by Countrey an Albanian of a towne of the Cicalessi in the territorie of Elbasana This man was Bassa of Cairo in Egypt in the yeare 1582. at what time beeing recalled to the Court because he was accused of diuerse misdemeanours hee was in a great doubt with himselfe and almost indeede resolute eyther by fight to saue himselfe or else to retyre towardes Ormuz and so to passe into the Indies but yet at last to Court hee went where beeing imprisoned and afterwardes raunsomed by his Stewarde for fiue hundred Crownes and nowe againe by his witte remounted to so high an honour he will in mine opinion passe a great way further if he liue He is a man verie wise and gracious a great enemie to the Iewes and a friend to the Christians § VI. THe chiefe Generall in the Campe before the battaile at Agria was Hibraim borne in the prouince of Herzecouina and cosin to the grand-Turke Hee is a man of small braine and most vnfit for any commaund but liberall and pleasant or rather fantasticall and ridiculous He calleth the Sate of Venice and the State of Ragugia his Cousins He sayth he will take Milan with an Armada or fleet of shippes and surprise the Isle of Malta by making a mine vnder the Island with diuers other such like fooleries He sheweth himselfe greatly inclined to peace not onely because he is verie timorous but because he would please the Ladie Sultane Mother to the great Turke and also his owne wife §. VII TO Hibraim there succeeded Sinan Cicala for that in the last fight with the Christians as the one shewed himselfe verie vnfit for so principall a gouernment so was this man iudged to be very valourous euen by the Turkish Emperour himselfe because he had brought backe the Armie saued him his life and left the issue of the battaile doubtfull Whereupon he thought him worthie not onely of such a charge but also of the chiefe Visiership Yet at the last he was depriued both from the one office and from the other because he went about somewhat too boldly to aduise and counsell the Emperour that he would not giue so much credite to the Sultane Ladies and especially to his mother who because they would not loose his companie sought by all possible meanes to make him an effeminate and cowardly person and in the end hee was banished into Bursia a Cittie in Asia sometime the seate of the Ottoman Princes where hee remained not without danger of his life For the mother as women are wont to do which either loue or hate extreamly ceased not daily to entreate her sonne that he would cause him to be put to death because shee could not endure that a slaue should be so bould as to goe about to bring her into disgrace This did Cicala feare and great reason he had so to do not onely in regard of the vnstayednesse and inconstancie of the Prince and the great affection which he bare to women but also because he knewe that Hibraim being now returned to Constantinople at the instant suite of the Sultane Ladies and especially of his wife for the chiefe Visier being once displaced cannot returne againe vnlesse he recouer his former degree he would continually persecute him and foster the quarrels that were lately picked against him by the adherents and followers of Ferat who was an arrant enemie to Sinan with whome Cicala had combined himselfe euen to his death Notwithstanding Cicala being verie rich of a good wit and great valour and especially verie skilfull in Land warfare as one that was trayned and brought vp in the wars of Persia it is to bee thought that if hee can escape these first violences of his Lorde he will with such dexteritie manage the matter as he will recouer that which is lost For so did hee after his depriuation from the Generalshippe of the Sea which was taken from him not so much in regard of the suspition conceiued for his brothers going to Constantinople as to giue satisfaction to the State of Venice whome the Turke himselfe was verie willing to content The malice that Cicala bare to that common wealth beganne and was grounded vpon a discourtesie that he tooke against them whiles hee was but yong and a Christian onely forsooth beecause the Venetian Galeyes had detained a Galeon of his fathers He is by his fathers side a Genowaye but his mother was a Turke of Castelnuouo and himselfe was borne in Messina He is verie respectiue of courtesies and reuengefull of iniuries offered vnto him He hath to his wife a Neece of the daughter of the late Rustem Bassa and of a daughter of Sultan Soliman shee that not long agoe with incredible expences made a verie long conuayance of water in the desertes of Arabia for the benefite and ease of the Pilgrimes that go to the Mecca or Macca as the Arabians tearme that Cittie which ioyntly they call Medina Alnabi that is to say the Cittie of the Prophet meaning thereby that Impious Seducer Mahomet Which Gentlewoman being now mother-in-lawe to Cicala is verie famous in these times for that she was the chiefest perswader of the last Emperour Amurath to moue warre against the Christian Emperour for the death of her onely deare Son who was slaine with Hassan Bassa in the battail at Cupa §. VIII THere was Generall or rather Lieutenant for all Hungarie from Belgrado hetherwardes in the yeare last past one Giaffer the Eunuch by Nation an Hungarian He was depriued of that charge for the same reasons for which Hibraim was depriued He hath warred in Persia vnder Osman Sinan and Ferat vntill he was made Bassa of Tebrisio now cal Tauris where being besieged by the Persians hee shewed great valour wisedome and liberalitie § IX HAssan Bassa borne at Herzecouina sometime the Dukedome of Santa Saua is now the Beglerbey of Grecia as we call it but of Rumelia as the Turkes tearme it for the Greekes call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we call Europe by which name Romania not onely Asia was called as we reade in histories after the translation of the Romane Empire to Constantinople but also Europe and particularly Grecia This Herzecouina is a part of the Prouince of Bossina which stretcheth it selfe towardes Ragugia in the high way that leadeth to Constantinople The foresaide Hassan was sonne to Mahomet Soculeuich so called of Socol a place in the same Prouince of Herzecouina and was sometime Visier Azem that is to say the head of the counsell and chiefe gouernour of the Ottoman Empire vnder three Emperours which office or charge the Mamalukes in the gouernment of the Souldan of Cairo do call Diadar or Deuidar and the Grecians call it Protosymbolo Hee is verie well beloued of his Souldiours for his great pleasantnes iollitie Hee leadeth with him continually many women and through his great expenses is halfe banckroupt Hee hath beene in Persia and
