[But before we inferre further processe of other EEBO page image 846 accidents, it were good to heare a full discourse, for the exact vnderstanding of the popes affaires, where|abouts he addressed so manie cardinals into so ma|nie parts of christendome, as solicitors to obteine succour against the Turke. ¶ Now followeth (saith mine author) the yeare 1518, Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 756. in which the regions of Italie, contrarie to the precedent of manie yeares before, felt not the least impression or motion of war, yea there appeared the selfe same disposition in all other princes of christendome,The pope so|liciteth all the princes of chri+stendome a|gainst the Turke. betweene whome by the operation of the pope, though happilie more with faire reason, than with substantiall counsels, was so|licited an vniuersall expedition of all christendome aginst the pride of Selim prince of the Turkes.

This man the yeare before, had so inlarged and extended his greatnesse, that comparing with his power, his ambition to be greater, pushed on with manie helpes of nature, it was worthilie to be doub|ted, that if he were not preuented by the inuasions of the christians, he would in his pride lift vp his vic|torious hands against them. For Selim discerning that Baiseth his father, reduced to extreme old age, sought to establish the succession of the empire in the person of Acomath his elder brother, drew into rebel|lion against him, and by force of armes, concurring the corruption of the souldiors of his gard, constrei|ned him to resigne vp to him the authoritie of the go|uernment: and not suffering his ambition to staie there,The ambition and tyrannie of Selim a|gainst his fa|ther & affines. it was beleeued of all men, that for his more absolute assurance he tooke awaie his life by poison: and afterwards giuing an ouerthrow to his brother in an inconter of a battell, he confirmed fullie the seat of his empire, by depriuing him of his life in publike shew, exercising the like rage of crueltie vp|on Corcu the yongest brother of all. And being not satisfied according to the tyrannie of the house of Ot|tomanni, with the bloud and slaughter of all his ne|phues, or anie others that remained of that line and stocke, he was in thought oftentimes (by the rage and furie of his disposition) to take awaie the life of Soliman his onelie sonne.

Of these beginnings bréeding one warre vpon another, after he had subdued the Aduliti, a people of the mountaines, he passed ouer into Persia against the Sophi, to whome he gaue battell and ouerthrew him, and in that felicitie of warre he tooke the citie of Tauris the souereigne seat of that estate,Selim ouer|throweth the Sophi of Persia. togither with the greatest part of Persia which he was con|streined to abandon, not through the valour of his enimies, who for their disabilitie to support their army were retired into the mounteins and places desert, but for the vniuersall dearth and barrennesse of that yeare, he fell into an extreme want of vittels: he re|turned soone after this expedition to Constantinople, where after he had doone execution vpon certeine souldiers seditious, and for certeine moneths had re|freshed his armie, he gaue out that he would eftsoons returne to make warre vpon Persia. But indeed he turned his forces against the Soldan king of So|ria and Aegypt, a prince not onelie of most ancient reuerence and dignitie for that religion; but most mightie for the amplitude of dominion, most rich in tributes,The state of the Soldan king of Soria and Aegypt. and verie glorious by the discipline of the Mammelukes, of whose armes and forces that state was possessed with great reputation thrée hundred yeares.