souldiours in defence of the common Christian cause so much preuailed with the princes of the empire and the embassadours of the free estates that they highly commended his forwardnesse and all other matters for that time set apart agreed all with one consent at a prefixed day to send vnto VIENNA such warlike forces as they had in any time before set forth for the defence of the Christian religion and the majestie of the empire Whereupon he wrot vnto Alphonsus Vastius his lieutenant Generall in ITALIE and one of the greatest captaines of that age that he should without delay call together the old captaines and to leuie so many companies of harquebusiers as they possibly could and with them and the Spanish souldiors to repaire forthwith vnto him into AVSTRIA He also enjoyned Andreas Auria his admirall that hee should with like diligence rig vp a strong fleet of gallies and marchants ships and to goe against the Turkes nauie into GRaeCIA At the same time he sent for his choise horsemen out of BVRGVNDIE and the low countries and many noble gentlemen and old soldiours out of SPAINE for the guard of his owne person he entertained twelue thousand Germanes such as had longest serued in his warres in ITALIE ouer whom commaunded Maximilian Herbersthene and Tamisius both famous captaines At the same time Clement the seuenth then bishop of ROME although his cofers were greatly emptied by the late Florentine warres which had cost him ten hundred thousand duckats yet to make some shew of his deuotion in so dangerous a time with the great good will he bare vnto the emperor after he had with greeuous exaction extorted from the cleargie a great masse of money whereunto his rich cardinals contributed nothing as if it had been a thing vtterly vnlawfull for them in so good a cause to haue abated any jot of their pontificall shew in the court of ROME sent the young cardinall Hyppolytus Medices his nephew being then about twentie yeares of age a man indeed fitter for the warres than for the church as his legate vnto the emperour accompanied with mo good captaines than cleargie men and his cofers well stuffed with treasure whose comming to RATISBONE was vnto the emperour and the Germanes very welcome for besides that hee was a young gentleman of very comely personage and exceeding bountifull he entertained for those warres besides the companie he brought with him eight â—housand Hungarian horsemen of all others best acquainted with the Turkish warres King Iohn vnderstanding that the formost of Solymans great armie were come as farre as SAMANDRIA in SERVIA thought it now a fit time to wring from king Ferdinand such townes as he yet held in HVNGARIE wherefore he sent Aloisius Grittus whom Solyman had left as a helper for his estate to besiege STRIGONIVM which is a citie of HVNGARIE situat vpon the side of Danubius about thirtie miles from BVDA the castle whereof was at that time holden with a strong garrison of king Ferdinands whereunto for all that Grittus laid such hard siege both by the riuer and by land that the defendants doubting how they should bee able to hold out especially if Solyman should take that in his way as it was most like he would sent for releefe to Cazzianer a warlike captaine then gouernour of VIENNA and generall of all king Ferdinand his forces by whose appointment certaine small frigots were sent downe the riuer of Danubius from POSSONIVM well manned who suddainely setting vpon the Turkes fleet which so kept the riuer that nothing could that way be possibly conueyed either in or out of the castle should by their vnexpected comming open that way but Grittus hauing intelligence thereof by certaine Hungarians which though they serued king Ferdinand made no great account to flie sometime to the one part sometime to the other as best fitted their purpose presently resolued to send his fleet vp the riuer and by his sudden comming to oppresse his enemies in like sort as they had thought to haue done him And the more to encourage his souldiours hee promised great rewards to all such as should performe any extraordinarie peece of seruice in that action and so hauing thorowly furnished all his fleet with good souldiours but especially with Turkish archers sent them vp the riuer to seeke their enemies who fearing no such matter as men surprised with the same mischeefe they had prepared for others were at the first exceedingly dismayed yet considering that they were reasonably well prouided for their comming although they yet wanted such helpe as Cazzianer had appointed to send them they thought it a great shame to flie and therefore putting themselues in order of battell came downe the riuer and with great courage encountred their enemies There began a sharpe and cruell fight many being slaine and wounded on both sides but at last they of POSSONIVM not able longer to endure the deadly shot of their enemies and especially of the Turkish archers who with their arrowes sore gauled both the souldiours and the marriners they turned their backes and fled in which fight of sixtie frigots which came from POSSONIVM onely thirteene escaped with Corporanus the Generall all the rest being either sunke in the fight or els taken by the enemie being run ashore and forsaken by the Possonians trusting more vnto their legs by land than their oares by water Besides this losse of the frigots there was slaine of the Possonians almost fiue hundred After this victorie Grittus hoping that they in the castle of STRIGONIVM despairing now of releefe and fearing the comming of Solyman would not long hold out left off to batter or vndermine the castle wherewith he perceiued he little preuailed purposing by lying still and keeping them in the castle from all releefe to enforce them in time to forsake the place Thus whilst the deuided Hungarians with their owne hands inconsideratly sought one anothers destruction with the ruine of their countrey Solyman the great enemie of all Christians was readie at their backes to deuour both the one