Tvvo very notable commentaries the one of the originall of the Turcks and Empire of the house of Ottomanno, written by Andrewe Cambine, and thother of the warres of the Turcke against George Scanderbeg, prince of Epiro, and of the great victories obteyned by the sayd George, aswell against the Emperour of Turkie, as other princes, and of his other rare force and vertues, worthye of memorye, translated oute of Italian into Englishe by Iohn Shute.

Andre Cambine of the origi∣NALL OF THE TVRCKES, AND EMPIRE of the house of Ottomanno. The fourth Booke. (Book 4)

WHEN ACOMATHE VNDERSTODE of the comming of his brother Selim to Constantinople, & in what sorte thinges had passed there, he thoughte not hym selfe suer at Scutaro, whervpon he depar¦ted from thence to Bursia, and when he vnderstode of the deathe of his father, he departed from thence with his armie that he had in Natolia, towarde Capadotia, and when he came thyther, he went nere to the mounte Tauro, into that parte that Caromano had possessed, and fortifyed hym selfe at the fote of mounts Tauro, with great rampares, depe Dykes & artillerye & the place of it selfe beinge stronge he had made it in∣prenable and had furnished it plentifully with victualls and all other kynde of necessaries in suche sorte that he moughte or a longe tyme lye safely there, whervpon, for asmuche as he sawe him selfe suerly encamped, & that Selim coulde not enforce him to battayle onles he lyste he determyned not to goe forthe of his campe for any oc¦casyon that shoulde be offered him, but to lye styll there and to se what tyme wolde doe, perswadinge him selfe that god wolde not permitte amongeste men, suche an one longe to enioye an astate wone so wickedly, on the other syde when Selim had possessed his fathers trea∣sure, whiche was thought to be innumerable, he distri∣buted a great parte therof to the Gianizzaries, and to y^e reste of his men of warre towarde whome he vsed great liberalitie, and gaue them excedinge largely, after that he began to reforme theordynances of his predecessours as touching his men of warre, and gaue them to vnder stande that their great brauerie was to no purpose for it behoued good souldiours to prouide to couer them sel¦ues, and their horses with good and suer armour that beinge suerly armed they moughte hazarde them selues into greater peryll and fyghte the more valantly, and not encorage the enemye to enforce them selues to all

peryll, for the gaine of the golde, Iuelles, and syluer, y^e they dyd weare vpon them. After this he established his countrey of Gretia, and then passed the straite with his armie into Bithinia, and then into licaonia and Capa∣dotia meaninge firste to take awaye that impediment, his brother Acomathe, and broughte his armie and en∣camped not far from his brothers campe, the nexte day he lefte his campe, and with his people toke the feelde, and put them in battayle, redie to fyghte. But for all this Acomathe wolde not once sturre nor suffer one of his souldiours to goe forthe of his campe, when Selim had consumed there a great time in vaine and coulde by no maner of Iniurie procure him to the battayle, al∣thoughe he had vsed all meanes possyble that moughte prouoque him their vnto, and in the ende seinge that he coulde by no meanes cause him to accepte the battayle, and that it was not possyble to enforce him to it, he was sorte that he had loste so muche tyme, and determyned to deferre the enterprise to an other tyme, wherfore he raised his campe and toke the way towarde the sea and from thence into Magnesia to deale w^t his brother Cor∣cuthe who contynued in Magnesia, and beinge a man of uo trauayle nor vnderstandinge of the warres, nor had in the tyme of his father, nor afterwarde taken in hand anye great enterprise, and mistrusting nothinge, was taken vnprouided withoute garde,* 1.1 but Selim determy∣ninge to dispatche all those of his bloude, and to raigne withoute suspition rode on with such spede that he was entred the confines of Magnesia, or that Corcuthe had intelligence therof, or of his comminge at all, whervp∣on Corcuthe seinge him to come with so great furie and hauinge no preparation wherwith he moughte encoun¦ter him, he determyned to se yf y^e he moughte by flighte saue his lyfe wherfore he disguised him selfe, and with certaine y^e he moste trusted he departed secretly oute of the towne, and toke the waye towarde & hodes, & when he came to the passage he founde it, with all y^e sea coaste occupied with the galleys and fustes of Selim, and whē he sawe no meanes howe to gette oute of the countre, he determyned to hide him in certaine woedes there at

hand, and when he had contynued there in caues for a certaine tyme and lyued of wylde hony, and rootes, Se∣lim promised openly to gyue great rewarde, to whomso euer wold giue him knowledge where he was, or els de lyuer him into his hands, in the ende he was discouered by certayne men of the countre who aduertysed Selim of him whervpon he sent to take him,* 1.2 and as they were bringinge of him towarde the towne, he was vpon the waye by the commaundement of Selim, put to deathe when Selim was in this sorte possessid of Magnesia and of all the prouinces of y^e lesser Asia which lye alonge the sea coaste euē to Soria, and had established the goueren ment therof, he broughte his armie to Bursia, and when he was entred into Cilicia in great triumphe, he deter∣myned to get into his hands certaine yonge men, sōnes of two of his brethren that were dead, which Baiazithe there grandfather had in his lyfe sent thyther to be nori shed and broughte vp, whervpon, he ordayned to cele∣brate a maruelouse sumptuouse feaste to his Captaines acording to the Turckishe maner, and to dyuerse other inhabitantes there, amonge whom he caused to conuite his Nephewes, and when the feaste was endyd he licen sed all men sauinge his Nephewes,* 1.3 with whom he de∣clared that he wolde speake, and caused them to be put into sondrie chambres, and then by his Mymstres cau¦sed them most cruelly to be strangled, in suche sorte that of the plentyfull yssue that Baiazithe lefte behinde him their rested none leuinge but onelye a sonne of his, and his brother Acomathe, with two sonnes of his, whose deathe he dyd contynually bothe daye and nighte frame when he had appointed the gouernement of Bursia, he went to Niconedia and from thence to the Golfe and fin¦ding his Nauie there, embarcked him selfe with his peo¦ple and passed alonge the coaste of Propontide, sailinge directly to Constantinople, and landinge at the steres there he toke his horse and rode throughe all the Citie and then lyghted at his palace at Sainct Dimetrio his ponte, and beinge there, discoursed maruelously in him selfe of the order howe to ouerthrowe his brother Aco∣mathe, and knowinge, that yf he wolde contynue in his

campe, it was so stronge as it was not possible to plucke him oute of hit, wherfore he determined to se if he could by anye meanes betraie him,* 1.4 whervpon he entred into practize with the Agar of the Gianizzaries and two of his cheife Bascias, & brought to passe that they shoulde enter into practizo secretly with Acomathe, and declare vnto him that they were not contented with the gouer∣nance of Selim, wherfore they wolde take parte wyth him, and helpe him to recouer his state and promised to helpe him by all meanes possyble, and sent to him secret ly by certaine of their trustie fryndes, that consideringe the vnspeakeable crueltie that Selim had vsed, both to∣ward his father, Corcuthe, and his Nephewes, they dyd deteste and abhore him, and by meanes of his great in∣solence and tiranie that he vsed in his gouernance they were suer nether of their goodes, ne yet of their lyues, & that they dyd repent that auer they created him Empe∣rour, and also yf he wolde comme and take their parte, they wolde cut him in peces and delyuer them selues of his moste intollerable seruitude and therfore whenso∣euer that they shoulde vnderstande that he wolde cōme forewarde with his armie to Bursia, that immediatly thervpon they wolde ether cut him in peces, or els re∣belle openly against him, and leue him, and comme and ioyne their powers with him and whē they had in this sorte accepted him for their lorde, they wolde then acom¦panie him to Constantinople to place him in the Imperi¦all seate, & they exhorted him therfore, not to lose, suche an occasion, for as sone as they shoulde vnderstand that he was entred into Bithinia, all the Gianizzaries and horsemen wolde for the with rebelle, and stey Selim, and comme to him and accepte him for their lord, when Aco¦mathe had receaued this message, he doubted in the be¦gynninge, of their faithe, suspectinge them to be but intisinges to cause him to leue his strengthe, & to betray him, wherfore he gaue smale eare, & weid it not at all, but they contynuinge styll in sendinge their messages, dyd so vrge, and importue him, requirynge of him no∣thinge, but to comme to the feelde with his armie, and shewed him the order howe they wolde bringe it it passe

