LETTERS sent from Venice. ANNO. 1571.

Containing the certaine and true newes of the most Noble vi­ctorie of the Christians ouer the armie of the great Turke: And the names of the Lordes & Gentlemen of the Chri­stians slaine in the same battell.

Translated oute of the Frenche Copie Printed at Paris by Guille [...] de Niuerd, with the Kings Priuiledge.

Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman. And are to be sold in Paules Churchyard by Anthonie Kitson.

The ouerthrowe of the Turkes armie.

THE Christen armie being in Thessalonia, in the Hauen of Argostelly, and the ene­my in the goulf of the Pante, they tooke aduise what was best to bée doone. The Lorde Don Iean of Austrie thoughte it not good to enter into the goulfe, but the generall Biuier, and the Lord Iustinian Barbaric thought that beste, earnestly exhorting and per­suading to go into Bisterlo. For by this meanes (say they) they shoulde obteyne the victory: and they concluded that Bar­barico with eyght galeys shoulde goe to the entrie of the goulf, to assay if he could trayne out the enemie: And whiles this was resolued, the Generall Biuier was aduertised, that fiftie of the Turkishe Galeys had lefte the armie, and were gone into Lenant. Whervpon the Lord Don Iean resolued fully too enter the goulfe, and the sixt of this moneth, being carried in Pregates, wente in persone to [Page]take order and encourage all men to bée ready on the morow to the battayle.

On Sunday the seuenth of October, was all the Armie in a readynesse, the generall béeing in the middest with fifty galeys, on the right hande the Lord Bar­barico, vpon the lefte the Ioerin, and the Dorian in the arreregard behauing him selfe verye valiantly. The sixe greatest Galeys rowed thrée on front, with .ij. lit­tle Galeys after them. Thus marched they in order, helped somwhat forwarde with a small breathe, more fauourable to the enemie, and in good tyme discoue­red the other army, whiche came cluste­ring lyke a wood, withoute any order. For they thought (as after was known) that so soone as they shoulde haue bene discryed, our armie would haue fled, and that they woulde be ready to spoyle and take some of our Galeys. But seing that the Christen armie made forwarde so boldly, they began to put them selues in aray, in fashion of an halfe Moone. Thus bothe the armies béeing approched with­in Cannon shot, the syxe greate galeys [Page]did breake foorth, and pierced cleane tho­rough the Turkishe armie, whiche they put in greate disaray with their artille­rie: whiche acte may be accompted the onely and chiefe cause of the victorie. In the discharge of the great shot, the Tur­kes were more galled than the Christi­ans. The Catholyke Generall, and the Venetian general, hauing betwene them the chiefe Bassa, boorded his Galey, and tooke it, and hauing cutte off the Bassaes head, put it vpon a pyke, which Don Iean helde in his hande, as a trophée. Ochiali Bassa with his galeys pressed sore the left syde: and all the bodye of the enemies charged the body of the christian battail, when Dorian with the arriergard ayded the sayd body: and on the other side Don Iean sente to succour the lefte wing, an other number of Galeys, where there were alreadye seauen or eyght Ʋenetian galeys. In this maner foughte they con­tinually from morning til night. But in the ende the Chrystians obteyned the victorie. There were taken .Clxxx. Ga­leys of the enimies, xxv. were burned, xv. soonke, xviij. fled, whom the Christi­ans [Page]pursued. The great Bassa of Argier Gitride of the great Turke was founde dead. The Bassa Ochiali fled with a fewe galeys. Fortua Bassa was not found dead nor aliue. And the Bassa whiche came in steade of Prely, is he whome before I haue shewed to haue ben taken & kylde. There are slayne .xx. thousande Turks, v. thousand Scarataui and .xiiij. thousand Christians prisoners set at libertie. And they had taken into their armie to relieue them .xiiij. thousande Spachi, whom they had leuied in Morea. The Christians of Grece seing yt smal number of Turks left, & the whole ouerthrow giuen to the Turkishe armie, began to ryse. And so soone as the Christian armie turned to Corfu, they with the victorie of Seigneur Don Iean, béeing accompanyed with a Fregate, came to the generall, offring to follow what part soeuer shall please him to go, saying, to haue very wel knowne that the Ʋenetians are chiefe lords of the sea, but that neuer so wel tried as at that present. It is maruellous, that in the six galeys which made the fyrst point, were slayne but thrée persons. And generally [Page]thankes be to God, the whole fléete hath had small losse in respect of the great vic­torye.

God fauoured the Lord Barbarico so much, that he liued til night, when being aduertised of the assured victorye, hie lifted vp hys handes too Heauen in token of ioy, and there­with yéel­ded vp hys ghoste, being hurt in the eye with an Arrowe.