and the other as in few yeares after he did Much about this time the old Spanish souldiors in ITALIE drawne together by Vastius as the emperour had before commaunded were come to the Alpes In this campe of one sort of men and other was aboue twentie thousand whereof almost the third part was not seruiceable for the old souldiors enriched with the long warres in ITALIE and the spoile of the rich countrey of LVMBARDIE wherein they had of late beene billited brought with them all their old gotten spoiles and substance not forgetting so much as their women and whatsoeuer els serued their pleasure for carriage whereof they drew after them a great multitude of carriages and vnnecessarie people all which serued for no other vse but for the soldiors pleasure and to consume victuals Which their licentious wantonnesse Vastius desiring to reforme gaue straight commaundement thorow all the campe That they should leaue
spoile vnto the Venetians by whom they were all taken but not a man found in them The hauen thus gained Theodorus Lascaris the emperours sonne in law was presently readie vpon the shore with a select companie of the brauest gallants of the citie and of the court to haue hindered the Latines from landing who running their ships a ground landed with such cheerefulnesse and courage and with such hast that in one moment you might haue seene them leape out of their ships take land enter into the battell and lay about them like mad men This hote skirmish endured a great while for that they were onely footmen that sustained this brunt for the horses could not so soone be landed and the Greekes were brauely mounted All this great fight the Constantinopolitanes beheld with doubtfull hearts expecting what should bee the euent thereof There were in the citie sixtie thousand of the flower of Greece which brauely sallying out made the battell much more doubtfull yet such was the valour and resolution of the Latines that in fine the Greekes discomfited were glad to retire themselues againe into the citie but with what losse was not certainely knowne easie it were to guesse that it was right great for that the old tyrant Alexius discouraged therewith and doubtfull of his owne state with Theodorus Lascaris his sonne in law and some few others of his trustie friends hard to be found in so dangerous a case the next night following secretly fled out of the citie carrying away with him a wonderfull masse of treasure which hee against all such euents had caused to bee secretly hidden by his daughter Irene in a monasterie of Nuns within the citie whereof she was the abbesse and so saued himselfe The flight of the tyrant once bruted the next morning the Constantinopolitanes taking the old emperour Isaack out of prison saluted him againe for their emperour rejoycing greatly for his deliuerance and the safegard of his life and after that opened the gates of the citie vnto the Latines calling and saluting them by the names of the reuengers and sauiours of the libertie of the Greekes as also of the life and majestie of their emperour they requested them that they might see and salute Alexius their young prince whom they had so long desired and so was the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the submission of the citizens for that time saued from saccage and spoile The old emperour thus deliuered and together with his sonne Alexius again placed in the imperiall seat gaue the most heartie thanks that possibly he could vnto the Latine princes for that by their bountie charitie and valour the Greeke empire had beene deliuered out of a long and miserable seruitude and for his owne particular that he had receiued of them so great good that albeit his sight could not be restored to him againe neuerthelesse hee acknowledged his life his libertie his empire his countrey his sonne to haue been vnto him by them restored and he likewise to them for which their so great deserts he could not as hee said render them condigne thankes or deuise rewards or honours answerable to their demerits and valour and that therefore he did ratefie and confirme whatsoeuer his sonne had before promised vnto them for his deliuerance and not onely that but farther promised That if they were not therewith contented hee would of his owne bountie giue them better contentment not meaning they should goe discontented that had saued his life and otherwise so highly pleasured him Hereupon this good old emperour began to consult with his friends about the meanes whereby he might satisfie and content the Latines in such things as the young prince his sonne had vnto them promised And to the intent that the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE might the more willingly doe that he was to command them and the more cheerefully pay such impositions as hee was to lay vpon them hee intreated all the Latines to retire themselues out of the citie into their campe or about their ships which they accordingly did But the imposition being set downe and what euery man was to pay seemed vnto the Greeks as men of long accustomed to receiue tribute of others and not to pay tribute to others a matter most heauie and intollerable In this verie instant that this exaction was required died the old emperour Isaack who hauing of long beene kept in a darke and stinking prison in continuall feare of death and now deliuered and restored to his empire could not endure so sudden and vnexpected a change both of the aire and of his manner of liuing but so suddenly died At this exaction imposed for the contentment of the Latines the light Constantinopolitans grieuously murmured and exclaimed saying That it was a villanous thing to see the Greeke empire engaged and bound by a yoong boy vnto a couetous and proud nation and so to bee spoiled and bared of coyne That the great and rich island of CRETE lying in the midst of the sea was by him giuen as a gift vnto the Latines That the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE and the Greeke church had by