A discourse of the bloody and cruell battaile, of late loste by the great Turke Sultan Selim And also of the taking of the strong towne of Seruan, with the number there slaine and taken, and the great store of artillery [and] munitions of warre lost in the taking of the saide towne, 1579. Translated out of French into English.

❧ Of the bloodie and cruell Battaile, new∣ly loste by the great Turke Sultan Selim.

IT is nowe long time past, that betwene the linage of the Otto∣mans, being the Progenitours of the Turkes, & the kinges of Persia, called Sophi, Monarches parting betweene them al∣most all Asia, and much in Africke, the war doth endure, which hath begun from the time of D'Vsuncassan (or as other doe cal Assembey) successor of Tamer∣lan, who being base of degree, made him lord of the most part of the Orent, in the yeere of our Lorde God, 1400. ha∣uing ouercome Baiazet King of Turkie. This Vsuncassan (I say) hauing succe∣ded to the saide Tamerlan, in the Mo∣narchie of the Persians, hath alwaies warred with the Turkes (euen as also

haue done, the Sophies successours.) He toke to wife the daughter of the Em∣perour of Trapezunt, the which did helpe him greatly in his warres, but not so happily, but that he lost his Empire.

The Persians not hauing at that time the vsage of the Cannon, as the Turkes had, although the Persian is more va∣liant, yet nothing resisteth against suche thūder claps. His successours afterward vntill this day, haue alwaies quarelled with the Trapezuntain, by reason wher∣of they haue ouercome the landes of the great Turke in diuers places: And they doeing the like vnto them, but not so fu∣riously as they haue doone, after they dyd vnderstande of the death of the king of Portugal their confederate, since the time of the foresaide Vsuncassan, who first made league with the Agentes of the saide King of Portugall against the Turke, and the petie kinges of Africke his subiectes: Because that Ismaell (father of him that nowe is Sophi) died about the yeere 1557. although hee hath had notable victories against Sul∣tan

Selim, notwithstanding, hee loste Mesopotamia and Chaldea with the Towne of Tauris, a Holde of great im∣portance, which caused the same Sophi nowe raigning to make aliaunce with the king of the Ethiopians, and to renew the same with the king of Portugall, fea∣ring that the Turke woulde hinder him on that side, on the which he is weakest.

For these reasons, and for to hinder the Turke in other places, hath he newly raised an armie of Persians and other na∣tions, to the number of one hundred and threescore thousand, chosen men, very ex∣pert in armes, and conducted them before the Towne of Seruan in the bor∣ders of Mesopotamia, harde by the ri∣uer of Tegil, a strong place, and the which made vppon him many Roades and robberies in his lande: whereof the great Turke being aduertised, dis∣patched immediatly eight Basshaes for to encounter with him, and raise the siege, causing full fourescore thousande men to returne, which he dispatched to∣wardes Africke, and caused more to be

taken vp in his lande beyonde the mount Caspie (borderers or fronterers, of those of the Sophies) so that he caused his ar∣mie to be assembled, beyng almost to the number of two hundred thousande men.

In the meane time the Sophi, ende∣uoured him selfe furiously to batter this place, and giueth vpon the same manye assaultes: but those within being aduer∣tised of the succour, which was neere them, had such good courage, and ordered so their affaires, that altogeather they re∣sisted couragiously, and as this Hold was a border of y^e enimie, so was it furnished with good men, hauing no want of any munitions of warre, and specially of Pouder, Firewoorkes, Cannons and Harquebushers, and being but a while past, since those munitions had been sent thither, to inuade the lande of the So∣phie. The army of the Turke did ariue there, about the moneth of December last: The which the Sophie vnderstan∣ding, made haste to cause an other assault to be giuē against those of y^e towne: but in the meane time he was so wel prouided of

