CHAPTER XXI
The process to the Combat
The two days of the truce were passed and the third morning was come, in which time many gallant feats of arms and activity were performed on both parts. Now the time of the combat was come. There was in the River of Danuby a pretty Island of a quarter of a mile long or more, as even as ground might be all the way, in this place were the lists prepared, and a scaffold richly hanged for the Judges to determine in. In the evening about four of the clock (being then reasonably cool) the Christian Emperor issued out with above 100,000 Christians, the rest being above 60,000 were left to defend the City (for both the Christian and especially the Turks were increased) where he entered into the wide plain, and coming to the bank’s side he entered into a broad Ferry boat leaving his whole Army on the other side of the River whilst he laboured to attain to the Island. The Duke of Austria with his attendants Mamri, Simionte, Infeligo, and Wagner, the Dukes of Cleve, Saxony, Campany, and Brabant, with the like number all bravely and gloriously mounted: The Duke of Austria in his bright armour marshalled the field, and of the Christians sat as Judges the kings of Lusitany and Arragon with their Heralds: Now the Emperor is landed in the Island and is mounted into his rich saddle, armed in armour so costly, strong, curious, and resplendescent, that it seemed all the beauty in the world had been gathered together in it, his courser so firm, nimbly jointed, tall and large, such a one might have been the son of Gargantua’s mare for his Giant-like proportion. Then took he his strong and large Ashen lance, bearing in his steel head Iron death, at the top whereof hung a fair and rich pennon, the whole shaft of the spear double gilded over and curiously enamelled, about his neck hung his horn shield, artificially adorned with his own achievements, the belt whereon his sword hung of beaten gold, his caparison of pure cloth of gold, whereon the rich stones were so ordinary that they took away ye glittering of the metal only as if it had been the Sunbeams, trailed along betwixt precious gutters. On his helmet was fixed a rich Crown of the most excellent metal. In brief, for I would fain have made an end of this idle news, there was all the richness in his Empire, in that all the beauty of his richness, in them all ye desire of each eye: when he had saluted ye judges he trotted twice or thrice about the lists, and then lighted at his Pavilion which was there erected of cloth of gold, where he sat with convenient company and refreshed himself. Now in the mean the Turk he set forward with an army double the Christian, and 100,000 and above still left in the Camp. And here I must needs leave to tell you of his exceeding preparation unless I should make a whole volume, for beside the wondrous furniture of his Soldiers, the most rare choice of ornaments, there was nothing could be devised, nay more than of set purpose could be devised was there. But briefly I will turn to the Turk himself, where if I had art according, I should sooner weary you with delight than words: But 100,000 of his men having marched before to the banks and there embattled themselves by the river all along, with such hideous noise of Trumpets, horns (for so they use), drums of brass, flutes, etc., that there was more heard than seen by far, then approached the great Turk himself, before him rode 4000 Janissaries armed in their fashion, with a long Gown of Scarlet-red laced with gold lace, and long sleeves of a very narrow breadth, which was girt close unto him, under that a good armour, with a long high cap like a milk-pail for all the world, of white Satin or some such-like gear, with a long feather enough to come down to a tall man’s hams, very thick laced in the brims with gold and pearl, in his hand a short Javelin, at his side his Scimitar, at his back a great Quiver of broad arrows, and by a string of silk hung his steel bow, over every one hundred of these is a Boluch Bassa, a Centurion as we call him, and these be of the Turk’s guard, and are called Solaquis Archers, and they rode fifty in a rank, then came following them about two hundred Peicher or Peiclers, all in one livery of very rich tissue after their fashion, and these are of the Turk’s Laqueis[79] which have a sharp teen[80] Hatchet sticking at their girdles, and the haft of Brasil,[81] with this they will stand thirty paces off and cleave a penny loaf or hit it somewhere, they will commonly stick an inch and half deep into a very tough Ashen wood, or a Brasil, or such-like hard wood: there in great triumph upon an Elephant richly trapped, stood a Tower of two yards and a half high of pure silver, in the top whereof stood an Image of beaten gold, representing their Mahomet, round about which upon Mules Azamoglans or Jamoglans, who are children of tribute exacted upon the Christian captives, and contributary, fine, sweet, and the most choice picked Gentlemen brought up to sundry dainty qualities, who with heavenly melody followed this Elephant, the religious men going round about singing sweetly together: afore all these next to the Janissaries went above two hundred Trumpets, and as many followed the great Turk, who then approached, having his Chariot of pure silver of above 20,000 pound weight, drawn with eight milk-white Elephants, round about rode and went bare-headed, Azamoglans Peyclers most gorgeously and resplendescent apparelled, under the Turk’s feet lay a pillow of clear Crystal embossed at the ends with huge golden knobs, on his head a wreath of purple with a most rich diadem as it is commonly known the order of it, the stage can shew the making of it, but other things they differ mightily in. Here you must suppose the exceeding glory of his apparel, there he sat upright in the Chair with such a majestical, proud, severe, war-like countenance, as justly became so high a throne, before him went Aga which is the great Captain of his Janissaries, with the Hali Bassa, the Captain of his naval expeditions, Bianco Bassa, the Captain of his Janissarie Harquebusiers, the Zanfyretto Bassa Captain of his Guard, with others of great authority bare-headed. After his Chariot came sweet melody, and then five Elephants of War (an Elephant is well-nigh as big as six Oxen gaunt and slender like a horse in ye flanks, and of more swift foot than a man would think for, his fashion is like no beast in England, but the ridge of his back is like that of an horse, his feet hath five great horny toes, and a very long snout of above two yards in length, with which he will draw by only snuffing up a good pretty big lad, and deliver him to the Rider; this long trunk falls down betwixt a large pair of teeth or tushes[82] of above an Ell and a half long (as ye may commonly see at the Comb-makers in London) bending like a Boar’s upward, his ears well-nigh from the top to the nether tip of the hanging down above seven feet long). And after these five Elephants, saddled and ordered for a man to ride on, came trumpets, and all in the like manner as before, and then marched 500 in a rank, 100,000 footmen, and by their sides for wings 40,000 horsemen, so that he came to the combat with 240,000 fighting-men, well accomplished in arms: then was the great Turk carried under a goodly canopy upon a black Waggon on men’s shoulders into the Ferry, which was richly prepared, where in the view of both Camps he landed, whilst the war-like instruments echoed wide in the Air. In the Island for Judges sat (in armour as did the others) the king of Rhodes and the king of Pamphilia, now called Alcayr. When the Turk was landed, there was brought to him by the hands of two kings a great Elephant of an Ash colour, white embossed very glitteringly, whereon the great Turk mounted by a short ladder of silver, armed very strongly and most beautifully, then took he his Javelin in his hand and vibrated it in great bravery (as he could handle his weapon well) and hung his quiver of long Darts at his Back, then his Scimitar, etc., and so having saluted the Judges retired unto the uttermost part of the field, then mounted up the brave and puissant Emperor so lightly in his heavy armour, as if either his gladness had lessened his weight, or the goodness of his cause, to the great rejoicing of the Christian and amazement of ye Turk, at whom the Christians yelled so universally and hallooed, and other infinite kinds of gladsome tokens, that the Turk astonished stood stone still till the Christian had done, and then as men new risen to life, with such an horrible shout, that their voice rebounded to the air, at which same time the Christian shouted again with them, as if they would have committed a battle with voices, and surely their voices did fight in the wide coasts and shores of the air. This done the Emperors prepared themselves to the fight.
Footnotes
[79] A kind of foot-soldier.
[80] Keen.
[81] Brazil wood.
[82] Tusks.