Majesty of a Kingdom as then when Richard the First King of England passing that way with his Fleet for the relief of the Christians then distressed in the Holy Land about the year 1191 was prohibited there to land and certain of his People by force of Tempest there cast on Shore were by the Cypriots either cruelly slain or taken Prisoners which barbarous violence King Richard took in so evil part that he there by force landed his Army and rested not until he had taken Isaac the King Prisoner and subdued the Island The King he sent in Chains of Silver to Tripolis there to be kept in close Prison the Kingdom he kept a while in his own hand which not long after he gave or as some say exchanged with Guido the titular King of Ierusalem for which cause the Kings of England for a certain time afterwards were honoured with the Title of the Kings of Ierusalem This Kingdom by many descents came at length to Ianus Son of King Peter who in the year 1423 was by Melechel a Sultan of Egypt taken Prisoner but afterwards for the ransom of an hundred and fifteen thousand Sultanins was set at liberty and restored to his Kingdom paying unto the Sultan and his Successors a yearly Tribute of forty thousand Crowns This Ianus left a Son called Iohn who after the death of his Father married the Daughter of the Marquis of Mont-Ferrat after whose death he married one Helena of the most noble House of the Paleologi in Grecia by whom he had one only Daughter called Carlotte but by another Woman a base Son called Iames. This King Iohn was a Man of no Courage altogether given to pleasure and according to the manner of his effeminate education shewed himself in all things more like a Woman than a Man which Helena his Wife a Woman of a great Spirit quickly perceiving took upon her the Soveraignty and whole Government of the Realm gracing and disgracing whom she pleased and promoting to the Ecclesiastical Dignities such as she best liked abolishing the Latin Ceremonies and bringing in them of the Greeks and took such further order as pleased her self in matters of State concerning both Peace and War her Husband in the mean time regarding nothing but his vain pleasure whereby it came to pass that all was brought into the power of the Greeks the Queens Friends Now the Queen her self was much ruled by the Counsel of her Nurse and the Nurse by her Daughter so that the People would commonly say The Daughter ruled the Nurse the Nurse the Queen and the Queen the King. The Nobility ashamed and weary of this manner of Government by general consent of the People sent for Iohn the King of Portugals Cousin-German whom some call the King of Portugal to whom they gave Carlotte the Kings Daughter in marriage with full power to supply that want of Government which was in King Iohn his Father in Law. He taking the Authority into his Hands quickly reformed the disordered Kingdom as well in matters concerning Religion as civil Policy The Latin Ceremonies were again restored and the Government of the Daughter the Nurse and the Queen brought to an end But the mischievous Daughter doubting the Countenance of the young King perswaded her Mother as she â—endred her own Life to poison the King. Which thing the wretched Woman by the consent of the Queen Mother as was reported in short time performed and so brought that noble Prince well worthy longer life unto his untimely end whereby the Government was again restored unto the Greek Queen who in the name of her weak Husband commanded again at her pleasure But above all the Nurse and her Daughter insulted upon the young Queen Carlotte which she not well brooking grievously complained thereof to Iames her baâ—e Brother requiring his help for redress thereof who not long after slew the Nurses Daughter not so much in revenge of the wrong by her done unto his Sister as to prepare a way for himself for the obtaining of the Kingdom grieving inwardly that she or her Husband should be preferred before himself Which thing Helena the Queen quickly perceiving perswaded the King her Husband to cause his base Son to enter into the orders of Priesthood and so to become a Churchman thereby to cut off all his hope of aspiring unto the Kingdom which the King at her instance did and made him Archbishop of Nicosia In the mean time Carlotte by the perswasion of her Mother and the Nobility of the Country married Lewis Son to the Duke of Savoy who being for that purpose sent for came with all speed to Cyprus After that the Queen-Mother and the old Nurse desiring nothing more than to revenge the death of the Nurses Daughter upon Iames now Archbishop devised first how to thrust him out of all his â—piritual Promotions which were great and afterward quite banish him the Kingdom Hereupon the Queen wrote Letters against him to the Pope to have him disgraded for that he being a Man base born with his hands imbrued with innocent Blood was unworthy of holy Orders Which Letters by chance came to Iames his hands who inraged therewith accompanied with a number of his Friends and Favorites suddenly entred the Court slew such of his Enemies as he found there divided their Goods amongst his Followers and as King possessed himself of the Regal City In this Broil the Greek Queen Helena died and shortly after her Husband also All things being thus in an hurly and out of order certain of the Nobility for redress thereof sent for Lewis the Husband of Carlotte as for him to whom that Kingdom in the right of his Wife most justly belonged who upon his arrival was of all sorts of Men joyfully received and welcomed as their King. Iames the Usurper understanding before of the coming of Lewis and perceiving the inclination of the People towards him fled with divers of his Friends to Alexandria to crave aid of the Egyptian Sultan in whose Court he found such Favour as that he was by the Sultans commandment Royally apparelled and honoured with the Title of the King of Cyprus which he promised for ever to hold of the Sultans of Egypt as their Vassal and Tributary At which time the Sultan also by his Embassadors commanded Lewis to depart the Isle who by all means sought to have pacified the Sultan declaring unto him his rightful Title yet offering to pay unto him the wonted Tribute and to allow unto Iames a yearly Pension of ten thousand Ducats during his life But all in vain for Iames still present in the Sultans Court and wisely following his own suit at last concluded with the great Sultan who thought it more honour to make a King than to confirm a King and receiving of him a great Army returned into Cyprus where in short time he so distressed Lewis that he was glad to forsake the Island with his Wife and to return into his Country
sort by his Advice and Counsel the Forces should be imployed and the Armies disposed for the subduing of that City which over all the Nations of the World was so famous and so great an honour to the Persian Kingdom To all which demands his Answer and Resolution was That forsomuch as the matters of Georgia were now well settled the treacherous Passages by the new built Forts assured and the Province of Siruan under his Obedience established there was now no cause why he should any longer foreslow so famous an Enterprise but by the Conquest of Tauris and erecting of a Fort in that proud City to bring a Terrour upon all Persia and to raise a glorious renown of so mighty a Conquest among the Nations of Europe for the accomplishment whereof he thought that either the same Army or at the most a very little greater would suffice so that it were raised of the best and choicest Souldiers By reason of one of the Letters which Sciaus Bassa had written to the late Tartar King and by the Instigation of the young Sultan Mahomets Mother jealous of the near alliance of the great Bassa with her Husband as prejudicial and dangerous to her Son Amurath had in the open Divano deprived the said Sciaus from the Office of the chief Visier and hardly pardoning him his Life at the Intercession of his Wife being his Sister had banished him the Court so that he lived afterwards about Calcedon upon the Borders of Asia not far from Constantinople in a close Palace he had there built for his own Pleasure in whose room he appointed Osman to be chief Visier and to honour him the more nominated him the General of his Army against the Persians Such Power hath Virtue that even from the very scum of the rascal sort and out of the rustical rout of Mountain Peasants which notwithstanding cannot be truly justified of this Osman his Father being Beglerbeg of Damasco and his Mother the Daughter of the Beglerbeg of Babylon it doth oftentimes in the course of this variable World draw divers men into Princes Courts and advance them to the highest Dignities Truth it is that from a private Souldier though well born he by sundry degrees grew up to the highest Honour of that so great an Empire and was at one instant created the chief Counsellor and General of the Othoman Forces Great was the Joy that Osman conceived hereat and great was the desire he had to make himself worthy of so honourable Favours and the greater Confidence he perceived that Amurath had reposed in him the more eagerly was he spurred on to any thing possible whereby he might shew himself to have deserved the same And therefore advising with himself that forasmuch as the greatness of the Enterprise required a greater Army than was levied in former years so it was necessary also for him the sooner to send out his Advertisements into all his subject Provinces and by his own example to stir up the other Captains and Souldiers even in the Winter though it were as yet somewhat troublesome to pass over to Scutari and from thence to Angori to Amasia to Sivas and there in those Territories to drive out the time untill his Souldiers which were summoned were all gathered together And because upon this his great speed it might peradventure fall out that the Enemy misdoubting his purpose for Tauris might provide a greater Army than they would otherwise he caused it to be given out That he must go for Nassivan to the end that the Persians so beguiled should not regard the gathering of so mighty an Army as they could have done if they should have heard of the Turks coming to Tauris and so the General cousening Rumour flew not only through all the Cities subject to the Turks but into the Countries of the Persians also who notwithstanding being very jealous of the City of Tauris and fearing that the matter would fall out as indeed afterward it did ceased not make most curious and diligent inquiry about it And although the disgrace offered to his Ambassadour at Constantinople disswaded him from sending any other for treaty of Peace yet to spie out the Secrets of the Turks and to understand the certainty of their purpose for Nassivan or Tauris he sent divers Messengers to Osman as if he had meant to feel his mind touching a Peace but in very deed for nothing else but to sound his Designments which for all that he could not with all the cunning he could use possibly discover but still remained doubtful as at the first the Fame still running for Nassivan In the beginning of this year now growing towards an end Amurath sent one Mustapha one of the meanest of his Chiaus unto Stephen King of Polonia to excuse the Death of Podolovius so shamefully murthered as is before declared as if the same had hapned by the Insolency of certain Souldiers and not by his Commandment who the better to colour the matter had brought with him two base Fellows as Authours of that outrage for the King to take revenge upon but were indeed no such men as they were pretended to be but rather as it was thought men before condemned for some other Fact worthy of Death and now sent thither to serve that purpose for whom the Chiaus in proud and threatning manner in the name of his Master required to have present Restitution made of all such goods as the Polonian Cossacks had not long before taken from the Turks and the Captain of the said Cossacks to be delivered also unto him to be carried to Amurath and so hardly urged the matter that notwithstanding the unworthy Death of Podolovius and his Followers and the taking away of his Horses all the goods taken by the Cossacks were forthwith restored which the Chiaus almost in triumphant manner presented unto Amurath at Constantinople This Summer also Amurath disporting himself with his Mutes was almost dead These Mutes are lusty strong Fellows deprived of their Speech who nevertheless certain by signs can both aptly express their own Conceits and understand the meaning of others these men for their Secresie are the cruel Ministers of the Turkish Tyrants most horrible Commands and therefore of them had in great regard With these Mutes mounted upon fair and fat but heavy and unready Horses was Amurath upon a light and ready Horse sporting himself as the manner of the Turkish Emperours is riding sometime about one sometime about another and striking now the Horse now the Man at his Pleasure when suddenly he was taken with a fit of the falling Sickness his old Disease and so falling from his Horse was taken up for dead insomuch that the Ianizaries supposing him to have been indeed dead after their wonted manner fell to the spoyling of the Christians and Jews and were proceeding to further outrages had not their Aga or Captain to restrain their Insolency to the Terror of the rest hanged up one of them taken
had undoubtedly so done if some of his most expert and valiant Captains which might be bold with him had not sharply reproved him that having so populous an Army as scarcely felt that small loss he should once think of returning without Victory With which their comfortable perswasions he was again encouraged to give Battel Yet for his more safety he withdrew his Army into a Strait betwixt two Mountains and with his Carriages foâ—tified the front thereof as with a Trench behind which Carriages he placed his great Ordnance and on either side his Archers The Persians as men of great Valour and thereto encouraged with their former Victories came on as men fearing no peril to have charged the Turks even in their Strength presenting their whole Army before they were aware into the mouth of the Turks Artillery which suddenly discharged amongst the thickest of them brake their Ranks and took away a number of them Besides that the Persian Horses terrified with the unacquainted and thundering report of the great Ordnance were not to be ruled by their Riders but starting back ran some one way some another as if they had felt neither Bit nor Rider Which their confusion Mahomet perceiving presently took hold of the occasion offered and with his Horsemen fiercely charged them being now by themselves intangled and out of order Nevertheless the Persians made great resistance and slew many of the Turks but still fighting confusedly and out of order they were at the last inforced to flie in which Flight a great number of them were slain and their Tents also taken Zeinal Usun-Cassanes his eldest Son labouring to stay the Flight of the Persians was slain with a small shot So the Honour of the day remained with the Turks yet they had no great cause to brag of their winnings having lost in that Battel forty thousand Souldiers whereas of the Persians fell not above ten thousand Mahomet contenting himself with this dear bought Victory returned homewards and Usun-Cassanes leaving another of his Sons with his Army for the defence of Armenia returned likewise to Tauris But whilst the Christian Princes were in their greatest expectation what might be the Event of these Wars betwixt these two mighty Mahometan Kings they upon the suddain concluded a Peace and confirmed the same with new Affinity excluding the Christians quite out of the same This last Battel betwixt Mahomet and Usun-Cassanes was fought in the year of our Lord 1474 about four years before the death of Usun-Cassanes who died the fifth of Ianuary in the year 1478. In the time of these Wars died the noble Mustapha Mahomet his eldest Son at Iconium having spent himself with reveling amongst his Paragons or as some write commanded to die by his â—ather upon this occasion This youthful Prince upon a time coming to the Court to see his Father or as they term it to kiss his hand became amorous of the Wife of Achmetes Bassa a Lady of incomparable Beauty and Daughter to Isaac Bassa the chief men in the Turkish Empire next unto Mahomet himself but finding no means to compass her in whom his Soul lived he awaited a time when as she after the manner of the Turks went to bath her self and there as he found 〈◊〉 all disroabed shamefully forced her without regard either of his own Honour or of hers Of this so foul an outrage Achmetes her Husband with his cloaths and hat all rent for madness came and grievously complained to Mahomet craving vengeance for the same Unto whom Mahomet again replied Art not thou thy self my Slave and if my Son Mustapha have known thy Wife is she not my Bondslave he hath had to do withal Cease therefore thus to complain and hold thy self therewith content Nevertheless he in secret sharply reproved his Son for so hainous and dishonorable a Fact by him committed and commanded him out of his sight and as he was of a severe nature caused him within a few days after to be secretly strangled Nevertheless the wrong done unto the Bassa sunk so deep into his haughty mind as that he would never admit excuse therefore but put away his Wife the ground of the implacable hatred betwixt him and the great Bassa Isaac his Father-in-law and in fine the very cause of his utter destruction as is afterward declared in the life of Bajazet Mahomet delivered of his greatest fear year 1475. by the Peace he had lately concluded with Usun-Cassanes the Persian King was now at good leisure to imploy all his Forces against the Christians And bearing a deadly hatred against the Princes of Epirus and Albania with a wonderful desire to extend his Empire unto the Ionian and Adriatick that he might from thence but look toward Italy which he began now to long after he determined with himself first to subdue those Countries as standing in his way both for the invasion of Italy and of the Territories of the Venetians And forasmuch as the strong City of Scodra otherwise called Scutary then in the possession of the Venetians for the commodious Situation thereof seemed to give him the best entrance into the Countries of Albania Epirus Dalmatia and to such Cities as the Venetians held alongst the Sea coast he resolved there to begin his Wars This City was of great Strength as well for the natuaral Situation thereof as for the strong Fortifications therein made by the hand of man which thing Mahomet was not ignorant of but presuming of his own Strength and Power vainly perswaded himself that no place was now able long to hold out against him Wherefore having prepared all things fit for the besieging thereof he sent Solyman Bassa an Eunuch whom he made his Lieutenant General in Europe in the place of Amurath Bassa before slain by Usun-Cassanes with eighty thousand Souldiers to besiege Scodra This great Bassa according to his charge came and with great pomp incamped round about the City the 25 of May. Shortly after having planted his battery he began most furiously to shake the Walls and ceased not by all means he could devise to trouble the Defendants and when he had by force of the Canon done what he could gave divers sharp assaults unto the City but was still with great loss valiantly repulsed by them of the City Long it were to declare how often and in what terrible manner that warlike Bassa Mahomet his chief Captain attempted to have won the City as also to shew how they of Scodra directed by their worthy Governor Antoninus Lauretanus valiantly defended themselves and their City nothing was omitted that the Enemy could do or devise for the gaining thereof but all his devices and attempts were so met withal by the Defendants that they served him to no other purpose but to the destruction of his people Whilst the Bassa thus lay at the Siege of Scodra Mocenicus having received such commandment from the Senate came and joyned himself to Grittus the new Admiral who then lay with
with great silence unto the Postern at which time his Son Condi stood with a strong Troop of Horsemen ready to have entred at such time as the Germans received into the City should break open the great Gatâ— as was before agreed Neither did Bornemissa fail to perform what he had as a Traitor promised but opening the Postern we spake of had with great silence received in most part of those German Companies But when he still asked softly of them as they came in for Revalius and heard them answer nothing but in the German Language although he was otherwise a Man of a bold Spirit yet then surprised with a suddain fear as it oftentimes chanceth in such actions to Men deceived of their expectation he stood as a Man amazed that knew not what to do and forgot to conduct the Germans who altogether unacquainted with the City knew not which way first to go and stealing on softly in the dark went on with no great courage for fear of Treason still asking of them that followed for him that should direct them The Germans could not go so closely but that they were by the clattering of their Armor and the light of their Matches descried by the Watch who asking for the Word and they not giving it presently raised an Alarm but now all too late the City being as good as half taken had the Germans well conducted resolutely gone on with the matter so well begun but they ignorant of the way and now descried and chased with their own fear ran back again to the Postern in such hast that one of them miserably wronged another in striving who should get out first and their passage out much letted by the Pikes and Weapons which they which fled first had cast cross the way to run the lighter into the Camp. The first that set upon the Germans was Bacianus who had that night the charge of the Watch and after him Vicche who kept the Court of Guard in the Market-place and hearing the Alarm came thither with a strong Company both of Horsemen and Footmen Many of the most valiant Germans who coming in first were in flight become last were slain or taken and amongst them many of Bornemissa his Familiars and Friends as for himself he was got out among the formost from whom the Bishop by â—xquisite Torture wrung out the whole Plot of the Treason and afterwards caused them to be severally executed to the terror of others Revalius in the mean time complaining in the Camp That he was deceived by the General and Bornemissa wofully lamenting That having worthily got the name of an infamous Traitor he had thereby lost all his Substance and undone his Friends and Kindred The General Rogendorff condemned even of the common Souldiers for his foolish Arrogancy and Pride was hardly spoken of through all the Camp as he that by too much insolency had overthrown the fairest occasion of a most goodly Victory wherefore from that time he attempted no great matter but set himself down by long siege to tame his Enemies and so to win the City Solyman understanding of the Queens distress in Hungary and with what desire Ferdinand supported by the Emperor his Brother thirsted after that Kingdom consulted with his Bassaes of the purposes and power of his Enemies both there and elsâ—where and politickly resolved at one time with his divided Forces to withstand their attempts in divers places and those far distant one from another whereby the greatness of his power is well to be perceived First he sent Solyman Bassa an Eunuch to Babylon to defend the Country of Mesopotamia and the Frontiers of his Empire alongst the River Tygris against Tamas the Persian King. Mahometes another of his great Bassaes he sent into Hungary to relieve the besieged Queen and after him Ustref Bassa which was the fourth of his chief Bassaes with another Army to stay at Belgrade in readiness to aid the other Bassa sent before him as occasion should require if he should find his Enemies too strong Unto Barbarussa he committed his Navy for the defence of Grecia and Epirus against Auria who but a little before aided by the Gallies of Sicilia and Naples had driven the Turks and Moors which took part with the Turks out of Clupea Neapolis Adrumentum Ruspina Tapsus and all alongst that Coast of Africk which the Moors call Mahomedia except the City of Lepâ—is and caused those Cities to submit themselves to the Government of Muleasses King of Tunes These Cities are at this day called Calabia Susa Mahometa Monasterim Sfaxia and Africa And because Solyman understood that Maylat the Vayvod of Transylvania took part with King Ferdinand he sent against him Achomates Governour of Nicopolis and commanded Peter of Moldavia Prince of Valachia to aid him who afterwards accordingly came unto him with thirty thousand Horsemen He himself also doubting the purposes of the Christian Princes and especially of Charles the Emperor more than he had need came to Hadrinople and in the Countries thereabouts raised a third Army to aid the two Bassaes sent before into Hungary keeping with him his Son in Law Rustan whom he had made one of the four great Bassaes of his Council having thrust out Luftibeius whom the Turks call Luâ—zis his Brother in Law and exiled him into Macedonia for evil entreating and striking his Wife which was Sâ—lymans Sister as is before said but was at this time done Mahometes the Bassa desirous to do his great Master the best service he could entred into Hungary with his Army about the middle of Iune in the year â—541 taking with him in his way the other Mahometes Governour of Belgrade who gave the shameful overthrow unto the Christians at Exek joyning also with him the power of Bosna now commanded by Ulamas the Persian for that Ustref the old Bassa was lately dead The Captains of the Christian Army hearing of the coming of the Turks entred into Counsel Whether they should continue the Siege or else go and meet them by the way and give them Battel But the Period of the Hungarian Kingdom drawing fast on and the inevitable Destiny thereof so requiring the opinion of Rogendorff prevail'd against the rest for the continuing of the Siege he seeming more willing to die than to cross over the River to Pesth or to retire to Vicegrade or Strigonium as divers would have perswaded him wherefore he removed from the place where he lay before and encamped his Army on the further side of the City at the foot of St. Gerrards Mount where the Hill lying between Buda and the Camp and departing from the River leaveth a fair Plain toward the East of purpose that the Turks which he knew would not go far from the River and their Fleet should be enforced dangerously â—o pass by the Mouth of his great Ordnance which he had aptly placed upon the front of his Trenches for such was the nature of the place
of their Friends from whom they expected most speedy relief and beside the Terror of the continual Battery and still feared Assaults pinched also with extream wants of all things began now to faint Wherefore the Bassa with the other Captains overcome with the aforesaid Difficulties and the general out-cry of the fearful People resolved with one consent to come now to parley and upon reasonable Conditions to yield up the City whereupon a flag of Truce was set up and Parley craved Which granted the Archduke after the going down of the Sun came into the lower Town where nine of the Turks attended his coming who entring into Parley required that they might under safe Convoy with Bag and Baggage depart and so leave him the City which the Arch-duke would not by any means agree unto At length with much Intreaty they obtained that they might upon the samâ— Conditions depart that the Christians did at Rab with their Scimitars by their sides and so much of their Goods as they could carry upon their Backs unto such Ships as were to be appointed for the carriage of them to Buda For the performance whereof Hostages were on both sides given and so the next day being the second of September they began to come out of the City more in number than either the Prisoners taken in the time of the siege had confessed or the Christians had thought Thirty Ships were appointed for the conveying of them down the River to Buda which not sufficing many of them tarried in the City until the next day at which time the Bassa with the sick and wounded sailed to Buda the Prisoners and Pledges on both sides being before faithfully delivered Thus by the Goodness of God and the good Conduct of a few valiant Christians was Strigonium the Metropolitical City of Hungary after it had fifty two years groaned under the miserable Yoke of the Turkish Servitude again restored unto the Christian Common-weal which the Christians forthwith repaired and new fortified as was thought best for the defence thereof against the Enemy All which being done about the midst of this Month the Arch-duke sent eighteen thousand to besiege Vicegrade otherwise called Plindenburg a strong Castle of the Turks upon the River between Strigonium and Buda which Castle they took Which when they of Buda understood they were strucken with such a fear that many of the better sort were ready to forsake the City insomuch that the Bassa to stay their flight was glad to command the Gates of the City to be shut upon them and no man suffered to pass out This good Success of the Christians in these Wars caused great rejoycing to be made in most parts of Christendom All this while the Christians were thus busied at the siege of Strigonium the Transilvanian Prince was not idle but in divers places did the Turks exceeding much harm so that now his Name began to be dreadful unto them It fortuned that the same day that the County Mansfelt departed at Komara that the Prince at Alba-Iulia with great Solemnity married Maria Christina the Daughter of the late Arch Duke Charles the Son of the Emperour Ferdinand her other Sister Anna being before married unto Sigismond now King of Polonia for so it was agreed for the more assurance of the League between the Emperour and him that he should take his Wife out of the House of Austria which he now did Of this Solemnity the Turks his evil Neighbours having Intelligence assembling to the number of 30000 or more thought as unwelcome Guests to have come unbidden or unlooked for thereunto but the vigilant Prince understanding of their coming provided for their Entertainment accordingly and setting his Pleasures for a while apart and coming upon them when they least looked for him in a great Battel overthrew them and slew most part of them carrying away with him as a triumphant Victor the whole spoil of his Enemies About the same time the Transilvanians also besieged Fagiat a Town holden by the Turks not far from Temeswar where after they had lain 12 days they of the Town dispairing to be able long to hold out came to Parley and covenanting to depart with Bag and Baggage began to go out of the Town But in their departure understanding that the Bassa of Temeswar with the Sanzacks of Lippa and Ienne were coming to their relief they that were yet in the Town began to find delays and they that were already gone out began to return Wherewith the Transilvanians much moved by plain force entered the Town and put them all to the Sword and afterward turning upon the Bassa who with ten thousand Turks and certain Field-pieces was coming to have relieved the Town had with them a cruel Battel wherein most part of the Turks fell with small loss of the Transilvanians who so eagerly pursued the Victory that the Bassa himself had much ado with five hundred others to escape The two Sanzacks with divers others of good Place were taken and sent Prisoners to the Prince Not long after about the latter end of August the Transilvanians also besieged Lippa a famous City of Hungary standing upon the River Maracz not far from Temeswar which the Turks being not able longer to hold fled into the Castle where finding themselves in no great safety after three days siege they came to Parly and so yielded upon Condition that they might in safety depart with so much of their Goods as they could themselves carry About which time also the Bassa of Bosna with ten thousand Turks and Tartars went forth to have again recovered Babotsca a frontier Town before taken by the Christians which the Stirians and the rest of the Christians dwelling thereabouts between the two Rivers of Sauus and Drauus understanding conducted by the Lords Herbenstein Leucowitz and Eckenberg that had the charge of those Frontiers overtook the said Turks and Tartars near unto Babotsca fought with them and in the plain Field overthrew them Mahomet not a little grieved with the good SucSuccess of the Christians in every part of Hungary and above measure offended with Ferat Bassa his General through whose Negligence all or at leastwise most part of this had hapned as he was by the Envy of Sinan Bassa perswaded sent for Ferat home and in his Place sent out Sinan Of which the great Sultans Displeasure Ferat was not ignorant as forewarned thereof by her that best knew even the Sultans Mother and advised not to come in sight until his Peace were made Who nevertheless trusting to his own Innocency the comfortable but most dangerous and weak stay of the great and doubting not to answer whatsoever Sinan should be able to charge him with came to the Court where he was by the Commandment of Mahomet shortly after strangled and his Goods to the value of five hundred thousand Duckats confiscated Among all the dangerous Enemies of the Christian Common-weal was none at this time more
