yeares euery barne and garnarie was full of corne euery sellarfull of wines euery stable full of cattell euery storehouse full of victuals the fields were couered with corne and cattell and in euery mans yeard were to be seene all kinds of tame foules without number At which time also there fortuned a great famine among the Turkes insomuch as that they were inforced to fetch their greatest reliefe from out of the Christian countries Then might you haue seene euery way full of Turks men women and children trauelling to and fro into the emperours prouinces for victuals their gold their siluer their other rich commodities they gaue vnto the Christians for food a little corne was woorth a good commoditie euery bird sheepe and kid was sold at a great rate by which meanes the countrey mens houses were full of the Turkes wealth and the emperours cofers stored with their treasure The greatnesse of the profit arising of this plentie of the Christians and penurie of the Turks may hereby easily be gathered for that of egges daily sold so much money was in short time gathered as made the empresse an imperiall crowne of gold richly set with most orient pearle and pretious stones of great price which the emperour called Ouata for that it was bought with egge money Thus flourished the Greeke empire in the lesser ASIA vnder the good emperour Iohn Ducas The Turks at the same time declining as fast daily pilled in one corner or another by the Tartars and consumed with famine at home Fredericke the Germane emperour had of long time vowed to take vpon him an expedition into the Holy land for performance whereof he was hardly called vpon first by Honorius quartus the Pope and afterward for his long delay excommunicated by Gregorie the ninth not so much for the zeale they had vnto the sacred warre as to busie the emperour a farre off in warres abroad whilest they in the meane time to increase their owne power drew from him some one part or other of his empire which he not without cause fearing from day to day and yeare to yeare delayed the performance of his vow so much vrged by the Pope by his presence and power still disappointing all the slie designs of the Popes conceiued or put in practise against him But now at length mooued or more truly to say enforced with the thundering and lightning of Pope Gregorie he resolued to set forward in the yeare 1227. About which time Iolenta or Yoland his wife the king of HIERUSALEM his daughter died in childbed being before deliuered of a faire sonne Now were met together at BRVNDUSIVM an exceeding great number of couragious and deuout souldiors out of all parts of Christendome especially out of GERMANIE vnder the leading of Lodowicke Lantgraue of THURINâ—E Sigefride bishop of ANGUSTA all stirred vp with the same of so notable an expedition But whilest they there staied somewhat long the plague arise among the Germanes whereof in short time after both the Lantgraue and the bishop died with many of the other best souldiors The emperour himselfe was vpon his way as farre as MALEA vpon the farther side of PELOPONESUS where falling desperatly sick of a burning feauer and put backe with contrarie winds he returned againe to BRUNDUSIUM and there staied a great while after Then began the Pope againe to fret and fume and to cast out his excommunications against the emperour as if it had beene thunder and lightening accusing him of perjurie infidelitie and many other grieuous crimes of all which the emperour was readie to haue cleared himselfe in an open assemblie of the princes of GERMANIE to haue beene holden at RAVENNA had it not beene by the Pope and the troubles of LOMBARDIE disturbed Neuerthelesse he by open protestations and writings fully answered all the Popes vnjust accusations wherewith he had been so hardly charged And yet desirous to performe the expedition by him taken in hand hauing set all things in good order and put himselfe againe in readinesse he set forward from BRUNDUSIUM in August in the yeare 1228 leauing the charge of his territories in ITALIE vnto the care of Reynolde duke of SPOLETO The Pope displeased for that the emperour at his departure had neither reconciled himselfe nor taken his leaue of him and deeming therein his excommunications and fulminations to be contemned set at naught fell into such a rage and choller that he forbad all the Christian forces that were in SYRIA to follow him or to yeeld to him their obedience and writ letters also vnto the Sultan not to come to any agreement with the emperour or to yeeld vnto him any part of the Holy land which very letters the Sultan afterwards sent vnto the emperour Neither yet so contented immediatly after his departure ran vpon his kingdome of NAPLES and so filled all ITALIE with troubles Neuerthelesse the emperor happely arriuing at PTOLEMAIS was there honourably receiued of the Christian forces notwithstanding the Popes threats and cursings Of whose arriuall Sultan Meledin hauing intelligence and loath to draw so mightie an enemie as was the emperour vpon him by his embassadours offered him most honourable conditions of peace Which before he would accept of he by conuenient messengers sent vnto the Pope to haue his consent approbation But such was his rage as that he would not suffer the messengers to come into his presence or vouchsafe to read the emperours letters being brought vnto him but like a mad man presently rent them in peeces All which indignities the emperour neuerthelesse tooke in good part and concluded a peace with the Turks for ten years vpon these conditions first That he should be annointed and accounted king of HIERUSALEM then That the holy citie with all the land of PALESTINE should be deliuered vnto him thirdly That he might at his pleasure fortefie the cities of NAZARETH and IOPPE fourthly That all such places as were sometime in the power of Baldwin the fourth king of HIERUSALEM and taken from him by Sultan Saladin should be restored and last of all That all prisoners on both sides should be set at libertie without ransome So the peace concluded the emperour with his armie came to the desolate citie of HIERUSALEM and there vpon Easter day was with great solemnitie crowned king therof in the yeare 1229. And so hauing repaired the wals of the citie with certaine churches fortified NAZARETH and IOPPE and furnished them with strong garrisons and appointed Raynold duke of BAVARIA his leiutenaÌ„t in SYRIA he with two gallies only returned into ITALIE Euer since which time the kings of SICILIA haue beene also called kings of HIERUSALEM and haue oftentimes borne the armes of both kingdomes The next yeare Pope Gregorie in despite of the emperour Frederick more than for any zeale vnto the Christian religion did by the Dominicans Fransciscans two orders of friers but then lately erected as by his trumpeters stir vp a woonderfull
phrophet with your knowne and approued Valour Now remaineth onely that euerie one of you thinke with vs how this warre may best be managed and so to referre your deuises vnto vs which that you may the better doe Loe I here deliuer vnto you the situation of the whole island and proiect of all their fortifications which wee haue receiued of most expert and skilfull men Solymans purpose thus made knowne and the matter well considered after that they which best knew the strong places and manners of the Malteses had declared their opinions what they thought to bee most expedient it was decreed that they should with all speed set forward wherefore victuall and other things necessarie for such an expedition being with wonderfull celeritie prepared they expected but wind Of these things Io. Valetta a Frenchman Graund master of MALTA and of the knights of the Order being both by letters and messengers aduertised for he had alwaies fit men his intelligencers at CONSTANTINOPLE who warily noted the purposes and actions of Solyman was not afraid but knowing that of God depended the victorie and that men were to watch labour and foresee he assembled a counsell of his knights and in few words spake vnto them in this sort What Solyman prepareth most noble and valiant knights and what a great warre he prouideth against vs you with me of late right well vnderstand wherefore it is needlesse for me to vse any long speech with you concerning that matter The enemie is knowne his insatiable ambition is knowne his strength is knowne and his mortall hate against vs and the Christian name is sufficiently knowne Wherefore let vs all as one first reconcile our selues to God and then prouide all such things as shall be needfull for the warre In breefe noble knights to reconcile our selues vnto God and to appease his displeasure two things are of vs to be performed whereof the one consisteth in amendment of life with a holy conuersation the other in the religious worshipping of him with a firme and constant trust in his helpe with prayer which is called godlinesse By these meanes our auncestors obtained many victories against the Indels in the East Neither is it to be doubted but if we shall in these things ioyne together we shall also frustrat all the force and furie of this proud tyrant But for as much as God vsually helpeth them which labour and take paines and not the negligent and slouthfull we must of necessitie ioyne vnto them those helpes which both our profession and the course of war requireth which partly consisteth in our selues and partly in the other Christian princes For victuall armour money and other such things as in warres are requisit we will so prouide that no man shall iustly complaine that we spared either cost or paines I will poure out all my store neither will I for desire of life refuse any danger As for the Christian princes I cannot persuade my selfe that they will lie still in so fit an oportunitie and in so great a danger not of our estate onely but much more of their owne Verely I will not spare to exhort euery one of them both by letters and by messengers which in part we haue alreadie done and I doubt not but wee shall haue aid ynough from the Pope the Emperour and the king of Spaine such is their Christian zeale and they I hope shall moue the rest As for you the princes and very light of this sacred Order and the rest of our brethren most valiant knights I am well assured you will so fight for the most holy Christian religion for your liues and goods and for the glorie of the Latine name against a most cruell tyrant the rooter out of all true religion of all ciuilitie and good learning the plague of the world hated of God and man as that hee shall feele the sting of the crosse which he so much contemneth euen in the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE yea in his houses of pleasure For we shall not haue now to doe with him in the Island of the RHODES far from the helpe of our friends from ASIA from EVROPE from AEGIPT inclosed with our enemies both by sea and land but in the eyes of ITALIE and SPAINE in places strongly fortified from whence the enemie may easily be circumuented which that it may so fall out let vs not cease to pray vnto Almightie God and to craue his readie helpe When the Graund Master had thus said all that were present promised with one assent rather to lose their liues than in any part to faile the common cause or to come into the power of Solyman After that publicke prayer and supplication was made in euery church through the Isle and three colonels chosen out of all the knights one an Italian surnamed Imperator another Borneas a Frenchman and Quatrius a Spaniard the third all aduised men and most expert souldiors who should with all diligence prouide all things necessarie for the warre By whose appointment the suburbes and trees which might any way be hurtfull to the fortified places were ouerthrowne the fortifications were thorowly viewed the garrisons strengthened and all manner of prouision most plentifully destributed and letters from the Great Master sent vnto the Great Bishop and other Christian princes requesting their aid against the common enemie Messengers were also dismissed into diuers places to certifie both the knights of the Order and others of the Turkes preparation Solymans fleet departing from CONSTANTINOPLE the two and twentith day of March in the yeare 1565 kept a direct course towards PELOPONESVS and so came to METHON where Mustapha Bassa one of the Turkes greatest captaines a man of 75 yeares and Generall of the land forces mustered the armie wherein were numbred seuen thousand horsmen of them which are of the Turkes called Spahi out of the lesser ASIA conducted by the Gouernour of that countrey and two lieutenants of CILICIA fiue hundred and of the Island of LESDOS now callled METYLENE foure hundred he had of the Ianizaries foure thousand and fiue hundred led by two colonels appointed by Solyman for that the cheefe captaine of the Ianizaries which they call the Aga neuer departeth from the citie but when the Sultan goeth himselfe Besides these was a certaine kind of men amongst the Turkes who liue of the reuenewes of the church of them there was in the armie thirteene thousand who had at CONSTANTINOPLE vowed their liues for their superstition Out of THRACIA and PELOPONESVS were come two colonels and one lieutenant with twelue hundred horsemen and three thousand fiue hundred voluntaries out of diuers countries There also Piall Bassa Solymans Admirall tooke view of the fleet wherein were found a hundred and thirtie gallies two and twentie ships for burthen some greater some lesser besides one that was cast away neere vnto METHONE wherein was losâ— six thousand barrels of pouder thirteene thousand great shot and foure hundred Spaâ—â—â—â— besides these
againe out of the countrey after whom the king thinking it not good to make further pursuit turned a little out of the way and tooke by force GARAZE one of the strongest castâ—ls of the kings of DAMASCO built but the yeere before which because it was not without great charge and danger to be holden he rased downe to the ground Baldwin notwithstanding that hee had many times thus honourably repulsed his enemies wisely considering how he was on the one side beset with the Turks and on the other side with the Sarasins which yet raigned in AEGYPT the kingdome of IERVSALEM lying as it were in the mouth of them both thought it good betime to pray aid of the Christian princes of EVROPE and to that purpose had sent diuers his embassadors vnto diuers of them but especially vnto the Venetians whom of all others he thought fittest at his need to yeeld him reliefe by sea It fortuned in the meane time that Balac the Persian Sultan with a great armie of the Turks inuaded the countrey about ANTIOCH whereof Baldwin vnderstanding although he certainly knew he should ere long receiue aid from the other Christian princes his friends but especially from the Venetians might therfore with great reason haue protracted the war vntil their comming yet being therewith much mooued or else his destinie so requiring raised such forces as he had of his owne and without longer staying for his friends with greater courage than good speed set forward and so joyning battell with the enemy was therein ouerthrown with the greatest part of his armie and himselfe taken prisoner in the fight with certaine other of his best commanders who altogether were carried away captiues vnto CARRAS Vpon the report of this ouerthrow and taking of the king the Caliph of AEGYPT on the other side tooke occasion with all his power to inuade the kingdome of IERVSALEM and hauing in himselfe purposed the vtter ruine thereof beside the great armie which he sent thither by land which lay encamped not far from ASCALON he put to sea an huge fleet also of seuen hundred saile for the distressing of the sea townes which he well knew were not otherwise to be woon This fleet of the Sarasin kings for AEGYPT with the kingdomes of TVNES and MOROCCO were yet in possession of the Sarasins ariuing at IOPPA there put a shore their land forces and hardly besieged the towne both by sea and land But whilst they thus lay in great hope to haue woon the towne Dominicus Michael duke of VENICE stirred vp by Calixtus then bishop of ROME was come to CIPRVS with a fleet of two hundred saile for the reliefe of the Christians in SYRIA and the Holy land And hearing of the distresse of IOPPA nothing dismaid with the number of the enemies fleet hasted thither and came so suddenly vpon them that he had as some report ouerthrown them before they could put themselues in order or be in readinesse to fight or as some others say after a great and doubtfull fight hauing sunke or taken a great number of them and put the rest to flight he obtained of them a most glorious victoritie With like good fortune also were the Sarasins ouerthrown in a notable battell at land neere vnto ASCALON by the lord Eustace vnto whom the defence of the kingdome was committed after the taking of the king who not long after so great a victorie died IOPPA relieued as is aforesaid the duke of VENICE trauelled by land to IERVSALEN where he was honourably receiued by Guarimund the Patriarch and the confederation before made betwixt king Baldwin the Venetians vpon the same conditions solemnly againe renued The Sarasins thus notably discomfited both by sea and land and the Christians thereby not a little encouraged and joyning their forces together with the Venetians came and the first of March laid siege vnto the antient and strong citie of TYRE which they hauing beset both by sea and land gaue thereunto many a sharpe assault which the Turks as men fighting for their liues and wiues right valiantly repulsed In which sort the siege was continued longer than the Christians had at the first thought should haue needed yet at length after foure months siege the Turks sore weakned with often assaults and hardly pinched with want of food all their store being spent yeelded the citie by composition Thus was the citie of TYRE the most famous port of PHoeNICIA yeelded vnto the Christians the nine and twentith of Iune in the yeere 1124. The third part of this citie was giuen vnto the Venetians according to the composition made betwixt them and the kings of IERVSALEM That of all such cities as were by their helpe woon from the Infidels in SYRIA they should haue a third part with one street and free traficke in all the rest of the cities of the kingdome of IERVSALEM Shortly after was king Baldwin set at libertie for the ransom of an hundred thousand ducats after he had beene eighteene moneths prisoner among the Turkes The duke of VENICE hauing now spent almost three yeares in this sacred expedition well confirmed the state of the Christians in SIRIA returning home by the way tooke the islands of CHIOS RHODUS SAMOS MITYLEN and ANDRUS with the citie of MODON in PELOPONESUS all places belonging vnto the Greekes empire Which hee did in reuenge of the injuries done by the emperour in the time of his absence who enuying at the successe of the Christians in SYRIA as had his father Alexius before him had in the absence of the duke infested the territories of the Venetians for the which he was now justly requited with the losse of a good part of his owne Baldwin also not vnmindfull of the injuries vnto him before done by the Turkes in requitall thereof inuaded the countrey about DAMASCO and there in three notable battels ouerthrew the king and spoiled the countrey wherin he tooke so great a prey that therewith he redeemed his daughter whom he had at the time of his deliuerance left in hostage with the Turks for the payment of his ransom He also ouerthrew the Sarasins at ASCALON who aided by the Caliph of AEGYPT had sundrie times inuaded the countrey about IERVSALEM And so hauing well repressed his enemies for a space liued in peace Not long after Hugh Paganus first master of the Templars an order of knights first begun in the raigne of this Baldwin before sent to craue aid of the Christian princes of the West against the Turks and Sarasins returned with a great number of zealous Christians readie to lay downe their liues for defence of the Christian faith and religion with whom Baldwin and the other Christian princes of SYRIA joyning their forces set forward and besieged DAMASCO the regall seat of the Turks in those quarters But such was the strength of this citie with the valour of the defendants and contagiousnesse of the aire that the Christians the heauens as it
