IT is nowe long time past , that betwene the linage of the Ottomans , being the Progenitours of the Turkes , & the kinges of Persia , called Sophi , Monarches parting betweene them almost all Asia , and much in Africke , the war doth endure , which hath begun from the time of D'Vsuncassan ( or as other doe cal Assembey ) successor of Tamerlan , who being base of degree , made him lord of the most part of the Orent , in the yeere of our Lorde God , 1400. hauing ouercome Baiazet King of Turkie . This Vsuncassan ( I say ) hauing succeded to the saide Tamerlan , in the Monarchie of the Persians , hath alwaies warred with the Turkes ( euen as also haue done , the Sophies successours . ) He toke to wife the daughter of the Emperour of Trapezunt , the which did helpe him greatly in his warres , but not so happily , but that he lost his Empire .

The Persians not hauing at that time the vsage of the Cannon , as the Turkes had , although the Persian is more valiant , yet nothing resisteth against suche thunder claps . His successours afterward vntill this day , haue alwaies quarelled with the Trapezuntain , by reason wherof they haue ouercome the landes of the great Turke in diuers places : And they doeing the like vnto them , but not so furiously as they haue doone , after they dyd vnderstande of the death of the king of Portugal their confederate , since the time of the foresaide Vsuncassan , who first made league with the Agentes of the saide King of Portugall against the Turke , and the petie kinges of Africke his subiectes : Because that Ismaell ( father of him that nowe is Sophi ) died about the yeere 1557. although hee hath had notable victories against Sultan Selim , notwithstanding , hee loste Mesopotamia and Chaldea with the Towne of Tauris , a Holde of great importance , which caused the same Sophi nowe raigning to make aliaunce with the king of the Ethiopians , and to renew the same with the king of Portugall , fearing that the Turke woulde hinder him on that side , on the which he is weakest .

For these reasons , and for to hinder the Turke in other places , hath he newly raised an armie of Persians and other nations , to the number of one hundred and threescore thousand , chosen men , very expert in armes , and conducted them before the Towne of Seruan in the borders of Mesopotamia , harde by the riuer of Tegil , a strong place , and the which made vppon him many Roades and robberies in his lande : whereof the great Turke being aduertised , dispatched immediatly eight Basshaes for to encounter with him , and raise the siege , causing full fourescore thousande men to returne , which he dispatched towardes Africke , and caused more to be taken vp in his lande beyonde the mount Caspie ( borderers or fronterers , of those of the Sophies ) so that he caused his armie to be assembled , beyng almost to the number of two hundred thousande men .

In the meane time the Sophi , endeuoured him selfe furiously to batter this place , and giueth vpon the same manye assaultes : but those within being aduertised of the succour , which was neere them , had such good courage , and ordered so their affaires , that altogeather they resisted couragiously , and as this Hold was a border of the enimie , so was it furnished with good men , hauing no want of any munitions of warre , and specially of Pouder , Firewoorkes , Cannons and Harquebushers , and being but a while past , since those munitions had been sent thither , to inuade the lande of the Sophie . The army of the Turke did ariue there , about the moneth of December last : The which the Sophie vnderstanding , made haste to cause an other assault to be giuen against those of the towne : but in the meane time he was so wel prouided of wit , that he caused his campe to be set in battel aray , fearing least the Turke would inuade him , for to cause the assaulte to be interrupted : This being concluded by the enimie , entending to put his purpose in execution , without regarding that the Persians ( besides they be such valiant , furious , and vigilant warriers , as any others in Asia , but such , as men may compare them with the best , I dare say , of Europe and Africa ) were freshe and lustie : And the Turkes , weery of the long way and great iournies which they had made , for to come in time to succour this place , came and assailed very furiously the Persians , which they thought were all bent to the assault , and their campe , without any order of battaile : But they found the contrary of that which they hoped for , not knowing that the Sophi was aware of it , attending them with assurance , & were receiued speedily , and that with such furie , that at the meeting of this first encounter , the horse men of the Persians , which staied for no other thing , did repulse them a great way of with part of their artillerie which had turned against the enimie . In litle time they made suche slaughter , that the Turkes being constrained to turne their bridle , were almost all in the fliyng away & in this encounter destroied , & lost more then thirtie thousande men , with . xxv . fielde peeces , and about twelue double Cannons .