meeting with them a little before night had with them a cruel fight wherein the Victory fell unto the Christians who had the Turks in chase a great part of the night Nevertheless Liparites valiantly fighting in another wing of the battel was there taken and so carried away Prisoner for whose ransome the Emperor sent a great sum of money with certain Presents to the Sultan all which he sent back again and frankly set Liparites at liberty wishing him never to bear Arms more against the Turks And with him sent the Seriph a man of great Place among the Mahumetans his Embassador unto the Emperor Who coming to CONSTANTINOPLE amongst other things proudly demanded of the Emperor to become Tributary unto the Sultan and so to be at Peace with him for ever Which his unreasonable demand was by the Emperor with no less disdain scornfully rejected and the Seriph so dismissed Which contempe of his Embassador the Sultan taking in evil part as also not a little moved with the death of his Nephew and loss of his Army with all his Power invaded the Roman Provinces but being come as far as COIME without any notable harm doing for that the Country people hearing before of his coming had in time conveyed themselves with their substance into their strong holds whereof there was great store in those Countries and hearing also that the Greek Emperor was raising a great Power to come against him at CESAREA not daring to proceed any further leaving so many Enemies behind him he fretting in himself returned into MEDIA where finding the people all fled into their strong Towns he laid siege unto MANTZICHIERT a City standing in a plain Champain Country but strongly fortified with a triple Wall and deep Ditches This City he furiously assaulted by the space of thirty days without intermission but all in vain the same being still notably defended by Basilius Governor thereof and the other Christians therein The Sultan weary of this siege and about to have risen was by Alcan one of his chief Captains perswaded yet to stay one day for him to make proof in what he were able to do for the gaining thereof whereunto the Sultan yielded committing the whole charge of the assault unto him Alcan the next day dividing the Army into two parts and placing the one part upon the higher ground of purpose with the multitude of theiâ— shot to have overwhelmed the defendants with the other part of the Army furnished with all things needful for the assault approached to the Walls the Sultan in the mean time with certain of the chief Turks from an high place beholding all that was done But this so forward a Captain in the midst of his endeavour lost himself being slain with a great number of his Followers in approaching the Wall. His dead body known by the beauty of his Armor was by two valiant young men that sallied out of the Gate drawn by the hair of his head into the City and his head being forthwith cut off was cast over the Wall among the Turks wherewith the Sultan discouraged and out of hope of gaining the City rose with his Army pretending himself with other his urgent affairs to be called home and threatning withall the next Spring to return with greater Power and to do great matters But not long after great discord arose betwixt the Sultan and his Brother Habramie Alim insomuch that the Sultan sought by divers means to have taken him out of the way which Habramie perceiving fled to his Nephew Cutlu-Muses and joyning his Forces with hiâ— denounced War unto the Sultan his Brother who meeting with them not far off from PASAR overcame them in plain battel wherein Habramie was taken and presently by the commandment of his Brother put to death But Cutlu-Muses with his Cousin Melech and 6000 Turks fled into ARMENIA and by Messengers sent of purpose requested of the Emperor Constantinus Mâ—homachus to be received into his Protection But the Sultan with his Army following them at the heels they for their more safety were glad to fly into ARABIA The Sultan afterwards turning into IBERIA did there great harm spoiling the Country before him against whom the Emperor sent Michael Acoluthus a valiant Captain Of whose approach the Sultan hearing and that he would undoubtedly ere long give him battel deeming it no great honour unto him to overcome the Emperors Servant but an eternal dishonour to be of him overthrown retired with his Army back again to TAURIS leaving behind him one Samach with 3000 Turks to infest the Frontiers of the Emperors Territories which both he and other the Turks Captains afterward more easily did for that Monomachus the Emperor having prodigally spent the Treasures of the Empire to increase his Revenue had imposed a Tribute upon the Frontier Countries of his Empire wont before to be free from all Exactions in lieu whereof they were bound to defend the passages from all incursions of the Enemy but now pressed with new Impositions had dissolved their wonted Garrisons and left an easie entrance for the barbarous Enemies into the Provinces confining upon them Besides that the Emperor 's immediately following and especially Constantinus Ducas abhorring from Wars and given altogether to the hoarding up of Treasure gave little countenance and less maintenance unto men of Service which in short time turned to the great weakning and in fine to the utter ruine of the Constantinopolitan Empire At the same time also the Government of the Constantinopolitan Empire by the death of Constantinus Ducas the late Emperor came to his wife Eudocia with her three Sons Michael Andronicus and Constantinus all very young whose sex and tender years the barbarous Nations having in contempt at their pleasure grievously spoiled the Provinces of the Empire namely MESOPOTAMIA CILICIA CAPADOCIA yea and sometimes as far as COELOSIRIA The report whereof much troubled the Empress and gave occasion for many that loved her not to say That so troubled an Estate required the Government of some worthy man. Wherefore she fearing leâ—t that the Senate making choice of some other she and her Children should be removed from the Government thought it best for the preservation of her State and her Childrens to make choice of some notable and valiant man for her Husband that for her and hers should take upon him the managing of so weighty Affairs But to check this her purpose the only remedy of her troubled thoughts she had at the death of the late Emperor Constantine her Husband at such time as the Soveraignty was by the Senate confirmed unto her and her Sons solemnly sworn never more to marry which her Oath was for the more assurance conceived into writing and so delivered unto the Patriarch to keep This troubled her more than to find out the Man whom she could think worthy of her self with so great honour She held then in prison one Diogenes Romanus a man of great Renown and
following and therefore had left them this Town as a bait to train them out of their Trenches And after that the Christians were thus possessed of the Town having laid certain strong ambushes they drave out certain heards of Cattle the more to allure them all which certain companies of the Christians brought in without any loss the Turks still winking thereat With which booty the Christians encouraged went out three thousand of them to take in a little Town not far off who were by the Turks cut off and slain every Mothers Son as they were about to have divided the Spoil Which overthrow reported into the Town discouraged even the chief Commanders of the Army so that they resolved no more to try the fortune of the field before the coming of their friends Nevertheless the common Souldiers condemning them of cowardise chose them a new General one Godfrey Buxel whom they now requested not but enforced to go out to revenge the death of their fellows Which their rashness not long after turned to their own destruction for ten thousand of them going out of Exorgum to forrage the Country were by the Turks intrapped and almost all slain except some few which by speedy flight escaped The Turks prosecuting their victory laid hard siege to them in the Town also until they had partly with famine and partly with the sword consumed the most part of them The Hermit with the poor remainder of his Army took his refuge to Cinite a Town not far off before abandoned by the Turks where with much ado he defended himself until the coming of Duke Godfrey and the rest of the Princes Cutlu-Muses the Turk was now dead having left unto his Son Sultan Solyman many large Countries and Provinces altogether gained from the Christians in Asia whom he held in great subjection and thraldom This warlike Prince having discomfited and almost brought to nought the Hermits forces was no less careful for the withstanding of the great Army following which now being come into Bithyâ—iâ— and lying before Nicomedia removing thence laid siege to the City of Nice called in ancient time Antigonia of Antigonus the Son of Philip that built it and afterwards Nicea of Nicea the Wife of King Lysimachus In this City dwelt many devout Greeks Christians but in such thraldom unto the Turks that they could not do any thing for the delivery of themselves This siege indured longer than the Christian Princes had at the sirst supposed who although they to the uttermost of their power forced the City on three sides yet was it still notably defended new supplies still coming from the Turks by the Lake of Ascanius joyning upon the other side of the City But after that the Christians possessed of the Lake began on that side also to lay hardly unto the City the Turks discouraged and seeing themselves beset round with their enemies yielded up the City the fifth of Iuly in the year 1097 year 1097. after it had been fifty days besieged But whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege the Turks assailed that quarter of the Camp where the Legat lay by whom they were notably repulsed and with great loss inforced to retire unto the Mountains In this City amongst the rest of the Turks was taken Solymans wife with two of her Children whom the Princes sent prisoners to Constantinople This City so won was according to the agreement before made restored unto Alexius the Emperor whose Fleet had in that siege done good service by taking the Lake from the Turks The City of Nice thus won the Christian Princes removing thence with their Army and marching through the Country came the fourth day â—fter unto a River which watered many rich pastures where as they were about to have incamped for the commodiousness of the place and refreshing of the Army suddenly news was brought into the quarter where Bohemund lay now busie in casting up his trenches That the Turks with a great Army were ready even at hand to charge him For Solyman having raised a great power of his own and aided by the Sultan of Persia his kinsman was now come with an Army of 60000 strong to give the Christians battel of whose approach Bohemund advertised left the fortifying of his Trenches and putting his Souldiers in array set forward to meet him sending word to the rest of the Princes that lay a far off to be ready as occasion should require to relieve him These two Armies conducted by their most resolute Chieftains meeting together joyned a most fierce and terrible battel where in a short space the Turks lay slain upon heaps in such sort that they served the Christians instead of Bulwarks But whilest Bohemund thus prevaileth in the battel certain of the Turks horsemen wheeling about brake into Bohemunds Camp not as then altogether fortified and but slenderly manned where among the Women and other weak persons there left they raised a great tumult and outcry to the great appaling of them that were fighting in the battle which Bohemund perceiving withdrew himself with certain companies unto the Camp from whence he with great slaughter repulsed the Enemy But returning again into the battle he found there a great alteration for his Souldiers whom before he had left as it were in possession of a most glorious victory were now so hardly laid on by the Turks as that they were ready to have turned their backs and fled Nevertheless by his coming in the battel was notably restored and again made doubtful when the â—nemy perceiving how much the assaulting of the Camp had troubled the Christians in battel sent out certain Troops of Horsemen again to assault the same and had not failed undoubtedly to have taken it being as aforesaid not yet fortified had not Hugh the French Kings Brother come in good time to the rescue who coming in with 30000 Horsemen after he had relieved the Camp entring directly into the battel was notably incountred by a Squadron of fresh Souldiers of the Turks by them of purpose reserved for such event There began a battel more terrible than the first with most doubtful victory But at the length the Turks weary of the long and cruel fight and seeing most of their fellows slain began by little and little to give ground and so retired into the Mountains which were not far off In this battel which continued a great part of the day were slain of the Turks 40000 and of the Christians about 2000. The next morning Bohemund with the French Kings Brother came again into the field in such order as if they should presently have given or received battel where after they had stayed a great while and saw no Enemy to appear they fell to the honâ—st burial of their dead which were easily known from the Turks by the red crosses upon their garments the cognisance of their sacred warfare Solyman flying with the remainder of his Army notably dissembled his loss giving it out
ghost the two and twentieth day of August in the year 1131. whereof he reigned with much trouble thirteen years and was solemnly buried in the Temple upon Mount Calvary with the other two Kings Godfrey and Baldwin his Predecessors year 1131. The Kings Funeral ended the Princes of the Kingdom with one accord made choice of Fulk the old Count Earl of Anjou for their King who the 16 day of September was with all solemnity by William the Patriarch crowned in Ierusalem This man in the beginning of his Reign besides his troubles abroad was also vext with domestical and intestine discord Pontius Count of Tripolis seeking by force of Arms to have rent the Dukedom of Antioch from the Kingdom and Hugh Count of Ioppa for fear of due punishment for his Treason joyning himself with the Sarasins of Ascalon and so with them infesting the Territories of Ierusalem to the great hurt of the Christian State and advantage of the Infidels Which troublesome broyls were yet afterwards by the King partly by force partly by the mediation of the Patriarch and other Princes who seeing the danger thereof like to ensue had interposed themselves well again appeased Vengeance yet nevertheless still following both the aforesaid Traitors Pontius being shortly after slain by the Turks and Hugh dying in exile Besides these domestical troubles the Turks also invaded the Country about Antioch where they were by the sudden coming of the King overthrown with the loss of their Tents and exceeding great Riches And that nothing might be wanting unto the disquieting of the State of that new erected Kingdom not long after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor together with the Empire Inheritor also of his Fathers malice against the proceeding of the Christians in Syria with a puissant Army passing through the lesser Asia and by the way taking by force Tarsus the Metropolitical City of Cilicia with the whole Province thereunto belonging came and besieged Antioch which Fulk but a little before had together with Constance the Daughter and Heir of the late Duke of Antioch given in marriage to Raymund Count of Poitou for that purpose sent out of France But in this so dangerous a state of that Christian Kingdom the other zealous Christian Princes interposed themselves as Mediators betwixt the Emperor pretending the same to belong unto his Empire and Raymund that was in possession thereof And in fine brought it to this end that Raymund for the present submitting himself unto the Emperor should from thenceforth hold his Dukedom of him as of his Lord and Sovereign upon which agreement the Emperor returned unto Tarsus where he wintered and so afterwards unto Constantinople Much about the same time Sanguin one of the Turks great Princes invading the Country about Tripolis besieged the Castle of Mont-Ferrand unto the relief whereof Fulk coming with his Army was by the Turks overthrown and for the safeguard of his life glad to take the refuge of the Castle the Count himself being in that battel taken Prisoner After which Victory the Turks laid harder Siege unto the Castle than before the besieged in the mean time being no less pinched within with Famine than pinched without by the Enemy In this the Kings hard distress the other Princes having raised the whole power of the Kingdom were coming to his relief whereof the Turk understanding offered of himself to give them all leave freely to depart and to set the Count at liberty so that they would deliver unto him the Castle of which his offer they gladly accepting yielded up the strong Hold and so departed The King by the way meeting with the Army thanked his Friends for their forwardness and so returned to Ierusalem About four years after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor with a great Army came again into Syria with purpose to have united the famous City of Antioch unto his Empire and so to have made a way into the Kingdom of Ierusalem whereafter he had now a good while longed But coming thither in hope to have found the Cilicians and Syrians ready to have received him he was deceived of his expectation being shut out by the Latines and not suffered to enter but upon his Oath and that with some few of his followers and so after due reverence done unto him quietly to depart without any stir or innovation in the City In revenge of which disgrace at his departure he gave the Suburbs of the City as a prey to his greedy Souldiers pretending the same to be done for want of Victuals who made havock of whatsoever came to hand not sparing the very Fruit Trees but cutting them down to dress their meat withall Having thus under colour of necessity revenged the disgrace received he returned into Cilicia and there wintered where one day for his disport hunting of the wild Boar and having wounded him with his Boar-Spear the wild beast therewith enraged and with all his force bearing forward upon the weapon forced the Emperors hand backward upon the poynt of a poysoned Arrow that was hanging in a quiver at his back and so was therewith lightly wounded Nevertheless as light as the wound was such was the strength of the Poyson that the grief thereof still encreasing and his hand and Arm more and more swelling there was no remedie to be â—ound but that his Arm must be cut off which desperate and uncertain cure he abhorring in the extremity of his pain oftentimes pleasantly saying That the Greek Empire was not to be governed with one hand overcome with the strength of the Poyson died In whose place succeded his youngest Son Emanuel Alexius and Andronicus his two Elder Sons being both dead at his setting forth unto this so unhappy an expedition It fortuned about this time also that the Kingdom of Ierusalem being now at peace that Fulk the King with the Queen his Wife lying at the City of Ptolemais in the time of Autumn it pleased the Queen for her disport to walk out of the City unto certain pleasant Fountains there by in the Country for whose company the King would needs go also with certain of his Courtiers where by the way it chanced that certain Boys running along the field put up an Hare that was sitting in a furrow after which all the Courtiers on horseback galloped amain with notable outcry and hollowing Amongst the rest the King to be partaker of the Sport forcing his horse to the uttermost of his power in the midst of his course fell together with his horse foundring under him and in falling chanced to fall his head under the horse with whose weight and the hardness of his saddle he was so crushed that his Brains came out both at his nose and ears In this pitiful case being taken up for dead and with great heaviness being carried back he yet breathing lay speechless three days and so died the thirteenth of November in the year of Grace 1142. His dead body afterwards brought to Ierusalem was
Ministers of his Wickedness who had now oftentimes in their mouths that saying of the Poet Est mala res multos dominarier unicus esto Rex Dominusque An evil thing it is to be ruled by many One King and one Lord if there be any And that the old age of an Eagle was better than the youth of a Lark So by the general consent of that wicked Assembly unworthy the name of a grave Council a Decree was made That Alexius should as a man unfit to Govern the State be deprived of all Imperial Dignity and commanded to live a private life Which disloyal Decree of the Conspirators was yet scarcely published but that another more cruel came out of the same Forge That he should forthwith be put to death as one unworthy longer to live For the execution of which so horrible a Sentence Siephanus Hagiochristophorites one of the chief Ministers of Andronicus his Villanies and by him promoted even unto the highest Degrees of the Honours of the Court with Constantinus Trypsicus and one Theodorus Badibrenus Captain of the Tormentors were sent out who entring his Chamber by night without compassion of his tender age or regard of his Honour or Innocency cruelly strangled him with a Bow string which detestable murther so performed Andronicus shortly after coming in spurned the dead body with his foot railing at his Father the late Emperor Emanuel as a forsworn and injurious man and at his Mother as a common Whore. The head was forthwith struck off from this miserable Carkass the mirror of Honours unstability and left for the monstrous Tyrant to feed his eyes upon the body wrapped up in Lead was in a Boat carried to Sea by Io. Camaterius and Theodosius Chumenus two of Andronicus his noble Favorites who with great joy and glee returned with the same Boat to the Court as if they had done some notable Exploit But long continueth not the joy of the Mischievous Vengeance still following them at the heels as it did these two who not long after with the rest that conspired the innocent Emperors death all or most part of them came to shameful or miserable ends Thus perished Alexius the Emperor not yet full fifteen years old in the third year of his Reign which time he lived more like a Servant than an Emperor first under the command of his Mother and afterwards of the Tyrant which brought him to his end Who joyeth now but old Andronicus made young again as should seem by his new gained Honours for shortly after the murder committed he married Anne the French Kings Daughter as some report before betrothed to young Alexius a tender and most beautiful Lady not yet full eleven years old an unfit Match for three score and ten And in some sort as it were to purge himself and his Partakers of the shameful murther by them committed and to stop the mouths of the people he by much flattery and large promises procured of the Bishops a general Absolution for them all from the Oath of Obedience which they had before given unto the Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son Which obtained he for a while had the same Bishops in great Honour and shortly after in greater Contempt as men forgetful of their Duties and Calling After that he gave himself wholly unto the establishing of his Estate never reckoning himself thereof assured so long as he saw any of the Nobility or famous Captains alive that favoured Emanuel the late Emperor or Alexius his Son of whom some he secretly poysoned as Mary the Emperor Emanuels Daughter with her Husband Caesar some for light occasions he deprived of their sight as he did Emanuel and Alexius the Sons of that noble Captain Iohn Comâ—enus Andronicus Lapardus whose good Service he had oftentimes used Theodorus Angelus Alexius Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels base Son some he hanged as Leo Synesius Manuel Lachanas with divers others some he burnt as Mamalus one of the Emperor Alexius his chief Secretaries all men of great Honour and place For colour whereof he pretended himself to be sorry for them deeply protesting that they died by the severity of the Law not by his will and by the just doom of the Judges whereunto he was himself as he said to give place and that with tears plentifully running down his aged Cheeks as if he had been the most sorrowful man alive O deep dissimulation and Crocodiles tears by nature ordained to express the heaviness of the heart flowing from the eyes as showers of rain out of the Clouds in good men the most certain signs of greatest grief and surest testimonies of inward torment but in Andronicus you are not so you are far of another nature you proceed of joy you promise not unto the distressed pity or compassion but death and destruction how many mens eyes have you put out how many have you drowned how many have you devoured Most of the Nobility that favoured the late Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son thus taken out of the way by Andronicus struck such a fear into the rest that for safeguard of their lives they betook themselves to flight some one way some another never thinking themselves in safety so long as they were within the greedy Tyrants reach whereof shortly after ensued no small Troubles to the shaking of the State of the whole Empire Isaac Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels nigh Kinsman took his Refuge into Cyprus and kept that Island to himself Alexius Comnenus Emanuels Brothers Son fled into Silicia and there stir'd up William King of that Island against Andronicus who with a great Army landed at Dyrrachium took the City and so from thence without resistance passing through the heart of Macedonia spoiling the Country before him as he went met his Fleet at Thessalonica which famous City he also took by force and most miserably spoiled it with all the Country thereabout so that he brought a great fear upon the Imperial City it self Unto which so great evils Andronicus intangled with domestick Troubles and not knowing whom to trust was not able to give remedy although for shew he had to no purpose sent out certain of his most trusty Ministers with such Forces as he could well spare For the Majesty of his Authority growing still less and less and the number of his Enemies both at home and abroad daily increasing and the favour of the unconstant people who now began to speak hardly of him declining he uncertain which way to turn himself rested wholly upon Tyranny proscribing in his fear not only the Friends of such as were fled and whom he distrusted but sometimes whole Families together yea and that for light occasions sometime those who were his best Favorites whose Service he had many times used in the execution of his Cruelty so that now no day passed wherein he did not put to death imprison or torture one great Man or other Whereby it hapned that the
is said before standing by him perceiving plucking off his own Cap and shewing his old bald Head requested the People That if his Nephew did refuse it they would set it upon his whereunto they with a great outcry answered That they would no more yield their obedience to an old bald Man as having received many harms from the hoary hairs of old Andronicus and therefore for his sake hated every old Man more fit for Charons Boat and his Coffin than for an Empire and especially if he had a forken Beard and bald Head as had Andronicus and this Ducas Thus was Isaac by the tumultuous Multitude invested in the Empire and so royally mounted upon one of the Emperors Horses richly furnished with a Saddle and Trappings of Gold which they had by chance gotten was by them brought from the Temple unto the Court Basilius Camaterus the Patriarch waiting upon him whom the headstrong People had inforced against his Will to confirm with his Authority what was by them done for the establishing of Isaac in the Empire Andronicus at his coming to the Palace perceiving first by the confused cry of the tumultuous Multitude and afterward by that which he saw with his Eyes how the world went calling upon his old Friends and flattering Favourites thought first by their help to have repressed the Fury of the Rebellious who as Friends of his better Fortune and not of himself were now for the most part shrunk from him and those that were left so feintly coming on as if in his quarrel they had had no mind to spend their lives with which heartless Company Andronicus fearing to oppose himself against the Fury of the Multitude with his Bow and Arrows in his hand got him up into the highest Tower of the Palace called Centenaria and from thence bestowed certain shot among the People But seeing that to be to no purpose and better persuaded to do more with them by fair words than such vain force he from the top of the Tower cried aloud unto them That if they would be quiet and depart he would by their consent resign the Empire unto his Son Manuel whereat the People more inraged spared not to pour forth most reproachful words in contempt both of himself and his Son and so furiously brake into the Court by one of the Gates called Carea Which Andronicus beholding and now out of all hope casting from him all his Habiliments of Honour and disguising himself fled again to his Gally accompanied only with Anna his Wife and Maraptica his Minion and so returned to Meludinum his place from whence he came Isaac but yesterday in the bottom of despair and shadowed as it were with the hand of Death by the strange change of Fortune to day mounted unto the higâ—est Type of worldly Honour entring the Palace was there again with the greatest applause of the People that might be saluted Emperor From whence he forthwith sent out certain Companies of his most assured Friends and Followers to apprehend Andronicus who now as a man at once forsaken both of his Friends and of his better Fortune secretly fled with his Wife and his Paragon before remembred to Chele attended upon only with a few of his trusty Servants which had of long time served him before he was Emperor There taking Ship with purpose to have fled unto the Tauroscythes as not thinking himself safe in any Province of the Empire he was twice or thrice by foul Weather put back again the rough Sea abhorring as it seemed to carry him that had so polluted it with the dead bodies of the Innocent by him slain and still threatning as it were to devour him Thus strangely stayed by foul Weather or more truly to say by the revenging hand of the Highest he was found by such as were sent out to seek after him and being by them apprehended was with two great Iron Chains fast lockt about his proud Neck and heavy Gyves upon his legs cast into the Castle of Amena and in that miserable Habit shortly after presented to the Emperor Isaac yet busied in appeasing and reforming of the disordered City where by the way as he went he was by the People most shamefully reviled and injuriously used some plucking him by the Beard some by the Hair of the Head some other in the mean time playing with his nose and bobbing him in the face with a thousand other despights done unto him especially by such Women as whose Husbands he had before murdred or deprived of their sight Afterward being commited to the hateful Fury of the People he had his right Hand cut off and was again committed to the same Castle without Meat Drink or any other comfort where after he had lien a few days having one of his Eyes put out he was set upon a foul lean Camel with his Face towards the tail thereof and so as it were in Triumph led through the Market place his bald Head all bare as if it had been a dead mans Skull taken out of a Charnel House in a short old Coat so miserable a Spectacle as might have expressed a fountain of tears out of the Eyes of a right hard hearted man. But the Bedlam and most insolent Citizens especially they of the baser sort as Cooks Coblers Curriers and such like flocking about him like Bees without regard that he had but the other day worn upon his Head the Imperial Crown then honoured by them as a God and extolled unto the Heavens that they had not long before solemnly sworn him Obedience and Loyalty ran now as men out of their Wits omitting no kind of Villany they could devise to do unto him some thrust nails into his Head some cast dirt in his Face some the dung both of Men and Beasts some prickt him in the Sides with spits some cast Stones at him as at a mad Dog and other some opprobrious and despiteful words no less grievous unto him than the rest amongst others an impudent Drab coming out of the Kitchen cast a pot of scalding water in his Face and in brief their outrage so exceeded as if they had striven among themselves who should do him the greatest Villany Having thus shamefully as in a ridiculous triumph brought him into the Theater they there betwixt two Pillars hanged him up by the Heels where having suffered all these despightful Indignities with many more not without offence to be named he with an invincible Courage yet still held his patience not giving one evil word but sometimes saying Lord have mercy upon me and otherwhiles Why do you break a bruised Reed Yet the furious People nothing moved with the Calamity of so great a man of all others now the most miserable stript him of his bad Cloaths as he hung and cut off his Privities One among the rest to make an end of him thrust his Sword in at his Throat up to the twist as he hung other two with their long
