University of Virginia Library

Chapter XI.
The names of the English that were slaine in the
battell of Rottenton; and how Captaine Smith
is taken prisoner; and sold for a slave.

IN the valley of Veristhorne,

betwixt the river of Altus, and the
mountaine of Rottenton, was this bloudy encounter, where the
most of the dearest friends of the noble Prince Sigismundus perished.
Meldritch having ordered his eleven thousand in the best manner he
could, at the foot of the mountaine upon his flancks, and before his
front, he had pit- ∥ ched sharpe stakes, their heads hardned in the
fire, and bent against the enemie, as three battalion of Pikes, amongst
the which also there was digged many small holes. Amongst those
stakes was ranged his footmen, that upon the charge was to retire, as
there was occasion. The Tartar having ordered his 40000. for his best
advantage, appointed Mustapha Bashaw to beginne the battell, with
a generall shout, all their Ensignes displaying, Drummes beating,
Trumpets and Howboyes sounding. Nederspolt and Mavazo with
their Regiments of horse most valiantly encountred, and forced them
to retire; the Tartar Begolgi with his Squadrons, darkening the skies
with their flights of numberles arrowes, who was as bravely encountred
by Veltus and Oberwin, which bloudie slaughter continued
more than an houre, till the matchlesse multitude of the Tartars so
increased, that they retired within their Squadrons of stakes, as was
directed. The bloudy Tartar, as scorning he should stay so long for
the victorie, with his massie troopes prosecuted the charge: but it
was a wonder to see how horse and man came to the ground among
the stakes, whose disordered troopes were there so mangled, that the
Christians with a loud shout cryed Victoria; and with five or six field
peeces, planted upon the rising of the mountaine, did much hurt to
the enemy that still continued the battell with that furie, that Meldritch
seeing there was no possibilitie long to prevaile, joyned his
small troopes in one body, resolved directly to make his passage or
die in the conclusion; and thus in grosse gave a generall charge, and
for more than halfe an houre made his way plaine before him, till the
maine battel of the Crym-Tartar with two Regiments of Turkes and
Janizaries so overmatched them, that they were overthrowen. The
night approaching, the Earle with some thirteene or fourteene
hundred horse, swamme the River, some were drowned, all the rest
slaine or taken prisoners: And thus in this bloudy field, neere 30000.
lay, some headlesse, armelesse and leglesse, all cut and mangled;
where breathing their last, they gave this knowledge to the world,
that for the lives of so few, the Crym-Tartar never paid dearer. But
now the Countreyes of Transilvania and Wallachia, (subjected to
the Emperour) and Sigismundus that brave Prince his Subject and
Pensioner, the most of his Nobilitie, brave Captaines and Souldiers,
became a prey to the cruell devouring Turke: where had the Emperor
been as ready to have assisted him, and those three Armies led
by three such worthy Captaines, as Michael, Busca, and Himselfe,
and had those three Armies joyned together against the Turke, let all
men judge, how happie it might have beene for all Christendome:
and have either regained Bulgaria, or at least have beat him out of
Hungaria, where hee hathtaken much more from the Emperour,
than haththe Emperour from Transilvania.

In this dismal battell, where Nederspolt, Veltus, Zarvana,
Mavazo, Bavell, and many other Earles, Barons, Colonels, Captaines,
brave Gentlemen, and Souldiers were slaine. Give mee leave
to remember the names of our owne Country-men with him in those
exploits, that as resolutely as the best in the defence of Christ and his
Gospell, ended their dayes, as Baskerfield, Hardwicke, Thomas
Milemer, Robert Mullineux, ∥ Thomas Bishop, Francis Compton,
George Davison, Nicholas Williams, and one John a Scot, did what
men could doe, and when they could doe no more, left there their
bodies in testimonie of their mindes; only Ensigne Carleton and
Sergeant Robinson

escaped: but Smith among the slaughtered dead
bodies, and many a gasping soule, with toile and wounds lay groaning
among the rest, till being found by the Pillagers hee was able to
live, and perceiving by his armor and habit, his ransome might be
better to them, than his death, they led him prisoner with many
others; well they used him till his wounds were cured, and at
Axopolis they were all sold for slaves, like beasts in a market-place,
where everie Merchant, viewing their limbs and wounds, caused
other slaves to struggle with them, to trie their strength, hee fell to
the share of Bashaw Bogall, who sent him forthwith to Adrinopolis,
so for Constantinople to his faire Mistresse for a slave. By twentie and
twentie chained by the neckes, they marched in file to this great
Citie, where they were delivered to their severall Masters, and he to
the young Charatza Tragabigzanda.