was also in these warres of Hungarie and being the greatest person among the rest of the gouernors of Prouinces for dignitie and authoritie and beecause his iurisdiction stretcheth into Bulgaria Seruia and Albania he keepeth a verie great trayne First he was employed by the greate Turke at Rasgrad in Bulgaria aswell to hinder the Walachians and Transyluanians from passing ouer the riuer Danowe as also if occasion should so require that hee might be there readie to passe it ouer himselfe But now he hath hand-ouer-head and verie rashly without any consideration sent him to Vidino sometimes called Bidene a Sangiackshippe not subiect to the Beglerbey of Temesuar as some haue written but to him of Graecia If hee liue he will proue without doubt the greatest Captaine of that Empire § X. HAfis Hacmat sometimes Bassa of Cairo and Eunuch and an Albanian of the towne of Vonari not farre from the Cicalessi was Generall in Croatia and Bossina but being accused of default for not hauing recouered Petrina hee was degraded yet now he is returned into fauour againe and is in Scopia He is a iust man and a wise and one that for religion or rather superstition accepted this charge He was at the first a Mahometane Preacher for so signifieth the word Hafis He was the first man that waged Turkish souldiours on horse-backe with pay and prest-money in which point no doubt if the Ottoman Princes would resolue themselues to imitate our Princes they might haue as it were an innumerable company of horsemen and footmen §. XI THere were also in the Campe of Persia Sinan Bassa of Buda an Albanian of the Mountains of the Ducagini a man esteemed among the Turkes to be wise and valourous And Mahomet Satarzgi an Albanian also for the most valiant Captaines of the Turks are for the most part of that Nation This Mahomet was a long time Bassa of Caramania where he made himselfe knowne to be a man of great wisdome but now soothing forsooth the humors of the Ladie Sultane-Mother his countrey woman by shewing himselfe to be desirous of peace hee hath not onely obtained the office of Tzader Mechei Bassi that is to say Chiefe Master of the Pauilions but it is also thought that through the same fauour hee will be aduanced to greater dignities They say that while he was Peich to the great Turke that is to say his Footeman hee beehaued himselfe so well in a fray that happened not farre from the olde Serraglio where the Regall Palace is as hauing hardly hādled his aduersaries with a Butchers knife he was thereupon called Satarzgi or rather because indeed he was a slaughterer §. XII THere was also one Haidar Bassa hee that beeing Beglerbey was sent by Amurath into Moldauia who by his maner of proceeding there was in a certaine sorte the occasion why the Polonians resolued with themselues to pay a yearely Donatiue or Beneuolence to the Turke and so to bee agreed with him He is now in Persia. § XIII THere were likewise in Belgrado Odauerdi and Velli Bassaes both the one of them well tried in the warres of Croatia and Bosna the other in the recouerie of Madauia out of the hands of Srenipetro who with a band of Cosacthi had gotten possession thereof rather by rash temerity then by any great wisdō There are also in the Campe many other Sangiacchi and ordinarie Bassaes whose names because they are men of no great fame are not yet come to our knowledge §. XIIII MOreouer it is reported that there is recalled from Gemen or Gimin in Arabia Felice one Hassan an Arabian a Foster-childe and kinsman to olde Sinan This Hassan hauing cunningly procured the reliques of the kindred of Mudahar to rise vp in a commotion who had also before rebelled against Osman he obtayned ouer them a very honourable victorie And because he is verie rich he will haue also some good meanes to maintaine himselfe euen with the satisfaction of the souldiours §. XV. HAlil Bassa Generall of the Sea second Cousin to the now liuing Grand-Turke is of Bosna or else of Hungaria a Fresh-man and such a one as hauing hetherto had no more skill but to collect and take vp the donatiues and beneuolences of the Maritine Capes of the Arcipelago and of Morea and this last yeare to set on fire the Monasterie of the Calogieri in Striuali called in times past Strophade because they had entertained the Spanish Armada is held in no great estimation And therefore it is supposed that he shall be discharged of that office perhaps there shall be substituted in his place one Giaffer a Calabrian brought vp by Vlucchiali who although he fled at the ouerthrow in the yeare 1571. yet is he esteemed to be a man that will proue well in Maritimall warfare §. XVI OVt of all questiō that Empire wanteth men that are excellent in the profession of Sea-matters for so much as the Turke hath not since the yeare 1572. hetherto made any Armada or Fleet of any acaccount and when occasion of imployment faileth no meruell though men of worth and valour be not known nay though they do wholy want indeede And yet when soeuer he shall be peraduenture enforced to set forth a good bodie of an Armada hee may take that course which his Predecessors haue done that is to say he may vse the seruice of the valiantest Pyrats that he entertaineth in Tunise in Bona in Busca and elsewhere Among whome the most famous that liue at this day are Cara Deli Amurath Bei Mahamet Bei the three Memi whereof two are Albanians and the third is of Corsica Sala Bei others There is a certaine French politike author which writeth that Ariadino Barbarossa the famous Pirate was allured by Soliman into his seruice with verie honourable rewards euen with the chiefe Generalship of the Sea aswel to adde strength to his Empire with the great riches of Ariadino as also to the end that Ariadino should thereby bee weakened in such sort as he should not be any more able to annoy the Ottoman State And now after this discourse of the Captaines I will speake of the common souldiours and such members as are not so principall § XVII THe great Turke hath two sorts of souldiours that is to say souldiours of his owne souldiours Auxiliarie 1. such as come to aide and assist him The souldiours that are his owne be either horsemen or footmen I will therefore first treate of the former because the verie sinews of that Empire consist wholly in the horsemen and afterwardes I will speake of the rest The best horsemen that the Ottoman Empire hath are the Spahi who liue vpon their Timari For the great Turke giueth two kinds of wages to his souldiours one is called Timaro and the other Vlefe The Timaro is properly a certaine pension or an assignement of rents which for the most