the setting forward of the Emperor Fredericks Son-in-Law for the recovery of his Wives Right to the Kingdom of Ierusalem which although he solemnly vowed at such time as he with all Princely Magnificence married the said Lady at Rome yet otherwise letted with troubles nearer home performed not the same untill almost seven years after all which time the Christians in Syria enjoying the fruit of the late concluded Peace for eight years lived in great rest and quietness where so leaving them until the arising of new troubles let us in the mean time return again unto the troubled affairs of the Turks Greeks and Latines at Constantinople and in the lesser Asia Henry the Second Emperor of the Latines at Constantinople after he had as is aforesaid with much ado repressed the Fury of the Bulgarians and Scythes his barbarous Enemies and so given peace to the miserable Country of Thracia died having reigned a most troublesome Reign about the space of eleven years Afteâ— whom succeeded Peter Count of Ausserre his Son-in-Law third Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople who in the beginning of his Empire willing to gratifie the Venetians and to revenge himself of Theodorus Angelus a great Prince of Epirus Competitor of his Empire besieged him in Dirrachium which strong City the said Theodorus had but a little before surprised belonging unto the Venetian Seigniory At which Siege Peter the Emperor lying was so cunningly by the wilie Greek used that a Peace was upon most honourable conditions betwixt them concluded and a familiar kind of Friendship joyned Insomuch that the Emperor at his request not well advised came unto him as his Guest who now of his Enemy became his Host entertaining him with all the formalities that feigned Friendship could devise But having him now in his power and fearing no harm regarding neither the Laws of Fidelity or Hospitality he most traiterously slew him as he was yet in the midst of his Banquet Of whose end some others yet otherwise report as that he should by the same Theodorus have been intercepted about the pleasant Woods of Tempe in Thessalia as he was travelling from Rome to Constantinople and so afterwards to have been by him cruelly put to death Of whose misfortune Tepulus Governour of Constantinople understanding for the more safety of the State in that vacancy of the Greek Empire made peace with Theodorus for five years and the Turks for two Shortly after came Robert the Son of the aforesaid unfortunate Emperor Peter with his Mother to Constantinople and there in his Fathers stead was solemnly saluted Emperor but not with much better luck than was his Faâ—her before him for shortly after his coming he took to Wife a fair young Lady the Daughter of a great rich and noble Matron of the City but before betrothed unto a gallant Gentleman a Burgundian born with whom the old Lady broke her promise and more careful of her Daughters preferment than fidelity gave her in marriage unto the new Emperor The joy of which so great an Honour was in short time converted not into a deadly heaviness but even into death it self for the young Burgundian more enraged with the wrong done him than discouraged with the greatness and power of the Emperor consorted himself with a company of lusty tall Souldiers acquainted with his purpose and awating his time when the Emperor was absent by night entred the Court with his desperate Followers and first meeting with the beautiful young Empress cut off her Nose and her Ears and afterward threw her old Mother into the Sea and so fled out of the City into the Woods and Mountains with those desperate cut-throats the ministers of his barbarous cruelty The Emperor pierced to the heart with this so great a disgrace shortly after went to Rome to what purpose was not certainly known but in returning back again through Achaia he there died leaving behind him his young Son Baldwin yet but a Child begotten by his first Wife to succeed him in the Empire who by the name of Baldwin the Second was crowned the fifth and last Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople And for because he was as yet but young and unfit for the Government he was by the consent of the Nobility affianced and afterward married unto Martha the younger Daughter of Iohn Brenne King of Ierusalem a worthy old Captain but as then Governour of Ravenna which City he being certain years before sent for out of France for that purpose by Honorius the Pope he notably defended against the Emperor Frederick his Son-in-Law but that affinity was before broken off by the death of the said Emperors Wife who now sent for out of Italy unto Constantinople had committed to his charge and protection both the Person and Empire of the young Emperor Baldwin now his Son-in-Law Which great and heavy charge he for certain years after worthily and faithfully discharged until such time as that Baldwin was himself grown able to take upon him the government Now although the Imperial City of Constantinople with the Countries of Thracia Thessalia Macedonia Achaia Peloponesus and the rest of the Provinces of Greece were all or for the most part under the Government of Baldwin the Emperor the Venetians or other the inferior Latine Princes yet were the oppressed Greeks the natural Inhabitants thereof in heart not theirs as abhorring nothing more than that their forreign government but wholly devoted to their own natural Princes Theodorus Lascaris and Alexius Comnenus the one reigning at Nice in Bithynia the other at Trapezond in Pontus both called by the Greeks Emperors and so of them generally reputed Lascaris of the two the better beloved and by far of greatest power had during the time of his Government fought many an hard Battel as is in part before declared and strongly fortified his chief Cities against the invasion of his Enemies as well the Turks as the Latines and so having as it were erected a new Empire in Asia and there reigned eighteen years died leaving behind him one Iohn Ducas Batazes that had married the fair Lady Irene his Daughter and Heir to succed him in the Greek Empire in Asia This Iohn was a man of a great Wit and Spirit and of more gravity for his years than was Theodorus his Father-in-Law never undertaking any thing before he had thereof well considered and once resolved not omitting or neglecting any thing for the performance thereof So that it was not unfitly said of the Greeks The planting of this new Empire to have required the celerity of Lascaris but the stay thereof to have been the gravity of Ducas He in the beginning of his Reign in very short time having set all things in good order greatly augmented his Legions and shooting at a fairer mark than the Empire he held even the Imperial City it self and the recovery of all Thracia and Grecia out of the hands of the Latines which could not be done
City were driven to such extremity that for want of Wood they were fain to burn many of the fairest Houses in the City in stead of Fewel Which done he returned again to Nice the chief seat of the Greek Emperors ever since that Constantinople was taken by the Latines Now reigned in Constantinople the Latine Emperor Baldwin the Second as is before declared a man of small courage and less power and therefore not much regarded either of the Greeks or Latines who for the maintenance of his State was glad to sell away the publick Ornaments of the City and to pawn his Son unto the Bruges Merchants for mony by whom he was left at Venice to be brought up which gave occasion for some Writers to report That he was pawned unto the Venetians About this time Mango the great Cham of Tartary stirred by Aitonius the Armenian King by whose perswasion he had also received the Christian Religion year 1260. sent his Brother Haalon with an exceeding great Army against the Turks and Sarasins in Syria and the Land of Palestine This Haalon converted also unto the Christian Faith by his Wife setting forward with a world of People following him in the space of six months overran all Persia with the Countries adjoyning excepting one strong place in the Mountains which some say was Samarchand afterward the Royal Seat of the great terror of the world the mighty Tamerlane which besieged by ten thousand Horsemen by him appointed for that purpose and so continued by the space of seven and twenty years after was then at length as Aiton himself writeth yielded by the Defendants only for want of Cloaths to cover their nakedness Haalon in whose Army those ten thousand left behind were not missed marching on and as a violent Tempest bearing all down before him entred at length into Assyria and there laid Siege unto the great City of Babylon then the Seat of the great Caliph whom all the Mahometan Princes honoured above all others as the true Successor of their great Prophet Mahomet and received from his mouth the interpretation of their Law as most divine Oracles Which great City Haalon won and putting to the sword all he found therein Men Women and Children with the Spoil thereof and the rich Treasures of the Caliph inriched his Souldiers The Caliph himself reserved for that purpose he commanded to be set in the midst of the infinite Treasure which he and his Predecessors had most covetously heaped up together and that he should of that Gold Silver and precious Stones take what it pleased him to eat saying by way of derision That so gainful a Guest should by good reason be fed with nothing but things of greatest price whereof he willed him to make no spare in which order the covetous Wretch kept for certain days miserably died with hunger in the midst of those things whereof he thought he should never have had enough which though they were in value great and with great care laid together yet served they him to now to suffice Nature best contented with a little Babylon thus sacked and almost rased the Tartar marching on through Mesopotamia by the way took the City Rhoais where Aiton the Armenian King and Author of this the Tartars expedition came to him with twelve thousand Horsemen and forty thousand Foot as reporteth Aiton the Armenian Kings Nephew then there present So entring into Syria in a few days took Aleppo which he sacked and rased in the year of our Lord 1260. with divers other strong Towns sometime belonging unto the Kingdom of Antioch Then was one Malacnesar Sultan of Damasco commanding over all Syria and the Land of Palestine who terrified with the loss of his Cities and the fear of farther danger with his Wife and Children came and humbled himself before the Tartar Prince in hope so to have saved unto himself some good part of his Kingdom Wherein he was much deceived being as some say carried away afar off into exile because he should not hinder the Tartars proceedings or as others report and haply with more probability being by him detained as his Prisoner and afterwards to the terror of his Son cut in pieces in his sight under the Walls of Damasco after-that it had in vain been twice assaulted by the Tartars which strong City for all that he afterwards took by strong hand and sacked it and by the perswasion of his Wife overthrew all the Mahometan Temples as he had before in every place where he came But purposing to have gone on forward to Ierusalem and to have conquered the whole Land of Palestine news was brought him of the death of his Brother Mango the great Cham whereupon he staid his journey and returned back again in hope of that great Empire having in this expedition spent almost six years Thus by the Tartars was the Kingdom of the Turks at Damasco overthrown At which time the broken affairs of the Christians in Syria and the Land of Palestine might easily have been repaired and those two goodly Kingdoms again restored to the Christian Common-Weal had the Christian Princes of the West then in time put to their helping hand on the one side as did the Tartars on the other but they then at fatal discord among themselves and busied with their Wars at home let slip that so fair an opportunity the like whereof they seldom or never had since Haalon the Tartar Prince in token of his good Will toward the Christians and their Affairs at his departure from Damasco left his Son Abaga there with twenty thousand Horsemen to aid them in their Wars if they should come as was expected for the recovery of the Holy Land who having there staied some while and hearing of his Fathers troubles at home followed himself after him but yet left behind him Guirboca a valiant Captain with ten thousand of his Horsemen to like purpose that his Father had him who by the insolency of certain Christian Souldiers in Garrison about Sidon was of a Friend together with his Tartars made a Foe These Garrison Souldiers having by chance fet in some booty out of the Tartars Territory not only refused to restore the same again but also fouly entreated such as the Tartar had sent for the demanding thereof Whereupon further quarrels arising it fortuned a Nephew of Guirboca's a valiant young Gentleman to be slain in revenge whereof he besieged Sidon and having taken it sacked it and burnt it down to the ground After which time he and his Tartars became utter Enemies unto the Christians doing them all the harm they could devise This discord betwixt the Tartars and the Christians gave occasion unto Melech the Egyptian Sultan now jealous of the Tartars nearness with a great Army of his Mamalukes and others to enter into Syria and to spoil the Country of Damasco against whom Guirboca with his Tartars although both in Strength and Number far inferiour went out But joyning Battel
Grandfather being with as little stir as might be deposed he himself might alone injoy the Empire But needing Mony for the effecting of so great matters he by force took all the Mony from the Collectors whom the old Emperor had sent into Thracia for the taking up of Mony there telling them that he was an Emperor also and in need of Mony and that the common charge was likewise by the common Purse to be discharged After that he took his way towards Constantinople pretending that upon special causes he had occasion to send Embassadors unto the Sultan of Egypt for the transporting of whom he was there to take order for the setting forth of a great Ship and other things necessary for the journey Neither went he slenderly appointed but with a great Power and the Cities of Thracia before well assured unto him such as he suspected being thrust out of Office and others more assured unto him placed in their steads But whilst he thus bestirreth himself one of those that were most inward with him detesting so foul a Treason secretly fled from him unto his Grandfather from point to point discovering unto him all the intended Treacheries and withal how that his Nephew had determined to depose him from his Empire or otherwise to bereave him of his life if he should stand upon his Guard but if in the attempt he should find easie success then to spare his life and depriving him of the Imperial Dignity to thrust him as a Monk into a Monastery and therefore advised him to beware how he suffered him after his wonted manner to come into the City for fear of a general revolt but rather by force to keep him out Which the Emperor hearing and comparing with other things which he had heard of others yet sounding in his Ears deeming it to be true stood up and in the anguish of his Soul thus complained unto God Revenge my quarrel O God upon them that do me wrong and let them be ashamed that rise up against me and preserve thou unto me the Imperial Power which by thee given unto me he cometh to take from me whom I my self begot and advanced After he began to consider what course to take for the assurance of himself and his State in so great a danger And first he sent unto his Nephew come half way to forbid him from entring the City and to tell him that it was a great folly for him being so manifest a Traitor both unto his Grandfather and the State to think his traiterous purposes to be unknown unto the World. And beside in way of reproof to rehearse unto him how many occasions he had given for the breaking of the League with his Grandfather first in taking away the Mony from the Collectors whereof the State never stood in more need by reason of the division of the Empire which required double charge then in that he had in the City every where displaced such Governors and Magistrates as his Grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his Grandfather forbidden to enter the City After that the old Emperor by secret Letters craved aid of Crales Prince of Servia and Demetrius the Despot his Son who was then Governor of Thessalonica and the Countries adjoyning commanding him with Andronicus and Michael his Nephews Governors of Macedonia with all the Forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent unto them out of Syria with all speed to joyn together and to go against the young Emperor But these Letters thus written unto the Prince of Servia the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the young Emperor had for that purpose placed upon the Straits of Cristopolis and the other passages especially such as were written in Paper yet some others in fine white linnen Cloth and secretly sowed in the Garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were delivered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in Constantinople but that the yong Emperor was by one or other advertised thereof whereas the old Emperor on the other side understood nothing what his Nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their own accord inclined to him some openly both Body and Soul as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in Mind and good Will were even present with him and that not only the common sort of the Citizens of Constantinople but the chief Senators the great Courtiers yea and many other of the Emperors nearest Kinsmen also who curiously observing whatsoever was done in the City forthwith certified him thereof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the Marquess one of the old Emperors own Sons who many years before by the Empress his Mother sent into Italy and there honourably married was by his prodigal course of life there grown far in debt so that leaving his Wife and Children behind him he was glad after the decease of his Mother to flie unto his Father at Constantinople and there now lived who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the Court and bestowed many great things upon him paid also all his Debts which were very great All which Fatherly kindness he forgetting went about most Iudas like to have betrayed his aged Father For he also dreaming after the Empire and for many causes but especially for that he was in Mind Religion Manners and Habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater despight than by revolting unto the young Emperor so that the nearer he was in blood the more he was his Fathers unnatural Enemy Shortly after Demetrius the Despot having received the Emperors Letters at Thessalonica called unto him Andronicus and Michael his Nephews the Governors of Macedonia with whom joyning all his Force and dayly expecting more aid out of Servia he first spoiled the young Emperors Friends and Favourites in Macedonia giving the Spoil of them in all the Cities and Towns of Macedonia unto their Souldiers who made havock of whatsoever they light upon and whosoever seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their Proceedings their Goods and Lands they confiscated and drave the men themselves into exile Neither was the young Emperor Andronicus in the mean time idle but secretly sent out his Edicts into all parts of the Empire yea into the very Cities of Constantinople and Thessalonica and over all Macedonia whereby he proclaimed unto the People in general a releasement of them from all Tributes Impositions and Payments and frankly promised unto the Souldiers and Men of War the augmenting of their Pensions and Pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith moved both in Word and Deed to favour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret Letters
to make the same to him appear Whereupon the Sultan seeing all things desperate determined for a time to retire in hope that time would bring some change as also that Tamerlane his populous Army would not long remain there And so departing out of Alexandria with tears standing in his Eyes oftentimes said That God was angry with him and his People and that he must of necessity suffer the fatal overthow of his Estate himself having done as much as in him lay according to his Charge and the Expectation the World had of him and yet that he hoped at length to return again and deliver his People from the Bondage whereunto they must now needs submit themselves Tamerlane coming to Alexandria before yielded to Axalla there staid a great while sending Axalla to pursue the Sultan exceedingly grieved that he could not get him into his Hands and therefore still fearing some innovation to be by him raised which caused him to deal the more hardly with them whom he suspected to favour him Now the bruit of these Victories having with Axalla passed beyond Alexandria into Lybia had brought such a fear not only upon the People adjoyning unto these Conquests but also upon all Africa they supposing that Tamerlane did follow that two and twenty of the Moor Kings sent their Embassadors unto him to offer unto him their Obedience the Sultan as a man forsaken of Fortune still flying before him Of the nearest of which Kings Tamerlane took Hostages as for the other farther off he contented himself with their Faith given and with the other outward signs of their good Wills. Now after this long travel and pains taken was Tamerlane more desirous than he had before used to see the pleasures of his own Native Country the rather thereunto moved by the request of his Wife then longing for his return and the News he heard of the Sickness of the old Tartarian Emperor his Father-in-Law besides that Age it self began to bring unto him a desire of rest with whom also the desires of his Souldiers well agreed as men now weary to have run so many and divers Fortunes The only stay was that he expected the coming of Calibes an old and faithful Servant of his whom he for his good desert had of his own accord appointed Governor of all his new Conquests in Egypt and Syria a great Honour no doubt but not too great for him that had so well deserved So mindful was he of the good deserts of his faithful Servants as that he needed not by others to be of them put in remembrance were they never so far off as was now Calibes who at this time was with the third part of his Army making way for him along the great River Euphrates for the Conquest of Mesopotamia and Persia whose coming was now with great devotion looked for of the whole Army desirous to return Which their expectation he long delaied not but being sent for came to Alexandria whither the whole Army was now by the commandment of Tamerlane again assembled Upon whose coming Tamerlane departed from Alexandria having there left the Prince Zamalzan a man of great reputation with six thousand Horsemen and ten thousand Foot as Governor of that place and Lieutenant General under Calibes whom Tamerlane as I have said had now appointed to command over all Egypt and Syria together with the Countries newly conquered in Lybia and Barbary and now conducting him unto the great City of Caire and there taking the best order he could for the preservation of his new Conquest left him with forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Foot. And so having sufficiently instructed him how he would have those Kingdoms governed dismissed him not like a Master but as a Companion seeming very sorry to leave him destitute of his presence So setting forward with his Army conducted by the Prince of Thanais Tamerlane himself with a few to guard him by the way turned aside unto Ierusalem Where he remained eleven days dayly visiting the Sepulchre of Christ Jesus whom he called the God of the Christians and the ruins of Solomon his Temple much wondering thereat and at Ierusalem the Seat of Davids Kingdom and of that great Solomon but grieved that he could not see them fully in their former Beauty He only despised the Jews which had committed so cruel a Murder against him that came to save them And to shew his devotion towards the Holy City commanded it to be free from all Subsidies and Garrisons of men of War and gave great Gifts unto the Monasteries and honoured them so long as he remained there Departing from Ierusalem he came to Damasco which great City as well for that it was infected with the opinion of Iezides accounted an arch Heretick among the Mahometans as also evil affected to his proceedings he caused to be rased and the Bones of Iezides the false Prophet to be digged up and burnt and his Grave before much honoured in despight to be filled with Dung. So marching on and blasting the World before him as he went for long it were and from our purpose to recount all his Victories he passed over the River Euphrates and having conquered Mesopotamia with the great City of Babylon and all the Kingdom of Persia laded with the Spoil of the World and eternized for ever he returned at length to Samarcand the famous place of his Birth and glorious Seat of his Empire Now had Bajazet but a little before one of the greatest Princes on Earth and now the scorn of Fortune and a By-word to the World with great impatience lain two years in most miserable Thraldom for most part shut up in an Iron Cage as some dangerous Wild Beast and having no better means to end his loathed Life did violently beat out his Brains against the Bars of the Iron Grate wherein he was inclosed and so died about the year of our Lord 1399. Yet of â—is Death are divers other Reports some saying that he died of an Ague proceeding of Sorrow and Grief others that he poisoned himself and the Turks affirming that he was set at Liberty by Tamerlane being by him before-hand poisoned whereof he dyed three days after he was inlarged a Report not like to be true but howsoever it was his end appeareth to have been right miserable His dead Body at the request of his Son Mahomet was by Tamerlane sent to Asprapolis from whence it was afterwards conveighed to Prusa and there lieth buried in a Chappel near unto the great Mahometan Temple without the City Eastward wherâ— also lieth his beloved Wife Despina with his eldest Son Erthrogul And fast by in a little Chappel lieth buried his Brother Iacup whom he in the beginning of his Reign murthered These two great and mighty Princes Tamerlane and Bajazet both of them whilst they lived a burthen to the World as they took their beginning from the Scythes or Tartars so were they of like honourable Progenitors descended
fountains of Tears ringing their hands yea and some in the impatiency of their grief forgetting themselves seemed to expostulate their grief with God. But when their sorrow was with tears asswaged and their Hearts somewhat eased the aged Mothers kissing their Sons gave them many a fearful commandment sometime rehearsing how lovingly and tenderly they had brought them up and othersome times shewing unto them their feeble Limbs and hoary Hairs willing them to be mindful of them The Wives presented their Children unto their Husbands bewailing to leave them as childless Widowers and their Houses desolate The old Men mute with sorrow and careful of their Children durst neither incourage them for fear of making them too forward neither disswade them from adventuring themselves lest they should seem to love them more than their native Country In the midst of these Passions Commandment came from Scanderbeg that they must now depart that the Souldiers might take their places and charge Then began their sorrows afresh with piteous scriching and Tears a man would have thought the City had even then been presently taken by the Turks They could hardly be drawn from the imbracing of their Friends all now desiring to remain still with them in the City partakers of their common dangers But when they saw the Officers begin to be earnest upon them and to hasten their departure then with heavy Hearts they took as it were their last farewel and departed out of the City setting their feet many times they wist not where for desire they had to look back again upon the City This great multitude was conveyed also into the Venetian Cities and other places free from danger whither all the Country-people which were not before received into the strong Cities resorted also with all their Subjects and Cattel leaving nothing in all the Country of Epirus but the bare ground for the Turks to prey upon After this multitude was departed and all well quieted and none left in the City but Men fit for Service Scanderbeg throughly stored it with all things needful for the defence thereof and for the induring of a long Siege besides that he gave to every Souldier convenient Armor with some small reward Then he placed Uranacontes a valiant and famous Captain honourably descended Governor of the City And so having set all things in order for the safeguard thereof after he had in few words exhorted them couragiously to endure the Siege and not to listen to Amuraths flattering and deceitful Charms he departed out of the City unto his Army then lying within view and began presently to march towards Dybra But he was not far gone before he met Moses with a gallant Troop of Horsemen coming from Sfetigrade a strong City of Dybra situate in the Confines of Epirus bordering upon Macedonia which City was Scanderbeg his second care for that it was like to be the first that should indure the angry Tyrants fury standing first in his way as it were the Fortress of that Country Moses had there set all things in like order as had Scanderbeg in Croia and had there placed one Peter Perlat a grave and politique Man Governor with a strong Garrison of Souldiers chosen out of all the Country of Dybra which were always accounted the best Men of War in all Epirus and was for so doing greatly commended of Scanderbeg Who delivering unto him all the Forces he had prepared for the defence of the other Castles and Cities of Epirus sent him with divers other of his Nobility and Captains to take order for the safety of those places appointing unto every man his charge As for himself he with a small Troop of Horsemen went to Sfetigrade careful of that City above measure as it were before divining the insuing danger Being come thither and all the Souldiers assembled by his commandment into the Market place he there in open Audience spake unto them as followeth Almighty God could not this day offer unto you worthy Souldiers of Sfetigrade better matter neither could a fairer occasion be presented unto brave Minds and Souldiers desirous of Honour than that which now hath caused you to take up most just Arms. Wherein you may for ever by worthy example make known your constant Faith and worthy Valour both towards me in private and the people of Epirus in general Hitherto we have born Arms for the Honour of our Kingdom but now we must fight for our Lives our Liberty and the Walls of our Country You must now force your selves that you do not by Reproach and Cowardise stain the worthy Praises you have already deserved by the great Victories by you obtained under my Conduct The greatest part of the fortune of this War dependeth upon you For the first passage of Amurath into Epirus that I my self may be unto you the first Messenger of that danger will be this way the first fury of the Turks will assail you that having here as it were broken down the strongest Fortress of Epirus he may afterwards break into the Country more subject to danger The first fruits of this War is yours you if you bear the hearts of couragious Men mindful of your Liberty may beat down the proud strength of the haughty Enemy and discover his high Conceits The Othoman King shall have the beginning both of his hope and fear of you if he shall find you so minded as I now see you gallantly moved and with joy hear your violent Indignation he will in every place fear a great force of danger and thereby learn to abstain from the other Cities of Epirus Neither will he lie here long at a vain Siege except the wayward old man will foolishly hereupon gage all hâ—s whole Forces for such is the situation and strength of this City that it may easily set at nought an angry Enemy Wherefore resolve with your selves worthy Souldiers and Citizens only by constancy and faithfulness without bloodshed to gain unto your selves an honourable Victory Of your Valour which I willingly speak of dependeth for the most part the faithfulness of all the rest they will look upon you whom they may praise or accuse and whose Example they may follow in the fortune of these Wars But to what purpose should men of worth in their actions pretend the necessity of Faith or chance of Fortune whereas by reason things are both best begun and accomplished It seldom chanceth that Fortune faileth the second advice or is not obedient to Vertue and you have all things which most politique Care could provide for your safety You want not Armor you want not plentiful Provision of Victuals you want not valiant ment the superfluous multitude of unnecessary people the pitiful lamentation of Women and troublesome crying of Children shall not withdraw you from your publique Charge from your service and defence of your Country I have left you alone to your selves for defence of your City your Religion and Dwellings that you might be encouraged
