Aehmat, 5 p # Emperour of the Turfy

846 Achmat, eighth Emferour of the ZWr%.
1604
Haffan
Baffa fent
for co
come to
Conflmimfk.
JVaJJan
Baffa continued
General
of the
Turks Army
againft
the Chriflians,and
Cicala appointed
General of
their Army
againft
the Per-
Jians.
bufineflesfet apart, with all the power that he many men marvel, why the Tartar Cham, being 1604
could make, forthwith to return to Conflantinople, fo great a Prince, and not much in danger unto vxv"*-'
there with him and the reft of the Baflacs ID confide
and refolvc upon the molt neccflary Wanand orEwr/w Sea ) fhould be ftill fo ready at the Turks SnKr
the Turk ( being feparated from him by the black W& Re *~
of the readieft means for the continuing of the call, tO do him fervice in his Wats ; the Caufcs chamhfo
lame. For albeit that the Turks were moll defirous
to have Wars with thcChriftians, and fo (it Their near Affinity ( as both defcended from the fcrve **
thereof are divers, and thofc not far to feck. Firft, ready to
it were poffible ) to have conquered the remain­
fame beginning) by often Marriages ftillconfirm- nThfe
ders of Hungary; yet the danger of the Ferfian
Wars and ofthc Rebellion in Afia daily more and
more increafing, fuffered them not wholly to attend
unto the Wars againft the Chriftiansin Hungary,
but drew them now into a doubtful Confultation,
which way firft to turn their Forces. But
the Bafla being come to Constantinople, the Grand
Seignior took the pains and did him the Honour
to come unto his Houfe 5 whither,the Counfel for
the State being afferoblcd, it was there moft proudly
refolved upon, even forthwith at one and the
(elf fame time with equal Forces to make War
both upon the Chriftian Emperour in Hungary,
and the Ferfian King in 4fo,accounting tbemfelves
Jftrong enough to fubdue and bringunder foot,
both the one and the other, no Power upon
Earth being, in their proud conceit of themfelves,
able to encounter or to withftand theirs. So for
the managing of thefe Wars, and of their fo proud
a Refolution to be performed in fo remote Parts
of the World, Ha fan Baft was continued in his
charge, as General of the Army in Hungary j and
Cicala Baffa was appointed to have the command
of the Army to be fent againft the Ferfian; two
moft expert Captains,- being to fight againft their
hereditary Enemies, Hafan againft the Chriftians,
and Cicala againft the Ferfians. by whom he had
not long before been evil ufed. An ordinary Policy
of the Otboman Emperours, not to commit the
charge of their Armies againft the Chriftians, unto
Renegades 5 for fear left they, touched with fome
remorfe of Confidence, might betray the fame, or
otherwife deal unfaithfully in their charge; but
frill to imploy them againft the FerfiansjAwhom
they have no further Knowledge, but as of their
Enemies in the Field. But Cicala Baffa. well acquainted
both with the difficulty and the danger
of the Ferfian War, (the fears whereof he yet
bare about with him) made fhewas if he had been
unwilling to take upon him the charge thereof;
and- fo begun to excufe himfelf, until that at
length, upon promife made unto him, for the fur-
Cicala Baffa
makcm
fhewas if
he were
unwilling
to be General
in
the Wars
againft the
ferfians.
nifhing of him with a fufficient Army, and all
things elfe neceflary for fo great a War, with a
large and moft honourable Entertainment for
himfelf, and all the Ferfian Prifoners being alfo
given unto him in reward; he therewith contented,
accepted of the honourable charge,whereof
in his ambitious mind he was indeed moft dcfirous.
And fo receiving the Generals Enfign,with
the other Marks and Cognizances of his Honour,
caufing the Drums to be ftrucken up, and the
Trumpets to be joyfully founded, he cheerfully
prepared himfelf for that his fo great an Expedition
5 expecting but the coming of his Son, who, at
the requeft of the Venetians, was gon forth with a
fleet of Gallics, to fcour the Levant Seas of the
Pyrats, who then exceedingly troubled the Traffick
of the Venetian Merchants.