contemne thine enemie be he neuer so weake of which one thing aboue all others I haue repented my selfe of long and shall doe after my death if any feeling of humane thinges remaine in the dead And that I was so foolish and inconsiderat as to foster vp as it were in my bosome this my domesticall and neglected enemie wherby I haue purchased vnto my selfe this calamitie and for euer blemished the honor of the Othoman kings whilest I so basely ending my daies vnder the wals of CROIA shall become a by-word vnto the world and all posteritie for euer This traitour should euen then haue been oppressed when hee by great treacherie first recouered his wicked kingdome in that newnesse of his estate and before the minds of the people were assured vnto him then it had been an easie matter without bloudshed to haue vtterly extinguished the wretch together with his name Ali Bassa whose euill fortune was the first beginning of his good nor the other Generals who by him slaine or taken prisoners increased his strength and credit with his subjects should not haue been sent against him a thing which I haue oftentimes thought vpon but could scarce haue beleeued that euer I should haue thereby receiued such disgrace together with the ignominious renting of my kingdome if I had not been taught the same by mine owne experience to my great losse and hearts greefe We entred into EPIRVS and here encamped an hundred and threescore thousand men strong now if leisure serue you take view of them examine the matter you shall find a great want of that number The fields could not contain our regiments and the multitude of our men but now how many tents stand emptie how many horses want riders You shall go to HADRIANOPLE with our forces much impaired As for me the destinies haue vowed my spirits to this country of EPIRVS as vnto me fatall But wherfore do I impute vnto my selfe these impediments and chances of Fortune for then first began this seed of mischiefe in EPIRVS when the Hungarians with other the Christian princes rose vp in armes against vs at which time we fought not with them for soueraigntie but for the whole state of our kingdome as the bloudie battailes of VARNA and COSSOVA still witnesse vnto the world So whilest I had neither leisure nor sufficient power to take order for all my important affaires at once in the meane time this enemy grew as you see But how or in what order you are hereafter to wage warre against him you may not looke for any direction from me which haue in all these matters so euill directed my selfe Fortune neuer deceiued my endeuors more than in this But happely thou Mahomet my sonne maiest prooue a more fortunat warriour against him and for so many honors alreadie giuen vnto me the destinies haue reserued the triumph of EPIRVS for thee Wherfore my sonne thou shalt receiue from me this scepter and these roial ensigns but aboue all things I leaue vnto thee this enemie charging thee not to leaue my death vnreuenged It is all I charge thee with for so great and stately a patrimonie as thou art to receiue from me it is the only sacrifice that my old departing ghost desireth of thee Shortly after he became speechlesse and striuing with the pangs of death halfe a day he then breathed out his gastly ghost to the great joy and contentment of the poore oppressed Christians He died about the middle of Autumne in the yeare of our Lord 1450 when he had liued 85 yeares as most write and thereof raigned 28 or as some others report 30 about fiue months after the siege laid before CROIA Thus lieth great Amurath erst not inferiour vnto the greatest monarchs of that age dead almost in despaire a worthy mirror of honours frailtie yeelding vnto the worldly man in the end neither comfort nor reliefe Who had fought greater battails who had gained greater victories or obtained more glorious triumphs than had Amurath Who by the spoils of so many mightie kings and princes and by the conquest of so many prowd and warlike nations againe restored and established the Turkes kingdome before by Tamerlan and the Tartars in a manner clean defaced He it was that burst the hart of the prowd Grecians establishing his empire at HADRIANOPLE euen in the center of their bowels from whence haue proceeded so many miseries and calamities into the greatest part of Christendome as no tongue is able to expresse He it was that first brake downe the Hexamile or wal of separation on the strait of CORINTH conquered the greatest part of PELOPONESVS He it was that subdued vnto the Turks so many great countries and prouinces in ASIA that in plaine field and set battaile ouerthrew many puissant kings and princes and brought them vnder his subiection who hauing slaine Vladislaus the king of POLONIA and HVNGARIE and more than once chased out of the field Huniades that famous redoubted warriour had in his prowd and ambitious heart promised vnto himselfe the conquest of a great part of Christendome But O how farre was he now changed from the man he then was how farre did these his last speeches differ from the course of his forepassed life full of such base passionat complaints and lamentations as beseemed not a man of his place and spirit but some vile wretch ouertaken with dispaire and yet afraid to die Where were now those haughtie thoughts those loftie lookes those thundring and commaunding speeches whereat so many great commaunders so many troups and legions so many thousands of armed souldiours were woont to tremble and quake Where is that head before adorned with so manie trophies and triumphs where is that victorious hand that swaied so many scepters where is the majestie of his power and strength that commanded ouer so many nations and kingdoms O how is the case now altred he lieth now dead a gastly filthy stinking carkas a clod of clay vnregarded his hands closed his eyes shut and his feet stretched out which erst prowdly traced the countries by him subdued and conquered And now of such infinit riches such vnmeasurable wealth such hugie treasures such stately honors and vainglorious praises as he in his life time enjoyed his fraile bodie enjoyeth nothing but left all behind it O the weake condition of mans nature O the vaine glorie of mortall creatures O the blind and peruerse thoughts of foolish men Why do we so magnifie our selues why are we so puffed vp with pride why do we so much set our minds vpon riches authoritie and other vanities of this life whereof neuer man had yet one daies assurance and at our most need and when we least thinke quite forsake vs leauing euen them that most sought after them and most abounded in them shrowded oft times in the sheet of dishonor and shame That his death is otherwise by some reported I am not ignorant the Turkes saying that he died miraculously
beare authoritie and rule and are had in greater honour and reputation than the rest such as are the men of warre and courtlers but he is borne a Christian either of father or at the least of his grandfather auouch those onely to be Turks which liue in NATOLIA al of them either marchants or of base and mechanicall crafts or poore labourers with the spade and pickaxe and such like people vnfit for the warres the rest as I say holding it for a title of honour to be discended of Christian parents Yea the Grand Sign â—or himselfe although by the fathers side he bee come of progenitors such as were naturall Turks borne yet many of them had Christian mothers which they accounted in the greatest part of their nobilitie and honour Thus by the wisedome of Amurath was the order of the Ianizaries and other souldiours of the court greatly aduanced though not by him begun and the politicke state of the Turks kingdome to say the truth quite altered the naturall Turks more than the Sultan himselfe now bearing therein no sway but onely these new souldiours all of them discended from Christian parents and by adoption as it were become the sonnes of the Turkish Sultans and vnder them commanding all by whom they haue euer since managed their estate by their good seruice wonderfully euen to the astonishment of the world encreased and extended their empire But of them more shall be said hereafter This great king was whilest hee liued of his subjects woonderfully beloued and no lesse of them after his death lamented He was more faithfull of his word than any of the Turkish kings either before or after him by nature melancholie and sad and accounted rather politicke than valiant yet was indeed both a great dissembler and painefull in trauaile but wayward and testie aboue measure which many imputed vnto his great age He had issue sixe sonnes Achmetes Aladin Mahomet Hasan otherwise called Chasan Vrchan and Achmetes the younger of some called Calepinus three of whom died before him but the two youngest were by their vnnaturall brother Mahomet who succeeded him in the Turkish kingdome euen in their infancie in the beginning of his raigne most cruelly murthered FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Amurath the second Emperours Of the East Iohn Palaeologus 1421. 24. Constantinus Palaeologus 1444. 8. Of the West Sigismund king of Hungarie 1411. 28. Albert the second king of Hungarie and Bohemia 1438. 2. Frederick the third Archduke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henrie the fift 1413. 9. Henrie the sixt 1422. 39. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt 1381. 42. Charles the seuenth 1423. 38. Of Scotland Iames the first 1424. 13. Iames the second 1436. 29. Bishops of Rome Martin the V. 1417. 13. Eugenius the IIII. 1431. 16. Nicholas the V. 1447. 8. MAHOMET II. MAHOMETHES II COG MAGNVS TVRCARVM IMPERATOR PRIMVS FLORVIT AN o 1450 Qui vici innumeros populos tot regna tot vrbes Solus immensi qui timor orbis eram Me rapuit quae cunque rapit mors improba sed sum Virtute excelsa ductus ad astra tamen Maior Alexander non me fuit Annniball non Fuderit Ausonios tot licet ille duces Vici victores Dannos domuique feroces Caoniae populos Sauromatasquè truces Pannonius sensit quantum surgebat in armis Vis mea quae latio cognita nuper erat Arsacidae sensere manus has sensit Arahsquè Et mea sunt Persae cognita tela duci Mens fuerat bellare Rhodum superare superbam Italiam sed non fata dedere modum Hei mihi nam rapuit mors aspera quaequè sub alto Pectore condideram vertit hora breuis Sic hominum fastus pereunt sic stemata sicquè Imperium atquè aurum quicquid orbis habet In English thus I that so many nations townes and kingdomes haue brought low And haue alone dismaied the world and fild the earth with woe Am now by death which all deuoures brought downe from hie degree Yet doth the glorie of my name surmount the starrie skie The great king Alexanders fame the world no better fild Nor worthy Hannibal whose force so many Romans kild I vanquisht the victorious Greeks and tam'd with mightie hand The warlike people of EPIRE and fierce TARTARIA land My force in field HVNGARIA felt my greatnesse is there knowne Which of late time through ITALY to their great ruth is blowne Th'Assyrians felt my heauie hand so did th' Arabians wild The Persian king with all his force I driue out of the field I purposed to win the RHODES and ITALY t' vndoe If that the fatall destinies had granted leaue thereto But wo is me for grisly death hath brought all this to nought And in the twinckling of an eye is perisht all I thought So perisheth the pride of man his honour wealth and power His golde and whatsoeuer else it fadeth as a flower THE LIFE OF MAHOMET SECOND OF THAT NAME SEVENTH KING AND FIRST EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKS FOR HIS MANY VICTORIES SVRNAMED THE GREAT THe report of the death of old Amurath the late king was in short time blowne through most part of Christendome to the great joy of many but especially of the Greekes and other poore Christians which bordered vpon the tyrants kingdome who were now in hope together with the change of the Turkish king to make exchange also of their bad estate and fortune and the rather for that it was thought that his eldest sonne Mahomet after the death of his father would haue embraced the Christian religion being in his childhood instructed therein as was supposed by his mother the daughter of the prince of SERVIA a Christian. But vaine was this hope and the joy thereof but short as afterward by proofe appeared For Mahomet being about the age of one and twentie yeares succeeding his father in the kingdome in the yeare of our Lord 1450 embraced in shew the Mahometane religion abhorring the Christian but indeed making no great reckoning either of the one or of the other but as a meere Atheist deuoid of all religion and worshipping no other god but good fortune derided the simplicitie of all such as thought that God had any care or regard of worldly men or of their actions which gracelesse resolution so wrought in him that he thought all things lawfull that agreed with his lust and making conscience of nothing kept no league promise or oath longer than stood with his profit or pleasure Now in the Court men stood diuersly affected towards the present state the mightie Bassaes and others of great authoritie vnto whom the old kings gouernment was neuer greeuous inwardly lamented his death doubting least the fierce nature of the yong king should turne to the hurt of some of them in particular and the shortening of their authoritie in generall as indeed it shortly after fell out But the lustie gallants of the Court wearie of the