part are leuied out of the lands that are gotten in war and are proportionately distributed amoÌ„g the souldiors that are of good desert do answer in some sort to the ancient Colonies and to Fees or rather to Commendams The reward which the Romanes bestowed vppon their valiantest souldiours to enioy during life was called Beneficium and those Beneficiarii that were so prouided for the Greekes call it Timarion and those that enioy the same Timarati and Timarioti deriuing the tearme from the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Honour Wherevpon we do read of Theodorus not the Tiro but the Stratelates that is to say the Pretor or conductor of the souldiours that Licinius Augustus the Emperour gaue vnto him a Castle in Heraclea for a Timaro long before he was wickedly martyred by his owne band of souldiours as it is written in Phile the Greeke Poet Damascene and Nicephorus Calixtus and as it is read in the Menaco that is to say in the Monthly Register of the Greeks The said word Timaro may also be deriued and peraduenture more truly from the Turkish it selfe whereby is signified a certaine kinde of procuration or prouision for some charge or gouernment which the Timarioti are bound to haue ouer the lands that are graunted vnto them The Vlefe is a payment which is daily disbursed by the Treasurers to the Souldiours that serue for pay and to those of the Turkes Court who are therefore called Vlofezgi or rather Olophagi that is to say prouided as it were only for their diet deriuing that term from the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Timari which the Turke hath in Europe may bee some sixteene thousande Euerie Spahi that hath from three to fiue thousand Aspres of yearely rent is bound to go to the war with one horse from fiue to ten thousand with two horses and so by proportion to a certaine determinate quantitie and some there bee that will carrie moe or fewer according to their abilitie and the desire which theâ— haue of honour The greatest part of these Spahi are subiect to the Beglerbey and may contayne some nine thousande Timari the rest are vnder the Bassaes of Bassina of Buda and of Temesuar § XVIII BEsides these Spahi there are also the Spahoglani who beeing such as commonly come out of the Serraglio are some what more daintie and delicate and are neatly apparraled like Courtiers after the Persian manner They ride like the Asians vpon little Saddles so that they may easily bee vnhorsed In times past they were not bounde to go to the warres without their Emperour but at last many of them were as it were enforced to goe forth by Sinan and Giaffer for verie want of good Souldiours who afterwarde wintered in Seruia and Belgaria did so destroy and consume the Countryes and the Peasants thereof as they did more harme to the Turkes themselues then if they had beene the verie Tartarians whose apparell also they counterfeyted to the ende they might easily and handsomly couer theit misdemeanours Among the Spahoglani are accounted those also which are of the great Turkes Court who are distinguished into foure orders viz. the Selectari Vlefezgi Guraba and Spahoglani But because the number of the Spahoglani is the greatest of al the rest they are all generally and indifferently called Spahoglani The Selectari and the Spahoglani are diuided into troupes vâ—z the Selectari of the right side and the Selectari of the left side and so the Spahoglani of the right and Spahoglani of the left and different badges they haue one from the other These foure troupes of Spahoglani and Selectari with the two troupes of the Guraba and Vlefezgi make vp sixe in all Guruba is in the Turkish speech the Plurall number of Carib and signifieth Poore and naked soules And Vlefezgi is as much to say as Hyred or waged as we haue tolde you before Euerie one of these orders hath his Aga which commaundeth two or three thousand horse § XIX THe Acanzii are for the most part Countrey Clownes and are not like the Hayducches of the Hungarians as some haue written for the Acanzii serue on Horsebacke and the Hayducches on foote And peraduenture Giouius and other writers of our time do not well to call them Venturieri or Voluntaries for in coÌ„sideration of some exemptions and priuiledges which are graunted vnto them they are bound to goe to warre True it is that somtimes they will stray abroad and robbe the Countrey as the Zingari and Tartars vse to doe They are men of small woorth They dwell for the most part in Dobruccia a Prouince of Bulgaria towards the Riuer Danow The Gionli are Venturiers or Voluntaries in deed who togither with sundrie others whom the Turks call Baratli that is to say such as liue in expectancie doe goe to warre euen of their owne meere good will Among these as also among the Muteferagà which are of the principall Courtiers of the Court not bound to go to the warre but only with the Sultan himselfe there are many Christians that serue voluntarie They haue speciall exemptions and priuiledges They go wandring abroad euerie where with great libertie alwayes preuenting the armie like Out-runners but they giue the fift part of their bootie to their Lord. The other Baratli are comprehended in the families of the Bassaes and Sangiacches and in the number of the seruants to the Spahi § XX. THe Timari of Asia may bee about some fiftie thousand and so by consequent about a hundred and fiftie thousand horse and foote and seruants that is to say two thirds more then the Timari of Europe But they are vnarmed of small valour and not apt for warre excepting onely some few of them that keepe vpon the Sea coastes and serue in the Galleis § XXI THe Beglerbeyes of Asia before the last warres of Persia were thirtie but since there are some moe added vnto them In Affrica there are three the kingdomes of Fesse and Marocco are rather tributaries to the Turke And in Europe there are sixe But because I haue made often mention of this worde Beglerbey I thinke it will not be amisse to tell you what it signifieth The Turkish word Beglerbey signifieth a Captaine of Captaines or Prince of Princes for the Beglerbeyes are the Supreme Lordes ouer all that haue any militarie commaund in the Prouinces which are subiect vnto them and are the verie same that the Melicul Vmerca be with the Arabians and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Greekes Three Beglerbeyes there be that are in authoritie aboue the rest and sit in equall place with the Bassaes whome the Turkcs call Visiers when they sit together in the open Diuano that is to say in the Counsell or Court of audience in the presence of the Great Turke some doe verie ill and corruptly call it Douana and Tiphano The first of them is the Rumeli Beglerbeg