wythoute anye peryll, and in the ende perswaded him to accepte their offer, and yet he suspected the matter euen as it came to passe, and determyned to goe no further then to Bursia, whervpon he promised them to comme meaning not to depart from Bursia vntyl that he herde that the Gianizzaries, and horsemen, had taken their armes, and reuolted openly against Selim in Constan∣tinople, & to this intent he departed from his lodginges and marched with his armie directly towarde Bursia, Selim on the other side had contynual spyalle vpon Aco¦mathe, and was from tyme aduertized of his procedings as sone as he had in telligence that he was marchinge and drewe neare the confynes of Bithinia, he ordained to make redie his people secretly, and passed them in the nighte with great sylence into Turchie, and rode on w^t all spede the nearest waye towarde Bursia, and when he came vpon the plaine of Bursia, he mette with Aco∣mathe and his armie not far from the towne, and assayled hym with greate furye, charginge him in suche sorte,* 1.5 that hys force was suche, that the soul diours of Acomathe not beinge able to endure them, were in the fyrste encounter dysordred, and put to flyghte, and beynge folowed by the horsemen of Se¦lim the greateste parte of them were taken and slayne, and Acomathe, hauynge hys horse stayne vuder hym, and lyinge vpon hym on the grounde coulde not shyfte hym selfe from hym, and beynge enuironned wyth a greate number of enemyes was taken, he desyred to be broughte to the presence of hys brother, and as he was on hys waye goynge towarde him, there mette hym, certayne that were sent from Selim, whyche stayed hym, and stran∣gled hym moste miserably, Acomathe broughte to the feelde wyth hym two sonnes, Amorathe, and Aladino, whyche in the rencountre that they had wyth Selim, as sone as they sawe theyr people begin to recule, in y^e begining of the battaile, conueid thē selues away, & wolde not come in hys handes, but toke sondrie

wayes, the one of them fled into Persia to the Sophie, who entertained him honorably and gaue him great pro¦uision, and a wyfe, thinckinge to ayde him against Se¦lim, but in the ende he became so insolente, that he was in tollerable, wherfore he put him to deathe, the other toke his waie alonge the sea coaste and passed into Sorta and came to Cairo, and Selim after this great victorie had against his brother hauinge taken awaye all occasi ones of Cyuyll warres retorned into Gretia, & hauing determyned in his mynde a iorney against the Sophie and coulde not endure that he shoulde enioye a number of townes in the lesser Armenia, whiche were wonte to be gouerned by the princes of the Turckishe nation, and besyde that, that he shoulde enlarge his dominiones euē to the confines of Turchie, doubting muche the fait he of those people, for so muche, that the greatest number of them were infected with the superstition or heresie, y^• the Sophie is, beinge deuided from the reste of the Maho¦metistes into a peculier secte, also he wolde not that the subieces of the Sophie shoulde trauaile into his countre nor traffique anye more with his people, and when he had arested all the sylkes, and goodes, of y^e marchantes that were subiectes to the Sophie, whiche dwelledin Bursta & were called aggiammi, he sent them to dwell in Constātinople. And Iudginge the enterprise against the Sophie to be of greate importance,* 1.6 consydering hys great force and power, he thoughte to take the matter in hande by great aduisement, and to make greate prepara¦tion and to goe strongely, wherfore be determyned by al meanes possyble to augement the number of his Giantz zaries, whervpon he sent into Turchie for all his slaues that he had there, that were sufficient to vse weapones, and caused them to be enrolled amonge the reste of his Gianizzaries,* 1.7 and appointed them to ordinarie masters to showe them howe to vse their weapones and know∣inge that his enemie was nothinge so well furnished w^t artillerie as he was, he determined to alter the artillerie that his father lefte, and to make it, into suche peces as moughte more easyly be caried and lyke vnto y^e whiche the Christianes vse at this daye, wherfore he caused to

breake all the greate Bombardes, and to make them in to halfe cannonnes, falcouetes and passe volantes, and caused to make a great number of cariages for them and prouided for a great ūmber of Cannonters to vse them, oute of Almaigne, Hungarie, and Fraunce, and gaue them greate entertainement, he prouided also for other maisters of artillerie as makers of pouder, of shotte, of fyre woorcks and suche lyke, besydes that Iudging har∣quebuziers on horsbacke very mete to encoūter hys ene mies, for so muche as they had sene no suche in tyme be∣fore by meanes wherof, they sholde be a great terrour to the enemie, cheifely to those of the easte partes, whose horses not beings acustumed to heare the lyke noyses, as sone as they shoulde heare the cracke and thondre of the harquebuzrie they wolde be so affraied, that they wolde ronne awaye and disorder all, maugre those that rode them, and therfore he prouided a great number of them and chose them yonge men and caused them to be daily erercised in the vse therof and made perfytte, he proui∣ded them of horses and appointed to euery newe bande a certaine number of olde souldiours, suche as had ben well trayned to gouerne and leade them, vnto whom he gaue greate entertainement, by meanes wher of there came vnto him, oute of all partes of christendome, in suche sorte as in a sorte tyme he had moe then a thou∣sand on horsebacke, besyde a greate number that he had on fote then he determyned also to amend and encrease his Nauie, and caused to make in al places vpon the sea syde (where he vsed to haue any Naute) arseuales to the ende, that in tyme of peace his shippes moughte lye co∣••ered wherin time before they were wonte to lye alway at the rode and so within a fewe yeres to rotte and con∣••ume, and whē he had made these preparationes he then ••etet mined to prouide howe to maintaine al these thigs and with all diligence encreased his reuenue, and railed newe impositions vpon all kynde of marchandizes in ••anye places whiche they call Comechi, he also cut of, ••ll superflouse charges, suche, as appertained onelye to ••ompe and brauerie and when he had in this sorte re∣••ormed his state, and augmented his bandes, bothe of

fotemen, and horsemen, when he sawe tyme conuement he went to the feelde with his armie, and wolde no len gar defer the tyme, but caused to passe his armie oute of Gretia, into Asia and ioyned them with his souldiours of Asia, he had then in his campe moe then a hundred & fytie thousand horsemen, besyde his Gianizzaries, and a great number of fotemen, then he caused them all to marche on towarde Persia, and passed on throughe Ca∣padotia, and Licaonia, into Armenia the lesse, and whē he had broughte it vnder his obedience, he determyned (or that he wolde passe the ryuer Euphrates) to make suer all the passages of the mounte Tauro, to the ende that y^e passage of his victualles shoulde be free without empechement, and therfore sent his ambasciadours to the prince of Adola) who possessed manye places in the mountaine, to require him to ioyne with him in league who answeryd that he wolde be enemye to nother of them nor wolde deale in there differences, betwene the Sophie, and him, but wolde stande frinde to them both, and wolde gyue to ether of them free passage thorowe his countrey, and also suche victual as he had, which con¦ditiones at that tyme Selim was contented to accepte, bicause that he coulde obtaine none other, and to auoide the losse of tyme dyd not meane as then to take the coū¦tre of force for so muche as the prince possessed in y^e moū¦taines, manye places of greate force, both naturall, and artificiall and excedingly well furnished both with men and monition, and also was able to bringe to the feelde of his owne subiectes armed, thirtie thousande men on horsebacke whervpon when the conditiones were arti∣fied, and othe gyuen on bothe sydes for the performance of the same, he marched with his armie to the floode Eu¦phrates, then fastenned he his botes frō the one bancke to the other of the same, and layd his brydge vpon them and passed ouer, his armie, and when he was entred in∣to his enemyes countre, he began to spoyle and proie it when then Sophie was aduertized of the aryuall of the Turckes armie he deferred no tyme but toke hys horse and marched with his armie toward the ryuer Euphra¦tes to encountre Selim, and mete with him in the myd∣deste