him beene enforced and constrained to yeeld vnto the See of ROME to receiue the opinions of the Latine church to submit it selfe vnto the obeisance of old ROME from whence it had once happily departed euer since the time that the empire was by Constantine the Great translated thence to them Thus euerie one said for himselfe in particular thus all men said in generall And therof the noble men in their assemblies and the vulgar people in their meetings grieuously complained whereupon a great sedition and tumult was raised in the citie Some presently tooke vp armes and the common people all enraged ran furiously disordered vnto the palace with a purpose to haue committed some great outrage vpon the person of the yong emperour Alexius who in that so sudden an insurrection as might well haue troubled a right constant man without longer stay resolued vpon a most wholesome and necessarie point for the appeasing of the peoples furie vnto whom assembled in a woonderfull multitude he shewed himselfe from aboue in his pallace promising them to remaine in their power and not from thencefoorth to do any thing without their aduice and liking but wholy to depend vpon them with which good words the people held themselues well content and so was the tumult for that time appeased But foorthwith the yoong emperour considering the injurie done vnto him began to burne with the desire of reuenge and to change his purpose Hee could not together satisfie the citizens and the Latines for if he would keepe his promise with the Latines he must of necessitie offend his owne people neither was there any meanes to bee found to satisfie both the one and the other But thinking himselfe more bound to keepe his promise with the Latines whose forces he knew not how to withstand he sent secretly to request the marques of MONT-FERRAT generall of the armie
who by chance then lay not farre off Moses comming vnto him with his girdle about his necke in token that he had deserued death as the manner of that countrey was found him walking before his tent and there with heauie cheere falling downe vpon his knees at his feet submitted himselfe vnto his mercie and with great humilitie and signes of repentance craued his most gracious pardon Which his request Scanderbeg presently granted and taking him vp by the hand embraced and kissed him in token he had from his heart forgiuen him and within a few daies after caused all such things of his as were before confiscat to be againe restored vnto him with all such offices and promotions as he had before enjoyed and by open proclamation commanded That from thenceforth no man should either publikely or priuatly speake of that Moses had trespassed Mahomet vnderstanding that Moses was returned againe into EPIRVS and honoured of Scanderbeg as in former time was much grieued thereat and fumed exceedingly First for that he had at all trusted him and then that he had so let him slip out of his hands being verily persuaded that all that Moses had done was but a finenesse of Scanderbeg to deceiue him Shortly after that Moses was returned into EPIRVS Mahomet by like practise allured vnto him Amesa Scanderbeg his nephew promising to make him king of EPIRVS in his vnckles steed For by that meanes the craftie tyrant thought it a more easie way to draw the mindes of the people of EPIRVS from Scanderbeg vnto him descended of the princes bloud than to Moses or to any other stranger he should set vp Amesa vpon this hope of a kingdome fled to CONSTANTINOPLE and because he would cleere the mind of the tyrant of all suspiâ—ion and distrust he carried with him his wife and children as the most sure pledges of his fidelitie This Amesa was of stature low and the feature of his body not so perfect as might sufficiently expresse the hidden vertues of his mind He was of courage hautie aboue measure subtill and of a pregnant wit wonderfull painfull and thereto courteous and bountifull the chiefe meanes whereby aspiring minds steale away the hearts of men whatsoeuer he got of himselfe or had by the gift of his vnckle he deuided it amongst his souldiours or friends he was verie affable and could notably both couer and dissemble his affections for which things he was aboue all others both beloued and honoured of all the people of EPIRVS next vnto Scanderbeg himselfe At his first comming to Mahomet he filled not his eares with great promises and vaine praises of himselfe as had Moses but only excusing his owne reuolt laboured to persuade him That he had for just causes left his vnckle with a desire now faithfully to serue him And to that purpose spake vnto him as followeth If it should please thee most noble Mahomet to call to remembrance the old iniuries and auntient displeasures by vs committed against thine imperiall Maiestie we might seeme now rather to haue come hither to receiue the just guerdon of our euill deserts than vpon any hope of honor or preferment For what could haue been done more in disgrace of the Othoman empire than that you haue seene long since done by vs in the most dangerous time of the Hungarian war rather of a malicious set purpose than for that we were just enemies When as in the same perfidious course I my selfe being a helper and partaker therein for now no excuse is to be pretended for our doings more than repentance your fathers army was betrayed at MORAVA and the kingdome of EPIRVS by great treacherie wrested out of your fathers hands the only cause of so many calamities and of so much bloudshed But vaine is this feare and our suspition needlesse with so wise and mercifull a prince especially for that my yeares then greene and youth prone vnto the harme of it selfe and a mind not resting vpon his owne resolutions deceiued me I beleeued mine vnckle for the ignorant beleeue many things and allured with the desire of soueraigntie the proper disease of that age and too much credulous I forsooke you and followed his promises but discretion growing with yeares I haue by little and little perceiued both