Effendi was of the greatest Abilities and this present Vizier the most youthful and unexperienced of later Times yet it may be accounted one special mark and token of his Prudence in knowing how to elect so useful a Friend and of his Policy in procuring his sincere faithfulness towards him and making him really his own To which end he conversed much with him communicated all his thoughts freely demanded his advice received his private Entertainments and in fine was wanting in no points of affable Courtesy and Compliance whereby he might create him his own contenting for some time himself with the name of Vizier tho the other as one who best knew how to manage it enjoyed the Power The Chief Officers of the Seraglio That is of the Hazoda or Royal Chamber instigated by the Queen Mother to diminish something the Power of the Vizier put often the Grand Signior in mind as a matter agreeable to his Dignity to have a regard to his Government which caused him more frequently than his humour served to betake himself to his Choisk over against the Viziers Gate to make his usual Observations and perceiving some Christians to enter the Court with red Calpacks or Caps and yellow Shooes prohibited to Christians by orders of inferior Magistrates but never until now thought worthy the Imperal Observance immediately called for the Subashee or Constable of Constantinople and from the Window commanded him with great Fury to enter the Viziers Court and such Christians as he should find there with yellow Shooes and red Caps he should first beat and then send uncovered and barefooted home The Subashee armed with a Power in this matter as high as the Viziers entered the House without Complement or Licence and encountring first the Kapikahya's or Agents of Moldavia and Valachia negotiating the Affairs of their Prince and Country he rudely layed them down and without Respect to their Persons or Office beat them on the Feet tore off their red Stockins and Caps and sent them home with their Heads and Feet bare derided by the People The Gr. Signiors severe Prohibition of yellow shoes and red Calpacks to Christians and lamenting the Affliction of that Tyranny to which they were subjected This inhumane Treatment of Persons in a manner sacred was seconded by publick Proclamations strictly prohibiting all Christians from wearing red Caps yellow Shooes scarlet Vests and the like and Janizaries from the use of Hanjars or Daggers and silk Turbants upon pain of Death which Order was so strictly enjoyned that the Corners of every Street were furnished with Officers to observe and punish such as were found to offend The Grand Signior Rimself judged also the Execution of this Order of that importance as to deserve his own proper Care and Inspection wherefore walking abroad as his manner was in disguise with his Executione at hand encountred in the Streets an unfortunate Bridegroom an Armenian who that day on priviledge of his Espousals had adventured to dress himself with yellow leathern Soks nothing was or could have time to be pleaded in his behalf before the fatal Blow was struck which sent him to his Grave instead of his Nupital Bed. This fury continued some few days with much rigour and strict observation but afterwards growing cold again all care was neglected happening herein as commonly it doth in all things which have no other foundation than humour and fancy But this inspection into petty matters did not so much disturb the thoughts of the Vizier as did the power and greatness of Mortaza the Pasha of Babylon by the Turks called Bagdat a person of an undaunted Courage and greate Conduct whom he had hitherto suffered to live contrary to the true knowledge of his interest and the Rules his Father had left him wherefore he resolved to renew his design and attempts against his Life one I remember was in December of the past Year when in our Journey to Adrianople we met a Messenger on the way who amongst other Discourses informed us that he was then going to Bablyon for confirmation of Mortaza and as a testimony of the G. Signiors favour and good will towards him he carried him a Sword and a Vest of Sables we immediatly and that truly guessed for what Present the Sword was sent for in some Months after the Chaous-bashee or chief of the Pursuivants returned without delivery of his Present The Vizier seeks to cut of Mortaza the Pasha of Babylon For the wise Mortaza was so justly Jealous that he would not so much as admit him to his Presence but returned him again with his Sword and Sables for those who were more easy and credulous and who believe to dye by Command of the Sultan to be Martyrdom and the only Crown of all their Merits and Deserts and knowing that he could not long subsist in Opposition to so great an Enemy he contracted an Alliance by Marriage with a Daughter of one of the Gordean or Curdean Princes and in Dowry had one of the strongest Forts of those Mountains delivered into his hands The Vizier finding himself thus foiled in his occult Artifices began publickly to profess his Enmity and therefore in the first place perswaded the Grand Signior that the long continuance of Mortaza in that Government beyond the usual term so Opulent and Powerful and of a Spirit so Ambitions and Rebellious could not but prove dangerous to himself and in time give him Confidence of Competition for the whole Empire which hazard to prevent with most prudence and advantage there being a present occasion of good Soldiers for relief of Candia Mortaza and his Complices could not be better bestowed than upon that Employment The Grand Signior readily consented to his Counsel being naturally very apprehensive of Danger and in his place constituted the Aga or General of the Janizaries posting him away with all speed-possible to his Government who did not run so fast in his Journey but that the advices of the coming of a new Pasha arrived timely the Ears of Mortaza who judging it an unequal match to contend with the whole Empire gave way to his Successor but withal kept himself so on his Guard that his Adversary could not reach his Head and send it as the first-fruits and Tribute of his new Office For yielding up his command as in an honourable manner of Retreat he gave out that with his Army reported to consist of Forty thousand Men he was on his March to Candia but soon after his design was discovered to be otherwise for believing his own Force unable to contend with his Masters he retired with his richess and some of those most faithful to him unto his Fort on the Mountains and to the Protection and Country of the King of the Curdi whose Daughter he had Married and remained in Epectation of time and opportunity to take his revenge on the Vizier hoping that with time this storm would blow over and that the Beams of his
most generous of all my Slaves I command thee to revenge my Death with the Blood of sixty thousand Janisaries and Spahees good Forture shall accompany thy Arms and Victory shall crown thy Labours During these Intrigues and Difficulties of Reconciliation Abassa spoiled the Lesser Asia and the Persian King conquered the City and Province of Bagdan or Babylon took Kur Asan Pasha an old Souldier Prisoner possessed himself of Mosul and Leska on the Persian Sea and meeting no considerable opposition he divided his Army into four parts The first was dispatched into Mesopotamia commanded by the King himself The second made Incursions into Palestine The third infested the Coast of the Black Sea and the fourth marched towards Mecha with hope and design of sharing all the parts of the Eastern Empire Ali Pasha who opposed the King in Mesopotamia was slain and his Army wholly defeated so that the Province became a Prey to the Enemy the success in Palestine was equally fortunate by the revolt of Damascus a place of great Riches and Importance the Coast of the Black Sea was greviously infested and a Port taken near to Trapezond and little opposition being made at Balsora the Town was taken by that Army in their March towards Mecha and the parts of the Red Sea where they rendered themselves Masters of Medina the City of their Prophet Mahomet To repair these losses and to encounter numbers so strong and valiant in all parts the Vizier was dispeeded with a powerful FOrce to the Town of Bagdat but by reason of Mutinies and Tumults amongst the Souldiery Matters found not the success expected and the Garison making valiant and vigorous Sallies against the imbecility of the Turkish Souldiery which were always most obstinate and stout to oppose their own Commanders obtained an advantage in every Attempt by which discouragement many forsaking their Colours The Siege raised at Bagdat the Turks overthrown the Siege was raised with dishonour and the Interest of the Turk impaired and almost irreparably lost in those Provinces This News arrived at Constantinople that the Camp was risen and fled by Night that they were forced to burn their Tents and Provisions and to break their great Artillery and cast them into the Euphrates that the Miseries in the Army had been such by Famine and Pestilence and want of all Provisions and Ammunition that the like was never known that the Vizier had beheaded three of his Pasha's that so he might cast the whole blame upon them and that now retreating with his Army into the Turkish Dominions the Persians pursued them in the Rear and for ten days did execution on them making the best use they could of their Victory which Relation filled the Hearts of all People with sadness and disordered the Counsels with confusion The Cause of which will Success according to custom being imputed to the General he was deprived of his Office and sacrificed to the Fury of the Janisaries These Troubles were increased at Constantinople by the Addresses which the Prince of Transylvania made unto the Port by his Kapi-Kahya or Agent representing to the Grand Signior That he wanting Heirs Male to succeed him in his Principality the States at a Diet had with common consent elected his Lady for his Successor and therefore desired confirmation from the Port. In excuse of her Sex he alledged the urgent Necessity of the present Times which perswaded rather to admit of the Government of a Woman than that his Principality should for want of an Heir fall into the Hands of the powerful Family of Austria To make good this Demand Duke John of Weymar and Count Mansfelt Duke of Weymar and Count Mansfelt join with the Prince of Transylvania arrived in Silistria to whom the Prince of Transylvania joined his Troops and Morteza Pasha of Buda wrote to the Port that he was marching towards Vatz to meet the Prince and confer with him concerning these Designs The Emperor 's Resident at Constantinople greatly exclaimed against these Proceedings which something troubled the Counsels of the Turks who in that Conjuncture were unwilling to give beginnings to a new War so that besides fair Words they promised to write such Letters to the Pasha of Buda as should give a stop to the Investiture of the Princes But to say truly the Instructions given were in such ambiguous terms that they in effect left the whole Matter to the Discretion of Morteza to act as he judged most agreeable to the State of Affairs on the Frontiers and security of the present Peace Thus did the Turkish Court seek to ward off the blow of a War with Germany and yet secretly nourished and encouraged it by giving Orders to the Pasha of Buda to take up his Winter-quarters with the Prince of Transylvania and to follow his Directions but yet so to govern Matters with Caution as not to engage too far on uncertain Grounds or doubtful Hazard but to embrace Propositions of Peace if offered with Honour and Security In prosecution of these Rules Morteza observing that Weymar and Mansfelt having united their Forces with Gabor had formed a considerable Army and were able to fight with Wallestein General of the Imperialists joined also his Forces to theirs judging it a prudent and politick Design to wage a War at the Blood and Expence of others With these Encouragements and with the favour of a good Opportunity The Emperor's Army defeated the Confederates fell upon the Army of Wallestein near the River Gran who not being able to withstand their Force and Fury was put to flight and pursued in the Rear with great slaughter and endeavouring to pass the River on two Bridges of Boats were closely followed by the Prince's Forces who gaining the Pass put the whole Army into great amazement and resolved to pursue them to the Gates of Presburg or Vienna Notwithstanding this Success the Prince of Transylvania observing the backwardness of his Allies to contribute the Succours of Men and Mony which they had promised and fearing that the unfortunate Estate of the Turkish Affairs should cause the Sultan to disown the War dispeeded a Messenger to the Emperor in the Winter-season to excuse the Constraint upon him of taking up Arms and to offer Terms of Accommodation and Peace But the Emperor refused all Treaties until such time as Gabor had separated himself from his Allies and from association with the Turk Upon which Answer Gabor retired to Cassovia and Morteza to Pesth This Compliance gave beginning to a Treaty at Komara where the Commissioners on part of the Emperor of the Grand Signior and Prince of Transylvania assembled All Parties seemed inclinable to War and yet with occult Intentions to make Peace being necessitated thereunto by the urgency of their distinct Interests The Emperor was urged by his Wars with the Protestants of Germany and apprehension of Forces from England in favour of the Elector Palatine then King of Bohemia The Grand Signior was encumbred by
on the Office of the Mufti to the great scandal and discontent of all the Religious and Literate Men in the whole City howsoever they both joined in consultation by what means they might best secure themselves and the Government from the Lusts and evil Designs of this quadruple Fraternity but their Wisdom and Interests were too weak to contrive Remedies against such high Oppressions for besides the Violences daily practised by the Brothers the extravagant Humors in the Sultan himself added to the Disorders of State and increased the Discontent and Dissatisfactions of the People For though Morat was naturally endowed with a good Wit and Parts was stout and of a good Courage yet as his perpetual Debauchery in Wine rendred him in appearance but of a weak Understanding mixed with much Levity so it caused his Accessions of the Falling-sickness to which he was subject to return often whereby the strength of his Brain was daily â—â—akened and impaired He was negligent also in the performance of those Ceremonies which his Ancestors were accustomed to observe nor did he live with that gravity and regular Course which is agreeable to the Grandeur of so great a Prince for sometimes he would go out of his Seraglio with no other Attendance than of three or four Men which were for the most part Buffoons players upon the Gittern and Eunuchs and with no better an Equipage would he sometimes be seen on Horse-back or in his Boat rowed on the Bosphorus with six Oars only by which Actions and other sallies of Youth he created such a contempt towards his Person that evil Men grew factious and weary and entred into Conspiracies against his Life whilst the good Men feared and presaged the ruin and downfal of the Empire for neither Justice nor Order nor Obedience prevailed no Offices were conferred for Merit but by Mony or some other unlawful Means there remained no Counsellors of true Faith and Integrity nor Souldiers almost either of experience for Sea or Land-adventures The People being burdened by double Taxes and Imposts were mutinous and ready to take the least Fire of Rebellion the Souldiery were disorderly for want of Discipline and their constant Pay the Pasha's of remote Provinces grew insolent taking upon themselves rather an absolute than a depending Soveraignty In short all things looked with that black appearance that nothing seemed to keep the Frame of Empire together but only the expectation of good Success to the Army in Persia the which as it depended on uncertain Events so the Ottoman Monarchy was then shaking and stood tottering on its deepest Foundation Wherefore all People being intent to hear of good News from Persia were much pleased to understand that the Vizier having by advantage in the last Engagement laden his Army with Plunder and Spoils The Vizier prepares to besiege Bagdat was now preparing to besiege Bagdat for whose good Success Prayers were daily made in the Moschs and the Schoolmasters surrounded the Streets with their young Scholars singing out Prayers with the Amen at every Period according to the Custom of that Country The Vizier marched towards Bagdat and began to besiege it about the 10th of September In order whereunto he amassed great abundance of all sorts of Provisions and made his Magazine of them at Mosul two thousand Camels each laden with two Sacks of Cotton every Sack being of about ten foot long were carried to the Siege for shelter of the Souldiery and to fill the Ditches The Vizier having passed part of his Army over the River Tigris the rest with the Cannon remaining on the hither side he dispatched Nasuf Pasha of Aleppo with six thousand Spahees to take a view of the Place and to discover the Avenues unto it In his way thither he met with eight thousand Persian Horse sent to reinforce the Garison which he valiantly engaged but being dangerously wounded was forced to retreat with the loss of almost half of his Men part killed and part taken those which were carried Prisoners to Bagdat were treated with all civility by the Governor who gave them a view of the Garison which consisted of twenty thousand effective Men shewed them their Stores and Provisions and that there was scarce an unuseful Mouth in all the City to devour them Notwithstanding this Disaster at the beginning The Siege the Vizier nothing dismayed proceeded on his Design spending the whole Month of September in making his Approaches In the Mouth of October he mounted eighteen Pieces of great Cannon which for the space of twenty five days bettered continually the Curtain between the two Bastions on which were four Pieces of Cannon not perceived by the Turks there was also a deep and large Ditch not discovered by them for that it was planked over with Boards and covered with a green Turf so that it appeared like plain and firm Ground the Breach being made and seemingly undefended the Turks resolved to make an Assault wherefore the Vizier on the 20th of November commanded the Spahees under the Conduct of the Beglerbei of Anatolia accompanied with Pasha's Sangiacks and other Persons of Note as also with Janisaries to the number of thirty thousand to enter the Breach which being performed and great numbers crowding on the Turf the weight of them pressed down the Planks and therewith the whole Engine giving way five or six thousand were in a moment taken as it were in a Pit-fall and swallowed up without any possibility of Succour to be yielded from their Companions After which on an instant there appeared fifteen thousand Men on the Breach and on the Bastions which with their Cannon and continual Vollies of Musket shot so galled the Spahees that they broke their main Body and killed the Beglerbei of Anatolia with other Peasons of Note and Quality and made the whole Army to retreat Two days after this Disgrace The Siege raised the Vizier raised the Siege and marched towards Mosul and the Persians encouraged with this Success pursued the Turks with eight thousand Horse assailed the Rear-guard of the Enemy and though the Conduct and Care thereof was committed to the charge of the Pasha's of Aleppo and Damascus yet the Persians killed three thousand Turks and had defeated the whole Rear of the Army had not the Spahees turned their Horses and withstood the shock with great Valour Notwithstanding this dishonourable Retreat the Vizier lost not his Courage or hopes of taking the Town in order unto which he appointed all things necessary to renew the Siege again in the Months of September and October following for that the foregoing Months are either too rainy or too hot in those Countries to undertake a Design or Enterprize of that Nature He fortified all the small Places in those parts round and quartered his Souldiers in them so that having all conveniencies of living they might be induced to continue and not abandon their Colours especially he took care to fortify Illay a place of about two
Gallantry the Souldiery being affrighted began to consider that they were not longer to be governed by a Woman or a Child but by the most brave Prince that ever swayed the Ottoman Scepter and thereupon for the future resolved upon an impartial Submission and Obedience unto him To encourage them in which and to reconcile their Spirits and Affections to him Morat oftentimes assembled his Souldiery at Ackmeidan where he exercised with them shooting with the Bow at Marks and at Rovers rewarding those who shot best with adding an Asper a day to their Pay besides which he distributed six thousand Hungars amongst them to demonstrate that wise Princes are used to mix Lenitives with their Rigour These Mutinies and Seditions in the Captial City encouraged Rebellious Spirits in divers other places so that a certain Bold and Audacious Fellow drawing a number of Miscreants after him possessed himself of the City of Prusa another of the same Temper called Elia Pasha made himself Master of Magnesia Rebellion in Anatolla where he committed all the Outrages which Enemies inflict on a Conquered People and being about twenty four miles distant from Smyrna so afrighted the People of that Place who were Merchants and such as lived by Trade that they fled with their Wealth and such Things as were portable lest they should be exposed to the Robbery and Spoil of Thieves and Rebels But the Beglerbey of Anatolia suffered not Elia to reign long in his lust but giving him Battel in those Plains wholly defeated him and sent twenty of the Heads of the chief Commanders to the Sultan for a Present and pursuing Elia and the rest of his Army to Magnesia besieged him in that City The Grand Signior being advised hereof and fearing lest the Siege should take up too much time and move other ill Humors in that Country dispatched Orders to offer Terms and Conditions of Accommodation with Elia which were secretly treated and great Promises made him of Favour and Rewards from the Grand Signior The easie Fool accepted the Conditions and embraced the Promises and leaving his City of Magnesia proceeded confidently to Constantinople to receive the gracious Rewards of the Sultan for his past Services At his Entry into the Seraglio in place of the Kapislar-Kahyasee or Master of the Ceremonies he was received by Officers with a Cord in their Hands who bestowed on him the gracious Reward of his Masters ultimate Favour These Rebellions were no sooner suppressed in Asia but that other Mutinies of the Janisaries Mutinies at Buda for want of Pay began at Buda in Hungary where they threw Stones at their Age and pursued him to the very Palace of the Pasha electing another into his place They also cut in pieces the Governour of Pest and bestowed his Office upon his Lieutenant To remedy these Disorders and extinguish the Mutiny the Grand Signior sent Commissioners to examine the Matter and to render him an account of the Grieveances and Demands of the Souldiers but they fearing to be surprised with some severe Acts of Justice prevented or forestalled the Inquiries of the Commissioners by acknowledging their Fault and demanding Pardon with surrender of four of the Ring-leaders to Punishment declaring That by their seducement and evil perswasions they were debauched into that disorderly course of Proceedings the Sultan accepted the Sumission and all things were quieted in Hungary Howsoever new Troubles arose in Moldavia Troubles in Moldavia for that People being oppressed over-much by their Prince Alexander made an Insurrection against him and drove him out of the Country who for refuge fled to Constantinople And the People desirous that one Bernoschi a Polonian by Nation might be put into his Place To obtain his Confirmation he came to the Port and offered himself before the Grand Signior but Morat suspecting that to obtain the Principality for himself he had secretly instigated and nourished the late popular Commotions caused his Head to be cut off in the Publick Divan Amurat had now born to him a seventh Daughter by his Slave called the Shining Star and though he was much troubled that she had not brought him forth a Son and Heir yet so much was she beloved by him that he resolved to create her Queen had not his Mother declared against it as a thing not usual for any Woman to be honoured with that Title before she had supplied the Inheritance by the Birth of a Male Child And that he might now totally extinguish the Fire of Sedition amongst the Souldiery he caused Ferdum Efendi and Saluc Age two prime Chiefs of the Spahees with eight principal Janisaries to be put to Death after which severity fearing another Insurrection he passed the Water and retired to his Seraglio at Scutari where he fortified himself It happened about that time that a Turkish Woman a Slave was found aboard a French Ship ready to sail from Constantinople which the Turks highly resented and aggravated the Crime so much against the French Ambassadour that they imprisoned his Son then embarqued and would have confiscated the Vessel and her Lading In those days the Christian Ambassadors resident at that Court kept better Union and Correspondence among themselves than they do at present so that all of them as concerned joined together to represent before the chief Ministers that such a Fault merited not so grand a Forfeiture for that it was most probable to have been committed without the privacy either of the Ambassador or Commander of the Ship. The Ambassadors then resident were Sir Peter Wych for England the Sieur Marcheville for France and Pietro Foscarini for Venice at whose warm and urgent Instances the Turks condescended to release the Vessel and the Goods laden upon her with free liberty to depart Howsoever it being represented to the Grand Signior by the Captain-Pasha who is Admiral of the Seas that one Baldasar an Armenian by Nation but Dragoman or Interpreter to the French Ambassador was a principal Instrument to move the Ambassadors to unite in this Pretence and being observed to manage the Interest of his Master with warm and earnest Sollicitations the surly Sultan grew so angry that one of his own Slaves should presume to manage a Dispute with him The French Interpreter impaled in Fury and Rage commanded that he should be immediately empaled and that he might be assured that his Sentence took effect he would see him with his own Eyes on the Stake before he would pass the Water to his Seraglio at Scutari The resolution was so sudden and the Execution so speedy that there was neither Ear lent to hear nor Time given to mediate in his behalf and the Act being performed complaints would not serve to redress a tyrannous Action now past Remedy and not to be recalled Wherefore as the Ambassadors were forced to acquiesce and patiently endure the Affront so if they would have resented it they could scarce have found one amongst their Interpreters of so bold a Spirit
who durst have opened his Mouth after so terrifying an Example The truth is the Dragomen or Interpreters to Ambassadors at Constantinople are required to be Men of Learning Courage and Courtship their studies ought to endue them perfectly with the Turkish Greek and Arabick Languages with some knowledg also of the Persian and with good Elocution and readiness of Tongue their constancy and presence of Mind is always necessary at their appearance before those Grandees or Great Men who are ever proud haughty and arrogant in all their Expressions and ways of Treaty the which they commonly manage towards Christian Ministers with the same respect which we use towards our Servants or our Slaves And therefore by reason of this and other Presidents of like nature Dragomen have been always timorous in representing the true sence of the Ambassadors and Consuls at least have so minced and tempered their words that they have lost much of that Vigour and Accent which is necessary to inculcate perfectly a Business into the Understanding of a Turk especially if you intend to incline him to Reason and Justice Wherefore it would be an excellent Qualification for an Ambassadour himself to understand and speak the Turkish Language or at least to have a young Man by his side of the English Nation educated in the Turkish Court who should be ready to explicate those Matters which are too thorny and prickly for Subjects of that Country to handle Had all the foregoing Troubles Mutinies and Misfortunes encountred the Spirit of an easie and a gentle Sultan certainly the Fate of this Amurat had been the same with that of Osman who retiring within his Seraglio could never have appeased the Seditious Humor with all the Concessions he could give an unreasonable multitude but being a resolved and busling Prince he at first gave some few steps backwards as if he would yield somewhat to the impetuosity of that Torrent which he could not resist yet it was only like a Ram who retires that he may butt with the greater force Howsoever the Politicians and sober Men attributed the true cause of all these Commotions in the Souldiery to have no other Foundation than the ill success and miseries which attended the War in Persia for the way being long and the Countries hot barren and for the most part void of all comfort the Souldiers abhorred the Fatigues and March thither and hated to consider that they should be made a Sacrifice to the lust of voluptuous Ministers who to gain Estates and Riches out of those Monies which were designed to carry on the War did not care whilst they lived at Ease and in Delights what Labours Wants and Dangers attended the Militia These Considerations made likewise some impression in the Sultan who therefore inclined to hearken unto those Propositions of Peace which were brought him by an Ambassador from Persia and being accompanied with very great Presents The Peace made with Persia and speedily broken the Peace was clapt up and concluded on a sudden But as Things quick in their Birth and Production are not long-liv'd nor long durable so this Peace was broken the same Year with an inconstancy equal to that inconsideration with which it was agreed and signed For no sooner was the News hereof flown into the Eastern World than the Great Mogol dispatched his Ambassador with Letters to the Grand Signior perswading him to make War again with the Persian promising to assist him therein by stopping up the Passage of Nachivan which is a City in the Lesser Armenia built upon the River Aranes and is the common Road into the Indies The which Motion as it was pleasing to Morat so being accompanied with Indian Curiosities and Presents of an inestimable Value the Ambassador was graciously received and treated with such Feasts and Entertainments as are not usually known amongst the Turks and returned again with Letters giving hopes that he would speedily take an occasion to break with the Persian But those who had experienced the Difficulties of a War with Persia and observed that in the present Conjuncture of Affairs it might be more easily and with advantage waged on the side of Hungary Perswasions for a War against the Emperor endeavoured with many pregnant Arguments to perswade the Grand Signior thereunto giving him to understand that Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden being victorious over the Emperor in Germany had taken many Towns and Cities of great strength and having overthrown him in divers Battels had slain or taken his best Captains and most Martial Men of Valour and that other Christians who were desirous to abate the pride of the Austrian Family were ready to embrace the same Conjuncture whereby they might entirely shake off the Yoke and Servitude to the Imperial Tyranny These Advantages being well represented took place easily in the mind of Morat so that he dispatched express Orders to the Pasha of Buda to assemble his Forces and put all things in a readiness on the Frontiers in compliance with which though the Pasha set forth his Tents and made great appearance of a March yet some secret Designs caused him to move slowly and to affect a Peace rather than a War so that receiving an Ambassador from the Emperor at Pest he readily Admitted him and gave him safe Conduct and Convoy unto Constantinople at which time Advices coming that the Great Gustavus Adolphus was slain and that the Affairs of the Swedes went backwards and unsuccesfully in Germany altered all the Measures of the Ottoman Counsels and though Ragotski endeavoured all he was able to foment the Differences and encourage the Turks to a War having besides other specious Pretences an Army of thirty thousand Men in a readiness to joyn with the Turks against the Emperor howsoever the Turks looking on the Condition of the Swedes as desperate and the Proffers of Ragotski to be uncertain and of no true Foundation A Peace made between the Emperor and Grand Signior and the State of Affairs amongst themselves to be turbulent and unsetled gave a kind Reception to the Emperor's Ambassador and signed the Agreement for continuance of the Truce By this and other Actions of like Nature Ragotski lost much of his Esteem with the Emperor and the Grand Signior the first always looked on him as an Ambitious Prince exciting the Turk against him and ready on the least Occasion to enter his Country with Fire and Sword The other looked on him as a False Friends who never made Proffers but those which squared with his own Designs and Interest and particularly he had disgusted the Port by presuming to instate one Matthias in the Principality of Walachia and to eject another constituted there by Authority of the Grand Signior called Stridia Bei or Lord Oysters because his Father was a Fisher-man and gained a good Estate by the Trade of Oysters howsoever it being the Grand Signior'd Pleasure to ordain such a Person to that Office it was a Presumption and a
was a faint Refreshment in respect to that terrible Storm of sixty thousand Men composed of Turks Tartars Moldavians and Valachians which under the Command of Abassa had already passed the Danube Konispolzki the Polish General having not sufficient Force to oppose them in open Field nor time to assemble a greater Army gathered what Supplies he could from the Cossacks and Lords of that Country and therewith encamped himself upon a Hill between the River Tyr and the Town of Chocin that he might be the better able to succour Kemenitz which the Enemy designed to assault Abassa who contemned this weak Force of the Poles resolved without farther consideration A Fight between the Turks and the Poles to attack them in their own Camp and force them to fight of which the Poles being well advised placed several Pieces of Artillery and lined all the Hedges and Ditches with Musquetiers where the Turks were necessarily to pass drawing out their whole Army into Batalia the Turks who hastened the nearest way to charge the Enemy fell into the Ambush where having lost about five hundred Men they began to make a stand and to consider of some more advantageous way to their Design Wherefore Abassa taking another Course which he judged to be free from all concealed Dangers ordered the Tartars to charge the Right Wing and the Moldavians and Valachians the left of the Enemy and he with his Turks would fight the main Body The Tartars with great Resolution performed their part and had wholly defeated that Wing had not Wisnovitzki with some Troops and a Train of small Artillery come in seasonably to their Succour The Moldavians and Valachians fought to faintly against the Enemy whom they considered to be Christians Brothers and Neighbours that they soon turned their Backs and fled but were not far pursued by the Poles Abassa receiving this Repulse sounded a Retreat and immediately repassed the River Tyr and marched with all the haste he was able stopping no where until he arrived at Rinzur about thirty English miles from the place of the Fight and arriving at length on the Banks of the Danube he gave License to his Souldiers to disperse into their Winter-Quarters in the mean time Abassa dispatched Advice to the Grand Signior of the Particulars of the Fight and of his great Victory by an entire defeat of the Polish Army The Grand Signior believed the Report which none durst to contradict and which was confirmed by the Rumour of an Ambassador coming from Poland An Ambassador sent to the G. Signior srom Poland For the Poles being at that time engaged in a War with Muscovy and apprehensive of another with Sweden judged it not seasonable to provoke the Turk but rather by way of Accommodation dispatched an Ambassador with a Train of three hundred Men to make Complaints against the late Acts of Hostility committed by Abassa as if he had moved his Arms without the Orders or Knowledg of the Sultan About that time that the Ambassador approached near to Constantinople the Grand Signior had another Son born but of a weakly and sickly Temperament howsoever great Joy was expressed and all the City was enlightned with Torches Bonefires and Fire-works and that the Grand-Signior might evidence his Greatness and Magnificence to the Ambassador he took this Occasion of the Birth of a Son to make a solemn Entrance into the City and to make the greater Show he armed all the Citizens and Inhabitans Before the Grand Signior would grant Audience to the Ambassador he ordered that Abassa should treat with him and understand his Business and Desires Abassa carried himself high in the Negotiation he pretended the Damages and Charges of the War the Demolishment of certain Palancas which were the Places of Refuge for the Cossacks and the Tribute of ten Years past with Security of paiment for the Time to come The Ambassador positively refused to hearken unto any Terms about Tribute and that for other Matters the Presents which he had brought to the Grand Signior would reasonably answer His Presents were A Coach lined with Velvet with six very fine Horses A Bason and Candlesticks of Silver richly gilt Four Clocks ten Vests of Sables six Quivers of Arrows with some Hunting-Dogs Being at length admitted to Audience and thereunto conducted by the Aga of the Spahees and the Chaous Bashee The Grand Signior asked the Ambassador which was not usual For what Reason he was come thither To which he answered That he was come to bring his Majesty Advice of the Coronation of his King and to establish a Peace is his Majesty should judg fit to accept thereof To which the Sultan replied That all Christian Kings ought either to receive the Ottoman Laws or pay him Tribute or try the sharpness of his Sword. And taking a Cemiter in his hand which hung by him he drew it half out and said With this I will subdue my Enemies and though take another in Poland To which the Ambassador returning a modest Answer was dismissed of the Royal Presence And now the Grand Signior to put a good face on the Business and to make the World believe that he designed what he spake he proclaimed a War with Poland and ordered his Tents to be carried abroad supposing hereby to draw the Poles to his own Terms of Agreement And in pursuance hereof he mounted on Horseback and rode in state through the City his upper Vest was made after the Hungarian Fashion lined with Sables in his right hand he carried a Quiver of Arrows in his left two drawn Swords on his Turbant he wore a large Plume of Feathers encompassed with a Circle of Diamonds and in this manner entring his Tents he proceeded to Adrianople But before his departure the Count Puchen Ambassador from the Emperor arrived with other sumptuous Presents offering Incense and Gifts of Peace at the Throne of this Greatness But before we relate the Transactions at Adrianople and the Success of Affairs at that Place let us recount several dismal Accidents at Constantinople The Grand Signior returning by Sea from a place called Stravosta in the Bay of Ismit anciently the Bay of Nicomedia where he had for some time held his Court and great Divan he was followed by several Vessels appointed to transport the People The several Mischiefs by Water and Fire in one whereof were ninety five Persons embarked all of them Pasha's Aga's and chief Officers of the Court the Vessel was over-set by a sudden gust of Wind and all the People drowned excepting three Sea-men which saved themselves by swimming More considerable were the Mischiefs by Fire For on occasion of some Fire-works made in one of the Grand Siguior's Chiosks or Houses of Pleasure the Fire took so fiercely on the Tavan A terrible Fire at Constantinople or wooden Works of the Sieling that it endangered the whole Palace and had consumed all but that many Hands and active Men gave a stop to the farther