of the plaine one this syde of y^e Citie Tauris foure dayes lorney,* 1.8 and withoute any delate, put their people in order and then came on with great furie, and ioyned in battayle, the fyghte was terrible and bloudie, it con∣tynued longe in good order, withoute anye aduaūtage seen of other syde, but at the laste the Persians serring them selues and comminge on hauynge their horses of more force, and better armed then the Turckes horses were, began to preuaile, whiche when Selim perceued he caused his squadrone to open, and to suffer the Per∣sianes to passe al most into the myddest of the squadrone and when they came there, he caused vpon the sodden to discharge certaine peres of artillerie whiche he had pla∣ced in y^e myddest of his squadrone, which made so great anoyse that the aire dyd ringe, and the earthe dyd shake with it, and hauing stayne in the discharge of that volee an excedinge great number of men & horses, it so feared the rest of the horses whiche were not vsed to thon∣dringe and noyse of artillerie, that they ran awaie, and scattered all ouer the feelde, and they y^e rode them were not able to gouerne them, when the Turckes horsemen sawe their enemies flee in that sorte, they folowed them with all spede possyble, and when they ouergate them, they slewe and toke an infinite number of them, y^e roste fled euery man his waye, and suffred there enemyes to enioye the victorie, and at the fyrst discharge of the artil lerie the Sophie, with a great number of his nobilitie, with drewe them selues,* 1.9 seinge their people in so great disorder, Selim determyninge to vse the victorie, lod∣ged his armie that nighte, where the Persianes lodged the nighte before, and gaue al the spoyle of their campe to his souldiours. The next morning as sone as it was day, he toke his horse and rode towarde the citie Tauris and when he was comme neare vnto it, the Citizens be¦ing discoraged throughe the ouerthrowe of their prince and seinge no man to apeare vpon the feelde in their de¦fence, wolde not by defendinge them selues hazaro both their lyues and goodes, determyned amonge them to yelde the citie, whervpon they sent forthe certaine of their Citizens to talke with Selim, and in the ende a∣greed

to delyuer hym the Citie, sauinge their lyues and goodes, when this was agreed, they receaued him into the towne and his people also, and there is no doubte, but yf that Selim had had prouision in Tauris for the sustenance of his armie,* 1.10 but that he shoulde easyly haue possessed the kingedome of Persia, and banished the So∣phie the countre, but he had sone consumed all the coun∣tre and prouisyon that there was, and on the other syde the princo of Adule, as sone as he vnderstode that y^e So∣phie had his armye vpon the feelde, Iudginge that he sholde haue the better, brake his promes with him, and toke the feelde with his armye & occupied al the straites and passages, by the which men must passe, oute of the Turckes dominions into Persia, and toke from all the victuallers that came,* 1.11 their victualles, & warned them, that from thence forthe they shoulde no more cōme there whereof it folowed, that hauing consumed the victualles whiche they founde there, and hauing no releefe oute of their countre, they were brought into great penurie, & intollerable famine, in such sorte, as they were enforced to stey their horses, and eate them, aud also to eare both rootes and herbbes that were vnholesome for man to eate, by meanes wherof: they were not onelye vnable to folowe the victorie against y^e Persians, but also to stand vpon their feete, throughe the which incommoditie Se∣lim beinge excedingly afflicted, and seing his people dai¦ly to consume, with the great losse of horses also that he had, and seing no way howe to remedie this mischefe, be¦ing of necessitye constrayned, he determyned to put of this enterprse and to retorne into his countre meaning (that when he had assured him selfe of the passages, and made better prouisyon) to retorne thyther againe y^e yere folowinge and to renewe the warres, and when he had taken oute of Tauris a great number of the cheife Citi¦zens, with their whole families and substanes, and also all suche as coulde make armour, he sent them to Con∣stātinople and departed with his armye oute of Tauris and passed the ryuer Euphrates, and detormyning some what to recreate his afflicted armie he assayled y^e towne of Mascuall and toke it of force & gaue it in proie to his

souldiours, and in this sorte contynuinge his voyage by smale and easye iorneys, for that manye of his horses were so feble that they coulde scaresely goe he broughte his armie into Licaonia, and sent them to garnisones into y^e countre aboute Iconio, at this day called Cogni, so spoyled that they showed them selues not onelye, not victoriouse, but rather defeicted ouerthrowen, & spoyled when Selim had in this sorte placed his people in garni¦nifones, he then soughte howe to supplie and furnishe them againe whervpon he made a reuewe of his armys and sent into Gretia all those that had endured and suf∣fred most miserie, to reliue them selues, and caused newe and freshe men to be sent in their places, and the Sophie beinge vpon the consynes of Persia, and hauinge intel∣ligence of the departure of Selim from Tauris, was so discouraged, that he durste not deale with him, by mea∣nes of the ouerthrowe which he had receaueo, and also the feare that he had of the artillerie,* 1.12 and cheifely for y^e that he had loste y^e greatest nūber of his olde souldiours he durste not attempte anye further, Selim determined to be reuenged of the wronge, that the prince of Adula had done him and also to assure him selfe of the passages wherefore he sent Sinan Bassa with a great number of horsemen and fotemen to spoyle his countre,* 1.13 & as sone as he came into his countre, the prince encountred with him and after longe fyghte was taken by him and al his people ouerthrowen, whervpon he possessed all the state that he had in the mountaines and sent him prisoner to Selim, who caused to stryke of his head and to sett it on the pointe of a launce, and then sent it to be showed in e¦uery place throughe oute his countrey in token of vic∣torie, he then beinge whollye occupied in makinge his prouisyon of men bothe on horsebacke and fote, of mo∣ney and other monition which he ment to vse in his en∣terprise that he determyned to take in hand the springe nerte folowing, callinge oute of Asia and Europe, all such of his subiectes as had ben wel trained in y^e warres and had determyned to winter at Iconio, for y^e he wolde be at hand to take in hande againe the enterprise in the springe folowing, the Gianizzaries beinge determined

to goe home into Gretia, went vnto him and when they sawe that they coulde not perswade hym to passe into Gretia for that winter,* 1.14 they began to threaten him, and declared vnto him, that yf he wolde not goe with them, they wolde them selues goe, and when they came there they wolde swere obedience to his sōne, with the which wordes, Selim was marueiously troubled, and began to suspecte, and the nighte folowing disguised him selfe and with certaine of his familiers with him, toke the poste, and ran daye and nighte vntyll he came to Scuta ro, and passed y^e straite and discouered him selfe to none, vntyl he came within his Seraglio: where he continued three dayes and wolde gyue audience to noe man and in the ende beinge enforced by Pernio Bascia and y^e Cadi to declare the cause of his great melancholie, answered that he was no more an Emperour, for so muche as the Gianizzaries wolde haue enforced him, whervpon they desyred him to be of good chere, and declared vnto hym that he shoulde haue good meanes to punished them and to be reuenged vpon them for their rebellion, and when they vnderstode of him, the cheife auctours of this disor¦der, they wrote to all the bandes of the Gianizzaries in generall, and gaue them to vnderstande the whole mat¦ter, and the auctours of the disorder also, whervpō they so sturred them vp, that soddenly they toke their wea∣pones, and then laide hande of those whiche began this matter, and broughte them in cheynes to Constantino∣ple, and presented them before the gates of the Serra∣glio, and with lowd voice asked pardone, puttinge the whole defaute in their leaders, and delyuered them all in cheynes, requiringe him to put them to deathe, in ex∣ample, to those that shoulde come after them, Selim ac∣cepted their exceuse and pardoned them, and put to death all the chiefe of the sedition, which seueritie wroughte so great terrour, that Solimano his sonne, fcaring leste his father shoulde haue him in any sospition by meanes of the wordes of the Gianizzaries, went to kysse his fa∣thers fete, being moruelously affraied, and excused hys innocentie, when Selim had lefte his frontiers of Eu∣rope well garded, and had prouided hoth men, and mo∣ney

for his iorney, he retorned againe to Icomo to hys garnisones. In this meane time the Sophie sent his ant bassodours to y^e Soldan for aide, declaring vnto him the great peryll wherin he was, & praied him that he wolde haue regarde to their comon welthe, and send his armie to vnite with him. The Soldane was maruelousty mo∣ued by the perswationes of the Persianes,* 1.15 and vnder∣standinge the great confusion and disorder into y^e which the Sophie was broughte, with all his countre of Per∣sia, & fearinge leste that he, beinge thus affraied shoulde seke suche peace at the handes of Selim as he moughte obtaine, and that when the Turckes had broughte the Sophie vnder fote, they shoulde employe their whole force against Soria, whervpon he gaue them to vnder∣stande that he wolde in no wyse fayle them but wolde for their welthe hazarde, bothe his person and al that he had els, and that they shoudle wyll their prince to be of good cheare, and as sone as the springe shoulde comme on he wolde in person, with all his power of Mama∣lukes and other souldiours that he coulde make, descend into Soria, to vnite his force with his, to the ende, that when they had had vnited their forces, they mought pre¦nente the enemye and goe to seeke him and make the warres at his owne dore, and for that y^e Soldane wolde detract no time he began immediatly to leuie his bands and gather his armye, and to make redie for y^e enterprise on the other side when Selim retorned to his garnisions he began to supplie his bandes with freshe souldiours, and to see them thorowlie furnished with money and al other necessaries, and as sone as the springe of the yere tame he assembled his armye, and put to the feelde mar∣thing towarde the mounte Taurs: to passe into Arme∣nia and as he approched neare the mountayne, he had aduertizement that the Soldan was departed from Cai ro with all his ordinarie bandes, and a great number of Arabianes, and came downe into Soria to ayde the So∣phie, and to vnite his force with him, wherupon he cau∣sed to state the marche, and then called to councell hys Bascias and other Captaines, declaringe vnto them y^e comminge of the Soldane into Soria, and when they

