that being charged by the Imperials they should forthwith retire so to draw them out of their Trenches into the place where the King with the greatest part of his Army lay covertly to intrap them Which the Scythians well acquainted with such service so well performed under the leading of one Cozus their General that having once or twice drawn their Enemies unto some light skirmishes and so retyring and ere long again with a greater number returning they at length cunningly drew the Emperor with all his Army in hope to do some great matter upon them even as they wished into the place where the King with his Army lay in wait among the Woods and Mountains for them where they wearied and out of breath with the former pursuit and now on every side beset with fresh Enemies were overthrown with a great slaughter In which conflict to increase the loss Baldwin the Emperor himself was taken and sent Prisoner in bonds to Ternoua where afterwards by the commandment of the barbarous King he was most cruelly put to death having his Hands and Feet cut off and so dismembred was cast out into a deep Vally where he yet lay miserably breathing three days after and so died leaving his body as fortunes scorn for a Prey unto the wild Beasts and Birds of the Air no Man vouchsafing to bury it Thus perished this worthy Prince for his Virtues commended even of the Greeks themselves being about the age of three and thirty years and not having reigned yet a full year in the year of our Lord 1206. year 1206. The Victory thus gained and the City relieved the barbarous King with his savage Souldiers having tasted the wealth of the Latines overthrown in the late Battel and the pleasures of Thracia now subject to their Lust greedily pursued their good fortune without respect of all humanity the open Country they overran spoyling whatsoever came to hand the rich and famous Cities they rifled and afterward rased them down to the ground namely Serrae Philipolis Apri Rhedestum Perinthus Daonium Arcadiopolis Mesena Zurulus and Athyra the Citizens and Country People fled into the Cities for refuge they put all to the Sword without respect of Age Sex or Condition except some few whom they carried away with them Prisoners so that of all the Provinces of that rent and ruinated Empire the Country of Thrace was most miserable as first spoyled by the Latines and now laid desolate by the Bulgarians and Scythians Only some few of the strongest Cities as Didymotichum and Adrianople valiantly defended by the Greeks and Latines escaped this fury of the Barbarians all the rest that fell into their hands being laid wast and desolate In this so troubled a State of the new erected Empire of the Latines in Constantinople the Latines made choice of Henry the late Emperor Baldwins Brother as of all others the fittest to succeed him in the Empire who aided by the Marquess now King of Thessaly and the other Latine Princes notably repulsed the Barbarians and leâ—t them not until that at length he had recovered from them all such Towns and Cities as they had before taken and driven them quite out of the Country and so well established himself in his new Empire But to leave this dismembred Empire now in the hands of many and to come nearer to our purpose Alexius Angelus the Usurper driven out of the Imperial City by the Latines to save himself fled into Thessaly and from thence unto Leo Scuruâ— then a man of great Fame among the Greeks who tyrannising at Nauplus as had his Father before him was in these troublesome times grown greater by surprising of the two famous Cities of Argos and Corinth by whose means he cunningly entrapped Alexius Ducas sirnamed Murzufle the Traitor and for a secret grudg not commonly known put out his Eyes himself an exiled man being a most heavy Enemy unto the other also exiled and himself thrust out of the Empire a deadly Foe unto the other oppressed with the like calamity Shortly after which loss of his Sight he was by chance taken by the Latines and so brought back to Constantinople where he was for murdring the young Emperor Alexius worthily condemned unto a strange and horrible kind of death for cast off from an high Tower and tumbling Heels over Head downward he was with the weight of himself and violence of the Fall crushed all to pieces and so miserably died a death too good for such a Traitor Not long after it fortuned also that Alexius himself wandering up and down in Thracia was by the Marquess of Mont-Ferrat going against Scurus taken and stript of his great Treasure and whatsoever else he had and so sent away naked long time after in beggars Estate wandred about in Achaia and Peloponesus now far unlike that Alexius which sometime proudly reigned in Constantinople but such is the assurance of evil gotten Honour He hearing that Theodorus Lascaris his Son-in-Law reigned in Asia and there held the State of an Emperor rejoyced not thereat as a kind Father-in-Law but inwardly grieved thereat as an Enemy sorry that any other but himself should be honoured with the Title of the Greek Emperor in which malicious humor he sailing out of Greece into Asia over the Aegeum came secretly unto the Turks Sultan Iathatines his old acquaintance then lying at Attalia which famous City he had not long before taken from the Christians unto whom he declared his heavy Estate and how his Empire had been rent from him as well by the Greeks as the Latines requesting that by his means he might be restored again into some part thereof especially that in the lesser Asia which was by Theodorus Lascaris together with the honour of the Greek Emperor unjustly as he said detained from him This Iathatines now Sultan of Ieonium was the younger Son of Sultan Aladin who not long surviving his Brother Cai-Chosroe left his Kingdom unto his two Sons Azadin and Iassadin of the Greeks called Azatines and Iathatines where long it was not but that these two Brethren falling out for the Sovereignty which admitteth no Equality Iathatines was by Azatinâ—s his Elder Brother driven into Exile and for the safeguard of his life glad to flie unto this Alexius then reigning at Constantinople by whom he was honourably entertained and as some write converted and baptised But Azatines the Sultan shortly after dying this Iathatines returnning home again and renouncing the Christian Religion was by the Turks received for their Sultan of whom the Emperor Alexius in like extremity now craveth Aid The Sultan not forgetful of his own Troubles before passed or of the kindness he had received and moved with the pitiful Complaint of his old Friend together with his large Offers besides that he was in hope to share out some good part of whatsoever he got
having raised a most puissant Army of two hundred thousand fighting men and aided by the Armenians and Georgians passing over the Mountain Amanus into Syria not far from the City Hama met with Melcenasar the Egyptian Sultans Lieutenant with a mighty Army whom he overthrew in a great and mortal Battel wherein forty thousand of the Egyptians are reported to have been slain and so drave him quite out of Syria sending Molais one of his Captains with part of his Army to puâ—â—ue him who never left him until he had chased him over the desart Sands into Egypt The victorious Tartar after this Battel took the City of Hama where lighting upon the great Treasures of the Sultan he bountifully divided it together with the Spoil amongst his Souldiers reserving nothing thereof unto himself more than a Sword and a Casket full of secret Letters The Egyptians thus put to flight he without resistance took in most of the Cities of Syria with the City of Ierusalem also which in many places by the Turks and Egyptians defaced he again repaired and together with the Temple of our Saviour gave it to the Armenians Georgians and other Christians repairing thither out of Cyprus Crete and other places to inhabit And having himself honoured the holy places with great gifts returned with his Army to Damasco which was forthwith delivered unto him But lying there with purpose in Autumn following to have gon into Egypt and to have utterly destroyed that Kingdom he was certified of new troubles arising in Persia and some other parts of his Empire for repressing whereof he with the greatest part of his Army returned himself into Persia leaving one Capcapus Governour of Damasco who after the overthrow of the Sultans Army had revolted unto him and Molais of whom we have before spoken Governour of Ierusalem commanding them at his departure to re-edifie the City of Tyre and to send Embassadors unto the Christian Princes of the West to joyn in League with them for the more sure holding of those new gained Countries And so Tyre was indeed repaired as he had commanded and delivered to the Christians with a convenient Garrison for the keeping thereof but the Embassadors coming to the proud Bishop Boniface the Eighth then Pope whom of all others it beseemed to have furthered their buisiness they could of him obtain nothing but returned as they came For he at the same time fallen out with Philip the French King thundering out his Excommunications discharging his Subjects of their Loyalty and so much as in him was depriving him of his Kingdom had given the same unto Albertus Duke of Austria whom he had declared Emperor whereof arose great troubles Besides that he being of the Guelphes Faction was not in any thing more careful than of the utter extinguishing of the contrary Faction of the Gibellines especially of the most honourable Family of the Columnij of whom some he had slain some he had deprived of their honours some he had imprisoned and driven other some into Exile so that thus wickedly busied for the maintenance of his own proud Estate he had no leisure to further the good of the Christian Common-Weal which his intollerable pride and forgetfulness of duty long escaped not the revenging hand of God being when he thought least suddenly taken prisoner at his Fathers house in the City of Anagnia where he was born by Sara Columnius his mortal Enemy whom but lately before redeemed out of a Pirats Gally the French King had sent for that purpose with one Longaret or as some call him Nogaret a French Knight by whom the proud Prelat brought to Rome in the Castle of S. Angelo within five and thirty days after most miserably died in his madness as some report renting himself with his Teeth and devouring his own Fingers This worthy Tartar Prince Cassanes by whom the Christian Common-Weal might have again risen in Syria and the Land of Palestine had not the pride of the great Bishop and the dissention of the Christian Princes hindred the same was as Aitonus writeth who was present in this War following his Uncle the Armenian King a man of a very short Stature and exceeding hard Favour but with Valour Bounty and other Vertues of the Mind plentifully recompencing what wanted in the Feature of his Body After whose departure into Persia