Grand signior who having given a stop to his March at Iconium until the end of this Business he condemned him to be flead alive and in this Guise being a horrid Spectacle to all Beholders he was carried upon an Ass to the Wheel on which he seemed to endure the Remainder of his Punishment without any sensible Touches or Pangs in the Torments This Success being attained Morat proceeded in his March and passing through Alexandretta or Scanderone he was there saluted by the Guns of all the English and Dutch Ships then in Port and presented by the Merchants and Consuls especially by the Venetian called Marco Foscolo whose Presents were computed to amount unto the Value of ten thousand Dollars Thence he proceeded to Antioch where he refreshed his Army for a few days observing the Antiquities of that Place At Aleppo he was met by the Pasha of Grand Cairo who brought with him a rich Tribute accompanied with an Army of twenty four thousand Souldiers all choice Men well armed and well cloathed at the same Place also the Forces of Palestine joyned with him so that his Army was now increased to a vast Number Proceeding forward new Sangiacks came in daily belonging to the Countries through which they marched and a strong Party of Tartars despairing of being able to act any considerable Matter against Asac offered themselves to the Service of the Grand Signior The King of Persia entred the Field at the Head of an hundred and twenty thousand Horse The Persian Army dares not give Battel to the Turk but being inferiour in Force made only use of them to reinforce his Garrison of Bagdat with an Addition of thirty thousand Men which now being well provided he judged that the Force within and the Strength of the Place would be able to endure a long Siege and with time weaken if not destroy the vast numbers of the Turks of which there were former Examples With the rest of his Forces he returned to encounter the Great Mogul who as we have said promised Morat to assist him in this War and attack the Persian on the other side of his Dominions which served for an advantageous Diversion to the Turk This was the Reason that no memorable Battels succeeded in the Field there being none of greater Note than a Fight which Quinan Pasha had with two thousand Persians belonging to Revan with whom accidentally encountring he killed fifteen hundred of them on the Place and took the rest Prisoners which being five hundred in number were brought before Morat and all barbarously put to death by him During the time of this March Morat often exercised himself in Feats of Arms to shew his strength of Body and dexterity of Hand amongst other things wonderful to the Souldiers he pierced a Suit of Arms of Musket-Proof with a Dart called by them a Gerit thrown from his Hand for evidence of which the Armour is placed on one of the Gates of Aleppo with an Inscription under it About the Beginning of the Month of August the Turkish Army passed the River Euphrates The Turks pass the River Euphrates by means of a Bridge which was not so well built but that it sunk under the weight of Horses Camels and Baggage by which Disaster many perished in the Water which great Rains had swelled above the Bounds of its Banks As this numerous Army proceeded so all Petty Princes applied themselves to perform their Homage amongst which one Tarpos a King of the Arabs came with his Wife Mother and Son to prostrate himself before the Sultan He was entertained in the Tent of the Favourite who being always in company with â—â—â—at was never suffered to separate from him and his Tent more for Ostentation than to serve his occasion Tarpos being admitted to Audience was received with Respect and a favourable Countenance and presented with a Vest of Cloth of Gold lined with Sables and a small Purse of Gold In recompence whereof the Arab Prince returned certain choice Horses and two Leopards In like manner the Georgians and Mengrelians who are Tributaries to Turk and Persian and commonly incline to the strongest side whose Nations we have described in the present State of the Ottoman Empire would not be wanting at this time to bring their Tribute of eighty thousand yards of Linen-cloth which they pay every three year with some Children of both Sexes chosen out of the comeliest and most healthful amongst them At Mosul the Army lay encamped for some time The Turkish Army at Mosul where was a general Rendezvous and Confluence of People from all Parts and every thing ordered and modelized for a War. Severe Discipline was kept amongst all Offenders were Impaled Flead alive their Bowels ript out and thrown into the publick Ways Nor did Takers of Tobacco escape with less Punishment than the rest In the mean time Wine was forbid to his whole Camp unless to himself and his Favourite being a Royal drink and when the chief Physician commended the admirable vertue of Opium advising Morat to use it in the place of Wine he enjoyned him to make his Words good by his own Example and thereby forced him to take so much that he was overcome and died by swallowing too great a quantity From Mosul the Army marched in due order to Babylon where the Great Vizier arrived with thirty thousand Men about the 19th of October But by reason of the great weight of Artillery and the many Impediments which attend such vast numbers the Grand Signior came not thither till the 5th of November and on the 9th the whole Turkish Army presented it self before the Walls of Babylon Babylon the ancientest City of the World The Description of Babylon or Bagdat reported to be built by Nimrod on the Banks of the River Euphrates and afterwards beautified and enlarged by Semiramis the Wife of Ninus is recorded in History for the vastness thereof to be one of the seven Miracles of the World. Afterwards the furious Inundations of the River and the Iron Teeth of devouring Time and the subjection thereof to the Macedonian Empire did much eclipse the Glory of that City and caused Seleucus Nicanor one of Alexander's Captains to build a new one where the Tigris and Euphrates meet forty Miles more Northwards than the old Babylon which he therefore called Seleucia after his own Name In the Year of our Lord 753 Abugiafer Almansor an Arab King enlarged this City to the Eastern side of the Tigris as being less subject to the Inundations of the River giving it the Name of Badgat or the place of Gardens but his Son Almolied being more pleased with the Western side encouraged People to build the stateliest Palaces and best Fabricks near the place where he delighted to keep his Court so that the River Tigris divided the City The which with the Country thereabouts was subdued by Solyman the Magnificent and afterwards in the Year 1625 it was recovered by Abas King of
Chinski laboured to diminish the Dignity of an English Ambassadour at Constantinople by alledging that he was elected by the Company of Merchants for Conservation of their Trade only and afterwards confirmed and honoured by the King yet this Argument was in no wise prevalent with the Turks who esteeming the Commission of the Prince and the Charge of an Office the only Qualification to ennoble a Person made no Difficulty to determine the Point in behalf of the English And though some Italian Writers say that the English Ambassadour gave fifteen Purses of Mony or seven thousand five hundred Dollars to the Chimacam for this Favour yet those who understand how unwillingly the Turky-Merchants part with their Mony on defence of such Punctillio's and Niceties especially where the Ambassadour might have avoided the bringing them into Dispute will more readily believe that the Turks from free motives of their own Justice and Reason judged this Honour due to the Ambassador than that he should purchase this indisputable Point by the disgraceful means of Mony. All matters being now determined between the Turks and Persia and the black Clouds blown over from the Venetians The Turkish Counsels uncertain about a War. the Grand Signior studied how and where he might turn his Arms with most Advantage he had conceived an irreconcileable pique against Ragotski and Matthew for the Causes before related but having an intention to make use of their Force against Poland or Germany or against them both together he dissembled the Passion he conceived against them and rather deferred his Revenge than pardoned the Liberty which they had exercised without his Licence or Assent Sometimes he resolved to recover Asac out of the hands of the Cossacks sometimes he thought of making War upon Poland judging himself much affronted by that King for not sending an Ambassadour to congratulate his late Successes Then he supposed that a War in Germany would be more easie and the Conquest more profitable by reason of the Riches of the People and the Fertility of the Soil to which pretences could never be wanting on the score of those Differences which always arise amongst the People of the Frontiers During these Debates and Counsels Preparations were made for War both by Sea and Land as yet uncertain where they should be imployed The Vizier returns from Persia To command them the Great Vizier was ordered to hasten his Journey from Persia whose Arrival was celebrated at Constantinople with a solemn Entry and for a particular and distinguishing Honour the Grand Signior sent him a Vest from his own Back to wear on the day of his Triumph This Vizier was a Person very austere in his Behaviour bold and valiant as he evidenced by his Actions in taking Bagdat zealous for his Master's Interest and what is rare in a Turk not much addicted to his own He had acquired a great share in the Esteem of his Master and his Authority increased as the daily Decay of the Grand Signior's Health rendred him less able for Government For now the strong Complexion of Morat began to grow feeble by excesses of frequent Debauchery his Stomach was become cold and weak not able to digest the lightest Meats his hand shook and a paralytical Distemper seized him in every part so that his Mother and the Physicians perswaded him to forsake the use of Wine as Poyson and Destruction to his Health and he whilst he was sensible of his languishing Condition like a true Penitent made many Protestations and Vows against it forbidding the accursed Poyson to be received within the Walls of the Seraglio Howsoever his kind Heart could not possibly withstand the Temptation of a Banquet to which his Pot-companions did sometimes invite him amongst which the Great Vizier would not be wanting also to please and cajole the Humour of his Master with the Liquor that he loved But his chief and constant Camerades in drinking were his Persian Favourite and Mustapha Pasha of Bosna one educated in the Seraglio promoted to the place of Selictar Aga to whom he gave the stately Palace of Ibrahim Pasha on the Hippodrome together with his eldest Daughter in Marriage These two stout Sons of Bacchus perswaded the Grand Signior to appoint one solemn Drinking-day in time of the Biram which is the great Festival of the Year and introduced by their Prophet in imitation of our Easter Morat being at this time possessed with the Spirit of Debauchery accepted the Motion and invited the two Drunkards to dinner with him The Persian provoked his Pleasure of drinking by salt Meats and by peppered and spiced Dishes the sort of Wine they most used was a sweet Malvoisia sometimes twisted and encouraged with the strong Waters called Rosa Solis of which they sucked so long and with such Excess that falling under the force of it they were insensibly carried away to their several Beds This dissolute Repast became fatal to the Grand Signior for a Fire being kindled in his Veins and Bowels he fell into a violent and continued Feaver The Physicians being called were fearful to administer Remedies lest proving unsuccessful their Lives should pay for the ineffectual Operation At length they agreed to let him blood The death of Sultan Morat but this hastened his Death For he died the fourth Day of his Feaver being the 8th of February in the seventeenth Year of his Reign and the one and thirtieth of his Age having ruled in the height of all Disorders and irregular Excesses which his youthful Years enabled him to support With his Death all his thoughts and Designs of making a War against Christendom perished having sworn after his Return from Persia to reduce all his neighbouring Countries to the Mahometan Law. His Character He was of a most cruel and implacable Disposition having amongst his other Acts of Tyranny imbrued his Hands in the Blood of his two Brothers Orchan and Bajazet as also strangled his Uncle Mustapha whose innocent Weakness had been sufficient to secure his Life against any but the most horrid Monster of human Tyranny He left no Son for though he had divers they died in their Infancy notwithstanding which his Kingred were so detested by him that he envied the Descendence of Monarchy on his Brother Ibrahim who was preserved by a strange Providence from his Fury Often saying that he wished that he might be the last of the Ottoman Line that the Empire of that Family might end with him and devolve unto the Tartar. He was certainly the most absolute Prince that ever swayed the Ottoman Empire but of no Religion seldom fasting in the Month of Ramasan contemning and laughing at the Santones and others of their Religious Orders He was very inquisitive into all Actions of the City for which he maintained his Spies and oftentimes took his Rules and Measures from Discourses of People concerning his Government He was a great Dissembler ready active and revengeful covetous to Extremity having left fiteen
Commission for the War was brought forth sealed with Orders not to open it until they were past the Dardanelli Hereat the noise of great and small Shot from the Gallies and Ships resounded through all Constantinople and the Commanders repairing to their Vessels the Assembly broke up and every thing was put in a posture to make Sail. It was now the last day of April 1645 old Style when the Fleet first broke ground which consisted of 73 Gallies besides the 8 Gallies of Barbary 2 Mahons or Galleasses one great Gallion called the Sultana 10 Ships of Alexandria 2 of Tunis and 10 of English and Dutch Ships which coming to Constantinople for Trade were there pressed into the Service with about 300 Saiks and Caramussals which carried Souldiers Provisions Ammunition and Utensils for War. Their Militia consisted of 7000 Janisaries 14000 Spahees and about 50000 Timariots and other Souldiers with about 3000 Pioniers these all were to Rendezvous at Scio where they arrived the 7th of May. But before their departure from Constantinople the Bailo Soranço or the Venetian Ambassador thought fit in Complement and for discovery to make a visit to the Captain-Pasha by whom he was received with frank Courtesy and assurance of Friendship so that though he suspected the worst yet could he collect no certain assurances of Peace or War however he advised Signior Cornaro then Governour of Candia that though he could not certainly penerate into the bottom of the Turks Design yet he apprehended that the Storm might fall on that Kindom understanding that the Captain-Pasha was not well inclined towards the most Serene Republick wherefore he ought to be watchful and circumspect yet with as little demonstration of jealousy as was possible so that if the Turks should there arrive he should afford them all conveniencies of Watering Provisions and other Refreshments The Fleet being departed from Scio for Napoli di Romagnia the Northern Wind so freshned and blew so hard that the Gallies were separated and forced to put into divers Ports and the Saiks and Caramussals to Anchor at Micono and Tino At the latter of which belonging to the Venetians they had licence to Water and and were refreshed with such provisions as the Island afforded and now after this flurry of Wind the Fleet being again united they were seen off at Sea from Cerigo an Island of the Venetians at the Mouth of the Archipelago and failing towards the Channel of Braccio de Maina and the next day 9 Gallies a Gallion and a Brigantine made towards the Isle of Cerigo and sent a Letter a shore by a Boat to the Proveditor from the Pasha of Rhodes demanding their usual present of Coffee and Sugar which was given them they assuring all Friendship and real good Intentions towards the People and Dominions of Venice But in the mean time a Satia laden with Arms and Ammunition from Venice bound for Retimo unhappily falling into the Turkish Fleet was intercepted by them and taken which unmasked all the Design and made the Turks appear in their true Colours notwithstanding all their religious Protestations and outwardly fair Comportment the usual disguise of the Mahometan Sincerity Towards the end of May the Turkish Fleet was discovered from Carabuso a small Fortress of the Venetians some distance off at Sea standing to the Westward which gave some jealousie to them at Candia and being compared with some precedent Acts as that of sounding the depth of Water about St. Theodoro with a Brigantine which is a small Rock lying off of Canea which pretended to come from Sancta Maura with Turky Merchants afforded undeniable grounds of assurance to those in Candia that the War was designed against them howsoever the Ottoman Fleet rendezvousing again at Navarino a place far distant from Candia altered their Apprehensions at Venice and elsewhere of this War deeming it now certain that this Design had no other aim or mark but that of Malta But this opinion was no sooner entertain'd than it was confuted by open Acts of hostility for the Captain-Pasha being arrived at Cape Colonna by some called Sunio immediately dispatched a Brigantine to Constantinople with advice of his Proceedings and Intentions to pass directly for Candia whereupon it was thought seasonable to publish the War against Venice which was performed with committing the Ambassador Soranço to Prision and giving Orders through all the Archipelago to destroy or enslave all the Subjects of that Republick And here the Turk practised his usual beginnings of War with more than ordinary Caution for though with other Princes whose Territories border on him by Land he usually endeavours to strike at the same time when he gives the Salutations of Peace Yet here being to contend at Sea where he is conscious his Forces are inferiour to those of Venice he practised all those feigned Artifices confirmed with as many holy Vows and Protestations as their Religion hallows and makes lawful when they can bring advantage and encrease to the Mahometan Faith. But though the Venetian Republick was so politick as outwardly to demonstrate a Religious Confidence of their potent Neighbour whom they were conscious not to have provoked by any breach of Capitulations yet were not so secure of his Faith and so easie to believe his fair Dissimulations as not prudently to provide against the utmost Effects of his Power and Treachery Wherefore whilst the Turk prepared they armed likewise secretly made considerable Levies without noise commisionated thirty extraordinary Commanders of Gallies took up seventeen English and Dutch ships into their Service armed out two Galliasses extraordinary and when the Turk had unmasked his Design they then imparted their Condition to all the Christian Princes craving their Succour and Assistance to maintain the Common Bulwark of Christendom againtst the comme Enemy The Galleasses were commanded by Girolamo Morosini the Gallies of which fifteen were made ready and afterwards put to Sea all commanded by Noblemen were under the Conduct of Antonio Capello Francesco Molino was made Proveditor General a Person of untainted Justice and Honour and extraordinary zealous and vigilant in the Publick Interest whose indefatigable Labours and Care of his Country promoted him afterwards to be Doge of Venice By his Order and Counsel extraordinary Proveditors were sent to Candia Cerigo and Tino as Places most feared and in danger and Orders were dispatched to Andrea Cornaro then General and Inquisitor in Candia to arm out twenty Gallies from the Arsenal of Canea and to promote this Design the better he hired two English and one Dutch Ship then in Port of Malomocco to carry unto Candia Timbers fitted and already squared at Venice for building Gallies besides which he sent Cannon Corn and all Ammunition of War with fifty thousand Zechins in Gold for encouragement of the Militia with a recruit of two and twenty Companies of Foot formed and collected out of divers Nations Intelligence being come of the imprisonment of the Bailo at Constantinople the Senate
the Seraglio And now Sultan Ibrahim losing all Courage at this third attempt fled into the Arms of his Mother begging her Assistance and Protection She being a bold and subtle Woman employed all her Rhetorick and Eloquence to perswade the Souldlery not to offer Violence to the Person of their Lord and Master promising that he should relinquish the Government and retire himself with a Guard into his old Lodgings Ibrahim comforted a little that he should save his Life shrunk himself willingly into his old Shell wherein he had so long conserved his Life In the mean time the Conspirators taking forth his eldest Son Sultan Mahomet set him on the Throne of his Father and planting the Sargouch or Imperial Feathers on his Head saluted him for Emperor with loud Acclamations Ibrahim continued his Imprisonment for some days with great patience but at length growing desperate and furious often beat his Head against the Wall until at length he was on the 17th strangled by four Mutes In this manner Sultan Ibrahim ended his Days which puts me in mind of the saying of a wiser and a better King than he That there is little distance between the Prisons and the Graves of Princes And this Example made a great Officer understand how King Charles the Glorious Martyr was put to Death For he I think it was the Great Vizier falling into Discourse with the Chief English Interpreter at Constantinople not then calling to mind the Fate of Sultan Ibrahim demanded How and when King Charles was put to Death Sure said he Your King must have no Power or your People must be more Rebellious and Mutinous than other Nations of the World who durst commit an Act so horrid and vile as this See said he How our Emperor is revered and observed and how submissive and obedient half the World is to the Nod of our Great Monarch To which the Interpreter replyed that to recount unto him the History and Occasion of this prodigious fact would be too long and tedious for him to hear but that the time it happened was some Months after the Death or Murder of Sultan Ibrahim which was an Item sufficient to give him a perfect understanding of what he required Sultan Ibrahim having in this manner ended his Days the Government was committed into the hands of the Grand Vizier and the old Queen-Mother which is she whom we call Kiosem in the Ottoman State and of twelve Pashaws who were to manage all Affairs with supream Power during the Minority of Sultan Mahomet who now Reigns Ibrahim was the fifth Son of Sultan Achmet born of the same Mother with Sultan Morat Educated like the other younger Sons of the Ottoman Family within the Walls of an obscure and unhappy Prison so that 't is no wonder if wanting the advantages of seeing and practising in the World he should neither have studied Men nor been experienced in the Art of Government Nor less strange is it being natural to humane Infirmity for Men who have lived under Restraint Affliction and fear of Death to become licentious and immoderate in all kind of Pleasures whensoever they pass on a sudden from the depth of Misery to some transcendent degree of Happiness and Prosperity which as I say all Men are naturally subject unto so more especially those whose Religion indulges them all kind of sensual Carnality in this Life Ibrahim was in his own Nature of a gentle and easy Temper of a large Forehead of a quick and lively Eye and ruddy Complexion and of a good Proportion in the Features of his Face but yet had something in the Air of his Countenance that promised no great Abilities of Mind And giving himself up to all kind of Effeminacy and Softness attended not unto the Government of his Affairs and therefore it was his greatest misfortune to be served by wicked and faithless Officers to whom he trusted and to whom he gave Credence wanting in himself the Talents of Wisdom and Discretion to discern their Malice The continual apprehensions that he entertained of Death during his Imprisonment had so frozen his Constitution with a strange frigidity towards Women that all the dalliance and warm Embraces of the most inflaming Ladies in the Seraglio could not in a whole Years time thaw his Coldness which was the occasion at first of that Report which spoke him to be impotent towards Women during which time he attended to his Ministers of Justice and to a management of the Affairs of his Empire which in the beginning of his Reign gained him a Credit and Reputation and raised a great expectation of his goodness and Care of his Subjects Welfare and evidence of which he gave in his Charge to the Great Vizier that he should put no Man to Death unless for Capital and Enormous Crimes But at length losing himself in Lusts and Sensualities he forsook the Helm of his Regency committing the guidance of his Empire to other Hands and as he was ignorant of War so he foolishly sported in the Calms of peace and suffering himself to be guided only by Fortune felt the Stroke thereof in his last Unhappy Fate THE REIGN OF Sultan MEHMET OR MAHOMET IV. THIRTEENTH EMPEROR OF THE TURKS ANNO 1649. SUltan Ibrahim perishing in this manner by the mutinous Violence of the Souldiery his Son Mehmet or Mahomet being a Child of seven Years of Age succeeded in the Throne During whose Minority which was to continue for the space of ten Years longer his Mother who was the first Sultana assisted with the Counsel of twelve Pashaws took upon her self the Regency and in the first place resolved to continue the War against the Venetians which Ibrahim intended to conclude having engaged himself far in a Treaty of Peace with the Bailo or Ambassador which resided at the Port for that Republick Whilst these Matters were transacting and Preparations making to prosecute the War the Malignant Humours of the Empire began to ferment unto that degree as affected the Body Politick at first with unnatural Heats which soon afterwards proceeded to a Feaver and then to a dangerous Convulsion The ill-affected Part was the Militia which is the Heart and Principal of the Life of that Government For the Spahees and the Janisaries being the Horse and Foot entred into a desperater Controversie The first judged it their Duty to revenge the Death of their Soveraign Sultan Ibrahim and in order thereunto demanded the Head of the Great Vizier as the Chief Author and Contriver of the Death of his Lord and Master The others being conscious to themselves of having by their Arms carried on the Conspiracy not only declared their Resolutions to defend the Vizier but owned that what he had acted was by their Order and at their Request and Instigation The Spahees being highly provoked with this Declaration swelled with Anger and Malice against the Janisaries and both sides being equally proud and rich could not bear each others Reproaches The Spahees being Men of
Enemy the which being resolved upon by the Council a heavy Tax was laid on the people to carry on the Design which they not willingly supporting made a publick Insurrection in the City and at the same time also the ancient Quarrel between the Spahees and Janisaries began again to ferment which Troubles being added to a Rebellion raised by the Pasha of Aleppo who increasing in strength and number came marching towards Constantinople put that great City into a horrible Fear and Confusion ANNO 1654. THE Venetians judged that these Troubles would naturally produce some Advantage to them and much facilitate the Peace which they had long desired but as Seditions amongst the Turks are always too violent to continue so these Discontents evaporated in a short time and new Resolutions were taken to prosecute the War in Candia for notwithstanding that Monsieur de Ventelay Son to the French Ambassador mediated with agreeable prudence to compose Matters in order to a Peace yet his Endeavours were all insignificant for neither had Signior Capello Audience granted him nor that liberty which was promised before his Arrival the Turks still insisting on the Surrender of Candia would not understand any Terms which did not entirely invest them in that Conquest To effect which by Force which could not be performed by Composition the Pasha of Buda was Elected for Captain-Pasha or Commander in Chief of the Seas and Orders given to equippe a new Fleet of Ships and Gallies for transporting the Succours of Men and Provisions to Candia where Chusaein Pasha the General being wearied with his long Siege of the Town withdrew his Men at some farther distance for their better refreshment for they wanting all Conveniencies in their Trenches began to Mutiny and to refuse the performance of their Duty until the General satisfying their Pay and dispensing liberally Largesses to the Officers gave them new Encouragement and Satisfaction with which being a little enlivened Chusaein sent a Herald with a defiance to those in the City challenging them to fight a pitcht Battel with him but the Christians refused the Offer thinking it more prudence not to accept than loss of Honour to deny an Answer to the Challenge Then the Turks sought some means to effect their Design by Treachery to which end they treated with a certain Captain for delivery of one of the Gates of the City which he promised to do unto the Turks but gave Advertisement unto the Governour The Pasha the night following advanced with some Troops hoping to find one of the Gates opened to him but instead thereof the Defendants having prepared a Mine to receive them sprang the same so opportunely that it carried away the most of those who were engaged in the Design and therewith their hopes of becoming Masters speedily of that impregnable Fortress Wherefore they resolved for a while to repose and attend those Succours which were now preparing at Constantinople The Fleet being put into a readiness the Souldiery departed with their usual hopes of Success but meeting with their Enemy again at the Mouth of the Dardanelli the Fight was furious and hot for a long time between them but concluded to the disadvantage of the Turks who there lost 6000 Men two Gallies three Ships and a Mahone howsoever they broke through the Venetians and landed 12000 Men in the Isle of Candia The News of this defeat and the Confirmation thereof by the wounded Men which were landed at Constantinople made a great noise amongst the people Howsoever the Turks persisting constant to their Intentions of prosecuting the War sent Orders to the Captain-Pasha again to fight the Venetians so soon as the Fleet was refitted and restored to a condition to engage in another Battel but the Venetians scarce gave them the leisure to repair before they attacked them again whereby they put them to such disorder that they were forced to take refuge in the first convenient Port where having attended a favourable Wind they hastned to Constantinople and from thence were dispatched into the Black Sea against the Cossacks who very much infested those parts The Captain-Pasha being arrived extolled his own great Services and Adventures and on the contrary vilified the Great Vizier disparaging all his Actions as mixed with weak Counsels and prosecuted with Cowardise or want of true Resolution the which took such deep impression in his absence having none to answer for him that all being given for granted which was alledged against him Orders were dispatched to Candia by an Officer to take off his Head in whose place this Captain-Pasha succeeded Amidst of all these Combustions of War the mediation of Peace was carried on by the French Ambassador For though Signior Capello was actually Resident on the Place qualified with the Character of Bailo for the Republick of Venice yet the Turks would scarce vouchsafe to Treat personally with him and indeed his sufferings by Imprisonment and other barbarous Usages had affected him with such a melancholy as rendred him uncapable for some time of administring publick Affairs for having lost his Reason by giving way to sad and black Thoughts he laid violent Hands on himself by wounding himself in two or three places of his Belly but the Wounds proving not Mortal he was in a short time restored again to a sound Estate both in Mind and Body as I shall some few years after have occasion to relate from the words of his own Mouth which he was pleased to utter to me on his Death-bed the day before he departed this Life ANNO 1655. THE Great Vizier after all his evil Insinuations against Chusaein Pasha fell very sick and infirm so that the Court considering him as a Person uncapable of farther Service cast their eyes on the Pasha of Aleppo who being a daring Martial Man was esteemed to be the better Chief in such a hazardous War which for being on the Sea was unusual and displeasing to the Turks Against him nothing could be objected besides his Rebellions and Contrariety to the Government but hereunto it was presently answered that the extravagance of his humour proceeded only from his Ambition of being Great Vizier which when he had attained that thirsty desire of Glory which he exercis'd for acquiring this Office would be busied in thoughts to advance and improve his Honour in Actions beyond his Predecessors Letters being arrived at this Pasha's hands which called him to Court to accept this Charge did secretly please the humour of his haughty Spirit howsoever he remained for a while in some suspence and irresolution not being assured whether some Deceit might not be concealed under this specious appearance of Preferment But considering that the way unto Gains and Advantage was by daring Adventures he resolutely accepted the Proffer and put himself in his March towards Constantinople with a glorious Equipage of forty thousand Men thinking therewith to make good his Retreat and secure his Person in case that Deceit were discovered which he rationally suspected
Being arrived near unto Constantinople he received from the Great Signior several Messages of Kindness and a good welcome and was accordingly received into the City and invested in the Office with all the Circumstances of Favour and Honour imaginable Having thus taken possession of his Charge he promised the Grand Signior that he would employ all his Endeavours to restore the decayed Estate of Affairs and reform the Government And as an earnest thereof he began to remove such Ministers from the Court which were suspected by him and to render himself the more Absolute he cut off several others whom he imagined might in any wise disturb or controul him in the management of his Affairs After which he dispatched his Orders to all Maritime Towns of the Empire to fit and make ready what Gallies and Ships were possible to be provided intending thereby to set out the greatest Fleet that ever was seen in the Levant but to compleat this Work two great Difficulties arose The first was to find a wise and well experienced Commander and the next was in what manner to perswade the Spahees and Janisaries to embark for they having heard and seen in what manner their Companions had perished in this miserable War absolutely refused to go and though the Animosities of these two orders of Souldiers were irreconcileable one to the other yet in this common Cause being united they raised so horrible a Sedition that they assaulted the Mufti in his very House and pursued him within the Gates of the Seraglio with a thousand reproaches and injuries as an Author of evil Counsels and a Disturber of the common Peace and Quiet of the Empire Nor was it possible to appease this Tumult but by anticipating to them four months Pay with which their Minds being made more pliable they gently yielded to Obedience and suffered themselves to be embarked for Candia Zarnozau Mustapha was made Captain-Pasha or General of the Fleet which was very numerous and well equipped consisting of sixty Gallies eight Mahones thirty great Ship of War and sixty one Gallies belonging to the Beys After having remained three days at the mouth of the Dardanelles near the Castles they went out in this Order The Bey's Gallies were the first then followed the Ships next the Mahones and the Rear consisted wholly of the Grand Signior's Gallies The Van of the Fleet being the Bey's Gallies which are always the best manned and provided were ordered to attack the main Body of the Christian Fleet for that being seconded with the Ships they would be able to sustain the Shock until the Mahones could come up which were directed against the Starboard Wing of the Enemy composed of Galleasses The Venetians though much inferior in Number yet as great in Courage gave evident Signs of their desire to fight with hopes by God's Blessing to obtain a Victory The Venetians whilst the Turks passed remained still with their Anchors apique which the Turks interpreting as a token of their Courage and Boldness were so daunted that they began to ply toward the Coast of Greece but being forced to pass 〈◊〉 the Guns of the Venetian Admiral they 〈◊〉 so ill treated by his Broadsides that they were discouraged from making a second Charge The Ships and other Vessels fared little better being forced to pass under the Guns of the Enemies Fleet. The Captain-Pasha attempted to pas◠〈◊〉 Coast of Anatolia with his lighter Gallies but being hindred by a strong party of the Enemy he was forced to follow the rest of the Fleet taking his Course with them by the Coast of Greece In this Charge one of the Turks Mahones was sunk and two disabled But the greatest Fight happened between a Squadron of the Turks Ships and four of the Venetians which had been hard put to it had not the Captain Mocenigo come in to their Assistance howsoever the Venetian Captain of the Ship called the Crown was slain by a Musket shot In short the Christians boarded the Turks with so much Vigour and Resolution that they took several of their Ships and mixing with the thickest of their other Vessels they put many Ashore and others escaping in their Boats left their Slaves and Gallies to the disposal of the Enemy so that the Venetians obtained that day a hundred brass Guns with a signal Victory having had no other important Loss unless the Ship called the David and Goliah which being overpowered was burnt by the Turks The People of the Turks who were in daily expectation to receive intelligence of a Success agreeable to so great Preparations were much troubled to hear the News of the Defeat given to their Naval Forces of which Miscarriage the World dividing it self into different Conjectures the most part especially those of Constantinople attributed the Misfortune of all to the ill Government and want of Experience in the General Wherefore to appease the People especially the Merchants who were weary of this Marine War from whence they reaped nothing but Losses of their Ships and Goods It was thought fit to enter into a Treaty with Signior Capello the Venetian Bailo concerning a Peace but he having his Commission taken from him for the Reason before related his Secretary Ballarino supplyed his Office and in Order to an Accommodation had two Audiences with the Great Vizier to whom and to others of the Divan he made Presents of rich Pieces of Cloth of Gold in the Name of the Republick Howsoever the Turks thinking it dishonourable to accord unto other Terms than the intire Resignation of Candia proceeded in their Preparations as formerly at which the Merchants and Tradesmen at Constantinople received such matter of Discontentment that in Tumults they cryed out for Peace at the Gates of the very Seraglio and behaved themselves with that Insolence that the Janisaries were called to drive them from thence by force of Arms howsoever this Tumult and Riot of the People ended not without the Life of the Great Vizier to whose fury he was made a Sacrifice And though his Son appeared at the Gates of the City with forty thousand Men to demand Justice on the Murderers of his Father yet the People were so far from being dismayed thereat that their Fury and Rage encreased to a greater height and required the Authority of the Divan to keep things from running into the Inconveniences of a Civil War. ANNO 1656. THese Disorders induced the chief Ministers to enter into another Treaty with Ballarino proposing to withdraw their Forces from Candia and make a Peace upon the paiment of ten Millions for the Charge of the War And to incline the Venetians hereunto the Turks gave severe Orders to their People living about Corfou to molest the Inhabitants of that Island with all Acts of Hostility imaginable and farther published That their Intentions were to set out a more numerous and stronger Fleet than any which from the beginning of this War had sailed on the Seas and in order thereinto great Numbers of
