After a most resolute deliberation, these three Generals went with a valiant courage to incounter with the Turkish [II. 66.]Armado, on the Sunday morning, the seventh of October: who in the end, through the helpe of Christ, obtained a The battell of Lepanto.glorious victory. In that fight there was taken and drowned 180. of Turkish Gallies; and there escaped about the number of sixe hundred and fifty shippes, Gallies, Galeotes, and other vessels: There was fifteene thousand Turkes killed and foure thousand taken prisoners, besides 4000. peeces of Ordonance, and twelve thousand Christians delivered from their slavish bondage. In all, the Christians loosed but eleven Gallies, and five thousand slaine. At their returne to Largostolo, after this victorious battell, the three Generals divided innumerable spoyles, to their well-deserving Captaines, and worthy Souldiers.
And notwithstanding Don John led that Armado, yet ambition led him, who in the midst of that famous victory, conceaved a treacherous designe, to seaze upon the castles of Corfu, under shew of the Venetian colors, which being discoverd, and he disappointed, died for displeasure in his returne to Messina in Sicilia; where there his Statue standeth to this day.
After my arrivall in Peterasso, the Metropolitan of Peloponesus, I left the turmoyling dangers of the intricated Iles, of the Ionean and Adriaticall seas, and advised to travell in the firme land of Greece, with a Caravan of Greekes that was bound for Athens.
Peterasso is a large and spacious City, full of Merchandize, and greatly beautified with all kind of Commercers, Their chiefe commodities, are raw Silkes, Cloth of gold and silver, Silken-growgranes, Rich-damas, Velvets of all kinds, with Sattins and Taffeties, and especially a Girnell for grayne: The Venetians, Ragusans, and Marseillians have great handling with them: Here I remember there was an English Factor lying, whom the Subbassa [II. 67.]or Governour of the Towne a Turke, caused privately afterward upon malice to be poysoned, even when I was wintering at Constantinople, for whose death the worthy and generous Ambassadour, Sir Thomas Glover my Patrone and Protector, was so highly incensed, that he went hither himselfe to Peterasso, with two Jannizaries, and a warrant sent with him from the Emperour, who in the midst of the market-place of Peterasso, caused one of these two Janizaries, strike off the head from the shoulders of that Sanzack; and put to death divers others also that had beene accessary to the poysoning of the English Consul; and the Ambassadour returning againe to Constantinople, was held in singular reputation even with the Turkes, for prosecuting so powerfully the course of Justice, and would not shrinke for no respect, I being domestick with him the selfe same time.
Morea in Greece.Peloponnesus now called Morea, a Peninsula, is all invironed with the sea, save onely at a narrow strait, where it is tied to the continent by an Istmus of five miles in breadth: which the Venetians then Lord of it, fortified with five Castles, and a strong wall from creeke to creeke, which easily were subverted by the Turkish batteries, the defect onely remaining in the defendants weaknesse, and want of men: Corinth and its gulfe, lyeth at the East end of this Istmus, and the gulfe Lepanto on the West, dividing Ætolia and Epyre: The wall which traversed this strait of Morea, was called Hexamite, five miles long: Truely it is one of the most famous distroit du terre en Europe. Morea it selfe is in length 168. and in compasse 546. miles, and is at this day, the most fertile, and best inhabited Province of all the Empyre of Greece: The chiefe Rivers here, are Arbona and Ropheos: Argos here also is watered with the River Planizza, neare which [II. 68.]standeth the Towne of Epidaure, wherein the Temple of Esculapius was so renowned for restoring of health to diseased persons. It was anciently cognominate Agalia from Agalius the first King, Anno Mundi 1574. and also intituled from two Kings Sicionia, and Apia, then Peloponesus from Pelops, and now Moreah. It is divided in five territories or petty Provinces, Laconia, Arcadia, Argolis, Misenia, and Eliso, the proper territory of Corinth. Of which City it was sayd,
Hor. Let men take heed of Lais, Corinths whoore,
Who earn’d ten thousand Drachmas in an houre.
It is sayd by Æneas Silvius in his Cosmographicall treatise of Europe that divers Kings went about to digge The strait of Morea.through this Istmus to make it an Iland, namely King Demetrius, Julius Cæsar, Caius Caligula, and Domitius Nero: Of all whome he doth note that they not onely failed of their purpose, but that they came to violent and unnaturall deaths.
But before the aforesayd Caravan at Peterasso admitted me into his company, he was wonderfull inquisitive, to know for what cause I travelled alone? & of what Nation I was? To whom I soberly excused, and discovered my selfe with modest answers. Which pacified his curiosity; but not his avaritious minde: for under a pretended protection he had of me, he extorted the most part of my money from my purse, without any regard of conscience.
In the first, second, and third dayes journeying, we had faire way, hard lodging, but good cheere, and kind entertainement for our money, which was the Countrey Laconia. But on the fourth day, when we entred in the hilly and barren Countrey of Arcadia; where, for a dayes journey we had no Village, but saw abundance of Cattell [II. 69.]without keepers; and in that place it is thought the great battell of Pharsalia was fought betweene Julius Cæsar, and Pompey the great.