Capcapus Governour of Damasco considering that the power of the Tartars there left was not great and that no aid was to be expected from the other Christian Princes of the West to recompence his former Treason of revolting from the Sultan with a new revolt from the Tartar rose up into open Rebellion drawing after him not only the City of Damasco but the greatest part of Syria also Whereof Molais Governour of Ierusalem understanding was about to have gone against him with his Tartars but advertised by his Espials that Capcapus in this his Conspiracy had compacted with the Egyptian Sultan also perceiving himself too weak to withstand so great a power retired with his Tartars into Mesopotamia there expecting new Supplies both from Cassanes and the King of Armenia Of whose departure out of Syria the Egyptian Sultan understanding came directly with his Army to Ierusalem which he took being forsaken of the Inhabitants and prophaned the Temple sparing only the Sepulchre of our Saviour at the humble suit of the Religious making there a greater shew of Devotion than of Cruelty After that he won all the other lesser Towns which the Tartars had either kept for themselves or given to the other Christians and utterly rased all the Forts of the Hospitalers and Templars which valiant men without other help for the space of almost a year held out against the Tyrant in which time most of them were honourably slain the rest that were left alive being taken by the Enemy had nevertheless leave given with bag and baggage in safety to depart having before by solemn Oath for ever abjured the Country of Syria and so these worthy men the great ornaments of the Christian Common-Weal the Hospitalers and Templars which to the utmost of their power had by the space of three hundred years right worthily defended both the Christians and the Christian Religion against the Infidels in Syria and the Holy Land were now for ever driven out thence about the year of our Lord 1300 year 1300. to the great dishonour of all Christendom Wherefore with them now taking our leave of Syria and the Holy Land leaving the same in the possession of the Egyptian Sultan and the Mamalukes although it were shortly after like enough to have been again recovered from them by the Tartars had not the death of the great Tartar Prince Cassanes and their domestical troubles letted we will again return to the troubled Affairs of the Turks in the lesser Asia whither the course of the time had somewhat before called us with the occurents thereof more proper to our purpose and the argument we
Ministers of his Wickedness who had now oftentimes in their mouths that saying of the Poet Est mala res multos dominarier unicus esto Rex Dominusque An evil thing it is to be ruled by many One King and one Lord if there be any And that the old age of an Eagle was better than the youth of a Lark So by the general consent of that wicked Assembly unworthy the name of a grave Council a Decree was made That Alexius should as a man unfit to Govern the State be deprived of all Imperial Dignity and commanded to live a private life Which disloyal Decree of the Conspirators was yet scarcely published but that another more cruel came out of the same Forge That he should forthwith be put to death as one unworthy longer to live For the execution of which so horrible a Sentence Siephanus Hagiochristophorites one of the chief Ministers of Andronicus his Villanies and by him promoted even unto the highest Degrees of the Honours of the Court with Constantinus Trypsicus and one Theodorus Badibrenus Captain of the Tormentors were sent out who entring his Chamber by night without compassion of his tender age or regard of his Honour or Innocency cruelly strangled him with a Bow string which detestable murther so performed Andronicus shortly after coming in spurned the dead body with his foot railing at his Father the late Emperor Emanuel as a forsworn and injurious man and at his Mother as a common Whore. The head was forthwith struck off from this miserable Carkass the mirror of Honours unstability and left for the monstrous Tyrant to feed his eyes upon the body wrapped up in Lead was in a Boat carried to Sea by Io. Camaterius and Theodosius Chumenus two of Andronicus his noble Favorites who with great joy and glee returned with the same Boat to the Court as if they had done some notable Exploit But long continueth not the joy of the Mischievous Vengeance still following them at the heels as it did these two who not long after with the rest that conspired the innocent Emperors death all or most part of them came to shameful or miserable ends Thus perished Alexius the Emperor not yet full fifteen years old in the third year of his Reign which time he lived more like a Servant than an Emperor first under the command of his Mother and afterwards of the Tyrant which brought him to his end Who joyeth now but old Andronicus made young again as should seem by his new gained Honours for shortly after the murder committed he married Anne the French Kings Daughter as some report before betrothed to young Alexius a tender and most beautiful Lady not yet full eleven years old an unfit Match for three score and ten And in some sort as it were to purge himself and his Partakers of the shameful murther by them committed and to stop the mouths of the people he by much flattery and large promises procured of the Bishops a general Absolution for them all from the Oath of Obedience which they had before given unto the Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son Which obtained he for a while had the same Bishops in great Honour and shortly after in greater Contempt as men forgetful of their Duties and Calling After that he gave himself wholly unto the establishing of his Estate never reckoning himself thereof assured so long as he saw any of the Nobility or famous Captains alive that favoured Emanuel the late Emperor or Alexius his Son of whom some he secretly poysoned as Mary the Emperor Emanuels Daughter with her Husband Caesar some for light occasions he deprived of their sight as he did Emanuel and Alexius the Sons of that noble Captain Iohn Comâ—enus Andronicus Lapardus whose good Service he had oftentimes used Theodorus Angelus Alexius Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels base Son some he hanged as Leo Synesius Manuel Lachanas with divers others some he burnt as Mamalus one of the Emperor Alexius his chief Secretaries all men of great Honour and place For colour whereof he pretended himself to be sorry for them deeply protesting that they died by the severity of the Law not by his will and by the just doom of the Judges whereunto he was himself as he said to give place and that with tears plentifully running down his aged Cheeks as if he had been the most sorrowful man alive O deep dissimulation and Crocodiles tears by nature ordained to express the heaviness of the heart flowing from the eyes as showers of rain out of the Clouds in good men the most certain signs of greatest grief and surest testimonies of inward torment but in Andronicus you are not so you are far of another nature you proceed of joy you promise not unto the distressed pity or compassion but death and destruction how many mens eyes have you put out how many have you drowned how many have you devoured Most of the Nobility that favoured the late Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son thus taken out of the way by Andronicus struck such a fear into the rest that for safeguard of their lives they betook themselves to flight some one way some another never thinking themselves in safety so long as they were within the greedy Tyrants reach whereof shortly after ensued no small Troubles to the shaking of the State of the whole Empire Isaac Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels nigh Kinsman took his Refuge into Cyprus and kept that Island to himself Alexius Comnenus Emanuels Brothers Son fled into Silicia and there stir'd up William King of that Island against Andronicus who with a great Army landed at Dyrrachium took the City and so from thence without resistance passing through the heart of Macedonia spoiling the Country before him as he went met his Fleet at Thessalonica which famous City he also took by force and most miserably spoiled it with all the Country thereabout so that he brought a great fear upon the Imperial City it self Unto which so great evils Andronicus intangled with domestick Troubles and not knowing whom to trust was not able to give remedy although for shew he had to no purpose sent out certain of his most trusty Ministers with such Forces as he could well spare For the Majesty of his Authority growing still less and less and the number of his Enemies both at home and abroad daily increasing and the favour of the unconstant people who now began to speak hardly of him declining he uncertain which way to turn himself rested wholly upon Tyranny proscribing in his fear not only the Friends of such as were fled and whom he distrusted but sometimes whole Families together yea and that for light occasions sometime those who were his best Favorites whose Service he had many times used in the execution of his Cruelty so that now no day passed wherein he did not put to death imprison or torture one great Man or other Whereby it hapned that the