had thorowlye discoursed of the matter what was to be done therin, they allowed the opinion of Selim, whiche was to preueut the enemyes,* 1.16 and not to suffer them to vnite their forces, but to goe and encountre the one of them, Iudginge it more easye to ouerthrowe one, then bothe their powers beinge once vnited, and discoursing in him selfe which of them it were better fyrst to assayls he thoughte the enterprise againste the Soldane moste¦mete, and easyer then it of Persia against the Sophie, for that the Soldane beinge an olde man, and not tray∣ned in the warres, was more weake, and for that his ar¦mye had ben a longe tyme at reste, and had dealed wyth no enemye of great experience in warres, but that their name was feared in all y^• easte, for y^e actes which thye & their predecessours had done in time past, & being in this sort persuaded, he determined the enterprise against the Soldane, & marched w^t his armie a long by the fote of the mounte Tauro holdinge the waye of the righte hand & so passed into Cilicia: where he vnderstode that the Sol∣dane had entertained in his paie a great number of Ar∣rabianes, and that he was entred into Soria wyth, xv. thousand Mamalukes comming towarde Aleppo, wher vpon he made the greater haste and went towardes him and when he came neare to Aleppo he vnderstode that y^e Soldane was encamped vpon the ryuer of Singa ten¦myles from that place, whervpon, he put hys people in battayle, and marched on toward the enemie with great furie, and when he came within syghte of them, he foude that the Soldane began to disiodge and to take y^e feelde puttinge his people in order in the myddest of the feelde declaring him selfe redie to the battaile,* 1.17 whervpon with¦oute delaie they ioyned in battayle, and there began a ve¦ry braue, and bloudie fyghte, and it contynued a greate pece of the daye withoute anye aduantage of eyther side but at the laste a certayne number of the Mamalukes marched on so closely in order that they were as stronge as a mightie walle, and charged the Turckes with such force, that they not beyng able to endure the force and power of the Mamalukes and their horses, were enfor∣ced to disorder and breake their ranckes and by meanes

therof: gaue them waye to enter their squadrone, & when they were comme to the Gianizzaries, they disordered them also, and passed on vntyll they came to their enseig nes where the Turcke was in person, and he seinge his people thus in disorder, and that there was no meanes to holde them togyther and to kepe them in order, he cō¦maunded his maister Cannoniers to discharge all their artillerie at one Instante vpon them, the noyse of the ar¦tillerie was suche, that the horses of the Mamalukes coulde not endure it, but retorned backe and ran awaye scattering all ouer the feelde in dispite of those that rode them, and thus by flighte, lefte vnto their enemyes that victorie, which they had all redie in their handes, they had not loste of their people before the discharge of that volee of shotte, scarcely one thousand. The souldiours of Scilin, seinge the flyghte of their enemyes began to encorage them selues, and folowed them, making great flaughter of them. The Soldane behaued him selfe that daye lyke a worthie man, and dyd not omitte any thing that appertained to a worthy Captaine, and had sondrie tymes that daye, supplied with great discression where nede was, and where his people were in disorder and be¦gan to flee, whervpon he was enforced to vse both sayre wordes, pro messes and threatinges & by these meanes had dyuerse tymes that day staied them from roning a∣waye and putting them in order agayne soughte to re∣newe the fyghte, but he founde them so amased & stonied by meanes of the noyse of the artillerie, to the whiche they were not acustomed, that they (lainge a syde all re∣uereuce) dyd not once hercken to any worde y^e he speake but contynued styll their flyghte, and disorder, and when the Soldane sawe that he was lefte of his souldiours, and alone vpon the feelde, he wolde not comme on lyue into the handes of his enemyes wherfore he folowinge after his people, soughte to saue him selfe by flighte but being ercedingly hote and faintie in his armour, for so much as he had taken vpon him y^e day great trauaile, and had continued the hole day on horsebacke, withoute receauing meate or dryncke, in the ende beinge vtterly weried, and with the force of the presse of those y^e came

after him, who being so affraied that they flede continu¦ally in a confused sorte, hauing no regarde to their due∣tye, but euery man made shyste for one, & amonge them he was ouerthrowen both horse and man, and beings once downe, being an aged man, & his armour of great weyghte,* 1.18 he coulde no more ryse, and hauinge loste hys force & sensses, gaue vp his spirite amonges their horses fete, and this was the end of Campsone Cairo Soldane of Babilone, a noble personage, and of greate vertue, who founde the kingdome of Egipte, and Soria, so con¦sumed and spoyled, by cyuyll dissention, and warres, y^• in shorte tyme their were staine amonge them selues in these esmotiones, foure Soldanes, when this man had accepted the gouernance, he so reformed it, by his great wysdome and Iustice, encreasyng it both with reputati¦on, and obedience, in such sorte, that he brought it to an exceding great quietnes and tranquilitie, so that for y^• space of .xvi. yeres, wherein he had gouerned, they had not onely, not experimented what the warres were, but also not herde them once named amonge them: in all y^• kingdome of Egipte, and Soria. After this when the nighte came, the enemyes fled faste towarde Aleppo, & lefte the feelde, and also their campe withoute defence, in proie to the enemies, but Selim mistrusting y^e fynesse of the Mamalukes, wolde not that nyghte enter into their campe, but encampted where the battayle was soughte,* 1.19 and helde a great pece of his armye all y^• nyght in battayle, and when it was day he sent certaine vante corriers to vewe the campe of the enemyes, who fyn∣ding it withoute defendantes, gaue suche aduertizemēt whervpon Selim marched with his armye and entred y^• campe, and founde the lodginges of the Soldane full of riches and gaue it in proie to his souldiours, and when he vnderstode that Gazzele, with the rest of y^e Soldanes Captaines, were departed from Aleppo in the fourthe watche, and gone to Dammasco, he marched on to Alep¦po, and when he came thyther, Caserbeio, whiche was gouernour there for the Soldane, withoute making any resystance at all, went forth to hym and yelded hym the towne, and being maruelously embraced and honoured

by Selim, confyrmed the opinion of many, which was y^e he had alwaye ben a traitour to the Soldane, and had in telligence with Selim, and also that he had aduertized him of the comming of the Soldane into Soria, and ex∣horted him to leue the enterprise of Persta, and to take in hand that of Soria against the Soldane, when Selim was entred into Aleppo, he graunted y^e Citizens many liberties, and being greatly oppressyd by the impositi∣ones and taxes which the Soldane laid vpon them, he meaning to gratifie them, and to preserue the great traf¦fique, and encourage the marchantes that there were & others also to comme thyther with their marchandize, he released dyuerse of the impositiones, and also dimini∣shed a parte of the custumes of the marchandize, & when he had contynued there certaine dayes, he receaued ad∣uertizement, that all the Mamalukes that were lefte li∣uing at the ouerthrowe of Aleppo, with Gazzele which was y^e cheife Captaine amonge them then (considering that the lorde of Damasco was slayne in the battayle) were determyned to goe and to create a newe Soldane whervpon they departed from Soria and rode towarde Cairo, Selim departed from Aleppo and marched on to warde Damasco, and when he was comme before the Citie with hys armye, they of the Citie thought it not good by resystance, to put bothe them selues and y^• they had in peryll, whervpon they sent forth to Selim Ora∣tours, and graunted him the Citie, vpon condittion to enioye: bothe their lyues and goodes, when Selim had accepted their offer, he entred into the Citie beinge ac∣compained onely with his garde, leuinge all the rest of his armye withoute in campe, bycause the Citie shoulde not by molested, nor greued, nor the straunge marchan∣tes that there were oute of all partes of the worlde, the Cities of Soria, which stande vpon the sea coaste folo∣wed the example of Aleppo and Damasco, and the prin¦cipall of them were, Tripolli, Sindonia, Baruti, and Tolemarde, which yeldyd, and receaued dyuerse bandes of the Soldiers of Selim into them, Selim determyni∣ing to establishe the gouernement of Soria, called a coū cell in Damasco, and thyther came messagers oute of al

