The defeat of the Barbary fleet; or A letter of advice relating the late glorious victory, which the Republique of Venice obtaind against the Turk in the chanel of Scio in the Archipelago, the 3d. of May 1657. Vnder the comand of the Lord Lazaro Mosenigo Captain Generall of the sea to the Republique.:

Most Illustrious, and most Excellent Lord my most Honored Patron.

YOur Excellency shall receive herewith an ac∣count of one of the most memorable Succes∣ses that in so short a compass of time the Divine Providence could give to poor Mor∣tals, over the Common Enemy.

The Venetian Fleet departed from Sdille to the number of nineteen Gallies, and six Galeasses, the Ships being left behind to make more speed; And finding that the Enemies Fleet was gone from Mettelino having newly come out of the Dardanelli, to the number often Gallies, being inform'd there by the Slaves that the sayed Fleet was at Scio where they expected recreuts from Constantinople, we bent our cours towards that place, where not finding the sayed Armata, we were told by the Slaves that it was gone towards Rhodes, for to caulk som bottoms, we making that way, we met with five Saics which were part of the Alexandrian Ca∣ravan design'd for Smirna, whereof one was burnt, and two stranded; Thence we steerd our cours towards Samos, and Scala nuova, and in the way took a Vessell of Alexandria.

Herupon we dispatch Felucas and Brigantines towards Sa∣mos and Scala nuova in quest of the Enemies Fleet, but before their return we finding our selfs nere Cao corbo, we spied it betimes in the morning making sayl towards the Streight of Samos; The Turks Armata was 25 miles distant from ours, and we no sooner discoverd it, but we made all the speed that Sayles and Oares could make to find them out. But with the favour of the wind they got to the Channel of Samos. And having notice the Fleet from Barbary were expected with a good quanty of Rialls to meet at Scio, and joyn with the rest of the Armata, we applyed our self to prevent that con∣junction, and to streighten that Iland, which began already to feel want.

That Evening another Saic was taken, and Advice was brought of nine Vessels which made sayl towards Scio with a weak wind, and six more because of the Night were left behind; All these were Ships of Barbary as we had intelli∣gence, which were going to reinforce the Turks Armata; And amongst them there was the Golden Crosse a Flemish Ship, who being come from Venice with a Cargason of Bisket, and being retir'd to Tine, was taken by them, a little before, they counterfeiting a Flemish Banner, which the Captain percei∣ving, he savd his men ashore, and left them the Ship.

These were Ships from the Coast of Algier, among the formost ther was the Admirall, the Captain, and the Padro∣na in the middle, which was taken last of all.

They having discoverd our Fleet, they began to streighten their Sayles, to joyn with those that were furthest off, shewing therby a resolution to fight.

Therupon we ordred our selfs for battail, on the right side stood Proveditor Badoaro, on the left Comissary Michael, and in the middle the most Excellent Lord the Capitan Ge∣nerall Mocenigo; Therupon the Gallies divided themselfs to three Squadrons, with two Galeasses attending evry Squadron.

In the Vantgard their sayld the Gally of Barbaro Captain of the Gulph, assisted by, and directed by the Lord Augustin Marcello; This Vessell with incomparable valour made to∣wards, and assaulted the Enemy.

The Fortresse of Scio stounded the Enemy with their great Canon shot. The most Excellent Lord Captain General Mocenigo having disposd of all things for Fight, the Canons went off for three howers perpetually on both sides, with such an ardor and fury, that a greater obstinacy could not be in any Battail.

And it may easily be beleevd, for the Moores or Barbareschi, are of the fiercest, and most undaunted nature of any among the Turks.

Ther being scarce a breath of wind left, the Ships began to make use of leggs for wings, and make use of Oares, which they use to do when they are out in cours, but by the high vertu and valour of the Captain General all our Galeasses were inordred to boord the Enemy, and the first who did so was Lodovico Baffo Director of the Captain Galeassa Morosini, who approaching the poop of the Enemies Admirall with two Gallies more which were to attend him, viz. that of Commissary Michael, and the honorable Giacomo Pollani, who did the work, For the comands of the General were so pun∣ctually performd, that the Aggressors being twice beaten back, yet by pure valour and force they made themselfs Ma∣sters of the sayd Ship, which did much animat the rest.

At the same time the Captain of the Galeasse Loredano boorded another ship being attended by the Gallie of the Lord Gerolimo Pesaro, and after a tough fight, he made the Vessell his own.

In the interim ther came out of the Port of Scio a Gally, and 2 Galeots for the assistance of the Enemy, but the Lord Francisco Viscamo took order with them, and beat them back again to port.

The most excellent Captain Generall did incessantly tor∣ment the Enemies Captain with his Gallie, who made more resistence than others, and Captain Renier attempting to boord her, the wind interposing it self by turning North∣west oblig'd him to pass with the Gallie of the Lo. Nicolas Zane to the boording of another Ship. But in his place ther came Antonio Priuli with his Galeasse, who with extraordi∣nary fierceness set upon her, so that the opposition was very obstinat, At last Mehemet a Renegado Hollander who comand∣ed in chief being hurt in the Legg, whereof he died the next day, the Ship was wonne, and the Banner of the Christian General was planted upon Her to the glory of the great God who furtherd the Enterprize.