wit, that he caused his campe to be set in battel aray, fearing least y^e Turke would inuade him, for to cause the assaulte to be interrupted: This being concluded by the enimie, entending to put his purpose in execution, without regarding that the Persians (besides they be such valiant, fu∣rious, and vigilant warriers, as any o∣thers in Asia, but such, as men may com∣pare them with the best, I dare say, of Europe and Africa) were freshe and lu∣stie: And the Turkes, weery of the long way and great iournies which they had made, for to come in time to succour this place, came and assailed very furiously the Persians, which they thought were all bent to the assault, and their campe, with∣out any order of battaile: But they found the cōtrary of that which they hoped for, not knowing that the Sophi was a∣ware of it, attending them with assu∣rance, & were receiued speedily, and that with such furie, that at the meeting of this first encounter, the horse men of the Persians, which staied for no other thing, did repulse them a great way of

with part of their artillerie which had turned against the enimie. In litle time they made suche slaughter, that the Turkes being constrained to turne their bridle, were almost all in the fliyng away & in this encounter destroied, & lost more then thirtie thousande men, with. xxv. fielde peeces, and about twelue double Cannons.

The Turkes seeing themselues to be so beaten backe with such a losse, for all that did not let fal their courage, but with the exhortation and good conduct of a Bassha, named Ochali Zaleth; gathered themselues againe, and came verie furi∣riously to resist the Persians, the which in this recharge, had not so good a bargaine with the enemies the Turkes, as they had before: and if it had not bene their artilla∣rie, the which played at pleasure, they should haue had a great losse of their men, because that Ochali Zaleth had sette a∣gainst them all the force of the Turkish Harquebushers, the which did great da∣mage in the horsemen of the Persians, vn∣til that after hauing fought long time, did

arriue for the succour of the Persians, a∣bout fourtie thousand footmen, who staied a great whil the Turkish Harquebusher, and vntill that the Sophie in proper per∣son with great force of horsmen, arriuing to the battaile did furiously enter among the Turkes, who with y^e dexteritie, force, and good experience of his horsmen, did breake all the sayde Turkish Harquebu∣shers which were their strength, and then did put all their armie to flight: so that almoste of two hundreth thousande, of them, without any account of the Bag∣gage, there were saued but about fourtie thousand with the said Bassha. And if the night had not been, which made an end of the battaile, there would scant haue been any, that should haue caried newes hereof.

In the meane time, whilest the bat∣tel did endure, the Sophie caused alwaies the assault to bee continued, fearing the comming out of those of the towne, which on the next day after, knowing the ouer∣throw of their succour, as the assault shuld haue recommenced early in the morning, they did put a certaine signe vppon the

walles to parle: but for all this the Persi∣ans did not leaue to marche to the assault, where neuertheles they were couragious∣ly receiued, & those of the towne did de∣fend them selues more than an houre & a halfe. And by that time the Persians bee∣ing refreshed of other bandes, entred in, whereas they vsed great cruelties, and taking none to mercie, they onely preser∣ued him that was gouernour of the town, whom they keepe captiue.

And because the Sophie ten monethes past had lost seuen and thirtie vessels in the parties of Affrica, he hath caused to be reserued about ten thousand captiues, for to serue himselfe withall in other vessels, whiche hee meaneth readily to arme a∣gainst the Turke.

There is founde more then two hun∣dreth Cannons for battrie, and about fiue hūdreth light peeces, with full eight thousand cadges of powder, so that beside the pillage of the souldiours onely the munitions of warre beeing within this place, are esteemed at more then sixe mil∣lions of Duccates, There is also armour

well able to arme an▪ hundreth thousande men of warre, which the great Turke had caused to bee caried thither, for to enter this Sommer with great power vpon the lande of the Sophie.

This great losse beeing come to his knowledge, he tooke such griefe thereat, that they thought he woulde haue died of sorrow: and the brute came to Venice that he was dead, neuerthelesse he is nowe in health.

All the chiefe which returned from the said battaile, haue all by his expresse com∣maundement beene beheaded, yea, the selfe same Ochali Bassha. Of the other seuen Basshats, fiue were killed, and the two others are prisoners, the one whereof is sore hurt.

The Sophi had all the artillarie and munitions of warre, with al the baggage of the Turkish campe of an inestimable value: and men doe beleeue, that since the raigne of Sultan Selim, in whatsoeuer place it was, he neuer receiued such a losse

And of such a victorie the Christians ought to render thanks to our good God,

the which doeth imparte and giue vnto vs his graces, according as wee neede, weakening and diminishing the meanes of the enimy of his holy faith & Christian religion, whō with al such like helhounds he could dispatch in lesse then the twinck∣ling of an eye, if his will were such, but the occasions of this are to vs vnknowne.