Captive Captain of Scamandria lately a man of great account in that Country so near as he could unto the Castle of Abydus offered to set him at liberty if they would surrender their Castle otherwise they should see him cruelly slain before their Faces These Turkish threats nothing moved them of Abydus more than to say That they might if they would cut off his Head seeth him and eat him but the Castle they intended not to deliver The same Captain was afterward by the commandment of Orchanes profered to the Emperor of Constantinople to be redeemed which he refused yet at the last he was ransomed by the Governor of Nicomedia and again set at liberty Accecozza of long time held the Castle of Scamandria yet so continually molested with the Garrison of Abydus and men of War sent from Constantinople that he with his Followers were glad for the most part to live on horseback to be alwaies in more readiness against the attempt of their Enemies The Captain of the Castle of Abydus had at that time a fair young Gentlewoman to his Daughter who as she said chanced to dream what she had happily waking for the most part wished That being fallen into a deep myrie Ditch out of which she could by no means help her self a lusty young Gallant coming by did not help her out but also in friendly made her clean and afterwards apparelled her in rich and costly Attire The danger of this dream much troubled the tender Gentlewoman but the image of the young Gentleman was so well phantasied in her brain that waking she thought she still saw him and sleeping longed sore for what she saw not Thus whilst this young Gentlewoman with great devotion entertained this imaginary man the old gray-headed Turk Accecozza came and with a strong Company besieged her Fathers Castle of Abydus During which Siege this Gentlewoman oftentimes went up into the high Turret of the Castle from whence she might at pleasure see the Martial Deeds on both sides and take full view of all the Enemies Camp. But see the chance as Abdurachman with great Courage and no less Bravery approached near to the Siege of the Castle she thought upon the first sight of him that he was the very man whom she had before dreamed of and whose Idea was in her Heart so deeply imprinted wherefore she fully resolved to perform what she had without witness with her self determined And waiting another time when Abdurachman approached the Castle she cast down to his Feet a Letter written in Greek and made fast unto a Stone which Letter he taking up delivered the same to the General Accecozza Wherein after she had discovered her passionate affection she promised to deliver the Castle into Abdurachmans Power if the Turks would raise their Siege and Abdurachman himself with some few would secretly return to the Castle in the dead time of the night and then follow her direction Accecozza like an old Fox which is â—eldom taken in the trap gave small credit to those loving lines for fear of Treason yet for so much as you are the man said he to Abduracham whom she upon special liking hath made choice of for the purpose will you adventure your Person And he armed with a manly Courage a surer defence than any Armor of proof incited also with hope of Honour Riches and Beauty all worthy prizes for Martial minds said he would undertake the Atchievement of that Exploit if it were his pleasure so Whereupon Accecozza because nothing should be suspected by his sudden departure gave a sharp Assault to the Castle as if he would have taken it by fine force yet in the end retired and presently brake up his Siege as despairing of the winning thereof The Defendants of the Castle thinking themselves delivered of a great danger greatly rejoyced and as in the like case it oftentimes falleth out in their great jollity surcharged themselves that night with excess both of Meat and Drink But Abdurachman at the time in the Letter appointed put himself upon the way with certain select Souldiers and about Midnight came to the appointed place of the Castle where the young Gentlewoman was attending his coming and he by her means was conveyed into the Castle and so by her directed to the Porters Lodge where he slew the Porter being fast asleep and opening the Gates let in his Followers which went directly to the Captains Lodging and there took him Prisoner being before their coming overtaken with Wine and fast asleep Thus was the Castle of Abydus surprised by the Turks from whence they had a fair prospect out of Asia into Europe The Captain with his fair Daughter and the greatest part of the rich Spoil of the Castle was delivered to Abdurachman to be presented to Orchanes at his Court then lying at Neapolis Who wonderful glad of so good news gave the fair Gentlewoman with the greatest part of the Prey to Abdurachman The Posterity of this man as they say yet remains among the Turks Amongst others of the Warlike Captains there was also one Cararachman whose name was so dreadful to them of Constantinople that when their Children cried they would terrifie them to make them hold their peace by saying Cararachman comes Not long after the two valiant aforenamed worthy Captains Cunger-Alpes and Accecozza died After whose death Orchanes made his Sons Solyman and Amurath Lords and Governors of those Countries and Provinces And intending by the perswasion of Abdurachman to besiege Nicomedia he levied a great Army wherewith he took divers small Castles and Forts as he marched towards the City Nicomedia was at that time governed by an honourable Lady Kinswoman unto Andronicus the Emperor of Constantinople but she seeing her City besieged by the Turks and doubting her own Forces not to be able to hold out the Siege by a trusty Messenger offered to yield the City unto Orchanes upon condition That she with so many Citizens as would might in safety depart with their Lives Liberty and Goods which being granted she with so many as would follow her departed out of the City by night taking shipping for Constantinople Orchanes having taken Nicomedia made his Son Solyman Governor of the same The Churches of the Christians he converted unto Turkish Meschitas or Temples The greatest Church being of wonderful Beauty he converted into a Colledge or School for the learned Professors and Students of Mahomets Law which is yet called in Nicomedia Orchanes his School or Colledge And because the Country near unto Nicomedia lying upon the Sea was ever in danger to be spoiled by the Gallies of Constantinople he placed in those Countries divers of his most experienced Souldiers to defend the same appointing to every of them Possessions and Pensions according to their degrees and merit After this Orchanes by the counsel of his Brother Aladin commanded all his men of War to wear white Caps thereby to be known from others which commonly wore red Such
for that he had in time of the Siege shot off the Hand of the Clerk General of the Army brought him into the Town and when they had cut off his Hands and his Nose put him quick into the Ground to the Wast and there for their pleasure shot at him with their Arrows and afterward to make an end of him cut his Throat The Bassa shortly after departing out of Barbâ—ry left Dragut the Pyrat Governour of Tripolis honouring him with the Title of the Sanzack of that place from whence he many years grievously molested the Moors near unto him by Land and the Christians by Sea. The same year 1551. Solyman notwithstanding the five years Peace before taken with King Ferdinand at his going into Persia sent Achomates his Lieutenant in Europe with a great power into Hungary who with Halis the Bassa of Buda invaded the upper part of Hungary and first took the City of Temeswar and contrary to their Faith given slew the Garrison Souldiers after that they took also the Castle of Zolnok forsaken by the Christians and certain other small Castles But laying Siege to Ersaâ— they were partly by the valiantness of the Defendants and partly by the coming on of Winter enforced to forsake the Siege and to get themselves into their Wintering places Queen Isabel King Iohn his Widdow seeing the Turks daily encroaching upon that little they had left her and that she was not able by any means to defend Transylvania against them by the advice of George Bishop of Veradium her old Counsellor agreed with King Ferdinand to deliver unto him the Government of the Country with all the Royal Dignity of Hungary for which she was to have of him Cassovia and a yearly Pension of an hundred thousand Ducats Which agreement made and throughly concluded by Baptista Castalius an Italian whom Charles the Emperor had but a little before sent to aid King Ferdinand the Queen returned into Polonia her native Country and so King Ferdinand by that means obtained almost all the Province of Transylvania and what else the Queen had in Hungary But the Bishop a little before made a Cardinal being suspected by Baptista the Italian that he favoured the Turks Faction more than King Ferdinand and by that means sought to get the Government to himself was by the Italians device suddainly murthred in his own House at Veradium an end good enough for so troublesome a Prelate Halis the Bassa of Buda proud of the good success he had the year before year 1552. understanding that divers of the chief Hungarians had withdrawn themselves into the Castle of Agria purposed in himself with all his power to besiege it and there to take them So aided by Achomates Chasan and other of the Turks Sanzacks and Captains by Solymans appointment ready at his call he came with an Army of thirty five thousand Turks and the tenth of September in the year 1552. encamped round about the Castle where after he had placed his Artillery he began a most furious Battery But doubting to prevail that way he attempted also to undermine the Castle omitting nothing that could be devised for the taking thereof but all in vain for the Hungarians by the good direction of Stephanus Dobus their Captain couragiously endured the Siege and very manfully repulsed the Enemy At length the twenty ninth of September the Enemy with twenty eight Ensigns of select Souldiers gave a fresh assault to the Castle and were by the Defendants enforced shamefully to retire at which time four and twenty Barrels of Gunpowder by mischance caught Fire and besides that it blew up divers Captains and Souldiers did much harm in the Castle to the great dismaying of the Defendants After that the Turks with incredible pertinacy the twelfth of October fiercely assaulted the Castle from morning until night and for desire of revenge and hope of spoil left nothing unattempted for the gaining of the place but were by the greater valour of the Hungarians beaten back and with great loss enforced at last to give over the assault Thus the Bassa nothing prevailing by force attempted by great promises and large offers to have brought them out which he understanding to be nothing regarded and his Letters scornfully burnt brought on his Souldiers again and gave unto them in the Castle a most furious assault but with no better success than before for having lost many of his best Souldiers he was enforced to retire So after he had in vain six weeks besieged the Castle he was glad to raise his Siege and to retire to Pestum After whose departure there was found twelve thousand great Shot wherewith he had battâ—red the Wall. In this Siege six thousand Turks were slain and of the Hungarians but three hundred King Ferdinand glad of this Victory made Stephanus the worthy Captain Vayvod of Transylvania and bountifully reâ—arded the other Captains and Souldiers as they had well deserved Henry the French King who together with his Kingdom had as it seemed received the hereditary Quarrels of Francis his Father against Charles the Emperor had by his Embassador the Lord of Arramont so wrought the matter with Solyman that the more to trouble the Emperor he sent a great Fleet into the Tyrrhenum or Tuscan Sea which in the year 1553 and the year following year 1553. did great harm upon the Coasts of Calabria Sicilia Sardinia as also in the Islands of Elba Corsica Cerbe and Maiorca and such like places on the Frontiers of the Emperors Dominions yet were the Turks in most places notably again repulsed by the people of those Countries The same year Solyman seduced by Roxolana sometime his fair Concubine but then his imperious Wife and Rustan Bassa his Son in Law most unnatuâ—â—lly murthred his eldest Son Mustapha the mirrour of the Othoman Family Which tragical Fact the like whereof both for the treacherous contriving and inhuman execution hath seldom times been heard of I have thought good here in due time to set down in such sort as it is by most credible Writers of that time reported Solyman after the manner of the Othoman Kings who to avoid the participation of their Sovereignty use not oftentimes to Marry but otherwise to satisfie their pleasure with such beautiful Concubines as it pleaseth them to make choice of out of the fairest Captives of all Nations most daintily brought up for that purpose in the Court had by a Circassian Bondwoman a Son called Mustapha who for his wonderful towardliness and rare perfection was amongst the Turks had in such expectation and admiration as that they in nothing accounted themselves more happy than in the hope laid up in him whose noble carriage was such as thereby he so possessed the minds of all Men in general but especially of the Men of War that he was reputed the glory of the Court the flour of Chivalry the hope of the Souldiers and joy of the People Whilst he thus grew encreasing