to decline as all worldly things have but their time one Isaac whose Father Emperor of Constantinople the Constantinopolitans had for his evil Government slain flying to Trapezond took upon him the Government of that City with the Countries of Pontus and Capadocia and many other great Provinces and was at first called the King of Trapezond but after he was well established in that Government both he and his Successors took upon them the Name and Title of Emperors which they maintained equally if not better than the late Constantinopolitan Emperors and therefore are of most accounted for Emperors He that then reigned was caâ—â—ed David Comnenus which most Honourable Family of the Comneni had long time before reigned in Constantinople and out of the same were many other great Princes descended which ruled in divers places of Macedonia Epirus and Graecia Mahomet coming to Trapezond laid hard Siege unto the same by the space of thirty days both by Sea and Land and burnt the Suburbs thereof as he had before at Sinope The fearful Emperor dismayed with the presence of so mighty an Enemy and the sight of so puissant an Army offered to yield unto him the City with his whole Empire upon condition That he should take his Daughter to Wife and deliver unto him some other Province which might yield him such yearly profit as might suffice for the honourable Maintenance of his State. Mahomet perceiving the weakness of his Enemy by his large Offers refused to accept thereof and attempted by force to have taken the City which not sorting to his desire the matter was again brought to parle where after long debating to and fro it was at last agreed upon That the Emperor upon the Faith of the Turkish King for his safe return should in Person meet him without the City if happily so some good Attonement might be made betwixt them Whereupon the Emperor following the Turks Faith before solemnly given for his safe return as was before agreed went out of the City to meet him in hope to have made some good agreement with him but as soon as he was come out Mahomet according to the damnable and Hellish Doctrine of his false Prophet That Faith is not to be kept with Christians presently caused the Emperor to be cast into bonds and so to be detained as Prisoner Which when it was bruted in the City the Citizens utterly discouraged without farther resistance yielded themselves with the City into his Power Mahomet now Lord of Trapezond entring the City took Prisoners the Emperors Daughter with all the rest of his Children and Kindred and all such of the Nobility as he found in the City whom he caused forthwith together with the Emperor to be sent by Sea as it were in Triumph to Constantinople Of the rest of the Citizens he chose out so many as he pleased for his own Service and appointed eight hundred of the Christian Children in whom appeared most towardliness to be brought up for Janizarâ—es many also of the other Citizens were sent into Captivity to Constantinople the beautiful Women and Virgins he divided amongst his Friends and Men of War certain chosen Paragons of whom he sent as Presents to his Sons After he had thus taken his pleasure in the City and left none there but the basest of the people he put a strong Garrison of his Janizaries into the Castle and a great Garrison of common Souldiers into the City appointing his Admiral to Govern the same The rest of the Emperors strong Towns discouraged with the taking of Trapezond and the miseries thereof in short time submitted themselves unto the Turkish Thraldom wherein they have ever since most miserably lived So Mahomet in the space of few months having reduced that Empire into the form of a Province returned in great Triumph to Constantinople when he had in this Expedition subdued Paphlagonia Pontus and a great part of Capadocia with some other Provinces near unto the Euxin Sea. When he was come to Constantinople he sent the Emperor with his Children Prisoners to Hadrianople But afterwards understanding that the Persian Queen the Wife of Usun-Cassan sought means to get some one of her Uncles Children whom by the Power of her Husband she might if it were possible advance unto her Fathers Empire he sent for David the woful Emperor to Constantinople and there cruelly caused him with all his Sons and Kinsmen to be put to death and to the uttermost of his Power rooted out all that most honourable Family of the Comneni excepting George the Emperors youngest Son who at his first coming to Hadrianople turned Turk whose Sister the Emperors Daughter Mahomet afterwards took to be one of his Concubins This Christian Empire was by the Turkish Tyrant Mahomet thus miserably subverted and brought to nought in the year of our Lord 1461. The year following which was the year 1462. year 1462. Mahomet having Intelligence that Wladus Dracula Prince of Valachia his Tributary was resolved to cast from him his Obedience and to joyn himself unto the Hungarians his mortal Enemies thought it best to prove if he could by policy circumvent him before he were altogether fallen from him For which purpose he sent Catabolinus his Principal Secretary unto him to bring him unto the Court promising him greater Favours and Promotions from the Emperor than he had as yet at any time injoyed And by the same trusty Messenger he commanded Chamuzes Bassa Governor of Bidina and the Country lying over against Valachia on the other side of Danubius to do their uttermost devoir for the entrapping of Wladus promising him great Rewards if he could bring the matter to effect Whereupon Chamuzes devised with the Secretary that when he had done his Message to the Prince and with all his cunning perswaded him to take that Journey upon him he should secretly before hand give notice unto him of the certain day of his return back again from the Prince at which time it was like that Wladus would in courtesie of himself bring the Secretary well on his way being a man of so great Account in the Court or at leastwise not refuse so to do being thereto requested by the Secretary at which time the Bassa secretly passing over Danubius with certain Troops of Horsemen and lying close in ambush upon the way should suddenly set upon the Prince and so either take him or else kill him The Plot thus laid and every circumstance agreed upon the Secretary held on his way and coming to the Prince forced his wit to perswade him to go to the Court sometime cunningly extolling the great opinion that Mahomet had of his Fidelity and Valour and otherwhiles feeding him with the hope of greater Honours and Princely Preferments he was to receive at the Emperors hands But when he had said what he could he obtained no more of the wary Prince but good words again and that he would in courtesie conduct him on his way to
Lords his Confederates and the Embassadors of the Venetians into his Bed-Chamber Where after he had at large with greater pain notably discoursed of his troublesome life led among them than he had before passed the same and carefully forewarned them of the dangers like to ensue he earnestly exhorted them to continue in Unity and Concord and valiantly to stand in defence of their Religion Country and Liberty And afterwards turning his Speech to his Wife and his Son commended them both with his Kingdom to the tuition of the Venetians who by the Articles of the Confederation betwixt him and them were in honour bound to protect his Son and Kingdom during the time of his Minority and afterwards peaceably to place him in the same In fine he willed his Wife after his Death to pass over with her Son into Apulia where they might in safety and quiet live upon such Possessions as he there held by the Gift of King Ferdinand And so after he had with most fervent prayer commended his Soul into the hands of Almighty God departed in peace the 17 th day of Ianuary in the year of our Lord 1466. when he had lived about 63 years and thereof raigned about 24. His death was worthily lamented of all Christian Princes but especially of the Venetians and Princes of Albania who had now lost their most careful Watchman and invincible Champion the sorrow of his Subjects is not to be expressed every man bewailing him as the only stay of the Common-weal and as if with him they had lost all their hope His dead Body was with the general Lamentation of all Men royally buried in the Cathedral-Church of St. Nicholas at Lyssa where it rested in peace until that about nine years after the Turks coming to the Siege of Scodra by the way took the City of Lyssa and there with great devotion digged up his Bones reckoning it some part of their happiness if they might but see or touch the same and such as could get any part thereof were it never so little caused the same to be set some in Silver some in Gold to hang about their Necks or wear upon their Bodies perswading themselves by the wearing thereof to be partakers of such good fortune and hap as had Scanderbeg himself whilst he lived which is not unaptly by Gabriel Fairnus of Cremona thus in Verse expressed Turcarum clades Othomanni nominis horror Epiri tutela illo jacuere Sepulchro Quo quondam invicti cubuerunt ossa Georgi Nunc membra viri dissectum in frustra sepulchrum Interijt sparsi manes conscisa vaguntur Ossa nec in gelida nunc saltem morte quiescunt Namque ut is assertum toties cum laude paternum Imperium exacta moriens aetate reliquit Illicet immanes tenuerunt omnia Turcae Tum clari Herois venerati nobile bustum Ossaque marmoraque invictum condentia corpus Abstuierant sibi quisque in partes secta minutas Tanquam ijs bellica vis Martiuss ardor inesset Et genium praestare bonum sortemque valerent Sic quae alijs tumulum virtus parat abstulit illi Atque cadem diro venerandum praebuit hosti In English thus The bloody Bane of faithless Turks and terrour of their Name Epirus strong defence and guard lay buried there with fame Within that Tomb wherein long since Great Castriotus lay But now those Limbs and Tomb defac'd are carried quite away The remnants of that worthy Wight out of his grave were torn And being dead could find no rest but were for Jewels worn For after he far spent with age gave place to fatal Doom And left his Fathers Kingdom got and kept with great Renown Forthwith the cruel Turks prevail'd and all things there possest Who worshipping his stately Tomb and place of quiet rest Dig'd up his Bones and brake the Tomb wherein he did remain And glad was he that could thereof some little part obtain As if in them some Martial force or vertue great had been Or fortune rare such as before in him was living seen So Vertue which to others gives a Sepulture and Grave Bereft it him yet forc'd his Foe in Honour it to have Most part of the times of those Wars betwixt Mahomet and Scanderbeg the Venetians by Sea and the Hungarians by Land kept the Turks throughly busied Mathias Corvinus King of Hungary according to his promise made unto the Venetians entred into the Kingdom of Bosna where by force he overthrew the strong Forts which the Turks had built for the defence of their Frontiers and manfully drave them out before him until he came to Iaziga of some called Iaitze the chief City of Bosna which he at length took and following the course of his Victory scarcely sufferd the Turks to breath until he had by force wrested all that Kingdom out of their hands Wherewith Mahomet being exceedingly grieved in great fury came with a strong Army into Bosna and laid hard Siege to Iaziga which was by the Christians right valiantly defended until Mathias with a puissant Army came to the Relief thereof who so troubled the Turks Camp with continual Skirmishes on the one side and they of the Town with desperate Sallies on the other that at length the proud Turk was driven to such extremity that he was glad secretly to steal away by night with all his Army into Servia and for hast to leave behind him both his Tents and great Ordnance which the Turks Histories report he caused to be cast into the River because it should not come into the hands of the Christians Mathias after he had thus valiantly put to flight his Enemies and relieved his City followed the Turks into Servia and took part of that Country alâ—o which together with Bosna he united to the Kingdom of Hungary In these Wars Mahomet had such proof of the Force and Power of Mathias and the Hungarian that for a good while after he had no great stomach to provoke them farther for why the name of Mathias was now become unto the Turks no less dreadful than was sometime the name of his Father the valiant Huniades The Venetians at the same time also with their Gallies scoured the Seas and landing their Men sometime in one place sometime in another did great harm in many places of the Turks Dominion near unto the Sea coast Amongst other their Generals at divers times sent from that State one Nicholas Canalis succeeding Lauretanus whom we have before spoken of as soon as he had received his Charge came with his Fleet into the Bay of Salonichi and landing his Men burnt divers Towns and Villages alongst the Sea side And afterwards returning into Peloponnesus he fortified the Town of Legosticium in the Gulf of Patras which work the Turks with their often Skirmishes laboured to have hindred but in despite of all they could do it was brought to perfection and a strong Garrison therein left for the defence thereof which
to the setting forth of himself making semblance of more than was indeed in him obtained as if it had been against his Will Riches Honour Fame and Authority of all which things he as a notable dissembler seemed to make no account or reckoning neither were there some wanting which would sware that Haider his Father as he was an excellent Astronomer calculating his Nativity should say That he should prove a great Prophet and the Author of true Religion who subduing the greatest part of the East should become as glorious both in matters of Religion and Martial Affairs as was Mahomet the Great Prophet himself Which report being bruted abroad amongst the Vulgar People greatly increased his Authority and gave them occasion to talk of wonders Not long after Hysmael was first by the admiration or rather assentation of his Friends and Followers and afterwards as if it had been by a general consent sirnamed Sophos which amongst those People signifieth a wise man or the Interpreter of the gods These prosperous beginnings with the troubled State of the Persian Kingdom encouraged him to take in hand great matters for his Uncle Iacup the Persian King was long before dead being together with his Son poisoned by his adulterous Wife which thing he presently perceiving enforced her to drink of the same Cup and because he would be sure that she should not escape with his own hand struck off her Head and immediately after died with his Son. After whose Death great Troubles arose about the Succession and divers great men one after another aspired to the Kingdom which they enjoyed not long And amongst the rest Elvan-Beg whom Iovius calleth Alvantes at that time stood in no sure possession of the Kingdom being mightily impugned by his Brother Moratchamus Hysmael taking hold of this opportunity armed divers of the most able men of his Followers and receiving some small Aid from his poor old Friend Pyrchales entred into Armenia and there partly by the Fame that ran of him and partly by the good Will of the People rather than by any force recovered his Fathers Inheritance whereunto the remembrance of his dead Father did not a little further him He encouraged with this good beginning daily grew stronger and stronger by the continual repairing unto him of such as having once received the Doctrine of Haider were glad of long for fear of Persecution to dissemble the same but now having got an Head and Chieftain to cleave unto began openly to shew themselves again and in great number to resort unto him in hope of the good success of their Religion not so happily begun by his Father His power thus dayly increasing beyond his expectation he laid Siege unto Sumachia a City in the Confines of Media which he took by force and sacked and with the Spoil thereof both inriched and armed his Souldiers which before were for most part naked men The taking of this City wonderfully increased both his Fame and Courage as oftentimes it falleth out That haughty minds couragiously attempting high exploits by the good event of their first attempts make way unto the full of their stately desires So after this Hysmaels thoughts were not so low as to think of the taking of this or that little City but how he might now compass the great City of Tauris the very Seat of the Persian Kings and afterwards the Kingdom it self Whereupon reposing no less confidence in his own good Fortune than the Valour of his Souldiers he marched with his Army directly to the City of Tauris and that with such expedition that he was come before it before any such thing was feared much less provided for Elvan the Persian King was then at Tauris and had but a little before fought a great Battel with his Brother Moratchamus for the Kingdom and having vanquished him drave him out of Armenia and Persia and afterwards as it commonly falleth out in the winding up of Civil Wars had caused divers of the chief Citizens of Tauris which had taken part with his Brother against him to be severely executed filling the Eyes of their Friends with the horrible spectacle of their dismembred Bodies and the Hearts of most men with sorrow and heaviness whereby he had so alienated the minds of the Citizens from him that now upon the approach of Hysmael they were all ready to forsake him of which disposition Hysmael was beforehand informed and upon the good hope thereof had hasted his coming Elvan the Persian King thus overtaken on the suddain had not time to raise such Forces as might suffice either to encounter his Enemy or defend the City wherefore despairing of his own Strength and justly fearing the revolt and fury of the discontented Citizens as a man dismaid suddainly fled out of the City After whose departure the Gates were presently set open to Hysmael For the Citizens which in those troublesome times wherein the two Brethren contended for the Kingdom had suffered great calamity chose rather in that present danger to receive a Conqueror of so great fame as was then Hysmael than to their utter destruction to oppose themselves against him in the quarrel of their cruel King and the rather for that they saw a general security and open way to Preferment proposed unto all such as should receive the reformed Religion of this new Conqueror Hysmael entring the City slew certain of the Kings Guard which were not yet departed and then utterly rased the stately Tomb wherein his Uncle Iacup was after the manner of the Persian Kings royally buried And to mitigate the sorrow he had so long conceived of his Fathers death and with revenge to appease his angry Ghost he caused the Tyrants bones to be digged up and scattered abroad and the memorial of his name to be quite rased out of all places of the City Although Hysmael was thus possessed of the Regal City of Tauris and had thereby made a way for the obtaining of the whole Kingdom yet he knew that so long as Elvan lived his Conquest was not unto him assured and therefore to the uttermost of his power he augmented his Army with new supplies taken up in that populous City whom he furnished with Armor and Weapons taken out of the Kings Armory In the mean time news was brought unto him that the Persian King before fled into the farthest part of his Kingdom was now coming from Scyras with a great Army against him and that Moratchamus his Brother forgetting in this common danger all former quarrels had raised a great Army about Babylon in Assyria in short time to joyn with his Brother Hysmael nevertheless nothing terrified with the report of the great preparation of the two Brethren against him to the intent he might seem to undertake this War by the appointment of God and upon a greater assurance than upon his own Strength resolved to go against them And so after he had mustered his Army and in best manner
humor Yet might Bajazet seem to do him wrong if he should not according to his promise again restore him unto the possession of the Empire which he had almost thirty years before received at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more haughty disposition than to brook the life of a Subject under the command of either of his Brethren and altogether given to martial Affairs sought by infinite Bounty feigned Courtesie subtil Policy and by all other means good and bad to aspire unto the Empire Him therefore the Janizaries with all the great Souldiers of the Court yea and some of the chief Bassaes also corrupted with Gifts wished above the rest for their Lord and Sovereign desiring rather to live under him which was like to set all the World on a hurly burly whereby they might increase their Honour and Wealth the certain rewards of their Adventures than to lead an idle and unprofitable Life as they termed it under a quiet and peaceable Prince Whilst men stood thus diversly affected towards these Princes of so great hope Bajazet now far worn with years and so grievously tormented with the Gout that he was not able to help himself for the quietness of his Subjects and preventing of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his Children after his death determined whilst he yet lived for the avoiding of these and other such like mischiefs to establish the succession in some one of his Sons who wholly possessed of the Kingdom might easily repress the pride of the other And although he had set down with himself that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his Birth-right as of the especial affection he bare unto him yet to discover the disposition of his Subjects and how they stood affected it was given out in general terms That he meant before his death to make it known to the World who should succeed in the Empire without naming any one of his Sons leaving that for every man to divine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that every one of his Sons with like ambition began now to make small account of their former Preferments as thinking only upon the Empire it self First of all Selymus year 1511. whom Bajazet had made Governor of the Kingdom of Trapezond rigging up all the Ships he could in Pontus sailed from Trapezond over the Euxine now called the Black Sea to the City of Capha called in ancient time Theodosia and from thence by Land came to Mahometes King of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mighty Prince whose Daughter he had without the good liking of his Father before married and discovering unto him his intended purpose besought him by the sacred Bonds of the Affinity betwixt them not to shrink from him his loving Son-in-law in so fit an opportunity for his advancement And withal shewed unto him what great hope of obtaining the Empire was proposed unto him by his most faithful Friends and the Souldiers of the Court if we would but come nearer unto his Father then about to transfer the Empire to some one of his Sons and either by fair means to procure his favour or by entring with his Army into Thracia to terrifie him from appointing either of his other Brethren for the Successor The Tartar King commending his high device as a kind Father-in-law with wonderful celerity caused great store of shipping to be made ready in the Pontick Sea and Moeotis but especially at the Ports of Copa and Tana upon the great River of Tanais which boundeth Europe from Asia and arming fifteen thousand Tartarian Horsemen delivered them all to Selymus promising forthwith to send him greater Aid if he should have occasion to use the same These things being quickly dispatched Selymus passing over the River Borrysthenes and so through Valachia came at length to Danubius and with his Horsemen passed that famous River at the City of Chelia his Fleet he commanded to meet him at the Port of the City of Varna called in ancient time Dionysiopolis in the Confines of Bulgaria and Thracia he himself still levying more men by the way as he went pretending in shew quite another thing than he had indeed intended which the better to cover he gave it out as if he had purposed to have invaded Hungary But Bajazet a good while before advertised that Selymus was departed from Trapezond and come over into Europe marvelling that he had left his charge in Asia the Rebellion of Techellis and the Persian War yet scarce quieted and that upon his own head he had entertained forreign Aid to make War against the most warlike Nation of the Hungarians and farther that with his Army by Land he had seised upon the places nearest unto Thracia and with a strong Navy kept the Euxine Sea he began to suspect as the truth was That all this preparation was made and intended against himself for the crafty old Sire had good proof of the unquiet and troublesome nature of his Son especially in that without his knowledge he durst presume to take a Wife from amongst the Tartars and afterwards with no less presumption of himself raise an Army both by Sea and Land whereby he easily perceived that he would never hold himself contented with a small Kingdom so long as he was in hope by a desperat adventure to gain a greater Yet thinking it better with like dissimulation to appease his violent and fierce Nature than by sharp reproof to move him to farther Choler he sent unto him Embassadors to declare to him with what danger the Turkish Kings had in former times taken upon them those Hungarian Wars for example whereof he needed not to go no further than to his Grandfather Mahomet the Great who many times to his exceeding loss had made proof of the Hungarian Forces wherefore he should do well to expect some fit opportunity when as he might with better advice greater power and more sure hope of Victory take those Wars in hand Whereunto Selymus answered That he had left Asia inforced thereunto by the injuries of his Brother Achomates and was therefore come over into Europe by dint of Sword and the help of his Friends to win from the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion a larger and better Province for that little barren and peaceable one which his Father had given him bordering upon Hiberia and Cholchos bare and needy People living as Connies amongst the Rocks and Mountains As for the Hungarians whom they thought to be a People invincible and therefore not to be dealt withal he was not of that base mind to be daunted with any danger were it never so great and yet that in his opinion the War was neither so difficult or dangerous as was by them prentended forasmuch as the ancient prowess of that warlike Nation was now much changed together with the change of their Kings and their Discipline of
moreover that great Princes which retain their Souldiers in reasonable Pay in time of Peace and War ought sometime for Warlike Discipline to require of them a moderation of their desires lest whilst they all strive with greediness for their private gain there want Mony afterwards in the common Treasury to maintain a greater and more necessary charge Wars still rising upon Wars seeing that no Commander were he never so valiant or fortunate ever did any great matter in Wars if he wanted Coin the most proper Instrument and very Sinews of War aswering unto his other most heroical parts and sufficiency But as he was yet thus speaking Selymus full of wrath and indignation interrupted him for if he should have suffered him in longer discourse to have recounted his former deserts and worthy service done aswell in the time of his Father Bajazet as of late even in his own presence he was like enough to have had of them that were able to do most with him intercessors for him and so without further delay caused him even there in his own presence to be executed saying moreover that others which would arrogantly presume to prescribe unto their Sovereigns what they had to do should for ever after by the example of that most insolent Servant be admonished of their duty and condition It is reported that the Souldiers in despight of Selymus wonderfully lamented the unworthy death of this so worthy a man for he beside his notable and rare valor so many times to his great honour in sundry Battels approved had by the dexterity of his Grecian Wit Comeliness of Personage Military Eloquence and gallant manner of living so won the love and favour of all men that there was few or none in all the Army which did not aknowledg himself some way indebted and beholden unto him and did therefore condemn the Emperors Cruelty They then began to tell how Mustapha sirnamed Caloger a man of wonderful Credit and Authority both with Bajazet and himself was in the heat of his fury slain without hearing and that in like manner of rage old Chendemus a man of greatest honour and integrity of life and of all the Chieftains which came out of the great Emperor Mahomets Nusery the most skilful had been for his grave and wholesome Counsel only without cause murthered neither was then Boâ—tanges his Son in Law forgotten neither Cherseogles the one most honourable for the great place he held in Court and the Marriage of Bajazets Daughter and the other a man of no less mark being his great Admiral and bearing himself high upon his infinite Wealth but more upon his Wife one of the Daughters of Selymus both which two Noble Gentlemen about two years before had their heads struck off no man well knowing wherefore and their dead Bodies cast out at the Court Gate to the terror of the beholders as a miserable spectacle of their own misery and the Emperors Cruelty Yea the remembrance of his old tyranny renewed as it were with this late outrage presented afresh unto all mens eyes the reverend old Emperor Bajazet his Father with his two Brethren Achomates and Corcutus by right both called unto the Empire before himself with many other young Princes of the Blood of great hope and expectation who as all men knew perished through to unnatural and execrable Cruelty of this most merciless man. So that men generally did both fear him and hate him Forasmuch as he without all fear of God or regard of worldly shame accounted no practice wicked or device detestable that might serve for the better establishing of his Kingdom and had set down in his mind long before corrupted with Ambition and Tyranny That it was far better for the assurance of his estate to be feared of all than beloved of many and therefore spared no mans life of whom he had but the least suspition Howbeit that the severity by him used against this so great a man and so gracious with the People may in some sort be excused as justly moved thereunto by the presumptuous and malicious dealing of the proud Bassa under-hand contrary to the charge given him by his Lord to the peril of those his great but late Conquests both in Egypt and Syria This great Bassa whilst he yet lived and flourished in the Court in nothing so much offended the minds of the People who generally both loved and honoured him as by the Cruelty by him shewed upon the person of the fair Lady Manto his best beloved Wife Who being a Greek born and adorned with all the good gifts of Nature whereunto her lovely conditions were also answerable was by Zebalia her first Husband a man of great honour carried with him into the Wars as his greatest Treasure and chief delight But he slain and she by misfortune falling into the hands of the Turks her Enemies remained so prisoner with them for a time until that this great Bassa Ionuses shortly after seeing her amongst the other Captives there taken so far to exceed the rest as doth the Sun the lesser Stars surprised with her incomparable beauty became of her amorous and in too curious viewing of the captive Lady was by her himself taken Prisoner Where finding her outward perfections graced with no less inward vertues and her honourable mind answerable unto her rare feature took her unto his Wife honouring her far above all the rest of his Wives and Concubines and she again in all dutiful loyalty seeking to please him for a space lived in all wordly felicity and bliss not much inferior unto one of the great Sultanesses But long lasteth not the Summer Fruit of wanton Love blasted most time in the blossom and rotten before it be well gathered for in short time the Bassa more amorous of her Person than secured in her Vertues and after the manner of sensual men still fearing lest that which so much pleased himself gave no less contentment to others also began to have her in distrust although he saw no great cause why more than his own conceit not grounded upon her evil demeanor but upon the excess of his own liking Which mad humor hardly to be over purged of it self still more and more in him increasing he became so froward and imperious that nothing she could say or do could now so please or content him but that he still thought some one or other although he wist not who to be therein partakers with him So fearful was the jealous man of his own conceits Yet could he not chuse but love those great perfections whereat he could not enough wonder although he found no contentment therein tormenting still both himself and her whom he so dearly loved with his own passionate distrust until at length the fair Lady grieved to see her self thus without cause to be suspected and wearied with the insolent pride of her peevish Husband together with his imperious commands determined secretly to depart from him and so to