Slaves consisting of Cossacks and Moscovites were bought of the Tartars and transported to Constantinople The Venetians were not in the least affrighted at these Boastings of the Turk but on the contrary knowing that their Affairs in Candia were well secured and provided gave Orders to Ballarino to desist from farther Treaties and to procure his Licence to depart And the Turks to evidence their intentions to prosecute the War entered into Canea with twenty eight Sail laden with Arms and Provisions on which also were fifteen hundred Men. By this conveyance was sent a Janisar-Aga with Orders from the Grand Signior to constitute Chusaein Pasha in the place of Captain-Pasha or Admiral of the Seas but he judging this to be a Design or Lure to draw him from his Post or Office wherein he was more strong and secure acknowledged the Honour of the Employment but framed Excuses to continue his Seat and Place of Residence which the Chief Ministers were forced to accept it being a Conjuncture more seasonable to dissemble than to resent his refusal Whilst new Preparations were making against Candia so horrible a storm of Mutiny and Sedition arose at Constantinople as constrained the Grandees of the Council to quit for the present all thoughts of providing for the War against the Enemy that they might defend and save themselves from the Fury of their own People For the Spahees and Janisaries joining together pretended to reform the Abuses of the State to perform which in a furious Tumult putting themselves in Arms they ran to the Divan where they deposed the Great Vizier A Rebellion at Constantinople and discharged divers other Officers of their Employment The Mufti was constrained to fly to Jerusalem and the Queen-Mother scarce remained secure in her old Seraglio And to so great a height their Rebellion proceeded that they proposed even to dethrone the Grand Signior himself And having thus cast off all Respect and Duty to their Prince they entred the Imperial Palace and forcing the Guards broke up the Treasury and carried two millions from thence Amidst of this horrid and affrighting Confusion Merchants and well-meaning Citizens remained in the most astonishing apprehensions imaginable for all Laws being broken and Justice unregarded the whole City laid open to be pillaged and sacked by the licentiousnefs of an unbridled Souldiery For several days the Offices both of the Mufti and Great Vizier remained vacant by reason that the two Factions of Janisaries and Spahees could not agree upon the Election At length the most seditious amongst them wearying out the others with Quarrels and Contests advanced a Fellow of no Understanding or Reputation to the eminent degree of Great Vizier in which condition he remained not long For the Fire of the multitude being with time quenched and the popular Heat abated this new Vizier was displaced all things returning to their usual Channel and Authority to its Fountain And that Matters might more easily be restored to their ancient order the Grand Signior called for the Pasha of Damascus to receive the Dignity of Great Vizier for he being a Person of eighty Years of Age and of long Experience in Affairs having managed the most weighty Charges of the Empire was looked on by all as the most proper Person to compose and heal these great Distempers in the State and this was that famous Kuperlee who was Father to him who succeeded him in this Office. The Pasha of Silistria was also constituted Captain Pasha and Chusaein was confirmed in his Government of Candia And now the bright Beams of Justice and Government having dissipated the Storms and Fury of popular Sollevations the Grand Signior in Person mounting his Horse accompanied with his principal Ministers of State visited all the Parts of Constantinople where making Inquisition for the principal Leaders and Fomenters of this Rebellion he seized on some and without further process boldly executed them in the Face of the People But before things were reduced to this condition four Months were spent in this horrid Confusion and what is most strange this Great Empire for so long time remained without a Pilot tossed on the Waves of popular Commotions all which served to give ease and respite to the Venetians in their War but not to operate towards a Peace so resolute were the Turks in their Design of making an entire Conquest of Candia Far having again Equipped a most formidable Fleet consisting of sixty light Gallies twenty eight Ships and nine Galleasses they attempted to make their way for Candia and therewith to fight the Venetians in case they should oppose them in their Voyage to which they were the more encouraged upon sight of the Venetians who appeared at the Streights of the Dardanelli with no more than twenty nine Gallies and some Boat or Brigantines howsoever the Turks were not so confident in their numbers but that they judged it requisite to fortify themselves with two Batteries one on the Coast of Anatolia and the other on the European shore whereby they imagined that they might cause the Venetians to give way and open a Passage to their Fleet. But notwithstanding the continual shot which the Turks made upon them Engagement between the Turks and Venetians they still kept their Station from the 23d to the 26th of June when the Wind coming about to the North which was favourable for the Turks to Sail out and to bring them nearer to their Enemies they began gently to approach and the like the Christians endeavoured being desirous to join Battel at which firmness of Resolution the Turks being a little startled became willing to avoid the Fight and to creep under the shelter of the point of Babiers which locks in one of the Bayes between the Castles and the Mouth of the Dardanelli But the Wind on a sudden turning favourable for the Venetians the Prior of Rochelle with his Squadron and Mocenigo with three Ships under his Command made up towards the Castles with design to cut the Turks off from their Retreat the others valiantly assailed the Turks who defending themselves like those whose chief security consists in their Arms there ensued a most miserable slanghter on one side The Venetians obtain the Victory and the other at length the Success of Victory happened to the Venetians who were animated by the couragious Example of their General Marcello though he having Boarded and become Master of a great Ship called a Soltana with the Gally which attended her was shot in the thigh with a Cannon Bullet and thereby gained the glory to die Conquering and Triumphant After whose Death the Proveditor taking upon him the Command of the Fleet prosecuted the Victory so close that excepting fourteen Gallies which escaped with the Captain-Pasha and four Gallies of the Bey's all the whole Flect was either taken sunk or burnt The Venetians not being able to man all the Vessels that they had taken set many of them on fire in the Night excepting only twelve
sixth day of February Audience with the Grand Signior being Pay-day of the Janisaries the Lord Ambassador had Audience of the Grand Signior which was performed in this manner His Excellency with Sir Thomas Bendysh departing from his House with his retinue on Horse-back by break of day in the Morning was met on Constantinople side by the Chaous-Bashee and his Chaouses and by them conducted to the Seraglio We rode through the first Court which was very spacious and then we alighted from our Horses and walked through another Court leading to the Divan or place of Judicature at the upper end of which the Great Vizier was seated on his right Hand sate Five Viziers of the Bench of which the Captain-Pasha or Admiral of the Seas was one on the left were the Two Kadileschers or Chief Justices one of Anatolia and the other of Romelia and by them the Tefterdar Pasha or Lord Treasurer with Three other Pasha's The floar of the Divan was covered with Carpets and on them a richer covering of Bags of Money for payment of the Janisaries The Two Ambassadors with about Six or Seven of their retinue amongst which I was one being admitted in and placed at the lower end their Excellencies approached toward the Vizier and were seated near unto him on Two stools covered with Crimson Velvet and some Discourse and Complement having passed between them they retired to another part of the Room that they might give way to Business In the mean time the payment of the Soldiers went forward every Churbagee or Captain taking from the heaps the Pay of his Soldiers and laying the Bags on their Shoulders made up to the Vizier and having kissed the Hem of his Vest on his Knees he retired with great Humility and hast from him passing away with his side towards him it being very unseemly amongst them to turn their backs to Personages of that Dignity The Payment being over Three small Tables were brought in the first of which was covered with a silver Voyder at which the Two Ambassadors sate with the chief Ministers but the Great Vizier by reason of his Age and Weakness retired into another Room The other Two Tables were covered with a mixed Mettal which served in the place of a Table-Cloth at which the others sate We had no Knives Forks nor Plate but only Wooden Spoons were laid for us which was sufficient in that manner of eating for their Meats are most boyled and conveniently received by the Spoon or are so well roasted that they are easily parted with the Fingers The dishes were served in by one at a time but so fast that we had scarce tasted of one before it was snatched away to make place for another and I think there might be about Twenty several changes in this manner at the end of all to conclude our Feast a great Bowl of Sherbet was brought in and we drank of it as large draughts as we pleased Being risen from the Table Eighteen Coftans or Vests being the usual number given to the English Ambassadour with one extraordinary in favour to the New Ambassador were brought forth and bestowed and in the mean time the Present from our King to the Grand Signior provided at the expence of the Turky Company consisting of Fifty Vests viz. Ten of Velvet Ten of Sattin Ten of Cloth of Gold Ten of Tabbies and Ten of fine English Cloth were brought forth and displayed in the open Court by Fifty men which carried them and Four English Mastiffs which were more acceptable to this Grand Signoir than all the rest The whole body of Janisaries then payed consisting of about Five thousand were drawn up in a body and ranged on one side of the Court-yard amongst them there was that silence that the least whisper noise or motion was not heard and as their Janisar Aga and other Commanders passed the bowings they made in salute were so regular and at the same time as may well testify the exactness of their Discipline and admirable obedience which hath in a great measure contributed towards their Conquests and Enlargement of their Empire Being thus Vested and ranked in Order the Great Vizier entered into the Presence of the Grand Signior and then Two Capugi-bashes or Chief of the Porters of the Gate with long Silver Staves took the New Ambassador under each Arm to conduct him to the Chamber of Audience those permitted to accompany him were Sir Thomas Bendysh the Earl of Winchelsea's Brother Sir Thomas Allen Captain of the Plymouth Frigat the Interpreter and my self who then being Secretary carried the Credential Letters made up in a Purse of Cloth of Gold. We gently knocked at the first Gate which was immediately set wide open to us in the Porch whereof Forty white Eunuchs attended clothed in Vests of Sattin and Cloth of Gold of divers colours and stood with their Hands before them with marvellous silence and modesty Coming near to the Presence-door where the Kapi-Aga or Chief of the white Eunuchs attended we made a pause in the Porch and trod very softly so as not to disturb with the least motion the greatness of that Majesty and so profound was the silence that nothing was heard besides the murmurings of a Fountain adjoining hereunto Just at the entrance of the Chamber hung a gilded Ball studded with divers precious Stones the Floar was covered with Crimson Velvet embroidered with Golden-wyre The Grand Signior himself sate in a Throne raised a small heigth from the ground supported with Four Pillars plated with Gold from the top hung several gilded Balls twined with Masses of Pearl the Cushions he sate upon and those also that lay by were richly embroidered and beset with Jewels and on his right hand stood the Great Vizier And having made a considerable stop at the Door the Two Capugibashees who held his Excellence under each Arm brought him to the middle of the Room and laying their Hands upon his Head made him bow until he touched the Carpets with his forehead and then raising him again they retired backward with him unto the farthest part of the Room and in like manner they took all the others singly and in order placing them behind the Ambassadors The Credential Letters from our King were then presented and appointed that they should be delivered to the hands of the Reis-Efendi or Secretary of State. Then the Druggerman or Interpreter by Order of the Lord Ambassador read a Paper in the Turkish Language to this Effect First Declaring how the King of Great Britain our Soveraign Lord and Master was restored to the Throne of his Ancestors without War or any Conditions And the great Clemency of His Majesty in pardoning all but those who had a hand in the Murder of his Father Secondly Recommending the Merchants and their Interest to the continuance of his usual Favour and Protection Thirdly Begging the freedom of all English Slaves as a particular Testimony of Favour and Grace to this New Ambassador
and to disappoint the designs of his Predecessor and his party The Turks being satisfied with this Submission with the Subjection of several places of Importance with deposing of Ragotzki and establishment of a new Prince began to disband a great part of their Forces and the Great Vizier with the remainder returned towards Constantinople supposing the Fire of this War to be totally extinguished In this condition of Repose matters continued for about the space of two Years when Ragotzki impatient of his losses and of the exchange of his publick State to a private Condition inveterate in his hate towards his Rival and Competitor resolved to tempt Fortune once more and make his ultimate Assay either to establish himself in his Principality or at least to render himself equal with other mortal Princes in the Grave and so relying with much Confidence on the zealous Affection of his Subjects and the promise of powerful Adherents Ragotki makes new Troubles he once again justled himself into the Government by the Expulsion of his Rival whom he could not behold with other than with an emulous and unpleasing Eye Berclay perceiving himself thus ensnared neglected and persecuted by all Parties represented these Innovations to the Ottoman Port with the most aggravating Circumstances imaginable beseeching them to afford him aid and vindicate their own Honour in maintenance of him whom they had constituted a Prince and was a Creature formed by their own favour The Turks immediately touched with the Sense hereof Issued out Orders to Ciddi Ahmet the new Pasha of Buda Commanded him without delay to gather what Forces he could to interrupt the designs of Transilvania and to put matters unto a stand until a greater Army could second him under the Command of Ali Pasha appointed General for this Expedition The Pasha of Buda readily obeyed and assembling what Forces he could in Hungary and joining with the Pasha of Temiswar passed the Danube and with a very considerable Army entered Transivania Ragotzki undaunted at the near approach of his Enemy boldly entered the Field with his Forces and joined Battel with them in the Month of May 1660. between the Cities of Clausenburg and Giulia Alba. At first the Christians endeavoured to have intercepted the Enemies passage by some Ambuscado or Stratagem of War but the Turks still advancing were at length met by the Van-guard of the Christians to assistance of which several Bodies following one after the other it became a general Engagement of both Armies in which Battel Ragotzki gave his usual proofs of Valour declaring by his Actions that he was resolved to dye or to Triumph But being at length wounded in four parts of his Body and his Army over-powered with Numbers he was forced to yield the Fortune of the Day to the Turks leaving 8. pieces of Cannon and his Standard in their hands and the greatest part of his Army being either killed or taken he himself with a few of his Attendants recovered Varadin where after 18. The death of Ragotzki Days distemper of his Wounds he expired his unquiet and troubled Soul. This was the end of that vain Icarus who attempted to fly with feigned Wings and borrowed Feathers this is the fate of ambitious Spirits whom Pride elevates and exhales like a Vapour unto that height until it dissolves them into Showers or precipitates them into the abyss of all Confusion His Character This George Ragotzki was of a tall and well proportioned Stature black Hair and a frisled Beard his Eyes quick and lively of an active Body and healthy Constitution his Spirit was high and great which betrayed him to Extravagancies his Comportment was generous and courteous towards all which rendered him exceedingly beloved and esteemed by his Nobility he was free in his Speech and eloquent in his Expressions prudent in his Counsels and Enterprizes had not the quickness and vivacity of his Soul made him something rash and violent in his Attempts he was of the Protestant Religion leaving behind him a Widow and a Son of hopeful and happy endowments After the Death of Ragotzki it might well be expected that these Storms of War should be dispersed and that Transilvania should at length enjoy the Sun-shine and calmer Weather of Peace and Repose But Ali Pasha General of the Turkish Camp being by this time arrived the Confines with his powerful Army resolved not to return empty or in vain without advantaging the Ottoman Interest and making some Satisfaction towards the Expence and Trouble of so great an Army Wherefore taking pretence against Varadin for receiving Ragotzki after his Defeat abetting his party and following his Interest designed to summon that important Fortress to surrender which is fituated at the foot of those Mountains which open a Passage into Transilvania The Inhabitants of Varadin terrified at the approach of this formidable Enemy The People of Varadin crave aid of the Emperor dispatched a Messenger to the Emperor imploring with most effectual Arguments his Sacred Protection and powerful Assistance against the common Enemy to Christendom representing to his Cesarean Majesty how that the Turks in their Capitulations with him had agreed to Build or Erect no new Fort on those Frontiers and whereas it was the same thing to force and usurp a Fortress already made as to form a new one the taking of Varadin was to be esteemed a real Violation of the Articles of Peace That his Majesty would be pleased to reflect on the fatal Consequences which the loses of Varadin might prove to Hungary as well as Transilvania being that Gate which obstructed cuts off all Intercourse between them and Germany These Considerations with several others were exceeding prevalent in the Imperial Council so that it was resolved that General Souches should prepare his Army and put all things in readiness to afford the Assistance which was desired supposing that with the German Regiments and Hungarian Forces might be formed an Army of about 25. thousand fighting men But in regard in those Instructions given to Souches there was a Clause that he should be careful not to engage his Forces in any attempt where the event might be doubtful he assembled the principal Persons of that Country and the Militia to consult whether succor and relief might be given to Varadin without hazarding the Army in a doubtful and a dangerous Adventure in consideration of which point a true Computation being made of all the Imperial Forces they were found much inferior to that calculate which was made of them at Vienna For that since Tockai Zatmar Kalo and other places belonging to the State of Ragotzki had been Garisoned by German Soldiers there remained not of them above 4000. effective Men the Hungarian Forces which were supposed to have consisted of 2000. Men could not form 600. the Haiducks which were computed to be 6000. Men did not appear in the Person of one being all dispersed and retired to their own homes The difficulty of making War
and that by him these Orders were to be carried unto Algier from whence he was advised that the Algerines were ready to accept those Articles if one of his Majesties Ships singly appeared about the Treaty so that the World might not esteem their condescension to proceed from Force and Compulsion Hereof Advices being sent into England a Peace ensued in some Months after but what faith these Infidels kept will be related in the Sequel of this Story the Memory of which is engraven with the Point of a Diamond and the Losses which ensued thereupon to the Exchange at London deserve a particular Treatise which in the mean time many Families retain in a sad remembrance In May Advice was brought to the Lord Ambassador how that the Ann a Frigat of his Majesties Royal Navy commanded by Captain Jonas Pool which had convoyed the general Ships to Symrna in her passage homewards stopped at the Morea and came to an Anchor near a place in that Country called the Black Mountain commodious to Wood and Water in to which end were landed threescore men armed with Swords and Firelocks these made havock of the Woods on all sides loading their Boats away as fast as they could and not only so but set great Frees on Fire which in that dry Season of the Year dispersed it self far and wide which being seen at a distance in the Night alarmed the People of the Country so that the Begh or Governor came down with some Force to discover the matter supposing that some Malteses or Venetians might be landed At the approach of this Body of Turks our Men quitted the Woods and shifted away as fast as they could to their Boats of which Thirty eight escaped the rest falling short were intercepted by the Turks and Eleven of them were killed and Eleven taken Captives and of the Turks two Aga's and Two or Three others had the fortune to fall by some Musket-shot from our men whilst in this confusion they endeavoured to defend themselves On the news hereof our Lord Ambassador represented the whole matter to the Vizier declaring That it was lawful according to our Capitulations to take refreshments and supply our wants in any part of the Grand Signiors Dominions and that therefore he demanded Justice on the Begh of the Morea and restitution of the Captives But the Vizier understanding that some Turks were killed in the skirmish lent not so ready an ear to these Complaints howsoever to be acquitted of the Ambassadors solicitations referred the business to the Examination and Justice of the Captain Pasha But it falling out that at that time the Consul and Merchants at Smyrna had an unhappy difference with the Captain Pasha which shall in the next place be related was the Cause that all Applications to his Favour and Justice were suspended and a slow progress made towards obtaining the liberty of those poor unfortunate men Howsoever some months after it happened that the Begh of the Morea being removed from that Government and coming to Constantinople with his whole Estate brought with him the Eleven Englishmen which he had taken and offered them to sale unto the Ambassador who considering that they were Englishmen and such as had been enslaved in actual Service of their King he esteemed himself obliged both in Charity and Honour to redeem them But the Case appeared too foul to demand their Liberty by strength of the Capitulations for besides that the cutting Wood in places inhabited without permission is a Robbery and a Crime in its self not to be maintained by the Law of Nations the killing of a principal Aga and wounding others might sufficiently warrant the Turks without any Breach of Peace to detain these men as lawful Captives Wherefore the Lord Ambassador deeming it unseemly that those who had served in his Majesties Navy should be condemned to the Turkish Gallies disbursed Fourteen hundred Lion Dollars which was demanded for them which was afterwards repay'd him by his Majesty and having cloathed and provided them with necessaries for their Voyage conveyed them with the first occasions into England The difference between the English Nation and the Captain Pasha which impeded the Liberty for some time of these Captives had its Original at Smyrna where some English Merchants making Collation one Evening in a Garden were assaulted and beaten by certain drunken * Soldiers belonging to the Sea. The Garden Avania Levents belonging to a Gally then in Port in whose Company was a Portuguez Slave The News hereof flying to the Frank Street put all the Neighbourhood into an uproar so that divers People with such Weapons as came next to hand in a fury went in pursuit of the Levents and unhappily meeting one drew him into the English Consuls house where they treated him with such blows as abated much of the heat and fumes of his Wine during which disturbance and confusion the Portuguez Slave found an opportunity to make his escape The Consul knowing it some advantage in Turky to complain first sent to the Kadi giving him to understand the ill usage of Four of his Merchants whose names he gave in writing by the unruly Levents whilst they innocently and without injury to any divertised themselves in a Garden to which for the present little more was given in answer than that on a farther examination of the Business the Conful should receive Justice In the mean time the Turk who had been beaten in the Consuls House resolved not to leave the Gate till he had received satisfaction for his blows and the others that were his Comrades demanded their Slave from the English which was lost by whose means and assistance as they pretend he had made his Escape The matter came now to high Demands on both sides which the Kadi either not being desirous or not of sufficient Authority to compound the Gally departed without any agreement and the complaint was carried by the Turks to the Captain Pasha who then being with his Fleet at Mytiline with little other thoughts or business was glad of this occasion to get Money and therefore suddenly returned the Gally again with Orders to bring before him the Four Merchants whose names he particularized to make answer to their accusation of having beaten his Levents and contrived the escape of the slave The Consul and Merchants being affrighted by this Message and Command of so great a Personage endeavoured with Money to accommodate the Business by force of which it was at length taken up costing in all the summ of Two thousand seven hundred Dollars or thereabouts The which passage may serve for an example to such as live in Turky that all troubles of this nature are best compounded for at first for at the beginning nothing more was demanded than the price of the Slave of the broken pate of the Levent But being suffered to come under the Cognizance of powerful and coverous Tyrants as there is no fahtoming their unsatiable desires so there is
Grand Signiors choice of other places of Residence rather than his Imperial Seraglio proceeded not so much from his own unsetled humour and course of living as from an apprehension of some Designs and mutinous Treasons of the Janisaries against him For to speak the truth since the death of Kuperlee the Militia began again to be corrupted and if we may believe the opinion of the most principal Turks the Vizier undertook this War to employ the busie spirits of the Soldiery which began to grow resty and insolent through idleness and by that means secure his own life and establish his Condition and Fortune The Equinoctial being come the Grand Signior would not have one days longer patience for though the Season was wet and rainny yet the Tents were pitched and though the Wind was so violent and forcible as overturned almost the whole Camp yet no difficulties and inconveniencies of Weather could give one hour of intermission to the Sultans desires Wherefore on the Ninth of this Month March. the Grand Signior departed from Constantinople attended with his Court his principal Officers of State and with what part of his Army was then a in readiness to march The magnificence of the show they made was according to the usual Solemnity yet worthy the sight of a Stranger and perhaps not incurious to the Reader in its Relation First The Cavalcade which the Gr. Signior made when he departed from Constantinople marched with a singular Gravity the several and distinct Orders of Civil and Military Officers in their proper Habits and Caparisons the Santones in their wild dress followed by the Emirs or such as are of the Kindred of their false Prophet the Great Vizier and Musti rode in rank together the Vizier on the left hand the most honourable place amongst the Soldiery being the side to which the Sword is girt as the right is of greatest esteem amongst such as are of the Law being that hand which guides the Pen The Trappings of the Viziers Horse were plared with Gold and before him were carried three Horse-tails called in Turkish Tugh and behind him came about Three hundred and fifty Pages all Young men well mounted and armed with Jacks and Coats of Male Next followed the Minions of the Court or Seraglio viz. the Paicks with Caps of beaten Gold and embroidered Coats the Solacks with Feathers armed with Bows and Arrows these two last are of the highest degree of Lacqueys which more nearly attend the Person of the Grand Signior these were followed by Nine led Horses of the Grand Signior richly adorned with precious Stones and Bucklers all covered with Jewels of an unknown value Immediately before the Person of the Grand Signior was led a Camel carrying the Alcoran in a Chest covered with cloth of gold The Gr. Signior himself was clothed in a Vest of cloth of gold lined with a Sable incomparably black held up from the sides of his Horse by four Pages his Person was followed with great numbers of Eunuchs and Pages with long red Caps wrought with Gold about the head carrying Lances and Mails with two Locks one on each side of their Head which are worn by such only as are of the Royal Chamber After these crowded great numbers of Servants with the chief Comp. of Saphees commanded by the Selictor Aga in number about 1800. And in this manner and order they marched to their Tents The Tents were raised on a small Hill as may be judged about Four Miles distant from Constantinople and about Two Thousand in number ranged at that time without order only the Grand Signior's seemed to be in the midst and to over-top all the rest well worthy observation costing as was reported One hundred and eighty thousand Dollars The richness of Turkish Tents richly embroidered in the inside with Gold and supported by Pillars plated with Gold. Within the * In Turkish Perdéh Walls of this Tent as I may so call them were all sorts of Offices belonging to the Seraglio all Retirements and Apartments for the Pages Chioskes or Summer-houses for pleasure and though I could not get admittance to view the innermost Rooms and Chambers yet by the outward and more common places of resort I could make a guess at the richess and greatness of the rest being sumptuous beyond comparison of any in use amongst the Christian Princes On the right hand hereof was pithced the Grand Viziers Tent exceedingly rich and lofty and had I not seen that of the Sultans before it I should have judged it the best that my eyes had seen The ostentation and magnificence of this Empire being evidenced in nothing more than in the richess of their Pavilions sumptuous beyond the fixed Palaces of Princes erected with Marble and Mortar On the Sixteenth of this Month the Aga of the Janisaries first raised his Tents The Turks begin their March. and began his march the next day followed the Grand Signior Vizier and other Officers and Spahees At which time all Asia was full of Soldiers flocking from all parts of the East as from Aleppo Damascus Arabia Erzirum and Babylon So that for a long time Boats and Barks were continually imployed to ferry the Souldiery from Scutari into Europe And the High-ways Villages and all parts of the Road towards Adrianople were filled with Soldiers as if all Asia had issued out to devour and inhabit the German Possessions And for greater expedition in the march of the Army Proclamation was made of a general Rendezvous at Sophia at the * The Turks Feast Biram then within Three weeks time where they designed to soil their Horse and refresh themselves before they fell in earnest to their business But before the Grand Vizier departed from Adrianople to prosecute a War in Hungary against the Emperor he called Signior Ballarino to his presence as if he would treat with him of matters tending to an adjustment with Venice when at the same time he had 20000 men in a readiness at Scutari to march into Dalmatia and to joyn with other Forces in Bosna and Croatia but this dissimulation and appearance of Treaty served only to discover on what Terms a Peace might be obtained in case Affairs in Hungary should be so pressing as to require an application solely of Arms to that Country Not only had Signior Ballarino Affairs of publick trouble but likewise something touched him of private concernment in his own Family where the Turks I know not upon what information coming to fearch found in his House two figures one of a man and the other of a woman made of Linen cloth stuffed with Wool and Cotton the which were interpreted by the Turks to be Images of Sorcery and Inchantment one representing the Grand Signior and the other his Mother were designed in a secret manner by thrusting Needles and Pins into those parts where the Heart and Liver is to cause those whom they represent to dye with macerations and consumptions
which not being unknown to Serini his daring spirit was once resolved to give him Battel in which opinion was also Count Strozzi but Olach dissenting and refusing to ingage his Forces the Siege was raised and all the Forces with good order retreated to Serinswar The Siege of Kmisia raised where they arrived the day following leaving to the Enemy a great quantity of Powder Match Shovels 20 Carts of Meal and Two Iron Guns broken No Pilgrim ever followed his way with more devotion to the sacred Shrine The Turks pursue the Christian Army than the Vizier was willingly led in pursuit of his Enemy to the Walls of Serinswar being the place to which his intentions inclined as the beginning and consummation of the War. Over against this envied Fort there is a little Hill strong by Nature incompassed with a narrow Ditch yet not so narrow as that a Horse can leap over it nor yet so shallow as to â—e forded This Hill Serini proposed to the rest of his Collegues or Coadjutors viz. Olach and Spaar as a place commodious to incamp their Army because lying open to the River could easily be relieved and would serve as a Redoubt or Out-word to the Fort in which upon all extremities they might find Sanctuary and resuge But the apprehension of the Viziers Numbers and his near approach had made that impression of fear in their minds that no safety seemed to remain unless they could see the River Mura between them and their Enemy Nor was Serini more sucessful in his perswasions to assault the Enemy whilst they were wearied with their March and busied in extending their Tents the other Generals being of opinion that it was too great a hazard for them alone to venture their Forces in so unequal a Combat by they ought rather to expect Montecuculi by the addition of whose Forces the lot of War would be less hazardous if not wholly certain In this manner great Enterprises have been disappointed which have wanted only resolution to make them successful Fortune being commonly favourable if not a Servant to bold and daring Spirits the disunion also of Generals hath been the overthrow of the wisest Counsels and Wars have been ovserved never to have thrived where the Heads of Armies have been of dissenting humors or different interests This timidity on the Christian part raised in that manner the spirits of the Turks The Turks intrâ—heh 〈◊〉 Serinswar that without stop or opposition passing the River Muer they arrived at Serinswar where they immediately fell to their Mattock and Spade breaking ground for their Trenches which by continued labour they so diligently attended that in Seventeen days they arrived at the very Ditch of the Fort Only whilst the Turks were transporting their Numbers over the River the generous spirit of Strozzi not enduring to see their passage so easie and open valiantly opposed himself and his small Force against the greater power of the Enemy and so resolutely performed the Action that he killed Five hundred upon the place Count Strozzi slain till at length being unfortunately shot by a Musket-bullet in the Forehead he gloriously together with one Chisfareas a renowned Croatian Captain ended his days in defence of his Countrey and the Christian Cause In this interim General Montecuculi arrived with his Army and was received by Count Serini with all evidences and demonstrations of respect and hearty welcome and between both passed an appearance at least of friendly correspondence But as to the present Engagement Montecuculi was of opinion That the opportunity was over slipt which should at first have been performed rather by way of surprize than open Battel before the Ottoman Army had arrived to its full numbers consisting now of an hundred thousand fighting men To which reasons Serini replied That the Christian Cause Serini's Reasons to fight with the Turks and the States and Confines of the Empire were not to be maintained by men that carry their thumbs at their girdles or by Armies made resty with ease and wanton with luxury That those Armies were raise not to consume and exhaust the Revenues of their Princes and Exchequers of their States without making satisfactory amends by a valiant defence of that Interest which they owned That the Enemy had not been before that time attempted was no fault or neglect of his who under the very Walls of Kanisia resolved to give them Battel but that the other Generals supposed it more prudence and caution to protract the Engagement till his Arrival who being now happily conjoyned with them nothing ought to deter them from a glorious Attempt on the Turks who not consisting of above Thirty thousand men ill disciplined and worse armed were not able to withstand the prowess of their Veterane Army which far exceeded them in number discipline and courage These or such like expressions Serini used and to prove what he averred he dispatched a confident Person of his own who spake naturally the Turkish Language with a Letter to the German Resident then entertained under custody in the Turkish Camp to know of him the true state and number of the Turks which Messenger soon after returned with this short account Nisi memortuum velis amplius non rescribas hic vix sunt triginta millia nec illa satis electa The German Residents Letter to Count Serini quid vos a pugna deterret Tormenta Arcis nimis in altum exploduntur Which in English is thus Unless you desire my death write not back to me again here are scarce Thirty thousand men and these ill provided what then should deter you from an Engagement The Cannon in the Castle are too high mounted or shoot over Serini gave this Letter to Montecuculi who replied That so soon as General Sporch came up with his Forces Montecuculi contrary to the opinion of Serini declines the Battel with the Turks he would immediately draw up the Army into Batalia Sporch being arrived he then resolved to expect Marquess Baden and so deferred the Battel from time to time until the Turks advantaging themselves by these delays had worked themselves under ground to the very Walls of the Castle At length Montecuculi entring into Serini's Fort it is not known upon what reasons of jealousie or discontent cleared Serini's Forces of the Garison and dispossessed the Governour which when Serini perceived full of anger and displeasure he quitted the Camp and retired himself to his Residence at Chiacaturno Serini retires from the Wars with intent to make his just Appeal and Complaint to the Emperor's Court. The Turks availing themselves of these delays and discontents proceeded forward in their work so that having Mined to very Walls on the 9th of June they blew up one of the half Moons at which the Defendants were so terrified that with amazement they left open one of their Sally Ports at which the Turks entring put the whole Garison into disorder consisting of 1900 fighting men