The names of the chri­stian Lords and Gentlemen slaine in the battaile.
  • [Page]The moste excellent Lorde, S. Augustine Barbarico.
  • The Magific Lord, S. Benet Laurence.
  • The Lord Andrevv Barbarico.
  • S. Iohn Coruaro.
  • The magnific Laudo.
  • The Lord Marin Contarin.
  • S. Cattauino Mallipirro.
  • The Lord Ierome Contarin, vvith three of his Cousins.
  • The Lord Frances Bion.
  • The Lord Anthonie Pasquin.
  • The Lord Theodore Balbi.
  • The Lord Iohn Baptist Benoist.
  • The Lord Iaques de Mezo.
  • The Lord Anthonie de Mallogani Candiot.
  • The Lord Alexander Littico de Affrani.
  • The Trissan Vesantin.

[Page] THe magnifique Lanfran Iustinian brought the first tidings of this glori­ous victorie this day at .vij. of the clocke in the morning, landing from oute of his galley at S. Markes. The Prince wente to méete him, and at the firste gréeting the Lord Iustinian knéeling, saide: Moste ex­cellente Prince, I bring vnto you the ti­dings of the Noblest victorie that euer christian men had. The Prince with his hands stretcht vp to heauen, thāked God, & without any stay with all the Nobilitie which clustered togither, went towarde the Church questioning with the sayd L. Iustiman by the way, and there caused songes and Himnes to be sung, praysing God, and with greate deuotion remained aboue two houres in the Churche. The people and all the Nobles assembled on euery side embrasing one an other, vtte­ring all signes possible of vnexpresseable ioy.

THere is newes broughte that there is a shippe of Ragusa that left Candie, the [Page]thirtienth of September, which broughte newes that the Galliotte of Famagousta, in which was layde the munition, repor­ted for certaine that the sixte of that pre­sente Moneth, the towne was in good estate and helde out lustily: Which if it bée so, the aduise of Messino of the fyfte day, which sayd that the towne was lost from the beginnyng of Auguste, is not true.

Therfore, Vnto God be all honour and glorie.

The French King to the Bishop of Paris, vvith expresse com­maundement for Publike thankes to be giuen to God for the hap­pie successe of the Christi­ans againste the Turke.

MY Lorde,

I am aduertised from my Embassador re­sident in Ʋenice, of a hap­pie victorie fallen vppon the Christian armie by sea againste the Turkes, who being wholely vanquished, left dead twentie thousand bodies with one of their principall Bassaes, fiue thousande taken prisoners, a hundreth and .lxxx. Galleys taken, within the which were founde and set at libertie fourtéene thousand captiues of christians, and all this happening with a very little losse of the christian armie, wherof I thought to giue you this spéedie report, to the ende you might procéede to giue God thankes, as well in oure chéefe churche of Paris, as in all other churches, [Page]within your Diocesse, with Processions and other such plausible actions of thanks giuing, as are conuenient to congratulate so happie a successe as it hathe pleased the almightie to bestowe vpon christendom. And so my Lorde I pray God to preserue you in his holy grace.

Signed.
  • CHARLES.
  • And vnder neath. BRVLART.
Vppon the indorcement is written. To my Lord of Paris, one of my priuie Councel, or to his Vicares or Deputies.
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¶ THE whole Diſcourſ …

¶ THE whole Discourse of the Victorie that it plea­sed God to giue to the Chri­stians against the Turkes, and what losse hapned to the Christians in the said conflict.

Englished by a Frenche Copie Prin­ted at Paris, by Fleuri Preuost, Priuiledged by the King.

Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman. And are to be sold in Paules Churchyard by Anthonie Kitson.

The whole and certein Discourse of the victorie that it hath ple­sed God to giue to the Christians a­gainst the Turkes .vij. Octob. ANNO. 1571.

THE diuine goodnesse and clemencie of the mercyful Lorde and God, hathe al­wayes ben so pitifull and fauourable to suche as in their afflictions haue ac­knowledged him, that the remembrance thereof, dothe altogither make vs as it were perplexed and astonyed: for in all our actions and dooings wée haue tasted and felte his clemencie and maruellous mercies, euen at the very houre when wée haue had least hope thereof, as the wyse man doth shew vs by these words: Men shall bee tickeled vvith an horrible fear, and euen vvhen they haue least hope they shall maruel of their safetie. Wher­of wée haue good experience, when that (besides the innumerable graces wée re­ceyue dayly) he dothe make vs more and [Page]more to knowe his puissance by such ef­fectes as to vs séemeth altogether impos­sible, whiche oughte so muche the more to make vs prompt and ready to magni­fie his greatnesse, to prayse and exalt his holy name euerlastyngly. And therfore his maruellous woorkes ought not to bée suppressed or kepte in silence, but rather to bée published from nation to nation, that wée which depende vppon his good­nesse and mercie, maye render vnto him all honoure and prayse for euer. The newes that is come to our knowledge, of the miraculous victorie that it hath plea­se [...] his diuine Maiestie, to giue vnto the Armies o [...] the Emperour, of the Catho­lyke king, and of the Seigniorie of the Ʋenetians, againste the maruellous and insupportable armie of the Turkes, for that cause is to be published to giue eue­ry man aduertisement therof by the dis­course that followeth.