the cities and townes of the prouince, and he sate in the myddest of the market place, with dyuerse graue and dis¦crete councellours aboute him whiche he vsed alwaye when he gaue audience openly, and there he herds, and determyned many controuersies, and when he had ap∣pointed gouernours and officers to euery towne and ci∣tie, and had abolished dyuerse of the custumes of the an∣cient Soldanes as vniuste, and intollerable to the peo∣ple, he dyd moderate them with newe lawes, and when he had contynued in Damasco a longe tyme aboute the reforming of the countre, and had well reposed his ar∣mye, he then determyned in him selfe to make warres a gainst Egipte, for so muche as he vnderstode that al the Mamalukes that were dispersed abrode into al the coū∣tres, were comme to Cairo to create a newe Soldane, & beinge once togyther, they chose Tomombeio the great Diadaro,* 1.20 a man of great reputation and credite, and of great experience, and excellent, in the discipline of the warres, Selim being vpon the pointe of his departure, sent before him to make suer the waye Sinan Bassa, & gaue him in commissyon to passe on to the Citie Gaza, and there to tarie hym, and he in person departed from Damasco with the reste of his armie and folowed, and be¦inge desyrous to visyte that most famous temple of Ike rusalem, toke with him his garde of Gianizzaries and a certaine number of his horsemen and entred into Iudea and passed on to Iherusalem, and when he had visyted y^e temple, and other holly places of the Citie, he retorned agayne to his armye the nexte waye. And Sinan Bassa with his companie which was .xv. thousand horsemen hauinge ouerthrowen the Arabianes and repulsed their inuasyones whiche often tymes they had attempted a∣gainst him, and had made the passage free with much a doe, and was comme on to Gaza, which stode neare vn∣to the sea vpō the confynes of Egipte in y^e place, where men enter into the sandie deserte passinge from Iudea to Eairo, and when he came before the Citie with his armye, they of the Citie willinge to auoide the sacke & spoyle therof, gaue place to tyme, and yelded y^e Citie vn¦to him, where he contynued, and taried for commissyon

from his lorde to directe him in those affaires. As sone as Tomombeio had receaued the gouernement, he deter¦myned forth with to supplie the bandes of Mamalukes which were maruelously spoyled and consumed, wher∣fore he caused to enrolie all their slaues y^e were of law∣ful yeres and apte to vse armes, he prouided armour and weapō for them and also horses, also he had entertained in his paie a great number of Arabianes, and loste no tyme, but contynually prouided artillerie and Moniti∣on, with all other necessaries, and beinge aduertized by those of Gaza (whiche dyd very well affecte the Mama∣lukes) of the comminge of Sinan Bassa, and in what sorte he lodged there. The Soldane at their request de. termyned to send a power to encountre him, hauinge great hope in the good wyll of the Citizens, whervpon he dispatched Gazele,* 1.21 and sent him with syre thousande horses, and a greate number of Arabianes, and as sone as Sinan Bassa was aduertized of his comming, by his bandes that he had alwaie vpon the feelde, not trusting them of the Citie, he determyned to goe against hym & to encountre him, and when he had rydden xv. myles, he staied at a village where he mought well lodge, for that that in the vilage their was a fountaine very plen tuouse of pure watter, whervpō he commaūded to lodge there, and began to appointe the quartiers, and before that they had done the alarme was gyuen, and he was aduertized by the scoultes of his vantgarde, y^• they sawe afarre of a great duste,* 1.22 wherfore they Iudged the ene∣my to be there cōming toward them, Sinan Bassa had scarcely tyme to put his people in order, before that Ga¦zele was cōme with his, & began to assayle his vantgard and after that they had foughte a certaine space, Gazele seinge his peopble ouerlaide, with uumber, and a rtil∣lerie, and that they began to recule, and seing y^• they of Gaza apeared not in his fauour (in hope of whose ayde he had taken in hand the battayle) with his sworde in his hand dyd make his waye thorowe his enemyes, & so retorned to Cairo with the losse of his cariage, and a great number of his souldiours, and when Selim was departed from Iherusalem he came to his armye, and

broughte them to Gaza, where he founde Sinan Bassa retorned with great victorie, and had put to deathe ma∣ny of y^e Citizens which had procured y^e Soldane to send his people thyther, when Selim had reposed his soul∣diours for a tyme in Gaza, he determyned to marche on towarde Cairo, and wolde not gyue the newe Soldane time to furnishe him selfe of newe bands and to put him selfe in good order, wherfore he made great prouision of hogges hedes to carie watter with him, and sent Sinan Bassa before him with his bandes of Europe, and he fo¦lowed him alway within one dayes iorney w^t his whole armye,* 1.23 aud in this sorte passed on throughe the deserte, and came neare to Cairo within fewe myles, a lytle frō a villadge named Macharea, where the Soldane had a garden, where that most precious licour called Balsme dyd growe, which is a certaine goome, that distillethe throughe certaine clestes made in the barcke of y^e trees in the tyme of the gathering therof, by the gardeners, which cut them with exceding fyne knynes made of yuo¦rie, Tommobeio determyned to tarie the enemye in y^• village, whervpon he entrenched it very stongly wyth great rampares, and depe Dykes, and had bent al his ar¦tillerie vpon the waye where the Turcks shoulde cōme and as sone as he herde of the comminge of the Turc∣kishe armye he departed from Cairo with, twelue thou sand Mamalukes, and a great number of Arrabianes, & other souldiours on horsebacke, and on fote, and came & lodged in his lodginge that was fortified for him of pur¦pose, where, whē he had put his people in order he taried the comming of the enemye, and as sone as Selim vn∣derstode of the Soldanes order, he refused the waye that the Soldane had bent all his artillerie vpon, and wolde not assayle hys enemye vpon the frounte of his battaile but determyned to assayle him on the flancke where he was not so well prouided, whervpō he disvanded agreat nūber of shotte & sent them to assayle the trenches of y^• Soldane, & immediatly the Soldane marched forthe w^t his people in order, and there began betwene them a no¦table fyghte, and a furious, and hauing fought from the fourthe houre of the daye, to the sunne goinge downe

in very doubtfull sorte, euen to the darcke nighte, Tom¦mabeio caused to sounde the retreicte,* 1.24 and lefte the vil∣lage and marched to Cairo and the Turckes as victori∣ouse entred into the Soldanes lodginges and their lod∣ged that nighte, there were slaine of y^e partie of y^e Mama¦lukes the great Diadaro, strycken with a falconete and of the Turckes partie Sinan Bassa,* 1.25 and when the Sol¦dane was retorned with his armys, he lodged them be∣twene the Citie, and the ryuer Nilo, and determyned to supplie his armye with newe bandes and to defend him selfe, and therfore sent for all the Mamalukes y^t were ap¦pointed to the garde of other contreys, and commaunded them to repaire to Cairo with all spede, he toke oute of the Monition house of the Castle, all the furniture of ar¦mour, and weapon, that there was and distributed it to the children of the Mamalukes and to twelue thousand slaues which they toke vp in that Citie, besydes that he sent into Iudea and Arabia, his Captaines to leuie and enrolle all suche horsemen and fotemen as they shoulde fynde, that were trained, and experimented in y^e warres and for that he wolde as muche as in him was saue his people from the force of the artillerie, he determyned w^t all his power to assayle his enemye in the darckest of y^e nighte, for that he was assured that in the nyghte they coulde not well vse their artillerie withoute the slaugh∣ter of their owne people as well as of their enemyes, & discouering his opinion to certaine of the cheife of y^e Ma¦malukes, he prouided to put it in executiō, but he coulde not vse the matter so secretly, but y^t amonge those fewe with whom he had debated the cause, their were some traitours whiche dyd aduertize Selim therof who cau∣sed to make greate fyres withoute his campe rounde a∣boute it, whiche made all the partes aboute the campe to be as well seen as in the myddeste of the daye, and in this sorte prouided that he moughte well vse hys artil∣lerie, and then put hys armye in battayle lookinge for his enemyes, Tommobeio in the nyght▪ approched neare to the Turckes campe, and when he sawe all these fires he was then assured that hys enterprise was discouered yet wolde be not so retorne, but assayled his trenches