the slie persidious dealing of mine vnckle as also that my reuolt from you was more hurtfull vnto my selfe than to any other Scanderbeg recouered and also enlarged the kingdome of EPIRVS but not without my great labour and helpe I expected long time that he should haue giuen me if not my fathers whole inheritance yet at least some part thereof as a small reward of my so great trauell and danger Not long after he married a wife and hath begot a young heire a new successour in his kingdome vnto me for shame of the world because I should not altogither lead a priuat life he hath assigned a base corner of EPIRVS where he enioyning the rest I might lead a poore and contemptible life In this case I had much adoe to bridle my affections and could neuer disgeast that iniurie yet the iniquitie of the time with the insolent disposition of the man compelled me to smother vp my thoughts and to make faire weather least finding some suspition he should craftely haue entrapped me as he did of late George Stresie his sisters sonne whom wrongfully charged with fained surmises he hath almost depriued of all his possessions I would willingly haue fled vnto the feet of your highnesse I would gladly haue forsaken my ingratefull vnckle with the staines of his infamous kingdome but that the remembrance of the old rebellion and many iniuries sithence done did make me afraid vntill that now God I thinke so appointing it I came most gladly following your most royall faith and promise You had scarcely beckned vnto me you had scarcely inuited me hauing of long intentiuely waited euerie occasion but straight way I came with such speed as if I would haue flowne I lingred not I expected not either Scanderbeg or his euill happe or your more prosperous successe as of late did Moses least I might thereby justly seeme either for feare or regard of some imminent danger rather to haue prouided for mine owne safetie than to haue embraced your magnificence Neither haue I left any thing for you in me to suspect nor any cause wherefore I should desire to returne againe into EPIRVS here are present most sure bonds of my loue and faithfull pledges of my loyaltie Behold worthy Mahomet you haue whatsoeuer is deere vnto me yea whatsoeuer nature could giue pleasing vnto men in the course of mans life These I haue brought vnto thee which should with violence haue been taken from an enemy such pawnes as might assure thee of the faith of a most doubtfull man More than this haue I brought nothing for in so great speed and secret departure I could not haue regard of my substance And if I might haue had time to haue
for wealth allured the pouertie of the people of ROME to lay hold vpon it so that we haue rather couetously than justly got the rule thereof In the heart of the island standeth NICOSIA sometime the regall and late metropoliticall citie thereof And in the East end thereof FAMAGVSTA sometime called TAMASSVS a famous rich citie the cheefe and onely port of all that most pleasant island Other faire cities there be also as PAPHOS AMATHVS now called LIMISSO and CYRENE This island of it selfe long time maintained the majestie of a kingdome as then when Richard the first king of ENGLAND passing that way with his fleet for the releefe of the Christians then distressed in the Holy land about the yeare 1191 was prohibited there to land and certaine of his people by force of tempest there cast on shore were by the Cypriots either cruelly slaine or taken prisoners which barbarous violence king Richard tooke in so euill part that he there by force landed his armie and rested not vntill he had taken Isaak the king prisoner and subdued the island The king he sent in chaines of siluer to TRIPOLIS there to be kept in close prison the kingdome he kept a while in his owne hand which not long after he gaue or as some say exchanged with Guido the titular king of HIERVSALEM for which cause the kings of ENGLAND for a certaine time afterwards were honoured with the title of the kings of HIERVSALEM This kingdome by many descents came at length to Ianus son of king Peter who in the yeare 1423 was by Melechella Sultan of AEGIPT taken prisoner but afterwards for the ransome of an hundred and fifteene thousand Sultanins was set at libertie and restored to his kingdome paying vnto the Sultan and his successours a yearely tribute of fortie thousand crownes This Ianus left a sonne called Iohn who after the death of his father married the daughter of the Marques of MONT-FERRAT after whose death he married one Helena of the most noble house of the Paleologi in GRaeCIA by whom he had one onely daughter called Carlotte but by another woman a base sonne named Iames. This king Iohn was a man of no courage altogether giuen to pleasure and according to the manner of his effeminate education shewed himselfe in all things more like a woman than a man which Helena his wife a woman of a great spirit quickly perceiuing tooke vpon her the soueraignetie and whole gouernment of the realme gracing and disgracing whom she pleased and promoting to the ecclesiasticall dignities such as she best liked abolishing the Latine ceremonies and bringing in them of the Greeks and tooke such further order as pleased her selfe in matters of state concerning both peace and warre her husband in the meane time regarding nothing but his vaine pleasure whereby it came to passe that all was brought into the power of the Greekes the queenes friends Now the queene her selfe was much ruled by the counsell of her nurse and the nurse by her daughter so that the people commonly said The daughter ruled the nurse the nurse the queene the queene the king The nobilitie ashamed and wearie of this manner of gouernment by generall consent of the people sent for Iohn the king of PORTINGALS cousin Germane whom some call the king of PORTINGALL to whom they gaue Carlotte the kings daughter in marriage with full power to supplie that want of gouernment which was in king Iohn his father in law He taking the authoritie