portyng thereof, hearing how the wayes were layd and all þ^e passages x. miles about Viēna, stopped by the Turkes although they knew þ^e city to stand in great nede of vittail, yet seyng there was no other remedy, rather thē it should come to the enemies hande, thought it best to sincke their boates with theyr cariage, and so they did. Wherby, albeit the Christians wanted theyr reliefe, yet were the Turkes disappointed of theyr pray and purpose.MarginaliaFridericus Earle Palatine, William Rogendorffius, Nicolaus Earle of Salme. captaynes of Vienna. The captaynes which had the kepyng of the City, which were chiefly Fridericus the Earle Palatine, Guilielmus Rogendorffius, and Nicolaus Earle of Salme, seyng themselues so straightened contrary to their expectation, although they had great causes to bee discouraged, yet callyng theyr courage vnto them, they consulted together for the best way to be taken: and seyng that the litle city Neapolis (aboue mentioned) beyng 8. myles distaunt from them, so valiauntly withstoode the Turkes, that in one day they susteyned 7. greuous assaultes agaynst all the mayne force of the Turkishe army: by their example and manfull standing, beyng the more animated and encouraged, thought to abyde the vttermost before they woulde geue ouer, and first pluckyng downe all the suburbes, and buildyngs without the walles, wherby the enemy might haue any succour, they willed all the fermers and inhabitātes about the Citye to saue themselues, and to bryng in their goodes within þ^e walles.MarginaliaPreparation within the Citie of Vienna agaynst the turke. Such places as wer weake within the walles, they made strong. About the towers and munitions of the walles, they prouided rampires & bulwarkes distaunt 80. foote one from an other, to kepe of the shot: and euery man had hys place and standyng awarded to hym vpon the wal, and hys office appoynted what to do: but especially that side of the City which lyeth to the ryuer of Danubius, they fortified after the best wise: for that way onely now remayned for vitayle to be trāsported frō the Bohemians vnto them.MarginaliaProuision made for victualing the citie. Wherefore 8. ensignes were assigned to the kepyng of the bridge, and in the playne, which was lyke an Iland inclosed within the ryuer, a sufficient garrison of horsmen were placed, lying within the gunshot of the city, to the entent that if any graine or vitayle were sent from the Bohemians, they might prouide the same safely to bee brought into the City.

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These thynges thus beyng disposed and set in order, L. William Rogendorffe, to assay the strength of the Turkes, made diuers rodes out with hys horsemen, albeit much agaynst the myndes of the Austriās: who knowyng the maner of the Turkes, thought it better to suffer them, whyle eyther with tyme they might be ouerweried, or for lacke of victuals consumed.MarginaliaGood counsaile and experience refused. Among many and sondry skyrmishes which the Christians had with the Turkes, one especially was to our men vnprosperous:MarginaliaRashe hardines of our Christiās in skirmishing with the turke. in which certayne of the horsemen espiyng a small troupe of the Turkes scatteryng abroad from their company, made out after them, who sodenly and guilefully were inclosod and circumuented by the Turkes, before they could recouer the gates of the city, and so were all taken alyue: Of whome iij. were sent from the Turkes into the City, to declare to the Viennians what strength they had seene in the campe of theyr aduersaries, and to sollicite them to yelde theyr City for feare of punishment which would followe:MarginaliaThe wretched crueltie of the turkes agaynst the Christian captiues. The residue they reserued to tormentes and punishment, whom in the sight of the whole armye, and of the Christians (which shoulde tell the same to the Citizens) they caused euery man to be drawen with foure horses a piece, and so to bee dismembred and pluckt a sonder.

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After this done, the barbarous Turke immediatly sent his Heroald to talke with the Captaines of the Citie, whether they would yelde the Citie vpon honest conditions, or els would abyde the arbitrement of warr.MarginaliaThe message of the turke to the Viennians. If they woulde gently submit them selues, they should haue all gentlenes to them shewed: If they Would be stubburne, & stand to their defense, he would also stand to his siege begonn, so that he neither would spare man, woman, nor childe. To this the Captaines aunswered againe, that they were contented Solyman to stand to his siege begonne, and to do his vttermost, what he would, or what he could.MarginaliaThe aunswere of the Viennians to the turke. As for them, they were at a poynte to defend them selues and their Citie so long as they might: the euente & fall of victorie to be doubtfull, and many tymes so to happen, that they whiche begyn the warre, are weryed sooner then they which be prouoked: neither agayne that they were so vnmyndfull either of them selues, or of theyr coūtrey, but that they did remember well what they are, and what they be called, named to be Germaines: who vse alwayes first to assay the aduersarie, what he is hable to do, and not rashlye to committe them selues into their enemyes handes.