opposite to the Christians and having there reinforced themselves with additional Recruits returned again to give them Battel and in three places with extremity of Fury and Despair assaulted the Christian Camp Fortune for a long time remained doubtful on both sides till at length the admirable Resolution of the Christians overcame leaving a thousand Turks extended on the place many were drowned and the rest fled leaving a rich Booty for reward to the Conqâ—â—rors The Christans in this manner being successful resolved not to check the current of their Fortune but without delay Lewa taken proceeded to Lewa which having been for some time battered with great Guns surrendred it self to the merev of the Conqueror in which was found a considerable quantity of Meal and twenty great pieces of Artillery In the mean time the difference between the King of France and the Pope on occasion of the insult offered at Rome by the Corsi to the Embassadors House and Person being this Year composed those Forces of the French being in all about 3000. Horse sent first into Italy to avenge this Affront under the Command of the Count Coligni were ordered to pass into Hungary by way of Venice to the Assistance of the Emperor to which several Gentlemen Voluntiers of the same Nation joining themselves formed a Body of 4000. Horse well appointed Valiant and desirous of Action The Pope also whose words expressed and breathed out nothing but holy Zeal against the common Enemy promised a supply of 10000. Foot and 3000. Horse which were to pass by way of Trieste into Croatia according to the Promise and Assurance of the Nuntio at Vienna for acknowledgment of which religious and considerable Succour Count Leisle was dispatched from the Imperial Court in a private Character to pass those Offices of grateful Acceptance as were due to so high a Merit and Sense of the Christian Cause But scarce was Leisle arrived at Venice before he understood to his great Admiration that the holy Army was by Order of the Pope disbanded The Pope recals his Forces from assistance of the Emperor for which no other Cause was assigned than only that at Rome it was seriously debated and in the end it was concluded that the Expence was to great to be charged on the Ecclesiastical State and that the Soldâ—ery also were themselves unwilling to be so far separated from their own Country all which at Vienna were understood to be frivolous Pretences and the causes thereof attributed to the sinister Offices of a Person ill affected to the Emperors Interest by which the Pope and Don Mario his General falling from their Resolutions and Promises Count Leisle was revoked from his Employment and the Imperial Interest and hopes disappointed of so considerable a Succour Howsoever that the Pastoral care might not seem to be altogether dormant and careless of the Universal Flock the Pope having disbanded his Army The Pope supplies the Emperor with Money but not with men could not do less than to supply the defect thereof with Money for raising of which he charged the Ecclesiastical State through all Italy the Dominions of Venice only excepted whose Wars already with the Turks exempted them from farther Taxes with an Imposition of 6 per Cent. of their yearly Revenue under the notion of Tenths or Tithes which in all amounted to the sum of 700. thousand Dollars which by Bills of Exchange was remitted by way of Venice to the Imperial Court. In the mean time the French Troops were arrived in Hungary under the Command of the Count Coligni which joining themselves with the General Montecuculi followed the motion of the Viziers Army The Turks designed to pass the Danube for recovery of Lewa or Leventz and in their way to destroy and lay desolate the Country of Count Badian and in virtue and strength of that and former Successes to pass forward to the Subjection of Possonium and Vienna But God who disposes the Affairs of this World and gives Laws and â—ounds to the Licentiousness and unlimited Pride and Avarice of Mankind took off the Wheels of the Turkish Chariots and caused them to move slowly and warily having an Eye always barckwards to the Forces of Montecuculi who attended them along the Banks of the River Muer of Mura But whilst these two great Armies marched in view of each other the Walachian and Moldavian Forces joining with a considerable number of Turks and Tartars under the Command of Chusaein Pasha resolved to assault and again to recover Leventz which tho scarce setled being so lately taken by the Christians yet valiantly repulsed two fierce Assaults of the Enemy with that Courage and Bravery that 2000 were Slain under the very Walls By which time Count Soise marches to raise the Siege of Leventz it being the 5 / 15 of July Count Soise passed the Nitra with his Horse and Foot and thence hastning his March with all Expedition he first Encamped at the Foot of a Hill called St. Bâ—net from whence he discovered the Enemies Body from the Top of a Mountain and thence approaching nearer threw up some Earth and Works by the Banks of the River Grava the next day having found a fordable place of the Water Soise in less than two hours passed the gross of his Army which the Enemy observing left their Siege abandoned their Trenches and displaid their Army in open Field which consisting of 25. or 30. thousand fighting Men appeared much more numerous than the Christians For to these Forces under the Conduct of Husaein Pasha of Buda were joined the Pasha of Anatolia and Cidizade the Pasha of Temeswar four Boluchees of Spahees and a good Force of Tartars together with the Militia of Moldavia and Valachia The Turks before Lewa under their respective Princes which composed an Army as was computed of above 25000. Men. Upon approach of Husaein pasha the Christians gave way and retreated intending to receive their Enemies in a larger Field and afford an occasion to theâ— of greater Confidence in Execution of the Design they came to Act. The Turks supposing the Christians to be fled for fear with more boldness marched forward And believing this Retreat to proceed rather of Fear than Policy continued to contemn the Pusillanimity of the Christians and lest it should argue too much regard and esteem of their Force vouchsafed not to send Scouts abroad either to view their Camp or to prevent surprisal but some of their Officers wisely considering that a Soldier ought never to despise his Enemy they were perswaded to send a considerable Body of Horse to view and discover the Enemies Force who in the way meeting with a party of the Christians after a small Skirmish put them to Flight and taking some Prisoners brought them before the General the Prisoners upon Examination confessed that Count Susa was fully resolved the next Morning to give them Battel and declared the number and courage of his Army to be such as altered
superstition and strength of fancy in the minds of the Vulgar And the rumors in the Camp that the Vizier upon a false Alarm of the approach of the Enemy towards his Quarters had commanded the Army to retreat administred fury and courage to the Christians and fear and amazement to his own from which errour and timidity was occasioned that slaughter which ensued on which discourses and reports dangerous discontents daily increasing in the hearts of the souldiery it is thought they would have vented their passion and revenge on their General had he not at a publick Assembly of all the Heads and Commanders of the Army cleared himself freely by charging the miscarriage of all upon the Grand Signior having acted nothing but with Authority of the Imperial Command promising with as much speed as honour and safety would permit by agreement and composition of Peace to bring the War to a conclusion And this contrivance and art was that as is supposed which for the present secured his life for the Soldiery were greatly terrified and possessed with a dread of the Christians and amazement upon every Alarm For the old and experienced Commanders and Veterane Souldiers were either destroyed by the secret Proscriptions of the Vizier Kuperlee or slain in the Engagements of this Year and the Asian Spahees and other Soldiers having Wives and Children and Possessions to look after were grown poor and desired nothing more than in peace and quietness to return to their homes So that nothing could come more grateful to this Camp no largesses or donatives could pacifie the minds of the Soldiery more than the promises and expectations of a Peace The Sultan during these disturbances and misfortunes was preparing for a hunting Journey to an obscure Village called Yamboli The Grand Signiors hunting at Yamboli about three or four days travel from Adrianople designing to drive all those vast Woods along the Black Sea for Game where he had a small ruinous Seraglio The Queen-Mother the Chimacam with all the Court were to accompany him The Equipage and Pomp he went in perswaded many that the design of that Journey was grounded on other causes of Policy than what were generally penetrated Some conceived that the Vizier contrived his Journey thither to divert him from opportunities of receiving intelligence from Spahees and others of the true state of the Camp and management of Affairs Others judged it might be to avoid in that obscure place the mutinous seditions of the Soldiery On what consideration soever it might be the Grand Signior having spent some time abroad returned again to Adrianople with all his Retinue without doing any thing more important than killing great numbers of wild Beasts and ennobling those Wildernesses and Woods about Yamboli with the fame of his renowned Hunting Keblelee Pasha being slain as we have said before Serinswar who was Husband to the Viziers Sister the Vizier bestowed the Widow on Husaein Pasha of Silistria And much about the same time the Grand Signior considering that his own Sister by the death of her old Husband Ishmael Pasha slain in the last Battel led a single life conferred her in Marriage upon the old Mahomet Pasha whom before we have related to have been Kahya to the Vizier late Pasha of Darbiquier and now of Aleppo who as an Honour charged with a weight of troubles and other inconveniences seemed thankfully to receive her and though he was a man of Ninety years of age and had long since forgot the solaces of the bridal Bed yet according to the custom of Marriage with a Sultana he was ingaged to divorce his former Wife with whom he had past the Summer and Winter of his age and as a constant Husband was still uxorious in his love So that in the midst of Wars where some found Graves others found Marriage-beds and reason of State found a Vacation to conjoyn Mars and Venus without interruption of ruder Enterprises The Great Vizier after his defear marched to Stultweissenburg or Alba Regalis to recruit and refresh his Army and expect the Recruit of the Pasha of Aleppo who was said to bring with him about Eight thousand Soldiers From Sultweissenburg the Turks with the gross of their Army returned to Strigonium Vizier sends for the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia and here the Vizier not unmindful of the shameful flight and rebellious return of the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia to their own Countries without his order or permission sent one Messenger after the other in great haste and fury after the Turkish manner to recal those Princes to the War and that laying aside all excuses whatsoever they should immediatly with what Forces they could collect repair again to the Camp. The Princes of Moldavia and Valachia recalled to the Wars The Princes weary of the War and fearful of the Viziers evil intentions to take away their lives endeavoured to excuse their flight alledging that their People would not obey or follow them to the Wars in any considerable numbers and that now it being the end of the Summer new Levies would be of great expence and of little benefit and disenable them from paying their yearly Tribute of which notwithstanding their consumption of Treasure in the last Expedition they were like to find no ease or relaxation though a burden too great for their harassed and impoverished Country to support But these excuses were no arguments to resolved Turks so that Commands came doubled and trebled one after the other full of threats and menaces to march forward with what Forces they could collect the Messengers assuring them That there was no design prepared against them by the Vizier but what was friendly and of good intention At length the Princes not able to remain longer without a censure of Rebellion to the Port with heavy Hearts and light Purses set forwards with about fifteen hundred men a piece sending before such sums of Money and Presents as they hoped might mollifie and prepare their access to the Vizier whilst they themselves marched slowly to afford longer time to the Operation of this Physick The Prince of Valachia had intrusted about Forty thousand Zaichins to an Officer of his called his Vestiario or Master of his Wardrobe whom he had sent before him therewith to make his access â—asie and safe to the Vizier Of whose faith that he might assure himself the better he made him swear before the Holy Altar and take the Communion thereupon that he would be faithful and active in this Negotiation The Vestiario thus departing Fides Graeca or the honesty of a Greek added to his religious Vows common promises and protestations but no shoner was he a few Miles distant from his Master before he tired in his Vows and altered his road from the Vizier to the way leading to Constantinople declaring as he went That his Prince was become Rebel and was fled and that he not to be Partner in his perfidiousness was hasting to
Efendi's or Secretaries Office than which we never had nor could ever acknowledg any other Canon yet the Vizier over-ruled our reasons and we were forced to submit until the Tefterdar took his leisure to examine and consult his Books The Vizier and his Army being then upon their return we found no opportunity to renew our sollicitations until we came to Nissa where the Army had two days of repose and there again as in other places before we urged the Tefterdar so importunately that at length we compelled him to acknowledg to the Vizier that our affairs were not Registred in his Office. So that now we took liberty to declare our Reasons to the Vizier which we drew from our Capitulations the ancient Hattesheriff of Aleppo the Vizier and his Father 's own Commands and Copies of others of the like tenour not omitting other Arguments and Evidences which rendered the business not a little clear and apparent to the capacity of the Vizier who thereupon reprehended the Tefterdar for seeking by his Command to introduce an innovation contrary to our Capitulations and promised us Commands in our favour but we replied that we had already Commands and the Grand Signiors own Royal Signature on our side and that our Ambassador had not sent us so many days Journey to seek another which perhaps would as ill be observed as the former But it was the punishment of the Customer which the Ambassador expected who against so many clear Evidences durst proceed to the violation of them all Many other words were added pertinent and forcible to the present purpose To which the Vizier answered that he was now upon his Journey where business of this nature was ill dispatched And therefore ordered us to proceed to Adrianople where he should have more leisure to consider what was fit to be done in order to justice and satisfaction of the Ambassador Hereupon I left the Army wherein I was much incommoded and proceeded with all haste to Adrianople where the Great Vizier in some days after me arrived and there we renewed our wonted endeavours and sollicitations that we might come to an end of this business and that justice might be done us But the Vizier willing to gratifie the Tefterdar was not forward to pass his Sentence but put us again off to Constantinople where the Books should be perused that were laid up amongst the Registers of the Divan For that this matter was a concernment of the Grand Signiors in determination of which he ought to be tender and considerate That for sending for Ibrahim Aga the Customer which was one of the principal of our demands to answer for the injuries he had done our Nation he was already ordered to appear at Court where he should be ready to stand to judgment for what the Ambassador should object against him and this had been the answer which was contrived to be given to the Ambassador himself in case he had as once he designed appeared at Adrianople in person on this occasion The Vizier arriving at Constantinople some few Months after the Lord Ambassador obtained Audience of him on the 15th of October pressing still for justice against the Customer of Aleppo but nothing thereof could be procured besides a Command for restitution of the fifty Bales of Cloth detained in the hands of the Emim upon the pretence before related and that the payment of Customs should be regulated after the rate of three per Cent. according to the ancient usance For putting this Command in execution an Aga was ordered to be dispatched for whose service herein the Vizier allotted a thousand Dollars should be paid him which though an extravagant reward yet to put an honour and authority on the business and not to displease the Vizier it was granted to him and so he was dispatched the 25th for Aleppo But the troubles of our Merchants at Aleppo ended not here For the Tefterdar greatly enraged to see his designs against us to have no better issue thought to trouble us by a new invention of prohibiting the Scale of Scanderoon to all English and other Christian Vessels and that the Factories should be transferred again over to Tripoli in Soria a place formerly frequented by our Merchants but by reason of the danger and inconvenience of that Port the Trade was transported to the Scale of Scanderoon This alteration the Tefterdar pretended to have been granted to the Merchants at their earnest Petition and promise to the Grand Signior of payment of 13000 Dollars Yearly for discharge and maintenance of those Guards which were requisite in that place for safety of the Coast and defence of the Caravans which pass with Merchants goods to Aleppo but time and corruption of the Ministers had deprived the Grand Signior of the benefit of that duty And this he urged with the greater instance and eagerness knowing that the Scale of Scanderoon being prohibited the Hattesheriff whereon consisted the priviledg of the Merchants and their sole security must consequently fall and they forced to a new agreement On this occasion our Lord Ambassador had Audience with the Vizier and insisted on that point of our Capitulations which gives us liberty to Trade in any part of the Grand Signiors Dominions and therefore to consent to be restrained or confined to any particular place was to assent to a breach of the Capitulations which was out of his power and only to be dispensed with by his Master the King of England and the Grand Signior by whom they were established and to connive or assent to the breach of one particular clause was to hazard the loss and breach of the whole for that our Capitulations to use the Turks saying are like a string of Berds of which when one link is broken the others drop off To which the Vizier replied that the Scale of Scandroon was open and clear as before for the English Trade but because the Testerdar and Customer pretended that the Grand Signior was put to great expences for maintenance of a Watch and Guard at that Port which was only in respect to the security of the Merchants Goods Orders should be given for taking away those Officers as unnecessary and insignificant to the publick Service no Guards having ever been in that place the Embassador judged his business to be granted and so thanked the Vizier and departed But not many days after the Testerdar procured a Command for shutting the Scale of Scanderoon and transporting the Factory to Tripâ—li which Command was rather intended to affright our Nation into some composition than really to be put in execution as appeared by the sequel for the Testerdar better considered than to bring so great an Odium upon himself from the whole Country and City of Aleppo and to enforce the Embassador to have recourse to the Grand Signiors own person for redress of an abuse of so high a nature in derogation of his Imperial Capitulations Howsoever it is observable in the transaction of all this
from Adrinaople with a numerous Army and was already arrived at Thebes The Great Vizier arrives at Thebes where a general Rendezvous was appointed of the whole Army with resolution to be transported from Malvoisin to that Island the Venetian Generals and Commanders in chief concluded in necessary if possible to hinder their passage and rather to fight them at Sea which was their more propitious Element than to attend their Landing where they would be forced to dispute with unequal numbers and on disadvantageous terms Accordingly the Captain-General reinforced his Fleet with two thousand Foot and a thousand Horse under the Command of Count Licinio Martinoni appointing the Rendezvous to be at Argentiera to which place also Marquess Villa repaired touching by the way at Milo for refreshment of his Horse it being an Island abounding with Herbage the Captain General being for some days detained at Standia by contrary Winds a Consultation was held for the more advantageous management of the War after which the whole Fleet making Sail was on August the ninth scattered by a furious storm and not being able to recover Santoxini they by good fortune setched Stampalia an Island abounding with generous Wines excellent Fruit Partridges and other Provisions at length after various fortunes arriving at Andra which is a great and populous Island another Council of War was held where it was again concluded That all care was to be taken to intercept the Succours which the Enemy daily sent to Candia to which end the Cavalier Grimani Captain of the Galleons was ordered to cruise about the Coast and hearing that twelve Turkish Ships were lading Provisions in the Gulf of Volo he repaired thither and had the good fortune to take them with all their lading Twelve Turkish Vessels taken but the other Squadrons missed of the like success for notwithstanding the care and vigilance which was used all matters seemed to succeed prosperous for the Turks and adverse to the Christians the designs of the first having an issue agreeable to their intentions whilst those of the latter were always disappointed either by Nature or by Fortune or rather by that secret hand of Providence which had allotted that Island for a Prize to the Ottoman Arms. By this time the Turkish Army being at their Rendezvous at Thebes the Great Vizier prepared to imbark and considering the difficulty of the passage thought it prudent first to make new Propositions to Signior Ballarino before he entred on this hazardous attempt supposing perhaps that the rumour of this March might have affrighted the Venetians to a Surrender of that Kingdom that they might spare the blood and charge of that War which afterwards ensued Wherefore Ballarino being called from his House at Constantinople began his Journey towards Thebes on the twentyfifth of August accompanied by a Capugibashee and three Janizaries and in twenty three days arriving at Thessalonica now called Salonica he fell sick of a violent Feaver caused by that agitation of body in his Travels to which he was unaccustomed and for want of that sleep which he used to take after his slender dinner passing the rest of the day and night in continual watchings at first he felt only some little alterations which he hoping might pass over resolved to proceed on his Journey notwithstanding the perswasions to the contrary of Signior Patavino his Secretary with whom I was well acquainted and ever esteemed for an honest and a worthy Person but he continued resolute to proceed fearing lest his delays by the way should lose him the opportunity of that moment of Treaty which was impossible afterward to be retrieved for in his Journey he would often reason in this manner If I should stop here what censure would the World pass on me I may possibly excuse my self but in the mean time the Vizier may ingage too far in his design and frustrate all those methods and foundations which I have laid towards a Peace and then if I live I shall be over-burdened with the reproaches of the World for having abandoned the grand incumbance in its ultimate necessity which is charged upon me which will be a more sensible affliction than the agony of death My sickness will be esteemed by many to be rather dissembled than real The dead man lives in the memory of his faithfulness and constancy and the living man dies in the indelible characters of his cowardise and misfortune These were his own words And thus travelling forward his Feaver daily increased to that excess that on the sixth day he was forced to stop at a City called Isdino where having instructed Signior Patavino in what manner he ought to manage affairs and recommending his services and children to the favour and protection of the Senate he passed to the other World being honoured by a solemn Funeral at the publick Expence and Interred in the Church of St. Mark his Son Domenico Ballarino succeeding into the Office and Inheritance of his Father The Senate understanding by advices from Signior Padavino That the Vizier desired another Envoy qualified with the Character of a publick Minister to reside with him in Candia dispatched the Secretary Girolamo Giavarina a Person of good abilities to that place And at the same time the Captain-General Andrea Cornaro pressing the Senate for license to return to his own Country his request was granted and Francesco Morosini was appointed to succeed him in that important Charge and was accompanied at a time of so great emergency with powerful Convoys and with Recruits of Men Provisions and Ammunition fitting to carry on so pressing a War. On the Month of October the Great Vizier in person imbarking himself and Army at Malvoisia with many Pasha's The Vizier passes over into Candia and men expert and active in the War passed over to the Isle of Candia resolving by strength and dint of Sword to force that strong City to obedience the main Bulwark of Christendom situated at the Entrance of the Archipelago of the success of which famous Siege we shall have occasion to discourse more at large and more particularly hereafter in order unto which the Great Vizier on the last day of this Year went in Person to take a view of this City and having surveyed all sides of it apprehended that the Siege would be long and tedious and therefore returned again to Canea to take those measures which were requisite for an Enterprise of that weight and consideration In the mean time the Princes of Christendom being for the most part either in that discord amongst themselves of which the Turks have always made their advantage or else living in parts remote did not consider Candia as a Pulwaik to their Dominions and therefore rendred little other assistance to the Venetians than good words and vain wishes for their success and Victory The Popes Forces only under Command of Muzeo Mattei which were in Dalmatia were transported to Candia and five hundred Foot belonging to the
this time arrived at Standi the Captain-General Francesco Morosini who after some Consultation disarming his Fleet of about a thousand men The Captain-General disarms is Gallies entred with that Succour into the Town and yet fitted out a convenient Squadron of Gallies and Galleasses to rove in the Archipelago to hinder the Enemies Succours and Recruits which were designed for Candia In this interim the Turks repaired the old Battery against the Lazaretto Five Mines the Christians sprang and laboured continually in their Galleries and subterranean Works so that by that time that the Christians had sprang five Fornelli upon them towards the point of the Half-moon of Mocenigo the Turks had advanced so well towards the Borders of Panigra that they sprang two Mines but these being but the first proofs or essays of this kind of invention reverted on themselves with the loss of two hundred of their men and again fired a third with little success which the Christians answered to better purpose blowing up sixty or seventy Turks Wherefore the Turks made a farther tryal of two Mines by the Half-moon rather to their own loss than to the damage of their Enemy In all the month of July passed not a day without some considerable action sometimes to good sometimes with bad success to both Parties every day Mines were sprank on both sides destroying the Lines and overthrowing the Galleries Attempts of the Turks on the side of Panigra but the main force and heat of the War as it were concentring it self towards the Quarters of Panigra in defence thereof the Engineer Castellan as freely as couragiously proffered the use of his Art and the hazard of his Person In which whilst he imployed himself and endeavoured to cleanse the Galleries of their rubbish which the Enemies Mines had thrown down the Turks threw such quantities of Bomboes and Stink-pots into those Caverns as made the stench thereof so suffocating and noisom that two Officers were choaked or smothered that went to view the place and Lieutenant-Colonel Cavalli and the Engineer Castellan himself were brought away half dead poysoned with Sulphur and pestiferous smoke to purifie which Grota nothing could render the air more wholesom in expulsion of the preceding vapour than the smoke of Juniper and burnt Aqua vitae which being made use of with good success the Christians fired two Mines which opened so dreadful an abyss as served for the grave of great numbers of Infidels Arrival of Gallies from the Pope and Malta During this time daily rencounters arrived the Auxiliary Gallies from the Pope and Malta commanded by Prior Bichi and Bali del Bene as also the Gallies of Naples and Sicily commanded by Gianettino Doria and the Duke of Ferrandina of whom the Captain-General would have borrowed some Forces to have served at Land but their Commissions it seems or their courages were too strait to afford any such Supplies being designed to cruise in the Archipelago only the generous Chevalier d'Harcourt with ten other Camerades that were imbarked on the Gallies of Malta agreed to enter the Garrison Chevalier d'Harcourt having come with no other design from France than to offer themselves in defence of the Christian cause and in a time of Peace when their Prince had no need of their assistance and service to give the World true evidences and proofs of the value and greatness of their souls In all Enterprises this Person worthily descended of the House of Lorrain was a Companion to Marquess Villa and one day venturing on a design to disturb the Enemies approaches was shot in the face with a Musket-bullet of which wound recovering some time after he with his Companions returned to France having like Cavaliers Passant acted the parts of true Chivalry But neither did the Prior Bichi Commander of the Popes Gallies nor Doria Admiral of those of Naples act agreeable to the bravery of those French Gentlemen for they not only denied as we have said to land a small number of their men but as if they came only to make them a visit sent this short Letter of Advice dated the 24th of August in these words The Auxiliary Gallies are obliged to depart this night and to return to Suda where they are to remain until the expiration of that time which is appointed for them in these Seas Prior Bichi likewise sent word to Marquess Villa That he judged it fit to depart by reason that no action presented for them to undertake to which the Marquess replied That he who seeks may find and that such opportunities never offer to those who endeavour to avoid them Doria also to colour his excuses said That his Orders were not to land men unless the Town were in the extremity of danger of being taken to which Villa replyed That he could not well be assured in what condition the Town was since he never vouchsafed to set his foot ashore or conceived a curiosity of seeing the greatest and the most famous Siege that ever was in the World. In short these Holy and Catholick Squadrons departed without contributing any assistance to the Christians incurring thereby the severe censure of the Commanders in chief with the anger and disdain of of the Souldiery The Venetians have always thought it Policy to maintain an Agent in the Ottoman Quarters perhaps with design to afford them Intelligence or to be ready to apply Terms of Peace in times of most urgent necessities An Agent arrives at Candia to treat with the Vizier According to which Rule Signior Giavarina was sent to Candia upon the Venetian Armata now governed at Sea by one Pasqualino with Instructions to treat with the Vizier and perhaps to grant him any thing besides Candia though without this nothing could come either welcome or satisfactory to the Turks Howsoever to introduce him into the Camp a white Flag was displayed on the side of the Lazaretto which when the Turks perceived they flocked in great numbers to know the mystery of this Signal of Pacification And though nothing appeared besides a Letter directed to the Great Vizier yet they hoped it might portend something of Treaty which in the end would produce a Peace and a conclusion of their labours before the Winter surprised them in their colder Lodgings The Vizier having read the Letter had his thoughts raised as high as was possible in hopes of a Surrender and therefore most freely ordered That Signior Giavarina should the Sunday following come to the Valley of Gioffiro with what Attendance and Followers he judged fit proffering at the same time a cessation of Arms and all acts of Hostility but the Christians who were not reduced to that extremity as to crave Peace or a respite from action kindly refused his gentle proffer which so inraged the Vizier that in a fury he gave fire to a Mine on the left side of Panigra The Turks assault Panigra which was seconded with that furious assault that Panigra had been
should be the day of sally both with Horse and Foot and that the Fleet not to lose their part in this action should play with their great Guns on that side of the Turkish-Army which lay incamped on the Quarters of St. Andrea The order of the Christian Army to make their Sally All the Forces were landed on the 26th and the whole night following was spent in preparations for the next days sally the Army being drawn up made four Batalions the first called the Admirals commanded by the Sieurs Martel Vandre and Gravier the second was the Vice-Admirals commanded by the Sieurs de la Monthe and Planta the third was the Rere-Admirals under Command of Chevalier de Bouillion Garbaret and the Chevalier Dailly the fourth was the Batalion of the Sieur d' Almeras commanded under him by the Sieurs Panetier de la Rogue Fontier Bitault and the Chevalier de Nemond and on the left hand of these aforesaid Batalions the Guards of the Duke of Beaufort were disposed The Duke of Beaufort unwilling to be a Spectator in this glorious Action without bearing a part in his own person after he had given order to the Fleet to accost the shore on the side of St. Andrea as near as consisted with their security and from thence with their great Guns to annoy the Enemies Camp as much as was possible came that night on shore resolving to fight in the Head of the Forlorn Hope from which hazardous adventure no intreaties or counsel of his friends could prevail to disswade him The Forlorn consisted of 400 men on the head of which marched fifty men with hand Granadoes flanked with three Troops of Horse Commanded by Count Dampire the Regiments of Guards with four Troops of Horse for their Wings flanked also with three Regiments of Foot followed the Forlorn The Reserve consisted of the Regiments of Harcourt Conti Lignieres Rosan Montpesat and Vendosme flanked with four Troops of Horse under Command of the Count Choiseul which placed themselves on a rising ground to hinder all Communication between the Vizier whose Camp was before St. Andrea and the Janizar Aga who lay before Sabionera Between the first and second line were placed fifty Musketiers of the King to be assistant on occasion and the other Troops of Horse were to take the left hand along the Trench leading to the Sabionera the Regiment of Montpeyroux was to mount the Guard on the Fort of St. Demetrius to secure the Retreat if occasion should require In like manner five hundred Pioniers were ordered to level the Trenches of the Enemy on the Quarter of St. Andrea whilst the Body of the Turks Army was imployed in repulsing the violence of the Sally Things being disposed in this manner and the morn approaching the Forces marched out by the Gate of St. George with all silence possible covering their Matches that the fire might not alarm the Enemy the Onset was to begin with the dawning of the day and the Signal was to be given by firing of the chief Mine Royal which being large The Christians sally at the Gate St. George and furnished with a great quantity of Powder might as was supposed make way to the slaughter of the Turks whom the Christians might find terrified and disordered by such an unexpected accident This Mine was reserved for the last extremity but being low was full of water so that the Powder was stowed on floats and rafts to support it but yet received so great a damp and moisture that when they came to spring it the Powder took not fire which was the first disappointment of this Enterprise Though some are of opinion that the Mine was so vast and contained such a quantity of Powder that the Engineers were timorous to spring it lest it should reverse on the Besieged as well as take effect on the Enemies Camp. But be it how it will a quarter of an hour before day the Generals expecting no longer the Forlorn Hope which lay within half a Musket-shot of the Enemy assaulted two Redoubts took them The Christians fall upon the Turks and put them all to the Sword with the like courage the other Regiments entred the Line and making themselves Masters of the Trenches after much blood and slaughter and storming a Fort on which was the Battery directed against St. Demetrio possessed themselves of it and therewith of a great Magazine of Powder belonging to the Enemy spiking all the Cannon that were found therein The day by this time being clearly broken out discovered the action so that the Turks with all expedition put themselves into a Body on the Hill near New Candy from whence observing and contemning the small number of the Christians came thundring down in great numbers to regain their Trenches The Duke of Navailles perceiving his Forlorn hardly beset came in to their assistance with two Regiments of Foot and two Troops of Horse which behaved themselves with that gallantry as ingaged the Turks again to quit their Trenches But whilst success seemed thus to smile on the Christians the Magazine of Powder which was newly won containing an hundred thirty four Kintals of Powder by what accident is not known took fire and blew up all into the air by which many were destroyed and wounded especially of the Battallion of the Guards with many Officers This fatal blow quite turned the Scale of Fortune For the Souldiers hearing the dreadful clap and feeling as it were the Earth to tremble under them supposed it to be the eruption of some Mine near them The Christian Army in confusion with which they were so amazed that they began with confusion to disperse to the right and left and put themselves into shameful flight In like manner the Forces near the Sea sensible of the blow began to retreat and abandon their design which no perswasions of their Officers or other incouragement could animate them to prosecute but that the faintness of a second Attempt an infirmity accorded of ancient Times to be incident to the nature of the French Nation prevailed upon their spirits beyond any possibility of arrest so that in a disorderly manner they fled into the Body of the first Battalion where being now united with the Reserve they for some time sustained the shock of the Enemy until other Bodies of the Turks from New Candia and St. Andrea over-powered them with greater multitudes so that then they wholly abandoned the field and every one as well as he could sought his Sanctuary and refuge within the Precincts of the Fortifications Howsoever Choiseul and Lebret each of which had a Horse killed under him incouraging their Troops disputed the case yet longer and still with other Officers made head upon the Enemy but at length with the Duke of Navailles and several other Gentlemen who made their way through the Enemy with their Swords they were forced to retreat honourably into the Town The Duke of Beaufort was said to have laboured much