vnâ—o him his chiefe commaunders quickly told them what he would haue done Now in this short moment of time he was to doe many things at once the signall was to be giuen for the souldiours to mount their horses and to make themselues readie the order of his campe was to bee changed his battell to be ordered his souldiours to be encouraged and all his great ordinance as the case required quite contrarie way to be turned all which things as they could but hardly and troublesomely by one commaunder be directed so were they hastily and disorderedly at once done by many But aboue all other things the great concourse of people for turning and remouing the great artillerie most troubled the well ordering of the rest for many of them were hugâ—e yron pieces of great waight made fast in stocks of wood with rings and yron claspes after the old and rude manner of ship ordinance which for their exceeding ponderous waight could not be out of their places remoued but by the strength of many horses and the great labour of men with leauers and roules put vnder them and such as were mounted vpon carriages when they were drawne through all parts of the campe with the great clamor of the disordered and hastie people some drawing some thrusting forward the same with their tumultuous stirre and doings wonderfully troubled the other souldiors as they were mounting to horse and repairing toward their ensignes But two things maruellously helped these difficulties the soldiors cheerefulnesse and constancie which was such as passeth credit For they did not vpon any apprehension of feare faile either in hope or courage as oftentimes it happeneth in suddaine accidents wherein euen the old approued souldiors doe many times faile of their wonted valor And although they were twice ouercome in battell yet still they were of greater spirit confidence as men destitute neither of courage or skill but onely of fortune Wherefore Tomombeius hauing with much adoe ordered his battell and his souldiors with great cheerefulnesse desiring the signall to be giuen commaunded all the multitude of his Arabians to compasse in the wings of the enemies battell behind and so to skirmish with them that so if it were possible the Turkes horsemen might with the danger of the doubtfull fight with such an vncertaine enemie be disordered before he set forward to charge them with his troupes and withall commaunded his great ordinance which was now turned vpon the enemie to be presently discharged So did the Turks likewise discharging at once from a conuenient distance both their greater and smaller ordinance and speedily recharging them brought them within an arrow shot so that for a good space they lay beating the one the other on both sides with their great artillerie onely in which manner of fight the Aegyptian canoniers were almost all slaine and many of their fieldpieces broken by force of the enemies shot For Selymus had in his camp many excellent and skilfull canoniers whom he had with great entertainement allured out of ITALIE and GERMANIE and especially of those refuce Iewes which by the zeale of king Ferdinand being driuen out of SPAINE afterwards to the shame of the Christians dispersed those rare and deadly deuices through the East The cheefe of these canoniers was one Iacobus è Regio Lepidâ— a cunning enginer who but a little before ouercome by the Turks rewards abjuting the Christian religion reuolted vnto the Mahometane superstition But after that the Mamalukes had brought the matter to battell on both sides they gaue out a most hideous and dreadfull crie and with exceeding furie assailed the Turkes in three places for Selymus still keeping his wonted order approched his enemies with his battell in forme of an halfe Moone Mustapha Bassa had the leading of the Asian horsemen in the right wing and Ionuses Bassa of the Europeians in the left he himselfe stood in the maine battell with the squadron of his trustie Ianizaries and great store of artillerie but Sinan the Eunuch Bassa generall of the field led after him a great number of most valiant horsemen drawne out of euery troupe to be readie against all the vncertaine euents that might happen in the battell vnto whom hee joyned fiue hundred harquebusiers Ianizaries men of wonderfull courage and actiuitie selected out of Selymus his owne squadron to relieue such part of the armie as should chance to be most pressed by the enemie So almost at one time whilest Tomombeius stood in the maine battell against Selymus and the wings of the Mamalukes with equall battell encountred the wings of the Turkes and the Arabians also valiantly charging them in the rereward as they had in charge foure sharpe battels were at once made in diuers places It is reported by some that were present in that battell that what for the clamour and crie of souldiors what for the noise of drums and trumpets and such like instruments of warre what for the thundering of ordinance clattering of armour and rising of the dust all mens minds were so confounded and abashed that running on headlong as men furious and desperat when neither their speeches could be heard their tokens knowne their ensignes seene or captaines vnderstood mistaking one another in that hurly burly they slew many of their friends in steed of their enemies for neuer battels met together with greater hatred neither did euer two great kings with lesse care of their persons and safetie more resolutely or desperatly make shew of their strength and courage For both of them with like danger both of themselues and of their armies seeing plainly that they had put both their liues and kingdomes to the hazard of a battell promised vnto themselues no other hope of safetie but what they should obtaine by victorie Gazelles desirous both of honour and of reuenge to require the Europeian horsemen with like slaughter as he had before receiued from them not far from GAZA with wonderfull furie assailed Ionuses Bassa and at the first encounter brake his first rankes and ouerthrew certain of his guidons at which time the Arabians pressing couragiously in at their backes enforced those victorious troupes which in all battels had hitherto carried away the prise the very flower of THRACIA THESSALIA EPIRVS MACEDONIA and GRaeCIA to flie and shew their backes which neuer enemie had before that time seene At which time Siâ—â—n Bassa carefully attending euery accident came speedily in with his most valiant troupes of fresh men vpon the side of the enemie and restored againe the battell now declining and foulely disordered But whiles Sinan who in this his last worthie labour had interrupted the manifest victorie of Gazelles was with an inuincible courage valiantly fighting in the head of his battell he was by the comming in of the courageous captain Bidon with his Mamalukes ouercharged and slaine His most valiant followers also labouring to rescue and carrie away his dead bodie were by Gazelles vnfolding his troupes that standing
thing neuer before heard of that all GERMANIE should as it were with one consent be glad to take vp armes for their common safetie in defence of their honour and libertie especially against people brought out of the furthest parts of ASIA SYRIA and AEGYPT Beside the great number of Spaniards Italians and Burgundians the Bohemian campe lay not farre off strengthened with them of SILESIA and MORAVIA There were also some troupes of Polonian horsemen not sent thither by publike authoritie but seruing as voluntarie men king Sigismund winking thereat who as he was carefull not rashly to breake the league he had made with Solyman so least he should seeme carelesse of the Christian common cause by notable dissimulation left place for such of his subjects as would as if it had beene without his knowledge to shew their valour in the most honourable warre The Christian armie readie to receiue the enemie lay in a great field neere vnto VIENNA in this order Three great squadrons of pikemen standing one squadron a great way distant from another were so placed against the enemie with like and equall front that all the horsemen diuided into two parts might well be receiued into the great spaces betwixt the three squadrons for it was not thought conuenient to oppose so small a number of horsemen in open field without the footmen against almost three hundred thousand of the Turks horsemen The right wing of the horsemen was led by the emperour himselfe and the left by king Ferdinand Before and behind and on euerie side of the three squadrons of pikes sauing in those places which were left open for the horsemen about thirtie paces off were placed twentie thousand nimble harquebusiers ranged in length and but fiue in a ranke so that whilest the first discharged the second and after them the third and so the rest readily and orderly comming on might without let deliuer their bullets vpon their enemies neither was it thought any disaduantage to place them so thin for that if they found themselues by the enemies oppressed they might easily retire amongst the pikes standing fast at hand Before the harquebusiers was planted the great ordinance whereof the emperor had such store and so well placed that he could therwith as with a most sure trench haue compassed in his whole armie Only the Hungarians men well acquainted with the manner of the Turks fight chose to lie in the open field in two great wings vnder the leading of their two valiant captaines Valentinus and Paulus Many noble gentlemen beholding this goodly armie wept for joy conceiuing a most assured hope of victorie if the proud enemie durst with all his forces joyne in battell But Solyman who by all meanes sought with his great number of horsemen to keepe the wide and open fields certainly aduertised both of the emperors strength and the manner of his lying got him ouer the riuer of Mura and at MARPVRGE by bridges which he made on the sudden passed ouer the great riuer Dranus And so he which that Sommer held almost all the world in suspence with the doubtfull expectation of the successe of that war hauing with all that his huge power wherwith he threatned the world done nothing at all worth the remembrance but was in euerie place either ouercome or else shamefully repulsed left STIRIA returned the same way he came directly betwixt the riuers of Sauus and Dranus to BELGRADE and so to CONSTANTINOPLE leauing here and there some remembrance of his barbarous crueltie and still looking behind him if the emperour were not at his heeles at such time as a few Dalmatian and Croatian horsemen did still pursue the taile of his armie It is reported that he carried away with him thirtie thousand Christians into captiuitie besides many thousands of poore countrey people slaine by the mercilesse Turkes but especially by Cason and his followers and so to his eternall infamie was twise in the space of a few years driuen out of GERMANIE The emperour vnderstanding of Solymans departure determined with all speed to returne into ITALIE although king Ferdinand his brother most earnestly entreated him before his departure in so fit a time to employ those great forces against king Iohn who now as it were forsaken of Solyman might easily with so puissant an armie haue beene thrust not onely out of BVDA but also quite out of the kingdome of HVNGARIE wherein he was by Solyman as his vassall placed But the emperour for that Winter began now to approach and the plague was got into the campe yea euen into his court continued in his former purpose of departing into ITALIE yet yeelding so farre vnto his brothers request as to leaue behind him all the Italians who joyned with king Ferdinands owne forces were thought sufficient for the accomplishment of the Hungarian warre Ouer these Italians one Fabritius Maramaldus was by the meanes of Alphonsus Victius appointed Generall but no order taken for the paiment of their wages whereby the souldiours might be the more encouraged to take in hand that warre and also kept in obedience Which thing at the first much offended the minds of the other captaines thinking themselues disgraced by the preferment of Maramaldus a man of no greater account than themselues but as soone as it was knowne abroad the vnder captaines and officers of the bands led with the credit and fauour of their old captaines said plainly That they would not go into HVNGARIE except either king Ferdinand would in person himselfe go or else one of the great Commanders Vastius or Leâ—a were appointed for their Generall and the common souldiours said flatly that they would aske leaue to depart except they had three moneths pay which they knew well they should neuer get of that poore king alreadie brought vnto great wants Vastius to appease this mutinie trauelled greatly with his souldiours persuading them to remember the faith of souldiours and by their constant perseuerance to maintaine the honour they had got by their cheerfull comming telling them That valiant souldiours neuer wanted pay furnishing themselues by their victories with all things necessarie from the enemie And as for Maramaldus their Generall they had no just cause to mislike him being an old captaine of great experience for courage and pollicie not inferiour to any of the greatest Commanders and placed by the emperor his owne appointment as a man most sufficient whose judgement they ought not in any case to dislike When Vastius had with these and such like reasons well appeased the tumultuous souldiours and was gone out of the campe into VIENNA to take further order for the remedying of all difficulties night the nurse of sedition came on whose darkenesse excluding all modestie and feare gaue further scope and place vnto the mutinous souldiors insolencie By chance there was at that time brought out of the citie into the campe verie course hoarie moulded bread which some of the souldiours hauing bought and thrusting it vpon
as they were in any hope to haue ouertaken him Auria departing from NAPLES came to MESSANA where he certainly enformed of the enemies force both by sea and land with the number of their gallies and seeing that the chiefe hope of relieuing of the citie consisted in celeritie staied not for the gallies he expected out of SPAINE but held on his course towards GRaeCIA for it was told him that the enemies fleet daily encreased by the coÌ„ming in of the Turkish pirats and that Assem-beg otherwise called the Moore of ALEXANDRIA an arch pirat was still looked for in whose good directions the Turkish captaines reposed the greatest hope of their victorie When he was come as farre as ZACYNTHVS he was enformed by the Venetians That Luftibeius Bassa or rather Lutzis Bassa the Turks great Admirall and Solyman his brother in law with Solyman of ACARNANIA and the Moore men for their skill at sea of great fame and reputation lay before CORONE with eightie gallies manned with diuers companies of the old Ianizaries so that it was thought a matter of exceeding perill for him to aduenture to relieue the town except he tooke the aduantage of some prosperous gale of wind Wherfore Auria to haue yet more certaine knowledge of the enemies fleet sent before him Christopher Palauicine with one gallie againe to view the manner of the enemies lying who passing the promontorie of ACRITES saw all the Turkes great fleet lying in verie good order before the citie and so returned to AVRIA confirming that the Venetians had before reported and that the Turkes fleet was greatly encreased and lay readie as it should seeme to giue him battell as soone as he should approach the citie For all that Auria nothing dismaied with the greatnesse of the Turkes fleet made no stay but still kept on his course and with a faire gale of wind passing the promontorie of ACRITES came directly towards CORONE Two great Gallions of all the fleet the most waâ—like ships came formost whereof the one was Auria his owne which hee had built with a wonderfull charge and the other was of SICILIA These two great ships were appointed by Auria to turne a little vpon the left hand and at such time as the enemie should set forward from the shoare to cast anchor betwixt both the fleets that as occasion should serue they might as out of two strong castles beat the Turkes gallies with their great ordinance wherewith they were for that purpose wonderfully stored Next vnto these great Gallions followed the other warlike ships with full sailes after whom came the gallies in three squadrons whereof Saluiatus had the leading of the right wing which consisted of the bishop of ROMES gallies and them of MALTA in the left wing and neere vnto the enemie commaunded Antonius Auria and in the middle was Auria himselfe At the first sight of the Hungarian fleet the Turkes moued not from the shoare but discharged their ordinance at them a farre off and then begun to set forward and to draw neerer especially the Moore who with greater courage than the rest assailed the side and reareward of the fleet for the Christians keeping on their course right forth to CORONE and turning nothing to the left hand as was before appointed seemed as if they had fled and so much the more for that the gallies in the right wing for feare of the Turkes great ordinance did fet a great compasse farther off into the sea and many of the middle squadron and of the left wing also had disorderly thrust themselues in amongst the ships although they had receiued little or no harme of the enemies great shot In this confusion of the Christian Nauie the Moore requested Lutzis the Admirall not to let slip so faire an occasion wherein the Christian fleet might easily haue beene ouerthrowne but whilest Lutzis doth slowly and consideratly set forward Auria in the meane time had put his fleet againe in order and with a faire wind was come to CORONE Two of the ships by the way falling foule one on another staied behind being not able to keepe way with the rest about which all the Turks gallies presently flockt and tooke the lesser of them killing all the Spaniards they found therein Out of this they boorded the greater and with a bloudie fight had woon the forecastle and waste of the ship when Auria accounting it no small dishonour to haue his ships so surprised at his heeles caused all his gallies to turne againe vpon the enemie to rescue those ships The Turks seeing that and with the Westernly wind by little and little fallen down so farre with the ships that they were come within the danger of the shot of the towne began with great stir to forsake the ships and to betake themselues to their oares and so in manner of flight withdrew themselues Whom Auria pursued a good way to MODON thundring in their poupes with his great shot which hee liberally bestowed amongst them whilest in the meane time Antonius Auria came to rescue the two distressed ships There the Spaniards which but a little before had hardly maintained their close fights began now as men reuiued to shew themselues and couragiously to make resistance and they which came with Antonius Auria to their rescue entring with wonderfull celeritie on euerie side slew and tooke three hundred Ianizaries which with great courage had entred those ships and were there left by the sudden departure of their fellowes Amongst whom was taken one Iosuphius and old captaine of a thousand Ianizaries to whom Auria after he was come to CORONE gaue a faire sute of apparell and a chaine of gold and so set him at libertie without any raunsome thereby to prouoke the Turkes to the like kind of courteous dealing with the Christians Assam-beg the pirat and the other captaines of the Turkes fleet wonderfully blamed Lutzis the Admirall for that he would not then fight with the Christians when as he was thereto most earnestly requested both by the captaines and souldiours in generall and had a faire opportunitie of victorie offered at such time as the Christian fleet was disordered but he excused himselfe saying That it was giuen him in speciall charge from Solyman the emperour that he should in any case respect the safetie of his nauie and not to come to the hazard of a battell The Turks which besieged the citie by land vpon the approach of the Christian fleet forsooke their trenches fled at which time Mendoza the Gouernor sallying out tooke great store of victuall and warlike prouision which the Turks had for hast left behind them So Aurea to his great honour hauing driuen the Turkes from CORONE both by sea and land furnished the citie with store of corne wine victuall pouder and shot and committed the defence thereof to Macicaus and the companies of the mutinous Spaniards which he had brought from NAPLES comforting the Greekes and exhorting them patiently for a