chargeable a preparation But that which above all other things brought him into security was for that he had by secret Espials certainly learned that his Brother Roscetes was kept at Constantinople as a Prisoner at large under safe keeping which made him to think that Barbarussa's Forces were not prepared against him for he knew that he could not be impugned or his State more indangered by any other means than by producing the competitor of his Kingdom to whom his guilty Conscience doubted that both the Citizens of Tunes and the Numidians were for most part well affected This Muleasses of whom we now speak and whom hereafter we shall by occasion often remember was lineally descended of the ancient King of Tunes who without interruption of discent or mixture of forreign Blood had by the space of nine hundred fifty four years mightily ruled the great Kingdom of Tunes from Tripolis to Bugia almost eight hundred miles alongst the Mediterranean and into the Main as far as the Mount Atlas and for the long continuance of their State and largeness of their Kingdom were worthily accounted the most reverend and mighty amongst the Mahometan Kings of Africk His Father Mahometes when he had with much glory and more pleasure reigned two and thirty years perceiving the end of his life to approach had purposed to have appointed Maimo his eldest Son whom for his hasty aspiring he then held indurance to succeed him in his Kingdom but overcome with the importunity of Lentigesia his Wife a Woman of a haughty spirit who had by reward made a strong faction in the Court for her Son Muleasses he altered his former purpose and appointed him his Successor by whom as it was thought the small remainder of his own old years was shortned Maimo the right Heir of the Kingdom in Prison presently murthred seventeen of his other Brethren unmercifully executed and three other Barcha Beleth and Saeth with more than barbarous cruelty with a hot Iron of their sight deprived only Roscetes the second Brother and Abdemelech escaping the hands of their unatural Brother fled to Morhabitus a great Prince amongst the Numidians whither also their Brothers malice persecuted them seeking by many practises to have taken them away and at last for a great sum of Mony to have had them delivered into his hands Which Mony the Numidian received but suffered the distressed Princes as if they had escaped against his Will to flie further to another Numidian Prince a Friend of his called Benticses where Muleasses by like practises as before sought to have destroyed them or to have got them into his own power Thus chased by their Brothers endless malice from Prince to Prince and place to place they for their more safety fled at last to the City of Biscaris far into the main Land where Abdemelech as one weary of the World gave over all and betook himself to a solitary life and became a melancholy Mahometan Monk. But Roscetes courteously entertained by Abdollâ— Prince of that City found such favour in his sight that he gave him his Daughter in marriage and long time honourably maintained him as his Son in Law with such carefulness that for fear of Muleasses practises he was seldom permitted to eat any other Meat but such as the Prince or his Wife had before tasted of Muleasses thus reigning and raging and yet not contented with the death of so many of his Brethren proceeded further and murdred divers of their Children also He caused also the Manifet and Mesuar men of greatest Authority in all the Kingdom his Fathers grave Counsellors and his chief Friends by whose means especially he had aspired unto the Kingdom to be cruelly tortured to death fearing their Greatness or rather as some thought grieving to see them live to whom he was so much beholden and therefore rewarded them with such sharp payment And by the instigation of Lentesia his Mother caused divers of his Fathers other Wives and Concubines to be shamefully murdred enveighing oftentimes against his Father that as an effeminate Prince had for his pleasure maintained two hundred Wives and Concubines in his Houses of delight by whom he had begot so many Sons Competitors of the Kingdom that he had left him as he said a laborious and endless piece of work to destroy so great a brood Roscetes aided by his Father in Law and the other Numidian Princes to whom the name of Muleasses both for his cruelty against his own Blood and injurious dealing against his Neighbours was become odious passing over the River Bragada with a great Army near unto Tunes met with Muleasses his Army conducted by Dorax a valiant Captain Brother to Lentigesia where in a sharp conflict he overthrew his Brothers Army and enforced Dorax with them that were escaped out of the Battel for safeguard of their lives to flie into Tunes Roscetes pursuing the Victory came and presented his Army before the Gates of the City in hope that the Citizens whom he knew for the most part to hate the usurping Tyrant would upon the sight of him in right their King with so great an Army raise some tumult in the City and let him in There he lay by the space of twenty days still expecting some innovation in which time the more to alienate the minds of the People from Muleasses and to shew how unable he was to protect them he burnt and destroyed all the Olive and Fruit Trees which grew most plentifully and pleasantly all alongst the Country from the ruines of old Carthage to the Walls of Tunes which was unto the Citizens whose greatest Possessions lay there a most heavy and lamentable spectacle But Muleasses had so attempered their minds with fair speeches and large promises of recompensing every man to the full for all such harm as they should sustain for his Brothers fury in the Country and beside that had the City in such strong possession by reason of his Souldiers that the Citizens either would not or could not revolt to Roscetes The Numidian Princes weary of that long and vain expectation according to the levity of that Nation accounting it no shame after Victory once gotten to depart began one after another to shrink away to their own dwellings perswading Roscetes also to provide for himself whilst he had time and to attend his better fortune Wherefore he fearing to be betraied by the Numidians or circumvented by his cruel Brother fled to Barbarussa then reigning at Algiers in great glory where he was honourably entertained and there remained until sâ—ch time as by his perswasion he went with him as is aforeâ—aid to Constantinople to crave help of Solyman by whom â—e was derained in safe custody although it was in policy given out by Barbarussa that he was in the Fleet and that he should by Solymans power be restored to his Fathers Kingdom at 〈◊〉 This was the state of the Kingdom of Tunes at such time as Barbarussa with
by the great Lady his Mistress and by her commended to her Husband Scanderbassa as a fit Page to temper his melancholy and wayward disposition with his pleasant conceits and devices wherein the Tetrical Bassa finding him to excel gave him as a rare Gift to Solyman the Son of Selymus his Grandfather Bazajet yet living who took in him such pleasure that the old Emperor caused him to be brought up in the Court in all Princely Qualities with Solyman who was of like years unto him as his Companion and Playfellow Where he so framed himself unto the young Princes disposition in all points that he was of him always exceedingly beloved and afterwards promoted to all the Honours of the Court and made one of the Bassaes giving unto him in Marriage the only Daughter and Heir of Scanderbassa his Master then dead with an exceeding great Dowry And after that made him Governor of Caire where he had not long remained but he was again sent for to the Court as the man which gave thereunto life without whose Company Solyman was as one half dead At length he made him Visier which is the chief of all the Bassaes and President of his Council the greatest Honour in the Turkish Empire next unto the Emperor himself And to honour him yet more he delivered him his private Signet wherewith the Turkish Emperors never used to trust any but themselves he might at his pleasure grace and disgrace whom he would in Court or elsewhere What he commanded was done and whatsoever he did was taken for well done He might without the Emperors knowledge give any Office yea the Government of whole Countries and Provinces unto his Favorites his credit with the Emperor was so great that he did what he list and no man durst presume to ask any reason why And to say all at once he wanted nothing of the Majesty of an Emperor but the name only in stead whereof he was commonly called the great Commander of all the Emperors Forces His house in Constantinople was of all other most stately wherein was daily to be seen such a multitude of his gallant Followers and such a world of Wealth and Royal Furniture as that it might be worthily compared with the Palace of a great Prince Neither was he partaker of Solymans Counsels in his weighty matters of State only but of his secret Delights and pleasures also if he were present all was well if he were away nothing pleased to be short he so possessed this great Emperor that men commonly said The Soul of Solyman lived in Abraham Whereat many of the great Men of the Court secretly repined but especially Solymans Mother and Roxolana his fair Concubine whom of all Women he held dearest This great Commander which might at all times be bold to speak what he thought unto Solyman sought many times in his private Discourses betwixt them two to perswade him to forbear to use his Forces any farther against the Christians over whom he had sufficiently already triumphed and to turn them upon the Persians by whom he was daily injured Alledging to him that the Germans were a strong and Warlike people who as they both in Language and Manners differed from the Hungarians so were they always at variance with them and therefore much cared not though they were by him subdued but if he should begin to invade any part of their Country he should then soon see that invincible Nation with their United Forces up in Arms ready to make strong Resistance And to provoke Charles the Emperor of all the Christian Princes the mightiest were not good who of himself was able to bring into the field most puissant Armies of valiant Souldiers out of his own Dominions besides the wonderful Concourse of most resolute Men out of all parts of Christendom which would not spare to lay down their lives at his Feet in that War which was of them accounted most Religious Yea what strength both of Horse and Foot might be raised and brought to the battel by the two Brethren Charles and Ferdinand only might as he said even then he plainly perceived when as they valiantly defended Vienna besieged by us with great Power Neither did Charles afterward as it seemed and as the Christians commonly vaunt fear to have adventured the fortune of a main battel with you who although I doubt not but he should have been overcome by you so great a Monarch with so puissant an Army a thing peculiar to your own good Fortune yet I cannot deny but that the Victory against such expert and resolute Souldiers so strongly armed as their manner is must have been bought with a great deal of our blood These things in my opinion may reasonably perswade you to let the Christians alone by Civil Wars to weaken one another that so afterwards they may become a prey unto us without any danger of ours So that in my judgment the Persian War is to be taken in hand rather than the Wars in Germany and especially for that you have sufficiently enlarged the bounds of your Empire Westward which you have extended even unto Nations very far distant So that it is now a great matter to defend so much as you have already gotten and therefore partly for the difficulty for the defending thereof and partly upon an honourable contempt according to the infinite bounty of your heroical Inclination have thought good to bestow whole Kingdoms upon strangers yea half your Enemies Wherefore how much more glorious shall it be now upon just occasion to seek for that which joyneth unto your own Confines and may therefore easily be united unto your own Empire if you according to the example of your Grandfather and Father shall force your self to drive that accursed and abominable Race of Ismael out of Asia For it shall be a great glory unto the name of the Othoman Kings for ever if you shall after your wonted manner zealously respect the cause of Religion a Work of incomparable Fame if the Authors of a most detestable Superstition shall by you be chased quite out of Asia For what more just or honourable cause can there be to make War than to profess your self the Defender of the Divine Precepts of our great Prophet Mahomet against the wicked and irreligious Impugners thereof And by the way to revenge and utterly to destroy the Capital Enemies of your Ancestors which was the last prayer of your Father Selymus Can you endure them which Rule so insolently that they account every one that is near them their Enemies and Prey and dare also with their pilfering Invasions provoke your Self living contented within the bounds of your own Empire in peace both in Europe and Asia and they forsooth such as have by most horrible wrong crept into the Royal-Seat of the most lawful and noble Kings descended of the blood of Usun-Cassanes who after their wonted manner still live by Rapine and Robbery Believe me Noble Emperor if you
him to nothing more than War. Wherefore it is good to beware that with the noyse of this suddain War you stir not up the Turks which lie ready as it were expecting such an occasion which cannot be withstood but by the United Forces of the Christian Princes which might by their general consent be done but that their Eies blinded with fatal darkness cannot see it and the Unity of the Christians now desperate seemeth by God reserved to some better time seeing that of late the Christian Kings are fallen off and cannot agree upon the long expected Peace Is not said he the French King deceived of his hope and as he would have it thought greatly dishonoured with his late unkindness Which renewing his old wound will revive in him an endless hatred Away with all dissimulations Enemy to grave Councils and let plain truth although unpleasant unto Princes ears prevent flattery Undoubtedly he being a Prince of no base Courage as it oftentimes falleth out with Men throughly grieved will in his anger as an Enemy pour forth his Gold whereof he hath great store to cross the Emperors designs to trouble the Assemblies of the States of Germany to withdraw the minds of the Princes and with bounty to gain them to himself who envying mightily at the Imperial Dignity wont to be indifferently given to them that best deserved the same to be as it were invested in the House of Austria which in this perpetual succession of so many Emperors hath as it were got a right by long custom Wherefore they will secretly conspire together and as notable lingerers by nature will either give no help at all or else too late at such time as the Turks Garrisons shall come flying to the succor of the young King. Neither is there any cause why any Man should think that the Governours of the Turks Countries near at hand will for the approach of Winter be slack in this cause for they undoubtedly making an honest and honourable shew will take upon them to defend the Fatherless Child and Widow of purpose to make an entrance to the secret desire they have to gain the Kingdom to themselves for if you shall once joyn with them in Battel if the best happen and fortune favour our first attempts truly you shall have War without end with such an Enemy which will bring with him Wealth that will never be spent power not to be overcome and couragious Souldiers sworn to our destruction So will it come to pass and I pray God I be a false Prophet that in seeking for the Kingdom of Hungary by War you shall at length be glad to fight for Austria it self and your own Kingdom also This Speech so moved King Ferdinand that although he purposed to go on with the War yet he thought it good by an honourable Embassage to prove Solymans mind and purpose also which to do no Man was thought fitter than Laschus himself Author of that Council being unto him very well known and familiarly acquainted with all the great Bassa's of the Court. Which service Laschus refused not but being furnished with all things needful for such an Embassage departed from Vienna towards Constantinople Yet for all that King Ferdinand persisting in his former purpose made withal preparation for Wars trusting upon the aid of the Emperor his Brother and the coming over of the Hungarians who ever thought it cause honest enough for them to revolt if it so stood with their present profit But before he would enter into open Wars he sent Nicholas Count of Salma to the Queen to shew her the Instruments of the last League betwixt the King her late Husband and him and to exhort her to yield up the Kingdom which by the late League was another Mans right and not by delaying of the matter to hurt both her Self and her Son for King Ferdinand offered to give unto the Child the Province of Sepusia as was before agreed betwixt the two Kings expresly in the League and to the Queen a greater Revenue and whatsoever else she had in Dowry But if she would forget that lawful League he threatned that neither the Emperor Charles his Brother nor he wanted force wherewith to recover by strong hand the Kingdom annexed to the House of Austria both by ancient right and the new consent of most of the Hungarian Nobility The Count of Salma being received at Buda hardly obtained to be admitted to the presence of the Queen for George the Bishop and Vicche mistrusting her Woman-like Courage said she was not to be spoken withal by reason she was so full of heaviness and sorrow and that they were of Authority as the Kings Tutors and ready to give him both audience and answer Which opinion of her weakness and want of judgment the Queen being a Woman of an heroical and royal Spirit took as tending so much to her disgrace that she said she would kill her self if the Embassadors were not permitted to come into her Chamber which was a dark Room hung with Black as the manner is and she sitting upon a low Pallet negligently attired as one that had no care of her self wan and pale Coloured but as then shedding no Tears yet with voice and countenance so heavy as might shew her Tears to be rather dried up with long Mourning than that her sorrow was any thing abated for the desire of bearing rule had now so possessed her mind that she contemned all the dangers of imminent War and for defence of her Sovereignty resolved with her self to call in the Turks After the Count admitted to her presence had with due reverence and great protestation delivered his Message she demurely answered That such was the Fortune of her Sex and Years that being bereft of the King her Husband and perplexed with the daily griefs both of Body and Mind she could neither give nor take Council but purposed in so weighty a Cause to use the advice of Sigismund her Father whose Integrity and Justice was such as King Ferdinand need no other Judge or Arbitrator to end that Controversie Wherefore she requested a convenient time and space wherein she might ask Counsel of her Father to whose just judgment she said she would stand as she thought the Nobility of Hungary would also Which small time of delay if it should be denied and that they would needs forthwith make War upon her she said that the Emperor and King Ferdinand his Brother should surely win no great Honour if they should come to oppugn her a Widow consumed with Tears and a young Child yet crying in his Cradle The Count so sent away when he was returned to King Ferdinand told him That the Queen was altogether in the power of the Bishop and could neither say nor do any thing but what she had before received from him for he only as he said commanded all as for the rest of the Nobility they shared amongst them the Honours and Preferments of
death which by Embassadors dissemblingly entreating of Peace had in the mean time craftily waged War. Amongst these Prisoners was one Souldier of Bavaria of an exceeding high Stature him in despight of the German Nation he delivered to a little Dwarf whom his Sons made great account of to be slain whose head was scarce so high as the Knees of the tall Captive with that cruel spight to aggravate the indignity of his death when as that goodly tall man mangled about the Legs a long time by that apish Dwarf with his little Scimeter as if it had been in disport fell down and was with many feeble blows hardly at last slain by that Wretch still heartned on by others to satisfie the Eyes of the Princes beholding it as their Sport. This barbarous and cruel execution done Solyman sent his Embassadors with Presents to the young King which were three beautiful Horses with their Bridles of Gold and their Trappings richly set with precious Stones and three Royal Robes of Cloth of Gold and unto the chief of the Nobility he sent rich Gowns and Chains of Gold. The Embassadors which brought these Presents in courteous manner requested of the Queen to send the young King her Son attended with his Nobility into the Camp and without all fear to hope that all should go well both with her and her Son for that Solyman who exceeded all other Kings not in Power and Fortune only but in Vertue and upright dealing also was of such an heroical Disposition that he would not only defend the Child whom in the right of his Father he had once thought worthy his Protection and Favour Victory confirming the same but would also augment his Estate with the largest Bounds of his ancient Kingdom Wherefore he was desirous to see the young King and to behold in him the representation of his Father and with his own hand to deliver him to be imbraced of his Sons that of his Protection renewed so happily begun might be grounded a firm and perpetual Friendship with the Othoman Kings and that he would always account of her as of his Daughter But the cause why he came not to see her which he did in courtesie desire was for that by ancient custom the Othoman Kings were forbidden that point of courtesie to visit other mens Wives in their Houses Besides that Solyman they said was not so forgetful of his Modesty and Honour as to receive into his Pavillion the Daughter of a King his Friend and Ally and she the late Wife of a King his Friend and Tributary and the fair young Mother of a Son growing in the hope of like Regal Dignity for fear he should draw into any suspition the inviolate name of her Chastity which in Queens was to be guarded with an especial and wonderful care Whereunto the Queen a manifest fear confounding the tender Senses in her Motherly Affection answered very doubtfully but the Bishop perswading her and instantly requesting her not to give the Turks occasion to suspect that she had them in distrust by her little and unprofitable delay sent her young Son in Princely swathing Clothes in a rich Chariot with his Nurse and certain great Ladies unto the Camp attended upon with almost all the Nobility to whom Solyman had sent Presents In his coming to the Camp he was for honours sake met upon the way by certain gallant Troops of the Turks brave Horsemen and all the way as he passed in the Camp orderly stood the Janizaries of Solymans Guard. As soon as he was brought into the Camp Solyman courteously looked upon him and familiarly talked with the Nurse and commanded his Sons there present to take him in their Arms and to kiss him in certain token of the love they would bear him whom they were in time to have their Friend and Tributary when he was grown to mans estate these were Selymus and Bajazet begotten of his fair Concubine Roxalana bearing the Names the one of his Grandfather the other of his great Grandfather As for Mustapha his eldest Son by his Circassian Wife he then lived in Magnesia a great way off who though he was a Prince of so great hope as never any of the Turkish Kings had a Son of greater and was therefore exceedingly beloved of the Men of War yet was he not so well liked of his Father brought out of favour with him by Roxalana as if he had traiterously gone about to take the Empire from him yet living as did Selymus his Grandfather from Bajazet for which cause Solyman secretly purposed to take him away as afterwards he did and to appoint Selymus for his Successor as hereafter shall appear But Solyman at such time as the Noblemen of Hungary were dining merrily with the Bassaes had commanded certain Companies to whom he had before given instructions what he would have done under the colour of seeing the City to take one of the Gates called Sabatina and the chief Streets which was done so quietly and cunningly that a wary Watchman standing there and beholding the manner of the Turks coming and going too and fro could hardly have perceived how the Gate was taken until it was too late For many of the Turks walking fair and softly by great Companies into the City as if it had been but for pleasure to have seen it and other some to colour the matter walking likewise back again as if they had sufficiently viewed the City by that means they without any tumult or stir quickly took the appointed Gate with the Market place and chief Streets of the City Which so finely done the Captain of the Janizaries caused Proclamation to be made in all parts of the City That the Citizens should without fear keep themselves within their Houses and forthwith as they would have their Lives Liberty and Goods saved to deliver all their Weapons which they seeing no remedy did and having delivered their Arms and taken the Turks Faith for their security they received them into their Houses as their unwelcome Guests But such was the quietness and modesty of the Turks by reason of the severity of their Martial Discipline that no Citizen which took them into their Houses was by them wronged by Word or Deed. Solyman understanding that the City was thus quietly and without resistance taken sent the Child back again unto the Queen although it was now almost night but the chief Noblemen he retained still with him these were George the Bishop and Treasurer Petrus Vicche the young Kings nigh Kinsman and one of his Tutors Valentinus Turaccus General of the Queens Forces Stephanus Verbetius Chancellor and Bacianus Urbanus Governor of the City of Buda This suddain and unexpected change exceedingly troubled all their minds and so much the more for that the great Bassaes with changed countenance began to pick quarrels with them and as it were straightly and impudently to examine them and to call them to account for all that they
of Narbona rifled certain Towns in Spain standing upon the Sea-Coast and about the Promontory of Venus called of the Mariners Creum took great prize and in the Haven of Palamos took one Merchant Ship and a Gally with which Prey they passed over to Algiers as they were commanded there to winter and with the first of the Spring to return again to Barbarussa in Brovence That Winter Barbarussa repairing his Fleet was furnished with many necessaries by the Genowayes and especially by Auria himself who under the colour of redeeming of Prisoners willingly furnished the Turk with such things as he wanted for although he professed himself one of the Emperors Captains yet would he not shew an Enemies mind by the unseasonable denial of a little Sea Furniture lest in so doing he should have hurt his Native Country of Genoa which he saw then subject to the injury of so great a Fleet so nigh at Hand But leave we now Barbarussa to winter in Provenoâ— and with the course of time turn a little out of the way to see in Muleasses King of Tunes the small assurance the greatest have in highest place of worldly honour This Mahometan King once before thrust out of his Kingdom by Barbarussa and restored again by Charles the Emperor as is before declared hearing of his coming with this great Fleet and imagining nothing less than that he should come to the aid of the most Christian King doubted not without cause lest it was prepared against himself Besides that divers great Cities of his Kingdom namely Constantina Mahemedia and Mahometa called in ancient time Cyrtha Leptis and Adrumentum were then holden by the Turks Barbarussas Favorites Wherefore fearing the worst about the same time that Barbarussa was sailing alongst the Coast of Italy he passed over into Sicily to have met the Emperor at Genoa and to have obtained of him greater Aid against the Turks At his departure out of Africk he committed the tuition of his Kingdom to such valiant men as he supposed would have been unto him most faithful First he appointed Mahometes then Maniphet to govern the City and Corsus otherwise called Fares his old Servant to keep the Castle leaving Mahometes his Brother and Fares his Son with Touarres a Spaniard Captain of the Castle of Guletta as Pledges the one of his Brothers the other of his Fathers Faith but unto Amida his Son he committed the leading of his men of War for the defence of his Kingdom against the Turks and Numidians As he was passing out of Sicilia to have met the Emperor at Genoa he was by contrary Winds driven first to Cajeta and afterward to Naples where he was by the Viceroy honourably entertained and a House appointed for him richly furnished the Neopolitans wondring at the strange Attire of the People with the manner of their feeding and curious plenty of all manner of sweet Perfumes for into every Dish they put in Odors of exceeding price so that it was well known that a Peacock and two Pheasants dressed after the manner of the Kings Kitchen cost above an hundred Ducats so that not only the Dining Chamber when they were carved up but all the House was so filled with the strange and fragrant smell that all they that dwelt near thereabouts were partakers of that unusual and delicate Perfume From Naples he was about to have travelled by Land unto the Emperor being then in conference with the Pope at Buzetum fearing to adventure the Sea possessed by the Enemies Fleet had not the Emperor by his Letters willed him to stay still where he was But whilst he made his aboad at Naples and carefully attended what Course Barbarussa would take who furnished with so great a Fleet was departed from Nice disappointed of his purpose he was by certain Messengers advertised out of Africa That Amida his Son was risen up against him and possessing himself of the Kingdom had slain his Captains polluted his Wives and taken the Castle of Tunes With which news he being exceedingly troubled determined without delay to pass over into Africk and though late yet as he might to remedy his domestical troubles in hope to oppress that Rebellion in the beginning and his Son also before he could gather any strength to rest upon Wherefore he with all the haste he could opened his Coffers and entertained Souldiers the Viceroy giving leave to all such banished Men as would to come and give their names to pass over as Souldiers into Africk upon report whereof such a number of Malefactors and condeâ—ned persons came flocking to Naples that it was thought a sufficient Army might have been made of such kind of men every one of them chusing rather to enter into Pay and blot out the infamy of banishment and prove the fortune of Wars than to live wandring up and down the Woods and in danger every hour to be hanged Of these infamous Men one Ioannes Baptista Lofredius a Man well born but of a fierce and covetous disposition undertook the leading he covenanting with Muleasses to have three months Pay before hand levied a thousand and eight hundred Men which he presently shipped and keeping the greatest part of their Pay to himself passed over with the King into Africk and landed at Guletta But how Amida rose up against his Father and what was the end of that bloody Rebellion shall not be amiss briefly to rehearse There were certain Noblemen of great Authority about Amida when Muleasses departed which at their pleasure ruled the young Prince who easily hearkned unto their Counsel and followed the same the chief of these was one Mahometes Son of Bohamer who in the Reign of Mahometes Muleasses his Father was Maniphet whom Muleasses possessed of the Kingdom put shamefully to death by cutting off his Privities because he had by hasty Marriage deceived him of Rhahamana a Maiden of incomparable Beauty the Daughter of Abderomen Captain of the Castle whom he most passionately loved for which cruel fact Mahometes his Son had long time conceived a deadly hatred against Muleasses which he had many years dissembled that he might as occasion served be the more cruelly revenged Next unto him was another Mahometes sirnamed Adulzes whom Muleasses was wont commonly to call his worst Servant These two with a few others conspiring together gave it out that Muleasses was dead at Naples and before his death had most irreligeously as they accounted it revolted to the Christian Religion With which report they perceiving Amida moved came unto him and perswaded him quickly to enter into his Fathers Seat lest Mahometes his younger Brother then lying in hostage with the Christians at Guletta should by the favour and help of Touarres whose Garrison was ever ready be preferred before him For Mahometes was eighteen years old resembling his Grandfather in Name Favour and Disposition and therefore of the Citizens of Tunes best beloved Wherefore Amida came in post haste out of the Camp to Tunes
both in years and favour it fortuned with Solyman as it doth with Men delighted in change that he became amorous of Roxolana of some called Rosa but more truly Hazathya by condition a Captive but so graced with beauty and courtly behaviour that in short time she became Mistress of his thoughts and Commandress of him that all commanded and that which more established her in possession of his love she had in time made him Father of four fair Sons Mahomet Selymus Bajazet and Tzihanger and one Daughter called Chameria Married to Rustan or Rustemes the great Bassa In this height of worldly Bliss nothing troubled her more than the exceeding credit of Mustapha Solymans eldest Son by the Circassian Woman who honoured of the greatest and beloved of the rest stood only in her light imbarring her and hers as she thought of the hope of the Empire which he now above all things sought to bring to one of her own Sons which the better to compass she under the colour of great good will and love procured that Mustapha the young Prince and his Mother should as it were for their greater honour and state with a Princely allowance be sent into Caramania to govern that great Country far from the Court. Which was no great matter for her to bring to pass for that the Turkish Emperors usually send their Sons after they come to any years of discretion unto such Provinces as are far from the Court attended upon with one great Bassa and some grave Doctor of their Law so to acquaint them with the manner of Government the Bassa instructing them in matters of civil Policy and the Doctor in matters concerning their superstition and yet by sending them afar off to keep them from aspiring to the Empire by the favour of the Court a thing of the Turkish Emperors not unworthily feared even in their own and beloved Children Roxolana having at once thus cunningly rid the Court of the great Competitors both of her Love and of the Empire things of all others enduring no Partners rested not so but began straitway to plot in her malicious Head the utter destruction of him to whom all others wished all happiness This she saw was not to be brought to pass without some Complices wherefore after she had in her secret conceit discarded many of whom at first she had reasonable good liking at last she made choice of Rustan Bassa her Son in Law upon whom she would set up her rest This Rustan was a Man basely Born in Epirus altogether composed of dissimulation and flattery ever serving his own turn were it never so much to the hurt or grievance of others by which means he although none of the best Souldiers was yet by many degrees grown up to be the greatest Man in the Court and Solymans Son in Law him she probably thought to wish the succession of the Empire to one of her own Sons his Wives full Brethren rather than to Mustapha her half Brother Beside that she was not ignorant how that Rustan as one careful of the Emperors profit the readiest way to preferment had abridged the Pensions and Fees of the Officers and Servitors in Court which he perceiving to please the Emperor proceeded so far therein that he attempted to have cut off if it had been possible some part of Mustapha his princely allowance for which doing she knew how odious he was to all the Courtiers whereof he made small reckoning but especially to Mustapha insomuch that it was though he would not forget so notorious an injury if ever he should obtain the Empire Hereupon she brake with Rustan upon the matter whom she found ready enough of himself to do what in him lay to further her mischievous desire To begin this intended Tragedy she upon the suddain became very devout and being by the favour of Solyman grown exceeding rich pretended as if it had been upon a devout Zeal for the health of her Soul after the manner of their Turkish Superstition to build an Abbey with an Hospital and a Church which so godly a purpose she imparted to the Mufti or chief Mahometan Priest demanding of him if such works of Charity were not acceptable unto God and available for her Souls Health Whereunto the Mufti answered That those works were no doubt gracious in the sight of God but nothing at all meritorious for her Souls Health being a Bondwoman yet very profitable for the Soul of the great Emperor Solyman unto whom as unto her Lord both she and all she had appertained With which answer of the great Priest she seemed to be exceedingly troubled and thereupon became wonderful pensive and Melancholy her chearful countenance was replete with Sadness and her fair Eies flowed with Tears her mirth was mourning and her joy heaviness Which thing Solyman perceiving and sorry to see his love upon conceit so to languish sent her word to be of good chear and to comfort her self promising in short time to take such a course as should ease her of all her griefs which he forthwith did solemnly manumising her from her bond Estate So great a favour obtained Roxolana with great chearfulness began those meritorious works by her before intended as if she had thought of nothing but Heaven whereas indeed her thoughts were in the depth of Hell. When she had thus a good while busied her self in paving the way to Heaven as was supposed Solyman not able longer to forbear the company of her in whom his Soul lived after his wonted manner sent for her by one of his Eunuchs who should have brought her to his Bed-Chamber To whom she with her Eies cast up to Heaven demurely answered That her life and whatsoever else she had was at her dread Sovereigns command but again to yield her Body unto his Appetite she might not in any case do without the great offence of the High God and maniest Breach of his sacâ—ed Laws which permitted her not now voluntarily to yield him that being free which he before without offence might command of his Bondwoman and because she would not seem to use this as an excuse she referred her self all in things to the grave judgment of the learned and reverend Mufti with whom she had before at full conferred This she did presuming of the Sovereignty she had over that great Monarch whom she right well knew she had so fast bound in the pleasing Fetters of his affection towards her as that she was sure enough of him without a Keeper Solyman ravished with her love and well the more for her denial sent for the Mufti requiring his judgment in the matter who before instructed in all points agreed with that Roxolana had said aggravating the heinousness of the Fact if he should proceed to enforce her as a Slave who being now free he might not without great offence touch unmarried Whereupon Solyman more and more burning in his desires became a