got into Spain But Gasto was by Pial Bassa upon hope of a great ransom purposely hid out of the way which had like to have wrought his destruction for Solyman having got an inckling thereof by the instigation of Rustan laboured for nothing more than to have Gasto found out so to have a more just occasion for the putting of Pial to death being taken tardy in so manifest a fault But all that labour was spent in vain Gasto being by death taken away but whether by the Plague as some reported or by Pial his means as it were more like lest the truth should be found out is uncertain But certain it was that being with great care sought for by the Duke his Fathers Servants he could never be heard of more So that it was thought Pial for the safegard of his own life not to have spared Gasto his Prisoners life Who nevertherless for a long time lived in great fear and not daring to come to Constantinople took occasion with a few Gallies to wander about amongst the Islands of Aegeum as if he had there something to do but indeed so shunning the sight of his angry Lord for fear he should have been compelled in Bonds to have answered the matter Until at length he appeased at the request of Suleiman Bassa the Eunuch and Solymans great Chamberlain and of Selymus Solymans Son granted him his Pardon in these words well worth the marking out of the Mouth of an Infidel Prince Well have he from me pardon and forgiveness for so great an offence but let God the most just revenger of all villanies take of him due punishment after this life So fully he seemed to be perswaded that no evil deed ought to remain without punishment either in this life or in the life to come There was in this expedition a Colonel of the Turks well acquainted with Busbequius the Emperors Embassador then lying at Constantinople into whose hands in that discomfiture of the Christians by chance was come the Imperial Ensign of the Gallies of Naples wherein within the compass of an Eagle were contained the Arms of all the Provinces belonging to the Kingdom of Spain Which fair Ensign the Embassador understanding him to purpose to give for a Present unto Solyman thought good to prevent the matter and to get it from him which he easily obtained by sending him two Sutes of Silk such as the Turks make reckoning of for it so providing that one of the Imperial Ensigns of Charles the Fifth should not to the eternal remembrance of that overthrow remain still with the Enemies of the Christian Religion This so miserable a calamity received by the Christians at Zerby made that Island before little or nothing spoken of to be ever since famous About this time to end his unfortunate year withal the twenty fifth day of November died Andreas Auria that second Neptune being ninety four year old a Man in his time of great fame and of the greatest Princes of that age had in no small reputation but especially of Charles the Fifth in whose service he did much for the benefit of the Christian Common-weal being for most part imployed in his greatest Wars against the Turks and Moors Yet amongst all the notable things done to his immortal Glory the kindness by him shewed unto his native Country was greatest which oppressed by the French he set at liberty and when he might have taken upon him the sole Government thereof as had divers others before him moderating his desires and respecting the only good thereof appeased the great dissention that had of long reigned therein and established such a form of Government confirmed with so good and wholsome Laws and Orders no Mans liberty infringed as that it hath ever since to his eternal praise in great wealth state and liberty thereby flourished The Turks the year following with their Gallies robbed and spoiled divers places upon the Coasts of Italy Sicily and Malta year 1561. against whom Philip King of Spain sending forth his Gallies by force of Tempest lost twenty five of them the eighteenth day of September together with Mendoza Admiral of that Fleet. Ferdinand the Emperor having with long sute and much intreating obtained Peace of Solyman and being now well stricken in years and careful both of the State of the Empire and of the advancement of his posterity began to deal with the Princes Electors for a choice to be made of a King of the Romans who after his death might without the trouble of Germany succeed him in the Empire commending unto them his Son Maximilian a Prince of great hope then King of Bohemia Whereupon an assembly of the Princes Electors was appointed to be holden at Franckford year 1562. who there meeting at the appointed time with general consent the twenty fourth day of November in the year 1562 chose Maximilian the Emperors Son King of the Romans and with all the accustomed solemnities Crowned him who also the year after was at Presburg the eighth of September with much solemnity Crowned King of Hungary Unto this solemn assembly of the Empire at Franckford Solyman the Turkish Emperor sent Ibrahim Bassa otherwise called Abraham Strozza a Polonian born of whom we have before spoken his Embassador with Presents and Letters to Ferdinand the Emperor to confirm the Peace for eight years betwixt them before concluded who the seventeenth day of November in presence of the Emperor the King of ths Romans and all the Princes Electors had Audience where after much glorious Speech in setting forth his Masters greatness with his love towards the Emperor and his Son the new chosen King as wishing unto them all happiness he delivered his Letters of credence unto the Emperor the Copy whereof I have not thought amiss here to set down for that therein is notably to be seen the most insolent Pride of that barbarous Prince and miserable estate of the rent Kingdom of Hungary divided as it were at his pleasure betwixt him and the Emperor I the Lord of Lords Ruler of the East and of the West who am of power to do and not to do whatsoever pleaseth me Lord of all Grecia Persia and Arabia Commander of all things which can be subject to King and Command the great Worthy of these times and strong Champion of the most wide World Lord of all the White and Black Sea and of the holy City of Mecha shining with the brightness of God and of the City of Medina and of the holy and chast City of Jerusalem King of the most noble Kingdom of Egypt Lord of Ionia and of the City of Athens Senau of the sacred Temple of God Zebilon and Bassio Rethsan and Magodim the Seat and Throne of the great King Nashin Rattam and Lord of the Island of Algiers Prince of the Kingdoms of Tartary Mesopotamia Media of the Georgians Morea Anatolia Asia Armenia Walachia Moldavia and of all Hungary and of many
were not of so much power as to enforce him to fight And that if the Senate which used to do all things warily and with great advisement did but see the weakness of their Gallies wanting both Souldiers and Mariners they would be of another mind He alledged further That they were to wage War in the Enemies Country where there was no Port to receive their Fleet no peaceable place no confederate City nor King to friend whereas the time of the year grew every day worse and worse when as they had neither Harbour to put into neither were able to abide the Sea. And now that Nicosia was lost for the relief whereof they were come so far there was no reason longer for them to stay the Enemy so strongly possessing the Island with his great Army as that there was not any hope to do any good against him And that to keep him from Victual and so to distress him was not possible lying in a most fertil Island and in the midst of his own Dominions whereas they who were to be still relieved from far should sooner feel the want than the Enemy He was victualled as he said when he came from home but for three months in hope to have made a short dispatch and had now two thousand miles home He said moreover that he had express commandment from the King to return to Messina before Winter and that therefore so soon as the month was out he would depart The Venetian Admiral desiring nothing more than by Battel at Sea to overthrow the Turks and so to relieve the distressed Cypriots urged the Spanish Admiral to proceed in the Voyage saying That so great aid was not sent from the Pope and the King only for the relief of Nicosia but to deliver the whole Island from the danger of the Turk Of the same opinion with the Spanish Admiral were divers other great Captains in the Fleet namely Sfortia who said That nothing was to be so done as might rashly exopse unto casualty or power of the Enemy the publick Fortune and Majesty of the Christian Common-weal which was in that Fleet greatly hazarded That longer stay might bring further danger that in that Fleet consisted the whole welfare of the Commonweal wherein more might be lost if any mishap should chance thereunto than was good to be gained by the relieving of Famagusta The great Commanders thus differing in opinions the Council was in a heat dissolved and nothing concluded Upon which so foul a disagreement the Fleet began now to return back again but so that it was not now as before one but three Fleets every Admiral by himself drawing after him his Fleet. Auria the Spanish Admiral who first returned after he had been two days wonderfully with Tempest tossed at Sea came at last to Carpathos and departing thence with much ado arived with his Fleet in the Island of Crete from whence he by a Messenger sent of purpose requested leave of Columnius the Popes Admiral that he might with his good will presently return home Whereunto Columnius answered That he would give him no such leave but rather charged him in the duty he ought to the good of the Christian Commonweal not to depart but to keep company with the rest of the Fleet until it were past Zacynthus that so with their united Forces they might more safely pass by the Enemies Countries whereas otherwise if any thing should by his hasty departure