The Turkes seeing themselues to be so beaten backe with such a losse , for all that did not let fal their courage , but with the exhortation and good conduct of a Bassha , named Ochali Zaleth ; gathered themselues againe , and came verie fuririously to resist the Persians , the which in this recharge , had not so good a bargaine with the enemies the Turkes , as they had before : and if it had not bene their artillarie , the which played at pleasure , they should haue had a great losse of their men , because that Ochali Zaleth had sette against them all the force of the Turkish Harquebushers , the which did great damage in the horsemen of the Persians , vntil that after hauing fought long time , did arriue for the succour of the Persians , about fourtie thousand footmen , who staied a great whil the Turkish Harquebusher , and vntill that the Sophie in proper person with great force of horsmen , arriuing to the battaile did furiously enter among the Turkes , who with the dexteritie , force , and good experience of his horsmen , did breake all the sayde Turkish Harquebushers which were their strength , and then did put all their armie to flight : so that almoste of two hundreth thousande , of them , without any account of the Baggage , there were saued but about fourtie thousand with the said Bassha . And if the night had not been , which made an end of the battaile , there would scant haue been any , that should haue caried newes hereof .

In the meane time , whilest the battel did endure , the Sophie caused alwaies the assault to bee continued , fearing the comming out of those of the towne , which on the next day after , knowing the ouerthrow of their succour , as the assault shuld haue recommenced early in the morning , they did put a certaine signe vppon the walles to parle : but for all this the Persians did not leaue to marche to the assault , where neuertheles they were couragiously receiued , & those of the towne did defend them selues more than an houre & a halfe . And by that time the Persians beeing refreshed of other bandes , entred in , whereas they vsed great cruelties , and taking none to mercie , they onely preserued him that was gouernour of the town , whom they keepe captiue .

And because the Sophie ten monethes past had lost seuen and thirtie vessels in the parties of Affrica , he hath caused to be reserued about ten thousand captiues , for to serue himselfe withall in other vessels , whiche hee meaneth readily to arme against the Turke .

There is founde more then two hundreth Cannons for battrie , and about fiue hundreth light peeces , with full eight thousand cadges of powder , so that beside the pillage of the souldiours onely the munitions of warre beeing within this place , are esteemed at more then sixe millions of Duccates , There is also armour well able to arme an ▪ hundreth thousande men of warre , which the great Turke had caused to bee caried thither , for to enter this Sommer with great power vpon the lande of the Sophie .

This great losse beeing come to his knowledge , he tooke such griefe thereat , that they thought he woulde haue died of sorrow : and the brute came to Venice that he was dead , neuerthelesse he is nowe in health .

All the chiefe which returned from the said battaile , haue all by his expresse commaundement beene beheaded , yea , the selfe same Ochali Bassha . Of the other seuen Basshats , fiue were killed , and the two others are prisoners , the one whereof is sore hurt .

The Sophi had all the artillarie and munitions of warre , with al the baggage of the Turkish campe of an inestimable value : and men doe beleeue , that since the raigne of Sultan Selim , in whatsoeuer place it was , he neuer receiued such a losse

And of such a victorie the Christians ought to render thanks to our good God , the which doeth imparte and giue vnto vs his graces , according as wee neede , weakening and diminishing the meanes of the enimy of his holy faith & Christian religion , whom with al such like helhounds he could dispatch in lesse then the twinckling of an eye , if his will were such , but the occasions of this are to vs vnknowne .

And if such a victorie hath not beene obteined in Europe , or in Affricke , neerer vnto vs , yet the more is God to bee praysed for : because anie victorie cannot be obteined , but there is losse as well on the side of the victorer , as of the same that is vanquished .

And in the meane while the Turkes , be so much weaker for to assail vs on this side ( as they had well thought to haue come this Summer againe , to the Isle of Malta ) hauing loste so great number ▪ of men in this battaile , as that of one hundred and threescore thousand remaine deade vpon the place , which is no maruaile . for such Monarchies may prepare in a little time , an armie of an hundred or two hundred thousand men .