of Suda Carabusa and Spina Longa with the Territories thereunto belonging with the Fortress of Clissa in Dalmatia Thirdly That the Venetians may carry away all the Cannon which have been brought into the Town since the beginning of the War. Fourthly That for embarking the Souldiery Pionieers and Inhabitants of all Qualities and Conditions with their Arms Provisions and Baggage twelve days time shall be granted and assigned Fifthly That what shall remain unshipped at the end of the twelve days aforesaid the Vizier shall with his own Boats assist to the lading thereof Sixthly That during this time of truce no person whatsoever shall transgress his Limits or pass the bounds of his Station or Quarters and that he who doth shall be treated as an Enemy Seventhly That so soon as these Articles shall be subscribed under the white Flag all Acts of Hostility shall cease both on one side and the other Eighthly That for security of performance of these Articles three Hostages be mutually given on one side and the other Ninthly That for better assurance that the Venetians will use all their endeavours to embark their Men and Goods the Turks may employ two Officers for Eye-witnesses of the same Tenthly That for better effecting hereof all Ships Gallies and other Vessels may freely approach near unto the shore and enter into the Port both by Day and Night Eleventhly That the Venetian Fleet may remain at Standia or at any other Island in the Archipelago until such time as they are dispatched or that things are duly prepared for their departure Twelfthly That all Commissions given by one side and the other be revoked and that whosoever shall after the space of forty days commit any Act of Hostility against the tenor of these Articles of Peace shall be punished with capital punishment Thirteenly That so soon as an Ambassador from Venice shall arrive at the Port all Slaves or Prisoners of War taken under the Venetian Colours shall be freed and released Fourteenthly That what depredations shall be made at Sea or Land after these Articles are subscribed and before the publication thereof shall be faithfully made good and restored Fifteenthly That a general pardon be given to the Subjects of both sides who have acted contrary to their Faith and Allegiance during this War. Sixteenthly That in Vertue of these Capitulations the former Articles be likewise confirmed which were made in the Year 1571 and that no Tribute or Present be demanded from the Port unless as hath formerly been paid for such Islands as the Venetians hold in the Archipelago Seventeenthly That of these Articles two Copies be made one in Turkish with its Translation into Italian subscribed by the Vizier and sealed with the Grand Signior's Signet and the other in Italian underwrote by the Captain-General and sealed with the Seal of the Republick These Articles being signed the Hostages were given both on one side and the other Those given by the Venetians were Faustino da Riva Lieutenant-General Giovanni Battista Calbo Commissary and Zaccaria Mocenigo who had been Duke of Candia Those given by the Turks were Belin Assan Pasha Mahomet Aga of the Janisaries and Gurgi Bei Tefterdar or Treasurer During this Siege of the Venetians side there were killed and wounded thirty thousand nine hundred eighty five of the Turks one hundred eighteen thousand seven hundred fifty four The Batteries which the Turks raised against Sabionera and St. Andrea consisted of fifty nine Pieces of Cannon carrying from fifty to an hundred and twenty pound weight of Bullet The Storms which the Turks made upon the Town were fifty six The Combats under ground forty five The Sallies made by the Venetians ninety six The Mines and Fornelli sprang by the Venetians eleven hundred seventy three by the Turks four hundred seventy two The Venetians spent Barrels of Powder fifty thousand three hundred and seventeen Bomboes of all sorts by the Venetians of fifty to five hundred weight were forty eight thousand an hundred and nineteen Granadoes of Brass and Iron an hundred thousand nine hundred and sixty Granadoes of Glass eighty four thousand eight hundred seventy four Cannon shot of all sorts two hundred seventy six thousand seven hundred forty three Pounds of Lead eighteen millions forty four thousand nine hundred fifty seven Of Match pounds thirteen millions twelve thousand five hundred What quantities the Turks might consume of Ammunition is not certain only it is observable That the Brass taken up in the streets which came from the Enemies Bomboes was so much that whole Ware-houses were filled with the Metal and so much sold as yielded many thousands of Crowns The Articles being subscribed and Hostages given the Captain-General attended with all application of mind and industry imaginable to imbark the Men and Ammunition committing in the mean time the care of the City to Cornaro the Proveditor of the Fleet. During these days that all things were providing in order to a Surrender there was great silence in the Turkish Camp and no disorder in the City the Souldiers on the Ramparts and the Turks in their Trenches saluted each other with civility and entertained communication and discourses together with friendship and freedom of several passages relating to their War nothing of quarrel or scuffle or rude words happening out between them in all the term of the twelve days The Vizier sent divers times civil Messages and Presents of refreshment to the Captain-General and Marquess St. Andrea which they returned with equal respect and generosity and so excessive were the Turks in these offices that the Venetians began to be jealous lest under this mark and guise of courtesie some fraud or design should be covered according to their own Proverb Chi ti fa piu carezze che suole ó ti ha engannato ó enganar ti vuole In short all things were dispatched with that diligence and care that on the 27th of September the City was consigned all the Inhabitants departed thence not one remaining in the City except only two Greek Priests a Woman and three Jews In this manner the Whole Isle of Candia The War began in April 1645. the cause and occasion of all that Blood and Treasure that was spilt and exhausted in twenty five years War fell at length to the fortune and increase of the Turkish Empire with its most impregnable Fortress of the World strengthened with as much Art and Industry as the human Wit of this Age was capable to invent after a strait Siege of two years three months and twenty seven days For the space of twelve days allotted for the Surrender being expired Candia delivered on the 27 / 17th of September being Friday the great Cross erected on the Wall was after midnight taken down and advice given to the Venetians so soon as the morning dawned that the Turks did that day attend the Surrender which was accordingly performed by the Principal Citizen about nine of the clock of the same morning who offering the
by the Imperial Decree forbidden under pain of Death and a thousand Execrations and Curses was now the common Drink and divertisement in fashion used immoderately by all excepting the Grand Signior the Mufti and Reis Effendi the Vizier himself having been excessively intemperate therein had extinguished the natural heat of his stomach which could be warmed by no less heat than what proceeds from Aqua Vitae by which debauchery and indisposition all Businesses were slowly and negligently dispatched and according to his example the Officer and Ministers acted in their Affairs which in former times being always dispatched by nine a Clock in the Morning that became now the time and hour of rising The Grand Signior himself though not taught by his Attendants to drink Wine lest it should perhaps betray him to some actions dangerous to them gave himself to Amours for falling in love with a Polish Woman lately captivated at Kemenitz he made her his Second Hasakee or Sultaness for having had the good fortune to bring him a Son that honour was the reward of her fruitfulness and that he might give other testimonies of his favour he cast his eyes on a poor Chinganee or Gipsy Boy who with singing and dancing so pleased him that he gave him six purses of money containing three thousand Dollars with Horses and Servants and took him into the Seraglio Amidst these Delights the Grand Signior gave order to the Vizier not to speak to him of three things Neither of returning to Constantinople nor against his Favourite nor against his Hunting in other matters he might use freedom Another alteration of a better nature with reference to Learning and Knowledge seems also remarkable in this Court for the Grand Signior having been some years past presented by the Dutch Resident with twelves large Volumes of the new Atlas upon an accidental sight thereof was so pleased that he commanded it should speedily be translated into Turkish to which Work Dr. Alexandro Mauro Cordato the Viziers Interpreter who succeeded in the place of Panaioti deceased was nominated but he finding it too unweildy for him desired the assistance of a French Jesuit then at Scio skilful in the Turkish and Arabick Languages who was immediately sent for and therein employed and though it is thought that this business is above their Element and that it will soon cool and be neglected yet it seems to be the first step which the Turks have made unto Learning and therefore is the more observable And now the Festivals beginning on the 16th of May The great Festivals in what manner celebrated at the Turkish Court. we must for some days lay aside all business and observe with what order and form these Solemnities were performed In the first place On this day the Grand Signior with the young Prince his Son went to their Tents which were pitched very sumptuously in the Plain near the City and indeed were truly stately and magnificent all the great men as the Vizier Mufti and others having their Pavilions erected amongst which was raised a very stately Throne with a Canopy of Cloth of Gold extended under the shady leaviness of two tall Elms which set off with many Lamps in the Night represented a very pleasant and glorious Scene On this Seat of State the Sultan placed himself in the morning being accompanied thither by all the Pashaws then present and by the Rrepresentatives of those who were absent who according to their Degree in order kissing his Vest delivered in a Silk Purse a Note or Schedule of their Presents which were afterwards put into the Tefterdar's or Lord Treasurers hands to see and compare them with the particulars received which were so great and considerable that they far surpassed the Charges and Disbursments of the Solemnity Opposite to the Tents were several poles fixed between which at Night were hung Lamps of several shapes which being varied every Night made a very pleasing and magnificent Object by light of which in the Evening were exercised several tricks of Activity as Wrestlings Dancing and Singing and sometimes were acted Turkish Comedies which consist only of Farces and some ridiculous Dialogues and at last the divertisements of the night concluded with Fire-works which were so many that as reported 240 men were employed for four months time in the main Christendom only one seemed to excel the rest being a sort of Rocket which went up very high without any tail of fire like the common ones carrying only a small compacted Globe of red fire like a Star and making to noise in mounting but raised to its height breaks These were the pastimes of the Night in the day time all the several Arts and Trades some one day and some another passed before the Tents every one offering their Presents as they passed representing by some kind of Pageant and Procession their diversities of Trade this continued for fifteen days On the 25th of this instant May was a solemn Cavalcade in which marched the Janisaries with all their chief Officers Chiauses and Mutafaracas c. And of the Great Men the Vizier Mufti and Kul-ogli the Favourite the first on the right hand and the second in the middle after them followed the young Prince who was to be circumcised extraodinary rich in the Furniture of his Horse and the number and largeness of the Diamonds which were on his Tulbant and Breast In this Cavalcade were carried twenty four small Nachils and two large ones as high as the Mast of a Ship which were carried by a hundred Slaves and set before the Seraglio which are in form of triumphant Pyramids adorned with Tinsils in thirteen Divisions according to this following Form or Description A Turkish Pageant High 27 Menar Pikes Each Almost as Long as a yard 32 Spanns about att The Bottome The forme of a Nachil Vests of Cloth Silke On the 27th being the day of Mahomet's Birth the Grand Signior rode publickly to the Mosch of Sultan Selim having no other attendance than the Retinue of his own Court his Pages were very rich in Cloth of Gold each carrying a Feather studded with a rich Jewel on his Head after the Grand Signior rode the young Prince who that Night was circumcised During this Festival a vast number of people was fed at the charge of the Grand Signior and about two thousand circumcised every one of which had a Quilt given him with a small pay of three Asper a day for his Life The manner of the Marriage of the Grand Signior's Daughter This Solemnity for the Circumcision being ended on the 10th of June began the Feast for the Marriage The Kuzlir Aga who is the black Eunuch of the Women was Bridegroom or Comparé to the young Princess and the Tefterdar or Lord Treasurer to Kul-ogli both which in the name of the Bride and Bridegroom went before the Lord Chief Justice called the Kadelescher and by him had the Articles of Marriage wrote and passed into publick
was out-sold by the English and Dutch then their Trade began to decay or rather never came to perfection like the fruit of a young tree which buds fairly and produces fruit but hath not strength to digest or bring it to maturity Even so it was with the Genoueses who having been at the charge of an Ambassadour Extraordinary and setled a Resident at Constantinople and a Consul at Smyrna and all the other Formalities of Trade wanted that nourishment thereof from their own soil which produces the true and natural fruit of Commerce which is gain and profit and being out-done by other Nations in shipping there could little or no benefit be expected from their own Navigation in the Levant For these reasons their Trade failing the Duties of Consulage on Goods appointed to maintain the Officers and defray the publick Expences were consequently wanting so that the Count Fieschi Resident for that Republick at Constantinople finding himself in great distresses and necessities and unable to maintain himself and his Attendants agreeable to his Character and Quality often advised his Prince and the Senate of the unhappy state of their Affairs desiring from them either to provide a Supply agreeable to the occasions or to recal him from that Office where he could no longer live in that Honour required This importunity produced the exchange of Officers and the Mission of Signior Giustiniano to reside at Constantinople and Signior Gentile at Smyrna the first of which some few days after his arrival being unfortunately killed with a Carabine in his Chamber at Constantinople as before related the Office of Resident came to be still continued in the person of Fieschi who remaining without provisions necessary to maintain his degree and the annual Presents expected by the Turks which they esteem as due as their Income and as part of their Revenues was forced to take up money on Pawns and his own Credit at the Interest of 20 25 or 30 per cent according as his necessities increased and the apprehensions men conceived of an insufficiency and hazard in their security was the cause that the debt which in the beginning was inconsiderable increasing with Interest upon Interest came at length to the Sum of sixty or seventy thousand Dollars which the Republick of Genoua attributing in a great measure to the ill Conduct of Fieschi and judging the greatest part of this debt to be feigned sent another Resident called Signior Spinola to succeed him in his Office who arriving at Smyrna in the month of May of this present year on a stout Ship hired of the Venetians and under the notion of a Man of War accompanied with a Merchant Ship and a new Consul the old one dying the year before setled there such Orders as were judged necessary for the government of their Affairs But before these Genoueses arrived a report had fore-ran them from Ligorne and other parts that their Ships brought great quantities of false Gold and false Pieces of Eight the which coming to the ears of the Turks Commands were provided against their arrival to search their Ships and try their Monies to which the Genoueses not condescending Arz or testimony was made thereof by the Kadi unto the Grand Signiors Court. In the interim whilst this Arz went up and the answer expected the Genouese Resident designing to proceed forward on his Voyage to Constantinople demanded the Kadi's Moraselau or Ticket of Licence for the Man of War on which he came to pass the Castle for that Ship had entred within the Port. The Kadi judging it necessary that both the Resident and Ship should attend the arrival of the answer from above refused to grant this Licence whereupon the Resident all in a rage imbarked himself and immediately set sail and having a fair Breez out of the Port gently slided along by the side of the Castle without any stop or interruption This affront being put upon the Kadi greatly displeased him so that calling the Lieutenant and Gunner of the Castle into question and not admitting of their Plea that the Ship was a Man of War and the person thereon a Resident both which were privileged and both going up to the Grand Signiors Court were to answer there for what was laid against them but this I say not being admitted for reason the Kadi committed them both to Prison from whence with some charge afterwards they released themselves The new Resident being arrived at Constantinople the Creditors of Count Fieschi demanded payment of the debts owing to them which was given in to amout to sixty thousand Dollars and so much was to be paid before Fieschi should be permitted to depart or at least that part thereof being satified in hand the new Resident Spinola should give security for payment of the remainder the which he refusing to do as not owning the accounts which Fieschi had given in in regard he judged them to be composed of extravagant Interests and to arise on charges not allowable by that Republick who after the death of Giuâ—tiniano disowned Fieschi for their Minister hereupon great disturbances and commotions arose amongst the Creditors some of which being in great Power as the Janisary-Aga and others Sequestration was laid on their Man of War so that she was toaed away to the Arsenal and there laid up and attached for payment of the debt which arising on the account of the Publick the Goods of the Common-wealth was justly esteemed liable to the Sequestration during which time the Pestilence the Epidemical disease of that season at Constantinople affecting with its contagion the Ships company about eighteen or twenty of them dyed thereof and all their affairs reduced to a strange consternation In this interim many and various were the disputes and contests between the two Residents sometimes they proposed to refer their differences to the decision of the English French and Venetian Ministers sometimes again finding the distance so wide and spatious between them they resolved to have their matters determined by Turkish Sentence At length the new Resident perceiving no end of this business and that the Ship lay ingaged at a great charge and as it were captivated to the great dishonour of the Republick came to an agreement to pay thirty three thousand Dollars one third whereof was to be paid in hand and the other two thirds by equal portions in the space of one year the first payment to be made after six months and the other six months after to which not only the Resident but their Merchants also entred personally into obligation In this manner the Ship being cleared and taking such Lading as offered for Genoua at Constantinople sailed for Smyrna where taking another Ship of the same Country into her company departed with the Dutch Convoy for Christendom But having remained six months in Port subjected to much charge and trouble and not finding a Freight equal to the time and expence was no great incouragement to the Genoueses to continue this Trade
Imperialists had also their turn and Count Esterhasi Governour of Papa attacked 2000 Janizaries and 500 Spahies near Vespren He took several Prisoners and amongst them some Agas As this Action might cause a Rupture if mis-represented betwixt the two Empires his Imperial Majesty dispatch'd a Courier to the Port to inform the Grand Seignior with the particulars of this Combat The constancy of the Malecontents and their Intelligence with the Turks did not a little disquiet the Emperour but he was more troubled when he heard that these Infidels were upon the point of agreeing with the Muscovites which would put them into a Condition to turn all their power against him He thought he could not do better than to divert them by obliging the King of Persia to break with them and therefore sent the Baron of Meierburg to Hispahan to negotiate that Affair The Diet of Transilvania being held at Clausenburg the Grand Seignior as well to secure his own Interest as being dissatisfied with Prince Abaffi's Conduct sent the Bassa of Waradin with a strong Army to preside at that Assembly But things being accommodated betwixt them to the satisfaction of the strongest the Transilvanian and the Bassa's bordering upon his Principality who had been at the Diet had no other thoughts but of deliberating with the Deputies of the Hungarians of the means how to assist them The Emperour being advertised hereof sent Doctor Ferling to Constantinople to endeavour to penetrate into the Intentions of that Monarch and hinder that the Bassaes should not succour the Rebels There was also some under-hand dealing with the great ones or the Party to make their particular Peace with the Court. Amongst others the Proposition being made to Palaffi Imbre he found so little security in it that to shew his Companions he would never accommode himself with the Emperour he treated with the Bassa of Buda to deliver all the Places that were in his power into his hand and possession the which also he put in Execution tho' his Castle of Devin was in the mean time invested by Count Strasoldo before the Turks could enter it and together with the City forced by him 500 of the Garrison being made Prisoners The Grand Seignior to shew the esteem and satisfaction he had of the Person of Abaffi sent him a Sable as a token of his Favour and gave Orders at the same time to all the Bassaes of Hungary to send Troops and Forces as oft as he should require them being absolutely resolved to assist the Malecontents which he also effectively did There had happened a great Battel between the Turks and Muscovites near Czecherin which the first had besieged The Turks had been worsted at first but rallying their Forces they came before Czecherin again where after playing eight or nine Mines they so furiously assaulted the Place that they carried it with the slaughter of the Garrison which was great for all that after many Skirmishes they were forced to retire for want of Provisions Hereupon the Great Duke of Muscovy knowing that the Emperour not without reason apprehended that the Turks would declare War against him sent him a solemn Embassie with offer of making a League Offensive and Defensive with him against the Infidels but the Emperour contrary to the advice of Montecuculi who offered to Command the Army in Person tho' his great Age might justly dispence with the Fatigues of War did not think it advisable to break with the Port. The Bassa of Buda being informed of the arrival of the Ambassadour sent a Chaoux to Vienna under colour of complaining of some Inroads which the Imperialists had made into the Grand Seignior's Territories but indeed to observe the motions of the Muscovites Nor were they the onely motives that exhorted the Emperour to Arm against the Turks The King of Poland sent Prince Radzivil to assure his Imperial Majesty that he would willingly enter into a League against the Infidels if he could resolve to declare War against them And however two Nuntios of the Pope's who were then at Court did press this Prince to determine to prevent the Enemy who would not fail to attack him when a favourable Occasion presented it self they could not perswade him to embrace a Proposition so favourable for the repose of Hungary The Emperour not finding himself in a Condition to reduce the Malecontents by force resolved to grant what they demanded provided they would permit him to levy in Hungary the same Contributions and Taxes which were exacted in the Hereditary Countrey Count Lesley had several Conterences with Collonel Josua thereupon and having discussed this Affair the principal points were agreed upon which being communicated to Keski and Tekeley they promised to procure the consents of the other Chiefs to agree to them Upon this favourable disposition Lesley had orders to send his Troops into Winter Quarters but the precipitate departure of the Emperour to Mazianzel and thence to Prague by reason of the Plague at Vienna this Affair was interrupted and all the measures taken in it changed The Plague spread also into the Turkish Countries and constrained 500 Families to quit Newhausel These were scarce got a League from the Town but they were surprised by five hundred Husars or Haiducs who took from them all they had of which the Turks made great complaints which seemed the more reasonable being they were so civil to Count Lesley's Troops for he being obliged by the Contagion to change Quarters encamped betwixt Chemnitz and Strigonium for the better subsistance of his Army The Bassa of this last place to shew the Count that the Grand Seignior did not approve of his Subjects joyning with the Malecontents permitted him to buy such Provisions as he wanted in the Territories of his Jurisdiction and also presented him with several refreshments himself The Muscovites pressed the King of Poland to conclude a League Offensive and Defensive with them against the Grand Seignior this Prince being not averse to the proposition commanded his Resident to represent to the Emperour that being he would not engage in this Union he ought at least to keep a standing Army in Hungary of 30000 Men to oppose the Malecontents and keep the Turks in suspence on that side and his Majesty promised to do it but the want of Monies hindered him to execute a Design so honourable for himself and so adventageous for Christendom However he endeavoured by the Baron of Kaunitz his Resident at the Port to negotiate a Continuation of the Trevis but the Grand Seignior would not consent to it but upon condition that he should be at liberty to assist the Malecontents at pleasure which indeed had been to augment the Evil not heal it This Prince was at the same time advertised that the Port had concluded a Peace with the Poles and the Muscovites which gave him occasion to judge that he had a Design to turn his Arms against him Many were the Treaties betwixt he Emperour and the Malecontents and
places of his Obedience He sent such Bodies of Men thither that the Souldiers were forced to lye in Tents and Baracks Hali Bassa being sent thither in the Spring with Monies to pay these Forces behaved himself with so little Prudence that he had well nigh occasioned a great Mutiny amongst them In his review of them he caused the Spahies to pass before the Janizaries who being extream jealous of their rank mutinied and threatned to kill him To repair this fault he would restore them to their Precedence but the Spahies took also their turn to mutiny nor did he appease them but by a considerable gratuity above their pay Besides these the preparations for War through all the extent of the Otthoman Empire wer so vast that they did not suffice only to protect the Malecontents but to attack that of Germany and now they lay a Bridge over the Danube and another at Zolnock over the Teys or Tibiscus capable of bearing their great Cannon Tekely however well informed of the Designs of the Port did notwithstanding agree to a prolongation of the Trevis with Count Caprara which was ended the last of March to the first of July but the Malecontents slighting the Treaty did in the beginning of May seize upon all the Corn which the Emperour had bought upon the Frontiers of Poland to furnish his Magazins withal The Turks also attacked and forced a Commissary who conducted many Wagons loaden with Cloths for the Imperial Army Tekely being to act as soon as the Treaty was ended joyntly with the Turks judged it proper for him to take his measures from the Bassa of Buda in order to which he went to wait upon him with a Convoy of 3000 Horse the Bassa being advertised of his arrival gave his Son orders to go and receive him at the Gate of the City at the Head of the Spahies or Horse to complement him in his Name and to regale him with refreshments according to the Custom of that Nation Being enter'd the City he was received by the Bassa at the head of all his Janizaries and after reciprocal Civilities he assured him of the Protection of the Grand Seignior when ever he had need of it His Troops in the mean time were lodged near Pesth along the River side in Tents The Bassa causing Tekely's Bonnet to be taken off put another after the Turkish fashion upon his Head enrich'd ' with pretious Stones and a Heron's Feather He further made him a Present from his Otthoman Highness of a Sable a Pole-ax and a Colours He gave him also upon his own account some Horses richly harnessed some affirmed that his Civilities passed further and that Tekely was declared King of Hungary by the Bassa who put the Crown upon his Head and cloathed him in Royal Habiliments in presence of all the Officers of the Garrison and several Bassaes who had been expresly commanded thither to assist at the Ceremony Tekely having satisfied his Ambition would now content his Love. He had sent his Secretary to Vienna to obtain the Emperours Permission to espouse the Princess Rogotski His Imperial Majesty thinking he ought to manage this Count in a time wherein he endeavoured to make him break his Engagements with the Port and further perceiving that it was but a Civility done him and that if he did not consent they would effect it without him granted his Envoy what ever his Master had desired Tekely gave immediately advice hereof to the Princess and prayed she would not defer his Happiness any longer She who as she had not desired to see him a King but to prevent her descent into a lower rank then that wherein Prince Rogotsky had placed her sent him word that he might come to Montcatz where after his return from Buda their Marriage was celebrated with great Pomp. This Lady was Sister to Count Serin a Roman Catholick but in some few Weeks after her espousals with Count Tekely she turn'd Protestant and thereupon discharged all her Catholick Servants This gave so much suspition to the Imperial Court that no more good was expected from that Alliance nor were they deceived his Attachments to the Port being too strict and his jealousie of the Germans too great He for all that treated still with Count Saponara the Emperours Envoy but it was to amuze him in expectation of the Turks taking the field to second his Designs The Emperour did also employ Count Serin to his new Brother-in-Law but he instead of serving his Sovereign enter'd into new Engagements as shall be declared hereafter In the beginning of July the Tartars made inrodes as far as Trinchein from whence they brought more than 18000 Slaves killing all the old men from whom they could expect no Service The Palatine would have raised the Militia of the Country to oppose them but the Protestants refused to obey his Orders until the Emperour would give them Satisfaction upon all the points that had been proposed in their Name the last Diet. About the end of the same Month his Imperial Majesty received Letters from Count Albret Caprara which signified to him that he had received Audience from the Great Visier and that he could not obtain a prolongation of the Trevis but upon the following Terms viz. That Hungary should be put into the same state that it was in the year 1655 That this Kingdom should pay his Otthoman Highness a Tribute of 50000 Florins yearly That the Fortresses of Leopolstat and Gratz should be demolished That Neutra Schults Eckof and the Isle of Schults near Presburg with the Fort of Muran should by a formal cession be delivered to Count Tekely That a general Amnesty or Act of Oblivion should be granted to the Malecontents and that they should be re-established in all their Goods and Priviledges These Conditions seemed so harsh to the Emperour that he rejected them preferring a War before such a sordid accommodation The Cessation betwixt Tekely and the Germans being ended he joyned Forces with the Turks near Pest consisting of 40000 Men. He passed near Caschaw or Cassovia and turning suddenly surprised the Castle of Zatmar and in a few days after took the City Cassovia and other considerable Places ran the same fate And now the Turks act by themselves Tokai rendring it self to them as soon as they appeared before it The Emperour sent to complain to the Bassa of Buda of these Acts of Hostility but he answered that he did not pretend to break the Cessation in attacking these little places which were but receptacles of Robbers the Inhabitants thereof daily pillaging his Highnesses quarters Thus the strongest seldom fail of pretences to oppress the weakest On the other side the Bassa of Waradin having besieged Fileck pressed it hard He had already assaulted the place thrice and though Strazoldo Caprara Staremberg and the Palatine advanced with design to relieve it yet all these Generals however brave durst not attempt the Enemies Lines and it might be said that they were come
received orders to repair an ancient Palace seated upon a Hill near the Town to lodge the Grand Seignior there who designed to stay there during the Campania In March Tekely with a considerable body of the Turkish and his own Troops endeavoured to Surprise Tirnaw to cut off the Communication of the Fortress of Leopolstat with the River Waagh But this Enterprise failing this Count summoned a second Diet in upper Hungary though those of the Loyal Counties were admonished not to appear there At the same time Collonel Albert Caprara advertised the Emperour that the Grand Seignior offered to prolong the Cessation if he would surrender to him the Isles of Schults of Serin and of Raab with the Fortresses of Raab and Comorra but his Imperial Majesty did not think it expedient to accept of such disadvantageous Terms which rendered the Turks entire Masters of Hungary and gave them an open passage to the very Walls of Vienna After that it was impossible for this Minister to write any more to his Master for the Turks kept so strict a Guard about him that he was suffered to have no Communication with any for fear of informing the Emperour with the vast preparations of War which were made in all the extent of the Ottoman Empire The Turks at the same time surprised a Quarter of the Dragoons kill'd forty and took many Prisoners they lodged 15000 men in the Neighbourhood of Essek to hinder the Imperialists from burning the Bridge and by that means hinder their Passage into the lower Hungary The Emperour on the other side caused all his Forces on the side of the Rhine except four Regiments which he left for the Frontiers to march towards Vienna and Hungary His Troops also that were in Bohemia under the command of Count Taff were commanded that way In the beginning of April the Grand Seignior sent the Bassa Zanko who though he had but one hand was one of the best Officers in the Turkish Army to Cassovia to command under Count Tekeley At the same time the Emperour made a great Detachment of all the Regiments that were in Hungary to march toward Treinschin under the Command of the Count of Schults to go meet a great Body of Succours which came out of Poland under the Conduct of Lubomirski The Count Herberstein had Orders to pass into Croatia with all the Troops of the lower Austria to oppose the Enemy who pretended to make an Irruption into that Province The Grand Seignior shewed so much passion for the War of Hungary that to complement him all the Ministers of the Court would particularly contribute to it Every one offered to entertain a certain number of Souldiers at their proper charge and did All the Ministers of the Port contribute to the War of Hungary as also the Ladies The Great himself raised 400 men And the Ladies no less forward raised great sums for the Expedition especially the Asseki or Sultan Queen His Highness being resolved to march in the beginning of the Spring to Belgrade sent the Emperour according to the Practise of the Sultans Masse dâ—armes a to mark that he declared War against him The Great Visier being ready to move sent 1200 Camels loaden with Powder to Belgrade before him together with Orders to the Bassa of the said place to build a Bridge upon the Savus which was immediately put in Execution The Emperour Received at the same time an express from Count Wallestin March 31. his Ambassador in Poland The Emperour and King of Poland make a League Offensive and Defensive which informed him that he had concluded with that King a League Offensive and Defensive against the Turks This News did most sensibly affect the Imperial Court with Joy because they had doubted much of the Success of this Negotiation the King of Poland having shewed some Dissatisfaction in that the Emperour would never assist him nor enter into any concert with him whilst he alone supported a War against the Turks but Interest took place of Passion The King of Poland like a prudent Prince foresaw that if the Turks conquered Hungary and the German Neighbouring States he should be scarce able to resist so powerful a Neighbour which made him resolve to oppose his Designs and to joyn his Arms with the Emperours The Conditions of this mutual alliance briefly were that the Alliance should be not only defensive but also offensive against the Turks and last till both found their assured repose neither should make Peace without consent of the other his Imperial Majesty should entertain 6000 Men whereof 40000 should keep the Field and the rest be put in Garisons the King of Poland will lead 40000 under his own Conduct he shall be also obliged to recover his Places in Podolia Wallachia and Vkrania whilst the Imperialists shall do the same by those Places they left in Hungary The Poles shall furnish 6000 men to act against Tekely Other Articles not immediately regarding the present War are purposely omitted There had been ill observed Treaties and Cessations continued betwixt the Tekelists and Germans and now the first besiege the Castle of Donavisth in the County of Sepusa in upper Hungary C. Caprara having by message represented to Tekely Tekely breaks the Cessation that it was a violation of the Trevis He answered that he only did it because C. Joanelli to whom the Place belonged had refused to come to the Diet of Cassovia so frivolous an excuse made it apparent to the Emperours Ministers that they were not too much to confide in the Promises of this Count and that he would take his advantages as often as occasions presented themselves Some few days after he had News that his Princess was brought to bed of a Son at Montcats whereupon he sent one of his chief Officers to Prince Abaffi to invite him to Christen the Babe which he accepted of and sent one of the principal Lords in Transilvania to supply his Place In the beginning of May May 3. the great Visier came to Belgrade with the Van of the Ottoman Army and more than 300 pieces of Cannon besides Mortars to throw Granadoes of a prodigious bigness At the same time the Troops that were to compass the Imperial Army began to draw towards Presburg where Count Rabata encamped them as they came according to the orders he had received from his Imperial Majesty who had chosen the great Plain of Kirtzer joyning to that City to take the general review of his Army which being drawn into Batalia in two Lines extended four Miles in length seventy two pieces of Cannon with the General of the Artillery Count Starenberg were placed at the head of the Infantry which was ranged in Batalions and in such order that they might be perceived on both sides they were numbered 20000 and the Horse in two Wings amounted to 12000 besides 5000 Hussars drawn up on the Right of the German Horse with fourteen field pieces The Emperour arrived in
for nothing unless Succours were great and quick The Duke who was careful in informing the Emperour the King of Poland and the Elector of Saxony of all he could learn of the state of the besieged failed not to quicken the Auxiliaries to communicate his Intelligence and Letters to them He dispatch'd Count Caraffa to the King of Poland with them and hasten'd the march of General Sinariski who was come into Silesia six days since This Count had also in charge to pray his Majesty of Poland to come with the first Troops as well for the esteem he had of his Merits as because he believed that upon the Kings advance the gross of his Army would follow with more diligence After he had dispatched C. Caraffa he sent the Count Schaffenberg to the Elector of Saxony to provide Waggons and Carriages for the Auxiliary Troops by the way as they should pass As he did not doubt but that these pressing Letters would quicken th advance of the Troops he thought he was obliged to provide also for the passage of the Danube and in order to it resolved to go to Krembs whereof he advertised the Emperour by an Express About the same time C. Starenberg had News from his Highness of the defeat of C. Tekely near Presburg as also of the taking of a great Convoy that was going to the Ottoman Army and that the King of Poland was upon his march to succour the Place This good News infused Joy into the whole City and was welcomed with all the Artillery and the ringing of all their Bells As every little Success encourages Souldiers at least to hope so it far'd here A Scholar having killed a Janizary and ripped open his Stomach found ten Duckats in Gold in it and a Souldier having after a stiff Combat disarmed a Janizary cut off his Head with his own Sable Searching him afterwards he found a Girdle about him full of Moneys which he hid so well that his Comrades did not discover it Being returned into the City having unstitch'd his purchase he found an 100 Sequins of Gold. He was so transported at the sight with Joy that he ran like a Mad-man through the Strees clapping his Hands and shewing his Gold to every body making it appear by his Extravagancies that he thought himself happier than the Emperour His good Fortune gave Courage to his Companions upon hopes of the like Adventure making them good Anatomists and diligent Waiters The Duke of Lorrain left Anneren encampt at Volgerdorp He there received Letters from the Count Caplier and Starenberg The first pressed strongly for Relief by reason of the Diminution of the Garrison and the Ammunitions of War. The Style of the second Letter was upon the brave and seemed of a Person not greatly concerned but in the three last Lines being in Cypher he besought the Duke for speedy Succours because the Retrenchments and cuttings off in the Lebel Bastion were very slight that his Ammunitions and Officers failed him and that he every day lost many of his Men. His Highness return'd him answers full of comfort advertising him of the state of the advance of the Auxiliaries and the certitude of his Relief In order to it be quits Volgerdorp and marched to Stokerau the better from thence to discover the Isles of the Danube and chuse a place for making a Bridge for his Passage Some of the great ones were of Opinion that Vienna ought to be relieved by the Plain passing the Danube at Presburg this Opinion found many partisans their reason was that the Army posting it self above the City would cut off the Communication of the Besiegers with those Countries from whence they drew their Provisions which being done they judged the Turks would retire without the Christians hazarding of a Battel This reasoning did not want appearance if it could be done before the Besieged were too much pressed but the Enemies main force consisting in Horse that of the Imperialists in Foot the Duke thought Inclosures preferrable to the Plains besides the Allies not being able to meet at Krembs before the Month of September many days would be spent in marching thence to Presburg and laying a Bridge over the River there in a time when the condition of the Siege demanded all their haste Moreover the Construction of a Bridge in that place was difficult especially if the Enemy detached any strong Parties to oppose them as they might easily do insomuch that the Duke who had in the beginning of the Siege looked upon the Mountains of Kalemberg as the surest way for the Relief of Vienna without any farther amusing himself resolved to pass the Army at Tuln and Krembs disposing all things accordingly for the Execution of this Design He did not believe the Enemy would come thither to oppose him not only because part of his Army and of that of the Bavarians was already on the other side of the Danube and maintained themselves there without attempts of the Turks to dislodge them but also because it would be dangerous for these Infidels to engage themselves with a great Body of Horse beyond the Streights or narrow Passages of the Forest of Vienna Many were the Messengers and Spies which past betwixt the Duke and Besieged his Highness being careful to encourage and inform them He now again assures them that the Army composed of Bavarians Saxons Poles and the Imperial Troops approach'd Krembs That the King of Poland Commanded it in Person and that he was accompanied by the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony That the Emperour was removed from Passaw to Lintz to be nearer Vienna so that now there was nothing more required for the saving of Christendom but a little more resistance being all the Troops were ready to march He added that he himself was going to Krembs to prepare the Bridges and every other necessary thing to the end that nothing should retard the Succour of the Place assuring moreover the Governour that he would expose himself to all dangers to force the Enemy from the Siege Fortune did begin now to favour them being Tekely had been defeated at Presburg and by the River of Marcka with great loss This News caused a sensible Joy in all the Inhabitants and particularly the Ecclesiasticks whereof many were troubled with bloody Fluxes and very many considerable Persons had been dead of it The cause of this Disease may well be attributed to the ill Diet the richest sort being forced to eat salt meats differing from the Delicacies of their former feeding besides the Meal they made their Bread of was neither clean nor well ground The Duke in the mean time caused some Troops of the Regiments of Grana and Baden to secure Tuln Aug. 22. where there was a stone Wall and a Ditch for he designed to preserve that Town and make it one of the heads of his Bridge the next day he went to discover the Ilets of the Danube and having found them useful for his Design he commanded ways to
