University of Virginia Library

Chapter VIII.
Georgio Busca an Albane his ingratitude to
Prince Sigismundus; Prince Moyses his Lieutenant,
is overthrowne by Busca, Generall for the
Emperour Rodolphus; Sigismundus yeeldeth his
Countrey to Rodolphus; Busca assisteth
Prince Rodoll in Wallachia.

THIS good successe gave such great encouragement to the whole
Armie, that with a guard of six thousand, three spare horses,
before each a Turkes head upon a Lance, he was conducted to the
Generalls Pavillion with his Presents. Moyses received both him and
them with as much respect as the occasion deserved, embracing him
in his armes; gave him a faire Horse richly furnished, a Semitere

and belt worth three hundred ducats; and Meldritch made him
Sergeant major of his Regiment. But now to the siege, having
mounted six and twenty peeces of Ordnance fifty or sixty foot above
the Plaine, made them so plainly tell his meaning, that within fifteene
dayes two breaches were made, which the Turkes as valiantly defended
as men could; that day was made a darksome night, but by
the light that proceeded from the murdering Muskets, and peace-making
Canon, whilest their slothfull Governour lay in a Castle on
the top of a high mountaine, and like a valiant Prince asketh what's
the matter, when horrour and death stood amazed each at other, to
see who should prevaile to make him victorious: Moyses commanding
a generall assault upon the sloping front of the high Promontory,
where the Barons of Budendorfe and Oberwin lost neere halfe their
Regiments, by logs, bags of powder, and such like, tumbling downe
the hill, they were to mount erethey could come to the breach; notwithstanding
with an incredible courage they advanced to the push
of the Pike with the defendants, that with the like courage repulsed,
till the Earle Meldritch, Becklefield and Zarvana, with their fresh
Regiments seconded them with that fury, that the Turks retired and
fled into the Castle, from whence by a flag of truce they desired composition.
The Earle remembring his fathers death, battered it with
all the Ordnance in the Towne, and the next day tooke it; all he
found could beare Armes he put to the sword, and set their heads
upon stakes round about the walles, in the same manner they had
used the Christians, when they tooke it. Moyses having repaired the
Rampiers, and throwne downe the worke in his Campe, he put in
it a strong Garrison, though the pillage he had gotten in the Towne
was much, having beene for a long time an impregnable den of
theeves; yet the losse of the Armie so intermingled the sowre with the
sweet, as forced Moyses to seek a further revenge, that he sacked
Veratio, Solmos, and Kupronka, and with two thousand prisoners,
most women and children, came to Esenberg, not farre from the
Princes Palace, where he there Encamped.

Sigismundus comming to view his Armie, was presented with
the Pri- ∥ soners, and six and thirtie Ensignes; where celebrating
thankes to Almightie God in triumph of those victories, hee was
made acquainted with the service Smith had done at Olumpagh,
Stowle-Wesenburg and Regall, for which with great honour hee gave
him three Turkes heads in a Shield for his Armes, by Patent, under
his hand and Seale, with an Oath ever to weare them in his Colours,
his Picture in Gould, and three hundred Ducats,

yearely for a
Pension.

SIGISMUNDUS BATHORI,
Dei gratia Dux
Transilvaniæ, Wallachiæ,
et Vandalorum; Comes
Anchard, Salford, Growenda;
Cunctis his literis
significamus qui eas lecturi
aut audituri sunt concessam
licentiam aut facultatem
Iohanni Smith, natione
Anglo Generoso, 250. mili-
tum Capitaneo sub Illustrissimi
et Gravissimi Henrici
Volda,

Comitis de Meldri,
Salmariæ, et Peldoiæ
primario, ex 1000. equitibus
et 1500. peditibus bello Ungarico
conductione in Provincias
suprascriptas sub Authoritate nostra: cui servituti omni laude perpetuaque,
memoria dignum præbuit sese erga nos, ut virum strenuum pugnantem pro aris
et focis decet. Quare è favore nostro militario ipsum ordine condonavimus, et
in Sigillum illius tria Turcica Capita designare et deprimer concessimus,
quæ ipse gladio suo ad Urbem Regalem in singulari prælio vicit, mactavit,
atque; decollavit in Transilvaniæ Provincia: Sed fortuna cum variabilis
ancepsque; sit idem forte fortuito in Wallachia Provincia Anno Domini
1602. die Mensis Novembris 18. cum multis aliis etiam Nobilibus et aliis
quibusdam militibus captus est à Domino Bascha electo ex Cambia regionis
Tartariæ, cujus severitate adductus salutem quantam potuit quæsivit, tantumque
effecit, Deo omnipotente adjuvante, ut deliberavit se, et ad suos Commilitones
revertit; ex quibus ipsum liberavimus, et hæcnobis testimonia habuit
ut majori licentia frueretur qua dignus esset, jam tendet in patriam suam
dulcissiman: Rogamus ergo omnes nostros charissimos, confinitimos, Duces,
Principes, Comites, Barones, Gubernatores ∥ Urbium et Navium in eadem
Regione et cæterarum Provinciarum in quibus ille residere conatus fuerit ut
idem permittatur Capitaneus libere sine obstaculo omni versari. Hæc facientes
pergraium nobis feceritis. Signatum Lesprizia in Misnia die Mensis
Decembris 9. Anno Domini 1603.