fall out otherwise than well it should be imputed to the dishonour of him that had forsaken his Friends and not of them that were so by him forsaken But unto this Auria answered That the welfare of the Kingdoms of Sicilie and Naples consisted in the safety of this Fleet and that therefore having hast home he could not stay to keep company with their heavy Galleasses and other Ships of burthen which must oftentimes be towed forward This he openly pretended for his departure yet secretly sought as it was deemed to find an occasion whereby to withdraw himself being as he accounted the better Man at Sea from the command of Columnius whereunto he was full sore against his will subject After they had thus a while spent the time with reasoning the matter to and fro Auria of himself without further leave hoised Sail and so at length came to Messina in Sicily neither did Columnius and Zenius stay in those Quarters long after him but having endured much trouble at Sea arrived at last Columnius in Italy and Zanius at Corcyra Thus this mighty Fleet which had all this Summer filled the Mediterranean with all the Countries thereabout with the expectation of some great matter was by the discord of the Generals dissolved having done nothing at all worth the remembrance In this idle expedition many thousands of right valiant Men lost their lives being dead of divers Diseases proceeding of change of Diet and unseasonableness of the Weather in that hot Climat amongst whom was the valiant Count Hieronimus Martinengus sent by the Senate with three thousand Souldiers for the defence of Famagusta who also most of them perished in that Voyage The Venetian Fleet was no sooner arrived at Corcyra but Augustinus Barbadicus was sent from the Senate to discharge Zanius the Admiral of his Office and to send him Prisoner to Venice in whose room was placed Sebastianus Venerius Governour of that Island The Turks Bassaes at Sea certainly advertised of the departure of the Christian Fleet were not a little proud thereof as by the confession of their Enemies their Betters Yet forasmuch as the Seas began then to grow rough and no Enemy appeared they thought it to no purpose to keep the Seas with so great a Fleet and therefore resolved to leave Mustapha with his Army in Cyprus the next year to make an end of his Conquest so happily begun and seven Gallies at Sea before Famagusta that no relief should that way be brought into the City and so to depart themselves with the rest of the Fleet to Winter in more safer Harbours Pial with the greater part of the Fleet to Constantinople and Haly with the rest to the Rhodes And because they would for their greater credit prepare some worthy Present for their great Lord and Master Selymus they fraughted a great Gallion of Muhametes the chief Bassaes and two other tall Ships with the richest of the Spoil of Nicosia and the choice of the Prisoners there taken But when they were now ready to hoise Sail and depart as they were carrying out of the Gallion certain Barrels of Gunpowder which Mustapha the General had commanded for his better provision to be landed a noble Gentlewoman Captive in the Gallion wishing rather to die with honour than to live dishonoured secretly fired the Powder by force whereof the said Gallion with the other two Ships were suddainly rent in pieces and all that was therein blown up into the Air. Of all that were in those three Vessels none escaped
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
made against the other two Drusian Lords their Enemies began to conceive great hope of his intended enterprise for why he saw that nothing could more easily compass their overthrow than this their Discord Being thus accompanied he came by the way of Damasco to the Champaign of Bocca and there incamped This was in the Month of Iuly this year 1585. The whole Army that was with Ebrain reckoning also the Souldiers of the three Drusian Lords was about the number of twenty thousand Horsemen strong In this place there came People out of all the quarters thereabouts with Presents to honour the Bassa to whom he likewise yielded such small Favours as his covetous Nature could afford them From this place also Ebrain presently sent Letters to Serafadin and Ebneman whereby he invited them to come unto him to acknowledge their Obedience unto the Sultan for that otherwise they might assure themselves to be in short time deprived both of their Estates and Lives For all that Man-Ogli would not by any means come in But Serafadin being poor both in Wealth and Forces resolved to come in hope by rich Presents to purchase his Attonement with the great Bassa And therefore having packed up together divers loads of Silk great store of Money and many Cloaths of good Value and Beauty and also attended upon with divers of his Subjects he arrived at last at the Pavilion of Ebrain with these his rich Presents which were there readily received and he himself with great Attention heard whose Speech in effect tended to no other thing but only to perswade the Bassa That he had always been a devoted Vassal unto Amurath and that he had carried a continual desire to be imployed in any his Service and that now being led by the same Affection and assured of his Favour by the friendly and courteous offers made him in his Letters he was come to shew himself unto him to be the same man and so proferred him whatsoever lay in his slender Power to perform Whereunto Ebrain made no answer at all but only asked him the cause why he lived continually in Discord and Brawls with the three Emirs who also sate at that time in the same Pavilion Whereunto Serafadin answered That it was not long of him who as one desirous of Peace had not long time taken up Aâ—ms but in the just defence of himself against the Injuries of those his Enemies who because they were more mighty than he sought continually to oppress him Hereat the three Conspirators arose and with their grim looks bewraying their inward hatred falsly charged him to have been ever the Authority of those Brawls adding moreover That his Insolency was at that time grown so great as that no strange Vessel durst for fear of him arrive at the Ports of Sidon Tyrus or Berito nor any Merchant or Merchandise pass over the Plains but that those Countries as though they were a prey and spoil to the Theeves of Arabia were generally shunned of all Travellors both by Sea and Land to the great hinderance of the Sultans Customs Serafadin would hereunto have gladly replyed but prevented by Ebrain and surcharged with many injurious Words was committed to the Custody of the two hundred Ianizaries of Constantinople And so being by them brought into a rotten Tent that was appointed for him was every Night from thence forward put in the Stocks fast chained and continually guarded with a trusty Guard of the same Ianizaries In the mean time came the answer of Man-Ogli who wrote back unto the great Bassa Ebrain as followeth TO the Lord of Lords Sovereign above the Great Ones the mighty the noble Captain Cousin to the grand Lord and worthiest among the elect of the Prophet Mahomet the noble and famous Lord Ebraim Bassa God give good success to his haughty Enterprises and Prosperity in all his Honour I wish even as thou dost lovingly invite and exhort me that I might come before thee and follow thee and serve thee always in any occasion that it may happen thee to stand in need of my help For I know that thou wouldest rest assured of the Reverence that I bear towards thy Lord and of the most fervent desire wherein I live to serve him and to imploy both my Life and my Substance in his Service whereof I have also given some Testimony though but small in the managing of his Customs that I have received wherein I have always so carried my self as that I am not his Debtor of one aspre a thing I wis that Ebne Mansur who is now with thee hath not done For although by his coming to meet thee even as far as Jerusalem he would make a shew of his Fidelity yet doth he usurp more than two hundred thousand Duckats of the Kings which he doth most unjustly detain from him of his Customs But my hard Fortune will not grant me the Favour that I may come unto thee for there are at this time present with thee three of mine Enemies who I know well being not contented to have always disquieted and troubled my estate do now seek to bring me into so great hatred with thy heart that if thou haddest me in thy hands thou wouldest without any Consideration bereave me of my Life And I am assured that this sending for me importeth no other thing but only a desire thou hast to imprison me and so to kill me for I know how much thou art given to great Enterprises Besides this my coming is also hindered by mine antient Oath that I took when being as yet but a Child I saw mine own Father so villainously betrayed by the murthering sword of Mustapha being at that time the Bassa of Damasco who under the colour of unfeigned Friendship got him into his hand and traiterously struck off his Head. For in truth I carry the Image of my Fathers reverend Head all pale and yet as it were breathing imprinted in my Mind which oftentimes presenteth it self unto me as well sleeping in the Darkness of the Night as also waking in the Light of the Day and talking with me calleth to my remembrance the Infidelity of the murthering Tyrant and exhorteth me to keep my self aloof from the hands of the mighty And therefore I neither can nor may obey thy Requests and in that respect it grieveth me that I shall seem disobedient unto thee being in any other Action and in all my Cogitations wholly addicted to do any Service noâ— only to thee who art most worthy to be reverenced of far greater Persons than I am but also to every the least Vassals of Amurath Thou wilt pardon me I hope and thou shalt well perceive that if there be any thing near me that may be acceptable unto thee all that I have whatsoever though in respect of thy self it may seem vile and base yet is it thine and is now reserved wholly for thee and not for me Farewell and command me and hold me excused upon these just
