University of Virginia Library

Chapter VII.
The unhappie Siege of Caniza; Earle Meldritch
serveth Prince Sigismundus; Prince Moyses
besiegeth Regall; Smiths three single combats;
His Patent from Sigismundus, and reward.

THE worthy Lord Rosworme had not a worse journey to the
miserable Seige of Caniza, (where by the extremitie of an extraordinary
continuing tempest of haile, wind, frost and snow, in so
much that the Christians were forced to leave their Tents and Artillery,
and what they had; it being so cold that three or foure hundred
of them were frozen to death in a night, and two or three thousand
lost in that miserable flight in the snowie tempest, though they did
know no enemie at all to follow them:) than the noble Earle of Meldritch
had to Transilvania, where hearing of the death of Michael

and the brave Duke Mercury, and knowing the policie of Busca, and
the Prince his Roialtie, being now beyond all beleefe of men, in
possession of the best part of Transilvania, perswaded his troopes, in
so honest a cause, to assist the Prince against the Turke, rather than
Busca against the Prince.

The souldiers

being worne out with those hard payes and
travells, upon hope to have free libertie to make bootie upon what
they could get possession of from the Turkes, was easily perswaded
to follow him whithersoever. Now this noble Earle was a Transilvanian
borne, and his fathers Countrey yet inhabited by the Turkes;
for Transilvania was yet in three divisions, though the Prince had the
hearts both of Country and people; yet the Frontiers had a Garrison
amongst the unpassable mountaines, some for the Emperour, some
for the Prince, and some for the Turke: to regaine which small estate,
hee desired leave of the Prince to trie his fortunes, and to make use
of that experience, the time of twentie yeares had taught him in the
Emperours service, promising to spend the rest of his dayes for his
countries defence in his Excellencies service. The Prince glad of so
brave a Commander, and so many expert and ancient souldiers,
made him Campe-master of his Armie, gave him all necessary releefe
for his troopes and what freedome they desired to plunder the Turkes.

The Earle

having made many incursions into the Land of
Zarkam among those rockie mountains, where were some Turks,
some Tartars, but most Bandittoes, Rennegadoes, and such like,
which sometimes hee forced into the Plaines of Regall, where is a
Citie not only of men and fortifications, strong of it selfe, but so
environed with mountaines, that made the passages so difficult, that
in all these warres no attempt had beene made upon it to any purpose:
Having satisfied himselfe with the Situa- ∥ tion, and the most
convenient passages to bring his Armie unto it: The earth no sooner
put on her greene habit, than the Earle overspread her with his
armed troopes. To possesse himselfe first of the most convenient passage,
which was a narrow valley betwixt two high mountaines; he
sent Colonell Veltus with his Regiment, dispersed in companies to
lye in Ambuscado, as he had directed them, and in the morning to
drive all the cattell they could finde before a Fort in that passage,
whom he supposed would sally, seeing but some small partie, to
recover their prey; which tooke such good successe, that the Garrison
was cut off by the Ambuscado, and Veltus seized on the Skonces,
which was abandoned. Meldritch glad of so fortunate a beginning,
it was six dayes erehe could with six thousand Pioners make passage
for his Ordnance: The Turkes having such warning, strengthned the
Towne so with men and provision, that they made a scorne of so
small a number as Meldritch brought with him before the Citie,
which was but eight thousand. Before they had pitched their Tents,
the Turkes sallied in such abundance, as for an houre they had rather
a bloudy battell than a skirmish, but with the losse of neere fifteene
hundred on both sides. The Turkes were chased till the Cities
Ordnance caused the Earle to retire. The next day Zachel Moyses,
Generall of the Armie, pitched also his tents with nine thousand
foot and horse, and six and twenty peeces of Ordnance; but in
regard of the situation of this strong Fortresse, they did neither feare
them nor hurt them, being upon the point of a faire promontory,
environed on the one side within halfe a mile with an un-usefull
mountaine, and on the other side with a faire Plaine, where the
Christians encamped, but so commanded by their Ordnance, they
spent neere a month in entrenching themselves, and raising their
mounts to plant their batteries; which slow proceedings the Turkes
oft derided, that their Ordnance were at pawne, and how they grew
fat for want of exercise, and fearing lest they should depart erethey
could assault their Citie, sent this Challenge to any Captaine in the
Armie.

That to delight the Ladies, who did long to see some court-like
pastime, the Lord Turbashaw

did defie any Captaine, that had the
command of a Company, who durst combate with him for his head:
The matter being discussed, it was accepted, but so many questions
grew for the undertaking, it was decided by lots, which fell upon
Captaine Smith, before spoken of.

Truce being made for that time, the Rampiers all beset with
faire Dames, and men in Armes, the Christians in Battalio;

Turbashaw
with a noise of Howboyes entred the field well mounted and
armed; on his shoulders were fixed a paire of great wings, compacted
of Eagles feathers within a ridge of silver, richly garnished with gold
and precious stones, a Janizary before him, bearing his Lance, on
each side another leading his horse; where long hee stayed not, ere
Smith with a noise of Trumpets, only a Page bearing his Lance, passing
by him with a courteous salute, tooke his ground with such good
successe, that at the sound of the charge, he passed the Turke thorow
the sight of his Beaver, face, head and all, that he fell dead to the
ground, where alighting and unbra- ∥ cing his Helmet, cut off his
head, and the Turkes tooke his body; and so returned without any
hurt at all. The head hee presented to the Lord Moses, the Generall,
who kindly accepted it, and with joy to the whole armie he was
generally welcomed.

The death of this Captaine so swelled in the heart of one Grualgo,

his vowed friend, as rather inraged with madnesse than choller,
he directed a particular challenge to the Conquerour, to regaine his
friends head, or lose his owne, with his horse and Armour for advantage,
which according to his desire, was the next day undertaken: as
before upon the sound of the Trumpets, their Lances flew in peeces
upon a cleare passage, but the Turke was neere unhorsed. Their
Pistolls was the next, which marked Smith upon the placard; but
the next shot the Turke was so wounded in the left arme, that being
not able to rule his horse, and defend himselfe, he was throwne to the
ground, and so bruised with the fall, that he lost his head, as his
friend before him; with his horse and Armour; but his body and his
rich apparell was sent backe to the Towne.

Every day the Turkes made some sallies, but few skirmishes
would they endure to any purpose. Our workes and approaches
being not yet advanced to that height and effect which was of necessitie
to be performed; to delude time, Smith with so many incontradictable
perswading reasons, obtained leave that the Ladies might
know he was not so much enamoured of their servants heads, but if
any Turke of their ranke would come to the place of combate to
redeeme them, should have his also upon the like conditions, if he
could winne it.

The challenge presently was accepted by Bonny Mulgro. The
next day both the Champions entring the field as before, each discharging
their Pistoll, having no Lances, but such martiall weapons
as the defendant appointed, no hurt was done; their Battle-axes was
the next, whose piercing bils

made sometime the one, sometime the
other to have scarce sense to keepe their saddles, specially the Christian
received such a blow that he lost his Battle-axe, and failed not
much to have fallen after it, wherat the supposing conquering Turk,
had a great shout from the Rampiers. The Turk prosecuted his advantage
to the uttermost of his power; yet the other, what by the
readinesse of his horse, and his judgement and dexterity in such a
businesse, beyond all mens expectation, by Gods assistance, not
onely avoided the Turkes violence, but having drawne his Faulchion,
pierced the Turke so under the Culets thorowbacke and body, that
although he alighted from his horse, he stood not long erehee lost
his head, as the rest had done