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Solymānus not a little disdainyng at this answer, first burning and consumyng all the villages, houses, and places round aboute the Citie, MarginaliaSolymānus approcheth Vienna with three great armies.infectyng also the sprynges & fountaines which gaue water into the City, and so stoppyng all passages, that no reliefe should haue way vnto them, began with angry moode to approche more neare to the City, with thre great campes, sending them worde in scorne and contumelie, by one of his captiues, that if they stood in neede of helpe of souldiors, he would send vnto them the 300. Bohemians mentioned a litle before) to ayd thē in their defence. To whom the Palatine directed aunswer againe, that they had moe souldioures in the Citye, thn they neded: As for þ^e Bohemians which had yelded themselues, he might doe wyth them, what he would, for Vienna stoode in no great neede of them.

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In the meane tyme a messenger commyng from Ferdinandus was priuily let in by night into the City,MarginaliaA messager sent frō Feredinandus to Vienna. whiche brought worde that they should play the men in kepyng out the enemy a while: for it would not be long but both Ferdinandus and Carolus hys brother, with the strength of all Germany, would be redy to rescue them. At which message the hartes of the souldiours began somewhat to be cheared, & to contemne the huge multitude of the aduersaries, beyng so great as they neuer did behold, nor did euer almost heare of before. The largenes of whose army, extended to no lesse in compasse (as is aboue sayd) then of 7. myles round about the Citie walles.

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MarginaliaThe siege of Vienna beginneth. Long it were  

to recite the whole order of this terrible siege, with all the partes and circumstaunces therof. Briefly to touch so much as shall suffice for this history, with fewer words then were stripes geuen at the siege therof: this is to be iudged and confessed: whosoeuer beholdeth the number and fiercenesse of the Turkes, the absence of the king Ferdinandus, the lacke of prouision and vitayle within the citie, the noyse of the gunnes, the violence of the shot, the terrour of the sight, and yet no succour sent vnto them:MarginaliaThe Lordes power & prouidence in keeping the Citie of Vienna. that the custody of that Citie, was no mans doyng, but the arme onely of the Lord God of hostes, according to the true saying of the Psalme:   Vnlesse the Lord do kepe the City, the watchmen watch in vayne, which watch to saue it: Vnlesse þ^e lord do builde the house, the builder striueth in vayne, which taketh vpon him to build it. Experience wherof in keping this city may well appeare.

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First Solymannus bendyng  

his shotte and ordinaunce against the City, beate downe to the ground the vamures, with all the vttermost suburbes of the city. and that in such a short moment of tyme, that the hartes of the Viennians, a little before refreshed, were now as much appaulen agayne with feare, misdoubtyng with thēselues, least the Turke w^t the same celeritie & violēce would haue preuailed against the inward walles, as he did in beating downe the outward vamures. And no doubt the same tyme the Turke had put the city in great hassard, had not night commyng on, brokē of the siege for that day,

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In the meane tyme the Citizens labored all nyght in repayring and refreshing the walles, to make all things sure agaynst the next assault.MarginaliaThe slaughter of the Turkes about the walles of Vienna. The next day early in the morning, the Turkes approching the city agayne with a new assault, thinkyng to scale the walles, were so repulsed and manfully resisted by the Germaines, that vnneth any ditches about þ^e walles could be sene for the bodies of the dead turkes, wherwith they were replenished: so that the Turkes were faine to fight standyng vpō the bodies of them which were slain. By the which calamity the force of the enemy was not a little abated.

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MarginaliaThe manlynes of captayne Rogēdorffus against the turkes. It happened þ^e same tyme, that a company of þ^e Turkes beyng spyed out of the Citie wanderyng out of order, the Capitaine Rogendorffius with two legions of horsemen issuing out of the Citie gate called Salmaria, and so passing closely vnder the hilles side, did so set vpon thē that they slue a great number of them: the rest being driuen to take the riuer, whom with stones and shot likewise they destroyed, & so retired backe into the Citie agayne. By this victorye the Captaine Rogendorffius began to be terrible to þ^e Turkes For in the same skyrmish (as after was knowen) was slayne of them so many that of 5000. and 300. horsemen & footemen, scarse 140 escaped alyue.

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Solyman disdayning at this repulse, thought to proue an other way, & so brynging his power toward þ^e gate called þ^e kings gate, there makyng his trenches & bulwarks, plāted his ordinance, with the violēce wherof the walles were so battered & shaken, that no man was hable there to stande.MarginaliaAn other assault of the turkes agaynst Vienna. Wherefore ehe Turke seyng ij. great breches made in the wal commaunded his souldiers couertly in the darke smoke of gunpouder, to prease into the City. The like also was done at þ^e scottish tower, wherby þ^e city was inuaded in two sundry places at one time. The Viēnians at þ^e first, freshly began to withstþ^ed them, new souldiors still comyng into the

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