this repast the Duke returned to his Camp very well satisfied with the Civilities done him by his Majesty who likewise approved of all what this Prince had proposed to him and upon his reiterated Instances he made to him for hastening the Conjunction of his Forces he sent Orders to his Great General who was stayed behind to hasten his march The King himself resolved to be at Krembs the second of September where the Emperour was to come to agree about the Conjunction and Passage of the Armies In the mean time the Emperour who should have come to Krembs not only to animate and authorise the Expedition by his Presence but also to allay the infinite Difficulties which the Competition of so many Princes would occasion was retained at Lintz by an Indisposition of Health Thus the Care of all was left to the Duke of Lorrain as also to regulate the Pretensions of the Auxiliary Armies Having at length found Expedients for all these Difficulties he went and acquainted the King of Poland with what he had designed which being highly approved of he went thence to Otelsdorff where at his intreaty the Duke of Saxony and all the Generals met him After some Contestations the Passage of the Danube and the Conjunction of all the Auxiliaries was resolved upon which was to be September 5. in the Plains of Tuln It was determined that the Polish Army with that of the Emperours should pass where they were That the Saxons should traverse the River upon the Bridge at Krembs and whereas the Bavarians with some German Troops camped there under the Command of Count Lesley they should all march in body to Tuln to joyn the Imperial Army and that of Poland The Princes upon Consultation deferred the Execution of this Design till the seventh The King began to pass the sixth in the Evening The Duke of Lorrain after having detached the Contes of Lodrox Riccardi and Herberwiller with their Regiments and two Batalions of Lorrain to joyn 3000 Poles which the King ought to add to them to form a Body to cover Moravia he sent Collonel Heyster with 600 Horse to Closterneuburg with orders to make Fires upon the heights of Khalenberg to advertise the besieged by this sign which was concerted betwixt them of the approach of their relief The besieged had been extreamly pressed for the Turks had finished their Galleries and attacked the two Bastions of Lebel and the Court so that the besieged did daily by Messages and Rockets advertise their Friends of the extremity they were reduced to the Enemy being now attacked to the very body of the place having made a great breach in the Court Bastion The sixth at Night they were greatly encouraged by the firing of five Fusees or Rockets upon the Mountain of Kalenberg which made them judge their help near hand and which they answered by the like Signal The Grand Visier not ignorant of the Christians motion on the seventh commanded a review of his Troops to be made which upon enquiry were represented to him by his Officers to amount to 168000 Men a List whereof was found in his Tent as also in that of Reiz Effendi or chief Secretary the which we have omitted here not to puzzle the course of History with hard Names but shall however to satisfie the more curious subjoyn not only that but an exact account of the Christian Army that raised this celebrious Siege and also of those Worthies who deserve to have their Memories transferred to Posterity for defending their City with so signal Bravery and Constancy It did not seem that the Christian Princes in the Turkish Army did serve them with any great good will. Tekely who had been but once in the Camp to salute the Grand Visier left but a thousand Hungarians with him upon his departure and Abassi though often invited to the Port excused his attendance by manifold Pretences However the Visier being entred Hungary he could not dispense with his waiting upon him at Javarin though but with few Troops He was notwithstanding well received by this Minister and sent back to guard the Passages betwixt Raab and Ramnitz and the Bridges which the Turks had built upon those two Rivers to secure a retreat in case Fortune proved their Enemy The Vayvod of Walachia already mentioned caused a Cross of Oak of a prodigious bigness to be planted before his Tent in the Camp at Vienna it is seventeen foot in length with this Inscription in Latin upon it Crucis exaltatio est conservatio Mundi Crux decor Ecclesiae Crux custodia Regum Crux confirmatio Fidelium Crux Gloria Angelorum vulnus Demonum Nos Dei Gratia servamus Canthacuzenus Valachiae Transalpinae Princeps ejusdem perpetuus haeres Dominus c. Ereximus Crucem hanc in loco quavis die devotione Populi sacro honorato in perpetuam sui suorumque Memoriam Tempore obsidionis Mahometanae à Vizirio Kara Mustapha Bassa Viennensis inferioris Austriae Mense Sept. die 1. Anno 1683. Viator Memento mori The Infidels upon the approach of the Christians were in no little disorder their whole Camp being in a tumultuous Motion their Horse mov'd confusedly and the Servants were seen to load their Camels with Baggage which made the Besieged judge that they design'd to march to meet the Succours notwithstanding this Disorder they did not discontinue their Approaches and the following day redoubled the firing of their Cannon and Mortars That Morning a Prisoner being taken reported That the Turks were in a great Consternation because the Christians were already upon the Mountain of Kalemberg Those who were upon the Rampart saw their Enemies pull down their Tents and go and joyn their Companions who were advanced to oppose the Passage of the Christians and about Noon they saw a great Body ranging themselves in Battalia at the foot of the Mountain whilst others joyned them carrying with them all their Baggage and Provisions upon Waggons and Camels as if they designed to change their Camp where they also planted their Pavilions in the same manner as if they intended a long stay there probably to refresh themselves to be more brisk and in a condition to fight the Succours when they should descend from the Hills During all these motions the attack was carried on with redoubled vigour and though the defence was yet braver yet at Night they fired many Rockets to advertise their friends that the place was reduced to the last extremity and that they could hold out no longer But now the Christians were seen to cover the Mountain of Kalemberg and to salute their Enemies with several volleys of Cannon To comprehend well the joy of the besieged at so charming a spectacle we need but represent to our selves how they had been close shut up the space of nine Weeks being every hour indeed moment in cruel apprehensions for their goods their lives their Wives and their Children and to see themselves now upon the point to be
was finished they sent some Troops very early to hinder the Labourers and posted themselves neat them behind a Curtain and behind Planks which well-nigh shut the descent from the Mountain before the Christians Battery Count Fontaine who commanded the Post was quick in opposing their effort and having called the men from their work and got his two Battalions together he posted them betwixt his Battery and their Barricado yet so as not to be encompassed by them who at the same time began to stretch to the right and left to gain the Christians Flanks The Duke who observed from St. Leopolds Chappel the Turks motion sent some Battalions of the Regiments next hand to the relief of his men These being commanded by the Duke of Croy arriving in time the Imperialists extended their line and took a resolution to attack the Infidels in their Post behind their blind This was executed with so much vigour that the Enemy were forced to give way They abandoned their Post and retired to another where the gross of their Body remained The Duke of Croy having his shoulder pierced with a Musket-shot in this action was obliged to retire leaving the command to C. Fontaine who disposed all things for the defence of the Post which the Enemy seemed forward to attack again but they contented themselves with shooting out of their own station the fire continuing brisk on both sides The Duke perceiving that the Turks made all that Body move which had camped beyond Neudorff to support their advanced Troops he first commanded all the left Wing to march and presently after he gave order to Prince Waldeck and to the Duke of Sax-Lawenburg to rush out of the Woods upon the Enemies who were at the head of their Camp. He sent to advertise the King of Poland of all this and understanding that his Majesty came to St. Leopolds Chappel he went to meet him there and shewing the motions the Armies were in he acquainted him with all the orders that he had given upon this occasion After they had agreed upon all things the King having performed his devotion at the Chappel mounting on Horse-back he went from Rank to Rank exhorting his Officers and Souldiers to do well and spake to them after this manner Generous Polish Cavaliers It is not only to defend the glory which your Ancestors and your courage have acquired to you of being esteemed the invincible Bulwark of Christendom against the Ottoman Power It is not the defence only of your own Country which the loss of Vienna by an infallible consequence will expose to the cruel Invasion of those against whom you are going to fight but it is the cause of God and to save the Empire of the West which does us the honour to have recourse to our Arms an honour which our Ancestors did never presume to hope for and which is reserved for your valour Think then of nothing but conquering or to dye nobly in this occasion to which the glory of Martyrdom is concomitant Think that your King fights in the head of you to partake with you of your perils and your victories and rest assured that the God of Battels whose cause we are going to defend will not fail to fight for us Whilst this Prince endeavoured by his discouses to inspire his Troops with that generous ardour he was himself agitated the Citizens of Vienna who had been advertised of the approach of their relief saw with inexpressible content the Army of the Christians descend from the Mountains of Kalemberg being ascertained by the noise of the Cannon which was shot against the Turks who had parapetted the Passages with earth and stone though to no purpose that their deliverance was near And they would also contribute all they could to it by the discharge of all their Artillery from the Bastions and Curtains of the wall There was also an infinity of small shot discharged on both sides with many Granadoes The Turks had not as yet shot so many Bombs since the beginning of the Siege as they did this day to retard the Christians that descended into the Plain and to annoy those who crowded upon the heights of the City to observe the descent of their friends and the combat Whilst the King of Poland continued his march at the head of his Army the Duke of Lorraine caused Heisters Regiment of Dragoons and another of Saxony which Count Caprara posts to the left at the foot of St. Leopolds Chappel to descend That of Heister received orders at eight of the clock to go and attack the Enemies who had possessed a place to the left from whence they troubled the Imperialists and the Infantry had likewise order to advance upon the Turks who were retired behind their courtains and hollow ways This motion was made on both sides at once The Turks made some resistance at first but not with Vigour enough to hinder the Christians advance who obliged them to retire behind another blind Count Lesley who had brought down some Cannon planted it at the head of the Infantry The Duke of Croy was also returned for having used the first Applications to his hurt he had force enough not to quit the fight the whole day This advantage gave both time and room to extend the front of the left Wing as it descended and issued out of the Streights In the mean time the first Line of Infantry which in their march against the Infidels gave continual fire with their Musquets mingled with that of Field-pieces beat them out of another Post and a Line of Curtain which reach'd from the Danube Hill over against the Carthusians The Duke about ten a Clock made a halt and whilst the rest of the left Wing filled the ground which the first Troops had taken and that Count Caprara extended it to the Banks of the Danube he sent orders to the Prince of Waldeck who began to appear upon th first heights to the right and to the Duke of Saxon-Lawenburg who was also got out of the Wood to continue their march until they were equal with the front of the Troops commanded by the Duke of Croy and to advance extending to the right until they came within shot of the Poles upon their issuing out of their Avenues which were on the right hand of all These orders being given the Duke returned to the head of the left Wing to make the great Body of the Germans move at once The Great Duke of Saxony came and joyned him and continued always near him in the places the most exposed At Noon they saw the King at the Head of his Troops who came and joyned the right Wing of the Imperialists The Duke in the mean time took care that in marching to the Enemy the Subaltern Generals should rally and re-establish any Disorders which might have happened by the Difficulty of the Passages and that all should advance with equality firing continually with their great and small shot The march was in this
order though slowly by reason of the roughness of the way and the opposition of the Enemy the left moving along the Danube as far as the Village of Neudorff carryed it after a considerable resistance To the right upon the same Line there was another Hill guarded by the Turks at the attack whereof a Dutch Batallion being disordered was succoured by Stirums Dragoons ordered by Count Dunewald This Batallion recovered took the Post and continued to advance The justness of this march the Christian Armies order of Battel and the scituation of the Place which made the Imperialists appear as in a kind of Amphitheater presented a great and formidable object to the sight which astonished the Turks and did not a little contribute to the Victory The King of Poland being yet behind the Army halted near Newdorff until he was advanced upon the same Line after which they continued their march The Imperialists carried without very great resistance the Post the Turks had at Helgstat and the Prince of Waldeck obliged those that opposed him to retire In the mean time the Infidels who were in Battalia in their Camp moved as if they had designed upon the left Wing but perceiving the Army of Poland upon the heights they moved that way so that the Poles and Turks faced each other almost in the same order making more depth then front The Poles seemed back'd by the Wood and the Turks by their Camp. The King who was in the head of his Troops detach'd some squadrons of his Hussars who charged the Turks being all Lanciers with great Vigour they bore before them those that opposed them but engaging themselves too far they drew so many Enemies upon them that they were forced to run The Turks followed them to a Place where Prince Waldeck had opportunely posted two Batalions of Bavarians The fire of these Foot cooled the pursuit of the Enemy and gave the King of Poland time to cause his first Line to advance to re-establish the Disorder of his Hussars Count Rabata at the Kings desire joyned the Emperours Dragoons with them But this body of Turks detach'd from their Troops did not dare to stand the shock of the Christians but retired to a height where they had Foot and Cannon with more diligence then they were come After this advantage the King continued to march with all his Army and the Turks endeavoured to obstruct their Passage from the several Posts they had The fire of their Artillery and Musquets did some harm to the Poles but did not break them and so they advanced still gaining Ground insensibly upon the Enemy In the mean time the Duke being far advanced towards the left of the Enemies Camp to divert their Endeavours upon the right the Turks put themselves in battalia upon the Ravine or before their Camp and planting some great Guns against the Christians they made many shot and seemed by their meen to resolve to defend that Post which was the strongest of all and served for a Retrenchment for their Camp but their firmness did not last long The Imperialists being advanced within Musquet shot they abandoned their Station about five in th Evening and left them the convenience of passing it without disorder and entring into their Camp. It was then that the Duke making use of this Advantage wheeled all his left Wing and instead of continuing his way by the Danube he caused it to march to the right to enter into the Enemies Camp no Souldier quitting his rank to pillage their Baggage which they had abandoned and their Tents standing This motion being perceived by the Turks who were engaged against the Poles on the right Wing quite dismayed them and they began to retire for fear of being charged in the Flank The King thereupon passed the Ravine with his Troops notwithstanding the firing of some Janizaries that defended it and pursued the Enemies About seven a Clock he entred their Camp some little time after Prince Waldeck who passed into it with his Bavarians and Franconians Half an hour after the Duke having gained the Suburbs and Counterscharp commanded Prince Lewis of Baden to advance towards the Trenches of the Turks with some Troops that the Baron of Mercy conducted but this Prince could not come there so soon but that the Janizaries that were in guard there had leisure to make their retreat by favour of the Night that came on They had begun it as soon as they saw the Christians approach their Camp. They retired with no great loss having had the bravery before they abandoned their Trenches to attempt another attack against the City and to turn and fire the Cannon of their Batteries against the Army The Night suspended the Victory and obliged the Troops to make halt in that part of the Camp which was betwixt the Danube and the City the Turks being retreated on the other side of the River The Duke of Lorraine sent to complement the King upon the happy success of that day which was owing to his presence This Prince returned his complement confessing that every body had a share in it but that all the honour was due to his Conduct and to the valour of the German Troops who first entred the Camp and the Enemies works During the Night the Turks passed the River at Schunket making their retreat by the Rear of their Front and quitted their Camp with so much precipitation that they left behind them in the great Visier's Quarters the Standard of the Ottoman Empire and the Horse Tayle the ordinary Ensigns of their dignity They left also all their Tents and the greatest part of their Equipage all their Ammunition and Provisions which they had in great abundance all their Artillery amounting to 180 pieces of Cannon and Mortars and they hastened their retreat with so much diligence that their formost Troops had the next day passed the Raâ—b The Christians lost no body of consideration except Prince Thomas of Croy the Count of Transmandorff young Poloski Captain of a Company of Hussars and the wounded besides the Duke of Croy the Counts Fontaine Tilly and Schalemburg were inconsiderable The 13th early the Duke having appointed his Army to be ready went to wait on the King of Poland to regulate their march and the immediate pursuit of the Victory But finding him little disposed to it he omitted no instances to perswade him to it proposing to him to march with all the Army or with all the Horse only or else with a great detachment but the King opposed the weariness of his Troops and the necessity of refreshing them some hours The King thereunto being unwilling the Duke entred into the City The Grand Visier before his flight caused the Heads of five of the Women of his Seraglio to be cut off for fear they should fall into the hands of the Conquerors The Baron of Kaunitz the Emperors Resident at the Port who was at present in the Visier's Quarters was in danger of being killed by
also conferred the same Employments and Honours upon Count Capliers and having presented Prince Alexander the King of Polands Son with a Sword richly adorned with Jewels of great value He returned back to Lintz The greatest part of those who fled upon the approach of the Turks returned to the City when they knew the Siege was raised They began to rebuild the Houses that were ruined and amongst others the Emperours Palace and Scots Church During these Triumphs at Vienna the Grand Visier sensible of his misfortune and the malice of his Enemies and knowing that the Bassa of Buda would render him no good Offices at Court upon the raising of the Siege of Vienna resolved to prevent him and informed the Grand Seignior by an express he dispatch'd to him to Belgrade that he had disposed all things to check the first onset of the Christians and engage them in Battel which would undoubtedly have been accompanied with Success but that he was forced to change design because the Bassa retired with his Army the Walachians the Moldavians and the Hungarians which did so mainly abate the Courage of his Troops that it was afterward impossible for him to bring them to fight that so he had been obliged to retire to conserve the rest of the Army and not to hazard the Person of his Highness Nevertheless the Grand Visier having well examined the Consequences which the ill Success of his Enterprise might have did scarce believe himself secure by this precaution and he perswaded himself that he must immolate the Bassa of Buda's Life to preserve his own He caused him immediately to be arrested together with the Bassaes of Erseck and Poslega who he knew were of Intelligence with the former and caused them all three to be strangled These proceedings furnished his Enemies with Pretexts to destroy him chiefly the Kisler-Agasi a Creature of the Sultana Valide to whom she had recommended upon her Death-bed to revenge her upon this chief Minister which he also did After the Death of these three Bassaes the Grand Visier continued his march but in his Passage by Raab that Garrison fell upon his Rear-Guard and kill'd near 600 of them At Gran he was joyned by a body of 15000 Turks who were going to Belgrade The remains of the Ottoman Army were dispersed some at Gran some at Newhausel at Buda some and the rest entrenched near Altemburg On the other side the Christians discoursed of the rest of the Campania but as part of the Allies did think they had done enough in contributing to the relief of Vienna thought of returning home many Councils were held to examine by what means they might be stayed The Duke of Saxony continued inflexible in his Resolution adn was marched for his Country The Elector of Bavaria consented to leave his Troops with the Emperours but the Prince of Waldeck gave them to understand that he should want new orders for the undertaking of new Enterprises with the Troops of Franconia which he commanded But the Duke of Lorrain perswaded himself that these Difficulties had not hapned if by a quick engagement they had hurried the Allies to pursue the Victory and this was one of the chief reasons that moved the Duke to press the King in it Several Projects were made to divide the Army for different Occasions many Conferences were had with the Allyes and all the time was consumed in Councils In the mean time the Duke who thought of nothing but improving the rest of the Summer proposed every thing that he thought favourable either for the Reduction of Hungary for the Siege of Newhausel or that of Gran or to take the Posts of Barcam and that of Pest for the setling of their Winter Quarters and made it appear that nothing of all this could be done without great Forces the Army of the Turks not being wholly deseated however routed and that the Rebels Army was still entire He determined nothing because he knew not what measures the Turk would take He only affirmed that they ought to march forthwith into Hungary with all the Dispositions necessary to act as the Enemies should direct The Emperour having approved his Propositions and the King of Poland conforming to them they marched the 18th towards Presburg and they encamped the same day with all the Imperial Troops near Fichen from thence they went to Heinburg and the 20th they approached Presburg where the Duke expected the Boats from the Bridge of Tuln according to orders However the Bridge could not be finished till the 25th by reason of the great Winds and the Difficulty of getting Boats in a desolate Country The Franconians continued camped near Vienna and the Bavarians came the 19th to Fichen The 22th news came that Count Budiani who upon the arrival of the Turks had abandoned the passages which he kept upon the Raab and embraced the party of the Malecontents after having warred against the Emperour's Troops with a Body of Turks and Hungarians of his Generality burnt and pillaged a great number of Villages upon the frontier of Styria had surprised and cut in pieces those same Turks to which he was united and had afterwards joyned with the Count of Aspremont to endeavour to incommode them of the great Army in their retreat towards Buda The Bridge upon the Danube to pass into the Isle of Schuts being finished the 25th the Poles began to file over the same day and being followed by the Emperour's Army they encamped the 27th at Gersdorff The Marquis of Barch who in the Prince of Waldeck's absence now sick at Vienna commanded the Troops of Franconia advertised the Duke that he could not follow him with the Troops of his Circle and sent him the copy of an Order from Prince Waldeck dated the 26th He received at the same time another Letter from the Elector of Bavaria dated the day following from his Camp at Ort two Leagues from Vienna which gave him notice that the Franconians would not leave their Camp before they had received Orders from the Princes of their Circle which he judged would be rather to recall than cause them to advance He added that his Infantry being extremely weaken'd and diminished by bloudy Fluxes and his Cavalry ruined his Troops could not so soon follow the Army of the Emperour And yet if they would undertake any great action where they should be necessary he would cause such as were in condition to serve immediately to march The Duke apprehending that this separation might put him out of condition of undertaking any thing considerable sent Prince Lewis of Baden to the Elector who was gone to Bin to change Ayr by reason of some indisposition of health he was charged to perswade him to let his Troops follow remonstrating to him that it would be a great matter now that the Forces of the Christians were diminished to hinder the Turks to take heart to oblige part of Hungary to submit themselves to take Post for Winter Quarters in the Enemies
had been represented he endeavoured to perswade his Majesty to continue in the Terms they had agreed upon He demonstrated to him and his Generals the unlucky consequences that were to be feared if they changed design how easie it was to force this detachment if they did not delay to attack them the importance of doing it suddenly for fear all the Forces of the Enemy might rejoyn them and he insisted that they should advance and charge them as soon as the Foot were come up The King explained this Discourse to the Senators and Officers of the Army that did not understand the Language and in order to it agreed to march the next Morning irresolute only upon the ordering of the Battel The Duke who had been visiting the Ground made a Description to the King of it and the Condition of Barcam and afterwards discoursed of several forms of embattelling He proposed that which they had held at Vienna offering the right to his Majesty or to march as they were camped and divided the Poles into the two Wings which last proposal was accepted of and the Resolution to march was taken The Army being put into Battalia with the Day Prince Lewis of Baden commanded the right Wing and under him Count Gondola and Baron Mercy Count Dunewald was in the left and with him the Counts Palsi and Taff. Count Starenberg Marshal of the Field conducted the Infantry with the Prince of Croy and Count Serin This done the Duke went to the King for the dividing of his Army His Majesty having been informed that the Enemies detachment had been augmented by several Troops conducted by Haly Bassa of Aleppo and by the Bassaes of Sylistria and Caire and apprehending that these Troops were followed by the rest deliberated a-new upon the Enterprise but the Duke represented to him many motives which made him believe the Army could not yet be come thither He added that if it were he believed the Ground whereon they stood was so advantageous that they ought not to change their Design being the Imperial Army possessed all the Plain the Danube on the right and the Mountains on the left and that the Ground growing narrower towards the Enemies they could not make use of a great body though they had it these reasons being approved the Polish Army was divided The King with a party of his Hussars of his Foot and of his best Horse placed himself in the right betwixt the Emperours Horse and his Dragoons The Great General Jabloriski did the same in the left and the rest of the Polish Army made a third Line they marched for half an hour in this Order About nine a Clock they saw the Turks drawn up in the Plain before them They moved justly and by their firmness their Forces were judged equal with those of the Christians Being come near the Troops that appeared made a motion putting themselves into three Lines leaving only two great squadrons on their right They then came and charged the left of the Christian Army with much fierceness and searching the Poles they attack'd the Hussars which the Great General Commanded At the same time the gross of the Turks who were in the middle of the height advanced towards the adverse Foot as if they would have charged them and being come within half Musquet-shot they declined to the left of the Christians exposing their Flank to relieve their own men The Duke who was gon towards his Infantry seeing this motion ran along the Line of the Horse of the left Wing and with all the party of the first Line which had not yet charged he himself advanced at the head of the Squadrons and charged the Enemy in flank which put them to a general rout incapacitating them to make head again He ordered Dunewald to pursue with the whole first Line and with all the Poles of the same Wing who followed them Pell-Mell to the very Gates of Barkam and the Marshes of Gran where many of them were slain Whilst Count Dunewald chased the Enemy the Duke caused the Army to advance in Battalia towards Barcam The King having seen the flight of the Turks was come from the right Wing to the left to complement the Duke the Generals and Senators who accompanied him did the same Amongst the rest Jablorisky the Grand General of Poland in presence of all avowed that his People refusing to advance to sustain the Hussars the readiness of Count Dunewald to succour him and the Vigour of the Emperours Horse had repaired that fault and could not be sufficiently commended And now in the disorder the Enemy was in they resolve to attack Barcam The King caused some of his Cossacks to advance and the Duke added five Battalions of Starenberg of Grana and Baden all under the conduct of Count Starenberg This detachment was scarce ordered when the Duke who was approached to the Fort to inspect it was advertised that the Bridge upon the Danube was broken by the precipitate flight of the first Run-aways and that the crowding in Barkam and upon the side to the River were so great that they seemed to be packed upon each other He hasted thither and would lose no time upon such an occasion He gave Prince Lewis of Baden orders to dismount the Regiments of Dragoons of Schults Comfettein and Castell and to march to the Fort on that side to make a second Attack The command was instantly executed and having sent some parties of Foot by Water and five pieces of Cannon charged with Cartrages he ordered that the Fort should be assaulted whilst the great and small shot plyed their Vollies upon the Banks of the River The Turks seeing themselves thus pressed on all sides could not withstand the Attack the place being forced the Foot and Dragoons entering at the same time by the ways they attempted it The slaughter was terrible though most of the defendants to save themselves from the fury of the assailants precipitated themselves into the Danube some leap'd in with their Horses others tried to pass by swimming holding by the Mane and tailes of their Horses or some plank or piece of the broken Bridge and there were some who crept over the dead bodies which were held by the cordage and pieces of wood remaining where the breach was This slaughter continuing long the number of the dead was very great all that part of the Danube near the shore not being very rapid being filled with them all the surface of the River where largest being covered with cloaths and the equipage of Men and Horses and there did not escape above seven or 800 of all this multitude who found their preservation in the king of a Redoubt which was at Barcam where they had put themselves and from whence they demanded quarter and had it The Town being garrisoned with Dutch and Poles Count Staremberg seeing these two Nations were ready to murther each other for the booty removed the Imperialists having only the Poles there who awhile after
burnt Barcam and all the Pallisado's that enclosed it because the Turks had placed the Heads of the Poles slain in the late Engagement upon the tops of them Count Tekely who had orders from the Grand Visier to joyn with the Bassa of Buda at Barkam was advanced upon the Mountains within two miles of it but being informed by those he sent to discover what the Christians did of what was passed he retired with much diligence By Letters from Gran as also by the relation of Prisoners there were not 3000 men of all this detachment of 14000 Horse and 1200 Janisaries saved They were the Hower of their Army commanded by the Bassa of Buda Haly Bassa of Aleppo the Bassa of Silistria and some Aga's The booty was great above six thousand Horses being taken and the Tymbals and the Baggage which the Poles had left were recovered This Victoty did not only re-assure the Poles but put the Male-contents into a despondency and did so strongly increase the disorders in the Turkish Army that the Grand Visier unable to master them was obliged to retire The next thing the Christians undertook was the Siege of Gran though the Duke had need of all his Reasons and elocution to perswade the King of Poland to it but having at length consented and the Bavarian Forces being come up three Batteries were forthwith raised and ten great Guns were by force of men as also eight Mortars drawn up the Mountains of Martin and Thomas deserted by the Enemy The Castle was strongly battered on the Gate on the Buda side great quantity of Bombs were thrown in and the shooting lasted all day The Imperialists advanced to the Ditch and lodged there on the side of the Bavarian approaches They advanced to the foot of the Wall which lookt towards Barcam and about five in the evening some commanded Battalions of the Imperialists attack'd the City on the other extremity and carried it without resistance for as much as the Enemy having retired contented themselves to defend it by their great firing from the Castle from whence the very sills of the Houses are discovered The Imperialists being masters of the City the Bavarians in the Night gained the foot of the Castle where they fell to Mining whilst the Imperialists leaped into the Mote and lodged there Several men were lost there by the defendants Bombs Granadoes Stones c. which they continually threw amongst them whilst they were covering themselves The Cannon beginning to make a breach about Ten Clock and the Miner at work a Summons was sent in by a Turkish Prisoner with offer of goods and life if they would surrender the place before the day was ended The besieged demanded till the morrow which being refused the firing of the Artillery Musquets and Bombs were re-doubled They passed the Moat made two Lodgments by favour whereof they attacked the Miner in a second place on the Martinberg side This advantage obliged the Turks to send an Officer about Eleven at Night to declare that they accepted the offer which had been made them demanding Hostages whilst the Capitulations were a making and offering theirs The 27th the Hostages being delivered it was agreed that the Garrison should march out with Arms and Baggage and that it should be conducted in safety to Buda and Vicegrade that the Artillery and Munitions of War and Victuals should remain in the place and that the Turks should deliver up their Christian Prisoners The impression that the battel of Barcam had made the vigor and readiness wherewith they had gained the foot of the Walls the Grand Visier's retreat the Bombs which were thrown without ceasing into a place so full of People as this had caused so much terror and so much confusion that though there were above 4000 effective men in the Garrison commanded by two Bassa's a Bey and many Officers we have seen a place reduced in five days which in the two former Sieges had held out several Months with weaker Garrisons against more numerous Armies The season being too far advanced for further action the Allies returned home and the Poles together with the Imperialists marched into their Winter-Quarters In the mean time the Grand Visier being come to Court told the Grand Seignior the same things he had writ to him against the Bassa of Buda and perswaded him to approve of the rigor wherewith he had treated him He also accused Count Tekely of having ill seconded him and finally he knew so well to justifie his conduct with his Master that he hindered the Widdow of that Bassa who was his Highness's Sister to complain against him for so barbarous an action and procured an Order to be sent her from the Sultan to go immediately to Adrianople without seeing him When this Princess arrived there she found the Sultana Valide dead which caused her a sensible displeasure because she had relied much upon the credit of this Princess who having a great aversion for Cara Mustafa would not have been wanting in countenancing the vengeance she would take of this Minister but she learn'd from Kisler Agasi or the chief of the black Eunukes that Sultana Valide had charged him upon her Death-bed to tell the Grand Seignior upon his return to Adrianople that Cara Mustapha had a design to make himself Emperour of the West grounded upon a Prediction told him that he should one day be Master of one of the greatest Empires of the World. But whether this Prediction were true or that the Sultana Valide had invented it to destroy the Visier the news of it did extremely comfort the Bassa of Buda's Widdow who waited the return of the Sultan with impatience to execute the design which she had against this Minister and revenge the loss of her Husband by his death The season being far advanced the Grand Seignior leaving Kara Mustapha at Belgrade to take care of his Army and the places in Hungary during the Winter quarter returned to Adrianople As the Christians got every day some new advantages over the Turks and that the Grand Visier did nothing to repell them his secret Enemies and principally the Kisler Agasi and the Kaimacan who was jealous of his greatness took ocasion hence to decry the conduct of the Grand Visier unto their Master At this time Count Tekely who was accustomed to receive great Subsidies from the Port and who had his Spies near his Highness by whom he was faithfully advertised of all that happened knowing that he had been rendered suspect to his Highness and that there was no more mention of sending him Supplies as usual did by his Letters omit nothing for his justification but to no purpose His Letters did not disabuse the Grand Seignior who entirely believing what he had received from Kara Mustapha at Belgrade was perswaded that this Count was of Intelligence with the Imperialists Tekely seeing no middle betwixt his ruine and his justification took the most dangerous Party He went Incognito to