into his hands quickly reformed the disordered kingdome as well in matters concerning religion as ciuile policie The Latine ceremonies were againe restored and the gouernement of the daughter the nurse and the queene brought to an end But the mischieuous daughter doubting the countenance of the new king persuaded her mother as she tendered her owne life to poyson the king Which thing the wretched woman by the consent of the queene mother as was reported in shorttime performed and so brought that noble prince well worthie longer life vnto his vntimely end whereby the gouernment was againe restored to the Greeke queene who in the name of her weake husband commaunded againe at her pleasure But aboue all the nurse and her daughter insulted vpon the young queene Carlotte which shee not well brooking grieuously complained thereof to Iames her base brother requiring his helpe for redresse therof who not long after slew the nurses daughter not so much in reuenge of the wrong by her done vnto his sister as to prepare a way for himselfe for the obtaining of the kingdome grieuing inwardly that shee or her husband whosoeuer should bee preferred before himselfe Which thing Helena the queene quickly perceiuing persuaded the king her husband to cause his base sonne to enter into the orders of priesthood and so to become a church man thereby to cut off all his hope of aspiring vnto the kingdome which the king at her instance did and made him archbishop of NICOSIA In the meane time Carlotte by the persuasion of her mother and the nobilitie of the countrey married Lewes sonne to the duke of SAVOY who being for that purpose sent for came with all speed to CYPRVS After that the queene mother and the old nurse desiâ—ing nothing more than to reuenge the death of the nurses daughter vpon Iames now archbishop deuised first how to thrust him out of all his spirituall promotions which were great and afterward quite banish him the kingdome Hereupon the queene wrote letters against him to the Pope to haue him disgraded for that he being a man base borne with his hands embrued with guiltlesse blood was vnworthie of holy orders Which letters by chance came to Iames his hands who enraged therewith accompanied with a number of his friends and fauorits suddenly entred the Court slew such of his enemies as he found there deuided their goods amongst his followers and as king possessed himselfe of the regall citie In this broile the Greeke queene Helena died and shortly after her husband also All things being thus in a hurle and out of order certaine of the nobilitie for redresse thereof sent for Lewes the husband of Carlotte as for him to whom that kingdome in the right of his wife most justly belonged who vpon his arriuall was of all sorts of men joifully receiued and welcommed as their king Iames the vsurper vnderstanding before of the comming of Lewes and perceiuing the inclination of the people towards him fled with diuers of his friends to ALEXANDRIA to craue aid of the Aegyptian Sultan in whose Court he found such fauour as that he was by the Sultans commaundement royally apparrelled and honoured with the title of the king of CYPRVS which he promised for euer to hold of the Sultans of AEGIPT as their vassale and tributarie At which time the Sultan also by his embassadours commaunded Lewes to depart the isle who by all meanes sought to haue pacified the Sultan declaring vnto him his rightfull title yet
owne person should be alwaies resident one of the emperours counsellors as Superintendent ouer the whole countrey Wherewith the Vayuod being contented the Emperour sent thither doctor Petzen with six thousand souldiors and a great summe of money to pay the Vayuods souldiors as he had before requested and so to take of them an oath That they should from thenceforth become his majesties faithfull seruants Which Superintendent so by the emperor sent the Vayuod receiued with great honour as vnto him of all others most welcome Neuerthelesse being againe returned into TRANSYLVANIA it was not long but that without regard of him he begaÌ„ with new exactions to oppresse the people of that countrey and in some sort to tyrannize ouer them vsing great seueritie against diuers of the Nobilitie also especially such as he knew to haue taken part before with the Cardinall or now of late with Sigismund his cousin or any way to haue fauoured his quarrell All which he did without the consent or good liking of Petzen contrarie to his promise made No more to embrue his hands in the bloud of the nobilitie of TRANSYLVANIA without the knowledge or consent of his Imperiall majestie or the Superintendent by him appointed which for all that had he not done he could not possibly haue kept them disdaining to be gouerned by him vnder his obeisaâ—â—e Neuerthelesse the Transyluanians taking it in euill part to be so oppressed and the nobilitie almost extinguished yea and indeed to be at all ruled by him by generall consent as if it had been but one man rise all vp in armes against him insomuch that he finding himselfe with his Valachians and other his fauourits too weake for them retired with all such as would follow him into the mountaines and from thence sent presently for aid vnto the lord George Basta a worthy captaine and then the emperours lieutenant in the vpper HVNGARIE for the subduing of these rebellious people and the reducing of them to their former obedience Who by letters from Matthias the Archducke at the instance of the Vayuod commaunded so to doe with about six thousand horse and foot and eight field pieces remoued from CASSOVIA in the vpper HVNGARIE the fourth of September Where by the way came vnto him embassadours also from the people of TRANSYLVANIA now vp in armes and confederat also against the Vayuod who in like manner also requested his aid pretending themselues to be the emperours most loyall subjects but not vnder the gouernment of such a tyrant as was the Vayuod alleadging and exaggerating many his most cruell actions and clearely