secret commiseration of his inevitable Destiny or that he had by Loyalty or other means so won her Favour is not known but every Man saw that if it had lien in her Power she would undoubtedly have preferred him before his elder Brother Selymus and have placed him in the Empire but she must needs give way to her old Husbands Will firmly and irremovably set down that the Destinies so permitting none should reign after him but his eldest Son Selymus Of which his purpose and resolution Bajazet being not ignorant began most circumspectly to look about about him if he could by any means frustrate that forcible necessity and exchange his certain destruction with an Empire in which his deep and dangerous cogitations he was not a little comforted by the favour and love of Roxolana his Mother and of Rustan the great Bassa his Brother in Law who together had in any other matter been able to have overruled the aged Emperor Whereupon he resolutely set down himself rather to end his days by making proof of good or bad Fortune than upon the death of his Father which by Course of Nature could not now be far off to be as a Sacrifice basely butchered by some vile Hangman of his Brothers Bajazet so resolved and now already fallen out with his Brother Selymus took occasion upon the general discontentment of the People and others for the unworthy death of Mustapha their late joy to begin those stirs which he had before with himself plotted and so to make a Head whereunto he might afterward join the Body also for why that worthy Mustapha had left behind him so great desire of himself that now it wearied many to live after him they had so placed all the hope of their good Fortune in him unto whom nothing was more desired than to revenge the wrong done unto him or else to run the same hard Fortune with him othersome guilty of the immoderate Affection they had born unto him yet living and fearing to be called to give an account thereof thought any state better and more assured than that wherein they presently stood and therefore sought all occasions of new stirs how to set all in an hurly burly only a Captain was wanting Mustapha could not again be revived yet might he be strongly supposed to live This device pleased Bajazet as best fitting his purpose being not ignorant of this disposition of the People Wherefore by certain of his most faithful and trusty Followers he found out a certain obscure Fellow of a notable audacity which should take upon him the Name and Person of Mustapha whose Stature also and Countenance and Proportion of Body differed not much from Mustapha himself he as if he had by chance escaped first began to shew himself in that part of Thracia which is above Constantinople and lieth toward Danubius not far from the Countries of Moldavia and Valachia and was for that cause both fittest for Rebellion and also best stored with Horsemen who of all others most honoured Mustapha Hither he comes as if it had been from a long journey slenderly accompanied and as if he had been desirous at the first not to have been known his Followers being demanded as it chanced who it was did rather fearfully give them that asked occasion to ghess than plainly to tell them that it was Mustapha neither did he himself much deny it whereby the People became more and more desirous to know him Which beginning thus laid he afterward began to rejoyce of his fortunate coming thither and to give God thanks for his safe arrival there amongst his Friends he tells them That at such time as he was sent for by his Father he durst not come into his sight or commit himself unto him in his Fury but by the counsel of his Friends to have with great promises perswaded one that was marvellous like unto himself to go in his stead by whose danger he might make proof of his Fathers mind towards him who before he was admitted to the speech of his Father was without hearing miserably strangled and so cast out before his Pavilion at which time there were many as he said which perceived the deceit but the greater part remained in error deceived with the Lineaments and Countenance of the miserable dead Man who was much altered with the terrible pains of death and supposing it to have been him indeed that was slain Which thing as soon as he understood he thought it not good longer to stay but presently to flie and to provide for his own safety and so flying with a few of his own Followers thereby the more secretly and safely to escape and having passed above Pontus by the People of Bosphorus was now come thither where he was in good hope to find much help and comfort in the Fidelity of his Friends whom he requested not now to forsake him or to make less account of him disgraced by the malice of his Step-Mother than they had before in time of his Prosperity For that he was aminded to revenge the injury done unto him and by force of Arms to defend himself for what else had he now left being by no other means preserved but by the death of another Man that he had sufficiently proved how his Father stood affected towards him and that he now lived by his mistaking not by his Kindness The cause of all which his troubles was his Stepdame who as he said with her inchantments led the silly old Man now almost doating for Age and mad for love whither she would at her pleasure and by her Agent Rustan Bassa forced him forward headlong into all kind of mischief but that God be thanked he wanted not his Friends by whose help he would find a way out of these miseries and take revenge of his Enemies for why he had as yet couragious Hearts and the Janizaries with the greater part of his Fathers Family on his side and that great multitudes of People would flock unto him upon brute of his Name so that they which did now mourn for him as dead in number many would by heaps run to help him being alive so that they there present would only courteously receive him as a Guest and protect him now distressed till such time as his welwillers and Friends might repair unto him And this at last he gave out not in secret but openly to all Men wheresoever he came The same things did they also report whom he made the People to believe to have been the Companions of his Flight which was also confirmed by divers of good Account and Authority whom Bajazet had before dealt withal to that purpose So that a great number of Men altogether unknown to Bajazet were by that means seduced for this matter was so cunningly wrought that many of them that had known Mustapha alive and seen him laid dead before his Fathers Pavilion yet listed not greatly to believe that which they knew but easily suffered
of the War and for ever to hold his Kingdom of the King of Spain as his Vassal and Tributary Which his request well considered of and the matter thought of no small consequence for the safety of the Christian Countries lying over against that part of Africk to have so dangerous an Enemy removed Don Iohn the year following in the beginning of October by the commandment of the King of Spain his Brother year 1573. departing from Drepanum in Sicilia with an hundred and five Gallies and forty Ships arrived the next day about noon at Guletta where the Gallies of Malta came unto him and shortly after Iohn Andreas Auria the Admiral with nineteen more and Columnius the Popes Admiral with fourteen more all well appointed At his arrival at Guletta he understood by Amida and the Governour the whole estate both of the City and of the Kingdom of Tunes and that the Turks and Moors terrified with so great a Fleet were about to forsake the City Wherefore having well viewed the place he the next day after landed his Forces about four miles from the City and sent two thousand five hundred Footmen before the rest of the Army to the City who found it all desolate the Turks and Moors being before for fear fled some to Caravana some to Biserta who entring without resistance came to the Castle wherein they found two hundred Moors who said they kept it for Amida their King but yet would by no means suffer the Christians to enter All which was forthwith made known to Don Iohn who then because it was almost night would not move but early the next morning set forward with his whole Army and entring the City before abandoned by the Inhabitants and so coming to the Castle found nothing therein but great store of Oil Butter and Wood. Amida the late King by the commandment of Don Iohn all this while staied at Guletta But whilst Don Iohn was yet at Tunes news was brought to him the thirteenth of October That the Turks Garrison before fled out of Tunes with divers Moors coming to Biserta were there kept out by the Citisens and not suffered to enter for which cause they began to burn and spoil the Country thereabout Whereupon the General sent Tovares the Captain of Guletta thither with part of the Army who encountring with those Turks overthrew them and had the City by the Citisens peaceably delivered unto him The Kingdom of Tunes thus easily once again recovered from the Turks Don Iohn throughly informed of the faithless and cruel dealing of Amida the late King and that in detestation of the Christians and their Religion he had already had intelligence with the Turks and procured the death of some of the Christians gave this definitive sentence upon him being yet in the Castle of Guletta That forasmuch as he had long time been the author of great discord and endless troubles in that Kingdom and had most unnaturally deprived Muleasses his Father first of his Kingdom and afterward of his sight and in like manner tyrannised over his natural Brethren the rightful Heirs of that Kingdom whereby the Turks had taken occasion both to invade and possess the same he should therefore by the commandment of the King of Spain be carried Prisoner with his two Sons into Sicilia there to remain for ever Which heavy doom he taking most grievously and yet crying out for mercy was forthwith thrust into a Gally and with his Wife and Children transported into Sicilia there to live in perpetual Exile The just reward of his merciless and unnatural dealing with his Father and Brethren God no doubt requiting him with the like measure he had before measured unto them After that the King of Spain so commanding Mahomet Amida his elder Brother and right Heir of that Kingdom was appointed King in his place who departing from Guletta to Tunes was received as King and there by solemn Oath promised for ever to be the King of Spain his Vassal and to do whatsoever he should command There was before departed out of Tunes forty thousand Moors who now came and offered their supplication to Don Iohn that they might again return and live with their new King which their request being easily granted they in great numbers every day returned into the City Shortly after 1500 Turks with 3000 of those wild People which some call Arabians some Alarbes sore troubled all the passages about the City who were at last by the Christians overthrown and 150 Christians whom they had taken Prisoners rescued After that Don Iohn by the advice of his most expert and skilful Captains commanded a strong Castle to be built in the middle way betwixt Guletta and Tunes and for the performing thereof left Gabriel Serbellio with 2000 Italians and Calazar a Spaniard with other 2000 at Guletta And so having performed that he came for and disposed of all things as he thought best returned again into Sicilia A grief of griefs it is and sorrow almost unconsolable when worthy actions most happily begun sort not to such happy end as was in reason hoped for The greatest and most famous Victory of all Ages gained against the Turk seemed to have lightned the Christian Common-weal and great hope there was that the Christians falling into unity amongst themselves would by an happy exchange make the Turkish Empire the Seat of their Wars and to turn into the Turks Dominions the terror slaughter and other calamities of War which had so many year afflicted the Christian Common-weal But by how much the more the joy was amidst such daily calamities and tears so much greater was the sorrow so great an hope to be come to nought and Men to be so blinded with the darkness of envy and disdain that they could not so much as think with what dishonour and danger of the Common-state they should shrink from so just so honourable and so needful a service including in it self the general good of all Christendom When posterity shall consider what things might then have been done and the devices whereby the common cause was overthrown it will worthily blame and greatly lament so notable a Victory and fit opportunity sent as it were from Heaven for the effecting of great matters to have been let slip and passed over so lightly regarded This made that they who before had reposed all their hope in Arms had now no other confidence or hope of their welfare but in concluding of Peace Truly the Venetians both spoke and thought honourably of King Philip as of a most faithful just devout and honourable Prince yet greatly blaming his Officers and others of great authority about him as Men more regarding their own private than the good of the Christian Common-weal In these perplexities of the Venetians King Philip promised them to set forth a greater and stronger Fleet against the next year and to be sooner in readiness with all his Forces and warlike Provision and so to help
into his own Stable and the rest given among the Bassaes oftentimes pointed at with the Fingers of the Turks in derision of the Polonian King. This Amurath commanded to be done in revenge of an outrage done by the Polonian Cossacks against the Turks whereof News was but even then brought to the Court. The nine and twentieth day of November of this present year 1583 died Hama Cadum the Widow of the late Emperour Selymus the second and Mother of this Amurath and lieth buried by her Husband Selymus and his five Sons strangled by their Brother Amurath All the rest of this year 1583 Ferat spent at Erzirum and afterwards sent out his ordinary Commandments to all the accustomed Cities to summon the Souldiers against the next Spring in the year 1584 year 1584 gathering together a greater number of pioneers and Engineers than ever had been gathered in these Wars heretofore and withall gave it out That he would go to Nassivan and there do great Matters At which report the Persian was much moved and began to cast many things in their Heads about it but above all others the King who understanding at Casbin of all that had before hapned at Reivan and of the new Preparations of the Turks began to fear that they would this year pass to Tauris or at least as was reported to Nassivan and in those places built new Fortresses to the great danger of the Persian Empire and therefore retaining still such Forces as he brought with him from Heri and commanding as many more as he could out of all the Cities that were subject unto him to follow him to Tauris he arrived there with his Army not long after the arrival of Ferat Bassa at Erzirum This unexpected coming of the Persian King with so great an Army to Tauris filled the World with Expectation of great Matters to have been done by him against the Turks insomuch that Ferat the General before he would proceed any further thought it good to advertise Amurath of the matter declaring unto him That his desire was to go to Nassivan and there to build a Fortress according to his Commandment so to lay open a Passage to Tauris but having received certain Intelligence that the Persian King was come to Tauris with an huge Army and full Resolution to encounter him he thought it his Duty not to put in Execution his aforesaid Determination without his express Commandment Unto whom Amurath presently wrote back that the matter so standing he should not go to Nassivan but only employ his Forces to assure the Passage to Tomanis and Lori that so the Fort of Teflis might the year following be relieved by some small Band without sending of any great Army for the conveying of Succours thither This new Commandment of his Lord Ferat kept secret to himself causing the Rumour of his going to Nassivan to be more and more increased of purpose to feed the Opinion that the Persians had before conceived of his coming thither and so deluding them with less danger to build the Forts he had intended for the quieting of those most dangerous Passages of Lori and Tomanis Upon this Resolution Ferat having gathered together his People with all things necessary for his purpose removed with his Army from Erzirum towards Chars where he stayed ten days to take a new survey both of his Souldiers and Provision And so departing thence set forward toward Lori sending before him Hassan Bassa with five thousand light Horsemen to scour the Country even to Tomanis and to learn what he possibly could of the Enemies purposes and the State of Georgia Which thing Hassan dutifully performed speedily scouring over all the Woods and disclosing all the Passages from thence to Lori and so to Tomanis without meeting with any upon whom to assay his Valour more than certain Robbers upon the high-way whom he caused to be slain as men altogether ignorant of the Georgian and Persian Affairs and their Heads to be set on the tops of their Launces and so returned again to Lori where having stayed one day he met with the General to whom he recounted all that had happened in that his Excursion Ferat being come to Lori there incamped his Army This place did sometime belong to Simon the Georgian well strengthned with an high Casâ—le compassed about with very deep Ditches and a thick Wall almost a mile in circuit but was then somewhat weakned with time it is distant from Teflis about two days Journey of a Carriers pace Upon this Castle Ferat seised and having repaired the Walls and strengthned the breaches he placed therein Ali Bassa of Graece with seven thousand Souldiers for the defence thereof and planted upon the Walls two hundred small pieces of Ordnance And so when he had seen all things there in good order departed thence with his Army towards Tomanis having before commanded Ali Bassa at some convenient time to fortifie Saitan Chalasi a Castle about ten miles distant from Lori and therein to place a convenient Garrison of Soldiers and Artillery Four days were they going from Lori to Tomanis being ordinarily but one days work from the one place to the other but now the General would needs so make it to take the spoil of those rich Fields abounding with Corn Cattel and Fruit and to leave unto the Country-People a lamentable remembrance of his being there At last being come to Tomanis in times past a Castle of Simons but by reason of these Wars by him then abandoned he began to consult with the other Captains how and where the Fort should be erected for the assurance of that Country But after many Discourses it was at last concluded not to fortifie in that Castle as being too far from the Straight to make that dangerous Passage safe and secure but to go a little further and to build a Fortress upon the very Mouth of the Straight So the Army marching forward a few miles at the very entrance of the narrow Passage found the Ruines of another Castle and near thereunto stayed themselves This steep headlong Castle was so compassed round about with a thick Wood which hindered all discovery afar off that it was not convenient to found such a Castle there from whence their Ordnance could neither avail them to whom the defence thereof should be committed neither indamage those that should come to offend it And therefore the General commanded that every man with all his Endeavours should lay to his hand for the cutting down of that thick Wood and making way through thick and thin to lay it for an open Campaign that was before the Receptacle of a thousand dangerous Treacheries In very short space were the Trees laid along on the Ground the place made lightsome and open and a very commodious Scituation prepared for the Foundation of a Castle The plot of the old ruined Castle was compassed about with a Wall of a thousand and seven hundred yards
these Rebels of Asia whereof we have made mention the Governour of Sarepta or Sidon in Syria called Armil or Emir Facardin he who gave entrance into his Port to the Florentines and received them in their Courses to the Levant hearing that the Bassa of Damas and the Bassa of the Sea with the Gallies which he brought from Constantinople and the threescore which he took at Negropont whereof we have made mention came to fall upon him with a mighty and fearful Army he left his eldest Son within Sidon with Forces to command there and in other Forts about it and flying from a furious tempest of Enemies he went to Sea with three Ships to retire himself into Eâ—rope with his four Wives ten Children seventy Turks and fourteen thousand pound weight in Gold. He arrived at Legorn and went from thence to Florence under the Protection of Cosmo de Medicis Great Duke of Tuscany whose hands he kissed presenting unto him a Cuttelas very curiously wrought and inriched with Stone and two Jewels to the Great Dutchess to the value of six thousand Crowns This Turk though he had no Faith yet he found Faith with this Prince of Tuscany Cosmo received him desraied him and all his Train furnished him with Money whether it were by way of Gratification or that Emir had consumed his own and by all kind of Courtesies made this Infidel see what difference there is to fly unto the Protection of a Christian Prince or to have recourse unto a Mahometan They say that Emir roade many goodly overtures for the settling of the Christians in Asia but to attempt it with a good and happy Success it should be necessary that most of the Christian Princes would joyn their Wills and Arms together for the general good of Christendom It is true that the Great Duke Ferdinand deceased and Cosmo his Successor had made proof of their good Intentions by many generous Enterprises against the Turk But one Prince alone cannot do all These things past in the Year 1613 the end whereof concludes with the Fury of terrible Tempests in the Mediterranean Sea. The Tenth of November a fearful Tempest full of Lightning Thunder and furious Winds was the cause of the loss of many Gallies and Ships in the Port of Genoa with a great number of Persons which were miserably drowned which loss was valued at above 800000 Crowns The Port of Naples was not free from this Storm and the Gallies of Malta with a great number of other Vessels received great loss The Grand Seignior having this Year and the Year before sustained great loss of his Gallies and Frigots in the Mediterranean Sea by the Gallies of Naples Malta and Florence and in the black Sea by the Cossacks who had taken two Gallies well manned and richly laden he now imposed a great Tax upon all his Christian Subjects towards the reparation of that loss so as he charged the Armenians to build him nine Gallies at their own costs and the Grecians twenty such is the Tyranny of the Turk as he suffers not the poor Christians to injoy any thing but he finds means to pull it from them The Grand Visier Nassuff held his credit with the Prince at whose return from Adrianople many Janizaries to whom the Visier was very odious conspired to kill him as he should enter in at the North Gate coming from Adrianople and had placed themselves there for the effecting of what they had intended but coming near unto the Gate the Sultan being ignorant of what was intended against the Visier called for him to speak with him keeping him by him until he was entred into the City by which means he escaped the pretended practice Soon after Nassuff invited the Sultan to a sumptuous Feast and within few days after theEmperour feasted the Visier who presuming upon his great credit caused all the Crosses in the Church of St. Sophia which is one of the goodliest Monuments in Constantinople to be thrown down and all the Images to be defaced the which had stood intire ever since the Christians Government The Year before the King of Persia had put to death 1200 Armenians upon a false Sugestion as if they had intended to reconcile themselves to the Pope that King hating the Papists and yet suffers divers Jesuits to live in his Dominions The English Ambassador's Chaplain desirous to know the reason of the Persians Cruelty conferred with the Patriarch of the Armenians which resided at Constantinople for there are two Patriarchs whereof the one is under the Persian and the other at Constantinople under the Turk who told him that it was true he had miserably slain many of their Nation by the cunning practises of an Armenian who had counterfeited Letters from the Patriarch of Armenia to the Pope by which the Patriarch with his whole Church of Armenians made offer to reconcile themselves to the Church of Rome and to acknowledge the Pope as their head intreating the Pope to write to the King of Persia to give them leave to do it freely which Letters the Pope receiving he rewarded the Messenger bountifully and returned Letters by him to the King of Persia whereby he intreated him to suffer the Armenians in his Country to use their Consciences freely The King of Persia having received these Letters grew into a great rage causing many of them to be put to death saying That if they would be obedient to the Pope he could expect no service nor obedience from them notwithstanding the Papists said that this was done directly by the Patriarch but the Armenians affirm that it was the practice of a counterfeit Rogue Soon after there arrived three Ambassadors at Constantinople the one was a Circassian the second a Georgian and this was a Bishop and the third a Mingrelian all of them to complain of the Persians Oppression and Cruelty imploring Succours from the Grand Seignior for their support Presently after them arrived a Persian Ambassador whom the Sultan would not admit to Audience until all Controversies were concluded betwixt himself and the Emperour which was then in question the Sultan having sent one Gasparo sometime a Servant in the English Ambassador's House to treat with the Emperour by whose means at length all matters were reconciled betwixt them The Year 1614 began by the horror of great Prodigies year 1614 which were seen in divers parts of Hungary and Silesia Over the Town of Vienna in Austria the Heavens grew so red and fearfully darkned as they feared that either the last day was come or else there would follow some horrible Effusion of Blood. But all these signs had no other effect this year than the ruine of the great Fortune and prodigious Authority of Nassuf Bassa Grand Visier of the Turkish Empire formerly one of the greatest and most fearful Rebels which had carried Arms in Asia against the sovereign Power of their Sultan but to comprehend more plainly the fall and
it came to their turn whereof they excused themselves divers times But there was no Remedy they must do as others have done whereupon they sung the Hymn of Plange lingua c. appointed for Holy Thursday Being thus favourably entertained in Mingrelia they make their residence at Macaury with hope to labour profitably for the Health of Souls which err in that Country through the Darkness of Ignorance for want of Men to teach them the way of Truth They are Christians of the Greek Profession under the command of divers Princes always in war either against the Turk or the Persian They carry the Name of Cham which is as much to say as King or Soveraign Prince The Sophy had dispossest Threbis Cham chief King of Georgia of all his Countries in the Year 1613 who had retired himself into Mingrelia as you have heard Whilst those men labour to sow the Seeds of true Doctrine of the Apostles in the Soil of Mahometism a Turk passing out of Asia comes into Christendome to seek the light of Truth and demands favourable assistance and succors from Christian Princes to enter into the Possession of the Empire whereunto his Birth and the degrees of a lawful Succession seemed to call him by a just Title The discourse of his Birth of his Fortunes and of his Pretensions to the Turkish Empire is comprehended in this following Relation He termed himself the Son of Mahomet the Third Father to Achmat now sitting in the Imperial Throne at Constantinople he maintained That his Father by four Wives or Concubines had had four Sons that is to say Mustapha who was strangled for that he would have dispossessed his Father of his Kingdom Iacaia which was himself Achmat now reigning and Osman yet it seems by the sequel of the History that he had another Mustapha that having been sent for to come out of Magnesia to Constantinople his Mother who had been a Christian and baptized under the Name of Hellen but was afterward engaged in the Company of Mahomet the Third for the worth of her Beauty and known in Turkey by the Name of the Sultana Lalpare could not conduct him to his Father for that he was dangerously sick of the Small Pox. And this Princess desired much to find some favourable occasion whereby she might be freed from the damnable Errors of Mahomet's Law and return to the wholsome way of the Christian Faith and retire her Son Iacaia far from the power of those bloody Laws which sprinkle the Imperial Scepter of him that comes unto the Crown with the blood of his Brethren she well foresaw that Iacaia being but the second of Mahomet's Sons should one day by his Death secure the life of Mustapha his elder and that the only means to preserve him was to retire him into Christendom wherefore she laboured seriously in this Design and made use of a favourable Fiction giving it out that her Son Iacaia was dead of the Small Pox and having supposed in his place the Son of an Eunuch dead of the same Disease assisted at his Funeral and by her constrained tears subtilly disguised her design An Eunuch called Astam Mehemet was the faithful Secretary of her Enterprise with him she leaves Magnesia a Province in Asia and under Pretext to go unto certain Baths thereby she gets her down to the Sea-side passes into Europe and transports her Son into Morea sometimes called Hellespont and lodgeth him as unknown in the Bishop's Palace in the Town of Miclo Iacaia was above nine years old she held him not secure at Miclo but transported him into Macedonia under the Habit of a Greek Monk and retires him into the Town of Cassandria where she discovers unto the Arch-bishop of Thessalonica a Man learned and of a holy Life the quality of her Son and the desire she had to make him a Christian intreating him in Charity to take them both into his Protection This Arch-bishop lodgeth the Mother in the Monastery of religious Women of our Lady of Thessalonica and gives the custody of the Son unto an Abbot of St. Michael a man learned in all the Sciences under whom he profited wonderfully as well in the Greek Tongue as in many goodly Arts. I do well know this to be true for that I have conversed with him for the space of six months and have seen him often in the Company of learned men speak the Greek with as great facility as his Turkish and Mother Tongue He continued in this Monastery under the Care and Government of this learned Abbot untill the Age of seventeen Years that is to say for the space of eight whole Years during which time his Mothers Tears the holy Instructions of the Abbot but rather the Divine Favour made him to enter into the way of his Souls Health and become a Christian. The Arch-bishop of Thessalonica cleansed his Soul from the Pollutions of the Law of Mahomet and baptised him in the Church of St. Anastasius without the City of Thessalonica yet secretly for fear lest the Eunuch coming to discover this Mystery should abandon him and publish abroad the place and estate of his solitary abode and so be miserably taken Thus Iacaia calling himself Sultan being already in some assurance of the Crown of Heaven by the promises of holy Baptism whilst that he was in the beginning of his Pretensions to that of the Turkish Empire he leaves the Monastery where he had been instructed and in the Company of the Eunuch travels up and down Greece passing away in the length and variety of his Voyage the impatiency of his Age and Desires and for that he would not be known he takes upon him the Habit and the License of a Dervis or religious Turk But when he came to the City of Siopia he understood the News of the Death of the Emperour Mahomet the Third his Father and the rejoycing for the new Advancement of Sultan Achmat to the Empire learning at the same instant that Mustapha his elder Brother had been stangled by the Commandment of his Father The Displeasure which he conceived for that he had not been bred up at Constantinople with the rest to receive so rich a Crown as that of the Turkish Empire made him to waver in divers irresolutions sometimes he would go into Persia to the Sophy to have Succours from him and with him to make War against his Brother sometimes he would serve for a support and countenance to the Rebels of Asia and justifie their Party After many Discourses with the Eunuch touching his Affairs he sends him unto the Son of Peri Bassa a Rebel against the Emperour Achmat the Eunuch treats for his Master and receives for him the Rebels Oath and returning to Tarlis where the Sultan Iacaia remained he conducted him to Peri Bassa to be the Head of his Troops Iacaia arrives and sees himself obeyed by an Army ready to fight for the Deftarden or Treasurer being sent
