Ovidianus entered the town on the eve of Magdalen-day, which was the day fixed on by the Turk to storm the place; and so eager was he to fulfil his vow that he ordered one third of his army to commence the attack at midnight, which was done with much courage,—but the besieged made so gallant a defence that they were repulsed. The attack lasted until eight o'clock in the morning, when another division, equal in numbers to the first, advanced to renew the combat, but they also were forced to retreat.
The emperor of the Turks now advanced in person, accompanied by the boldest of his captains, and continued the combat with such obstinacy and courage that, from its commencement, at four in the afternoon, it lasted until the middle of the following day, which made twenty hours in the whole: a terrible fatigue to those in the town thus to support three renewed attacks without any respite or repose. They were at length so worn down that they could not longer help each other, and the Turks were beginning to enter the town in large bodies.
Among the Christians in this town was a very devout cordelier friar, called John Capistran, who, seeing the Turks enter the breach, seized a crucifix, and, ascending the highest part of the castle, cried aloud, 'O Deus meus, Deus meus! O altissime Pater! veni in adjutorium, veni et libera populum quem redemisti pretioso sanguine tuo. Veni noli tardare. Deus meus ubi sunt misericordiæ tuæ antiquæ, veni ne Turci et increduli dicant ubi est Deus eorum.' The cordelier, in uttering these words, wept bitterly; and when the Christians heard them, they felt quite refreshed, and as if they were new men, without feeling any fatigue, and instantly fell on the Turks who were entering the town with such courage that they slew all they met, and put the rest to flight. They pursued them upwards of eight leagues, killing or wounding all they overtook, so that more than one hundred thousand were slain in the whole. They gained all the artillery of the Turks, and such quantities of riches, in tents, money, and effects, as it would seem marvellous to relate.
Among other things won were eleven large bombards, six of which were of prodigious length, and of a great bore, and more than two hundred smaller bombards and cannons. When news of this important victory was carried to the pope then reigning, he ordered processions and thanksgivings to be made in all the churches of Christendom, to render thanks to God for this great victory,—and, among other things, to ring the Ave Maria between two and three o'clock on the anniversary of the day this miracle happened, as it is usual to ring it every evening in all churches; and this manner of ringing it after dinner is continued in several churches in France.
FOOTNOTES:
[230] Morbesan. Mohammed II. surnamed the Victorious.
[231] Ovidianus. Probably Huniades,—John Corvin.
CHAP. LXVII.
THE DAUPHIN OF FRANCE TAKES REFUGE WITH DUKE PHILIP OF BURGUNDY.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THIS YEAR.
Louis de Valois, eldest son to the king of France, and dauphin of Vienne, had resided for ten or twelve years in Dauphiny, because the king was displeased with him. Some said, this was owing to his ill treatment of his subjects in Dauphiny, more particularly the bishops and churchmen, whose revenues he seized against their wills, for the support of his state: others, however, excused him for so doing, because his father had stopped the allowance he had formerly given him.