protesting That for the present want of a good Gouernour they were enforced for the safegard of their owne liues to band themselues togither which if happily it might be in any thing prejudiciall vnto the emperour his claime and interest which he with so great toyle and cost had procured in that prouince it was against their wils as enforced by necessitie to doe that they did in defence of themselues Which embassadours so sent from the people Basta with all speed dispatched away backe again comforting them without farther stir to expect his arriuall in TRANSYLVANIA yet couenanting withall That they should before conceiue into writing the oath of their fidelitie and alleagiance vnto his Imperiall majestie Now might many and important considerations trouble the mind of Basta in so doubtfull a case To giue aid vnto the Vayuod against the people was the expresse order from Matthias the Archduke the emperours lieutenant Generall but to aid the people confederat against him as they had requested seemed now both more profitable and honest especially hauing most certaine tokens of the small and doubtfull faith of the Vayuod who onely by deputation interessed in that prouidence was not so carefull of an other mans neither seeming to haue regard of Petzen or of his owne word giuen for not farther embruing his hands in the bloud of the nobilitie of TRANSYLVANIA without the emperors knowledge and leaue vpon which promise was also grounded the Archdukes order for giuing of him aid So that such breach of his faith and contempt of Petzen had hastened the conspiracie of the people against him dispairing of all other health than that which by force of armes they could procure vnto themselues To stand doubtfull himselfe or to hold others in suspence vntill that by courrors in this new case he might receiue new instructions from the emperour or the archduke had in it too much danger as giuing leisure to each partie to make sides and to encrease the slander of the last yeare That he might so easily and especially from the Valachian haue assured that prouince to his majestie had he not beene an heartlesse man of no resolution euen such an one as durst not looke vpon a cat as some had said all which might not a little pricke an honourable mind To take part with the people confederat against the Vayuod if it should not happily fall out at the first encounter might betwixt the two contendants giue an entrance vnto the third either the Turke or the Polonian in the fauour of Bathor but if it should sort to the quite contrarie and so himselfe to loose the day then he saw himselfe void of all defence against the malicious especially in that the world commonly measureth the wisedome vsed in any action according to the successe thereof than which nothing can be more vnreasonable but aboue all others in matters of warre In this so troubled a tempest of contrarie winds of power to haue driuen a right good marriner out of his course Basta laid hand vpon the helme of good meaning and spread the sayles of such discretion as taught him in matters of warre to be lawfull for a Generall to depart euen from the instructions of his prince not concerning the end but the meanes leading to that end especially when the present occasion so requireth which the prince could not with reason before comprehend as depending of the most mightie fortune of war which suffereth not so much delay as to expect counsell from farre So in this ambiguitie Basta resolued to joyne himselfe vnto the confederats most in his judgement concerning his Imperiall majestie as being the vttermost scope of his so great cost and charge to keepe the country of TRANSYLVANIA at his deuotion which consisted in the people and not in the woods or mountains the matter being not great by what means soeuer it were done so that it were honourable and honest Vpon this desire Basta set forward and the 14 day arriued at TORDA â—nd there joyned himselfe vnto the confederats to the great wonder of the Vayuod in whose helpe he was sent where reposing himselfe one day consulting and considering of their forces about twelue thousand strong with foure field pieces besides eight of his owne with the six thousand souldiors hee brought with him in all about eighteene thousand he determined not to giue leysure
thereunto also to joyne the countries of MOLDAVIA and VALACHIA had therein of purpose placed the aforesaid Simon a man of no valour and of a small apprehension whom he might again at his pleasure displace and joyne those prouinces vnto his new purchase which he could not so well doe if he should haue there placed a man of greater reach and courage So worke the heads of the great and so trauell the braines of the ambitious aspiring Basta vnderstanding of the retiring of the Polonians entred into consultation with the Chiaki and other the principall men of that prouince which lodged with the armie in the countrey villages thereabout for calling together the states and people to make choice of some such men as they thought meetest to be sent vnto the emperour to know his pleasure for the gouernment of that prouince But now in the meane time whilest there was no suspition of the forraine enemie began to worke certaine Malecontents which thinking with greater libertie to liue vnder a weake prince than vnder one of greater power with one voice cried out That Sigismund with a great power was entered into the confines of TRANSYLVANIA one whiles towards VALACHIA another while by the way of MOLDAVIA and that the strength of the countrey and others therby still resorted vnto him with other such like inuentions of purpose deuised to haue made Basta suddenly departed or at leastwise to haue troubled the Diet or assembly called and the consultation also But he well aduised of their purpose moued not out of his quarter but there lay very priuatly to declare thereby the great confidence he had in the thankefulnesse of the nobilitie of the countrey as by him deliuered from the oppression of the Vayuod