rest of that most populous Countrey so much as to take breath True also it is that a man may walke many a mile through the Turks Countrey and find neither men nor houses But the reason of this is for that the Inhabitants hauing left the townes and walled places which are situate either vpon the beaten and common high wayes or very neere vnto them are eloyned afarre of and haue scattered themselues further within the countrey and retired into places among the Mountaines that are more strong where they haue setled themselues in verie populous numbers because they would be safe secure from the murthers and robberies of the Souldiers who are wont euen among the Turks I would to God it were not so also among vs Christians to liue at their owne discretion without all discretion spoyling and wasting whatsoeuer they can attaine for such is their vse and wickednesse not the profession of true Souldiers as more at large I haue shewed in my booke called Militia Christiana Christian Souldierie And these are in mine opinion the most certaine and true reasons of the Diminution of the Ottoman armies but why they are now so full of people that are poore and as it were vtterly spoyled this reason may be yeelded viz. for that onely men of euill disposition and such as are the basest persons and of no woorth runne headlong to their warres And so much the rather for that the Spahi themselues doe send thither in their owne rowmes their seruants knaues who togither with the rest of the Souldiers haue no sooner taken a bootie or peraduenture no sooner want an occasion to catch a bootie but they will flie out of the campe and returne home againe As for example the souldiers of Sinan did in Walachia the last year who hauing nothing left but their shirt-sleeues and being almost vtterly spoyled because they would not die for cold and hunger and because they found nothing to steale for their relief in the fieldes began almost euen at the first to forsake him yea and at the returne of the great Turke himselfe from Belgrado to Constantinople all the souldiers almost would needes follow him and none of their Captaines were able to hold them Now that I haue tolde you of the Souldiours which the Great Turke hath of his owne I wil tell you of his Souldiers Auxiliarie § XXVII AMong all the Auxiliarie Souldiers whose seruice and helpe hee vseth in his affaires without all doubt the chiefest the most in number nay the onely men are the Tartarians the knowledge of whom because it is not peraduenture so manifest to euerie man I will truly and faithfully display as I haue done in all thinges before and will doe also in those matters which are to bee set downe hereafter following that which I haue learned and vnderstoode from many persons that are verie worthie of credite and haue had long practise and traffike with the Tartarians themselues and auoyding especially those fables which diuerse men haue written of them I will adde also thereunto somewhat of the Circassians as partly depending vppon them and likewise of the Curdians of the Drusians and of the Arabians But because there be diuerse sortes of the Tartarians or Tartars so called peraduenture because they are the Reliques as the worde in deede signifieth in the Syrian tongue of those Isdraelites that were transported beyond Media being then not inhabited I will treate but onely of those that serue for our purpose And those bee they which are subiect to a King that keepeth in Taurica Whereof some doe dwell in Europe and some in Asia betweene the Poole Meotis called at this day Mar Delle Zabacche the Riuer Tanais called by the Tartarians Don the riuer Volga which they call Rha and Edil and the Mengrellians and Circassians and all these are called Nogai For the other Tartarians on this side and beyonde the Volga betweene Moscouia and the Sea of Baccu that is to say the Caspian Sea and the Georgians are partly subiect to the Moscouite partly free and of themselues and partly vnder the iurisdiction of the Turke there where Demir Capi standeth sometimes called the Caspian or Iron Gates This foresaide King is called the Tartar of Crimo Nowe Crimo or Kriim call it as you list is the chiefe and principall Cittie of all the Kingdome although hee bee resident for the most part in Iegni Bascca a place in Chersonesus Taurica called at this day by the Polackes and Russians Perocopska The Crimo is beyonde that neere to the Ditch whereof the Tartarians especially by the sayde Polackes and Russians are called Precopisi which is as a man may say Zappahsi innansi Digged or delued foorth so tearmed of the worde Procop which signifieth a hollowing or a digging and not of a certaine King of theirs whom some will needes haue to bee one Procopio Neither is it true as others affirme that such a Ditch was made but of late as it appeareth by Herodotus there where hee maketh mention of the Market of Cremne The tytle of the Tartarian King is Han which signifieth a Lorde and not Chan vnlesse wee will pronounce C. for H. as the Italian vseth sometimes to doe in certaine Latine wordes or with a more harde pronounciation as the Dutch doe Kiocai in Beluacens is signifieth Kioc-Han that is to say Gog-Han a worde familiar and welknowen in the holie Scriptures Ezekiel 38. and 39. Reuel-20 The Polacckes call him Zar that is to say Caesar. The Familie or house of the Tartar King which giueth him his Surname is Kirei whereuppon they haue beene called Mahomet Kirei Han Islam Kirei Han Hassan Kirei Han. The King nowe liuing is called Alip So that by his stile you may call him Alip Kirei Han. i. Alip Kirei the Chan as in Fraunce Hugh Capet the king Henrie Valois the king Henrie Burbon the king c. The coast of Taurica that is watered with the Blacke Sea till yee come to the streyte of Osphorus which is the Cimmerian Bosphorus at the entrance of the Poole Maeotis belongeth to the Turke But betweene the Continent and that part which is watered with the sayde Poole belongeth all to the Tartar although many Christians that vse the Greeke rites and ceremonies doe dwell there also Of these Tartarians the Moscouite standeth in greate feare because with sundrie In-roades they enter into his Countrey and carrie away manie of his Subiectes to sell them afterwardes to the Turkes and others and in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and seuentie they burnt the very Cittie of Mosco it selfe howe much more then woulde hee feare them if hee shoulde goe out of his owne Countrey In deed the Moscouite may annoy the Tartarians that dwell in Asia and keepe them from dooing any hurt to the Christians vpon the banke of Volga where they are to bee founde as soone as they haue passed ouer the Riuer And herevppon it commeth to
