_The names of the_ English _that were slain in the Battel of_ Rottenton;
_and how Captain_ Smith _was taken Prisoner, and sold for a Slave._
In the valley of _Veristhorne,_ betwixt the River of _Altus,_ and the
Mountain of _Rottenton,_ was this bloody Encounter, where the most of the
dearest Friends of the noble Prince Sigismundus perished. _Meldritch_
having ordered his Eleven thousand in the best manner he could, at the
Foot of the Mountain upon his Flanks, and before his front, he had pitched
sharp Stakes, their Heads hardned in the fire, and bent against the Enemy,
as three Battalion of Pikes, amongst the which also, there was digged many
small holes. {MN-1} Amongst those Stakes was ranged his foot-men, that
upon the charge was to retire, as there was occasion. The _Tartar_ having
ordered his 40000 for his best advantage, appointed _Mustapha Bashaw_ to
begin the Battel, with a general Shout, all their Ensigns displaying,
Drums beating, Trumpets and Haut-boys sounding. _Nederspolt_ and _Mavazo_
with their Regiments of Horse most valiantly encountred, and forced them
to retire; the _Tartar Begoli_ with his Squadrons, darkning the Skies with
their flights of numberless Arrows, who was as bravely encountred by
_Veltus_ and _Oberwin,_ which bloody slaughter continued more than an
hour, till the matchless multitude of the _Tartars_ so increased, that
they retired within their Squadrons of Stakes, as was directed. The bloody
_Tartar,_ as scorning he should stay so long for the Victory, with his
massie Troops prosecuted the Charge: But it was a wonder to see how Horse
and Man came to the Ground among the Stakes, whose disordered Troops were
there so mangled, that the _Christians_ with a loud Shout cried
_Victoria;_ and with five or six field Pieces, planted upon the rising of
the Mountain, did much hurt to the Enemy that still continued the Battel
with that fury, that _Meldritch_ seeing there was no possibility long to
prevail, joyned his small Troops in one body, resolved directly to make
his passage, or die in the conclusion; and thus in gross gave a general
charge, and for more than half an hour, made his way plain before him,
till the main Battle of the _Crim-Tartar,_ with two Regiments of _Turks_
and _Jaizaries_ so overmatched them, that they were overthrown. The night
approaching, the Earl with some thirteen or fourteen hundred Horse, swam
the River, some were drowned, all the rest slain or taken Prisoners: And
thus in this bloody Field, near 30000 lay, some Headless, Armless and
Legless, all cut and mangled; where breathing their last, they gave this
knowledge to the World, that for the lives of so few, the _Crim-Tartar_
never paid dearer. {MN-2} But now the Countries of _Transilvania_ and
_Wallachia_ (subjected to the Emperor) and _Sigismundus,_ that brave
Prince, his Subject and Pensioner, the most of his Nobility, brave
Captains and Soldiers, became a prey to the cruel devouring _Turk:_ where,
had the Emperour been as ready to have assisted him, and those three
Armies led by three such worthy Captains, as _Michael, Busca,_ and Himself,
and had those three Armies joyned together against the _Turk,_ let all Men
judge, how happy it might have been for all Christendom: and have either
regained _Bulgaria,_ or at least have beat him out of _Hungaria,_ where he
hath taken much more from the Emperour, than hath the Emperour from
_Transilvania._
* * * * *
{MN-1} _the Battle of_ Rottenton.
{MN-2} _Extracted out of a book, instituted, the Wars of_ Hungaria,
Wallachia, _and_ Moldavia, _written by_ Francisco Ferneza, _a learned
Italian, the Princes Secretary, and translated by Mr._ Purchas.
In this dismal Battel, where _Nederspolt, Veltus, Zarvana, Mavazo, Bavel,_
and many other Earls, Barons, Colonels, Captains, brave Gentlemen, and
Soldiers were slain, give me leave to remember the names of our own
Country-men, {MN} with him in those Exploits, that as resolutely as the
best in the defence of Christ and his Gospel, ended their days, as
_Bakersfield, Hardwick, Thomas Milemer, Robert Mollineux, Thomas Bishop,
Francis Compton, George Davison, Nicholas Williams_ and one _John_ a Scot,
did what Men could do, and when they could do no more, left there their
Bodies in Testimony of their minds; only Ensign _Charleton,_ and Sergeant
_Robinson_ escaped: But _Smith,_ among the slaughtered dead Bodies, and
many a gasping Soul, with toil and Wounds lay groaning among the rest,
till being found by the Pillagers, he was able to live, and perceiving by
his Armour and Habit, his ransom might be better to them than his Death,
they led him Prisoner with many others; well they used him till his Wounds
were cured, and at _Axopolis_ they were all sold for Slaves, like Beasts
in a Market-place, where every Merchant, viewing their Limbs and Wounds,
caused other Slaves to struggle with them, to try their strength, he fell
to the share of _Bashaw Bogal,_ who sent him forthwith to _Adrianopolis,_
so for _Constantinople_ to his fair Mistriss for a Slave. By twenty and
twenty chained by the Necks, they marched in file to this great City,
where they were delivered to their several Masters, and he to the young
_Charaza Tragabigzanda._
* * * * *
{MN} _The English Men in this Battel._
* * * * *