the Strigoniās had borne out foure strong assaultes, & slue many thousandes of the Turkes, till at length the Turkes either departyng away, or els seemyng to depart vnto Buda, the people at least beyng so perswaded and made to beleue of some chief rulers of the Citie (peraduenture not the truest men) the Citizens beyng erected with hope and comforte, and singyng Te Deum, as though the Citie had bene free from all daunger,MarginaliaThe citizens of Strigonium fle the citie. sodenly (by whose counsaile it is vnknowen) conueyed thēselues all out of the Citie. 300. horsemen also passed ouer the ryuer and departed. The Italians which were vnder Franciscus Salamanca a Spanishe Captaine, hardly could be perswaded by him to abide, which were in all scarse. 600.

Within 3. daies after 300. Germaine souldiors w^t ij. ships laden with shot, pouder & artillery, were priuily let into the town: So that of our men in all there were scarse. 1300. souldiours.MarginaliaThe towne of Strigonium destroyed after the flying of the citizens, and the castell defended. Who seing the small quantitie of their number, burnyng and castyng down the towne and suburbes, tooke thē to the castle: from whence they beate of the Turkes valiauntly with their ordinaunce, a good space, and with wild fire destroyed great cōpanyes of them, till at last, they seyng their walles to fayle them and the whole castle to shake by vndermynyng, but especially by the workyng of a certaine Italian surnamed Presbyter, They gaue ouer.MarginaliaAn Italian feare in yelding the castle of Strigonium to the turke. This Italian whether for feare, or falsehode, secretly, vnknowyng to the rest of the souldiours, accompanyed with two other, cōueyed himselfe downe from the walles, and beyng brought into the tētes of the next captaine or Bassa of the Turkes, there in the name of all his felowes, conuented with the Turkes, to geue vp to them the Castle: whereupon the Turkes were byd to cease the shootyng. This Italian shortly after, with two other Turkes was sent backe to Salamanca his Captaine, with the Turkes message. The goyng out of this Italian beyng priuy to the residue of his felowes, contrary to the lawes and discipline of warre, although it seemed to come of his owne head: yet for somuch as the other souldiours were not sure, but rather suspected lest the other Italians his countreymen had bene in some part of consent therein, and would take his part: neither durst offer him any harme for that his doyng, nor yet could well aduise with themselues what was best to do, for feare of priuy confederacie within themselues.

MarginaliaA turkishe truce taken with the Christians, they not knowing thereof. Thus while Lascanus the chief Captaine of the christians aforesayd, with his fellow souldiours, were in a mase what to do or not to do: in the meane tyme came one runnyng, who geuyng a signe both to the Christians and the Turkes, to holde their handes and weapons, for that it was agaynst all law of warre to fight after peace and truce taken: our men, as they were commaunded, went into the inward tower. The Turkes in the meane tyme, had got into the Castle, and occupyed all the vtter parties. Then was Salamāca by the consent of the rest, sent out to the Turke, who there beyng stayde that night, the nexte morow the Turkes bull or warrant was sent into the Castle, permittyng free libertie to the Christians to departe with bagge and baggage.MarginaliaThe false turkes neuer true in promise. Who now beyng ready to depart, first were commaunded by the Turkes compassing them rounde about, to cast from them their Dagges, Launces, & battaile Axes, into the trench. Then commyng to the gate to go out, their swordes were taken from them, lookyng then for nothyng, but present death.

At last when they were come a litle further, other were sent to them to discharge them of their helmettes, their tergattes, currettes, and whatsoeuer peece of harnes was about then. Wherupon great feare came vpō them, lest some great crueltie should be shewed vpon them. Solyman after he had long deliberated with himselfe, whether to kill them or not, at last cōtrary to all expectation, graūted their liues:MarginaliaThe miserable affliction of our Christen souldiours taken at Strigonium. but before they should be dismissed, he first caused them, in derision of Christianitie, to be bayted with scornes and mockes throughout all the Turkishe army, and so the next day commaunded them beyng stript out of their coates and apparell, to be reduced agayne into the castle by companyes, settyng ouer them certaine Turkes with cudgels & battes to lay vpon their backes and sides, causing them to bury the dead carcases, and to gather vp the rubishe broken downe frō the castlewalles, and to scoure the ditches. Which done, the next day folowing he demaunded of them by an interpreter, whether they would enter wages with him, and take horse and armour to serue hym in his warres. Which condition diuers for feare were contented to take, seyng no other shift to auoyde present death. Some neither by manasing wordes, nor for any feare of death, could be compelled therunto:MarginaliaHoly souldiours & Martyrs slayne of the turkes for their faythfull religion. of whom certaine which stode stoutly in refusing therof, were presently slayne, whom I may worthely recite in the number and catalogue of holy Martyrs.