as also to make them to vnderstand That the gouernment to be appointed was not to be setled in the sole power of a tyrant but in the fidelitie of the subjects protected vnder a most gentle royall and most fatherlike gouernment not ambitiously sought after but most voluntarily of themselues offered and for the common good by the emperour accepted Beside that he knew right well how that Castaldo in like case before in the yeare 1551 sent into TRANSYLVANIA with eight thousand Almaines left behind him his armie and without any precedent courtesie went priuatly to ALBA IVLIA where queene Isabel had for her defence assembled a Diet of all the states and there by well handling of the matter got to Ferdinand the emperour that kingdome which hee could not by the fear of his forces haue gained for which doing Writers attribute vnto him the name of great wisedome notwithstanding that the yeare following he was enforced to abandon his conquest but yet not through any default in himselfe But it is truly said That men pleasured according to the occasion change their manners as doth the Chamelion his colour according to the place nothing being by nature so short nothing of lesse life than the remembrance of a benefit with the vnthankfull which the greater it is the more it is repaied with vngratitude either by making it to haue been of little worth or to haue proceeded not of courtesie but from some other more priuat and proper considerations of the giuer The Diet aforesaid being assembled diuers broiles were there raised by the malecontents as vsually it commeth to passe where the people haue to doe with the gouernment apt to be moued with euerie rumour alwaies readie to change their opinion as streight glutted therewith headstrong faithlesse all in words to no end Some of them in that assembly cried out that the Almaines might be paied discharged and thanked for the paines they had taken for them as their neighbours with offering to doe them the like pleasure as their occasions should require othersome cried to haue them all put to the sword so much they were deuoid of reason others cried out as fast that they were not by any meanes to endure the gouernment of Maximilian the Archduke but by some nominated vnto them would needs haue a prince of their owne countrey and such an one as the great Turke should well like of as the Chancellor had persuaded them Basta for all that not dismaied with so vnexpected an encounter albeit that he began to suspect that he had lost all his labour if he were not in short time with greater forces relieued at such time as the Chiaki with other the chiefe men amongst the people came as their manner was euerie other day to visit him with couragious speech and vnappauled countenance told them plainly That he well perceiued their drift and purpose and yet doubted not either of their oath of obedience giuen vnto his Imperiall majestie either of the fresh remembrance of the great benefit they had from him so lately receiued and in case it might happen them little to esteeme of those things greater than which could not happen amongst men that yet they should well know that he was not a man to be feared with words but fully resolued not to stirre one foot thence with his forces but rather to lose his life which he would for all that sell as deere as he could Wherunto answere was giuen with much courteous speech That he should not giue eare vnto any the speeches of the light vulgar people but to content himselfe that the Nobilitie in whose hands the chiefe power of that prouince was had not done any thing not beseeming thēselues So after much dispute were appointed three persons according to the three estates the Nobilitie the Commons and the State in generall to go vnto the Emperour to request of him Maximilian the Archduke for their Gouernour with speciall request also that it would please him not to ouercharge with forrein soldiors that prouince alreadie sore impouerished especially hauing in it selfe people sufficient for the defence thereof and more nimble to encounter with the Turkes than the heauie and slow Almaines and they also of double charge These difficulties with much adoe thus appeased by such as stood fast for the emperour Basta thought it not good againe to call any such assembly hoping that time and the emperors great wisedome would for all these matters find conuenient remedie Yet saw he plainly the mind of the people was to resolue to remaine for euer free if they should haue come to a second consultation and in them a princely desire to commaund rather than to be commaunded Yea in that selfesame Diet the Chiaki was declared Gouernour on the behalfe of the people with authoritie in many things of himselfe to determine without calling togither of any assembly of the rest of the States which they said they did only vntill they were by his Imperiall majestie prouided of a Gouernour Neuerthelesse Basta well perceiued more than a Tribunitiall power to be now joyned by the people vnto the emperours commissioners knowing that this Chiaki was in great hope to haue beene proclaimed prince of the confederats in case