great difficultie yea and somuch the rather for that the Turkes themselues will not willingly yeeld their consents that the Tartarians shall take that way for feare least they should wast their countrey The first time that they passed to this present warre they tooke the way of Premisla and in their returne they went home by Seuerino but after that they were discomfited and ouerthrowne by the Walachians and Transyluanians to the end they might more easily saue themselues in their returne homewardes they tooke the way last before named §. XXXI BEsids the Tartarians aboue mentioned there are also certain other Tartarians called Giebeli which may be to the number of about two thousand they handle the Scimitarre and the Bow they weare a Salate and a Iacke whereupon they haue gotten the name of Giebeli that is to say men of armes They dwel commonly in Dobruccia between the Danowe and the Ruines of the wall that was caused to bee made by the Greek Emperours from Gorasui neere to Silistria as far as Constane vpon the banke of the Greeke Sea These Tartarians do the Turkes verie often vse because they would make the worlde beleeue that the Tartarians of Crimo are come to assist and succour them and so causing these few Tartarians to passe ouer on this side of the Danowe for they dwell in the vttermost parte of Moldauia beetweene the Niestro and the Danowe euen vntil they come to the great sea in the Sangâ—ack-ships of Bendero and Achermano whereof I tould you somewhat but a little before they doe mightily encrease the rumor of them and breede a great feare in our people Lastly I will conclude this discourse touching the Tartarians with a conceite worthie of consideration and memorie and it this that as the Tartars of Europe in the time of the Romanes went euen as farre as Persia by the way of Demir-Capi that is to say the iron gates a place verie famous and renowmed in regard of Alexander the great passing through the countrey of the Georgianes euen so the verie selfe same way was taken in our daies particularly by Osman Bassa who therein did greatly labour to imitate or rather to ouergo Domitius Corbulo and Pompeius Magnus as yee may reade in Tacitus and Dion §. XXXII THe Circassians sometimes called the Zighi are by the Polackes named Pientzcorschii that is to say the Inhabitants of fiue mountaynes and therefore they are also tearmed Quinque-Montani i. Fiue-Mountayne-men They doe not reach to the Caspian Sea as some haue written but only to the Cimmerian Bosphorus to the Poole Maeotis and to the great-Sea Some of them are Freemen but some of them are tributaries to the afore named Tartar of Crimo They liue all after the Superstions and rites of the Graecians They goe with the Turkes to warre but they serue them euen for poore pouertie They vse to sell one another of themselues and many of them are become Sclaues as well by the way of Mengrellia and by the Tartarians with whome they haue to doe sometimes as also by the meanes and conueniencie of Asaf which is a Forte belonging to the Turke at the mouth of the riuer Tanais They are well accounted of for their good disposition and liuely courage In the time of the Souldanes all the Mamalukes almost were Circassians and thereupon came the Mamalukes to be called by the Turkes Zercas In Circassia was Osman heretofore ouerthrowne by the Cassacchi what they are it shall be told yee in due place in his returne from Persia to Constantinople after he had passed the Riuer Phas or Phasis which is so famous for the Golden Fleece in Mengrellia which is vpon the great-Sea in the confines of Trabisonda a Riuer which Pompey durst not passe ouer when he pursued Mithridates for feare of the Tartarians the Circassians and other people neere thereaboutes And let thus much suffice to be spoken of the Tartarians and Circassians The Turke is also wont sometimes to inuite the Curdians or Gurdians to his warres who are Mahometanes and liue like Freemen and are verie couragious They dwell in the region of Bagadat and in that part thereof which now is called Curdistan that is to say Chaldaea named by the Arabians Keldan Some are of opinion that they may one day do great hurt to the Turkish Empire Some thinke the same also of the Drusians who are souldiours by profession and dwell in the Mountayne Libanus as also of the Arabian Bandoliers who are Lordes and Maisters of the Champeine as sometimes our Fuorusciti or outlawes are wont to be among vs. But in trueth I do doubt that the Maiestie and State of that Empire shall haue small cause to feare either the first who do inhabite but a small countrey or the second who are but some few Mountaine people or to be briefe the last who are indeede a confused number of theeues Now lastly it will bee verie conuenient that I shewe vnto you the strength and forces of that Empire that is to say how the great Turke is able to prouide himselfe and his Armies with victualles with Armour and with Munition aswell by land as by Sea For in vaine were it to haue an Armie and not to be able to arme and feede both men and cattell or to make an Armada without timber and people I will also by the way touch vnto you how these prouisions of the Turkes may bee either stopped or verie hardly be brought vnto him and by the knowledge thereof it will the more easily appeare what the enimie can by all likelihoode doe against vs. § XXXIIII ANd to beginne with victualles as a thing more necessarie then any other prouision whatsoeuer for the maintainance of an Armie most certaine it is that the Turke wanteth not corne For he may haue great store of it out of Asia and to conuay it into Hungarie he hath many diuers and sundry wayes But that which is by the great Sea at the mouth of the Danow hath no good free passage in regard of the Walacchians who do now depende vpon the Transyluanian That by Constantinople is to long a iourney and yet there can none be caried that way neither The most free and easiest way of all the rest for this purpose is that by Sea to Salonicchi and from thence by the way of Scopia to Belgrado where the countrey being verie plaine and euen the Turkes may verie commodiously make their conuoyes and much better they might do if they had any cartes In Europe the Turke hath not now any great coÌ„moditie of victualles For Maldauia and Walachia although they be Prouinces that are by nature verie fruitfull of Barley and Wheate yet by the occasion of this present warre they are beecome almost altogether vnfruitfull not onely because they are not now sowed as heretofore ordinarily they haue beene but also beecause that little which the grounde yeeldeth is purloyned by