to go but That they were his Christian Souldiers and Brethren under his leading both of long and late time who never by him deceived of their wonted Pay at such time as it was due would not now as he hoped forsake him And albeit that he well knew them to have deserved at his hands a greater Contentment nevertheless being himself deprived of his Revenue by these late Wars and his Possessions subject every hour unto the Incursions of the Turks could not therefore according to his Desire and their Deserts shew unto them the great good Will he bare them yet now and even presently was come the time wherein they might not only abundantly inrich themselves but also adorn their Heads with an immortal Crown of Glory and make themselves for ever famous by performing the most happy and glorious Exploit that ever was by valiant Souldiers attempted or atchieved in that part of the World. And to the intent that they might know how dearly he accounted of the Life and Honour of every one of them he would therefore himself with the Lord Swartzenburg of whom proceeded all that fair Device and new Stratagem be present with them in the Action and that therefore they were not to think that they were led forth to any private danger farther than their Commanders themselves whose Folly were to be accounted great if rashly and upon no good ground they should adventure their Lives and Honours together whereof they ought not now to doubt having by a thousand Proofs known how much they had been of them always regarded And that therefore it behoved them so much the more to shew their Valour in this piece of Service undertaken for the great benefit of the Christian Commonweal and the Honour of Christ Jesu unto whom they were with one accord to make their Prayers with his mighty hand to strengthen their Hearts and with glorious Victory to bring to happy end the intended Exploit against his Enemies to the honour of his Name and the advancement of the Christian Religion and Faith. At the end of which Speech all the Souldiers cried aloud That they were most ready to do any their Commands and to follow them whithersoever So order was taken that within three hours they should every man be prest and ready with their Arms according to their places and so having well refreshed themselves about eleven of clock the seven and twentieth day of March they in good order began to set forwards toward Rab. But for that the multitude of Souldiers oftentimes giveth the Enemy warning of that is intended against him Palfi gave order to one Iohn Stroine his Serjeant-Major to follow fair and softly after him with 1700 Horse and Foot which he well performed and so upon the break of the day they began to draw towards Rab and there lay close in Ambush all that day until night about seven miles short of the Town refreshing themselves in the mean time with plenty of Victuals which they had brought with them from Komara Night the favourer of Deceit being come in two hours March they began to draw near to Rab and there staid about five hours from whence they sent before them a French Engineer a man of great Judgment with thirteen others before rewarded with 1500 Duckats having with them four Petards Engines of Force to blow up into the Air any thing whereunto they be fastened be it never so great and weighty where by good chance they found the Draw-bridge down and the Portcullis up for that the Turks then casting no Peril expected every hour for certain Waggons with Provision from Alba-Regalis By which good hap the Christians unperceived coming to the Gate and thereunto fastning their Petards in good order gave fire to the same which presently took not hold yet were they not far gone but that they were by a Sentinel descried who demanding what they were was presently answered by the violent Engines which in a trice tore in sunder the Gate with some part of the Wall and of the Fortifications near unto it When now the Watch but all too late began to give the Alarm and the Christians in the foreward thrusting presently in took the Gate none of the Turks yet coming to the defence thereof or to hinder them from entring The first that appeared were 200 Turks which with their wonted Cry Alla Alla in such hideous manner as if they would therewith have rent the Heavens would have staid the Christians from farther entring but were themselves over-charged by 300 which were already entred At which time also the Bassa came on with more than a thousand following him and that with such Courage and Fury as was never greater to be seen in any Turk where after a most terrible Fight maintained by the space of two hours the Bassa himself being slain the Turks began a little to retire whereby a thousand Christians more had leisure to enter when straightway after came Giaffer the great Bassa with above a thousand tall Souldiers following him all the Inhabitants also of Rab running after him and that with such force that they constrained the Christians to retire unto the Gate whereby they entred Who resolved rather honourably to die within the Town than with dishonour to be forced out there with incredible Courage sustained the greatest Impression of the furious Enemy where was to be seen the true Christian Valour for the performance of so great an Exploit well worthy of eternal Memory But this Bassa also the other being dead of a Wound in his Neck encountered by the Lord Swartzenburg after he had in that sharp Conflict shewed great tokens of his Valour was there at length slain also both whose Heads struck off were for a Present afterwards sent to the Emperour at Prague with all the particularities of the whole Action But now the Turks perceiving that all their chief Commanders were slain retired most part of them into the City some 300 of them crept underneath one of the Bulwarks where stood certain Barrels of Gunpowder which they desperately set on fire and so together with themselves blew up three hundred Christians that were above upon the Bulwark the greatest loss the Christians had in all that Victory who were otherwise supposed not to lose therein above two hundred of their men Thus the Turks discomfited and altogether full of fear losing both their Force and Courage fled in every place before the Christians they in every corner making of them a most horrible Slaughter The Turkish Women all this while out of their Windows and other high places ceased not to cast down Stones Timber and such like things upon the Heads of the Christians whom they thought by all means to annoy and to help the Turks The bloody Execution continued all that day until night the Christians still finding one or other hidden in the most secret places of the City upon whom to exercise their Wrath who ransacking also every corner thereof
unto him divers honourable Presents forbidding him nevertheless to invade Moldavia for fear of raising a new and dangerous War against the Polonians also under whose Protection and the Turks the Palatine thereof then rested According unto which Command the Vayvod stayed his intended Expedition yet sending some good part of his Forces unto the Frontiers of Moldavia for fear of Sigismund whom he heard to be hatching some mischief in Polonia and even then to lie upon the Frontiers of that Country Some few months thus passing Husraim Aga a grave reverend old man and much employed by the Turkish Sultan with five other Turks of good account Ambassadors from the great Sultan and a great Retinue following him came to Gronstat in Transilvania where the Vayvod then lay Of whose coming the Vayvod hearing with four thousand Horsemen most bravely mounted went half a mile out of the City to meet them the Foot-men in the mean time on both sides of the Street standing in good order from the Gate of the City whereby they were to enter even unto the Vayvod's Lodging where stood also his Guard all in red and white Silk So meeting in the field they both alighted from their Horses with great reverence saluting the one the other when presently the Ambassador embracing the Vayvod ungirt his Scimiter and in the Name of the great Sultan put another about him so richly garnished with Gold and precious Stones as that no part of the Scabbard was therefore to be seen besides this he presented him with a fair Plume of black Hearns Feathers mixed with some white a right goodly Ornament in form of a great bush which the Vayvod would not in the Field put upon his Head although he were thereunto by the Ambassador most earnestly requested but caused it to be carried before him he also presented him with two very fair red Ensigns in token of the Turks favour and protection the one for himself and the other for his Son Petrasco moreover he gave unto him two exceeding fair Horses richly furnished with four others and a most fair Faulcon The Vayvod himself was most bravely mounted and after the manner of his Country had ten very fair spare Horses led before him At whose Entrance into the Town all the great Ordnance was discharged with great Vollies of small Shot and so the Ambassador still riding on the left hand of the Vayvod being brought to his Lodging had six of his chief Followers every one of them presented with a rich Robe of Cloth of Gold in requital whereof the Ambassador rewarded an hundred of the Vayvod's Followers every one of them with a good suit of Apparel with this Ambassador of the Turks was also the Polonian Ambassador whom the Vayvod in like manner honourably entertained These Ambassadors as was thought did what they might to have drawn this worthy and renowned Man together with the Countries of Transilvania and Valachia from the Emperour unto the Turks Obeisance howbeit he seldom or never spake with them but that either before or after he had Conference with the Lords Vngnad and Zeckel the Emperour's Commissioners concerning their Requests always protesting unto them not to yield to any thing without the Emperour's Consent and good-liking Whereof Mahomet advertised and that he was not by any thing yet said or done to be removed from the Emperour gave him by the same Ambassadors to understand How that he was in some Speech with the Emperour concerning Peace as indeed he then was by Messengers from the Bassaes at Presburg which if it sorted to effect that then it should be well but if not that then it should be good for him whilst yet he had time wisely to consider of his own Estate and to submit himself unto his Protection who was able to defend him rather than for the vain praise of a certain foolish Constancy to adventure himself with all that he had unto most certain Danger and Destruction promising him in recompence of that his Loyalty to give unto him for ever the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia and at his need to furnish him both with Men and Money offering moreover to make him a great Commander in his Army in Hungary and the Bassa of Temeswar as his Friend to be at all times ready with fifty thousand Horse and Foot as need should be to assist him against the Emperour reserving unto himself whatsoever he should more win for him for all which Bounty and Kindness requiring only to have him unto him loyal All which his large offers the Vayvod little regarding declared the same unto the Emperours Commissioners yet still protesting never to start but to stand fast for the Christian Emperour Notwithstanding as a man desirous to better his estate he took hereupon occasion to request of the Emperour the Country of Transilvania by him so lately taken in unto him and his Son in Inheritance for ever with such frontier Towns as in former time belonged unto Transilvania and that whatsoever he should win from the Turks might be his and his Sons He also requested that all the Preferments and Dignities in former time granted by his Imperial Majesty unto