together with Priest Sorich Captain of the Morlachs entered into the Enemies Country spoiling burning and destroying wheresoever they came The Morlachs more greedy of Prey than ambitious of Glory divided themselves into small Parties to rob and pillage in which interim they were assaulted by the Turks but being scattered were so far from making a stout resistance that they committed themselves to a shameful flight in which great numbers of them were miserably Butchered nor could the valour of Sorich nor of the Governour Possidaria reduce them by their Examples into any Order whilst together with some few valiant Dalmatians and Morlach Captains they endured the shock of all the Enemies Fury in which Skirmish the Turks lost seven Agas and about seventy Souldiers On the Christians side were killed four hundred some few Slaves and about seventy Ensigns taken amongst the rest the good Priest Sorich scorning to turn his back had the misfortune to fall into the Enemies hands whom they flead alive and afterwards impaled and though they subdued his Body yet he was still master of his mind bearing the same constancy in his Torments as he had shewed Magnanimity and Courage in the Face of his Enemy Whilst these Martial Affairs were transacting with the Blood and Life of many thousands on both sides Sultan Ibrahim like a stout Souldier of Venus waged another War in the Elysiums of Cupid and casting aside all thoughts of Candia remitted the sole care and management thereof to the Vizier and Pashas of the Divan following a Life so lascivious and sensual as can neither be imagined with a chast Fancy or described by a modest Pen. A principal Instrument of his Delights and Engine to compass his Amorous Designs was a certain cast Wench of his which he named Shechir Para which signifies a little piece of Sugar for it seems she was so complaisant and dulcid in her Humour and Discourse as merited that apt Name to express the sweetness of her Conversation this Woman having the convenience to visit all the Baths in Town took notice of every Woman which she saw of more than ordinary Features and Proportion and having enquired her Condition and Dwelling presently reported the same with all advantage to her Sultan who having heard the Beauty described be came passionately Enamoured and could find no repose in his Fancy until his Instruments either by fair words or violence had seduced her or forced her to his Bed. But growing now extravagant and over-wanton in his Amours he fell in love with the Sultana or Widow of his Brother Sultan Morat To win her Affections he had recourse to his Dear Shechir Para who used all her Arts in this Service but her pretty wheedling Terms could prevail nothing on this Lady who answered her in short That at the Death of her Lord Sultan Morat she had resolved upon a perpetual Widowhood for that the memory of him was still so lively in her that she could not entertain the thoughts of admitting any new Embraces This repugnancy and opposition inflamed the heat of Ibrahim like a Feaver so that he resolved to assault her himself one day by force and took his time just as she came out of the Bath but she being a bold Woman and disdaining the wandring loves of Ibrahim laid her hand upon her Dagger which Sultana's and great Ladies usually wear threatning to wound him in her own defence the noise and brawling hereof being over-heard by the Queen-Mother called her from her Retirements and concerned her in the Quarrel who whilst she reproved her Son for the rape he intended on his Brother's Wife gave opportunity to the Sultana to escape and so delivered her out of the hands of this Satyr But Ibrahim mad with love and fuming with disdain to be checked and opposed by his Mother Commanded her immediately to the old Seraglio where he confined her to several days Imprisonment during which time he understood in what manner she had treated his large-siz'd Armenian of whom we have already spoken whereof the Queen-Mother being conscious submitted her self with all humility to her Son begging his Favour and Pardon and so well acted her part by those who carried her Addresses that she overcame quickly his easy Nature and was again restored to his Grace and her Lodgings in the new Seraglio In the mean time Shecher Para travelling over all the Baths in Town to discover new delights for her Master at length had the fortune to cast her Eyes on a Daughter of the Mufti a Maid of Incomparable Beauty and Features of Countenance and proportion of Body which she reported to Ibrahim so sensibly as if she her self had been in love and after she had praised every Part and Member of her she concluded in sum that she was the most Excellent and admirable Piece that ever Nature framed The Sultan had no sooner heard the Story but according to his usual Custom fell most desperatly in love and had immediately without farther consideration or counsel dispatched his Emissaries or without other Preamble Ceremony or Courtship to have fetched her to him had not the sense of the late Rebuff he had received from his Brother's Wife made some impression of fear in him and the apprehension he had of the Power of the Mufti created in him a certain Caution and Respect in the treatment of his Daughter wherefore he rather resolved to send for the Mufti with whom he treated of honourable Terms concerning Marriage promising to take her into his Bosom and prefer her in Honour equal to any other of his Sultana's The old Man who was tender of and doated on his Daughter knowing well the wandring humour of the Sultan in his Amours intended rather to marry her to some great Personage with whom she might be more happy than in being a Soltana for he considered that Ibrahim having already other Sons her Issue would either be Sacrificed for security of their Brothers or else spend their days in a Prison and become Grey-headed whilst they breath in a medium between Life and Death and are sad Recluses in the Grave of their unhappiness These considerations were well imprinted in the mind of the Mufti but because he durst not deny his proposal he dealt with him as Inferiours usually do with their Lords and Superiours that is he returned him thanks expressing infinite Obligations that he would vouchsafe to cast his Princely Eyes on the unworthiness of his Family however he advised him that according to the Canons of their Law of which he was the Expositor and obliged to be a severe and precise Observer it was great Impiety in a Father to impose on the Affections of his Child so that though he could heartily wish that his Daughter would embrace this Honour to which he would exhort her with all the earnest Perswasions of a Father yet if she proved refractory thereunto it would not be becoming his Power to force her and therefore hoped his Majesty would believe that
whence this humour of the Gr. Signior proceeded nor ignorant what ill Consequences such petty matters might produce wherefore he resolved if possible to reconcile the favour and good will of the Valede or Queen Mother but all his Addresses it seems were returned fruitless so difficult was it to appease the Malice of a feminâ—â—e Spirit and this malice She so ill concealed that it was often said by Turks of Quality and Judgment That the Great Viziers Mother who entertained a Familiarity with Spirits as they believed had by their Enchantments procured the Office of Vizier for her Husband and Son successively and prevailed still to preserve her Son in the favour of his Master yet could not by force of Magick get Power or Dominion over the Valede No Spells it seems had virtue enough to qualifie the Spirit of that angry Iuno Some hereupon judged that the Vizier might have thoughts to make Resignation of his Office and to content himself with some Pashalick of a higher and more eminent Degree but Apprehensions and Jealousies of their Dangers and his own natural Ambition soon stifled those Considerations resolving to continue his Charge in Opposition to all the Difficulties and Dangers he might encounter And perhaps he gave himself the same Counsel which the Vitellian Soldiers did to their General Nihil atrocius eventurum quam in quod sponte ruant morindum victis moriendum deditis id solum referre novissimum Spiritum per ludibrium contumelias effundant an per Virtutem Men who must dye whether they yield or are conquered by force have the same Fate all the difference is that the one dies with Valour and Reputation the other with Reproach and Cowardice But to execute this stout Counsel with Prudence and Wisdom he conceived it necessary if possible to reconcile the sincere Friendship of Samozade the Reis Effendi or Chief Secretary of State a Person the best practised of any in the Affairs and Nogotiations of the Ottoman Empire and one much in the Esteem and Favour of the Queen Mother and in order thereunto treats him with more Familiarity and Condescension than was ordinary or by many judged agreeable to the Greatness of a Grand Vizier for always when he came into his Presence he arose up calling him secretly Father Tutor and Companion in supporting the Burden of the weighty Government and such other Compellations as the Grand Signior vouchsafed only to the Vizier for tho this Reis Effendi was of the greatest Abilities and this present Vizier the most youthful and unexperienced of later Times yet it may be accounted one special mark and token of his Prudence in knowing how to elect so useful a Friend and of his Policy in procuring his sincere faithfulness towards him and making him really his own To which end he conversed much with him communicated all his thoughts freely demanded his advice received his private Entertainments and in fine was wanting in no points of affable Courtesy and Compliance whereby he might create him his own contenting for some time himself with the name of Vizier tho the other as one who best knew how to manage it enjoyed the Power The Chief Officers of the Seraglio instigated by the Queen Mother to diminish something the Power of the Vizier put often the Grand Signior in mind as a matter agreeable to his Dignity to have a regard to his Government which caused him more frequently than his humour served to betake himself to his Choisk over against the Viziers Gate to make his usual Observations and perceiving some Christians to enter the Court with red Calpacks or Caps and yellow Shooes prohibited to Christians by orders of inferior Magistrates but never until now thought worthy the Imperal Observance immediately called for the Subashee or Constable of Constantinople and from the Window commanded him with great Fury to enter the Viziers Court and such Christians as he should find there with yellow Shooes and red Caps he should first beat and then send uncovered and barefooted home The Subashee armed with a Power in this matter as high as the Viziers entered the House without Complement or Licence and encountring first the Kapikahya's or Agents of Moldavia and Valachia negotiating the Affairs of their Prince and Country he rudely layed them down and without Respect to their Persons or Office beat them on the Feet tore off their red Stockins and Caps and sent them home with their Heads and Feet bare derided by the People and lamenting the Affliction of that Tyranny to which they were subjected This inhumane Treatment of Persons in a manner sacred was seconded by publick Proclamations strictly prohâ—biting all Christians from wearing red Caps yellow Shooes scarlet Vests and the like and Ianizaries from the use of Hanjars or Daggers and silk Tuâ—bants upon pain of Death which Order was so strictly enjoyned that the Corners of every Street were furnished with Officers to observe and punish such as were found to offend The Grand Signior himself judged also the Execution of this Order of that importance as to deserve his own proper Care and Inspection wherefore walking abroad as his manner was in disguise with his Executioner at hand encountred in the Streets an unfortunate Bridegroom an Armenian who that day on priviledge of his Espousals had adventured to dress himself with yellow leathern Soks nothing was or could have time to be pleaded in his behalf before the fatal Blow was struck which sent him to his Grave instead of his Nupital Bed. This fury continued some few days with much rigour and strict observation but afterwards growing cold again all care was neglected happening herein as commonly it doth in all things which have no other foundation than humour and fancy But this inspection into petty matters did not so much disturb the thoughts of the Vizier as did the power and greatness of Mortaza the Pasha of Babylon by the Turks called Bagdat a person of an undaunted Courage and greate Conduct whom he had hitherto suffered to live contrary to the true knowledge of his interest and the Rules his Father had left him wherefore he resolved to renew his design and attempts against his Life one I remember was in December of the past Year when in our Journey to Adrianople we met a Messenger on the way who amongst other Discourses informed us that he was then going to Bablyon for confirmation of Mortaza and as a testimony of the G. Signiors favour and good will towards him he carried him a Sword and a Vest of Sables we immediatly and that truly guessed for what Present the Sword was sent for in some Months after the Chaons-bashee or chief of the Pursuivants returned without delivery of his Present For the wise Mortaza was so justly Jealous that he would not so much as admit him to his Presence but returned him again with his Sword and Sables for those who were more easy and credulous and who believe to dye
was entred into the Souldiers Roll or Catalogue and required being first strangled was afterwards thrown headlong from the Wall of the Garden and committed to the farther satisfaction of their Enemies Revenge by whom from thence they were dragged to the Hippodromo and before the new Mosque cut into small pieces and their Flesh roasted and eaten by them The day following they apprehended Mulki and her Husband Schaban Kalfa both whom they put to Death nor ended this Tumult here until by means of dissention between the Spahees and Janisaries the principal Ministers found means and opportunity to interpose their Power and having executed several of the Spahees and performed other exemplary parts of Justice reduced Matters to some kind of quietness and composure and thus Order results often from Confusion and Tumults in corrupted Common-Wealths have operated good Effects to the redress of several Evils But besides this Insurrection or Mutiny of the Janisaries have succeeded divers other but because there hath been no disorder amongst them so notorious and memorable as that which occasioned the Death of Kiosem Grandmother to the present Sultan we have thought fit to record the certain Particulars of it to all Posterity CHAP. IV. A True Relation of the Designs managed by the old Queen Wife of Sultan Ahmet and Mother of Sultan Morat and Sultan Ibrahim against her Grand-Child Sultan Mahomet who now Reigns and of the Death of the said Queen and her Complices AFter the murther of Sultan Ibrahim by conspiracy of the Janisaries Sultan Mahomet â—ldest Son of the late deceased Emperor a Child of nine Years old succeeded in the Throne of his Father and the Tuition of him and Administration of the Government during his minority was committed to the old Queen the Grandmother called Kiosem a Lady who through her long experience and practice in Affairs was able and proper for so considerable an Office and so the young Sultan was conducted to the Mosch of Eiub where with the accustomed Ceremonies his Sword was girt to his side and he proclaimed Emperor through all the Kingdoms and Provinces of his Dominions For some time this old Queen governed all things according to her pleasure until the Mother of this young Sultan as yet trembling with the thoughts of the horrid Death of her Lord and fearing lest the subtile and old Politician the Grandmother who had compassed the Death of her Husband should likewise contrive the Murther of her Son grew hourly more jealous of his Life and Safety which suspicion of hers was augmented by the knowledg she had of the ambitious and haughty Spirit of the Grandmother and the private Treaties and secret Correspondence she held with the Janisaries which compelled her to a resolution of making a Faction likewise with the Spahees and Pashaws and Beyes who had received their Education in the Seraglio being a party always opposite to the Janisaries These she courted by Letters and Messages complaining of the Death and Murther of the Sultan her Husband the Pride and Insolence of the Janizaries and small esteem was had of her Son their undoubted Prince adding that if they provided not for their own Safety the old Queen would abolish both the Name and Order of Spahees The Asiatick Spahees awakened hereat with a considerable Army marched to Scutari under the conduct of Gurgi Nebi and demanded the Heads of those who had been the Traytors and Conspirators against the sacred Life of their late Sovereign all which were then under the protection of the Janisaries and supported by the powerful Authority of the Queen Regent Upon this Alarm the Grand Visier called Morat Pashaw who had had his Education among the Janisaries being adored by them as an Oracle and engaged with them in the late Treason against the Sultan speedily passed over from Constantinople to Scutari with an Army of Janisaries and others of his Favourites and Followers transporting likewise Artillery and all necessaries for entrenchment some Skirmishes passed between the Vanguard of the Spahees and the Deli which are the Visier's Guard and thereby had engaged both the Armies but that the two Chief Justices of Anatolia and Greece interposing with their grave and religious Countenances preached to them of the Danger and Impiety there was in the effusion of Musselmens or Believers Blood and that had they any just Pretences their Plea should be heard and all Differences decided by the Law. These and such like Persuasions made impression on Gurgi Nebi and other Spahees and the posture they found their Adversaries in to give them battel made them inclinable to hearken to Proposals for accommodation but especially their Courages were abated by what the Justices had declared that in case they repaired not to their own Homes the Vizier was resolved to burn all the Rolls and proclaim a general Nesiraum through the whole Empire which is an Edict of the King and Mufti commanding all the Turks of his Kingdoms from seven Years old and upward to arm and follow him to the War. The Spahees hereupon dispersed themselves and from their Retreat encreased the Pride of the Janisaries Faction and of their chief Commanders viz. Bectas Aga highly favoured by the Queen Regent Kul Kiahia Lieutenant of the Janisaries and Kara Chiaus a follower of Bectas who now esteemed themselves absolute Masters of the Empire These three now governed all Matters contriving in their secret Councils the destruction of the Spahees especially those famed for Riches and Valour and as one of the first Rank gave order to the Pasha of Anatolia to take away the Life of Gurgi Nebi whom accordingly he one day assaulted in his Quarters and being abandoned by his Soâ—ldiers shot him with a Pistol and sent his head to Constantinople The Spahees exasperated hereat entred into private Councils and Conspiracies in Anatolia against the Janisaries drawing to their party several Beyes and Pashaws of Asia and particularly one Ipsir a Circasian born but educated in the Seraglio a Person of a couragious Spirit and powerful in Men and Treasure assaulted many Quarters of the Janisaries in Asia and cutting off their Arms and Noses miserably slaughtered as many as fell into their hands On the other party Bectas Aga secure in his condition amassed Wealth with both hands by new Impositions Rapine and other Arts causing to be coined at Belgrade three hundred thousand Aspers one third Silver and two of Tin these Aspers he dispersed amongst the Tradesmen and Artisans forcing others to exchange his false Metal for Gold at the value of 160 Aspers for the Hungarian Ducat The people sensible of the Cheat began a Mutiny in the Quarter of the Sadlers at Constantinople which encreasâ—d so fast that the whole City was immediately in a general Uproar This Tumult was violently carried to the place of the Mufti whom they forced with the Seigh who is the Grand Signior's Preacher and the Nakib Esrif a Primate of the Mahometan Race to accompany them to the Seraglio where at
to the Pages where they learn and perfect themselves in the Language of the Mutes which is made up of several Signs in which by custom they can discourse and fully express themselves not only to signify their sense in familiar Questions but to recount Stories understand the Fables of their own Religion the Laws and Precepts of the Alchoran the name of Mahomet and what else may be capable of being expressed by the Tongue The most ancient amongst them to the number of about eight or nine are called the Favourite Mutes and are admitted to attendance in the Haz Oda who only serve in the place of Buffoons for the Grand Signior to sport with whom he sometimes kicks sometimes throws in the Cisterns of Water sometimes make fight together like the Combat of Clineas and Dametas But this Language of the Mutes is so much in fashion in the Ottoman Court that none almost but can deliver his sense in it and is of much use to those who attend the Presence of the Grand Signior before whom it is not reverent or seemly so much as to whisper The Dwarfs are called Gingâ— these also have their Quarters among the Pages of the two Chambers until they have learned with due Reverence and Humility to stand in the Presence of the Grand Signior And if one of these have that benefit as by Natures fortunate Error to be both a Dwarf and Dumb and afterwards by the help of Art to be castrated and made an Eunuch he is much more esteemed than if Nature and Art had concurred together to make him the perfectest Creature in the World one of this sort was presented by a certain Pasha to the Grand Signior who was so acceptable to him and the Queen-Mother that he attired him immediately in Cloth of Gold and gave him liberty through all the Gates of the Seraglio CHAP. IX Of the Eunuchs THis libidinous flame of depraved Nature is so common a Disease among the Turks and so ancient a Vice that both for State and prevention of this unnatural Crime it hath not been esteemed safe or orderly in the Courts of Eastern Princes to constitute others for the principal Officers of their Houshold than Eunuchs The like is observed in the Seraglio of the Grand Signior where two Eunuchs especially have the principal Command and are Persons of the highest and eminentest esteem viz. the Kuzlir-Agasi who is Superintendent over the Women and is a Black Eunuch The other is Capa Agasi or Master of the Gate who is White and commands all the Pages and White Eunuchs residing in the Court under him are all the Officers that are Eunuchs as first the Haz Odabaschi or Lord Chamberlain who commands the Gentlemen of the Bed-chamber 2. The Serai Kiahaiasi Lord Steward of the Houshould who oversees the Chambers of the Pages and the Seferli Odasi or the Chambers of those Pages who are designed to follow the Grand Signior upon any Journy and of these he hath care to see them provided of Cloaths and all other Necessaries for the Service they undertake 3. The Haznadar Bashi or Lord Treasurer of the Seraglio who commands those Pages that attend the Treasury I mean not that which is of present use as to pay the Souldiery or serve the publick and present Occasions of the Empire for that is in the Hand of the Tefâ—â—rdar but that Riches that is laid apart for the Expences of the Court and that which is amassed and piled up in several Rooms of the Seraglio of which there have been Collections and Additions in the Time almost of every Emperor distinguished and divided by the Names of the Sultans through whose industry and frugality they had been accquired but this Wealth is conserved as Sacred not to be used or exposed unless on Occasions of extreme Emergency 4. The Kilargi Bashi that is the chief Commander over the Pages to whose care the charge of the Dispensatory is committed or Expences for the daily Provisions Other Officers there are of Eunuchs as he that is first Master of Scholars for their Books called Ikingi Capa Oglani and his Usher the chief Miergidgi or Priest of the Grand Signior's Mosque under whom are two other Assistants for cleansing and well ordering of the Mosques These are the only Officers of the White Eunuchs the others are of Commonalty which are in number about fifty and have ordinarily twelve Aspers a day pay which also are augmented according to the Wakfi or Legacies of the Deceased Those that are Curates of the Royal Mosques and have Pluralities of Benefices of that nature have sometimes a Revenue of 100 Chequins a day among these also due order is observed the Younger or Juniors in the Seraglio always giving respect and reverence to Seniority Of the Black Eunuchs THE Black Eunuchs are ordained for the service of the Women in the Seraglio as the White are to the attendance of the Grand Signior it not seeming a sufficient Remedy by wholly dismembring them to take the Women off from their inclinations to them as retaining some relation still to the Masculine Sex but to create an abhorrency in them they are not only castrated but Black chosen with the worst Features that are to be found among the most hard-favoured of that African Race The prime Officer of them all as we have said before is the Kuzlir Aga or Master of the Maids or Virgins 2. Valide Agasi the Eunuch of the Queen-Mother 3. Schahzadeler Agasi or the Eunuch to whose charge is committed the Royal Progeny and in whose custody at present are three Sons of Sultan Ibrahim Brothers to the present Emperor viz. Solyman on whom the Turks at present found their principal Hopes and Expectation Bajazet and Orchan the Mother of which two last is still living and confined to the old Seraglio in Constantinople which is the Monastery of the decayed Wives and Mistresses of former Grand Signiors from whence there is no Redemption until either their Sons die or by good fortune one becomes Emperor 4. Is Fazna Agasi or the Eunuch that is Treasurer to the Queen-Mother and commands those Damsels that are Servants in the said Chamber 5. Kilar Agasi or he that keeps the Sugar Serbets and Drugs of the Queen-Mother 6. Bujuck Oda Agasi Commander of the greater Chamber 7. Kulchuk Oda Agasi Commander of the lesser Chamber 8. Bash Capa Oglani the chief Porter of the Womens Apartment 9 10. Two Mesgidgi Barchi or the two Emaums or Priests of the Royal Mosque belonging to the Queen-Mother ordained for the Womens Prayers The Apartments of the Women AND since I have brought my Reader into the Quarters of these Eunuchs which are the Black Guard of the sequestred Ladies of the Seraglio he may chance to take it unkindly should I leave him at the Door and not introduce him into those Apartments where the Grand Signior's Mistresses are lodged And though I ingenuously confess my acquaintance there as all other my conversation
with Women in Turkey is but strange and unfamiliar yet not to be guilty of this discourtesie I shall to the best of my information write a short Account of these Captivated Ladies how they are treated immured educated and prepared for the great Atchievements of the Sultan's Affection and as in other Stories the Knight consumes himself with Combats Watching and Penance to acquire the love of one fair Damsel here an Army of Virgins make it the only study and business of their Life to obtain the single nodd of invitation to the Bed of their great Master The Reader then must know that this Assembly of fair Women for it is probable there is no other in the Seraglio are commonly Prizes of the Sword taken at Sea and at Land as far fetched as the Turk commands or the wandring Tartar makes his Incursions composed almost of as many Nations as there are Countries of the World none of which are esteemed worthy of this Preferment unless Beautiful and undoubted Virgins As the Pages before mentioned are divided into two Chambers so likewise are these Maids into two Odaes where they are to work sew and embroider and are there lodged on Safawes every one with her Bed apart between every five of which is a Kadun or grave Matron laid to oversee and hear what Actions or Discourse passes either immodest or undecent Besides this School they have their Chambers for Musick and Dancing for acquiring a handsome Air in their carriage and comportment to which they are most diligent and intent as that which opens the Door of the Sultan's Affections and introduces them into Preferment and Esteem Out of these the Queen-Mother chuses her Court and orderly draws from the Schools such as she marks out for the most Beauteous Facetious or most corresponding with the harmony of her own Disposition and prefers them to a â—ear attendance on her Person or to other Offices of her Court. These are always richly attired and adorned with all sorts of precious Stones fit to receive the Addresses and Amours of the Sultan over them is placed the Kadun Kahia or Mother of the Maids who is careful to correct any Immodest or light Behaviour amongst them and instructs them in all the Rules and Orders of the Court. When the Grand Signior is pleased to dally with a certain number of these Ladies in the Garâ—en Helvet is cry'd which rings through all the Seraglio at which word all People withdraw themselves at a distance and Eunuchs are placed at every Avenue it being at that time death to approach near those Walls Here the Women strive with their Dances Songs and Discourse to make themselves Mistresses of the Grand Signior's Affection and then let themselves loose to all kind of lasciviousness and wanton Carriage acquitting themselves as much of all respect to Majesty as they do to Modesty When the Grand Signior resolves to chuse himself a Bed-fellow he retires into the Lodgings of his Women where according to the Story in every place reported when the Turkish Seraglio falls into Discourse the Damsels being ranged in order by the Mother of the Maids he throws his Handkerchief to her where his eye and fancy best directs it being a Token of her election to his Bed. The surprised Virgin snatches at this Prize and good Fortune with that eagerness that she is ravished with the Joy before she is deflowered by the Sultan and kneeling down first kisses the Handkerchief and then puts it in her Bosom when immediately she is congratulated by all the Ladies of the Court for the great Honour and Favour she hath received And after she hath been first washed bathed and perfumed she is adorned with Jewels and what other Attire can make her appear Glorious and Beautiful she is conducted at Night with Musick and Songs of her Companions chanting before her to the Bed-chamber of the Sultan at the Door of which attends some Favourite Eunuch who upon her approaching gives Advice to the Grand Signior and permission being given her to enter in she comes running and kneels before him and sometimes enters in at the Feet of the Bed according to the ancient Ceremony or otherwise as he chances to like her is taken in a nearer way with the Embraces of the Grand Signior This private Entertainment being ended she is delivered to the care of the Kadan Kahia or Mother of the Maids by whom she is again conducted back with the same Musick as before and having first washed and bathed hath afterwards the lodging and attendants that belongs to Hunkiar Asa-kisi that is the Royal Concubine if it be her good Fortune to conceive and bring forth a Son she is called Hasaki Sultana and is honoured with a solemn Coronation and Crowned with a small Coronet of Gold beset with precious Stones Other Ladies who produce like Fruits from the Grand Signior's Bed have not yet the like Honour but only the Name of Bash Hasaki Inkingi Hasaki the first and second Concubine and so forward The Daughters that are born from the Grand Signior are oftentimes at four or five years of Age wedded to some great Pasha or Beglerbeg with all the Pomp and Solemnities of Marriage who from that time hath care of her Education to provide a Palace for her Court and to maintain her with that State and Honour as becomes the Dignity of a Daughter to the Sultan At this tenderness of Age Sultan Ibrahim Father of the present Grand Signior married three of his Daughters one of which called Gheaher Han Sultan hath had already five Husbands and yet as is reported by the World remains a Virgin the last Husband deceased was Ishmael Pasha who was slain in the passage of the River Raab and is now again married to Gurgi Mahomet Pasha of Buda a Man of 90 Years of Age but rich and able to maintain the greatness of her Court though not to comply with the youthfulness of her Bed to which he is a stranger like the rest of her preceding Husbands After the death of the Grand Signior the Mothers of Daughters have liberty to come forth from the Seraglio and marry with any Person of Quality but those who have brought forth Sons are transplanted to the old Seraglio where they pass a retired Life without Redemption unless the Son of any of those Mothers by death of the first Heir succeeding release his Mother from that Restraint and make her sharer with him in all his Happiness and Glory CHAP. X. Of the Agiam-Oglans WE have hitherto spoken of the Ichoglans or Pages Mutes Dwarfs Eunuchs and the Feminine Court it will now be necessary to speak of the under Officers and Servants called Agiam-Oglans who are designed to the meaner Uses of the Seraglio These are also Captives taken in War or bought of the Tartar but most commonly the Sons of Christians taken from their Parents at the Age of ten or twelve Years in whom appearing more strength of Body than of Mind they are