Turks recovered their Garrisons of Pest and Vacia without any great difficulty but in exchange the Count of Zober took the Castle of Suran near Newheusel The Republick of Venice had a more fortunate Campaign The Venetians declare War against the Turks Their Doge or Prince being dead Marco Antonio Justiniano being elected Duke in his place the Senate sent orders to their Secretary Capello at the Ottoman Port immediately after the conclusion of the Alliance made with the Emperour and Poland to declare War against the Turks and to save himself as well as he could which he did for having scarce finished his Declaration he retired from Constantinople in the habit of a Sea-man and embarked himself upon a French Ship. But two of his Domesticks and six other servants had the misfortune to be taken whilst the Merchants of his Nation took Sanctuary in the French Embassadour's Palace The Kaimacan of Constantinople would search whether Capello was not there also but the Ambassadour answered him if he came to re-search there without express orders from the Grand Seignior he should repent it which so discomposed him that after some excuses he proceeded no further The Council choosing their great Officers made Morosini Captain General Mocenigo Procurer General of Dalmatia the Prince of Parma General of the Infantry c. General Strozoldo passed out of the Emperour's service to that of this Common-wealth The Morlacks did likewise for the most part embrace the Party of the Venetians holding the Turks in perpetual Alarms making oft-times very considerable Booty perpetually pestering them with their ravagings and excursions The General Rendezvouz of the Venetian Fleet was at Corfu where the Gallies of the Pope of Malta and of Tuscany joyning with them consisting in all of forty-six Gallies six Galliasses thirty-three Men of War besides other smaller Vessels manned with above twenty thousand Foot and five or six hundred Horse A General Council of War being held in presence of all the Chief of the Auxiliary Squadrons it was resolved to attempt the Island of St. Maure in pursuance whereof arriving before the Island about the 20th of July the Army entred the Port of Dameta on the East side of the Island where also they made their descent Seignior Monetta landed first with one hundred and fifty Men being followed by General Strozoldo with two Venetian Regiments the Popes and the Infantry of Malto the rest of the Venetian and Duke of Tuscany's Forces landing on the West side Having taken their Posts the Generalissimo sent a Summons to them in the Fort to surrender it which they with contempt refusing the Christians began to batter the Town from their Gallies and Galliasses whereby the houses and fortifications of the City were greatly endamaged as also a Mosque which was ruined and however the Turks were not wanting in their defence yet they would hinder the Christians to lodge in the Suburbs and to raise Batteries which did greatly prejudice the Walls besides that the Bombs did very great harm in the City The first of August a great Breach was made in the Wall one of their Bulwarks being much ruined and four of their Pieces of Cannon rendred useless to the Besieged besides the Town flamed in several parts being fired by the Bombs by favour of which advantages the Venetians advanced their approaches so well that they began already to fill the Ditch and making every thing ready for a general assault Things being at this pass General Morosini by an unaccustomed kind of Clemency sent them a second Summons which they accepting off hung out towards evening a white Flag and about one in the Morning sent three Deputies to notifie they were content to surrender upon condition they might carry all their goods with them but they could obtain no more than to march out with their Families and what they could carry Hostages were next Morning delivered on both sides and all the Slaves were released save that they were obliged to serve as Sea-men in the Gallies of the Common-wealth for a year The Garrison with their Army seven hundred in number marched out that evening by the West Port and the Venetians entred by the breach into the City St. Maura taken where they found store of Provision and eighty Pieces of Ordinance twenty whereof had the Arms of St. Mark upon them During the time of the Siege which lasted seventeen days the Christians lost four-hundred men and the Turks near three hundred And thus this Nest of Pirates the Leucade of the Ancients about seventy miles round and well peopled and in the possession of the Turks ever since Mahomet the second 's time was re-taken in less than three Weeks with so inconsiderable a loss The General caused the Mosques forthwith to be re-consecrated and Te Deum to be sung in them for so happy a Victory which was also celebrated in Venice with great magnificence After the fortifications of this place were repaired and the Garrison provided with all necessaries the Government of it being given to Laurence Venier as extraordinary Provider and to Phillip Parictz in ordinary both Gentlemen of Venice the General chose two thousand Venetians the remainder of those which were in a condition to march by reason of the manifold sicknesses that reigned amongst the Souldiery and dispatched them with Collonel Angelo to assemble all the Grecians he could get together and transported himself to the haven of Pettala in expectation of the said Collonel's enterprise He went thence and ancred in the haven or Port of Dragomestro where landing with two thousand Venetians and one thousand of the Auxiliaries he joyned himself with fifteen or sixteen hundred Grecians These Troops ravaged the Country chased the men which Saban Bassa Governour of Prevezza had posted to observe the Christians Having allured the said Bassa into the field burnt some Villages and pillaged the Country five days together they re-imbark'd at Pettala and sailed thence to the Haven of Dameta There at a Council of War the resolution of attacking Prevezza was taken it being the only place that covered the Island of St. Maur being some twelve miles distant from it In order to this design the General sent five Gallies and six Galliasses towards the Castles called the Gomenizze within sight of the Fortress to oblige the Turks to divide their Forces which also happened for upon a supposition that the Christians would attempt the Towers they sent most of their Men thither The Army parted from Dameta the 20th of September and came to anchor that evening at the mouth of the Gulph of Arta or Ambracia that City being famous for the Residence of King Pyrrhus and its Gulf for the Victory of Augustus against Marc Anthony The next day the Captain Monetta who was come with twenty four Barks and Brigantines landed his Troops being assisted by the approach of the Gallies which hindred the Turks from daring to appear upon the shore before the Venetians were drawn up into
Opposition but with other lesser Places surrendered without resistance upon Conditions Count Caprara being come in Person before Caschaw October 6. Peterhasi one of Count Tekelies chief Officers being sent with six hundred horse to reinforce the Garrison made a shew of accepting the general Pardon and entering into the Emperours Service but being come near the Town put himself into it with the six hundred men he had with him which mainly encouraged the besieged to defend the Place Caprara sent to summon them but in vain so that he was forced to use all the Formalities of a Siege The Garrison consisted of four thousand commanded by Count Tekeli's best Officers who defended themselves with great bravery making very many sharp Sallies into the Enemies Quarters The Imperialists notwithstanding carried their Trenches to the Town Ditch and began to thunder upon the place from three Batteries One of the Attacks being commanded by the Prince of Wirtemberg who was slain there by a Cannon Bullet But this Siege did not last long though the Capital of upper Hungary and provided with all things necessary for a long defence But the Reasons of their surrender which hapned by a very surprising accident is very excusable Novem 25. Count Tekely sollicitous for this Capital of this part of the Kingdom having writ to the Bassa of Waradin of the Consequence and Danger of the Place and to press him for speedy Succour in order to relieve it The Bassa admitting of his Reasons assured him he would give him all the assistance he could only he had received some Orders from the Grand Seignior of great Importance to the common Cause which it was not convenient to communicate to him by Letter therefore desired he would repair to him to Waradin that he might inform him of the secret by word of Mouth And for his greater Security the Bassa sent him a pasport Count Tekely betrayed by the Bassa of Waradin Upon this Invitation he resolved to go thither accompanied with Petrossi and some others of his principal Adherents and five hundred Horse The Bassa met him without the Gate and received him with all the appearance of Kindness and Esteem and conducted him into the Town with some few of his Attendants causing all the Cannon of the Place to be discharged with other marks of Respects and entertained him at Supper but that being ended an Aga with his Janizaries entred the Room and having told Tekely he had Orders from the Grand Seignior to seize him and carry him to Adrianople caused Irons to be put upon his Hands and Feet At the same time the Bassa told Petrossi that the Grand Seignior gave him the Principality and Commands which Tekely had had and that he would assist him with all his Forces Petrossi who was next to Tekely in Power seemingly accepted of the Honour but being got out of the place and Danger he informed Tekelies party of what had hapned exhorting them to return with him to their Duty to the Emperour which they consenting to Petrossi marched directly to the Camp before Caschaw Being kindly received by General Caprara he was sent into the Town where he easily perswaded the Garrison to accept with him of the General Amnestie Caschaw surrendred so that the place was immediately delivered up upon Articles After this the General sent also to the Princess Ragotzki Count Tekely's Wife to surrender her strong Castle of Mongatz to the Emperour's Service which contrary to expectation she absolutely refused to do And this put an end to the Campaign in those parts except their Excursions beating up of Quarters and Surprises which were frequent on both sides Nor were the Turks more fortunate on the side of Croatia July 28. where Count Lesley commanded the Imperialists for he burnt the Suburbs of Canisia and destroyed the Countrey four Miles round and now understanding that the Turks had left but three or four thousand men to guard the Bridge at Esseck the Serasquier having taken the rest with him to fight the Imperialists he decamped from the Place of his Rendezvous near the Drave with a Resolution if possible to burn the said Bridge of Esseck Aug. 9. Count Lesley burns part of the Bridge of Esseck In order to this he left his Baggage at Turanowitz with a Guard of two thousand Men discamping with four thousand Germans and two thousand Croats all choice Men each one being ordered to carry Provision with him for ten days by reason of the scarcity of Victuals by the way Michalovitz being surprised expecting no Enemy surrendred to his Avantcurrers upon his further advance the Country being alarm'd some Turkish Horse appearing skirmished with the Avant-guard of Croats and had treated them ill if they had not been succoured by the German Dragoons and Cuirasiers who had the Guard they however left a Captain-Lieutenant with near thirty Souldiers They marched on but no Turks opposed scarce appeared before they came to the Plains of Esseck Then there appeared a thousand Turkish Horse with some Foot at a distance behind them which obliged the Christians to range themselves in Battalia and the Turks suffered them to advance till they came within Musquet shot they then begun to stir and being charged on both Wings by the Croats they were wholly broke and routed and many of them slain in the pursuit The Infantry saved themselves in the Town and afterwards in the Castle The Christians advanced in order to the Suburbs which they took at first onset and afterwards the City both which they miserably pillaged and plundred The City of Esseck is great and populous having at least five hundred shops of Merchants of in it many Mosques and Hacars which are great Inns for Passengers All was crowded with Rice Flower Bread Bisquet Salt c. as also Barley Oats and Forrage in abundance enough to furnish an Army As soon as they were Master of the City they placed a Guard against the Castle whilst the General went to see the Bridge the like whereof is not in the World. On this side the Drave from Esseck to the said River it is about eleven hundred paces long and on the other side more than eight thousand all of Oak Wood. It is twelve paces broad The Drave is not large in this place the Bridge being supported by only sixteen Boats. The Turks brake it the preceeding day letting the materials vogue with the stream into the Danube Count Lesley caused thirteen fair Mills upon the Drave to be burnt and having in vain attempted to burn the Bridge on the other side consumed that on this with Fire in few hours The Imperialists knowing that the Inhabitants had saved their best goods in the Castle they would also attempt that but having lost several Captains and other Officers they desisted and Lesley returned back to his Camp at Turanowitz The Wars aginst Poland were carried on with more Success The Affairs of Poland at least Equality by the Ottomans
his displeasure The Grand Seignior wondering at what he heard and that he should scruple at so eminent a command demanded his reasons He replied that the misfortunes of the last Campaign were occasioned by the ill payment of the Troops many other things of great importance to his service having been likewise omitted not obscurely hinting at the Grand Visier he would notwithstanding take the command upon him if his Majesty according to the example of his Predecessours would himself appear at the head of his Forces The frankness of this discourse wrought so much upon the Grand Seignior that he immediately sent to the Visier who was or pretended to be indisposed and consequently kept his bed to know whether he was in a condition of health to attend him into Hungary where he purposed to go himself But the Visier excusing it by reason of his indisposition his Majesty sent to him for his Seal which being delivered he immediately gave it to Solyman Bassa making him by that eminent mark of dignity Grand Visier in the others room who yet had his life granted him and part of his Estate to subsist upon being now in his House on the Canal of the black Sea near Scutary The Treasure of the Seraglio was opened Officers were sent into all the extent of the Empire and the utmost diligence was used to raise men not only to recruit their shattered Armies but to make new Levies but with the usual fate that attends unsuccessful Arms. The Christian Army Rendezvouz's at Barkam So that notwithstanding all their endeavours the Christians were in the Field before them not only with the Imperial Troops but the united Forces of all the German Princes The general Rendezvouz was appointed on the 30th of May in the Plains of Barkam though the Saxons the Bavarians the Brandenburgers and them of the Carcles could not get thither so soon by reason of their distant Marches May 30. 1686. The whole Empire seemed to move and the Danube was so covered with Barks and Barges full of men provisions and all sorts of Warlike Instruments that it yielded a prospect of terror and pleasure The Forces being come together the Sentiments of the General Persons that composed it were very differing Some proposed the Siege of Alba Regalis as being a place that had much annoyed them by protecting the Seraskier under the Cannon of the place when they besieged Buda two years ago Others would have Agria and Montgatz the remains of Tekely's rebellion in Upper Hungary attempted and the rest were for marching directly to the Bridge of Esseck for securing that important passage and then to besiege Buda Others were of opinion that these three designs should be enterprised at once by dividing their Army into two parts for the two first Enterprises and that General Schults should with the Army of Croatia attempt the Bridge of Esseck But they were very few that concluded positively for the Siege of Buda which had already been absolutely resolved upon by the Emperour and the Duke of Lorrain upon a certainty that the taking of that place would vastly inlarge their Quarters and a supposition though not so well grounded that all Hungary would follow the fate of their Capital City But this design was kept very secret Jun. 10. nor was it discovered until the arrival of Count Straatman Great Chancellor to the Emperour who having in a Council of War prudently composed the punctilio's and differences between so many General Officers about their commands to all their satisfactions he shewed them the Emperour's Commission and Orders to begin the Campaign with the Siege of Buda exhorting them to do their duty in an enterprise of such great importance whereon depended not only the conservation of his Highness's Conquests the security of his Crown and the good of Christendom but also the ruine of the Ottoman Empire being the loss of this considerable place would be attended on with the surrender of the other Cities and Fortresses of Hungary which would return to the Obedience of their natural Sovereign The Generals who expected to begin with the Siege of Agria or Alb-Royal were overjoy'd to understand that the design was upon Buda and this News being spread amongst the Officers and Souldiers of the Armies they all testified their Satisfaction by their forwardness and their desire to see themselves before a Place where they might signalize their Valour and revenge the Death of their Comrades who had been interred in the Trenches of the former Siege The Voluntiers to the number of six thousand of all Quality and Conditions which were come thither out of Germany France England Spain the Low-Countries and other parts of Europe to seek Honour in so pious a War shewed much Ardour and Zeal to signalize themselves in so glorious an undertaking The Troops of the Circles were not yet come and they of Brandenburg who marched through Silesia and the Straits of Jabluncka advanced but slowly by reason of the difficulty of their way and could not come so soon as desired But the Armies to lose no time discamped on the twelfth of June by break of day the Duke of Lorrain taking his way by the Bridge of Gran had passed it the thirteenth the Troops of Saxony having the Vauntguard The Elector of Bavaria marched on this side the Danube to possess the City of Pest Whilst the two Armies were thus marching on both sides the River Count Rabatta who was Commissary General had caused a prodigious quantity of Gabions and Fagots which the Souldiers had made as they came to the general Randezvouz to keep them from Idleness to be imbark'd and sent by Water towards Buda together with the Artillery Ammunitions Provisions Forrage and other necessary things for the subsistence of Armies The next day the Armies advanced the great one near Vicegrade and the other by Vaccia The fifteenth the Imperial Horse followed by the Foot and their Cannon and Baggage passed Vicegrade some Prisoners having been made by a party that the Duke had sent to make Discoveries These unanimously declared that they of Agria and Alba Regalis fearing a Siege had refuged all their best Moveables in Buda and that this Capital City was as well as the other Places furnished with Troops and necessary Provisions to sustain a long Siege in expectation of Relief Being come within an hour of the Town without any encounter the Horse made halt as well to repose themselves as to expect the coming up of their Infantry and Artillery and now they begin to lay a Bridge of Boats at the Isle of St. Andrew for the Communication of the two sides of the Danube On the eighteenth the Baron of Diependal General de Battalia The Siege of Buda invested the City of Buda whilst the Infantry were marching up and taking up their Posts half a League from the place they began to break Ground and work at their Line of Circumvallation A great party of Horse and Foot appeared
out of the Garrison at the Vienna Port but they returned again upon the advance of a Detachment of Imperial Horse who had Orders to charge them contented to welcome the Assailants with eight Volleys from their Cannon though they kill'd but one Pioneer by reason of the too great distance The nineteenth the Duke advanced with the Army as far as the hot Baths the Turks having abandoned that Post the day before The general Quarters were taken up within a quarter of a League of the Town The same day the Elector of Bavaria seized upon the City of Pest which the Turks had quitted retiring with their Cannon Ammunitions and Provisions into Buda after they had broken part of the Bridge behind them The Croats who scouted about the Country took a Turkish Chiaux with a Convoy of forty Spahis who was sent with Letters from the Port to the Visier of Buda Being brought to the Camp his Letters were examined which contained rigorous Orders to the Visier to be very careful of the Places which depended on his Government and to assure him of a quick and powerful relief in case he were attack'd On the twentieth the Bridge over the Danube was finished The same day a party of Horse sallied out of the Town with design to surprise the Christians advanced Guard but the Duke being advertised of it in time sent four squadrons to which many Volunteers joyned themselves with orders to charge them but they upon their approach retired without any engaging The Artillery being arrived two Batteries were raised against the lower Town where the Duke of Lorrains Attack was and at Night the Trenches were opened A Janizary who deserted reported much after the same manner that the Prisoners already mentioned had done that there were but eight thousand men of formed Troops in the Town The Visier having some time before sent two thousand Souldiers to Agria and as many to Alba-Regalis upon a supposition that the Christians would not think of besieging Buda which had been so fatal to them but two years ago This Run-away affirmed further that the Place was abundantly furnished with all manner of Provisions and Ammunitions to sustain a very long Siege that the Visier Abdi Bassa was no great Warrior and therefore the less considered by the Souldiery that he had assembled all the Officers and Souldiers of the Garrison together had exhorted them to do their Duty and to support with Honour the Glory of the Turbant adding that he had Orders from the Grand Seignior to defend the City with his Life which he was resolved to do and expect the Succours which the Grand Visier would infallibly bring them To this the Janizaries and Spahis replyed that they were ready to sacrifice their Lives in his Highness's Service and for defence of their Laws upon Condition however that the Visier would immediately give them ten Crowns a Man that the Souldiers and Officers that were detained in Prison for what Crime soever should be set at Liberty and that he would not suffer things to come to the last extremity lest the same misfortune might happen to them as did to those of Newheusel all which the Visier promised them to observe exactly I must acknowledge I am entring into a tedious Narrative and somewhat against my Humour which affects lucid brevity but the History of this Siege perhaps circumstantially the greatest upon Record full of such strange Events of Emulation in the pursuit of Glory of succesful Temerity and an invincible Resolution on the one side as also the Fidelity the Constancy and the unfortunate Valour of the other hurries me on to a description of it in all its particulars which I will do with that Candor that the very indifferent Reader shall find nothing that may justly shock him and the curious wherewith to content him The Elector of Bavaria having left a Garrison at Pest and passed the Bridge of Boats at the Isle of St. Andrew came with his Army before the place and took his Post in the same place where he had commanded in the preceding Siege that is on the Castle side and the upper Town to form the second attack the third being reserved for the Brandenburgers who were expected in a few days and were to be reinforced with the Troops of Suabia and Franconia That Night the Turks fired mightily upon them that worked in the Approaches and Batteries whereof several were killed and hurt in the Lorrain Attack The Duke sent all the Imperial and Bavarian Horse under the command of the Generals Palfi Gondola and others to camp in the Neighbourhood of Alba Regalis on purpose to consume the Forrage and keep that Garrison in continual alarms there remaining in the Camp but three thousand Imperial and fifteen hundred Bavarian Horse to secure the Trenches and Pioneers The Night passed the Battery against the lower Town was brought to perfection and twelve Pieces of Cannon mounted upon it which played all the following day with the loss of five men slain and several wounded from break of day the Cannon continued firing with such success that they made a breach in the Wall of the lower Town which was found to be twenty paces large In the mean time the Bavarians on their side carried their Approaches on with great diligence and had also some killed and wounded The day following the breach being enlarged was assaulted towards evening the Walls being easily gained for the Defendants retired into the upper Town after the first discharge The Christians lost a Captain of Foot a Lieutenant of Granadiers some Souldiers and six Voluntiers in this attempt besides seven or eight hurt and from that time they began to attack the Town in form it being resolved that the Trenches should be relieved every day by a Lieutenant General and a Major General as well in the Duke of Lorrain's attack as in the Elector's The 25th Count Souches and Diependal relieved the Trenches but nothing was done besides assuring the Lodgment upon the Wall of the lower Town and opening the Gate which the Turks had shut up on the right far enough from the breach where they took Post and that the Labourers might be less incommoded General Souches caused fire to be put in the neighbouring Houses where some Fuseliers did lurk who were burnt with them The Bavarians finished the same day a little Battery upon St. Gerards Hill which the Turks had abandoned from whence they threw some small Bombs into the City to try experiments They also finished another great Battery to beat the great Rondel which joyns the Castle to the upper Town The same day Count Budiani presented some Standards to the Duke of Lorrain taken from a party of Turkish Horse which convoyed fourteen or fifteen Barks loaden with the Wives and Children of the Officers of Buda who retired with all their riches to Belgrade and which his Heyduques and Hussars reinforced with some Imperial Dragoons had surprised and beaten at the Island of St. Margaret
The booty was great and ninety-two Women and Children taken amongst which was the Visier of Buda's Wife The 26th they made several traverse Lines and laboured to compleat the Approaches to secure their Quarters in the lower Town which was furnished with two thousand Souldiers and a good number of Pioneers The Earth being rude and stony did much obstruct the Labourers The great Master of the Teutonick Order which commanded the Trenches observing that the Pioneers in the lower Town might be easily insulted and beaten by the Besieged had upon his demand six Battalions sent him which were posted along the Wall to countenance them Two fugitives who said they were Hungarians rendered themselves and confirmed that the Garrison was but eight thousand Combatants who by order of the Visier had begun to untile the Houses and unpave the Streets to hinder the effect of the Bombs In the evening betwixt six and seven a Clock the Turks fallied out with great Cries to intimidate them who were posted in the Rondel by the Water side but they were so well received that they retreated confusedly Marshal Starenberg hastned thither seasonably with two Battalions of them that had been posted the day before behind the Wall without which Succour the Turks would have made a great Slaughter amongst the Labourers The Enemy was pursued and the Souldiers cut off some Heads which they presented to the Duke who gave them a golden Ducket for each Head. A Captain was hurt in this scuffle and ten or twelve Souldiers killed and as many wounded The Bavarians raised two Batteries for Bombs on the two sides of their great Battery They carried on their Trench above one hundred paces and ran three traverse Lines with a place of Arms for the defence of their Battery The Turks fired much with their Artillery but killed only two Souldiers The 27th the Christians compleated the works they had made in the Night new traverses were made some Musketiers were placed in the Mosque of the old Town a Post was taken on the right near the Gate which makes the Angle of the Upper Town the Lines were enlarged and deepned and the great Battery was well-nigh finished with the loss only of one Man and some few wounded This Morning the Enemy appear'd where they had been yesterday seemingly disposed to skirmish but seeing that the Christians were ready to receive them they retired without attempting any thing About Eleven a Clock they sallied out Horse and Foot with design to dislodge the Besiegers posted on the right but having stood a Volley and seeing Count Hoffkirchen Lieutenant Collonel to Dunewald advancing with the Guards of Horse they returned into the City leaving twenty of their men dead behind them Of the Christians there were but two killed and five or six hurt Another Deserter came out of Town who reported that the Governour was greatly perplexed in that he saw the inevitable fall of the City which the Grand Seignior had committed to his charge and that he lost in the Sallies his best Souldiers without being able to ruine the Enemies works but that he resented nothing equally with the captivity of his Wife and those of the Principal Officers of the Place taken when they thought them past danger In the Bavarian attack they finished a battery to play upon the Castle and the Rondel that joyns it to the City The 28th in the Lorrain attack a Line of Communication four hundred paces long was drawn from the Post at the Angle on the right to the middle Gate and another Line was made to go to the new battery upon which they planted twelve pieces of Cannon A little one was likewise in hand for four Mortars which were carried thither that Night with some Cart loads of Bombs The besieged began to shoot Bombs and Stones out of Town A Captain and sixteen Souldiers were wounded that Night and some killed The Duke of Lorrain foreseeing that Forrage would grow scarce in the Camp sent most of the baggage Horses to the Meadows assigned them betwixt Gran and Newheusel General Dunewald who commanded the Horse camped near Alb-Royal advertised the Duke that the Turks having abandoned the Castle of Bathyan upon the River of Zarvis he had put men into it and that he was going to make a tentative upon Palotta a place of good strength near Alb-Royal The twenty ninth they continued to compleat their Works and the Duke augmented the number of the Labourers with an addition of six hundred more The besieged made no Sallies these two days but they plyed their Artillery more furiously than ordinary to ruine the Christians great Battery About five a Clock they sallied upon the Bavarian attack with two thousand Horse and Foot with so much Success that they put the Besiegers into much disorder and the Janizaries leaping into the Approaches were busie in throwing of them down when Count Hoffkirch flying thither with the Guard of Horse from the Duke of Lorrain's Quarter and the Bavarian Generals with their reserves the fight was rude on both sides till the Turks were forced to retreat being pursued even to the Gates of their City notwithstanding the continued fire from their Cannon and Musquets from the Walls Prince Eugenius of Savoy had his Horse killed under him Prince Lewis of Baden and the Generals Fontaine and la Vargne signalized themselves in this Action as also the Voluntiers and particularly the Prince of Commercy Switterdael a Bavarian Lieutenant-Collonel was slain as also six Voluntiers with thirty seven Souldiers besides sixty two wounded one Captain two Lieutenants and an Ensign The loss on the Turks side was greater being the Christians brought away sixty of their Heads besides what a fugitive Rascian reported that the Turks had had near two hundred kill'd and wounded That Evening the four Mortars placed by the great Battery began to play into the besieged Works Six Culverins were also planted upon the old Battery wherewith they design'd to shoot into the Town Gate to incommode the Sallies of the besieged The thirtieth the Troops of Suabia and Franconia arrived in the Camp and took the Posts designed for them all the Night and Day were employed to advance the Works which are so numerous that they are scarce distinguishable Count Souches who commanded the Trenches that day having sent three Granadeers to discover the distance betwixt the Approaches and the Rondel they brought word that it was no more than three hundred paces and that the Turks were making a Ditch at the foot of the said Rondel Every Night great store of Gabions Fagots Munitions and Provisions arrived in the Camp by the care of the Commissary General Count Rabatta Count Caprara parted from the Camp with the Suabian Horse to joyn those encamped near Alb-Royal and to command the whole in chief Five Rascian Shepheards feeding their Sheep without under the Walls slipt insensibly into the Bavarian Quarters with at least four hundred where they were well received and gratified All they could
though they were well received and pursued even to the Town Gate yet they killed many brave men of the besieged and amongst the rest Field-Marshal General Dorfeling's Son two Lieutenants and twenty-seven Souldiers with the like number wounded Jul. 6. A line of communication was made from the Lorrain attack to that of Brandenburg which is but fifty paces from the Rondel of the middle Gate and about sixty from the breach on the right This morning they shot the Cannon with that fury that they quite threw down the two Rondels and the Curtain and at night throwing Bombs and Carkasses without ceasing they caused a fire to burn on the right of the Rondel that could not be quenched in less than three hours time The Brandenburgers advanced their works briskly their Generals of Battalia's keeping alternatively in the Trenches They had eight slain and six wounded besides a Captain of Granadeers Lieutenant Collonel Fonk was also hurt in the Legg and six more of the Lorrain attack besides two killed Jul. 7. The Night preceding very many Bombs were thrown with success being they fired the Town in two places but upon the arrival of the Engeneer Gonzales it was presumed the Town would be thundred with greater violence he is expected in two or three days in the Camp where the Cannon Mortars Bombs Carkasses and other artificial fire-works of his invention are already arrived The besieged made this morning a salley upon the Brandenburgers with Horse and Foot but to their prejudice being beaten back with disorder Yesterday the Miners began to work in the Lorrain attack to widen the breaches and this Night the same will be done in that of Bavaria where they have finished two new Batteries one of ten and the other of seven Cannons besides a third on the Water side to better the attack'd Rondel and a Post by which the besieged used to creep out into a covered way which they had made before the Rondel Yesterday the Bavarians had carried their approaches to the very foot of the Castle so that they could come no nearer before the breach was enlarged The works in the Lorrain attack were so near the Wall that they could advance no further but by lodging in the breach There were about fifty killed and hurt in the three attacks The besieged shot a Bomb which falling upon one of the out-Batteries into a Barrel of Powder killed nine Cannoneers that attended there The 8th Two new Batteries each of three Demy-Cannon were raised in the Lorrain attack nearer the Walls and on the left where they were equally advanced with the right the approaches were advanced to the Wall of the Rondel and as these Works were so near there were twenty-five hurt and wounded most with Stones and Granadoes amongst whom Major General Thungen was one Major Bischosshausen had his Arm broke with a Musquet and some other Officers wounded The Miners which were attack'd to the right of the Rondel had not yet encountered the Enemies Mines At night they will plant others to the left of the middle Rondel Some Peasants having found means to escape out of Town came to the Camp affirming that there were still above three hundred men which worked continually at the Mines and Retrenchments which the besieged made behind their Walls for their retreat in case of necessity July the ninth the whole Night was spent in shooting of Bombs and Carcasses into the City to keep the besieged in Action and take away their desire of repose but these perceiving at break of day that the Enemy had made a Gallery of Planks to pass the Miners to the middle Rondel they rolled down many Bombs threw many Granados and other artificial Fire with combustible stuff in such abundance that the Planks were burnt and the Gallery reduced to Ashes At five in the Morning the besieged sprung a Mine some Paces from the Wall betwixt the middle Rondel and that at the Gate with Success being it overturned one of the Christians Mines with the loss of seven or eight of the Miners They seconded this with a sharp Sally disordered the Workmen ruined their Labours and posted themselves betwixt the Imperialists and Brandenburgers but the reserve coming to their Aid from their place of Arms they forced them back into the Town There were above eighty of the two Attacks killed and wounded in this Adventure one of their chief Cannoneers slain and several subaltern Officers The besieged lost as many Notwithstanding this check the Works were continued with the same Vigour in the Approaches Lines and Galleries On the Bavarian side they ruined the little Port from their Battery with ten demy Cannons and the breach there was very spacious July the tenth At the Lorrain Attack they work'd all Night to repair the Batteries and the Approaches which the besieged had ruined in the former Sally and to redress the Gallery which they had burnt and the Miners were again fired that Night At the Bavarian Attack the Miners worked under the Palizade of the Rondel and under the Wall with hopes of compleating their Mines in three days several were slain amongst whom was Lieutenent-Collonel Wachtenheim The Christians had Intelligence by their Spies that the Turks to the number of seven thousand reinforced with some Tartars who ravaged the Country had a design to introduce a new Commander with a recruit of Troops into Buda which obliged the Duke of Lorrain to command some Foot to post themselves on the other side of the Danube and upon occasion to joyn with the Horse that were there already and meet and fight the Enemies July the eleventh This evening five demy Cannons were mounted on the two new Batteries in the Lorrain Attack and two Mortars planted in a little Fort with the loss only of two killed and five hurt The Brandenburgers placed three pieces in battery and would plant more the Night following to shoot glowing Bullets into the City The Bavarians fortified their Attack by two Redoubts Yesterday in the Evening four hundred Foot were ordered to raise some Defences on Pest side near the Danube to hinder lest any thing should pass that way into Buda July the twelfth All the Batteries of Lorrain and Brandenburg were compleated and the first lines of these two Attacks were so joyned that men could pass from the one to the other undiscovered by the Enemies Fire And now they were so near the Walls the besieged did perpetually throw hand Granadoes and Stones to incommode the Workmen but without any great harm The Miner on the left found himself much advanced under the Wall but they met with more difficulty on the right and so they would inlarge the breach by force of their Cannon The Count de Souches inspected the breach by order of the Field Marshal Starenberg and it was found spacious enough to be assaulted The Brandenburgers began to shoot their inflamed Bullets and Bombs out of twenty two Cannons and two Mortars but with no great Success being the Besieged