prisoner by the Christians in PATRAS a citie of ACHAIA and by them honestly and courteously vsed was therefore euer after well affected toward the Christians He priuie to many of Mustaphaes designes by a certaine diuine motion thought he should not a little profit the Christians by reuolting vnto them wherefore he resolued to flie vnto the castle of S. Michaell Which thing when he had oftentimes attempted at length the first of Iuly he cast himselfe into the sea for by land he could no way escape and swum to the castle not without danger of his life for discouered by the Turks he was many times shot at both with their arrowes and small shot He brought to the Great master reuealed vnto him many of the enemies secrets and also aduised him what was to be done at the point of S. Michaels to frustrate the enemies purpose for the assailing of that place with many other things which were vnto the defendants no small helpe and afterwards as often as need was during the siege fought valiantly against the Turkes Whilest these things were in doing Codonellus sent as we haue before said into SICILIA came in safetie to MESSANA where he found the Christian fleet not yet readie to relieue the distressed Maltaeses for the Spanish ships were not yet come and Iohn Andreas Auria with eight and twentie ships was readie to returne to take in foure thousand footmen taken vp in ETRVâ—IA by Capinus Vitellius Which backwardnesse the knights of the Order considering and what danger was in delay after they had well debated the matter amongst themselues they resolued by the power of God by all meanes possible to helpe their brethren And for this expedition chose two most fit Generals of their owne fellowes the Commendors of MESSANA and BAROLI who forthwith went to Garzias the Viceroy declaring vnto him what things the sacred knights of their Order had done not for the king of SPAINE onely but for the Christian commonweale and also what great charge they had beene at the yeare before in the Pinionian expedition wherein they had neither spared ships victuall nor munition neither their owne liues to profit the king and the Christian commonweale Besides this they besought him well to consider that the losse of MALTA concerned not the sacred knights only but all ITALIE and especially SICILIA for the neerenesse of so troublesome and puissant an enemie For these and other like reasons which the shortnesse of the time suffred them not to rehearse they requested of him foure thousand footmen with whom all the knights of the Order which were there and many other noble and voluntarie men would make all possible speed to relieue the besieged which they had before in vaine attemped with which strength they were in good hope if not to repulse the enemie or to recouer that was alreadie lost yet at least to stop and stay his farther proceeding vntill such time as he hauing rigged vp and brought foorth all his fleet might set vpon the Turks and as was to be hoped vanquish disperse them But whilest the Viceroy hauing heard their request considereth what answere to make a messenger came vnto him from SPAINE but with what commaund from the king although men ghessed diuersly could not be knowne But vpon his comming the Viceroy gaue the knights this cold answere That he could not graunt what they requested for that in so doing he should disfurnish his fleet and not be able afterwards to relieue them as he desired but if it pleased them to transport the knights with part of the bishops souldiors into the island they might so doe with their owne two gallies they had alreadie whereunto he would also joyne another of his owne The knights when they could obtaine no more accepted of that which was offered Whilest these gallies are setting forward those foure gallies wherof we haue before spoken wherein were embarked fourescore knights and six hundred other souldiors hauing at sea suffered many troubles by the space of twentie daies could not as yet arriue at MALTA and because the Viceroy had commaunded That they should not land except they first knew whether the castle S. ELMO were still holden by the Christians they sent out a frigot to land promising that day and the next to tarrie in the sea for her returne In the meane time a great tempest suddenly arising it so fell out that the frigot could not at the appointed time returne wherefore the gallies which expected her comming fearing least she had beene either by tempest lost or by the enemie intercepted retired to POZALO a port vpon the coast of SICILIA neerest to MALTA there to expect some good newes where as soone as they had put in they vnderstood that S. ELMO was yet defended whereupon they put to sea againe with purpose to haue arriued at MALTA But when they were within two leagues of the place where they thought to haue landed they saw a fire there which caused them to mistrust that the place was possessed of the enemie and that he lay thereabout to intercept them wherefore they returned again to POZALO where now vnderstanding of the French knight come from MALTA that that fire was made by his commaundement as a signe that they might without feare haue come forward they with all speed made againe for the same place and at the length the nine and twentieth day of Iune about midnight landed at the Blacke Rockes on the South side of the island toward AFFRICKE and vnseene of any got in hast to the citie MELITA where they were joyfully receiued and there stayed to expect what the Great master should commaund In the meane time it fortuned a great foggie mist which seldome times there chanceth to arise so thicke that a man could hardly see for it at which time a boy of about twelue yeares old looking by chance out of a window in the castle of MELITA suddenly as one afraid cried out That he saw a Turke going from the citie to the castle of S. MICHAEL Which thing some of the knights hearing ran presently out that way and found a Greeke of the citie of MELITA who brought backe and examined for that without the Gouernours passe it was not lawfull for any man to go out of the citie confessed That his purpose was to haue aduertised the Turks of the comming of those souldiors that so they might haue intercepted them as they should haue come from MELITA to the Grand master for which treason he was as he had well deserued cut in foure peeces Three dayes after this new supplie come from SICILIA in the first watch of the night came all in safetie from MELITA to the Great master except two or three boyes who charged with armour and other baggage were not able to keepe way with the rest It is not to be told how much the besieged rejoyced at the comming of these their friends and especially Valetta who seeing the floure of
large for that were to write an historie but breefely and in few words Sultan Solyman the most mortall enemie of the Christian name and especially of our societie not contented to haue spoiled vs of the most famous island of the RHODES the castle of TRIPOLIS and almost whatsoeuer we had els commaunded a great and strong fleet to be made readie against vs which departing from CONSTANTINOPLE the one and twentith day of March arriued here the eighteenth day of May which fleet consisted of almost two hundred and fiftie gallies galliots and other ships The number of the enemie that beare armes according to the truth was about fortie thousand more or lesse Generall of the land forces was Mustapha Bassa and of the fleet Pial Bassa was Admirall who hauing spent a few daies in landing their forces viewing the places pitching their tents and setting things in order as the manner of warre is they began first to assaile the castle of S. Elmo scituat in the mouth of the hauen with great force and a most furious batterie Which when they had many daies done without intermission and had opened a great part of the wall and with all kind of weapons assaulted the breach yet was it by the valour and prowesse of our knights and other worthie souldiors kept and defended by the space of thirtie fiue daies with the great losse and slaughter of the enemie although the castle it selfe in the iudgement of many seemed not possible to be but a few daies defended against so great a force At length the foure and twentith day of Iune when our men could no longer indure the multitude and furie of the enemie enuironed and shut vp both by sea and land and destitute of all helpe the castle was taken by the Turkes those few of our men which were left being all slaine Of which victorie they being proud began to besiege the castle and towne of S. Michael and this new citie especially at the castle and Portingall bulwarke and as their manner is with great diligence and greater force and number of great artillerie and warlike engines they began in diuers places at once to batter and beat downe the wals Which siege the dreadfull armie of the Turkes both by sea and land made to be most fearfull and terrible with such huge great ordinance as the like for bignesse and force was in no place to be seene day and night thundring out their yron and stone shot fiue and seauen hands about wherewith not the thickest wals but euen the verie mountaines themselues might haue been beaten downe and ouerthrowne by furie whereof the wals in many places were so battered that a man might easily haue entred as on plaine ground Where when the barbarous enemies had with wonderfull force and hideous outcries oftentimes attempted to enter so often were they with great slaughter and dishonour repulsed and beaten baâ—ke many of their men being slaine or wounded Their Generals as well at sea as land after that they had in so many places with all their forces in almost foure moneths siege and assault with exceeding furie in vaine attempted the breaches and lost the greatest part of their old souldiors especially winter now comming on wherein all wars by law of nations ought to cease thought of nothing else but of departure or rather of flight which the comming of Garzias of TOLEDO Viceroy of SICILIA and Admirall of the king of SPAINE his fleet with ten thousand select souldiors amongst whom was at the least two hundred and fourteene of our knights and many other noble and valiant gentlemen which onely with a Christian zeale voluntarily met togither from diuers parts of the world to helpe and relieue vs caused them to hasten So haue you summarily and in few words the proceedings and flight of the Turkes fleet and the victorie by vs by the power of God thereof obtained It shall be your part to consider and coniecture in what state our Order and this island now standeth into what poore estate we are brought how many things we want wherein except we be relieued by the helpe and aid of our brethren especially such as you are as we well hope and assuredly beleeue we shall our state will quickly take end Fare you well from MALTA the ninth of October 1565. The Great master thus deliuered of so great a siege and bountifully relieued by the Christian princes and the great commenders of his Order speedily repaired the breaches and places battered and with new fortifications strengthened such places as he had by the late passed dangers perceiued to be most subject to the enemies force After the returne of the Turkes fleet to CONSTANTINOPLE Solyman being exceeding angrie with the Gouernour of the island of CHIOS his tributarie as well for that he had during the late siege of MALTA had intelligence with the Great master and reuealed vnto him many of the Turkes desseigns as also for detaining of two yeares tribute which was yearely ten thousand duckats and had also neglected to send his wonted presents to the great Bassaes who therefore the more incensed the tyrant commaunded Pial Bassa his Admirall to make readie his fleet and by force or pollicie to take that fruitfull and pleasant island wholly into his owne hand Who without delay with a fleet of eightie gallies the fifteenth day of Aprill in the yeare 1566 being then Easterday arriued at CHIOS The chiefe men of the island vpon sight of the fleet forthwith sent embassadours to the Bassa with presents courteously offering vnto him the hauen and whatsoeuer else he should require Pial with great kindnesse accepted their offer and presently possessed himselfe of the hauen in three places and afterward landing sent for the Gouernor of the citie twelue of the chiefe citisens to come vnto him as if he had had some speciall matter to conferre with him about from the great Sultan before his departure thence for MALTA or ITALIE Who hauing a little conferred togither went to him with great feare and that not without cause for as soone as they were come before him he commaunded them to be laid hold vpon and cast fast into yrons which done the souldiors forthwith tooke the towne hall and without resistance pulling downe the townes ensigne wherein was the picture of S. George with a red crosse in stead thereof set vp one of the Turkes the like whereof was done with the great rejoicing of the Turkes thorow the whole island After that they rifled the Churches and againe consecrated them after their Mahometane manner The Gouernour of the citie and the Senatours with their families the Bassa sent in fiue ships to CONSTANTINOPLE as for the vulgar people they were at choise either there to tarrie still or depart as best stood with their liking And so the Bassa when he had there placed a new Gouernour one of the Turks with a strong garrison and set vp the Mahometane superstition in that most fertile island departed
light vpon a companie of Italians who for a while fought desperatly but were in the end ouerthrown and slaine When he had thus cleared the wals and left such companies as he thought good in places conuenient for the keeping of them he came downe into the more open places of the citie and seeing them that were gathered together into the market place to haue cast themselues into a ring and to fight as men altogether desperat he caused certaine murthering pieces to be bent vpon them which they perceiuing layed downe their weapons and yeelded themselues vnto the mercie of the enemie By and by all the gates of the citie were strongly guarded by the enemie to the intent that no man should goe in or out Dandulus the Gouernour and Contarenus bishop of PAPHOS with the rest of the nobilitie and better sort of the citisens had got themselues into the towne hall and there stood vpon their guard vnto whom Mustaphaâ—ent â—ent word that hee would take them all to mercie if they would without further resistance yeeld themselues But whiles messengers run too and fro the Turks violently brake in vpon them and there slew them euery man After the death of these noblemen the cruell enemie spared none and hauing slaine such as they found abroad in the streets brake into the houses where they made hauocke of all things yong babes were violently taken out of the armes of their mothers virgins were shamefully rauished and honest matrones before their husbands faces dispightfully abused churches were spoyled and all places filled with mourning and dead bodies the streets were in all places stained with bloud for in the citie was slaine that day foureteene thousand eight hundred threescore and six persons Neither was there any end of the spoile vntill the greedie enemie had carried away all the wealth that long peace had heaped vp It is reported that the prey there taken amounted to twentie hundred thousand millions of duckats two hundred of the most goodly and beautifull youths were chosen out of purpose to be sent vnto CONSTANTINOPLE for a present for Selymus In the citie were taken also two hundred and fiftie pieces of great ordinance whereof some were by the enemie carried away and the rest left for defence of the citie Thus the famous citie of NICOSIA sometime the regall seat of the kings of CYPRVS fell into the hands of the Turks the ninth day of September in the yeare 1570 in whose power it still remaineth Mustapha hauing as he thought best disposed of all things in NICOSIA with the very terror of his name rather than by any force brought most part of the rest of the townes in the island vnder his obeisance and by faire entreatie and promise of good vsage brought backe againe vnto their wonted dwellings the rude countrey people who vpon the comming of the Turks were fled with all that they had into the mountaines them as men not to be feared he commaunded to till and sow their land as they were wont The citie of CYRENE is strongly situated not farre from the sea and was then well furnished of all things needfull for the enduring of a long siege Hither the Bassa sent one of his Sanzackes to summon the citie more to prooue the courage of the defendants than for any hope he had to haue the citie deliuered vnto him But Alphonsus Palacius then Gouernour of the citie terrified with the losse of NICOSIA no sooner saw the enemie but that without any further deliberation or force vsed against him he deliuered vp the towne vnto the Sanzacke couenanting only in reward of his cowardise That he might in safetie depart from thence with all his garrison souldiours which was easily graunted and the citie surrendered Not long after Mustapha leauing a thousand horsemen and three thousand foot in garrison in NICOSIA marched with the rest of his armie to besiege FAMAGVSTA And the more to terrifie them of the citie he by a poore countrey fellow whom he had for that purpose set at libertie sent