to the company of her Husband but when the precedent ceremonies to the Marriage are performed and completed the House is all silent and she is brought into the Bride-Chamber by an Eunuch if the be of Quality if not by some Women of near Relation and delivered to her Husband who is himself to untie her Drawers and undress her for his bed not unlike the custome amongst the Romans of Zonam Solvere Polygamy is freely indulged to them by their Religion as far as the number of four Wives contrary to the common report that a Turk may have as many Wives as he can maintain Though Mahomet had nine Wives and Hali had fourteen as being men more spiritual and of a more elevated degree had greater privileges and indulgences for carnal enjoyments This restraint of the number of their Wives is certainly no Precept of their Religion but a rule superinduced upon some politick considerations as too great a charge and weakning to mens estates every one that takes a Wife being obliged to make her a Kabin or Dowâ—y as we have said before or else for better regulation of the Oeconomies and to prevent and abate somewhat of the Jealousies Strifes and Embrollments in a Family which must necessarily arise between so many Rivals in the affection of one Husband who is obliged by Law and Covenants to deal and bestow his benevolence and conjugal kindness in an exact proportion of equality And lest this confinement to a certain number of Wives should seem a restriction and impeachment of that liberty and free use of Women which they say God hath frankly bestowed on Man every one may freely serve himself of his Women Slaves with as much variety as he is able to buy or maintain and this kind of Concubinage is no ways envied or condemned by the Wives so long as they can enjoy their due maintenance and had some reasonable share in the Husband's Bed which once a week is their due by the Law for if any of them have been neglected the whole week before she challenges Thursday night as her due and hath remedy in that case against her Husband by the Law and if she be so modest as not to sue him for one weeks default she is yet so ingenious to contrive a supply of her wants And whereas the Women are Educated with much retiredness from the conversation of men and consequently with greater inclinations towards them and with no principles of vertue of moral honesty or Religion as to a future Estate relating to the rewards or punishments of their good or bad actions they are accounted the most lascivious and immodest of all Women and excell in the most refined and ingenious subtilties to steal their pleasures And as in Christendom the Husband bears the disgrace and scandal of his Wives incontinency here the Horns are by the vulgar adjudged to the Father Brother and Wives Kindred the Bloud of her Family is tainted and dishonoured and the Husband obtaining a Divorce quits himself of his Wife and dishonour together No question but the first Institutour of this easie Religion next to the satisfaction of his own carnal and effeminate inclination and this taking freedom amongst his Disciples his main consideration was the encrease of his people by Polygamy knowing that the greatness of Empires and Princes consists more in the numbers and multitudes of their People than the large extent of their Dominions This freedom if it may be called so was granted at the beginning of the World for the propagation and encrease of Mankind and the Jews had that permission and indulgence to their loose and wandring affections and we read that the Eastern parts of the World have abounded with Children of divers Mothers and but one Father and that ordinarily a Great Personage in Egypt hath been attended with an hundred lusty Sons in the Field proceeding from his own Loins well Armed and daring in all attempts of War. But yet this course thrives not so well amongst the Turks as formerly whether it be thought their accursed Vice of Sodomy or that that God blesses not so much this State of life as when the paucity of Mankind induced a sort of a necessity and a plea for it But chiefly through the irreconcilable emulation and rivalry which is amongst many Wives those Witchcrafts and Sorceries which in this Countrey are very frequent are prepared against the envied fruitfulness each of other that either they make an Abortive Birth or otherwise their Children pine and macerate away with secret and hidden charms by which means they are now observed not to be so fruitfull and numerous as is the Marriage bed of a single Wife nor is the family so well regulated and orderly as under the conduct and good House-wifry of one Woman but contrarily filled with noise brawls and dissentions as passes the Wisedom of the Husband to become an equal Umpire and Arbitratour of their differences which consideration restrains many though otherwise inclinable enough to gratifie their Appetites from incumbring themseves with so great an inconvenience and I have known some though childless have adhered to a single Wife and preferâ—ed Quiet and Repose before the contentment of their Off-spring The Children they have by their Slaves are equally esteemed with those they have by their Wives Neque vero Turcae minus honoris deferunt natis ex concubinis aut pellicibus quam ex uxoribus neque illi minus in bona paterna juris habent Busbeq Ep. 1. But yet with this difference in esteem of the Law that unless the Father manumisses them by his Testament and confers a livelihood upon them by Legacy they remain to the Charity of their Elder Brother that is born from the Wife and are his Slaves and he their Lord and Master and it is with them as in the Civil Law Porâ—us ventrem sequitur So that from the Loins of the same Father may proceed Sons of a servile and ignominious condition There is also another sort of half Marriage amongst them which is called Kabin when a man takes a Wife for a Month or for a certain limited time and an agreement is made for the Price before the Cadee or Judge and this Strangers oftentimes use who have not the Gift of Continency and are desirous to find a Wife in all places where they travel and is the same which they term in Spain to be Emancibado or Casado de Media Carta onely the act there is not made allowable by the Laws as in Turkey There is another sort of Marriages commonly used amongst the Turks if we may give it that honourable Title which is the conjunction of an Eunuch with a Woman such as are wholly disarmed of all parts of virility do notwithstanding take many Wives and exercise Lusts of an unknown and prodigious nature There is also one point or restriction of Matrimony in the Turkish Religion which is observable that is a Mahometan may marry himself with what Woman soever
corrupted â—lyeth to Mahomet the Turk 255 b his first speech to Mahomet 256 a. honourably entertained ib. b. by Isaack Bassa created King of Epirus 258 b. taken prisoner by Scanderbeg 260 a. sent prisoner into Italy 260 a. enlarged returneth to Constantinople and there dyeth ib. a. b. Amurath the First succeedeth his Father Orchanes in the Turkish Kingdom 131 a. invadeth Europe ib. a. taketh Hadrianople ib. a. maketh his royal seat in Europe 132 b. beginneth the order of the Ianizaries 132 b. 133 a. returneth into Asia 133 a. marrieth his Son Bajazet unto Hatune the daughter of the Prince Gyrmean with a great dowry 134 a. purchaseth the Principality of Amisum of Chusen Beg ib. a. invadeth Servia and taketh Nissa the Metropolitan City thereof ib. a. imposeth a yearly tribute upon the Country of Servia ib. a. in a great battel overthroweth Aladin the King of Caramania's Son in Law with the other Mahometan Princes his Confederates 135 b. by his Captains winneth and spoileth a great part of Bulgaria 137 b in a great and mortal battel overthroweth Lazarus the Despot of Servia with his Confederates in the Plains of Cossova 139 a. slain ib. a. buried aâ— Prusa 139 b. Amurath the Second placed in his Fathers seat 173 a. afraid to go against the Rebel Mustapha ib b. in vain besieged Constantinople 175 a. strangleth his Brother Mustapha ib. b. winneth Thessalonica 176 b. taketh unto himself the greatest part of Aetolia 176 b. enforceth the Princes of Athens Phocis and Beotia to become his Tributaries ib. b. falsifieth his faith with John Castriot Prince of Epirus and poysoneth his three eldest Sons his Hostages 177 a. oppresseth the Mahometan Princes in Asia ib. a. b. spoyleth Hungary ib. b. contrary to his faith invadeth Servia and subdueth it 178 a. putteth out the Eyes of the Despots Sons his Wives Brethren ib. a besiegeth Belgrade 179 a. dealeth subtilly with the Ambassadors of King Uladislaus 179 notably encourageth his Souldiers to the assault of Belgrade ib. b. shamefully repulsed 181 a. his sullen answer unto the Ambassadors of King Uladislaus ib. a. sendeth Meâ—ites Bassa to invade Transilvania 182 a. grieved with the loss of Mesites and his Army sendeth Abedin Bassa to revenge his death 184 a. in despair about to have slain himself 197 a. by the mediation of the Despot of Servia obtaineth Peace of King Uladislaus for ten years ib. a. inâ—adeth Caramania ib. a. weary of the World committeth the Government of his Kingdom to his Son Mahomet and retireth himself unto a Monastical Life ib. b. At the report of those preparations of the Hungarians and request of his Bassaes forsaketh his solitary Life and raiseth a great Army in Asia 202 a. by the Genowayes transported with his Army into Europe ib. a. joyneth battel with King Uladislaus at Varna ib. b. about to have fled reproved of Cowardise by a common Souldier ib. b. prayeth unto Christ 203 a. in danger to have been slain ib. a. wisheth not many times so to overcome as he did at the battel of Varna ib. b. to perform his Von resigneth his Kingdom to his Son Mahomet which he shortly after resumeth again 204 a. his crafty Letters to Scanderbeg 205 b. his passionate speech in his rage against Scanderbeg 206 a. breaketh through the Hexamylum and imposeth a yearly tribute upon them of Peloponesus 507 b. after three days hard fight with great slaughter of his Men overcometh Huniades in the Plains of Cassoua 211 a. invadeth the Despot 212 a. his grave Letters of advice to Mustapha concerning his invading of Epirus 312 b. cometh with a great Army to Sfetigrade 216 a. in vain with great fury giveth many a desperate assault unto the City 218 a. in one assault loseth seven thousand of his Turks 218 b. by great promises seeketh to corrupt the Garrison of Sfetigrade 219 a. by the practice of one man hath the City of Sfetigrade yielded unto him ib. b. having lost thirty thousand of his Turks at the Siege of Sfetigrade returneth to Hadrianople 220 a. with a great Army cometh again into Epirus and besiegeth Croia 221 a. in two assaults loseth 8000 of his Souldiers 223 a. content to buy the Life of one Christian with the loss of twenty of his Turks ib. b. seeketh by great gifts to corrupt Uranacontes the Governour of Croia 224 a b. overcome with Melancholy tormenteth himself 225 b. by his Ambassadors offereth Scanderbeg Peace ib. b. his last speech unto his Son Mahomet concerning such things as at his death grieved him most 226 dieth ib. b buried at Prusa 227 a. Amurath the Son of Achomates slieth unto Hysmael the Persian King 343 a. marrieth his daughter ib. a. spoileth Capadocia and for fear of his Vncle Selymus retireth ib. b. Amurath the Third taketh upon him the Turkish Empire 651 a. pacifieth the Ianizaries and augmenteth their priviledges ib. a. strangleth his five brethren ib. a his Letters unto the Nobility of Polonia in the behalf of Stephen Bathor Vayvod of Transylvania ib. b. attentive to the stirs in Persia 654 a. informed thereof by Ustref Bassa of Van ib. b. resolved to take the Persian War in hand 655 a. by Mustapha advertised of the success of the Persian Wars 663 b. consulteth of his proceeding therein 666 a. dischargeth Mustapha of him Generalship and calleth him home to Constantinople 669 b. appointeth Sinan General for the Persian Wars 671 a. in despight of Sinan appointeth Mahamet Bassa General for those Wars in his stead 675 b. circumciseth his eldest Son Mahomet ib. a. displaceth Sinan Bassa and casteth him into exile 679 a. appointeth Ferat General for his Wars in Persia 681 a. sendeth for Osman Bassa into Siruan 686 b. maketh him chief Visier and General of his Army into Persia 688 a. in disporting with his Mutes taken with a fit of the falling sickness 689 a. causeth great triumph to be made throughout his Empire for the winning of Tauris 701 b. maketh choice again of Ferat Bassa to succeed Osman Bassa dead in the Persian Wars 703 b. concluded a Peace with the Persian King 707 b. his answer to the Letters of Sigismund the Third King of Polonia 706 a. glad himself to yield unto the insolency of the Janizaries 707 b. his Letters to Elizabeth Queen of England 708 b. perswaded by his Visier Bassa's to take some new War in hand 709 a. in doubt whom first to begin withal 710 a. b. resolveth to make War upon the Emperour with the reasons leading him thereunto 713 b. giveth leave to Hassan Bassa of Bosna as it were without his knowledge to pick quarrels with the Emperour and so to disturb the Peace 714 a. sendeth home the body of the Persian Hostage dead in his Court ib. b. proclaimeth War against the Emperour 720 a. the proud and blasphemous manner of his denuntiation of War ib. a. he dreameth 723 b. sick of the Falling sickness 736 a. dieth 740 a. Amurath Rais his Gallies fight with a
in a furious Tumult and cut in pieces the Tefterdar who was sent to appease them and Ali Effendi who the last year had been in the Treaty But the Reis Effendi who was sent on the same Errant upon their first stirring fled being too wise to trust their Mercy as did also a chief Commander of the Bostangees or Gardiners But Ajemzadee a reverend Person of about Eighty years of Age advising them not to spill the Blood of Musselmen was pursued by them into the Vizier's Tent who covering him with his Vest endeavoured to save him but finding the danger to which he exposed his own Life he was forced to deliver him up to their Fury He had been Reis Effendi or Chief Secretary but then had an Office in the Treasury They demanded also the two Teskaragees or Chief Clerks to the Reis Effendi to be delivered up to their Justice one of which had for many years done all the English business in that Office but they desiring to be Strangled rather than to have their Bodies mangled by the Soldiery it was accordingly performed behind the Vizier's Tent and their Bodies exposed Orta Chiaus of the Ianisaries of whom we have already made mention being suspected to have been corrupted by Regeb the Chimacam of Constantinople was cut in pieces Mustapha Pasha who had been General of the Ianisaries and Seraskier in the first Siege of Buda was secured and ran great danger of his Life but by the Mediation of the Vizier he was only deposed and sent to command at the Dardanelli in the place of Mustapha Kuperlee who was now Chimacam at Constantinople And lastly after this dismal Tragedy the Selictar coming to give an account of himself he declared That he was fearful of his own Life notwithstanding the good Office he had done in bringing the Seal and Standard to the Grand Vizier for which whilst he was expecting a great Present as was accustomary an Answer was given That the best Present could be given him was of his own Head which had been taken off according to the Lift in which he was proscribed but that he had merited his Life by this Office of bringing the Seal and Standard The Army having in this manner vented some part of their Fury at Nissa proceeded on their March towards Constantinople doing little other harm on the Way than only displacing some few Officers of the Ianisaries and putting an old Granatine who had been one of those who had been banished by the Spaniards out of the Kingdom of Granada a Person of Eighty years of Age in the Office of General of the Ianisaries As the Army approached so the Fears and Apprehensions of the great Men at Constantinople increased Mustapha Kupriogli as we have said being made Chimacam he appeared publickly in the Divan and gave out the Pay to the Soldiers and then went to the Grand Seignior whom he found at a Kiosk or House of Pleasure by the Water side and presently a Consultation was held at which were present the two Kadileskers or chief Justices the Nakib Effendi who is chief of the Green-heads of the Prophet or Mahomet's Kindred four Sheghs or Preachers the Stambol Effendi or Mayor of the City as also the Nisangi Pasha who sets the Firm of the Grand Seignior to Commissions these after a Consultation and Debate of about two hours time resolved on several Points not then divulged to the World but by the execution of them for they all went together to the Chimacam's House from whence in half an hours time afterwards the Chiefs of the Chiauses whith Thirty of his Men were sent to the Prison where Solyman the late Vizier was confined so soon as Solyman saw the Chiausbashee he said I know for what you come God's will be done the Chiausbashee who had been his Creature and raised by him with Tears in his Eyes delivered unto him the Command for his Head. Solyman taking it from him kissed it and said I have washed but not as yet said my Kindi or Afternoon Prayers for it was about that time let me perform those my last Prayers and then in the name of God execute your Office. Solyman having finished his Prayers called the Chiausbashee into an Inner Room and said Execute your Orders but first let me recommend two things to you One is That you declare and be a Witness to the World That I have given Freedom to all my Slaves both Males and Females And 2 ly That they do not torment my People to find out my Money for I never had any thing considerable the little I had was with me in the Camp where it was lost and made a Prey to the Enemy In my House at Scutari there is some Furniture and some few Galanteries which if the Grand Seignior will present to my Son it is well but if not he is Lord and Master of them And if you said he to the Chiausbashee shall not declare this to the Grand Seignior my Hands shall be upon you at the Day of Judgment And having said thus much he kneeled and turning his Face to the Wall the Executioners performed their Duty So was Solyman strangled a Person deserving to live in better times and worthy of a better Death his Head was cut off and carried to the Chimacam where it was flead and stuffed with Cotton and being put into a Box was sent to the Grand Seignior but his Body was consigned to his Friends and buried at Scutari His Son a young Man of about 24 years of Age was sent for from Adrianople and imprisoned to discover his Father's Estate but that being known to be very little the Chimacam by his own Authority set him at liberty The Wife of Solyman amidst her Fears sent two Trunks filled with Sables and rich Habits and Vestments to the House of a certain Friend to be there secured and were accordingly covered under a Pile of Wood This matter being observed by a crew of Rogues they came that Night pretending an Order from the Chimacam to seize those Goods naming the place where they were concealed at which the People of the House being affrighted immediately delivered the Trunks to the Hands of the Rogues The next day the Wife of Solyman full of sorrow and anguish of Mind came to the Chimacam to make complaint of this hard Usage declaring the Goods to be her own and not her Husband 's The Chimacam disavowing the matter and denying to have given any such Orders the Robbery appeared and Search being made after the Thieves four of them were taken and most of the Goods restored The next day Solyman's Head was sent for a Present to the Army by two Officers belonging to the New Vizier with a Letter from the Chimacam accompanying an Imperial Command or Signature from the Sultan declaring that if the Army would stay and Winter at Adrianople he would give them full satisfaction in sending the Heads of all they should demand
and Tunis to hasten their Maritime Preparations tho' with little hopes of success by reason that those Governments in Barbary were at Wars one with the other and had great Jealousies amongst them At this time also Orders came from Adrianople directed to the Chimacam and Lieutenant-General of the Janisaries to provide Quantities of Rice and other Provisions for the Relief of Temeswaer which for want thereof was greatly distressed and so Orders were given all the way on the Road thither to take up all the Waggons and Carts that they could meet with by that time that they came to Philippopolis and Sophia might make up a Number of 300 which might probably prove a sufficient Convoy to secure them And for a better Reinforcement Orders were given for the enrolling of 300 Janisaries being new raised Soldiers and with such Preparations as these for the next Campaign ended this Year Anno 1695. THIS Year began with a most Terrible Fire in Constantinople year 1695 which consumed 4000. Houses and Shops towards that part where stands the Historical Pillar which is about the middle of the City which Accident gave some stop to the Counsels then in hand howsoever the Preparations for the next Years War by Sea and Land proceeded The Tartar came to Adrianople where he spent the remainder of the Winter in Conferences with the Grand Vizier and other Principal Officers of State in order to carry on the War both by Sea and Land And whereas all sorts of Provisions were become very dear both in Adrianople and Constantinople by reason that the Seas were obstructed by the Venetians so that no Coffee Rice nor Sugar could be transported from Egypt into those Parts the French Ambassador undertook to supply the same with French Ships demanding only That when such Commodities arrive the Turks should pay no more for them than in Times of Peace which besides some other private Contracts were very pleasing to the Turks and served to confirm the Friendship and increase the Confidence between the two People As the Eyes of all the Turkish Officers were intent on the War there being a Design to recover Scio in the Winter Season before the Venetians could come forth with their Fleet the Sultan sent for Mezzo Morto who was Admiral of the Fleet together with six Captains of the Men of War reproaching them for Cowardice for that in case they had done their Duty in the last Engagement against the Venetians Scio had not been lost wherefore these Officers were discharged of their Commands and Sarhos or Drunken Chusaein Pasha was declared Captain Pasha or Admiral in the Place of Mezzo Morto being esteemed a Man of more Boldness and Courage and Conduct than the other and such was the Shame and Confusion that the Turks conceived for the loss of Scio that even in the Winter a thing not practised by the Turks Orders were given to the New Admiral to prepare and equip an hundred Frigats Whilst all things were preparing for this Years War and in an especial manner for the recovery of Scio on the 27th of Ianuary Old Stile the Grand Seignior Sultan Achmet dyed which for that present put a stop to all Business then in agitation both in regard to the War or Peace For as to the latter my Lord Paget arrived at Adrianople on the 23d and next Day desired an Audience of the Grand Vizier which was promised to him on the 31st when the Propositions he had to make were so reasonable and the Turks in so good a Temper that the Ambassador perswaded himself that they would be accepted the Great Vizier and Chimacam showing themselves not averse but rather well inclined to a reasonable Peace But whilst they were thinking of these things the Court and City and all People were surprized to hear the News of the Death of the Sultan who at the time of his last Agony desired to see and speak with his Successour Sultan Mustapha who could not be perswaded to go to him and so he died without that Satisfaction by a great Defluxion or Catarrh which fell upon his Lungs Only he left it in Commission to his Servants to acquaint his Nephew Sultan Mustapha who was undoubtedly to succeed him That all he had to desire of him was to desire him that he would permit his Son to live but whether this Request was granted him or not is not yet known for Matters of this Nature are seldom reported without the Walls of the Seraglio So soon as he was dead Mustapha Eldest Son to Sultan Mahomet IV. was proclaimed and saluted Emperor and all passed without any Disturbance Disorder or Inconvenience whatsoever In very few Hours afterwards the Body of the Deceased Achmet was hurried away to Constantinople and with a small Attendance buried in the Sepulcher of his Brother and immediately the Sultana his Mother was required to hasten thither and retire and Expresses dispatched to all Parts to carry and divulge the News and most especially acquaint the New Valide Sultana with the Exaltation of her Son to the Throne of his Father For the present Sultan Mustapha being about 33 Years of Age and in his Prime appeared very Robust and Comely and to show a mildness of Spirit at the beginning he for the present confirmed the Great Vizier in his Place by restoring the Seals to him which he had resigned into his Hands and giving him a Cofran lined with Sables His Mother was now every Day expected at Adrianople until whose coming thither nothing was to be done for as she was a Person highly beloved and esteemed by her late Husband Sultan Mahomet Father of the present Sultan Mustapha as we have manifested in our foregoing History so she was a Woman of Intrigue and one who had so great a Power over her Son that he entirely gave himself up to the Government and Guidance of his Mother She was a Native of Canea tho' some say she was a Circassian born and taken from thence when the Place was first possessed by the Turks her Father was a Protopapa or Bishop of that place His first entrance into Business was to enquire after the State of the Treasury and to inform himself therein he called for the Treasurer and demanded of him How much Money there was in the Treasury To which Answer was made Fifteen Purses What then said he is become of all the rest To which it was answered That his Predecessor had disposed of it It is well said he and I shall take it from them who have received it With these Beginnings it was much feared that he would prove a troublesome Neighbour to all Christendom and a Cruel and a Severe Master to all the surviving Ministers of State but things were carried so closely that the Government had no News of any thing until the Successor had carried his Point and secured every thing for his Establishment to which many things concurred as that he was the Son and lineally descended
his Father and Unkle's not going to War in Person had been the Ruine of the Ottoman Army and the Cause of all those Losses and Disgraces which his Empire had sustained but Money must be found by one way or other to do which the Grand Vizier was strictly enjoyned to give an Account of Eighteen Millions in the space of Thirty Days besides the Arrears due to the Soldiery in the Time of the last Sultan Achmet And tho' the Grand Vizier alledged That it seemed reasonable that such as had managed the Publick Offices during the two preceding Reigns should be answerable for the Miscarriages and not he who had been employed therein but only some few Months before yet the Sultan would not admit of this Excuse for a Reason but required the Account of the Eighteen Millions His Mother also furnished her Son with Seven Millions and a half in ready Money and Fifteen Millions in Jewels which she had been collecting in the space of fifteen Years that she had been the Wife of his Father and from the Widow of the late Deceased Sultan Achmet they took another half Million the Vizier was Taxed at a Million and a half and five Millions in Jewels likewise a good round Sum was demanded from the Chimacam and other Pasha's and Persons in great Offices There was a farther Proposition made to screw Money out of all the Arabians and Negro's at Court The Kuzlir-Aga was the first of that Rank from whom the most considerable Sums were exacted to pay which their Estates and Faculties sent and conveyed out of sight to Constantinople were all called from thence The like was also demanded from the Ulema and all the Ecclesiastical Lands and Estates were Taxed To execute all these Contrivances and Ways for raising Money the Grand-Seignior was solely intent labouring Day and Night to amass Money and spent his whole time to heap up Riches to do which he acted many things without the knowledge of the Vizier and wrote Letters and received Answers relating to the raising Men and providing Subsistence for the Troops without interesting his Grand Vizier therein the which struck such a Fear and Terrour into the Minds of all those who had to do with the Publick Interest that none durst to act any thing privately or in an obscure manner which might be of prejudice to the Grand Seignior and his Government To keep this Sultan in the Humour of going to the War his Mother laboured to keep up his Spirits which being observed by the great Men such as the Mufti the Grand Vizier the Lord Treasurer and the Generals of the Janisaries and of the Spahees they all submitted thereunto only they gave in a Petition to be delivered to the Sultan by the Hand of the Valide Soltana or Queen-Mother representing That since they had observed that it was His Majesty's Resolution to go in Person to the War they were concurring with him in the same promising to be helpful therein to the best of their Powers beseeching only That His Ottoman Majesty would be pleased to Indulge them so much time as might serve to assemble and gather their Militia into a Body and to make Provisions for their Subsistence as also Ammunition and Cannon with Powder and Bullet sufficient to attend so great an Army Of all which they gave the Sultan in Writing a particular Account in what forwardness all things were and concluded That since it is the Custom of the Germans to be late in the Field they did not doubt but to be more forward than they and to Grace and Honour the Sultan's first Expedition with the Success of Glorious Atchievements of which the Miscarriage would prove of evil Consequence as the contrary would be of mighty advantage to the whole Ottoman Empire which languishing after a Fortunate Sultan would then think the Wheel turned in case they could see the end of a Campaign concluded with Honour of a New Sultan The Grand Seignior being sensible hereof raised all the Forces he was able both in Asia and Europe And to Engage the Tartar Han on his side certain Aga's were dispatched to Tartary with Purses of Money with Presents of a Sword richly adorned with Diamonds and with rich Coftans as also with Presents to the other Kinsmen of the Han and to the Mirzees who are the Noble Men and Chief Officers both of War and Peace desiring them all to be early at the War By which great Assiduity of the Sultan all the Great Officers were in fear of him knowing that as he Rewarded generously so he Punished severely The Grand Vizier in the mean time considering the Troubles under which he was to labour as also the Invincible Difficulties of the present War in case the Sultan should persist in his Resolution of going in Person to Command the Army he endeavoured what he could to obtain the Favour that he might lay down his Office and quietly and safely retire from all Business for which he made Talkish to the Grand Seignior which is a Petition made by the Master of Requests of which there is but one belonging to the Court called Talkishgee the substance of which was to lay before the Grand Seignior the impossibility of making the Donative to the Soldiers amounting unto Twelve Millions the which was always given by the Sultans to the Soldiers whensoever they made their first Campaign This was so reasonable an Exception and Excuse that there was no reply to be made thereunto but the absolute Will and Pleasure not to pay it for besides the want of Money in the Treasury which had been exhausted by a long and an unfortunate War the Grand Seignior added That he did not esteem himself obliged to a Custom which was begun in the most Flourishing Times of the Empire when Success crowned all their Enterprizes with Victory when the Enemies were forced to pay all Charges of the War with an Overplus of Riches and Increase which filled the Royal Exchequer and that Wars maintained the Empire But those Days added the Grand Seignior are now past and that it would be an Insolence in the Soldiery to expect a Donative from him who was not in the least beholding to them for his being placed in the Throne to which he came by Succession and a Just Title and not by the Favour and Assistance of the Soldiery and that whosoever had opposed him therein who was their True and Lawful Soveraign would have been guilty of High-Treason and ought to Die by the Just Laws of the Empire In this manner the Wisest and most Experienced Officers observing how difficult and almost impossible it was to divert the Grand Seignior from his Resolution of going in Person to the War they all agreed to joyn with their Master and to applaud his happy Designs which they prayed to God might be prosperous promising to give all Assistance with their Lives and Fortunes that he might return with Victory and Success So soon were their Minds