Bassa of AGRIA going out with ten thousand Turkes in hope to haue surprised TOCCAIB a strong hold of the Christians in the vpper HVNGARIE was encountred by Ferrant Gonzaga the emperours lieutenant there and by him ouerthrowne and with great slaughter of his Turks chased to the gates of AGRIA Now was Mahomet the Turkish emperour this yeare also no lesse troubled with the proceedings of the Scriuano in CARAMANIA and NATOLIA than with the euill successe of his affaires in TRANSYLVANIA and HVNGARIE For the Scriuano by his last yeares victorie growne into great credit with the common people and still by them more and more followed to maintaine the reputation of his credit came now againe this yeare with a great power into the field to meet with Mahomet the great Bassa and Generall of the Turkes armie who with fiftie thousand good souldiors a power thought sufficient to haue repressed him was readie to encounter him With whom the Scriuano joyning battell in a great fight â—ut in sunder a great part of the Bassaes armie and so became master of the field forraged all the countries adjoyning almost as farre as ALEPPO still calling the people vnto libertie and causing himselfe to be proclaimed the true defender of the Mahometane faith and of the liberties of those coâ—â—tries with him combined in such sort as that it now stood the great Turke vpon to send an other great armie to the aid of Mahomet the discomfited Bassa With whom also the Scriuano presuming of his former fortune comming to a day of battell and ouercharged with the multitude of his enemies was at the first encounter with his people put to the worse but forthwith by his good direction hauing repaired his disordered battell and thereby giuen as it were new courage to his fainting souldiors he with a great slaughter disordered also the Bassaes armie Yet hauing not any other firme state or stay to rest vpon more than the fauour and reputation he held with these his rebellious followers of whom he had now lost a great many he thought it not best to aduenture too far not knowing how presently to repaire his losses but contenting himselfe with that he had alreadie done retired with his armie into the strength of the mountaines there that Winter to liue vpon the spoile of the countries adjoining and the next yeare to do more harme than euer he had done before Beside all which former troubles the plague also this yeare sore raged both in CONSTANTINOPLE and many other places of the Turkish empire At which time also the Ianizaries at CONSTANTINOPLE hauing receiued some disgrace by some of the great Sultans fauourits and with great insolencie requiring to haue their heads caused their Aga well accompanied presumptuously to enter into the Seraglio to preferre this their request Whom Mahomet to the terrour of the rest caused for his presumption to be taken into the middest of the Spahi and so by them to be cut in pieces which was not done without the great slaughter of the Spahi themselues also slaine by the Ianizaries Whereupon the other Ianizaries arising vp in armes also and euen now readie to haue reuenged the death of their captaine were yet by the wisedome of Cicala Bassa bestowing amongst them a great summe of money againe appeased without farther harme doing Which their so great insolencie Mahomet imputing vnto their excessiue drinking of wine contrarie to the law of their great Prophet by the persuasion of the Muftie commaunded all such as had any wine in their houses in CONSTANTINOPLE or PERA vpon paine of death to bring it out and to staue it except the embassadours of the Queene of ENGLAND the French king and of the State of VENICE so that as some report wine for a space ran down the channels of the streets in CONSTANTINOPLE as if it had been water after a great shower of raine Sigismund the Transyluanian prince now of late againe possessed of TRANSYLVANIA as is before declared could not yet well assure himselfe of the keeping thereof for that he with the Transyluanians of his faction alone was not able to withstand the force of Basta who still strengthened with new supplies both of men and all things else necessarie for the warres from the Emperour was now with a great power alreadie entred into TRANSYLVANIA the Polonians busied in the warres of SUEVIA and the Turkes with their other greater affaires neither of them sending him their promised aid the greatest hope and stay of himselfe in that newnesse of his state Wherefore seeing himselfe euerie day to loose one place or other and fearing also least his souldiors for want of pay should in short time quite forsake him and go ouer to Basta he thought it best betimes and whilest he had yet something left and was not yet altogither become desperat otherwise to prouide for his estate especially hauing small trust in the Turkes to whom he had before been so great an enemie Wherefore he dealt with Basta for a truce or cessation from armes vntill embassadours might be sent vnto the emperour to entreat with him for some good attonement Wherewith Basta being content and the embassadours sent the matter was so handled with the Emperour that Sigismund to make an end of all these troubles was contented to the behoofe of his Imperiall majestie to resigne vnto Basta his lieutenant all such places as he yet held in TRANSYLVANIA vpon much like conditions he had about three yeares before made with him and so in all and for all to submit himselfe vnto his majestie Which intended surrender of the princes being bruted in TRANSYLVANIA Zachell Moises his lieutenant and now in field with the princes forces not able to endure or to heare that that noble prouince should againe fall into the hands of the Germanes encouraging his souldiors went vpon the sudden to assaile Basta in hope to haue found him vnprouided and so discomfiting his armie to haue driuen the Imperials quite out of TRANSYLVANIA But he an old and expert commaunder perceiuing euen the first mouing of the Transyluanians with great sceleritie put his armie in good order and so joyned battell with them wherein hee with the losse of some fiue hundred men ouerthrew Moises with his armie of Transyluanians Turkes and Tartars hauing slaine aboue three thousand of them and put the rest to flight Moises himselfe with some few others being now glad to take their refuge into the frontiers of the Turkes territories towards TEMESVVAR But when Sigismund vnderstood what his lieutenant had without his knowledge done he in token of his owne innocencie went himselfe vnto the Imperiall campe accompanied only with certaine of his Gentlemen and there vnto Basta excused himselfe of that which was by his lieutenant against his will and without his priuitie done frankly offering to performe whatsoeuer was on his part to be performed according to the agreement made betwixt the Emperour and him And so presently calling his garrisons out of