vnto them in a basket the head of Nicholaus Dandulus late Gouernor of NICOSIA and at the same time sent before him diuers horsemen who vpon their horsemens staues carried the heads of many of the noblemen slaine at NICOSIA wherwith they rid as in triumph about the wals of the citie Which thing he did in hope that they of FAMAGVSTA terrified with such a spectacle and the late ouerthrow of NICOSIA would for feare of like miserie yeeld themselues But deceiued in this his expectation he encamped his armie about three miles from the citie Afterwards hauing taken view of the citie and well considered of the situation thereof he with wonderfull celeritie cast vp diuers mounts against the same and at the same time caused batterie to be layed against the great tower which defended the hauen he himselfe also in the mean while battering the gate that leadeth to AMATHVS But perceiuing by the desperat sallies of the defendants their great courage and that he was like to haue much more to doe in this siege than he had in the winning of NICOSIA and Winter also now drawing fast on being about the later end of September he thought it best betime to prouide that by lying there he hazarded not the honour he had with so much labour and danger before gained and the rather for that it was commonly reported that the Christian fleet was at hand wherefore he rise with his armie and retired himselfe further off into the countrey where he shortly after billitted his souldiors in the villages round about for that Winter The Bassaes at sea Haly and Piall lying before FAMAGVSTA doubting the comming of the Christian fleet which then lay at CRETE sent out six galliots to discouer the doings of the Christians who returning with certaine prisoners taken in the Island of CRETE declared vnto the Bassaes what they had learned concerning the Christian fleet and that it was alreadie vpon the way for CYPRVS Vpon which intelligence the Bassaes put their fleet in order of battell and set forward towards LIMISSO to haue met with the Christians who with a prosperous wind were comming betwixt the islands of CARPATHOS and the RHODES but there vnderstanding by their espials that NICOSIA was lost and that the Turks were come to besiege FAMAGVSTA they called a counsell of all the cheefe commaunders in the fleet to consult what were best to doe in so dangerous a case Columnius the Popes Admirall and then cheefe commander in the fleet with Zanius the Venetian Admirall were of opinion That it were best to hold on their course for CYPRVS and to relieue FAMAGVSTA for that it was like that the Turks proud of their late victorie were for desire of prey for most part gone ashore into the island and so left their fleet but slenderly manned Beside that they alleadged That the Venetian Senat had expressely decreed that they should giue the Turks battell
next day after to COLVERARIA commonly called DRAGONARIA oueragainst CERIGO Here Angelus Surianus a valiant gentleman sent before to discouer the enemie and what strength he was of returning vnto the fleet declared vnto the Admirall That the Turkes fleet consisting of an hundred and threescore gallies threescore galliots and foure great ships lay about MALVASIA in the entrance of the bay called SINVS ARGOLICVS vpon the borders of PELOPONESVS about fiftie miles off from the Christian fleet Shortly after the same fleet was againe discouered making for MALEA whereupon the Christians before resolued to fight wheresoeuer they should meet the enemie forthwith put themselues in order of battaile and so with their galleasses in the front made with what speed they could toward him These two fleets were thought for many respects almost equall the enemie was in number moe but inferiour in strength The Christian fleet by reason of the heauinesse of the galleasses made but small way and the enemie afraid of the great store of ordinance the galleasses carried durst not come neere them The Turks fleet was rather nimble than strong but ours more firme and forward Looke wherin each exceeded the other therwith they endeuoured to helpe themselues and annoy the enemie The Christians fearing to be circumuented by the multitude of their enemies opposed their ships and galleasses before them as a most sure fortresse and the Turke by how much he had had the worse successe the yeare before was so much the more carefull to beware how he endangered himselfe within the â—each of the galleasses The Christians desired nothing more than to fight to come to handy blows but the Turke who thought it sufficient for the present not to be ouercome sometime made away as fast as he could and by and by stayed againe if happily he might haue taken the gallies seperated from the gallies neuer seeming willing to aduenture further than reason and discretion were The enemie seeing the Christian fleet comming still on and readie to giue battaile first seemed as if he would haue done the like but afterwards turned his course vpon the right hand and kept aloofe alongst the coast of MALEA At which time the Christians although they were very desirous to haue followed them yet the Turks with their nimble fleet were quickly too farre gone for the Christian fleet to ouertake them especially with their heauie ships That day almost spent as it were in the chase of the enemie towards the going downe of the Sunne the enemie put into the current of the sea betwixt CERIGO and the Harts island in breadth about ten miles and there deuiding their fleet into three parts lay in good order as expecting the comming of the Christians with the prows of their gallies turned as if vpon the confidence of the place which they had filled ouerthwart they had purposed nothing more than to fight Yet both fleets seemed resolued the one not to fight without the galleasses the other not to come neare those hot ships from whom they had but the yeare before receiued so great harme And although the enemie as was afterwards knowne purposed nothing lesse than to fight but vpon great aduantage yet fearing by open flight to dishonour his lord and master and by graunting as it were of victorie to encrease the fame of the Christians the craftie pyrat made a great shew of that he least indeed purposed For pretending a great desire to fight he indeed deluded the Christians hope who although the wind had failed them yet in hope the enemie would abide them battell with much labour and rowing came so neere him that the great shot began to flie too and fro on both sides but when the matter should haue come to haue been tried by dint of sword then it plainely appeared what the enemie had indeed purposed for still keeping the prows of his gallies vpon the Christians hee by little and little shrunke backe and beside that the shaddow of the night began then to approch he caused all his great ordinance charged only with pouder to be shot off and so in the thicke of the smoke retired vnseene colouring his subtile departure also by certaine lights left in their cocke-boats making shew as if the whole fleet had still there stayed By this meanes the Turks with great celeritie escaped being also holpen in this that the Christians hindered by the heauinesse of the galleasses could not but faire and softly pursue them for these galleasses as they are vessels of great seruice so are they also heauie and vnweldie and not fit for chase The departure of the enemie at length known the Christians also vnwilling to fight by night returned to CERIGO Two dayes after the Turks stayed in the bay of TENARVS now called METAPAN and the Christians at CERIGO contented in that that the enemie was the cause that the battell was not fought and reckoning his warie and couert declining of battell as a secret confession of the victorie The third day after the Christians desirous of nothing more than to joyne in battell with the enemie in their former order set forward from CERIGO and sayling all the night were in the breake of the day descried from land by the Turkes whereupon Vluzales by shooting off of certaine warning pieces commanded all his men to goe abourd and to put themselues in readinesse for battell And now the Christians were not farre off when as the Turkes least declining of battell might reprooue them of feare came out of the hauen with their fleet deuided into three battels whereof the left wing was extended a great way into the sea the right wing still keeping neere vnto the maine and in the middle battell was Vluzales himselfe who came all on no faster than the tide draue them staying their course oft times of purpose to haue drawne the gallies of the Christians from the galeasses and ships Vluzales seeing his fleet thus in order and fearing nothing more than the galeasses commaunded both the wings of his fleet hauing in each of them fourescore gallies to fetch a great compasse about the one on the right hand and the other on the left aloofe off from the galleasses and so to assaile the wings of the Christians on the sides or behind in hope so to haue disordered their battell and without danger to haue drawne the gallies from the galleasses and the other heauie ships Which their intent the Christians perceiuing in their wings turned about their gallies also in manner of the new Moone their maine battell still facing the middle battell of the Turks The wings of the Turks fleet thus farre seperated from the middle battell seemed to present vnto the Christians a great aduantage which Fuscarinus intentiue to all the offers of good fortune quickly perceiuing and calling vnto Columnius and Lilly and shewing them the enemies maine battell at hand and the wings gone a great way off requested and persuaded them That not
making too much hast and seeming too desirous of peace much hurt the common cause of the Venetians which he most desired to haue furthered Selymus hauing found him resolued with Muhamet the great Bassa what he would haue done who at such time as the same embassador came vnto him about the matter told him That he had himselfe many times mooued yea and so farre forth as he might importuned his great lord and master for peace but could neuer find him willing to heare thereof vntill that now at length ouercome and wearied with the continuall sollicitation of such as might doe most with him he had yeelded thereunto So the thing that Selymus himselfe vndoubtedly desired that the craftie Bassa seemed him with much difficultie to graunt rather vpon the instance and contemplation of them that laboured for the same than for any desire he had thereunto of himselfe For certaine dayes at the first the French embassadour was most courteously heard and the Bassa with faire and cunning speech promised that the matter of pacification should easily and in short time be composed and so at their first conferences things passed rather in generall tearmes than that any conditions of peace were particularly agreed vpon onely this was on both parties consented vnto That the Venetians should send their embassadour of purpose for the full concluding and confirming of the desired peace Which chargâ—â—as by the Senat committed to Iacobus Superantius in whose wisdome and valour they had reposed great hope and confidence He was no sooner come to CONSTANTINOPLE and the Turks deliuered of the feare of the Christian sword by the dissolution of the confederation but that all things were changed and the Venetians glad perforce to endure the proud lookes of the Turkes their disdainefull eares their despightfull speeches their long and insolent attendance with many other shamefull indignities Yea the Bassa was so shamelesse as proudly to aske them How they durst be so bold as to impugne the great emperour Selymus his fleet at sea Whereunto the embassadour answered That the Venetians had alwayes honoured the majestie of the Turkish emperours neither had at any time taken vp armes against them but in their owne reasonable defence when force was by force to be repulsed a thing lawfull euen for the wild beasts in the wide wildernesse to doe At the first entreatie of the peace the Bassa seemed to put the Venetian embassadour in good hope that the Venetians according to his request should enjoy their territories in DALMATIA in as ample manner as in former times and bounded with the same bounds whereof they had in these warres lost some part about IADERA But when the matter should haue come to the shutting vp the Turke began to shrinke from that he had before promised refusing not onely the restitution of the territorie they had indeed by treason got but by cautelous expositions of his meaning framing the conclusion of the present peace vnto the forme of their former leagues required That as the Turks had then yeelded vnto them MALVASIA and NAVPLIVS so now they should redeliuer vnto them other two places of like worth and importance As for not restoring the territorie they had taken about IADERA to colour their deceit they pretended That they might not by their law restore vnto the Christians any towne or place wherein were any church or temple dedicated or conuerted vnto the Mahometane religion as was there and further That the same territorie was alreadie giuen by Selymus in reward to his souldiours men of desert from whom without great injurie it might not be againe taken Hereupon the French embassadour complained That promises were not performed the Venetians so fietted that they were euen about to haue returned as men shamefully deluded without concluding of any thing Yet when no better could be obtained the Turke still standing vpon so hard tearmes the embassadours by the appointment of the Senat concluded a peace with the Turke whereof these were the cheefe capitulations first That the Venetians should giue vnto Selymus three hundred thousand duckats one hundred to be presently payed and the other two hundred by equall portions in two years next following then That the marchants goods should be indifferently on both sides restored and lastly That such places of the Venetians as the Turke was alreadie possessed of should still remaine vnto the Turkes but that such townes or places as the Venetians had taken in the Turkes dominion should be againe forthwith restored For the first payment of the money the Turke was earnest thereby as by a fine for an offence committed to make this league vnto him more honourable This peace at CONSTANTINOPLE concluded the eleuenth day of Februarie in the yeare 1574 was by the decree of the Senat confirmed and afterwards the thirteenth of Aprill following solemnely proclaimed in VENICE to the great wonder of the other confederates For the better satisfying of whom the Popes Nuntio with the embassadour of SPAINE were sent for into the Senat house And although there were many things that grieued the Venetians yet did they forbeare all hard speeches and of that their moderation receiued so much the more honour as it is more difficultie for an angrie man to ouercome himselfe than others The duke with calme and temperate speech framed to the purpose declared vnto them That anger and hope two euill counsellors being set apart he had concluded a peace with the Turke not for that he was desirous of the Turkes friendship which what account it was to be made of he right well knew but for the loue he bare to the State which was not only with losse but euen with death it selfe to be maintained How he had beene spoyled of the kingdome of CYPRVS he further declared and that the Venetian state grew euery day weaker and weaker by the continuall war and that therefore before it were by losse vpon losse come to the vttermost of extremitie they not able to maintaine so heauie a warre were to take some better course for the preseruation of that which was yet alreadie left of their Seigniorie for that the safetie of the Venetian state should at all times be a sure fortresse and defence for the Christian commonweale against all the furious attempts of the enemie and vncertaine euents of time The fame of this sudden and vnexpected peace was for the just and common hatred of the Christians against the Turkes generally euill taken and the Venetians for the concluding thereof hardly spoken of as if they had betrayed the whole Christian commonweale or at leastwise their confederats For men were for the most part of opinion That the Turkes peace would be but fained and deceitfull and that hauing gained time to set things in order according to his desire he would for the naturall grudge he bare vnto the Christians come to his old course and as he had alwayes done breake the league and take vp armes Some said