Places of Arms which are finished and at present every thing is disposed of for the general Assault and posting themselves upon the Breaches the Rondels and the Walls and consequently to render themselves Masters of this important Place which had cost the Christians so much Blood. The Besieged made a little sally on the Bavarian Attack but having stood the first discharge were forced to retreat as fast as they came July 27th Every thing being disposed for the general Assault and the Troops that were to be employed in it at their Rendezvouzes in all the three Attacks it was resolved that the Onset should be given at five a Clock in the Evening to which end the Duke had distributed his Orders to all the Officers high and low how they were to act The Faggots Gabions Spades Mattocks Hatchets and Sacks with Earth were there in great abundance as well to break the Enemies Retrenchments as to cover the Assailants when they should be Masters of the Breaches The signal was given from Pest by some Cannon shot and the Assault was carried on in manner following Forty Granadeers under the command of a Captain one Lieutenant and one Serjeant were at the head of the Rondel to the right hand they were followed by fifty Fuseliers and Souldiers with Hatchets commanded also by a Captain-Lieutenant and a Serjeant with a hundred men carrying Spades and Mattocks supported by two Captains two Lieutenants two Serjeants and two hundred Musqueteers all under the Conduct of the Prince of Newburg Great Master of the Teutonick Order who had the Direction of this Attack That of the middle toward the Curtain was directed by Lieutenant General Souches there were fifty Granadeers under a Captain Lieutenant and Serjeant a hundred Fuseliers two hundred men with Hatchets and to second them two hundred Musqueteers divided into two squadrons which were followed with a hundred and fifty more with Shovels and Mattocks The Attack on the left of the little Rondel was ordered by the Brandenburgers after the same manner Behind the Sacks filled with Earth Wooll and the like in the second line were posted a party of choice Harquebusiers who were not to stir thence but fire continually upon the Turks who stood there themselves in the Breaches The Heyducks commanded by the Lieutenant Governour of Raab were posted on the Water side where a great part of the Wall had been thrown down by the fire of the Magazin already mentioned they were only to make a false Attack being seconded by a Major with some select Companies The chief Officers were dispersed into several Posts to execute the functions of their Employments and thus Nigrelli General of Battalia Collonel Keth Lieutenant Collonel Rederer and the Major of Staremberg assisted the grand Master of the Teutonick Order General Souches had for Assistants Diependal Count Octtingen Lieutenant Collonel Jorger and the Major of Crop's Regiment There were above 1200 men of reserves in the covered way commanded by General Thungen under twelve Captains twelve Lieutenants and other subaltern Officers with all the other Lieutenant Collonels and Majors to succeed in the place of those that should be slain or wounded The 1200 Musqueteers were to advance in small parties in the Lines as the other gained ground the rest of the Foot were at their Arms ready to engage and all the Generals in the Trenches In this order the Souldiers full of Hopes and Courage went to the Assault and mounted the Breaches They found great Opposition particularly at the great Rondel where the Breach was high and the Defendants very numerous and resolute The Christians were beat back two or three times but returning still to the Assault they at length took possession of the Breach and posted themselves in it The Brandenburgers took the Wall of the little Rondel The Combat lasted from five till nine a Clock with great effusion of Blood not so much by the Turks Arms as their Mines and Powder which they had strewed in great quantities in several places which they successively fired as they were forced from their Posts There could be nothing more lamentable than to see two or three hundred men at once tossed up by force of the Mines which were most killed or grievously wounded And yet the Besieged could not terrifie the Christians nor hinder them by their obstinate resistance to lodge upon the Rondels and the Curtain The Hayducks apprehending the fire failed in their false alarming on the Water side The Duke and General Staremberg were near the Great Master with their Swords in their Hands encouraging the Officers and Souldiers to do well and the Prince of Croy was in the middle near the Curtain where he was hurt The Night being come put an end to the fight and it was spent in securing their Lodgments with two Lines of Communication from the Approaches to the possessed Rondels and the Miners were fastned to the inner Wall or Retrenchment where the Turks fortified themselves This Assault was one of the bloodiest the most hardy and best disputed that ever was seen whether we consider the bravery and intrepidness of the Assailants or the obstinate Valour of the Defendants The number of the slain amongst whom was Adjoutant General Attein was not very great but that of the wounded very surprising of which Catalogue were the Prince of Croy the Prince of Commercy General Diependael General Thungen the Baron of Asti the Major of Starenberg Lieutenant Collonel Redere Major Pini Conte Schlick Baron Gera and many other Captains and subalterne Officers On the Brandenburg side Count Dona Collonel of Foot was slain Major Marwitz and the Prince of Curland grievously wounded with very many others At the Bavarian Attack the Elector had ordered the Assault in this manner The Palizades upon the Breach having been burnt the day before by forty choice Souldiers the Elector commanded a Lieutenant with 20 Fuseliers a Serjeant six Voluntiers and ten Granadeers and a Corporal with six Carpenters to cut the Palizadoes an 100 Musqueteers with their Officers were ordered to post themselves at the Enemies Palizade and to shoot without ceasing to favorise the Pioneers to make the Lodgment upon the Rondel amongst which there were twenty five with Spades and Pickaxes and 75 with Hatchets commanded by a Captain and seconded by a Lieutenant-Collonel a Major and a Captain with fifty men armed with half Pikes Halberds and Partizans by a Lieutenant with thirty Granadeers and by 200 Musquetters under two Captains and two Lieutenants Things being thus disposed as well on the right as the left the two Neighbouring Redoubts were furnished each with thirty Harquebusiers and three Battalions of Imperialists Bavarians and Saxons were to second the Assailants The Gunners had order to fire from all the Batteries and to throw Bombs and Carcasses without ceasing into the Castle and betwixt the two Walls on the Water side as also to point their Cannon against the high Walls and Windows of the Castle All things being thus ordered
and the signal given from Pest they advanced towards the Breach however difficult to mount on the right and left of the Rondel as also the Curtain and that with so much Vigour that they became Masters of the Post driving out the Besieged for all their incessant firing and a shower of Stones which they threw from their Castle Windows They also took the Swingher which is a great Place in form of a retreat betwixt the Walls and the Houses but this Place being commanded by the said Walls whence the Turks annoyed the Aggressors with Granadoes Stones and Bombs which they rolled down the Elector caused those that were there to retire being content to secure the Lodgments upon the Rondel and the Wall of the Castle by a Line of Communication from the Gate of the Bridge to that of the Swingher so that the Bridge remained in their Power which was further secured by traverse Lines and two Redoubts The Elector eminently appeared in all this Action and the Generals signalized their Courage as did also the Voluntiers Officers and Souldiers who fought with all the bravery that was to be expected from men of Courage Nor were the Turks less commendable for their Constancy and Fidelity doing every thing that oppressed Valour could be capable of They who defended the Rondel and the Swinger were for the most part killed and hurt There were eight pieces of Cannon found there and two Mortars turned now against the Besiegeds second Wall and Retrenchments In this Assault of the Bavarians there were slain two Majors two Captains four Lieutenants one Ensign but the wounded were many one Collonel two Lieutenant-Collonels two Majors 25 Captains 16 Lieutenants thirteen Ensigns The Generals Lavergne Rummel and Aspremont were of the number of the wounded as also the Duke of Escalona a Grandee of Spain and some other Voluntiers of Quality making up with the Officers and Souldiers the number of 117 slain and 972 wounded Of the Troops of Saxony a Lieutenant-Collonel and some under Officer were killed one Lieutenant-Collonel two Majors two Captains one Captain-Lieutenant and three Ensigns were hurt of the Souldiers there were seventy slain and a hundred ninety nine wounded so that the number of the slain and wounded in this Assault amounted to above three thousand men July 28 In the three Attacks they were only employed in burying their dead and securing their Lodgments upon the Breaches The Duke of Lorrain did also apply the Miner to the second Wall which was done in three several Places as did also they of Bavaria and Brandenburg July 29. The three Mines in the second Wall were sprung with that Success that they made a new Breach there and filled part of the Ditch with the Ruins The Bavarians advanced to the right of the Rondel and seized two Mortars there which they turned against the Besieged The great Cannon was advanced and they pretended to batter the City with an 100 pieces of Ordnance and forty Mortars if the Turks continued in their Obstinacy The Besieged howsoever made several Cuts and Retrenchments behind the second Wall. The Duke seeing that well nigh all the Generals of the Infantry were hurt and in no Condition to act order'd for the future that the Generals of the Horse should serve in the Approaches to wit the Count of Stirum and the Conte of Lodron and so the first mounted the Guard that Night with General Souches and was to be relieved on the morrow by the grand Master of the Teutonick Order and the Count de Lodron A Battery of three Demy-Cannon and another of four were finished Some Rascians come out of the place reported that the besieged were resolved to defend themselves to the last extremity but that some began to waver saying the further effusion of bloud ought to be prevented A Council of War was held thereupon and the result was that the Duke should send a second Summons to the Commander of the place to surrender whilst it was time and that he might do it upon honourable conditions which if neglected he would not be answerable for the bloud that should be spilt if they came to the last extremity being in that case they should spare neither Sex nor Age. Abdi Bassa civilly received his Highness's Letters and demanded a Day to consult with the other Officers of his Garrison which was granted him with a cessation of Arms. The Deserters who escaped in great numbers affirm'd that the Besieged lost in the last Assault in the Bavarian attack only 300 slain and 700 hurt They had that Night notice that 4000 Turkish Horse were seen within four Leagues of the Camp to enquire into the state of the place but fearing a surprise they presently retired Jul. 31. At nine in the Morning the Count of Launberg Adjoutant General was commanded by the Duke of Lorrain to go with an Interpreter and received the Besieged's answer which was to this purpose That he neither could nor would so easily surrender the City it being the Key of the Ottoman Empire but if they would make a general peace they would give another equivalent After noon the Besieged demanded a suspension of Arms at the Bavarian attack and sent two Aga's in Hostage to the Elector who sent the Baron of Creuz Lieutenant Collonel of Baden's Regiment with an Interpreter The Turks received them with great ceremony and all imaginable civilities He was not immediately conducted before the Bassa but to another House the streets as he passed along were lined with Souldiers in very good order though no great number Being entered into the House he was presented with Rice a rosted Pullet little Pyâ—s Coffee and Wine The Bassa excused himself That he could not yet speak with him being he consulted the other chief Officers upon the propositions he was to make to him In this interval of time many Turkish Officers came to salute the Baron half an hour after the Bassa sent him word That he would take it for a favour if he would come over to him Which he immediately did accompanied with a great number of Turks being taken by the arms by the two chiefest of them according to the custom of the Ottomans who led him thus before the Bassa who was in a Lodge of Wood over-against his House very well furnished and hung with rich Tapistries Having caused the Baron to sit down he used this discourse to him That he was sorry to find himself in a place of that importance that had been so often besieged without success and was now so long abandoned without relief On the contrary that he found himself pressed by the Emperour's Son-in-law and the grand Visier that he wished he were able to give his resolution concerning the surrender but that being an affair of the last importance and as much as his life was worth it was impossible for him to resolve upon a surrender Adding however That if they would demand any other place in Hungary he would cause it immediately to be
and 10 Waggons loaden with Ammunition This great action cost the Christians but little the slain not exceeding 60 and the wounded but 33. After this fight the Turks made several movements and drew up in a Plain which lookt towards the Bavarian quarter and keeping their Wings upon heights they made meen as if they would come to a decisive battel or relieve the Place with all their Forces Hereupon a Council of War was called where it was resolved to follow the Enemy which was done by the Elector of Bavaria in the head of his Army but the Turks apprehending an Engagement retired The Generals Dunewald and Heusler pursued them beyond the Mountains and the Hussars had another skirmish with a great Party of Turks which stayed behind to amuse the Christians and favour the retreat of their Army The booty the Christians got was considerable for they had all the spoil of the Enemy whereof there was not one that had not the 5 Duckets which the Grand Visier had given him besides his own moneys The Besieged thinking they were already relieved made great fire upon them that kept the Approaches and supposed they might ruine some of the Enemies works but in vain for they were so briskly received that they lost the desire of risking further They however made a very furious sally on the Bavarian attack which was fatal to them for they were not only repelled by the Regiments of Baden and Aspremont but the retreat being cut off there was great slaughter made of them The Turks being retired without coming to a decisive battel the Army returned into their Lines and immediately dispatched young Count Palsi to the Emperour with the news of this great advantage and to lay 28 Colours and Standards at his feet that were taken in the late engagement The rest for some were taken in the pursuit were planted upon the great Rondel to make the Besieged comprehend the defeat of those Succours that they had expected with so much impatience Aug. 15. The Germans and Hussars scouting abroad brought some Prisoners in who all agreed in this that the Grand Visier notwithstanding this check would not desist making other attempts to put relief into the Town tho' with the hazard of his whole Army And in effect however he was retired he did not cease to alarm the Camp every night This Afternoon a signal was made to the Besieged for a Parley to inform them by the Janizaries Prisoners of the rout of their Succours but whether they perceived this within or not they answered by the fire of their great and small shot Aug. 16. The works of the three Attacks were pursued with vigour and in the Morning the Besieged's Palizadoes and Defences of Wood upon the Breach were fired in the Lorrain Attack and partly consumed by the Flames notwithstanding all the diligence of the Turks to extinguish them In this Action they threw a prodigious quantity of Stones Granadoes Sacks with Powder and other combustible matters upon the Assailants insomuch that four of them who fired them were burnt twelve Crowns a man being given to each of those who engaged themselves in this Service as a recompence and yet they could not clear the way for an Assault the Besieged having taken their time in the Night to plant other Palizadoes and repair their Defences In the Bavarian Attack the Castle and the great Tower were incessantly beaten which were as it were overturn'd by the force of the Cannon Aug. 17. All things were ready for the Assault in the Lorrain Attack but the Besieged having repaired their Defences and planted double rows of Palizadoes behind those that were burnt yesterday they were obliged to defer it The Prisoners that the Hussars brought to the Camp reported that the Grand Visier was extreamly in choler against the Commander of the Spahi's for not having done his duty in the fight on the 14th instant by abandoning the Janizaries and added that of the ten thousand men which were appointed for that enterprise but very few returned to the Camp. Aug. 18. The two great Mines in the Lorrain Attack were fired but neither with that Success that the Miners had promised which extremely retarded the Reduction of this important Place The Duke seeing they advanced but little by Mining resolved on Sapping for which end preparation of Faggots and Sacks of Earth were made to fill the Ditch and certain Engines were devised to approach the Enemies with less peril and drive them from their Post A new Battery was raised on the right to beat down the Besiegeds flanks of Palizadoes on the Breach and to do it more effectually they were to shoot from the Battery on the Curtain with chained Bullets A Fugitive from the Turkish Army reported amongst other things that the Grand Visier was encamped at present at Ertschin 4 Leagues from the City but that he would not desist from attempting the relief of the Place being only removed to that distance for want of Forrage The Bavarians seized a Country Fellow who had swum the Danube having Letters from the Governour to the Grand Visier and the Aga of the Janizaries in which he conjures them by the Law of Mahomet to succour him adding he would expect the last extremity Aug. 19. The Besieged defending themselves with obstinate Valour spent this whole day in thundring with their Artillery upon the new Lorrain Battery which had been raised to beat upon the flanks of the Palizadoes and whereon they had mounted 4 great Guns which they so ruined that it was rendred useless for the present The Detachments from the Grand Visiers Army continued to alarm the Christians Camp every Night who to prevent Surprizes were continually upon their Guard. General Scherfenberg was expected in few days with those Troops he commanded in Transilvania As soon as this body was arriv'd they pretended to go and attack the Grand Visier in his Camp who by report of Prisoners and Run-aways did not exceed 46000 men whereof half were new raw Fellows without Discipline or Order Strong parties were every day sent out to observe the Enemies Countenance who often shock with theirs but always with Advantage Aug. 20. The Grand Visier resolved to make another attempt to introduce Supplies into Buda would do it with fewer Troops than before the better to pass undiscover'd and be able to approach the Christian Camp. He chose for this purpose the bravest Officers in his Army who promised to execute his order or perish They began their march in the Night with 2000 Spahis and the like number of Janizaries who were mounted for the greater Expedition and this Morning at break of day they appear'd in the Valley of St. Paul where having been put in order without being perceived rushed as their manner is with great Cryes upon the first Guard which they defeated easie enough and forced upon two squadrons of Horse of Caprara and Heuslers who received them courageously giving others time to hasten to their assistance
Assault which was resolved upon in a day or two Sept. 1. Three thousand Turks appeared before day by Moon-light on the Bavarian side but seeing the Christians in good order and ready to receive them they retired without any Engagement The Great Chancellor Count Straatman being arrived yesterday at the Camp with a secret Commission called a Council of War in which the Duke of Lorrain the Elector of Bavaria and all the Imperial and Auxiliary Generals did meet The Chancellor exposed his Commission which contained his Imperial Majestie 's desires to put an end to this bloody Siege and that they should consult on the means the most proper and expedient for the terminating of it Two points were chiefly deliberated upon whether they should go with the greatest part of the Army leaving a sufficient number to guard the Lines to force the Grand Visier or should make a General assault upon the place and that with more Forces than had hitherto been employed The later was approved by most of the Generals and it was resolved to assault the place the next day for which purpose every thing that was necessary was prepared that the enterprise might not fail and lest the Enemy might know it it was given out that they would the next day go and fight the Grand Visier which caused great joy amongst the Officers and Souldiers desirous of signalizing themselves The Cannon of all the attacks were in the mean time imployed to inlarge the Breaches and cast down the Enemies fences Sept. 2. All the Generals mounted on Horseback and the Troops put themselves in order to quit the Lines and go to their place of Arms and march towards the Grand Visier making as if they would go and attack them in their Camp. The Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria visited their Quarters encouragaing the Officers and Souldiers to maintain the cause of God and the Glory of the Emperour The Infantry was ranged into Battalions whilst the firing in the three attacks was redoubled and a vast quantity of Bombs and chained Bullets were shot against the besiegeds defences which were for the most part thrown down and as the Troops were put in order to march towards the Grand Visier the motion of the Vanguard was instantly changed and at three in the Afternoon the Infantry that composed the Rear-guard was commanded to mount to the assault which was done in the three differing attacks of Lorrain Brandenburg and Bavaria besides which there were two false attacks to divert the Enemy And however that all imaginary precautions were put in use to render the assault easie they encountred so brave a defence in the besieged that they had much ado to surmount them they defended themselves for three quarters of an hour with Halbirds Half-Pikes Partizans and threw such a vast number of Stones Arrows and Granades that they repulsed the Assailants more than once until the Christians encouraged by the presence of their Generals returning with greater force rendred themselves at length Masters of the Breach in all the three attacks The Turks defended themselves by retiring from Retrenchment to Retrenchment so that the slaughter was very bloody and to conclude the besieged being beaten from all their fences the Assailants entred by force into the City ran thro' the streets killed all they met with sparing neither Sex nor Age so that all was filled with the dead bodies of these Infidels The Bavarians in pursuit of their point attack'd 1000 Turks who retired into a Redoubt at the foot of the Castle where they defended themselves with extream Obstinacy until despairing of their safety they hungout a white Flag and demanded quarter but as they had slain many of the Aggressors and had resisted two whole hours without submitting the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria were of Opinion they should have no quarter given them but considering their number that they might yet do much harm that the Night was coming on and that the Souldiers were wearied and ought to rest that the Grand Visier was not far off with a formidable Army and that the fire was in several parts of the City reducing all to Ashes it was resolved they should have their Lives given them which being notified to them they miserable Bravos threw down their Arms. There were about 1000 more who being retired into Cellars and Caverns obtained the same grace The number of the slain amounted to 3000 besides the wounded who were but few so that the Garrison was stronger than it had been reported by the fugitives to have been Abdi Bassa died bravely in the Breach where he fought valiantly with his Sable in his hand without giving back or demanding quarter not to degenerate from the glory and heroick Vertue of the antient Ottomans nor falsifie the Oath which he made to the Grand Seignior to preserve him the place or to end his days gloriously in it The Vice Bassa is also an Officer of great reputation he had defended the Castle and seeing that all was lost retired fighting into the already mentioned Redoubt at the foot of the Castle where he thought to hold it out and give the Grand Visier liesure to come and relieve him but seeing that all was desperate he chose rather to implore the Clemency of the Conquerours than suffer himself and those that were with him to be massacred without any advantage to his party and so he was made a Prisoner with those with him by the Bavarians The Aga of the Janizaries and some chief Officers fell to the Duke of Lorrains share so that the number of Prisoners did not exceed 2000 of 13000 brave expert Souldiers and the very Nerves of the Ottoman Empire which were in the place at the beginning of the Siege The Christians loss in this assault was inconsiderable not above 400 slain and half as many wounded in which number were many Voluntiers but few Officers Collonel Spinola an Officer of good merit was killed at the head of the Assailants and Baron Asti who had been twice already hurt during the Siege received now a third which was feared would prove fatal The plunder which the Souldiers got was extraordinary the riches of this City were vastly great which those of the other Cities of Hungary under the domination of the Turks brought thither as to a place of refuge and impregnable There were found Ammunition and Provisions sufficient for two Months longer The Arsenal was full of all sorts of offensive and defensive Arms to arm 30000 men Harnesses Saddles Boots and other equipage for Horses besides 400 pieces of Cannon and Mortars whereof 170 were mounted and no way prejudiced It is impossible to particularize every thing it may suffice to say that a City could not be better furnished to support a Siege vigorously than this was nor defended by a more brave Garrison But if the opposition hath been surprising so much greater is the glory of those brave Officers Voluntiers and Souldiers that
strongly as the besieged had within heaving like Moles with their numerous Army of Pioneers whose lives being not valued they were wholly intent unto Mines blowing up all before them in that manner that every day they gained a pace of ground within the City So that in effect as will be seen by the Sequel this most impregnable Fort of the World was forced and taken by the Spade and Shovel and by a Crew of unarmed Labourers who understood nothing more than the Plough and Harrow So that now this Town seemed to be reduced to its utmost Crisis either of being taken or for ever freed of this malignant Enemy And indeed the Turks had so far advanced upon the Bulwark of St. Andrea that now nothing remained of it more than ruines and undigested heaps of Earth and stone in defence of which the chief Commanders applying themselves in person with all diligence the Marquess St. Andrea Montbrun was wounded by a stone in the face the Cavalier de Bret was buried in the ruines to the very Neck and with difficulty drawn out of the Earth by Assistants about him two other Cavaliers were wounded with Granadoes and the Cavalier Fuillere who carried the Standard of Malta was shot into the Eye with a Musket The Proveditor General Carnaro serving at the repair of the Breach was so wounded in the Belly by a Granado that his Bowels burst of which he died in three hours and with a piece of the same Granado the Count Vignole a French Gentleman of great Valour was likewise slain And so hotly the Turks plyed this Breach that from the 28th of May to the 2d of June they sprang five Mines which brake all the Palisades of the Christians the which the Turks seconded with that fury and mettle as if they intended to win the place and make an end of their work before the arrival of the Forces expected from Christendom And this Post was now grown so dangerous and weak that the Captain-General the Marquess of Montbrun and all the chief Officers took up their Quarters at this place where his Excellency kept an open Table and the Marquess took up his Lodgings at Night that so the other Officers might have no excuse on account of attendances or orders to abandon these Quarters The Princes of Christendom all this time forgot not their besieged Brethren in Candia Pope Clement the IX pressed the most Christian King to make ready his succours in due time Succours sent out of Christendom who had already himself prepared all things and elected the Duke of Beaufort his General of all the Forces by Sea whether of French or other Nations This Duke like a couragious and brave Prince thinking it little glory to command at Sea where the Enemy was of an inferiour and unable Force to encounter him did therefore desire Licence from his King to make tryal of his Fortune in the Field where he might evidence his Valour in the face of the Infidels and signalize his Fame either by Death or Victory The King unwilling to hazard so worthy a person of his bloud out of his due Command in the rank of an ordinary Souldier at first denied his requests but the Pope interceding for him whose General he was with holy Arguments and devout Contemplations of Martyrdom and glory of dying for the Christian Cause at length obtained a concession from the King who of himself was flexible to so pious a request esteeming it unholy to deprive his Kinsman either of the Palm of a Martyr or the Lawrel of a Conqueror The Summer being come and all things provided The French Fleet loose from Tolon the Duke ascended his Ship at Tolon a City in Provence the 6th of June New-style with about seven thousand Land Souldiers commanded by the Duke of Navailles with the Marshals Lebret and Colbert and several other Worthies and Heroes of undaunted Courage and arrived before the Town of Candia the 19th of the same Month having casually encountred together in the Seas on the 17th with fourteen Sail of Venetian Ships laden with Horse and Ammunition to mount the Troops and relieve the Town which happy encounter and speedy passage seemed a happy Omen of the future success The appearance of this succour seemed to the Besieged as sent from Heaven and administred unto them new hopes and courage and the salutes passed between the Town and the Fleet with the usual Ceremonies and all the imaginable testimonies of joy and triumph No sooner were they arrived than the two Generals with other principal Officers They arrive at Candia immediately in their Shallops took the best view and survey they could of the Enemies Camp and the Condition of the Besieged in which whilst they entertained themselves they espied a small Vessel making towards them with St. Mark 's Colours in which was the famous Engineer Signior Castellano dispatched by the Captain General Morosini with an axact plat of the Town and disposition of the Turkish Camp which being particularly viewed and considered it was evident That if the Turks should make some very forcible Attempt before the new Forces could be landed as it was very probable they might they would put all in hazard of being lost wherefore the Captain General pressed to have some succours immediately supplied to be assistant in that case of extremity To which the Duke of Navailles immediately consented and landed himself that Night in person with sufficient Force to mount the Guard on the Breach of St. Andrea whose first Rettenchment was continually battered by the Turks and though there was a second Retrenchment in hand yet time being required for compleating thereof that part of the Town would be reduced to its ultimate hazard for should the Enemy spring a Mine which they feared was already formed under the present Work it would lay all open and naked without other Fortification The Duke being ashoar was received by Morosini with all demonstrations of Civility and Respect due to a personage of his Quality and Employment and with a welcome suitable to the present extremity of his Affairs all Ceremonies and Complements were soon passed over the urgency of matters not permitting them time to be long impertinent The French Forces landed so that falling into the Discourse of the common safety it was resolved that the succours should be immediately landed which was performed with that diligence and expedition that in two days the whole Army came safe on shore excepting only some few cut short by shot from the Enemies Camp. On the 23d the Generals and other Officers held a Council of War A Council of War held in Candia amongst whom was also the Marquess of St. Andrea and did unanimously conclude that the Town was no longer tenable or to be maintained unless by some extraordinary enterprize attempted on the Enemy and by some furious Sally performed with resolution and stratagems of War in order unto which it was resolved That the 27th
the Christians in the heat of the Battel as being habited after the Turkish fashion By day there was not a Turk left though they were traced during the obscurity of the Night by the Villages on fire the Infidels having marked their retreat with this last cruelty after they had first burnt their Camp as far as the precipitation of their flight and the fear which obliged them to be gone would permit them They retired also out of the Isle by favour of their lower Bridge the upper Bridge which they had layed being possessed by the Christians upon their arrival The same evening many Cavaliers and Souldiers entered the City with great Droves of Cattel which they found in the Camp and near it which continuing the following days Beef became so cheap that they were sold for five and six Florins each The Duke of Lorrain being now assured that he had no more Enemies to combat dispatcht the Count of Aversberg Son to the Prince of that name to the Emperor to inform him with the happy success of that day On the morrow of the fight being the 13th the fire took in the Powder which the Turks had left a League from the City and confumed an infinite number of Bombs Granadoes and other artificial fire-works This accident was attributed to the negligence of some Christian Souldiers and yet there were prodigious quantities of Powder Bullets c. left behind It was observable that many of the Cannon which the Turks had abandoned were marked with the Arms of the Emperours Ferdinand the first and Rodolf the second After the Souldiery had pillaged the immense Riches of the Camp which amounted to many Millions the King of Poland entered into the City accompanied with Count Starenberg the Governour many Commanders and a great number of the Polish Nobility where Te Deum being sung he the Duke of Bavaria and several Grandees were sumptuously treated by the Governour the People by their joyful acclamations eechoing the praises of their Deliverers In the mean time the Duke of Lorraine was employed in giving the necessary Orders for the Army part of it beginning to discamp and all together with the Poles designing to go in pursuit of the Enemy which favourable conjuncture was omitted in expectation of the Emperour who also arrived that evening at Vienna where he was received coming out of his Boat by the two Electors and the principal Officers of War and Justice Having taken a view of the Enemies works He caused Te Deum to be sung with all the solemnity possible in the Church of St. Stephen That done he caused the Crescent and Star the Ottoman Arms to be taken down from the Spire of that Steeple placed there since the time of Solyman being these last Turks did not cease shooting at it and raised the Cross in their place Wednesday being the 15th the King of Poland sent his Grand Chancellor to the Emperor with a numerous Train to complement him and offer him a part of the booty which he had found in the Grand Visier's Tent and amongst other things the Standard which was always carried before him when he marched It was made of Horse-hair work'd with the Needle and embroidered with flowers the staff of it was guilt as also the Apple which was of brass They call it Tugh in their Language which is to say Horse Tayle The Chancellor made a very elegant Latin Speech and the Emperour answered it with Sentiments of esteem and acknowledgment for his Majesty of Poland After a quarter of an hours conversation with this Envoy and hearing Mass in our Lady of Loretto's Chappel he took Horse to ride to the Camp where he was to visit the King of Poland There was some difficulty about the upper hand This Prince pretended it and there were examples contrary to this pretension In the mean time what he had done deserved particular consideration To conclude it was resolved for the removing of these obstacles that the Emperor should go see the Troops that they should be ranged in Battalia and that these two Sovereigns should advance within twenty steps of each other which was performed in the manner following The Emperour having seen the Bavarians in Battalia continued his way to Ebersdorff where the first Squadrons of the left Wing were drawn up and thence he went to Swech where the right Wing was posted and where the King of Poland expected him Being within Pistol-shot of each other the King with the Prince his Son upon a little gallop moved forwards and then both Princes uncovered at once saluted and covered again in a moment The Emperor spoke first and told the King That he was extremely obliged to him for leaving his Country and undertaking a long and painful voyage to come and combat his Enemies and deliver Vienna that all Christendom shar'd in the obligation and that he had covered himself with glory by so generous an action The King of Poland answered him that it was to God alone that we ought to render our thanks for this Victory that he had done nothing but what every Christian Prince was obliged to do upon the like occasion and that he would endeavour for the future to do yet more for the Interest of Religion that all his displeasure was that he was not in a condition to pursue the Enemy upon their defeat but that his Troops after a march of three days required some rest especially his Cavalry the Horse being extremely tired Prince Alexander who by order of his Father was clothed that day after the German fashion kissed the Emperour's hand who thereupon returned into the City and the King further into his Camp. His Imperial Majesty in his return observed that all the Villages and Palaces were burnt around except the place where Solyman had formerly camped when he besieg'd Vienna in memory whereof the Emperour Rodolf had caused a house of pleasure to be built in that place with Towers which were covered with guilt Copper in the same symmetry or figure that the Sultans Tents were so that the Turks being informed that this building had been made after the Model of Solymans Camp would not ruine it during the Siege but had made a Magazin of it where was also found a great quantity of Bread and Bisquet The Emperour employed the rest of the time that he stayed at Vienna in visiting the Retrenchments and Fortifications with Count Starenberg had made behind the Bastions and the Walls to defend the Ground foot by foot The Prince Elector of Saxony parted the fifteenth with all his Troops His retreat seemed precipitated and supposed to be upon account of the Protestants of Hungary thinking perhaps he had done enough in saving of Vienna whereto he nobly contributed The Emperour willing to recompence Count Starenberg's Services made him Marshal General of the Field and of his Privy Council he gave him 100000 Florins and writ to the King of Spain to send him the Order of the Golden Fleece He