And if such a victorie hath not beene obteined in Europe, or in Affricke, nee∣rer vnto vs, yet the more is God to bee praysed for: because anie victorie cannot be obteined, but there is losse as well on the side of the victorer, as of the same that is vanquished.

And in the meane while the Turkes, be so much weaker for to assail vs on this side (as they had well thought to haue come this Summer againe, to the Isle of Malta) hauing loste so great number▪ of men in this battaile, as that of one hūdred and threescore thousand remaine deade vpon the place, which is no maruaile. for such Monarchies may prepare in a little time, an armie of an hundred or two hun∣dred thousand men.

And he that shall see what Diodorus Siculus doth wisely write, shall finde, that when Xerxes came to inuade Graecia, when as Leonidas King of Sparta (with few men) resisted him at the straights of Thermopylae, he had more then one Mil∣lion of armed men.

In the battail which Ladislaus king of Panonnie had against Amurat Empe∣rour of the Turkes, there were kilde of the side of the Turkes (though they did gaine the battail) foure hūdred thousand, wherof Sabellicus is a faithfull witnesse vnto vs.

The great Alexander slue one Mil∣lion of men, in the bloody battaile against Darius.

Cyrus King of the Persians, lost a∣gainst the Scythians al his armie wherin were two hundreth thousand men, & that which therein is found straunge (is this) that there was not one saued for to tel the newes.

Therefore it is not to be wondered at that the Sultan hath loste in one onely en∣counter so many men: for if in times past when Gunnes were not vsed, there did

perish in one Iorney so great quantitie of men, what will it be nowe, when with one only stroke of Artillery, men are seue to vanish like snowe in the Sun, and that against such a diuilish inuention there is nothing able to make resistance?

The Sophi hath onely lost fortie thou∣sand men, aswell in the battaile as in the assaults which he hath giuen against those of the towne, hauing a great desire to fol∣lowe his good fortune, the which might let or hinder the pretence of that enemie to Christianitie. Sultan Selim then first beganne to raise vppe an armie by Sea for to descend into Africa, but it is beleeued, that hauing to deale with suche an enemie as the Persians and his confe∣derates, hee shall haue inough to doe for to reuenge him against their forces, con∣sidering that the Persians do vse the Can∣nons aswell as the Turkes; adding there∣vnto that the Persians are more stouter and couragious in warre. And it might wel be applyed which the Hebrewes or Iewes doe affirme of the Monarchie of Turkes, the which (say they) ought to

take end at the fifteenth Lord the whiche is Selim, reigning at this present.

A famous Astrologian of Armenica, saide vnto Soliman, that the raigne of the house of the Ottoman shoulde ends in his personne, to the which he answea∣red: Not in me, but in my successour, of the which the Turkes are in great doubt, according to a prophesie which they haue saying, Our Empire shall come, a king∣dome shall take it, figured by a red ap∣ple. And if the swoorde of the Christians doe not rise vntill the twelfth yeer he shal possesse it, after which time, shal appeare the swoorde of the Christians, which shal put to flight the Turke, and yf vntill the seuenth yeere, the Christians doe not re∣couer the red apple figured for Constan∣tinople, the which seuen yeeres, are to be accounted for seuentie yeeres, for they meane one yeere for ten, at the ende of twelue yeeres, the sworde of the Christi∣ans shall chase the Turkes, taking the be∣ginning of the twelfth yeere, at the taking of Constantinople. Which was in the yeere. 1453. in the moneth of May. The

end of which twelue yeeres, in which the swoorde of the Christians ought to chase the Turke, shall come iustly in the yeere 1570. taking as is saide, seuentie for all the tenth part of seuentie.

GOD graunt that the Christian Princes being wel ioined togeather may recouer the Orientall Empire, and ther∣in plant the holy Catholike faith, in the meane time, that this barbarous catife shalbe occupied in other causes. So be it.

[illustration] a man pruning a plant, and a large bird

T. D