of the Turkes should be sent thither for the more assurance of the conquest thereof alreadie begun and for the succour of the fortresse at TEFLIS which must needs otherwise fall againe into the hands of the Georgians This matter so troubled the Persian king as that he seemed to haue bent his whole counsels and thoughts thereupon when Simon a Georgian a famous captaine sometime prisoner with Ismahel the late king at CAHACA and by the familiaritie he had with him seduced from the Christian faith for defence whereof he had in the time of king Tamas chosen to liue depriued of his libertie and state thinking it now a fit time to obtaine at the kings hand such helpe as he had long desired for the recouerie of his dominion vsurped by Dauid otherwise called Daut Chan his yonger brother who for the obtaining thereof of king Tamas had voluntarily renounced his Christian religion offered now vnto the king his faithfull seruice for the defence of that part of the Georgian countrey wherein TEFLIS stood being in right part of his owne inheritance against the Turkes reprouing by way of disgrace his yonger brother of cowardise and promising the performance of great matters in himselfe both for the defence of that euill defended countrey and further annoying of the enemie With great contentment did the Persian king consent to the request of Simon and named him Chan of all that kingdome which he possessed before whilest he was a Christian and sent with him Aliculi Chan into GEORGIA with fiue thousand horsemen and certaine pieces of artillerie taken at ERE 's when Caitas Bassa was slaine Simon afterwards comming to GEORGIA was joifully receiued of his countreymen and there pressed about three thousand souldiors of his own and of his neighbours excusing himselfe that he was become a Persian not because he preferred the Mahometane superstition before the Christian religion but only so to be deliuered from his long imprisonment by that means to maintaine his estate And in this order were the affaires of GEORGIA assured and strengthned in best manner that might then be Now began the Spring to approach and euerie man prepared himselfe to the discontinued trauels of the wars begun and now were met togither at ERZIRVM out of all the wonted prouinces all the Turkes forces with all things necessarie for the intended warre With this armie in all things equall with the first Mustapha set forward and in twelue daies came to CHARS not perceiuing in his souldiors any signe of discontentment at all And for as much as here they were to stay and to fortifie both with wals and ditches that ruinated citie and that with as great speed as was possible there was no remedie but that beside the pioners enginers that were brought for that purpose many of the Spaoglani yea and of the Ianizaries also must be set to worke Whereupon they all suddenly in a tumult began with bitter protestations to tell the Generall That their stipends wherewith it pleased the Sultan to fauour them were not bestowed vpon them to employ their forces and vertues in such seruile workes but onely with their swords and other weapons to exercise that force and hardinesse for which they were esteemed worthie of that honour Whereunto the Generall answered in most haughtie tearmes and not yeelding one jot to their inciuilitie but vsing all meanes of authoritie and terror brought them to worke so much as he desired So that within the space of twentie three daies the towers and wals were erected the ditches digged the artillerie orderly planted vpon the wals and the water brought round about it Many inconueniences happened in the armie while they were busie in this worke and namely vpon the 25 day of August when they had almost euen finished the whole building the souldiors endured a most sudden cold by reason of the snow that then fell in great aboundance CHARS thus fortified the Generall resolued to send succours into GEORGIA to TEFLIS without which it was most certaine that that fortresse would be yeelded to the Georgians but in what sort to relieue it he remained doubtfull To send part of his armie with some valiant captaine seemed dangerous and to go himselfe with all his forces would sound as he thought to his discredit with his great lord and master whom he had alreadie made beleeue that he had subdued all the Georgians and brought all that prouince to his obedience and deuotion In this ambiguitie the desire he had to preserue his credit with Amurath preuailed and so he made choise of Hassan Bassa of DAMASCO sonne to Muhamet principall Visier of the court a gallant gentleman and of great valour to whom he deliuered betweene eighteene and twentie thousand souldiors joining vnto him one Resuan captaine of certaine aduenturers that voluntarily offered themselues to follow the forces of Hassan assigning vnto him likewise fortie thousand duckats and many loads of meale rise and barley with other things necessarie both for diet and war and so sent him away for TEFLIS Hassan with this charge set forward fully resolued to put these succours into TEFLIS or to lose all and at length came to the famous strait of TOMANIS where the ouergrowne woods on the one side with the deepe vallies and craggie rocks on the other would astonish a right constant beholder When vpon the sudden the Persians and the Georgians vnder the conduct of Aliculi Chan and Simon at vnawares set vpon the Turkes and joyned battell with them For these two valiant captaines remaining for the most part in the borders of TEFLIS and TOMANIS with eight thousand souldiors waiting for some opportunitie to annoy either them of the fort of TEFLIS or else such as should come to their succours vnderstanding by their espials of the comming of Hassan with this aid had scattered themselues all alongst the said strait in hope there to assaile the Turks and holpen by the aduantage of the place to driue them headlong into the deepe valley and at once to bereaue them both of their goods and life But Hassan carefull of nothing more than how to auoid that danger chose rather to make his journey through the thicke woods and so as he might to escape the ambush that the enemie might lay for him vpon that straight passage And so entring with his armie into the wood which he was to haue left vpon his left hand to discouer what might be plotted against him he was hardly charged by the enemie and constrained to fight with a thousand windings and turnings in and out through a thousand crooked paths and doubtfull cranks in a most confused medley with great slaughter of his men who not accustomed to this kind of fight nor acquainted with the situation of the place were in the skirmish driuen so farre that downe they fell and being not able to recouer themselues were presently slaine And thus with much adoe he at length passed the strait
desirous of new conquests and to encrease his name accounting it no lesse honour vnto himselfe by his seruants at his appointment to performe great things than it was vnto his auncestours to doe that they did themselues in person But in this so serious a matter and of so great consequence Amurath at the first could not tell what best to resolue vpon not for that he was not desirous of warres but because he as yet certainely knew not against whom he might with greatest profit and lesse difficultie and danger conuert his forces vpon which point his counsellors agreed not but for diuers reasons were of diuers opinions Which for as much as they containe matters of greatest importance of all things then in the world done but especially concerning the profit of the Christian commonweale I shall not thinke it vnworth my labour to set them downe in such order as I find them credibly reported hauing moreouer in them many secrets and most weightie matters not yet come to all mens knowledge as also opening the deuices of the Turkish tyrant against the Christian princes a motiue not onely for them to joyne in counsell together how to withstand him but for the common Christian commonweales sake to forget forgiue all their priuat displeasures and with their vnited forces and power honorably and couragiously to make warre vpon him and so at length by the mercie of God to ouerthrow him together with his tyrannicall empire the greatest terrour of our time The great Bassaes concerning the intended warre were of eight sundrie opinions whereof the first was That the warres against the Persian should be renewed the second for the inuasion of the king of MOROCCO and FES the third for warre to be taken in hand against the king of SPAINE the fourth for the besieging againe of MALTA the fifth was to set vpon the Venetians the sixt for the inuading of some part of ITALIE the seuenth for the king of POLONIA the eight and last was for warre to be made vpon the emperour and the kingdome of HVNGARIE With all the which aforesaid princes except the Spaniard although the Turke were then in league and could not with all or any of them make warre without the notable breach of his faith and honour yet was that neuer made question or scruple of but only Which might best stand with the profit of his state for him to set vpon his barbarous law allowing him that libertie for the more assuring of his state or inlarging of his empire to breake all faith and promise especially with the Christians not more in any thing to be pitied than in reposing any credit or confidence in the faith of such a miscreant The reasons the great Bassaes alleadged for the renewing of the Persian warre were For that the Persian king was of himselfe like to breake the league so lately with him concluded so soone as he should know the Turkes entangled in any other warre moued thereunto as well for the recouerie of his countrey to his great dishonour lost as also in reuenge of so many and so great injuries to him of late done by the Turkish emperours Beside that the Christian princes would persuade him and pricke him forward thereunto especially the Spaniard who for the neerenesse of INDIA might without his great charge procure him so to doe and also conueniently furnish him with great ordinance and canoniers which it was well knowne he of late did The countries also but lately conquered were not yet as they said in quietnesse or safetie and the fortresses therein but of late built togither with the garrisons therein to be in great danger being for the length of the way and difficultie of the passage not to be still speedily relieued insomuch that if the Persians did them no other harme but onely to forrage and wast the countrey about them they should bring the inhabitants into such distresse as that those new conquered countries were againe by the defendants to be forsaken or else they must themselues with hunger perish True glorie they said consisted not so much in conquering as in the vse of the conquest and the prosecution of the happie victorie and that therefore Amurath should take heed that he prouoked not the wrath and indignation of the Great prophet Mahomet against him who hauing by his good fauour and guide obtained mo victories than any of his predecessours against the enemies of his religion ought as a religious and deuout prince seuerely to reuenge the wrong by them done both to God and man Vnto which religious warre Vsbeg Han the Tartar king as also the prince of Gâ—ILAN offered their readie helpe as for the euent of the victorie now as good as in his hand he was to judge by the successe of his former warres Neither that he need to feare the Persian horsemen although they vsed Arabian horses being by his men many times shamefully put to flight or yet to doubt least the Georgians in fauour of the Persians should take vp armes for that many of them were alreadie vnder his obeisance and subject vnto the Bassa of TEFLIS and other his commaunders the rest were his vassals or else such as following the fortune of their princes Simon and Alexander sought after no greater matter but contenting themselues with their own countrey although but small thought themselues well if they might keepe and defend the same by nature and situation so strong as that there is scarce any way into it by reason of the high and broken mountaines the thicke woods and strait passages The second opinion which was deliuered was for the transportation of his warres into AFFRICKE against the king of MOROCCO commonly called the Seriphe and that for these causes most It would be a great shame and reproach as they said vnto the Othoman empire that it was not yet able to subdue these Moores and people of AFFRICKE in number but few neither was it lesse shame or dishonour vnto the Othoman emperours to haue so small a territorie in AFRICA being the third part of the world which by reason of the neerenesse vnto ITALIE had long time held wars with the Romans Beside that ALGIERS and TVNES could neuer be safely kept by the Turkes neither that the subjects and pyrats which inhabited those cities would euer be content or at quiet vntill they had againe got that kingdome into their hands The promontorie of AGVERO and port of LARACE two ports without the straits were as they said to be taken as places verie commodious for the Turks friends seeking in those seas after bootie and for the securing of their trade And although the Seriphe were himselfe a Mahometane and held his kingdome as a tributarie vnto the Othoman empire yet had he secret intelligence with the Spaniard and the knights of MALTA whereby they not long since had vpon the sudden almost surprised TRIPOLIS he in the meane time as it were winking thereat And that although
to haue prosecuted this so happie a course of victorie but such was the foulenesse of the winter weather that he could not trauell with his great artillerie without which no great matter was to be done against the enemie still keeping himselfe in his strong holds And his armie in that wasted and forsaken countrey began now to feele the want of victuals so that many had withdrawne themselues out of the armie vnto their owne dwelling places At the same time also the lord Palfi going to DREGEL and PALANKA and finding them forsaken by the enemie furnished both places with garrisons of his owne men Certaine other strong places were also this moneth recouered from the Turkes as AINACKE SOLLOCKE WETSKE and others and so much territorie gained by the Christians as was in circuit thought equall with the lower AVSTRIA The joyfull newes of the aforesaid victories with the recouerie of so much of the countrey and so many strong townes and castles made great rejoycing both at VIENNA and PRAGE for which cause publike praiers with thankesgiuing to almightie God were made in both places with many other tokens of joy and triumph both there and in diuers other places of the empire Yet were not the dead bodies of the Turkes slaine at ALBA REGALIS buried whereof rise such a loathsome and noysome smell thereabout that no man could abide to come nigh the place to the great trouble of the inhabitants round about At length certaine Turks out of BVDA and ALBA REGALIS to the number of 350 met togither to haue buried those loathsome carkases vpon whom it chanced a captaine of the Hussars to light with his horsemen who fiercely assailing them left most of them there dead for others to burie and carried away the rest prisoners The Bassa of BVDA had caused Murat Sanzacke of PALOTTA to be strangled for that he suspected him to haue had intelligence with the Christians in whose roume he placed another who comming with 600 Turkes to take possession of his preferment was by the way set vpon by Peter le Hussar with the garrison souldiors of PAPPA and THVRN and slaine with most part of his followers Fiue and thirtie of them were taken aliue with all the Sanzackes rich furniture To end this yeare withall the Turks in garrison at PETRINIA SISEG CASTROVVITZ and other places thereabours met togither in number about 300 who the 19 of December passing ouer the riuer Sauus began to spoile the frontiers of those countries But before they were gone farre they were so encountred by the lord Graswin and the borderers thereabout that 500 of them were left dead vpon the ground diuers of good account taken prisoners and almost all the rest drowned in the riuer so that of all them that came ouer few escaped with life In the latter end of this moneth great numbers of souldiors were taken vp in SAXONIE and other places of GERMANIE whereof some were sent to PRAGE and some to VIENNA in AVSTRIA and in HVNGARIE the Christians encreased their strength with new supplies In AVSTRIA also a new armie was raised and two and twentie great pieces of artillerie sent downe the riuer of Danubius to COMARA and new preparation made in euerie place for the next yeares wars Amurath the Turkish emperour going out of the citie to CONSTANTINOPLE the 11 of Ianuarie to muster the armie he had prepared against the Christians for this yeare was suddenly ouertaken with such a tempest of wind and raine that it ouerthrew his tents his chariots yea his horses and men had much adoe to withstand it Wherewith he being as with an ominous prodigie exceedingly troubled returned with his armie into the citie and oppressed with melancholy cast himselfe downe vpon his bed as a man halfe sicke Where falling asleepe hee dreamed that he saw a man of an exceeding stature standing with one of his feet vpon the tower of CONSTANTINOPLE and the other ouer the strait in ASIA who stretching out his armes held the Sunne in one of his armes and the Moone in the other whom whiles he wondred at the monster with his foot strucke the tower which forthwith fell downe and in falling ouerthrew the great temple with the imperiall pallace Amurath awaked as he thought with the noise and much troubled with the dreame for the Turks are in such vanities verie superstitious sent for all his wisards and interpreters of dreames to know the meaning of this his so strange or rather so melancholy a dreame Who hypocritically answered him That forasmuch as he had not with all his force as a tempest impugned the Christians their great Prophet Mahomet threatned by that dreame to ouerthrow the tower the temple and the imperiall pallace that is to say the religion and empire of the Turks Which vaine and fained interpretation so much moued the superstitious tyrant that he swore from thenceforth to turne all his forces vpon the Christians and not to giue ouer warre vntill he had done what he might to subdue them This the Turks dreame with the interpretation thereof and the solemne vow he had made for the destruction of the Christians was publikely read in the Churches of TRANSYLVANIA and many godly exhortations made vnto the people to moue them by prayer and all other good meanes to auert that so threatned thraldome Of the rich spoile taken from the Turks in the late victorie neere vnto ALBA REGALIS the Christian captaines made a present for the emperour and the archduke Matthias his brother which they sent by the lords Gall and Brun and was by them presented vnto the emperour and his brother the 11 of Ianuarie at VIENNA in order as followeth First went the master of the ordinance of RAB on both sides attended vpon with the other officers of the artillerie after them were drawne thirtie great pieces of ordinance taken in that battell After these pieces followed three Turkish horses with rich saddles and furniture studded with gold the stirrups and bridles being of siluer guilt and most curiously wrought after them were carried two and twentie of the Turkes ensignes three of them verie rich and the other right faire Then followed the two embassadours aforesaid with each of them a guilt mase in his hand such as the Turkes Bassaes vse to carrie after them were brought many instruments of war guilt scimitars gleaues bowes and arrowes targets and ten of the Ianizaries drums Two of the aforesaid horses were presented to the emperour and the third to the archduke The field pieces brought to the castle gate and orderly placed vpon the plaine were all at such time as the rest of the Present entred the castle forthwith by the cannoniers discharged and there for certaine daies left vpon the plaine for the people to feed their eies vpon The embassadours discharged of their Present and rewarded by the emperour with chaines of gold and other gifts returned againe vnto the campe Notwithstanding that it was now deepe