Amid ftwhich the Turks fo great Defigns, the
tartar Cham, bound for his pay to ferve the Great
Turk in his Wars againft the Chriftians $ by his
Ambaffador excufed himfelf unto the Great Sultan,
for that he could not himfelf in Perfon come
this year with his Forces into Hungary\ by reaion
that he was otherwife neceflarily bulled with the
moft urgent Affairs of his own Eftatc 5 yet promifing
withal, inftead of himfelf, to fend his
Son 1 with a good power of men. Now whereas
ed 5 then, their likenefs of Manners and Condi- Wars a-
tion.no fmall Bonds of Love and Friendfhip; And gainftthe
thirdly, For that the Turkifh Empirc,for want of ChrUUaM.
Heirs males of the Otboman Family, is allured,
and as it were, entailed unto the Tartar Cbam\
but moft of all, for the yearly penfion and great
pay which he, being a bare Prince, receivcth from
the Turks $ his rude and needy People being alfo
ever ready, in hope of the fpoil, to follow him
into thefe Wars, cut this his excufe for not coming
himfelf this year into Hungary, being by the
Great Sultan accepted of, Hajfan Baft, refolved
upon his Expedition for Hungary, made great preparation
for the good fuccefs of the War there,
gave great hope thereof unto the Great Sultan,
and caufed himfelf to be proclaimed Lieutenant
General of all the Great Sultans Forces againft the
Chriftians 5 every man affording unto thefe good
hopes a thoufand Withes fot his Health and
Welfare ; but efpecially the Mahometan Priefts ,
aflured him of their help, fo that he would not
fail to do the utter moft of his Indeavour againft
the Chriftianstheir Enemies. For why, the Turks Haffkn
do account him the beft and moft zealous man, B #» ftt -
which can do the Chriftians moft harm. And fo ^J/J^
with thefe fo great Acclamations of Joy and Ho- his Army
nour, Hafan, the Great BafTa,fct forward with his toward
Army from Conftantinople toward Hungary, Htmtart*
The Chriftian Emperour, not ignorant of ail atanmiRthefe
the Turks great Preparations and haughty «• the
Defigns, fought by all means how to refift them, £•*!**?
fparing nothing that might any way ferve or Hand baflaior"
him in (lead to that purpofe. Experience had af- from the
lured him of the Popes readinels in contributing Emperour
to this Action, what in his power was; having *""°the
before received fo many Teftimonies of his good crave'hfe
Will. Which caufed him now to difpatch alfo his Aid againft
Brother Maximilian the Arch-duke, a good and the Turk,
devout Prince, unto him, with exptefs charge in
the Emperours Name to yield all Submiffion unto
his Holinefs, to move him to relieve the woful
Eftate of hisdiftreffed Affairs. Maximilian, fetting
forward about this bufinefs, arrived at Venice^
where he was by that State right honourably entertained.
From Venice he travelling towards
fowl, and with a great retinue approaching the
City, was there-met by a great number of Noblemen,
with their Followers, fent from the Pope,
and fo by them with great Honour was brought
into the Vaticane Palace, to the intent that fo he
might the oftener and with more cafe have accefs
unto the Pope, who then lay there fick of the
Gout. The next day, he being brought into the
Popes Pretence, and after ufual Reverence done,
having audience given him, in the Prefence of
all the Cardinals he began to deliver unto him
the Caufcs of his coming j which ( as he laid }
were two $ Firft, to put his Holinefs in remembrance
of the manifeft peril and danger which
hung over the heads of the Chriftians in general,
from the Turk, but efpecially over them of Itafy,
being fo near unto the Turkifh Empire, and a
great gap laid open for the Turks thereinto to enter,
by the way of Canifia, the Key of Stiria.
And then in the Emperours behalf to requeft him
to ftretch forthhis helping hand againft this hi?
mortal Enemy, who was now drawing all his
Power together into one bead, to deftroy hun;
having certain underftanding of the great Prepa-
ration
• '