haue a certaine kinde of Breuuage or drinke which they call Tzerbet and wee Sâ—rbetto a Soupe or Broath and it is made of Raisins and water sometimes mingled with the iuice of Lemmons and with Muske most daintie and delicate it is to the taste and will often strike vp into the heade like Wine Whereof also if any of the Turkes are desirous to drinke especially the Giannizzaries who will swill of it beyonde all measure they may haue some in Hungarie and chiefly in vpper Hungarie where the wine of Toccai is verie famous § XXXVIII LAstly the Turkes cannot want prouision of wood and timber which as Cyrus sayth is as necessarie for an armie as any other thing whatsoeuer True it is that in some places of Seruia there is no great store of it but there is as much as may be desired in the rest of the voyage from Constantinople to Belgrado and in the way of lower Hungarie on this side of the Danow euen vnto Vesperino but specially in Bazca also in Srema which is a Prouince so called of the Cittie Sirmio so noble and renowmed principally for the Councill that was kept there These two Prouinces doe lie on this side of the Danow betweene the Danow it selfe and the riuers of Draua and Saua and haue great abundance of wood and timber by reason that they haue not felt the miseries of the warre because the Turkish armies haue not taken that way but onely in the beginning vnder the conduct of Sinan And now that we haue discouered whatsoeuer is necessarie for the vittaile and foode of their men and cattell it followeth also to be considered how the Turkes are at this present armed and how they may haue munition sufficient for the warre whether it be Defensiue or Offensiue § XXXIX THe Spahi of Europe to strike a farre off doe vse to weare a light Launce with a pommell and to strike at hand an Iron Club or Mace which they call Pusdogan or else a Scimitarre or Cimitare for so by a barbarous worde they call that weapon which by little and little groweth crooked towards the poynt and is like for all the worlde to the Knife that Xenophon attributeth as proper to the Persians called by the Turkes Cedare by the Arabians Seife and by the Dutche Sabell a corrupt worde taken from the Hungarians and Sclauonians who call it Sabla Some of them doe also weare an Axe and a short sword Some few Iacks and Targates they haue but the rest of all their bodie is vnarmed None of them doth handle the Pistoll and many of them doe onelie vse the Dart. The greatest part of those Spahi that kept in the frontiers of Croatia and of Hungarie had Cuirasses and Corslets but they are almost all extinguished those that are of late gone thither in their roomes are not accustomed to such armour All the Giannizzaries and some of the Asappi handle the Arcubuse but for the most part not so wel as it is handled by vs Christians Which what aduauntage it may be vnto vs let those iudge that saw the handling of the Arcubuse Da posta that was so profitably vsed in the actions of that most glorious Gentleman Alexander duke of Parma The Acanzii the Spahoglani the Chiaussi which vse ordinarily to go as Messengers or Embassadors and other Caualieroes of the great Turkes Court do handle the Dart and some of them the Launce after the Asian maner To be short all the footemen almost go with a Scimitarre and without any Murrion but the most part of them with Daggers after the Greeke fashion The horsemen of Asia doe carrie as it were half Pikes Many of them are Archiers they ride vpon low Saddles so that they may easily be ouerthrowen to the ground § XL. THere are also in the Turkish armies diuers Officers or seruants as the Giebegi that is say Armourers that surueigh their Armour The Topigi or Bombardieri that looke to their Guns whereof some haue pay and some haue none but diuers fees and recompences they haue The Armenians for the most part do serue for Pioners and do such workes among the Turks as our Spazzacamini or Chimney-sweepers doe among vs Italians and thereupon are in scorne called Bochgi There go also with the camp many Voinicchi who are villaines or slaues They liue after the Greeke maner they serue for any vse and dwell in Seruia and Bulgaria Vonicchi is a Sclauoine worde signifying Bellicos warlike men because in times past they were much imployed in the warres Many other there be likewise that voluntarily follow the Armie to be Pioners and to doe such other base seruices and are called Sarchor And here in this place I will omit at large to entreate of the Militarie discipline of the Turkes because that point hath beene better examined by others then I can do Onely I will tell you some speciall matters because I will not leaue the Reader fasting and vnsatisfyed in this behalfe as peraduenture in other poyntes I haue alreadie glutted him § XLI VVIthout all doubt the Turkish souldiers are farre inferiour to our souldiers that are exercised By our Souldiers I doe vnderstande not onely the Italians but also those of Spaine of France of Hungary of Germany of other natioÌ„s that vse to go to warfare in our armies And by exercised soldiers I mean such as haue not only bin wel instructed in the arte of warrefare but also such as haue beene accustomed with the exercises of a Christian souldier to the end that accompanying valour and vertue both together they may the more surely in the seruice of our Princes become victorious although they be peraduenture farre inferiour in number to our enimies Most euident and plaine are the examples of the victories obtayned by a few Christians vnder Marcus Aurelius Constantinus Theodosius the elder Theodosius the yonger Honorius Aetius and many others but more particularly ouer the Saracenes vnder Pelagius the first King of Castile who with one thousand slew twentie thousand of them and vnder Charles Martell who at one onely time ouerthrewe and vanquished three hundred threescore and fifteene thousand of them I leaue to tell you what the Christians also did vnder Alfonsus the Chast Ranimiro Ferdinando and Waltero the great Master of the Duch order who slew a hundred thousand Tartarians with the death of one onely of his owne souldiers and Coruiâ—us who after hee had obtayned seauen victories against the Turkes with fifteene thousand onely most valourously fought the eight battail against eightie thousand of them as among others Thomas Bozius writing against Macchiauel hath at large described Moreouer euerie man that hath warred with the Turkes doth know well enough that they lodge at large and that in their marching they go verie confusedly so that they may verie easily be endamaged in the tayle of their Armie George Castriota was one