120 horse arriued at KOMARA where they were all joyfully receiued and the gates after they were entred againe fast shut and so kept for feare of the enemies secret spies of whom no man can be too warâ—e be he neuer so wise Now whilest these soldiors were refreshing themselues in the mean time the Gouernour with the lord Palfi discoursed to the full concerning the entended enterprise which resolued vpon they found themselues vpon the view of their men to haue two thousand six hundred foot of the garrison souldiors and three hundred horse all good and couragious men and well appointed for the entended seruice who there staying two daies after their comming and many of them in the meane time after the manner of their religion confessing themselues and receiuing the sacrament were become so couragious as that they doubted not in the quarrell of the Christian Religion to encounter a farre greater number of the Turks than themselues And the more to stirre them vp the lord Palfi at the same time deliuered vnto them a notable speech not for all that telling them whither they were to go but that they were his Christian soldiors and brethren vnder his leading both of long and late time who neuer by him deceiued of their wonted pay at such time as it was due would not now as he hoped forsake him And albeit that he well knew them to haue deserued at his hands a greater contentment neuerthelesse being himselfe depriued of his reuenue by these late warres and his possessions euerie houre subject vnto the incursions of the Turks could not therefore according to his desire and their deserts shew vnto them the great good will he bare them Yet that now and euen presently was come the time wherein they might not only aboundandly enrich themselues but also adorne their heads with an immortall crowne of glorie and make themselues for euer famous by performing the most happie and glorious exploit that euer was by valorous souldiors attempted or atchieued in that part of the world And to the intent that they all might know how deerely he accounted of the life and honour of euerie one of them he would therefore himselfe with the lord Swartzenburg of whom proceeded all that faire deuise and new stratageme be present with them in the action and that therefore they were not to thinke that they were led forth to any priuat danger farther than their commaunders themselues whose folly were to be accounted great if rashly and vpon no good ground they should aduenture their liues and honours togither wherof they ought not now to doubt hauing by a thousand proofs knowne how much they had been of them alwaies regarded And that therefore it behoued them so much the more to shew their valour in this peece of seruice vndertaken for the great benefit of the Christian common weale and the honour of Christ Iesu vnto whom they were with one accord to make their prayers with his mightie hand to strengthen their hearts and with glorious victorie to bring to happie end the intended exploit against his enemies to the honour of his name and the aduancement of the Christian religion and faith At the end of which speech all the souldiors cried aloud That they were most readie to do any their commaunds and to follow them whither soeuer So order was taken that within three houres they should euerie man be prest and readie with their armes according to their places and so hauing well refreshed themselues about eleuen a clocke the seuen and twentith day of March they in good order began to set forwards toward RAB But for that the multitude of souldiors oftentimes giueth the enemie warning of that is intended against him Palfi gaue order to one Iohn Stroine his Sergiant maior to follow faire and softly after him with 1700 horse and foot which he well performed And so vpon the breake of the day they began to draw towards RAB and there lay close in ambush all that day vntill night about seuen miles short of the towne refreshing themselues in the meane time with plentie of victuals which they had brought with them from KOMARA Night the fauourer of deceit being come in two houres march they began to draw neere to RAB and there staied about fiue houres from whence they sent before them a French enginer a man of great judgement with thirteene others before rewarded with 1500 duckats hauing with them foure Petardes engines of force to blow vp into the ayre any thing whereunto they be fastened be it neuer so great or waightie where by good chance they found the draw-bridge down and the portculleis vp for that the Turkes then casting no perill expected euerie houre for certaine wagons with prouision from ALBA REGALIS By which good hap the Christians vnperceiued comming to the gate and therunto fastening their Petardes in good order gaue fire to the same which presently tooke not hold yet were they not farre gone but that they were by a Sentinell descried who demaunding what they were was presently answered by the violent engines which in a trice tore in sunder the gate with some part of the wall and of the fortifications neere vnto it When now the watch but all too late began to giue the alarum and the Christians in the foreward thrusting presently in tooke the gate none of the Turkes yet comming to the defence thereof or to hinder them from entring The first that appeared were two hundred Turkes which with their wonted crie Alla Alla in such hideous manner as if they would therewith haue rent the heauens would haue staied the Christians from farther entring but were themselues ouercharged by three hundred which were alreadie entred At which time also the Bassa came on with more than a thousand following him and that with such courage and furie as was neuer greater to be seene in any Turke where after a most terrible fight maintained by the space of two houres the Bassa himselfe being slaine the Turks began a little to retire whereby a thousand Christians mo had leisure to enter when strait waies after came Giaffar the great Bassa with aboue a thousand tall souldiors following him all the inhabitants also of RAB running after him and that with such force that they constrained the Christians to retire vnto the gate wherby they entred Who resolued rather honorably to die within the towne than with dishonour to be forced out there with incredible courage sustained the greatest impression of the furious enemie where was to be seene the true Christian valour for the performance of so great an exploit well worthie of eternall memorie But this Bassa also the other being dead of a wound in his necke encountred by the lord Swartzenburg after he had in that sharpe conflict shewed great tokens of his valour was there at length slaine also both whose heads strucke off were for a present afterwards sent to the emperour at PRAGE with all the particularities
Turks horsemen and harquebusiers at the same instant issuing out and with their multitude ouercharging the Imperials constrained them of force to retire in which retreat Countie Maximilian Martinengo one of these aduenturers doing what hee might both with his valour and direction to haue stayed the disordered retreat of the Christians was with many others slaine wherewith the rest discouraged tooke their refuge towards the citie Which they of the garrison beholding sent out certaine companies to relieue them by whose comming out the furie of the Turkes was not onely repressed but they also euen vnto their trenches againe repulsed Shortly after which hot skirmishes the lord Russworm with the other Christian captaines on the other side of the riuer hauing with continuall batterie made such a breach into the castle as that the same seemed to be now saultable in good order came on with certaine companies of their footmen appointed for that seruice and so couragiously assailed the breach where the Turkes who before had expected this assault hauing in best sort they could repaired the breach and on both sides thereof placed diuers murthering pieces with great store of dangerous fire-workes at such time as the first companies of the Christians sought couragiously to haue entered the breach ouerwhelmed them with that deadly fire and so rent them with their murthering shot that they no faster entered but that they were forthwith cut off and slaine with the sight whereof they which were appointed to second them nothing discouraged but seeking desperatly to haue entered and with the taking of the castle and slaughter of the Turkes to haue required the death of their fellowes were themselues in like sort welcommed So that now a thousand of them being lost the captaines considering how much the losse of so many braue souldiors concerned the whole enterprise taken in hand and that the breach could not be gained without the losse of the greatest part of them they caused a retreat to be sounded and so the assault for that time to be giuen ouer But long it was not that the Visier Bassa thus retired as aforesaid had lien before PESTH but that by reason of his so sudden returne great wants began to arise in his campe his souldiors for want of food being glad to eat their dead horses a pound of bread being sold for two Hungarian duckats and a bushell of oates for fiue and yet hardly so to bee gotten which wants in that so wasted a countrey still more and more encreasing and many of his souldiours secretly stealing away from him he had much adoe by all the meanes he could vse to persuade them there to stay eight dayes longer Which time expired and nothing more done than some few weake attempts giuen and some light skirmishes made rather for fashions sake than for any hope of preuailing and the want of all things still encreasing he with the rest of the commaunders fearing some sudden mischiefe to bee done them by the hungrie and discontented souldiours the second of Nouember causing his baggage to bee trussed vp in the dead time of the darke and silent night rise with his armie and so in hast retired directly to BELGRADE leauing behind him in his campe three hundred dead horses not yet eaten by his hunger-starued souldiors Immediately after whose departure the lord Nadasti and some other of the commaunders in the armie with fiue thousand souldiors and certaine great pieces of artillerie some by land some by water went downe alongst the riuer to ADOM a faire well built towne vpon the banke of Danubius about foure Hungarian miles from BVDA and seruing as it were for a store-house for the garrison there which towne Nadasti summoned by his Hussars sent before requiring to haue it deliuered vnto him Which they of the towne at the first refused to doe but afterwards seeing a farre greater power come prouided of great ordinance and all things els requisit for a siege they with the sight thereof discouraged without more adoe offered to yeeld the towne so that they might with bag and baggage in safetie depart which they did the Christians conducting them as farre as FELDVVAR which castle was also at the first summons by the persuasion of them of ADOM deliuered vnto them for they of the castle by them enformed of the great strength of the Christians and of the store of great ordinance they had brought with them and that they staied therewith but fast by were easily persuaded to hearken to their friends and so yeelded Which done the free Haiduckes the same night surprised also the castle of Pax from whence the Christians still marching on alongst the riuer tooke in also the citie of TOLNA But whilest Nadasti with the rest were thus busied in taking these castles and townes alongst the South side of Danubius they in the campe at BVDA were aduertised of the new designes of the Turkes lieutenants and captaines thereabouts for the reliefe of the besieged as that the Bassa of BOSNA with the Gouernours of CANISIA SIGETH and others had assembled an armie of thirtie thousand for the raising of the siege Wherefore the Christians doubting as they lay at the siege dispersed to be by them oppressed leauing their tents in their trenches gathered themselues together into the Water citie which the Turkes out of the vpper citie quickly perceiuing as feeling themselues now at some more libertie presently sallying out tooke both the trenches and the tents so left with no small slaughter of such as were left for the keeping of them and so possessed of the trenches and tents held them by the space of two houres vntill they were by strong hand by the Christians beaten out and so with some losse enforced againe to retire into the citie The lord Nadasti also with the rest that had taken the aforesaid castles and townes vpon the side of Danubius making a rode towards ALBA REGALIS in their returne within a mile of BVDA light vpon a thousand Turkes there gathered together most part of whom they slew and hauing put the rest to flight tooke some fiftie of them prisoners At which time also another of the Imperiall colonels meeting with certaine other companies of the Turkes comming to the reliefe of the besieged not farre from BVDA slew most part of them tooke an hundred and threescore of them prisoners with a number of horses and much other rich bootie all which he brought into the campe Neither were they at the siege in the meane time idle their great artillerie still thundering against the wals both of the castle and the citie so that by the furie of the cannon hauing beaten downe a strong towne next vnto the Danubius not farre from the kings stable they were a little before night about to haue there entered when suddenly such a tempest of wind and raine arise as that they could not possibly vse their pieces or well any other weapon so that the heauens as it were then fighting for the
daiâ—â— A barbarous â—act Solyman his speech vnto the Great master The resolute answere of the great Master to Solyman Solyman commeth into the citie vnto the Great master The speech of the Great masâ—â—â— to Solyman The notable answere of Solyman to the great Master Solyman entreâ—h into the Rhodes on Christenmaâ— day in the yeare 1522. Solyman sendeth Ferhates Bassa against Alis beg the mountaine prince Alis and his foure sons treacherously slaine Solyman returneth to Constantinople Solyman vpon the discord of the Christian princes and disordered state of Hungarie taketh occasion to inuade that kingdome 1526 Solyman commeth against Lewes king of Hungarie The vanitie of Tomoreus Wholsome counsell not followed The battell of Mâ—hatchz Tomoreus slaine King Lewis drowned in a ditch The heads of slaine Christian bishops and captaines presented to Solyman The bishop of Veradium too â—rue a prophet The honourable speech of Solyman concerning his comming into Hungarie Ioannes Sepusius Vaiuod of Transiluania aspireth to the kingdome of Hungarie King Lewes buried Iohn Sepusius the Vaiuod chosen and crowned king of Hungarie Ferdinand king of Bohemia laieth claime â—o the kingdome of Hungarie King Ferdinand taketh Buda The battell of Tocai betweene the armies of king Iohn and king Ferdinand King Iohn â—lieth iâ—to Polonia Ferdinand crowned king of Hungarie at Alba Regalis Lascus counselleth king Iohn to â—raue and of Solyman Lascus goeth embassadour for king Iohn to Solyman Abraham Bassa Lascus his request of Solyman in the behalf of king Iohn Solyman graunteth Lascus his request Ferdinand sendeth an embassador to Solyman Solymanâ— answer to Ferdinands embassadour 1529 Solyman coÌ„meth into Hungarie with a great armie King Iohn commeth to Solyman aâ— Belgrade Solyman entreth Buda without resistance and besiegeth the castle Solyman contrarie to his promise caâ—seth the garrison souldiours afâ—er they had deliuered the castle to be slaiâ— Austria spoiled by the Turkâ— Altenburge taken Solyman commeth to Vienna Vienna badly fortified Solyman releaseth the Christian princes without ransome Eight thousand Turkes lost in the mines The wals of Vienna blowne vp The Turkes repulsed from the breach A most terrible assault The Turkes the third time repulsed The Lo. William Rogendorffe Vienna againe assaulted The Turks repulsed Solyman raiseth his siege 80000 Turks lost at the siege of Vienna Solyman restoreth the kindome of Hungarie to king Iohn The honourable saying of Solyman to K. Iohn 1530 Solyman circumciseth his three sonnes King Ferdinand sendeth embassadors to Solyman The preparation of Charles the emperour against Solyman Strigoâ—ium besieged by king Iohn Mutinie amongst the Spanish souldiours 1532 Solyman coÌ„meth into Hungarie Gunza besieged by the Turkes The huge army of Solyman Solyman proud 〈◊〉 to Charles the emperour and king Ferdinand Abraham Bassa persuadeth Solyman to leaue the siege of Gunza The Gouernour commeth to the Bassa His answere to the Bassa Solyman departeth from the siâ—ge of Gunza Cason sent with 15000 horsemen to spoile 〈◊〉 4000 Christian captiues murdred by Cason Cason discomfiâ—â—d by the Palatine and slaine The slaughter of the Turkes Charles the emperour his power at Vienna The order of the Christian armie Solyman returneth The Italians left for the aid of king Ferdinand arise in mutinie The seditious or 〈◊〉 of Titus Marconius to the mutinous