The Lo. Francesco Mosenigo Lieutenant, and Brother to the

most excellent Captain General who assisted all the while at the prore, did stir himself notably in this exploit, as all∣so Signor Aluise Dona who in quality of an adventurer and Volontier was upon the sayed gallie, did show most signal proofs of resolution and valour in the acquest of the sayed shipp.

One shipp alone which was lagg behind the rest by the favour of the wind being joyned with six more which were allready discoverd, and come neer, put themselfs all to flight.

With the ship on the right wing a most blouddy fight continued by the Squadon of the Proveditor Badoer, causing two to run a shore which were afterwards fyrd by the enemy himself, wherein some swom to land, others chose rather an honorable death then to expose themselfs to Slavery.

The Captain of the Golfo Barbaro did boord another Shipp being joynd with Signor Lunardo Moro, who were emulous with one another in point of valour; But this fight cost us dear, for the Captain of the Golf was hurt in his left should∣er, Marcello director of the Galley had a sore hurt in his right foot, and Lunardo Moro had a muskett short in his neck which is feard is Mortal; In the gallie ther remaind hurt Francisco Bollani, Luca Falier with little hope of life; In this engagement the courage of Sig. Baptista Caotorta upon the gallie Remera was very remarkable.

The generous actions, and exemplary prowesse of Father Augustin Moro a Dominican Fryer is not here to be omitted, for the gallie Moro being indistresse, he with few more endu∣r'd the Shocks of the Turks who from the land pelted the prore, wher he receavd five wounds but non mortal we hope.

Two gallies being stranded the Proveditor of the Armata came to the succour of the most excellent Captain General who drew the gally Capitan de golfo from danger, and by his ordinance driving away the peeple from the shore which were come thither in swarms, both the gallies were freed; And so in five howers battail were preservd all the Vessells

of the most Serene Republique, but not without effusion of bloud.

Of nine Vessells fower were taken out of the very body of the battail, but so torn that they came as naked Carcases without masts, so furiously did the Venetian armes play a∣gainst them.

Among those Vessells which were taken ther is the Cap∣tain, and the Admirante; Among the rest one fledd away fearing the Shock, Three were burnt, and one two daies after because they could not hale her ashoare they put fier in her.

The Slaves which were taken in this battail come to a great nomber, among whom Aidin Chaus who was sent with money from Constantinople to Barbary for to hyre this Fleet for the service of the Gran Signor, Ther was also taken Me∣hemet di Berb••ria Colonell of the Janizaries, Cusain d' Algieri Captain of a Shipp, as also Captian Generall of the Fleet the who died a little after of his wounds, beside a great nomber of Christian Slaves were freed.

The nomber of the dead on the Eenmies side was great because few could scape by swimming, and ther was not a Ship but had 150 Soldiers, and evry one had 30 Mariners Slaves of all Nations.

The dead on our side came to 100 and 17. among whom Colonell Pietro de Landa a Subject of high esteem for experi∣ence and valour.

But the wounded came to the nomber of 346, a∣mong whom besides the Noble-men before nominated ther is Signor Andrea Bragadini, an extraordinary Captain of one of the galeasses, upon which Signor Antonio Loredan•• had occasion to discover an extraordinary valour who was a∣board the sayed galeasse; Among the wounded ther are all∣so Don vicenzo, Vando and Horatio Bartolini.

Such was the conclusion of this glorious fight, which pro∣miseth som good fortune to follow upon the Iland of Scio; And certainly it may be esteemd an incomparable Glory, that so

small a Fleet shold take & destroy so many ships, and put to flight 7 more which were in a warlike equipage; But all must be attributed to the assistance of that great God who pro∣tects the just cause of the Republique, wherin the most serene Prince Bertuca valiero doth govern in chief, and with such sin∣gular prudence; Adde hereunto that the Heroique vertu, and valour, the piety, justice, the auspicious fortune, and rare directions of the most excellent Captain General Moce∣nigo, did infinitly conduce to this signal victory, which pro∣miseth security to all Christendome, with benedictions and triumph to the Venetian Armies.

This is all I can impart for the present to your Excellency, reserving my self for a more punctuall relation another time, wherin ther wil be occasion to speak of the merit, and glory of evry one of those noble Venetians who with so much magna∣nimity encrease the antient renown of this invincible Repub∣lique.

From Galeazza 30 Maii 1655.

Your Excellencies Most humble, and most devo∣ted Servant N.N.M.

Postscript.

SInce my last, ther are fresh News, that a squadron of Turkish Saiques are taken, and that the Venetian Fleet is ad∣vanc'd through the Castles into the Hellespont towards Con∣stantinople, where ther are fearfull confusions, the Greek Patri∣arch being lat••ly strangled, and the Janezaries bafled the Gran Signore in the Seraglio, and comitted many other Inso∣lencies.