whiche not onely forsakyng the common cause of Christes Church ioyned league with the Turke, but also sent hym gunners to set forward his warres to the destruction of Christes people, and to the sheding of their bloud, for whom they know the bloud of Christ to be shed. If this be not true, I shew myne authour:MarginaliaEx Epist. Ion. Marti. Stellæ ad fratres. De Turcar. in Hungaria succeßibus. If it be, then let the Pope see and marke well how his title of Christianissimus, can well agree with such doynges.

But to let this matter sleape, although the Turkes (as ye heard) had wonne the fenne, with their policie and industry, agaynst the Citie of Alba, yet all this while the Albanes were nothyng inferiour to their enemyes, through the valiaunt help & couragious endeuour of Octauianus Scruzatus, a Captaine of Millane. By whose prudent counsaile and constant standyng, the busy enterprises of the Turkes did litle preuayle a long tyme, till at length, sodenly arose a thicke fogge or miste vpon the Citie, where as roūd about besides, the sunne did shyne bright. Some sayd it came by Arte Magicall, but rather it may appeare to ryse out of the fenne or marish, beyng so pressed downe with mens feete, & other matter layd vpon it.

MarginaliaThe outwarde walles gotten by the Turkes. The Turkes vsing the occasion of this mystie darknes, in secret wise approchyng the walles, had got vp to a certaine fortresse, where the Germaines were, before our mē could well perceaue then: where they pressed in so thick, and in such number, that albeit the Christian souldiours standyng strongly to the defence of their lyues, dyd what valiaunt men in cases of such extremitie were able to do: yet beyng ouermatched with the multitude of the Turkes, and the sodennes of their commyng, gaue backe, seekyng to retire to the inward walles. Whiche when their other felowes did see to recule, then was there tlieng of all handes, euery man striuyng to get into the Citie. There was betwene the outward walles or vamures, and inward gate of the Citie, a straite or narrow passage, cast vp in maner of a banke or causey, ditched on both sides: which passage or ingresse happened the same tyme to be barred and stopped.MarginaliaA miserable slaughter of Christen souldiours. By reasō wherof the poore souldiours were forced to cast them selues into the ditche, thinkyng to swymme as well as they could, into the Citie: where many of them stickyng in the mudde, were drowned, one pressing vpon an other: many were slayne of their enemyes commyng behynde them, they hauyng neither hart, nor power to resist. A few which could swymme out, were receaued into the Citie: but the chief Captaines and warders of the towne, were there slayne.

The Citizens beyng destitute of their principall Captaines and warriors, were in great perplexitie and doubt among themselues, what to do, some thinkyng good to yeld. some counsailyng the countrary. Thus while the myndes of the Citizens were distract in diuers and doubtfull sentēces, the Magistrates mynding to stand to þ^e turkes gentlenes,MarginaliaLet neuer good Chnristians stand to the turkes gentlenes. sent out one of their heades vnto to the turke, who in the name of them all, should surrender to him the Citie, and become vnto him tributaries, vpō condition they might enioye libertie of life & goods, which being to them graūted, after þ^e turkish faith & assuraūce, first the souldiours which were left w^tin þ^e citie, putting of their armour, were discharged & sent away. Who beyng but onely. 300. left of foure ensignes of Italians, and of a thousand Germaines, by the way were layd for by the Tartarians, for hope of their spoyle: so that they scatteryng a sunder one one way, an other an other, to saue themselues as well as they could, fled euery one what way he thought best. Of whom some wanderyng in woodes and marishes faynted for famine: some were taken and slayne by the Hungarians: a few with bare and emptie, and wythered bodyes, more lyke gostes then men, escaped and came to Vienna. And this befell vpon the souldiours.

Now vnderstand what happened to the yeldyng Citizens. So in story it foloweth, that when the Turke had entred the towne, and had visited the sepulchre of the kynges, for iij. or foure dayes he pretended much clemencie toward the Citizens, as though he came not to oppresse them, but to be reuenged of Ferdinādus their kyng, and to deliuer them from the seruitude of the Germaines. On the fourth day, all the chief & head men of the city were commaūded to appeare before the Turke in a playne, not farre frō the Citie, where the condemned persons before were wont to be executed, as though they should come to sweare vnto the Turke.MarginaliaThe crueltie of the turkes agaynst the Christians. At this commaundement of the Turke, when the Citizens in great nūber, & in their best attire were assembled, the turke contrary to his fayth and promise,MarginaliaWhat it is to yelde to the turke, and to sticke to hys promise. cōmaunded sodenly a generall slaughter to be made of them all. And this was the end of those Citizens of Alba.