Sigismund the late Prince might now be bestowed upon himself and for his Service done to be furnished with Money for the payment of his Souldiers And that the Emperour with the other Princes of the Empire should assure him That if he were taken by the Turk they should ransome him but in case he were by the great power of the Turk driven out of those Countries then by the Emperours appointment to have some convenient Place allotted for him in the upper Hungary to live in with the yearly pension of an hundred thousand Dollars All which his requests if it would please him to grant he promised this year to do so much against the Turk as had not been done in an hundred years before with vaunt that if he had had the Employment of the Money which was spent in the time of this War he would not have doubted but to have brought all the Countries from the Euxine or black Sea to Buda Alba-Regalis and Solnock under the Emperours Obeisance A large promise indeed but hardly to have been performed by a far greater Prince than he Thus whilst things stood in discourse after the Cardinals Death Sigismund the late Prince in the mean time supported by the Polonians with the Aid of the Turks the Tartars and the Moldavians was ready to have invaded Transilvania yea the Tartars as the forerunners of his great power were already entered the Country and had out of the Frontiers thereof carried away some booty Whereof the Vayvod understanding in great haste assembled his forces out of all places which in short time was grown to some good head the Country People together with the free Haiducks an adventurous and resolute kind of Souldiers in great number daily resorting unto him So being now eight thousand strong and most of them
were always making of new Incursions which he was not able to repress without greater Forces which he expected from his Majesty with all speed possible protesting for want of such supply to be in time sent unto him to lay the loss of the Province upon the Negligence of them which might and ought to have sent the same acquitting himself for the loss thereof seeing that he durst not to repose any Trust or Confidence in the Faith of the Citizens and Inhabitants of the Towns although they were disarmed for having so often falsified their Faith and put their Province in danger of utter Ruine and Destruction But leaving these Troubles of Transilvania and Hungary let us a little step back to see what hapned among the Turks themselves after the departure of the great Bassa with his Army out of Hungary Mahomet the great Sultan had as is before declared by great Promises made unto his Rebels sought to appease the Rebellion in Asia and by that means drawn Zellaly one of the chief Rebels with twelve thousand good Souldiers out of Asia into Europe and so into his Wars in Hungary upon an assured promise made unto him of the Government of Bosna the hope whereof as it had drawn him into these late Wars so had it also encouraged him with his gallant Troops of most brave Horse-men to do the best Service he could so to shew himself worthy of so honourable a Preferment which he right notably performed during all the time of the Bassaes Abode in Hungary to his own great Commendation and the furthering of his Lord and Master's Service But the Bassa with his weak Army retired out of Hungary and the Bassa himself returned toward Constantinople Zellaly wâ—th three thousand Horse withdrew himself into his promised Government of Bosna to possess himself thereof and being come near to Bagvalue the chief Town of that Province he there encamped in a fair large Meadow within sight of the City Now Zeffer Bassa then Governour of the Province and not as yet thereof discharged seeing this Rebel thus to incroach upon his Charge as if he would even by force intrude himself thereinto with all speed called together his Garrisons and men of War ever ready at his beck and so went forth against Zellaly with a purpose to have quickly and without any great Trouble cut him with his so small a Company all in pieces But the old Rebel not ignorant either of his own weakness or of the Bassa's strength having himself lost the best part of his Forces before in Hungary as he was a man of no less Wisdom than Courage resolved now to attempt by Policy that which he well knew he could not by force effect Wherefore he as a great Prince upon some brave Resolution began to incamp himself as if he had meant there to have lain when as immediately after upon a fair Night having caused divers great Fires to be made in his Tents as if it had been to beguile the Enemy with he suddenly rose and departed Of whose Flight for so it was like the Bassa understanding and that he had forsaken his Camp hasted thither with all speed with his Souldiers to take and pillage the same not making any other account of him that was so fled and gone but as of a base and faint-hearted Coward who for Fear and want of Courage had left both his Camp and Honour as a Prey unto his Enemies the Spoil whereof the Bassa being possessed of the Camp gave unto his Souldiers who glad of such a Morsel greedily swallowed it up which by and by after became their bane and utter destruction for whilst that they were charging themselves with Booties and every man was thinking of his Prey nothing careful of their common Safety Zellaly with his three thousand Horse all valiant and resolute men suddenly the same Night returning surprised the Turks being fast on sleep as buried in Security and cut them in pieces Some of greater Courage than the rest began to make head and to give some shew of their Valour but overcome with the general Fear out of order and not resolved what to do they were quickly with the rest forced overthrown and slain In this surprise there were of the Bassa's men six thousand found dead upon the Place a very great slaughter to be made by so few men But what cannot valiant Resolution do against carelesness lulled asleep in the lap of Security The Bassa himself escaped by Flight with such as could get out of the Camp to follow him Now Zellaly well knowing how to use his Victory marched in haste to all the chief places of the Province and with his Forces more feared for their Victory than their Number caused all the Inhabitants of those Places with most part of the rest of the People of the Country to swear unto him their Obedience and Fidelity In which doing he gathered together great store of Wealth with a great number of brave Horses for Service all which he put into Balnaluc a strong Town whereinto he in triumphant manner entred with a Crown of Lawrel upon his Head and his Souldiers singing his Praises amidst the smoak of a thousand Pieces of great Ordnance which he caused incessantly to be shot off for the space of two days together giving it out withal amongst all the joyful Feasts and Triumphs made for the magnifying and setting forth of his Praise and Glory That his Resolution was to take part with the Christian Emperour if the great Bassaes or other his Enemies in great place in Court should seek to cross his Desires or to formalize his Actions or Proceedings in this manner of the obtaining of his Government Now Mahomet doubting what this Man so well acquainted with Rebellion would do had by divers Messengers sent for him to Constantinople after the breaking up of the Army in Hungary there of his Imperial and Infinite Bounty to receive the honourable Rewards of his good Service and Valour the greatness whereof he had as he said already understood by Hassan Bassa the General which so bound him to the Reward thereof as that his Desire and Pleasure was to grace him in Court with his own hands for the greater Testimony of the Love he bare him and of the esteem he had of him But the crafty and mistrustful Rebel doubting that these fair Words were all but baits to draw him into his Power to the endangering or assured loss both of his Life and Liberty shut his Ears against these so sweet Charms and as a Man well advised and one which knew that the hand of a Prince justly offended is always open for to punish his rebellious Subjects being once in his Power with as great Justice in punishing him as he with Wrong and Disloyalty offended him would in no wise accept of the offer but civilly answered That he most humbly thanked the Great Sultan for his so great and honourable Offers and that he was
yielded to the Turks a Thousand Crowns every year arising on the Customs thereof Thus ended this Campagne to the Honour and Reputation of the Venetian Arms And the Auxiliary Gallies and Forces returned home having been more diminished by Fatigues and making Incursions into the Land than by slaughter or loss sustain'd from the Enemy The Venetians took their Winter-quarters in several Isles belonging to the Republick Molino Captain extraordinary of the Ships brought back his Squadron to Corsu but General Morosini wintered at Preveza with design to render that place impregnable and to engage the Greeks who are a People of an unconstant Humour to remain steady in that Duty and Faith which they caused them to Swear to the Venetian Republick whilst these things were carrying on some matters of less moment were acted in lighter Skirmishes near Clissa from whence the Turks carried away seven Prisoners but being pursued by the Morlaques they were again rescued by them and forced to quit their whole Booty with the loss of Fifty of their Men killed on the place Seignior Antonio Zeno Proveditor extraordinary of Cataro came to Perasto and pillaged and burnt all the Towns and Villages near Castel Nuovo and hinder'd the Turks from carrying in their Harvest and seized great Stores of Wheat and other Corn which he carried to Clissa To compleat the Successes of this year a Galliot of Dulcigno was taken Commanded by Solyman Reis a famous Corsaire In the Fight Solyman himself with Twenty of Men was killed and Twenty two Christians were Released and set at Liberty whom this Pyrate was carrying into Slavery And now having given a Relation of the Venetian Successes of this year it will be time to return to the German Camp which we left at the Siege before Buda The Siege as we have said being compleatly formed on the 12 th of Iuly a Mine was sprung near the great Tower which thô it had done great effect yet it plainly appeared That the Turks were too strong as yet in the Town to be assaulted at the entrance of any Breach until such time as their numbers were more diminished by a longer Siege On the 14 th the Vizier of Buda called Kara Mahomet died of a Wound which he had received on his Face he was one of the best Officers amongst the Turks Shitan Ibrahim succeeded him in the Government He was a Person very well known to the English Nation which had lived in Turky to which he bore a signal kindness and respect and particularly to that worthy Person Sir Ionathan Dawes with whom he cultivated a Friendship which was extraordinary and unsual for a Turk towards a Christian. When