_The Battle of_ Rottenton; _a pretty Stratagem of Fire-works by_ Smith.
_Rodol_ not knowing how to draw the Enemy to Battel, raised his Army,
burning and spoiling all where he came, and returned again towards
_Rebrink_ in the night, as if he had fled upon the general rumour of the
_Crim-Tartars_ coming, which so inflamed the _Turks_ of a happy Victory,
they urged _Jeremy_ against his Will to follow them. _Rodol_ seeing his
Plot fell out as he desired, so ordered the matter, that having regained
the Streights, he put his Army in order, that had been near two days
pursued with continual Skirmishes in his Rear, {MN-1} which now making
Head against the Enemy, that followed with their whole Army in the best
manner they could, was furiously charged with six thousand _Heydukes,
Wallachians,_ and _Moldavians,_ led by three Colonels, _Oversall,
Dubras_, and _Calab,_ to entertain the time till the rest came up;
_Veltus_ and _Nederspolt_ with their Regiments, entertained them with the
like courage, till the Zanzacke _Hamesbeg,_ with six thousand more, came
with a fresh charge, which _Meldritch_ and _Budendorfe,_ rather like
enraged Lions, than Men, so bravely encountred, as if in them only had
consisted the Victory; _Meldritch's_ Horse being slain under him, the
_Turks_ pressed what they could to have taken him Prisoner, but being
remounted, it was thought with his own hand he slew the valiant Zanzacke,
whereupon his Troops retiring, the two proud _Bashawes, Aladin,_ and
_Zizimmus,_ brought up the front of the body of their Battle. _Veltus,_
and _Nederspolt_ having breathed, and joyning their Troops with
_Becklefield_ and _Zarvana,_ with such an incredible courage, charged the
left flank of _Zizimmus,_ as put them all in disorder, where _Zizimmus_
the _Bashaw_ was taken Prisoner, but died presently upon his Wounds.
_Jeremy_ seeing now the main Battel of _Rodol_ advance, being thus
constrained, like a Valiant Prince in his front of the Vangard, by his
example so bravely encouraged his Soldiers, that _Rodol_ found no great
assurance of the Victory. Thus being joyned in this bloody Massacre, that
there was Scarce Ground to stand upon, but upon the dead Carcases, which
in less than an hour, were So mingled, as if each Regiment had singled
out other. The admired _Aladin_ that day did leave behind him a glorious
name for his Valour, whose Death, many of his Enemies did lament after the
Victory, which at that instant fell to _Rodol._ It was reported, _Jeremy_
was also slain; but it Was not so, but fled with the remainder of his Army
to _Moldavia,_ leaving five and twenty thousand dead in the Field, of both
Armies. {MN-2} And thus _Rodol_ was seated again in his Soveraignty, and
_Wallachia_ became subject to the Emperour.
* * * * *
{MN-1} A battle betwixt _Rodol_ and _Jeremy._
{MN-2} _Wallachia_ subjected to the Emperour.
But long he rested not to settle his new Estate, but there came News,
that certain Regiments of stragling _Tartars,_ were foraging those Parts
towards _Moldavia. Meldritch_ with thirteen thousand Men was sent against
them, but when they heard it was the _Crim-Tartar,_ and his two Sons,
with an Army of thirty thousand; and _Jeremy,_ that had escaped with
fourteen or fifteen thousand, lay in ambush for them about _Langanaw,_ he
retired towards _Rottenton,_ a strong Garrison for _Rodol;_ but they were
so invironed with these hellish numbers, they could make no great hast
for skirmishing with their Scouts, Foragers, and small Parties that still
encountred them. But one night amongst the rest, having made a passage
through a Wood, with an incredible expedition, cutting Trees thwart each
other to hinder their passage, in a thick Fogg, early in the Morning,
unexpectedly they met two thousand loaded with Pillage, and two or three
hundred Horse and Cattel; the most of them were slain and taken Prisoners,
who told them where _Jeremy_ lay in the passage, expecting the
_Crim-Tartar_ that was not far from him. _Meldritch_ intending to make
his passage by force, was advised of a pretty Stratagem, by the English
_Smith,_ which presently he thus accomplished; for having accommodated
two or three hundred Trunks with wild-fire, upon the Heads of Lances, and
charging the Enemy in the night, gave fire to the Trunks, which blazed
forth such Flames and Sparkles, that it so amazed not only their Horses,
but their Foot also; that by the means of this flaming Encounter, their
own Horses turned Tails with such fury, as by their violence overthrew
_Jeremy_ and his Army, without any loss at all to speak of to _Meldritch._
But of this Victory, long they triumphed not; for being within three
Leagues of _Rottenton,_ the _Tartar,_ with near forty thousand so beset
them, that they must either fight, or be cut in pieces flying. Here
_Busca,_ and the Emperour had their desire; for the Sun no sooner
displayed his Beams, than the _Tartar_ his Colours; where at mid-day he
stayed a while, to see the Passage of a tyrannical and treacherous
imposture, till the Earth did blush with the blood of Honesty, that the
Sun for shame did hide himself, from so monstrous sight of a cowardly
Calamity. It was a most brave sight to see the Banners and Ensigns
streaming in the Air, the glittering of Armour, the variety of Colours,
the motion of Plumes, the forests of Lances, and the thickness of shorter
Weapons, till the silent Expedition of the bloody blast from the murdering
Ordnance, whose roaring Voice is not so soon heard, as felt by the aimed
at Object, which made among them a most lamentable slaughter.
* * * * *