in suche sorte that he entred them and synding them ve¦ry well furnished be retorned agayne to his lodging frō whence he came, and after that (beinge enforced by the Mamalukes) he was constrained to lodge within the ci¦tie, and to defende it, and for that he wolde prouide in e∣uery respecte, he caused with all spede to fortifye it and when he had made stronge the principall places therof,* 1.26 he put stronge garde into them, Selim as sone as he herde that the Soldane with his armie was lodged w^t in the towne, he marched with his armye into the towne, which he moughte easyly doe, for that the citie was not enuironed with walle, nor rampare, beinge within the Citie with his armye, he foughte three dayes continual¦ly, with the enemye, and when he had slayne a great nū¦ber of them he became lorde of the greatest parte of the Citie, and the Mamalukes seinge their force daily to de caie, and that they were no longar able to contynue in the Citie, went from thence to the ryuer Nilo and toke the boates that they founde there, and passed all their ar¦mie with the Soldane ouer the ryuer into the Region Segesta, which is a parte of Affrica that liethe towarde Cirene, and Tomombeio for that he wolde not gyue o∣uer the matter, sent for those Mamalukes that were ap¦pointed to grade the Citie of Alexandria, and for y^• there came dayly into his campe, Arabianes, Affricanes, and other Mores, of y^e prouices there abouts, he began to be agayne in good hope to defende his owne, whylest the matters of Cairo passed in this sorte Gazzele whome y^e Soldane had sent into Thebaiade, to leuie as manye bandes of both horsemen and fotemen as he coulde, was cōme neare to Cairo and had brought with him a gerat number of Arrabianes with their Captaines also, and when he vnderstode of the losse of Cairo, and that hys lorde was fied beyonde the ryuer Nilo, and beinge oute of all hope of the preseruation of his countre vnder the gouernement of the Soldane, seinge it paste all remedie determined to obserue time and to pronide for his safety by yelding him selfe to the victour, and when he had in this sorte debated the matter with the Captaines of the Arrabianes, which he had brought with him, & had per

swaded them in that behalfe, he came to the gate of Se∣lim and required to be broughte to his presence,* 1.27 & when he came before him, he fell prostrate to the grounde and ryssed his fete sainge, for so muche as he had done for y^• preseruation of the Mamalukes state and of his lorde, all that was possyble for him to doe, and neuer brake his fait he, so longe as there was any token of hope lefte for the preseruation of this same, and nowe seinge his high nes possessyd of the Citie, and placed in the Imperiall seate, and his lorde to be fled and to haue lefte his king∣dome, wherfore he had determyned with him selfe no len¦ger to respste, but trusting in his clemencie, and goodnes was cōme wholly to committe him selfe into his hands w^t oute any maner of condition at all, but to be well con¦tentyd with all that, that shoulde please his highnes to deteremyne of him, Selim receuid him very corteously, and willed him to be of good comforte and to assure him selfe not to wante place with him mete for a man of his worthines, he caused him to be writen amonge y^e reste of his chiefe Captaines, & appointed vnto him an ho∣norable, prouisionin lyke sorte he caused y^e Captaines & chiefe officiers of the Arrabianes to be broughte vnto him, and gaue them very good wordes, and entertained them in his ordinarie. After this he vnderstode of a cer∣taine man of Segesta (which was comme to seke him) of manye of the purposes of Tomombe is, and howe he was contynually solycited by certaine Mores the prin∣cipall, and chiefe of Cairo, in suche sorte as he was fully determyned to retorne thyther agayne, when Selim vn¦derstode of these preparationes, he thought good to pre uent it, whervpon he determined to passe the ryuer Nilo and to seke him, and to the ende that he moughte the more spedyly passe his armye, and artillerie, he proui∣ded a great number of botes and fastened them to bothe the shores, and then laide his bridge made of bordes and called into the Castle suche Citizens as he suspected, and ••caused them to be safely kepte, when Tomombe is vnder ••tode that Selim was makinge redie to passe the Nilo with his armye fearinge the inconstancie of the people and seing no way howe by flyghte he mought prolonge

the warres, determyned to proue what fortune wolde doe, once more in battayle, wherfore he thought it good to assayle the bridge,* 1.28 and to se yf that he coulde (synding his enemyes occupied in their passage ouer) take them vnprouided and so to onerthrowe them, whervpon he vsed greats celeritie departing from Segesta in the laste watche of the nighte and rode with foure thousand Ma∣malukes, and foure thousande Mores and Arrabianes, and came to the brydge before that the Turckes had vn¦derstanding of his departure, and fynding onely y^• soul∣diours of Asta passed, w^t their Captatne Mastaffa Bascia he forth with, charged them with suche force, y^• the Turc¦kes, not beinge able to endure their vertue, were disor∣dred and began to flee, in suche sorte that Mustaffa not beinge able to kepe them in order, they were exceding∣ly spoyled & stayne, when Selim vnderstode of the peryll that his people were in, he hasted to the brydge in per∣son, and sent ouer with such spede as he coulde, aide frō¦tyme to tyme vnto them, and in shorte space he had put ouer so many that he was Maister of bothe endes of the brydge and when he had assured the brydge he went in person with certaine bandes with him thether where y^• Soldane was syghting, and soddenly charged hym, in sorts, that he enforced him to retire, whervpon the Sol dane beinge oute of hope of the victorie, determyned w^t those fewe that he had lefte, by flyghte to seke to saue him selfe and when they had rydden thre dayes contynu¦ally, they came to a certaine village called Secusa, and Selim determyninge to folowe hym wheresoeuer he shoulde goe,* 1.29 dyd send after him Mustaffa Caterbeio, and Gazzelle with a great number of lighte horsemen which when they drewe neare to the place where he was, and had flayne vpon the waye as they came a great number of his men, and had gyuen commaundement that al the men of that countre shoulde folowe them wheresoeuer they went vpon great Penaltie, & also appointed great rewarde to whosouer shoulde delyuer him ether deade, or liuinge, when the Soldane had loste the greatest nū∣ber of hys men, and fearinge the persecution of the men of the countre seing none other meane to saue him selfe

chaunged his garnementes, and departed secretly, and dyd hyde him in a marese there by, and couered him selfe wyth reed and suche lyke as dyd growe thervpon, but the countre men beinge very gredie of the rewarde that was promysed, went and serched al secrete places, wher in he moughte be hidden, whervpon certaine of them went into the marese and serched very diligently, and in the ende foūde him hidden in the water vp to y^e throte and then toke hym, with dyuerse of his cheife and princi¦pall councellours, & presentyd him bounde to Mustaffa and the reste of the Captaines, who forthewith sent him an towarde Cairo in miserable sorte, and presented him to Selim, who wolde not speake vnto him but deliuered him to hys mynistres and caused him to be examined w^t sondrie tormentes to make hym to confesse where the treasoure of Campsone the Soldane was, and whē they had done all that they were able to doe, they coulde not onely, not cause him to manifest it, but also coulde not with all their tormentes cause him to speake one worde the constancie of his mynde was suche,* 1.30 the nerte mor∣ning folowinge he caused him to be lad openly therowe the Citie, to the gate called Basuela and hanged him by the necke,* 1.31 & then put a chaine of Iron aboute his necke and caused him continually to hange ouer the gate. The cause whie Selim dyd this cruelly, and shamefully put Tomombeio to deathe, was for that, that after he was gone into y^e Region of Segesta (acording to the opinion of dyuerse) Selim sendinge hys Oratours to him, to re∣quire him to be content and to giue ouer and to cōmitte him selfe to the faith of Selim, who promised him great place, and dignities, the Mamalukes contrarie to all rea¦son, and order of men, wolde not suffer them to comme in his presence, but cut them in peces, whē Tomombeio was dead, he caused to put to deathe all the Mamalukes and souldiours that he had in the prisonnes, and lefte none on lyue y^e were able once to holde vp head agaynst him, when the inhabitantes of Alexandria vnderstode what was done at Cairo, they b••gan to rebell and made an vprore, toke their weaponnes and cried the name of Selim throughe oute the Citie they toke vpon the sod∣den