I came first into Turky he was then Testerdar or Lord Tresurer whom I have seen when he was giving out the Pay to the Army to bestow Mony on the Earl of Winchelsea's Pages and Servants who being then Lord Ambassadour Extraordinary to the Grand Seignior was returning from an Audience which he had had with the Grand Vizier He was afterwards Married to the Grand Seignior's Sister and was sent Pasha to Gran Caro which is an Office of the highest Degree amongst the Turks having remained three years in that Employment which is the usual time allowed to that Government he was then recalled and taxed at Six hundred Purses of Money he was forced to lay down one half in ready Money and to pay the other Moiety in a few Days afterwards upon Penalty of being committed to a Prison from whence he had never been delivered but by Death He was afterwards made Pasha of Damascus then of Aleppo and with his Forces was engaged to pass by Sea to the Siege at Candia I remember him at Smyrna when he embarked there and then he told me how grievous it was for him and his Men to leave their Horses than which nothing was more pleasing and dear and to Embark on a Gally and pass the Seas to which he and his Soldiers had never been accustomed Afterwards he was employed in many great Offices to which he had been bred from his Youth and in which he had deported himself with singular Reputation and Esteem being naturally of a frank and a generous Temper He was then about Eighty years of Age and nothing declined but still as Robust and Vigorous as if he were but Forty when he defended Buda and succeeded the Pasha who was killed on the Walls and in this Condition we shall leave him for a year or two until being involved in the Common Fate and Misfortunes of the Turks he yielded to the Destiny which was provided for him On the 16 th of August the Besieged made a Sally and were beaten back with some loss but the next day they had better Fortune and killed many of the Christians as they did also in several other Sallies But to encourage the Christians in this Siege several Deserters escaped out of the Town and to flatter the Party into whose Hands they were fallen they told a thousand Falsities concerning the distresses and wants of the Town But notwithstanding all their Reports it was concluded necessary to open the Breach in the Wall of Buda much wider than it was before to which end the Cannon plaid continually upon that part of the Town where the Assault was to be made But in the mean time to disturb these proceedings the Seraskier Pasha with all the Force of the Ottoman Army appeared often times in sight of the Camp which gave such frequent Allarums that the Duke of Loraine thought fit to draw out a great part of his Army to engage them leaving all the left Wing in the Approaches under Command of Count Staremberg General of the Artillery and with the remainder of the Infantry and all the Cavalry he marched between the upper City and Mount St. Gerard to meet the Seraskier and so soon as the Way opened into the Vally between Buda and Strigonium he discover'd a great Body of Turkish Horse upon a Hill opposite to the Army upon view of which the Christian Army drew into Battalia and thô the way to an Engagement with the Enemy was rough craggy and very steep yet such was the Spirit which by frequent Victories had possessed the Christian Soldiery that with incomparable Valour their right Wing moved over all the difficulties of the Ground against the left Wing of the Turks but they fearing to stand the Shock made their Retreat to another Hill within Cannon-shot of Buda where their right Wing was drawn up The Imperial Troops still continuing to advance against the Enemy detached Two thousand of their choice Horse who making as if they intended to form another Line before the Front posted themselves under the Walls of the City during which time the main Body of the Turks stood firm and kept their Ground until the Christians were come within Musquet-shot and then their formost Troops fell violently into the Trenches on the right Hand whilst a
going to and fro it was concluded That the English and Dutch Ambassadors should go to Carlowitz and the Germans and Allies should take their Quarters about half an Hour above them towards Peter Waradin and the Turks about a Quarter of an Hour below towards Belgrade Upon the Arrival of the Mediators at Carlowitz they were received by the German Horse and Foot and a Captain-Lieutenant and a Standard with 50 Horse and also with another Captain-Lieutenant and an Ensign with 70 Foot which were appointed to each Ambassador for the Mediators Guards The Turkish Soldiers were at the Right of the English Ambassador and at the Left of the Dutch. On the 20 30th the Plenipotentiaries were showed to each other and shortly after the Conferences began but first the Preparations were making for building the House for Conferences But in the mean time to supply that Convenience a great Tent was rais'd in the midst of that void place which was between the Tents of the Mediators where it was farther ordered That instead of Chambers for the several Parties there should be Tents pitched on both sides Some Points were here projected to be agreed on as Preliminaries regulating the Ceremonies of the Congress about which the Poles gave some trouble at the beginning who seemed rather to hinder than to forward the Peace for the Disputes they made upon nothing took up seven Days time the which being at length overcome On the 6th of November N. S. all the Preliminary Points were adjusted and agreed by all the Allies which tended chiefly to prevent and avoid all Contests about Precedence and the disannulling all useless Ceremonies during the Congress as well as those Impediments which might cause Confusion and Disturbance The Articles for Facilitating the Negotiation were these I. TO take away Notifications and Visits of Ceremony and Precedence II. That every Plenipotentiary shall advance his own Business without being obliged to stay for one another which in that case is to be put into the Hands of the Mediators until the time that the General Subscription is made III. That noPlenipotentiary shall hinder or delay the Progress of the Treaty but that every one shall endeavour to assist each other in removing the Difficulties which obstruct the way IV. For confirming the District of Neutrality and covering the several Ambassadors and their Retinues from Insults and Wrongs both during their Abode at the place of Treaty and their Departure thence V. And for keeping the Train and Domesticks of each Ambassador in order and that no Disturbance or Quarrel might arise between them it was Ordered VI. That a Prohibition should be given to every one to stir Abroad at Night and that whosoever should be caught Abroad after the Sun was Set should be kept in the Custody of the Guards until Morning and then to be delivered into the Hands of the Ambassador to whom he belongs to be punished The Points were Signed and Sealed by the Ambassadors at Carlowitz the 26th of October or the 6th of November N. S. On the â— 13 of November the Ambassador from the Emperor appeared in the Camp of Carlovitz as also did those from the Sultan who placed themselves on both sides not far from the House appointed for the Conferences to be held and not far from the Places where the Mediators had their Lodgings in which void Places several Magnificent and Stately Tents were erected at which about nine of the Clock in the Morning the Emperor's Ambassador arrived being attended with four Coaches of State and a Numerous Retinue And in the first place they went to the Tents of the Mediators where at the same time appeared the Turkish Ambassador attended with a very stately Retinue of Cavaliers well mounted on Horses of the finest Shapes that could be found in all Quarters of the Eastern World and besides their Cloathing which was very rich they made as beautiful an Appearance as the Germans had done before them And both Parties at the same time presented themselves before the Mediators in the Tent appointed for the Conferences Where after the Salutations and Complements on both sides sufficiently Courteous and Obliging they took their Seats in the middle of the Tent purposely set and laid for them one directly against the other in such a manner that no Person could take Exception against his Place or Seat appointed for him This being agreed and setled the first Conference began which was to determine this Great and Solemn Peace which was the first of this kind that ever passed between the Christians and the Turks not but that several Treaties and Conclusions of Articles had passed before but not on such equal Terms and with so much Honour and Deference given to Christian Mediators which will be recorded in all Ages to the Glory of William the Third King of Great-Britain and of the States-General His Worthy and Wise Allies Nor will it be less Memorable in Honour of that Noble and Ancient Family of the Lord Paget who with the Heer Colyer Ambassador from the Lords the States-General of the United Provinces bore so great a share in this Everlasting and never to be forgotten Treaty The Tent appointed for this Congress had four Doors which fronted each other at one of which entered the Imperial Ambassador and at the opposite thereunto entered the Turkish and at the two others which were likewise opposite entered the Mediators The Imperial Ambassador was Named the Most Excellent Lord the Count of Ottingen And on the Turkish side was the Reis Effendi which I take to be principal Secretary of State with us Behind the Emperor's Ambassador the Secretary of the Embassy was placed as also at a small Table behind the English Mediator was placed the English Secretary And behind the Ottoman Ambassador the Turkish Secretary called Mauro Cordato by Extraction a Greek and of that Rite or Religion he stood a while behind the Turkish Ambassador upon his Legs but afterwards was ordered to sit on the Ground after the Turkish Fashion both which Secretaries took the Minutes or Protocollo of what was propounded or what passed The Doors of the Tent was on all sides guarded equally by Germans and Turks and both filled up the Doors of the Tent amongst which were many Commanding Officers who had room sufficient to see every thing that passed The Conferences began commonly about ten a Clock or half an Hour past ten in the Morning and lasted until half an Hour past two in the Afternoon And then ended the first Day of Conference On the 4 14th the Imperial Ambassador dispatched a Messenger by way of Peter Waradin towards the Places where the Regiment of Corbelli and the two Battalions of Anhalt and Turcheim were Quartered which were setled there for Guards near to the Congress as also for the same reason had appointed 200 Horse of the first Rank and 100 Foot of the second Likewise the Turkish Ministers remanded to Belgrade as many of their People as they