Of the foresayd Christians, part were caryed ouer the riuer of Danubius, not without great vilany, and cōtumely most despitefull. For some had their wiues taken from them and caryed away, some had their wiues rauished before their face: and such as made or shewed any resistance thereat, had their wiues before them cast into the riuer and drowned: also their infantes and yong children, beyng appointed by the turkes to the abhominable order of the Ianizarites, mentioned before, pag. 717. their parentes not consenting thereunto, were precipitate and throwen into þ^e riuer and drowned. All which thinges are testified by Ioh. Martinus Stella in hys Epistles in print extant, writen to his two brethren, William & Michael. &c.MarginaliaEx Ioan. Martino Stella in Epistolis ad fratres. Which Mart. Stella moreouer this addeth and affirmeth, that he himselfe beyng the same tyme at Vienna, did see one of the foresayde wyues, who beyng holden fast by the heare of her head, yet notwithstāding hauing her heare pluckt of, cast her self into the riuer of Danubius, for the singular loue to her husband, and so swamme to the shippe where he was. And thus this miserable company of Germaynes, Spanyardes, aud Italians mixt together, macerate with labours, with hunger pyned, wyth watchinges, dolours, and sorrow consumed, came at length to Schinda.

When the tydings therof was noysed at Vienna, partly with feare and dread, partly with indignation, all mens hartes were moued & vexed diuersly.MarginaliaDiuers opiniōs of the Vienniās touching these miserable afflicted souldiours. Some thought them not worthy to be receiued into their Citie, shewing them selues so dastardly and so cowardly: Other thought agayne that mercy was to be shewed vnto them, and commended their fact for that they beyng so few, & vnfurnished of ayde, neyther hable to match by any meanes with such an innumerable multitude of the Turkes, kept themselues till better tyme myght serue them. But howsoeuer the matter was to be thought of, the captaynes brought the poore remnaunt of that rufull company, vnto possonium, where the sayd Captaynes were layd fast, and there kept in durance, to render accompt of the whole matter, how it was wrought and handled. And thus haue ye the lamentable story of Strigonium.

MarginaliaTath, subdued of the turkes. The Turke proceeding in his victories, conducted his armie next vnto Tath, and to the parties lying neare about Comaron. This Tathe was also a strong holde in Hūgary, wherein were placed certaine garrisons, partly of the Germaines, partly of þ^e Italiās. The chieftane of þ^e Italians was one Anniball Tasso, cōstitute by Philippus Torniellius.MarginaliaVictory hath neuer successe vnder a wicked captayne and swearer. This Tasso was a man wel expert in prowes of war, but of a filthy corrupt lyfe, & also a foule swearer, & horrible blasphemer of God & hys saintes. To make the story short, this forte of Tathe, before any siege was layd vnto it, was yelded & geuē vp to the Turkes: vpon what conditions, or by whose meanes, the author sheweth not: Thus much he sheweth, that the sayd Anniball shortly vpon the same, returning into Italy, was commaunded by Torniellius aforesayd, to be apprehended and beheaded.

MarginaliaAlba Regalis besieged of the turke. After the turkes had subuerted and destroyed the forte of Tathe, they turned their power against Alba, surnamed Regalis, for that the kyngs of Hūgary haue bene alwayes wont there to be crowned, and buryed. This Albais a litle well compacted Citie in Hūgary, hauing on the one side a maryshe somwhat foggishe or fennye, which made the towne lesse assaultable.MarginaliaThe turkes deuise in filling vp the marishe. But neare to þ^e same was a woode from the which the Turkes euery day with vi. C. cartes, brought such matter of wood and trees felled for the same purpose, into the marishe, that within lesse then xij. dayes they made it apte and hard to their feete: which the townes men thought neuer coulde be gone vpon, but onely in the hard frostes of wynter. At the first beginning of the siege, there stoode a litle without the munitions in the front of the Citie, a certaine Churche or Monastery, which the Citizens pretending to maintaine and keepe agaynst the turkes,MarginaliaA stratageme of the Christians agaynst the turkes. had priuely conueyed light matter easely to take flame, wyth pouder, in secret places therof, and had hid also fire withall. Which done, they (as agaynst their willes beyng driuen backe, withdrew themselues within the munitions, wayting the occasion, when this fire would take. Thus the turkes hauing the possession of the church, sodenly the fire comming to the pouder, raysed vp the Church, & made a great scatter and slaughter among the barbarous turkes. This was not so soone espyed of them within the towne, but they issued out vppon them in this disturbaunce, and slue of them a great number: Amōg whom diuers of their nobles also the same tyme were slayne, and one Bassa an Eunuch, which was of great estimation with the turkes.MarginaliaA note touching the French kyng that then was. Moreouer, in the same skyrmishe was taken one of those gunners, which the French kyng is sayd to haue sent to þ^e turke a litle before. Which if it be true, let the Christiā reader iudge what is to be thought of those Christen princes,