Italians * At this verie time a great blazing starre was seene in the sâ—â—mament at Vienna Eight thousand of the Italian in mutinie forsake their captaines and returne to Italie Charles the emperour returneth into Italie Auria goeth against the Turks Auria besiegeth Corone in Peloponesus Corone yeelded to Aâ—â—ia by the Turkes Patras taken and ransacked by Auria Auria returneth to Italie 1533 The Turkes besiege Corone Auria sent by the emperour to relieue Corone The order of Auria his fleet before Corone The Christian fleet disordered Auria arriueth at Corone The Turkes â—â—eeâ— flieth to Modon Corone relieued by Auria Auria returneth and before Modon braueth the Turks fleet The Moore of Alexandria well beaten and taken by Canalâ—s the Venetianâ— The garrison soldâ—ors of Corone desire of their generall to bee brought to some seruice Macicaus gouernour of Corone goeth out to surprise Andâ—ussa Macicaus slaiâ— Corone forsaken by the Spaniards 1534 Aloysius Grittus the duke of Venice his sonne Solymans lieutenant in Hungarie to ouerseâ— king Iohn Americus bishop of Veradium and Vaâ—od of Transiluania contemneth Grittus Ianus Docia incenseth Grittus against the Vayâ—od The cause why Lascus the Polonian â—ell from king Iohn The Vayuod murdred in his tent by Docia and his head presented to Grittus The Transiluanians rise vp in armes against Grittus to reuenge the death of the Vayuod Grittus bâ—sieged by the Transiluanians Grittus taken and bâ—â—ugâ—t to Maylat Grittus beheaded The riches founâ— about Grittus Solyman aâ— one time purposeth to inuade Persia and Affrickâ— The â—â—ore beginning of Horruccius and Hariadenus who of base pyrats aspired to the kingdome of Algiers Horruccius his successe Horruccius slain and his head caried about in Spaine Hariadenus surnamed Barbarussa succeedeth his brother Horruccius in the kingdome of Algiers His wonderfull successe Solyman sendeth for Barbarussa Barbarussa commeth to Constantinople Barbarussa enuied in the Turkâ— court Barbarussa reiâ—ctâ—d to Abraham the great Bassa He trauelleth into Siria to the Bassa and is by him commended to Solyman His returne to Constantinople Roscetes Barbarussa his speech to Solyman to persuade him to inuade Tuneâ— Barbarussa made Solymans great Admirall He spoileth the coast of Italie Iulia Gonzagá â— faire lady hardly distressed by Barbarussa The Romans afraid of Barbarussa Muleasâ—eâ— king of Tunes The ingratitude of Muleasses Roscetes riseth against his brother Muleasses Forsaken of the Numidian princes he flieth to Barbarussa Barbarussa landeth at Biserta Biserta yeelded Barbarussa commeth to Guletta Muleasses flieth out of Tunes Barbarussa entreth into Tunes The citisens deâ—â—iued of their expectation â—ise against the Turkes Muleasses returneth into the citie The citisâ—ns of Tuâ—eâ— discomfiâ—ed by the Turks Muleasses flieth The citisens of â—unes yeeld theÌ„selues to Barbarussa The description of Abraham the great Bassa His bringing vp in the court His great credit with Solyman Abraham Bassa persuadeth Solyman to make war vpon the Persians Solyman resolueth to goe against the Persians Abrahams crediâ— maligned by Solymans mother and Roxâ—lana Abraham Bassa sent before with an armie into Siria The citie of Tauris yeelded to the Bassa Solyman commeth to Tauriâ— Solyman followeth Tamaâ— the Persian king into Sultania Solymans armie dâ—sâ—â—â—ssed with tempest Babylon yeelded to Solyman The countries of Asâ—iria and Mesopotamia possessed by the Turks Tamas commeth to Tauris 1535 Tamas hearing of the comming of Solyman to Tauriâ— flieâ—h into Hircania So 〈◊〉 â—ansaâ—â—â—keth Tauris Delimâ—nthes with 5000 Persian◠〈◊〉 the â—urkes Delimenthes assaâ—â—eth the Turks campe by night and maketh a great slaughter Solyman discouraged Abraham the great Bassa in disgrace with Solyman Abraham Bassa murthered in the court by the commaundement of Solyman The causes which moued Charles the emperour
taken The Turks sharp answere to the Spaniard The Turks armie retâ—â—neth with the bodie of Solyman to Belgrade Selymus saluted emperour of the Turkes in the yeare 1566. Solyman buried 1567 Troubles in Hungarie The Bassa of Buda desirous to further the peace Maximilian and Selymus both desirous of peace Maximilian the emperor sendeth embassadours to Selymus The embassadors come to Buda Presents giuen by the emperours embassadours vnto the Bassa of Buda The emperours embassadours honourably receiued by the Turks at Constantinople Presents giuen by the emperours embassadours to the great Bassaâ—â— Presents sent vnto Selymus by the emperour The emperours embassadors honourably conducted by the Turks vnto the Court. The first Gate of the Great Turks pallace The second Gate A homely feast giuen to the embassadors followers in the Turkes Court The third Gaâ—e The embassadors brought in vnto Selymus with the manner of the entertainment of them and their followers Itinerario Di Marc Antonio Pigafetta ca. 5. The principall point whereupon the embassadours differed from the Turkes in the treatie of peace 1568 The cheefe capitulation wheron a peace was concluded betwixt Maximilian the emperour and Selymus Embassadours sent from Tamas the Persian king to Selymus * Schach Culi Soltan was not the proper name of this embassadour but a title of honour and signifieth as much as a prince seruant to the king * Sayms are soldiors of greater honour than the Spahi hauing for their stipend yearely 2000 Aspers at the least out of the reuenues of certaine townes and villages * A Mescali is foure 〈◊〉 * Tumenlich is in vaâ—â—e as much aâ— the Turkes Asper * December The Persian embassadours honorably entertained by the Turkes aâ— Hadrianople The Persian embassador in going to visit Muhamet the Vâ—sier Bassa indangeâ— to haue beene slaine The rich present sent by the Persian king vnto Selymus The embassadors present to Sâ—lymus An honourable allowance 1569 Muhamet Bassa dissuadeth Selymus from the inuading of Cyprus Selymus sendeth Cubates his embassadour to Venice Hard to trust vpon confederations The Turks embassadour homely entertained at Venice Cubates the Turks embassadours speech in the Senat at Venice The effect of Selymus his letters to the Venetians The answere of the Venetianâ— to the Turks demaunds The Turkes embassadour sent away in secret to Venice The resolution of the Senat for war diuersly liked disliked of others The Emperour the French king and the king of Polonia entangled with their leagues refuse to aid the Venetians against the Turks What Christian princes promised to and the Venetians The description of Cyprus King Richard in Cyprus How the kingdome of Cyprus came to the Venetians Sabellic Eâ—nead 10. lib. 8. 1570 Selymus inuadeth the Venetians Piall Bassa sent against the Venetians Mustapha Bassa his letters vnto the Venetians Mustapha Bassa goeth for Cyprus The Turkes fleet descried in Cyprus The Turks land in Cyprus Mustapha Bassae marcheth towards Nicosia Nicholaus Dandulus Gouernour of Nicosia The description of Nicosia The Turks beâ—ore Nicosia Nicosia battered and assaulted and by the Christians valiantly defended The Venetian fleeâ— of an hâ—ndred and seauenteene saile aâ— Corcyra The Christian fleet setteth forward toward Cypâ—us The Christianâ—â—allie out of the citie vpon the Turkes Scouts sent out of the citie taken by the Turks and executed Letters shot into the citie Mustapha Bassa in vaine persuadeth them of Nicosia to yeeld Mustapha encourageth his souldiors Nicosia most terribly assaulted by the Turks The Turks gainâ— the bulwarks wals of Nicosia Nicosia taken by the Turks A great slaughter Cyrene yeelded vnto the Turkes Famagusta besieged Mustapha raiseth his siege The Turks at sea aduertised of the comming of the Christian fleet prepare theÌ„selues for battell The commaunders of the Christian fleet of dâ—uers opiâ—ions for giuing of the Tâ—rks battell The Christian fleet returneth vpon the foule disagreement of the commanderâ— Zanius the Venetian Admirall discharged of his office and sent in bonds to Venice A desperat fact of a woman The strong castle of Chymera taken by Venerius Quirinus taketh a castle of the Turkes in Peloponesus Quirinus a valiant gentleman 1571 Negligence seuerely punished by Selymus Muhamet Bassa a secret friend vnto the Veneâ—â—ans putteth them in hope of peace The Venetianâ— send an embassadour to Selymuâ— to entreat with him of peace Ragazonius the Venetian embassadour commeth to CoÌ„stantinople The conference betwixt Muhamet the great Bassa and Ragazonius The Pope and the king of Spain feaâ—ing least the Venetians should make peace with the Turke hasten the confederation The Venetians resolue to accept of the league with the Pope and the king A perpetuall league concluded betwixt the Pope the K of Spaine and the Venetians The proportioning of the charge of the warres against the Turkeâ— and the other capitulations of the lâ—ague The league proclaimed The Venetians the more to trouble the Turke seeke to stirre vp Tamas the Persian king to take vp armes against him Alexander the Venetian embassadour hath audience with the Persian king The answere of Tamaâ— the Persian king vnto the Venetian ambassadour Mustapha Bassa returneth to the siege of Famagusta The description of Famagusta The number of the defendants of Famagusta Famagusta assaulted and notably defended by the Christians Famagusta againe assaulted by the Turks Bragadinus encourageth the defendants Baleonius a valiant captaine The Turks seeke to vndermine the citie The breaches notably defended They of Famagusta blow vp one of â—heâ—â— owne battered bulwarkes with six hundred Turkes thereon Famagusta hardly assaulted The citisens of Famagusta request the Gouernour in time to yeeld vp the citie A parley betwixt them of Famagusta and the Turks Bragadinus shamefully and horribly murthered by the faithlesse Bassa The forsworne Bâ—ssa tyranniseth vpon the dead bodie of Bragadinus Theupolus hanged Nestor Martinengus by good fortune escapeth Cyprus lost The Turkes arriue in Crete with a great fleet The description of Crete The Turks driuen out of Crete A faire occasion let slip Dulcigno Antiuari and Budâ—a strong towâ—es of the Venetians vpon the coasts of Epirus and Dalmatia yeelded to the Turke Cowardise punished Curzola forsaketh by the men is defended by the women Selymus adâ—ertised of the league lately concluded betwixt the Christian princes The Turkes put into the bay of Lepanto The forces of the confederat princes meet together at Messana Don Iohn of Austria Alexander Farnesius prince of Parma The Venetians vrge battell Cornea and Serbellio persuade the giuing of battell The confederats put their fleet in order of battell Six galeasses The Christian fleet departeth from Messana to giue the Turkâ— battell Mutius Tortona a Spaniard raiseth a mutinie in the fleet at Paxo Tortona and his antient hanged Discention betwixt Don Iohn and Venerius the Venetian Admirall Don Iohn still beareth a grudge against Venerius Barbadicus the Venetian Prouiditor a notable man The Christian flâ—et at Cephalenia Chiroche dissuadeth the Bassaes from giuing battell vnto the Christianâ— Partau Bassa standeth indifferent for
number of zealous and deuout Christians almost in euery part of Christendome to take vpon them the crosse as they termed it the cognisance of such as had by vow bound themselues to take vp armes against the Turks Sarasins for the recouerie or defence of the Holy land These deuout men met together in great number vnder the leading of Theobald king of NAVAR Americus countie of MONTFORT Henrie countie of CHAMPAIGNE and others too long to rehearse of purpose stirred vp to trouble the ten yeares peace before concluded betwixt the emperour and the Turks in SYRIA set forward and after long trauell passing the strait of BOSPHORUS not far from CONSTANTINOPLE into BYTHINIA came to the riuer of SANGARIUS and there staied a while to refresh themselues Afterwards passing through GALATIA and so from countrey to countrey through the lesser ASIA they came at length vnto the straits of the mountaine AMANUS a a part of the mountaine TAURUS which they found before taken by the Turks and the Sultan of ICONIUM himselfe not far off encamped with a strong armie Neuerthelesse the valiant countie MONTFORT which had the leading of the vantguard couragiously marching forward by plaine force opened the passage of the mountaine hauing slaine or put to flight the Turks appointed for the keeping thereof the king of NAVAR in the meane time though in vaine assailing the Sultan in his campe who fearing the great power of the Christians kept himselfe within his own strength and would not stir Wherfore the king seeing it to no purpose there longer to stay diuiding his armie into three parts left the Sultan and followed after the Countie placing his baggage in the midst the best of his souldiers in the rereward But whilest they thus march vp the great mountaine the Turks better acquainted with those passages were still at hand assailing them sometime behind sometime on the one side sometime on the other as they saw occasion and at length taking them at an aduantage in a great plaine set vpon them now before almost spent with hunger and trauell and there slew of them an exceeding great number But by the comming on of the night the battell was broken off and the Christians repairing vnto their ensignes passed the straits and so at length arriued at ANTIOCH hauing lost by the way the greatest part of the armie with all their wealth their victuals most part of their horses the remnant yet left hauing a little refreshed themselues were by sea transported to PTOLEMAIS from whence they were afterward by the Templars conducted to GAZA where they lay of the spoile of the countrey greatly enriched themselues As for any other great matters they were not able of themselues to take in hand and help of such forces as the emperor had before left at HIERUSALEM and other places they could haue none hauing expresse charge from the emperour himselfe not to do any thing against the enemie tending to the breach of the ten yeares league which the Turks well perceiuing and that they had to do but with these new come guests and some few others their partakers hauing gathered together their forces lay in ambush for them in euery corner to cut them off Neither was it long but that these of GAZA going far into the countrey and returning laded with spoile were set vpon by the Turks whom they casting away the spoile they had before taken notably repulsed and put to flight the day now drawing to an end But early the next morning appeared a far greater number of Turks than before which now comming on charged the Christians who all that night had stood watching in their armour and so joyned with them a most cruell battell wherein the Christians shewed so much valour as was possible for men to do but wearied with long fight and oppressed with the multitude of their enemies they were ouercome and slaine almost euery mothers sonne Among the rest the two counties Americus and Henrie fell the king of NAVAR himselfe hardly escaped by the exceeding swiftnesse of his horse by vncertaine waies wandring vp and downe the countrey not knowing well which way to take after two daies came by good fortune to IOPPE some few others escaped by flight to PTOLEMAIS the heauie messengers of the misfortune of their fellowes The king afterwards visiting the Holy places at HIERUSALEM returned home into his countrey with some few of his followers hauing performed nothing of that the world expected About foure yeares after Raynold duke of BAVARIA whom Frederick the emperour had left his lieutenant in HIERUSALEM died hauing by the space of fiue yeares peaceably gouerned that bruised kingdome After whose death the Templars who he yet liuing would oftentimes haue broken the league but that they were by his authoritie and wisedome restrained now tooke occasion to stir vp the people to take vp armes against the Turks without respect vnto the league yet in force or of the dangers like thereof to ensue Whereof the Aegyptian Sultan hearing raised a great armie sending also for the Chorasines a warlike nation then lying neere vnto BAâ—YLON to come vnto his aid Thus become verie strong he first laid siege to GAZA but a little before repaired and fortified by the king of NAVAR and the Templars which he at length tooke by force and put to sword all that were therein as well the citizens as the garrison souldiers In like manner he dealt also with them of ASCALON and other places as he went To represse this his furie the Templars and Hospitalers had assembled the whole strength of that weake kingdome and neere vnto TYBERIAS came to haue giuen him battell Who vpon their approch hastely retired as if he had for feare shunned battell But whiles the Christians as victors the night following lay negligently encamped along the riuer side he returning backe again with his armie came vpon them before they were well aware halfe sleeping halfe waking but altogether vnarmed with a most horrible outcrie The Christians now altogether awaked and not a little troubled with the suddennesse of the matter hastily and disorderly as must needs in so great a confusion tooke vp their weapons such as came first to hand and so couragiously opposed themselues against their enemies There was fought a most terrible and doubtfull battell and that also for a long space the Christians still encouraging one another to do their last deuoir But the Turks still keeping their order against the disordered Christians and far mo also than they in number preuailed and there ouerthrew them with a great slaughter but not without the losse of many thousands also of their owne men which there lay dead vpon the ground Most part of the best commaunders both of the Templars and Hospitalers were there slaine such as escaped fled to TYRE The Sultan encouraged with so great a victorie marched foorthwith to HIERUSALEM which he tooke without resistance and there put to sword all