In the meane tyme, duryng this siege of Alba, the Hūgarians meetyng sometymes with the horsemen of thþ^ee Tartarians, whiche were sent out to stop vitailes from the Ci tie, slue of thē at one bickeryng. 3000. Turkes.MarginaliaThe Citizens of Alba destroyed of the turkes. MarginaliaHalfe of a young childe found in the satchel of a captiue comming frō the turkes. In which story is also reported & mentioned of myne authour, an horrible sight and example of misery, concernyng a certiane captiue (a Christian belyke) who commyng into Vienna, was founde to haue in his scrippe or satchell the halfe of a young childe of two yeares old, whiche remained yet vneaten, the other halfe beyng eaten before. an. 1543. Ibid.

MarginaliaThe castell of Pappa wonne of the turkes. Next after this was expugned the Castle of Pappa, by the Turkes. Let the Castle now of Papa take hede, lest one day it folow after.

MarginaliaWizigradū gotte & surprised of the turkes. The like fidelitie the Turkes also kept, with the forte of Wizigradum and the souldiours therof. This Wizigradum is situate in the mid way betwene Buda and Strigonium. Of the which forte or castle, the highest tower so mounteth vpō the hill, that vnlesse it be for famine and lacke of water, they haue not to dread any enemy. Notwithstandyng so it happened, that the lower peece deyng wonne, they in the higher tower abyding foure dayes with out drinke, were compelled with libertie graunted of lyfe and goodes, to yeld themselues.MarginaliaThe false dealing and crueltie of the turkes agaynst the Christians. But the deuilish Turkes keepyng no fayth nor promise, slue them euery one, onely Petrus Amandus the Captaine of the peece, excepted: who priuely was conueyed by the Captaine of the Turkes, out of the slaughter. an. 1544.

MarginaliaNouum castellum in Dalmatia wonne by the turkes. To these moreouer may be added the winnyng of Nouum Castellum in Dalmatia, where he slue all that were within, both souldiours and other, for that they did not yeld themselues in tyme. Thus the Turke, whether they yelded to him or not, neuer spared the people and flocke of Christ.

As the false & cruell Turke was thus ragyng in Hungary, and intended further to rage without all mercy and pitie of the Christians, and easely might then haue preuayled and gone whether he would,MarginaliaThe discorde of Christian princes within themselues. for that Charles the Emperor and Franciscus the French kyng were the same tyme in warre and hostilitie, and also other Christian Princes, as Henry Duke of Brunswike, agaynst Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxone, also Princes and rulers were contendyng among themselues:MarginaliaThe turke occasioned to returne out of Europe into Asia. behold the gracious prouidence of our Lord and God toward vs, who seyng the misery and hauyng pitie of his poore Christians, sodenly as with a snaffell reyned this ragyng beast, and brought him out of Europe into his own countrey agayne, by occasion of the Persians, who were then in great preparation of warre against the Turkes, & had inuaded his dominiō. By reason wherof the Turke was kept there occupyed, fightyng with the Persians a long continuance. Which warres at length beyng atchyued and finished, (wherein the sayd Turke lost great victories, with slaughter of many thousandes of his Turkes) he was not onely prouoked by the instigation of certaine euill disposed Hungariās, but also occasioned by the discorde of Christian Princes, to returne agayne into Europe, in hope to subdue all the partes therof vnto his dominion. Whereunto, when he had leuyed an army incredible of such a multitude of Turkes, as the lyke hath not lightly bene heard of, see agayne the mercyfull prouidence and protection of our God toward his people.MarginaliaAn other example of Gods prouidence for his people. As the Turke was thus intendyng to set forward with this innumerable multitude against the Christiās, the hand of the Lord sent such a pestilence through all the Turkes army and dominions, reachyng from Bithynia, and from Thracia, to Macedonia and also to Hungary, that all the Turkes possessiōs almost seemed nothyng els, but as a heape of dead corses, whereby his viage for that tyme was stopped, and he almost compelled to seeke a new army.

Beside this plague of the Turkes aforesayd, whiche was worse to them thē any warre, other lettes also and domesticall calamities through Gods prouidēce happened vnto Solymannus, the great rouer and robber of the world, which stayde hym at home from vexyng the Christians, especially touchyng his eldest sonne Mustapha.

This Mustapha beyng hated and partly feared of Rustanus the chief counsailour about the Turke, and of Rosa the Turkes concubine, & after his wife, was diuers tymes complayned of to his father, accused, and at lēgth so brought into suspition and displeasure of the Turke, by them aforesayd, that in conclusion his father caused him to be sent for to his pauilion, where vj. Turkes with visours were appointed to put him to death:MarginaliaSylymā the turke murdereth Mustapha hys owne sonne. Who commyng vpon hym, put (after their maner) a small corde or bowstryng full of knots about his necke, & so throwyng him downe vpon the groūd, not sufferyng him to speake one word to his father, with the twitche therof throteled and strangeled him to death, his father standyng in a secret corner by, & beholdyng the same. Which fact beyng perpetrate, afterward when the Turke would haue geuen to an other sonne of his and of Rosa called Gianger, the treasures, horse, armour, ornamentes & the