treasurie great store of gold but not in that excessiue quantitie as some haue bin bolde to write which was gathered togither by his father who was very auaricious and greedie beyond all measure and as insatiable and carefull to hoorde vp as he was miserable and sparing in spending and giuing He was of the minde that he would sell euen the flowers of his owne Gardeines hee payed no debts he gaue nothing or at least verie little to his souldiers a thing that was farre different from the custome of that Empire To bee short he was most respectiue and heedie in all his expences as well ordinarie as extraordinarie those only excepted which he laide out vpon his women who although they were his slaues yet was it his pleasure that when they departed from his entertainement and embracement they should bee greatly enriched and well furnished with Iewels To all these things before rehearsed there may be added a matter which without teares cannot bee remembred and that is the tributes or rather to vse a more modest name for it the Beneuolences and Gratuities which the Christian Princes do vsually giue to the great Turke The memorie whereof ought to enkindle yea and enflame them with a most iust disdaine and indignation against so barbarous and vniust a tyrant and to cause them that as indeede they doe in their consciences acknowledge it to bee more profitable for Christendome and honourable for themselues so they would all ioyne togither with one consent to spend the same money for the glorie of Christ and for there owne safetie § XLV THe Christian Emperour payed vnto the Turke for Hungarie and to haue peace with him if I do well remember my selfe fortie and fiue thousande Dallers The Vaiuode of Moldauia paieth one and thirtie loades of Aspres or little lesse A hundred thousand Aspres make a loade which at the time of the imposition make two thousand Crownes euerie Crowne being worth fiftie Aspres which is now worth more then a hundred And besides he payeth also to the Tartarian twentie Cart-loades of honie with foure Oxen in euerie Cart and fiftie Mares besides but it may be that by some new composition he payeth now somewhat more or lesse The Vaiuode of Walachia before it was at the deuotion of the Transiluanian Prince paied fiftie loads Such is the information that I haue had from such as haue seene the bookes of Moldauia and Walachia and therefore I do differ somewhat from those that haue written otherwise hereof The Prince of Transiluania payed to the Turke before this present warre 15000. Cecchinoes or Duckets The state of Ragugia payeth 12500. Cecchinoes The state of Venice for the Iland of Zante i. Zacinthus 1000. Cecchinoes as Selem also chalengeth a certaine summe of money before it was bereaued of the Kingdome of Cyprus because the Ottoman Empire was somewhat entered into the Soldanes accounts and reckonings The Moscouite also gratifieth the Tartarian for Taurica to auoyde the incursions which the Tartarians are wont to make into his Countrey either of themselues or at the instance of the Turke The Polack payed to the Turke in the yeare 1591. so many furs of Sables as were worth 25000. crownes of gold but it is not a yearely tribute as some haue written Indeed hee giueth to the Tartarian euerie yeare a certaine summe of mony to buy Scimitarres and apparell withall by an auncient capitulation or composition as it is read in the Histories of Polonia I haue noted also the giftes which some Princes do bestow vpon the Tartarian which although they began at the first indeed before the Turke had any thing to doe with the Tartarian are yet still continued by the said Princes principally to please the Turke There be also certaine tributes and giftes which the Princes of Africa and of Arabia and the Geâ—rgiani and others do vse to giue but I wil omit them because they are not of any moment nor serue any thing to this present purpose Finally there be also many Rewardes and Gratuities which the foresayd Princes do bestow extraordinarily vpon the officers of that barbarous Prince to keepe them to bee their friends and which vpon diuerse and sundry occasions they bestow also vpon himselfe either to holde him in friendship or to pacifie his rage and furie which is sometimes eager in deed and somtimes but counterfaite or else they giue it for a certaine Ceremonie because as I haue signified before he doth account this kinde of profite to be verie honourable vnto him Besides that all such as desire Offices and Dignities or returne from the gouernments of Prouinces or from some notable enterprice do bestow vpoÌ„ him as it were by bond and dutie the godliest and most precious things which they haue gotten Neither is there any other cause why his pleasure is that all the presentes which are offered vnto him should thus openly and in publike view be presented to his owne presence but onely with this barbarous pride and ostentation to enflame and prouoke both his owne subiects strangers to bestow the more vpon him The end of the first Booke The second part Wherein is treated of the purposes and Designments which the Ottoman Princes haue towards other princes Of the cause of this present warre in Hungarie the beginning and proceeding thereof wherein for your better vnderstanding the originall of the said warre shall be fetched euen from Amurath the father of this now liuing Mahomet NOw that we haue seene the nature and conditions of Mahomet the heade and chiefe of this Ottoman Empire and what are the members strength and forces of this most monstrous bodie as I may call it fit and conuenient it is that for the full and perfect knowledge thereof we should goe about to search the purposes and designements which the said Mahomet hath against other Princes and specially against the Princes Christian to the end we may the better vnderstand the true causes of this present warre togither with the beginning and proceedings thereof But forasmuch as this warre began euen in the time of Amurath father to the now liuing Emperour it will be necessarie for our better intelligence to speake somewhat of him and to fetch the true originall of the said war euen from thence wherewithall there shal be also discouered vnto you more plainly all the greatest interests and dealings which hee hath with the rest of the Princes in the world § I. ANd to begin the same accordingly Amurath the Lord and Emperour of the Turkes father to the now liuing Mahomet was a prince of a Mahometane verie tollerable and discrete He was a zealous obseruer of that most vaine superstition of the Mushaphum for so the Turkes call the Booke of their law as the Arabians tearme it the Al-koran that is to say most wickedly as it were by excellencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture as though there were none other Scripture