By a Letter written from the Vene­tians bearing date the nynth day of Oc­tober laste, it was aduertised that the Sunday the seuenth of the sayd moneth the armie generall of the Emperour, the [Page]Catholike Kyng and of the Seignorie of the Ʋenetians, were in Chesauian, within the portes of Argostoly: and the armie of the Turkes was within the gulphes of Velapante, looking when the Christians shoulde come oute that they myght giue them battaile, and fight with them. The Christians béeing but a few in numbre in respect of so great and in­supportable an armie as the Turks was (the which séemed rather lyke a Forest than a nauie on the sea, being well nigh two hundred shippes and fiftie Foysts,) made it séeme dangerous to enter with­in the goulfe to fight with them: for they were not equall in force to them.

The noble Don Iean de Austriche, (brother to the Catholike Kyng, and Lieutenant generall of his armie) was aduertised, that Fiftie of his greate Ga­leys were vnfurnished there where one parts of his force was: whyche gaue hym greate occasion to haue the better wyll to fyghte with the reste: To come to whiche purpose, hée sent oute eyghte good Galeys to drawe oute the Turkes [Page]to fight: After the which [...]yght [...] the reste of our armie dyd follow in ve­rye good order well furnised (with good hope by the helpe of GOD to come to good effecte.) They did discouer the Ar­mie of the Turkes, who perceyuing the Christians dyd approche, came in great disorder to assayle them, trusting onely in their forces: But the Christians put­ting themselues in battayle in forme of a Cressent, did compasse as well as they coulde, the Armie of the Turkes, and they did it in suche sorte, (that by reason of the sayde disorder) after they hadde fought valyantly from eyght of the clock in the mornyng vntyll an houre after dynner, they béegan to obteyne victo­rie, whyche continued vntyll nyght: and if it had not bene for the darknesse of the pouder and shotte, they had whol­ly defeated the armie of the Turkes, of the whiche there escaped but onely xviij. Galeys. Whyche victorie was execu­ted wyth so smal a number on our part, that it was little or nothyng in respecte of suche and so great a victorie.

Aboute moue was taken the Galey of the Bassa, (that was the Lieutenaunt generall of the Armie) whose head was carryed to Seigneur Don Iean de An­striche, whiche after he had a good while helde the same in his handes, hée com­maunded it to bée put vppon the ende of a Pyke, and to be sette vppon the for e­parte of the Galley for victorie, and for a trymphe.

Of all the Armie of the Turkes, there was none sauid but the sayd .xviij. Galeys, whiche were folowed a greate whyle by thrée galeys of the Popes, four of the knyghtes of Malia, and sixe of the Ʋenetians, and they came so néere them, that if the darknesse of the nyght had not fauoured them with the helpe of their good Ores, they had not gone to carie the heauie newes of the ouerthrow of the rest of their armie.

There is taken by the Christians Cxxx. greate Turkishe galeys and fyftie Foystes, oute of whiche Galleys and Foystes, haue bene deliuered xiiij. thou­sand christians captiues with the Turkes.

[Page] In the sayde Galeys and foysts was founde great store of munitions of war, the moste parte whereof was deliuered to be sente to Malta.

There was also .xv. Galeys of the Turkes drowned.

And there were .xxv. galeys burnt.

And there were .xx. thousand Turks slayne wyth their Bassa, whiche was the generall of their armie.

Besydes fyue thousande prisoners.

The losse that the Christians had, was two Galleyes of the Popes whiche were drowned.

And one burned of the Knightes of Mal­ta.

Fiue of the Ʋenetians were loste, of the which two were burnt and thrée drou­ned.

The generall of the armie of the Ʋeneti­ans, was slaine in the saide Galleys that were lost, and .xx. Ʋenetian Gen­tlemen.

There is deade of the Christians as wel out of the said eight Galeys that were lost, as of them that were slayne in the [Page]other Galleys, aboute two thousande men, of the which there were foure Knightes of Malta, thrée Spaniardes, and one Italian.

The Venetians amongs all the rest did shewe themselues very valyante, and they were the first that with great fu­rie did ioyne in combate agaynst the sayde Turkes.

FINIS.

To the Christian Reader.

WEll beloued Reader,

be­holde heere that whiche may he faithfully vnder­st [...]d by the letter writ­ten from Ʋenice the .ix. of October last, of the victo­rie yt it hath pleased our good God to giue vs against the enimies of ye holy Church. Therfore considering the times past and present, in the which God all mercifull, hathe deliuered and preserued vs from a number of mischéeues and daungers, with the which we ordinarily are beset, without hauing any power of oure selfe, to escape the same, except the immesura­ble pitie of oure Lord God shoulde helpe vs. We ought therefore to sing continu­ally with the royall Prophet, the earthe is all replenished with the mercie of our good God which dothe maintaine vs in his kingdom, in his faith, in his seruice and in his grace incomprehensible: and [Page]let vs firmely beléeue that he hathe care of vs, and that he dothe kéepe and defend vs more warely than the Egle or the Henne doo their chickens. Let vs giue him therefore withoute ceassing, glorie, and preises euerlasting, framing our selues to maruell at the great­nesse of his mercie, that doth preserue vs alwayes from eminent dangers and perilles.

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