the fortes of the Citie and the Fareglion also,* 1.32 and toke prisoners all the Mamalukes and officers, that the Soldane had there, Selim determined to possesse al such countres and Regiones, bothe he on this side, and beyonde the ryuer Nilo: as were wonte to obey the Soldanes of Cairo,* 1.33 wherfore he sent manye of his Captaines wyth their companies to take possessyon: who syndinge none that made resystance, caused them al to swere obedience and trouthe to Selim, and in shorte space broughte all to his deuotion, moreouer dyuerse kynges of Affrica which were confederate alwayes with the Soldanes, & dyd paie vnto them certaine tribute, when they had vu∣derstandinge of the successe of Selim, sent their ambas∣sadours to renewe the confederacie, in suche sorte that both on this side and beyonde the Nilo, there rested not in Egipte one hauen euē to the confines of Iudea, oute of the obedience of Selim Emperour of Turckie, sauing onely the Arrabianes, cheifely those that dwelled in Af¦frica, suche as from the begynninge had their confines vpon the ryuer Euphratos (& at this present haue them stretched oute to the verye Dceane) & after that hauing fylled al Affrica and Egipte,* 1.34 with their multitudes, con¦tynually erercised in warres vpon the people that con∣fyned with them, but rather after the maner of thefte, and stelthe, with makinge of courses, and praies, then to vnite them selues in campe, & soto comme and fyghte as men of warre in battayle, they haue no certaine dwel¦ling places, but lyke to Scythianes do inhabite & dwell vpon their waggens in great compaines and numbres which are their Cities & townes, euery Citie or towne hathe his propre Captaine appointed vnto hym, they doe not marrie, or otherwise ioigne in fryndshyppe with anye other nation, they este me them selues the most no∣ble, and ancient nation of the worlde, as a people that neuer was mingled with any other nation but haue con¦tinued their nobility, and antiquitie vncoroupted from the beginninge of the worlde, they are maruelousty wise and proue excellent in any kynde of discipline or erercise that they take in hande, they vse towarde straungers y^• comme into their countrey greate courtesie and liberali∣tie,

and in dede yf they dyd agree amonge them selues, they were able to subdue all the countreys aboute them but maintainig amonge them certaine ancient inimi¦ties lefte vnto them by their predecessours they are con¦tynually accupied with cyuyllwarres and dissentiones the onercontynually spoylinge the other, but retorninge nowe to our historie, when Selim had receaued the obe∣dience and faythe, of the whole Empire of the Soldane he ment to see Alexandria before that he wolde departe oute of Egipte, whervpon he embarcked, and sayled downe the ryuer, and in fewe dayes arriued at Alexan∣dria, and when he had seen and vewed his Nauie which was newlye arriued there from Constantinople, he ap∣pointed them what to doe, and when he had furnished the Farreglion and the reste of the fortes, with bands of hys souldiours and monition, he then established the go¦uernement of the Citie, and when he had put to deathe all the Mamalukes that were there in prison he retor∣ned againe to Cairo, and toke oute of it fyue hundred housholdes, of the most noble and principall of the Citie with all their children and substance, and sent them to Alexandria to hys Nauie who conueied them with all their riches and treasoure to Constantinople, he sent thyther also in dyuerse passagers, hyred shyppes, a great number of the children, and wyues of the Mamalukes and when he had thus appointed his departure he lefts in Cairo a great garde of Turckes and appointed Carer¦beio to be his lieutenante in all Egipte, ho, which at the death of Camsone the Soldane, was gouernour in Alep¦po, this ellection dyd very much displease Iunio Bassa who succeded in y^• place of bellagarbei of Gretia, Sinan Bassa, who was y^• cheife, & in greatest fauor w^t the Em∣perour who had promised him y^• place, he coulde not en∣dure to se Carerbeio a newe man to be preferred before him, & not being able to dissēble his wrath, began to go∣uerue y^• that was cōmitted to his charge ouerthwartli, & troublonsly,* 1.35 chiefly such as mought seme ī any respecte to touch Carerbeto wherof whē Selim was aduertized he called to mindother displeasures also, & began tohate hī excedīgli wherof afterward proceded his death as shal be declared hereafter y^• souldiours w^t were leste at Cairo

required their lorde that they moughte haue their paye augmented, who cōmaunded Iunso Bassa to see it done and to cause the treasorer that he lefte there to doe acor∣ding to his order, when the Emperour was departed frō Cairo Iunio semyd not to remember it, and gaue no or¦der at all in that behalfe, wherfore it folowed, that whē Selim was gone from Cairo into Iudea, and that the paie came, the souldiours had not their entertainement encreasyd, whervpon they began to Mutyne and rebett against Carerbeio, and he excused him selfe, and caused them to send with all spede after the Emperour and to complaine vnto him or their wronge, they sounde hym neare vnto Iberusalem, declaring howe that at y^e tyme of their paie they receaued nothinge but their ordinarie and that the Treasurer declared that he had no commis¦sion to augment their paie, they declared vnto him also, that to lyue there was very chargeable and that their ordinarie was not able to maintaine them there, wher¦vpon Selim was excedinglye wrothe for that that hys order which he lefte, was not put in execution, and ad∣ding to this dyuerse other complaintes which he had re¦ceaued from Cairo, of the behauiour of Iunio, cheifely touchinge the families that were sent to Constantino∣ple, wherupon he cōmaunded him to comme to him, and as sone as he came to him he commaunded him forthe w^t to be hanged, and when he had established the gouerne∣ment of Palestina, he wente into Soria, and appointed Gazzelle to be gouernour of Damascs,* 1.36 one of the Cap∣taines of Campsone, he appointed also a gouernour to Aleppo, and to al the reste of the townes of the prouince leuinge them all well furnished with all kynde of moni¦tion, and men. And determyninge to prouide for the de∣fence of Soria against y^• Sophie, he lefte Mustaffa Bas∣ria in Cilicia, at the fote of the Mounte Tauro with xl. M. horsemen, and when he had this done he determy¦ned to goe home into Gretia, and coasted all alonge the sea syde of the lesser Asia and so passed into Bithinia to the Citie of Bursia, and from thence passed on to y^e Golfe and fyndinge his Nauie redie there he embarcked hys souldiours of Europe and then sayled on to Constanti∣nople,

and when he was there arriued he sent his peo∣ple to garnison, and consumed al that winter in visiting the townes of Gretia, and late in Castoria, a long tyme and toke great pleasure in chasinge, when the spaynge of the yere came, he went from thence into Remania, & gaue order to make redie his Naute, and caused them to take oute of the Arsenale, all his Galleys, fustes, and Palandres, willinge them to be broughte into Propon∣tide, and in shorte space he had betwene Gallipolli, and Constantinople, vpon the sea, moe then two hundred Galleys besyde his other shyppes with all their tacle, & furniture, and hauinge alredie sent to the foreste manye carpentres, he caused to cut a great quantitie of tymber which caused manie men to thīke y^• he made this proui∣sion to emploie it vpon the Isle of Rhodes, notwithstan¦ding that then, and afterwarde, there were diuerse that thoughte it not made for Rhodes, but to be emploied a∣gainst Italie, and in the ende when euery thinge was re¦die he commaūded them to roe downe to the mouthe of the straite and there to ryde, and euery man thought y^• within fewe dayes they shoulde haue ben paied, & com∣maunded to set sayle and to doe somme great enterprise vpon the sodden: which fewe vnderstode, after this their came commaundement soddenly, that forthewith they shoulde discharge and vnrigge the Nauie, and license y^• maryners to goe home to their dwellinge places, after this the cause of this greate preparation, and the sood∣den disoluinge therof, coulde neuer be vnderstande, yet somme men thinke that a sycknes that then was cōme vpon Selim was the cause therof. When he had vnrig∣ged his Nauie, he departed from thence to Andrinople, and seminge to take some pleasure in the chase, he laie in litle villages aboute it and consumed the reste of the sommer there, with y^• Automne also, and the winter fo∣lowinge after this, there appeared in the raines of hys backe, an incancred appostume, which dyd so eate hys fleshe y^e a man moughte haue put into the sore his whole hande and they dyd cut awaye y^• fleshe rounde aboute it which was so deade that he felte it not. And I wyll not here omitte a notable matter, which was declared vnto

me in Florence of him (by a Persian of y^e Mahometane religiō) hauing for my turciman a citizen of ours named Iohu Cerini, & it is this, that on a tyme as his disease dyd growe and encrease vpon him, restinge his head vp¦on the thinge of Perino one of his Bascias, he sayd vn¦to him Perino I doe consume, & muste dye within shorte space withoute all remedie, vpon the which wordes the Bascia toke occasion to talke furder w^t him, & sayd vnto him my lorde, yf thou knowest y^• thou must dye, whye doeste not thou gyue order for the disposinge of those goodes which at thy commaundement were arrested & taken from the marchants called Aggiammi in Bursia which are subiect to the Sophie thyne enemie, the goods are worthe at y^• leaste, certaine hundredes, of thousands of golde ducates, and yf thou shouldest nowe dye & not gyue order in that behalfe they shoulde be conueyd, and stollen awaye, were it not better that thou shoulde be∣stowe them vpon sōme hospitale,* 1.37 whervnto Selim an∣swered, woldest thou that I shoulde honor my selfe with the goodes of other men & to bestowe them in vertuose worckes in the remembrance, and commendation of me I wyl neuer doe it, whervpon Perino replied, sayinge, what woldest thou then that there shoulde be done with them? He answered, that they be delyuered to them frō whom they were taken, and also he called to his remem¦brance, y^• there were thre thousād ducates of a Floren∣tyne sonne to one Thomaso de Aiolfo, he commaunded also that they shoulde be delyuered vnto him, Whervp∣on after that, the money, marchandize and sylkes that were arrested in Bursta, were delyuered to the owners and he that reported this was one of them, and had re∣ceaued a great quantitie againe and had brought of the same salkes to Florence two fardells, & this is spoken to confounde manye of our Christian princes, amonge whom in the lyke case, it is a very harde matter to fynde one, that shal haue such remorse of conscience, but nowe to our historie when Selim was in this sorte consumed with his disease, in the ende of the monethe of Septem her, the vere of the Christian helthe. 1520. hauinge in righte yeres which was the time of his raigne, brought