of Italie in possession That the Hunnes did alwayes direct all their designementes to that onely end when they passed into Italie out of Hungaria by Dalmatia and by Carso That the Alanes and the Gothes aswell those that dwelt on this side as those also on the other side of the Danowe after they had conquered Grecia entred into Italie by the waye of Bosna and Croatia That the Vandales also hauing subdued Spaine went thether with an Armada of shippes out of Africa And lastly That the Germanes the Frenchmen and the Spaniardes had oftentimes done the like Moreouer that the Saracens of whome it was wont to bee said in the Romanes times that it was very conuenient either not to haue them enemies or to keepe them friendes had ouerrunne it all thorough kept it a long while in their possession and sacked Rome it selfe the Ladie and Empresse of the world A Citty which as Sultan Soliman very fondly sayed according to the reporte of Iouius did of right belong to the Ottoman Empire because it was alienated by Constantine to the great preiudice of his successors To bee short that there could no enterprise be attempted either more glorious or more profitable then this of Italie for that it is the Prouince which is Queen of al the rest for conueniencie of scituation for temperature of ayre for fruitfulnesse for all thinges necessarie for mans life for the maiestie and beautie of so many most famous and noble Cities for riches for the verie Sea and seate of the Christians religion for the auncient Glorie and mightinesse of that Empire and for many other respects That it would also bee a verie easie matter to bring to passe for that Italie is at this day ruled and gouerned by manie Princes which are diuided among themselues as well in regarde of their owne priuate interestes as also of seuerall nations whereof they are proceeded and that peraduenture they are not all verie willingly and louingly obeyed of their Subiects and peoples who by reason of the peace which they haue so many yeares enioyed will proue to be but cowards and weakelings and for that also they are growen to such a huge multitude as if entraunce should bee made into the Countrey either in one part or in many at such times as their corne were yet ripening in their fields as the Turks should on their behalfes want no vittailes so should the Italians be of necessitie constrained either to shut vp themselues within their fortresses or else to perish for hunger Which thing will be made more manifest and cleare if yee shall consider that now whiles they liue in peace they haue not corne sufficient for their sustenance but are enforced to prouide the some abroad and to cause it to be brought to them from Morea from Constantinople and euen as farre as from the Ocean Moreouer that the Italians are accustomed for the most part to procure their liuings with handi-crafts or with traffique in such sort as if their trades were hindered they should bee compelled so much the rather to yeeld to such conditions as the conquerour shall impose vpon them or at least to become tributaries and acknowledge the Ottomans power And besides that the Turkish Souldiers would willingly goe thither because they are not to passe through Countryes which are barren frozen with Ice and disinhabited or through thicke bushes and woods or mountains vnpasseable but as it were in the sight of their own houses and through their own proper Countryes And lastly that if the Turkes haue entered therinto at other times when their borders and confines were not so conuenient nor so near as now they are much more may they or rather ought to attempt the same at this time seeing they haue them now so nigh and commodious § XII THE seauenth opinion was that they should make war first in Polonia and then afterwardes in Hungarie and Germanie The reasons thereof were these That forasmuch as it did not stand with the dignity of the Ottoman maiesty to suffer the king of Polonia so often to refuse the payment of his Tribute it was very fitte that all forcible meanes should bee vsed to recouer the same That for the many discontentmentes which haue passed in that Kingdome there was very good hope that hee might the more easily bee enforced to pay it That the warre should be verie conuenient and commodious for the Turkes because Polonia was so neare bordered vpon Moldauia and vpon the Tartarians and also vpon the Sangiackeshippes of Achermano of Bendero and vpon Vosia Againe That the entier and quiet possession of Moldauia and Walachia could neuer be kept maintained vnlesse the hardie boldnes of the Polackes were brideled and so much the more for that the Vaiuodes of those prouinces although they were greately enriched yet could they neuer recouer thēselues in any distresse nor bee relieued any where but in the Turkes kingdome That by these meanes also the iniuries might bee reuenged which were wrought against the Turkes by the Cosacchi when they sacked Coslou a place in Taurica belonging to the Turkish state that therby likewise the passage should be eased for their Marchandises that goe from the Turkish States into Moscouie that the Moscouite himselfe should bee put in a bodily feare and that peruaduenture to his great losse and domage because his Countrey laye so neare especially considering that hee was the impediment why the Ottoman Empire atchieued not the to rall conquest of Persia. That growing in this sort so nigh unto Germanie it may bee that one onely discomfiture would vtterly ouerthrow the Emperour for that hee should see his Countrey the more easily compassed about with the Ottoman Forces That to bee short all the Countrey of Polonia is very open and without Fortresses and that the Polackes themselues were not now to bee accounted any great warriours because they haue liued so long in peace For the wars which they made with Maximilian were but of small continuance and the other warres which were made before by King Stephen with the Muscouite were made by him as hee was an Hungarian and rather with Hungarian Souldiers then with Naturall Polackes and rather with besieging then with fighting § XIII THE eight and last opinion was that warre should bee made against the Emperour whome the Turkes call The King of Betz that is to say of Vienna in times past peraduenture Vindoniana Those which were of this opinion were moued thereunto for that the Vscocchi were become so insolent in praying vpon the Turkes both by land and by sea as not only in regard of the losses which they continually wrought but also euen for the honour of the Ottoman maiestie they could no lōger be endured so much the rather for that the marchants subiect to the Turke both to the publike and to their owne priuate detriment haue beene constrained to change the Port of Narenta and to go to