to passe so manye maruelouse enterprises,* 1.38 he ended his lyfe, in whose place succeded Solimanno his onely sōne a yonge man of great worthines in whome their was great hope for the great modestie that was in him, he was of the age of. xxviii yeres, and beinge in Natolia, y^• newes were brought him fleing of the deathe of his fa∣ther, wherfore in the begynninge he was in doubte of them, fearing leste it had ben fayned by the commaunde¦ment of his father wherfore he wolde not sturre at all oute of Natolia tyll suche tyme as Perino Bassa came into Natolia to him, who dyd not onely assertaine him of it, but also constreyned him to passe ouer into Gretia to Constantinople, where, as sone as he was arryued, he was receaued and coronned withoute any cōtradicti on at all, and accepted Emperour with the vntuersall ioye and contentacion of his subiectes, and in this sorte he accepted the gouernement, vsing in all his determy∣nations y^• councell of Perino Bassa, whom he honored as thoughe he had ben his natural father, in this meane tyme whē the death of Selim was published in Egipte and Soria it dyd greatly moue the people of those coun∣tres, and Gazelle beinge pricked with ambition per∣swaded him selfe that he moughte recouer both Egipte,* 1.39 and Sorta and erecte againe y^• of state the Mamalukes, acording to y^• ancient order therof vnder the Soldanes whervppon he caused the Citie of Damasco firste to re∣belle, and possessyd it, callinge him selfe openly lord ther of, and vtterly caste from him all obedience towardes y^e house of Ottomanno, which brute when it was sprede abrode throwe the prouince, caused all the Mamalukes that were lefte, which were hidden in Asia, and Affrica, to comme vnto him, and then according to their anient custume they created him Soldane, who made all pre∣paration possyble to defende his state, and gathered to∣gyther a great number of Arrabians, and of the coun∣••res neare aboute him, and sent his ambassadours to Cairo to desyre, Carerbeio to ioyne with him & to helpe to restore the Mamalukes state to his ancient libertie, offering him to gyue him what parte of the domynion y^• he wolde, yea, to resigne vnto him his place and to make

him Soldane, when Carerbeio had gyuen publique au∣dience to his ambassadours, & vnderstode their demaūde withoute gyuing them anye answer, caused his Mini∣sters to cut them in peces, & hauing also proued Aleppo and dyuerse other Cities of Soria, he founde none that wolde ioyne with him in this enterprise, whervpon he determyned to defend him selfe as well as be moughte and leuied in all countreys, suche bandes as he coulde get to serue him, when the newes of the rebellion of Da masco was comme into Gretia Solimanno commaun∣ded forthwith the Bellagarbei of Cillicia which was ap¦pointed for the garde of the lesser Asia with .xl. M. horse¦men, to goe thyther who entred into Soria, acompained with the lieutenantes of Aleppo, and of the rest, of the cities of that prouince and came before Damasco with his armie in battayle, he was not so sone comme before the Citie, but Gazzelle hauing determyned for onely re¦medie to hazarde the battayle, and wolde rather dye ho∣norable w^t his sworde in his hande, then to be delyuered by some practize: lyuinge into his enemyes hands, wher¦vpon he marched forthe of the Citie with his armie and put his people in battayle, and then marched on with a noble mynde to encountre his enemye, who marched al¦so towarde him,* 1.40 and withoute delaie ioyned in battaile and foughte for a longe tyme with greate assurance on bothe partes, the vertue and discipliue of Gazzelle, and of those fewe Mamalukes that were with him was such that notwithstanding they were excedingly ouerlaid w^t nūber yet for y^• space of certaine houres they so endured the force of their enemyes that they were nothing at al disordered nor gaue to their enemyes one fote of place in the end: hauinge slayne a great number of their ene∣myes and manie of them beinge flayne also, and the rest in maner all hurte, beinge ouercomme with very wery nes, and not able to vse their weapones, & Gazzelle fyn∣dynge hym selfe enuironed by the Turckes, foughte va¦liantly against them tyll at the laste he fell downe deade from his horse amonge them,* 1.41 the Mamalukes beinge in the ende disordered, and seynge no way by flighte howe to saue them selues determyned to dye lyke worthy men

with their weapones in their hande,* 1.42 and so foughte to y^• vttermoste, in suche sorte, that very fewe were taken lyuing by the enemyes. As sone as Mustaffa Bassa had obtained this victorie, he came forthwith w^t his armie be fore the Citie, the Citizens made no resystance but o∣penned the gates and receaued the Bassa with such peo¦ple as he wolde with him, into the towne, who entred acompanied with fewe, for that he wolde not haue the Citie spoyled nor y^e marchantes which were: there oute of all partes of the worlde to exersyse their traffique, he pardoned the Citizens and confirmed their liberties and freedomes which Selim had giuen vnto them he lodged his armye withoute the Citie, and in this sorte dispatched the rest of the Mama∣lukes. And established Soria, and all y^e prouinces of Egipte in perfecte peace, which were wont to obey vnto Se∣lim, leuinge them vnder y^e reule of Solimanno Ottomanno their lorde.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Symplici¦tie of Cor∣cuthe.
• * 1.2

  The death of Cor∣cuthe.
• * 1.3

  Barbar∣que cruelt¦ie.
• * 1.4

  Selim practisethe to betraye his brother Acomathe
• * 1.5

  Battayle betwene Selim & Acomathe
• * 1.6

  Preparati¦on of Se∣lem.
• * 1.7

  Note here the great Iugement of Selim.
• * 1.8

  The bat∣tayle be∣twene the Sophie & Selim.
• * 1.9

  Selim, of great iudg¦ment.
• * 1.10

  Tauris yelded to Selim.
• * 1.11

  Great er∣tremitie.
• * 1.12

  Nota.
• * 1.13

  Battayle betwene the prince of Adula & Synan Bassa.
• * 1.14

  Muting of the Gianiz∣zaries.
• * 1.15

  greate fore syghte of the Sol∣dane.
• * 1.16

  Rype iudg¦ment of Selim.
• * 1.17

  The bat∣tayle be∣twene Se¦lim & the Soldane.
• * 1.18

  The death of Camp∣sone Cai∣ro Sol∣dane of Babilone.
• * 1.19

  Selim an excelent Captaine.
• * 1.20

  Tomom∣beio elec∣ted Sol∣dane
• * 1.21

  Sinan Bassa a discrecie & worthye Captaine
• * 1.22

  souldiour lyke aduer¦tizement.
• * 1.23

  macharea a place where the precious bal••e dothe growe.
• * 1.24

  The bat∣tayle be∣twene Se∣lim & the Soldane.
• * 1.25

  Two worthye captaines slayne-
• * 1.26

  Prouidēce of Selim.
• * 1.27

  Gazzele rendered him to Se¦lim-
• * 1.28

  the bridge assayled.
• * 1.29

  Iudgemēt of Selim.
• * 1.30

  Constanci of Tomō¦beio.
• * 1.31

  A lamen∣table ende of the va∣liante and noble To∣mombeio.
• * 1.32

  Fareglion the chiefe forte in Alexādria.
• * 1.33

  Cairo with al the prouinces therevnto belonging possessed by Selim
• * 1.34

  Digressyō
• * 1.35

  The paie of the soul¦diours 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.36

  Note this great voy¦age, to leade an armye so farre by lande.
• * 1.37

  A notable answere of Selin be∣inge a he∣thē prince.
• * 1.38

  the raigne of Selim, the deathe of Selim▪
• * 1.39

  Gazele re¦uolte. he.
• * 1.40

  The bat∣tayle be∣twene the Belagar∣bei of Cili¦cia, and Gazzelle.
• * 1.41

  Gazzelle diethe ho∣norablie.
• * 1.42

  The noble ende of the Mama∣lukes.