the complete writings-3-第27部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


；　he　became　in　turn　the　challenger；　in　phrase　as　courteously　and　grimly　facetious　as　was　permissible；　thus：

〃To　delude　time；　Smith；　with　so　many　incontradictible　perswading　reasons；　obtained　leave　that　the　Ladies　might　know　he　was　not　so　much　enamored　of　their　servants'　heads；　but　if　any　Turke　of　their　ranke　would　come　to　the　place　of　combat　to　redeem　them；　should　have　also　his；　upon　like　conditions；　if　he　could　winne　it。〃

This　considerate　invitation　was　accepted　by　a　person　whom　Smith；　with　his　usual　contempt　for　names；　calls　〃Bonny　Mulgro。〃　　It　seems　difficult　to　immortalize　such　an　appellation；　and　it　is　a　pity　that　we　have　not　the　real　one　of　the　third　Turk　whom　Smith　honored　by　killing。　　But　Bonny　Mulgro；　as　we　must　call　the　worthiest　foe　that　Smith's　prowess　encountered；　appeared　upon　the　field。　　Smith　understands　working　up　a　narration；　and　makes　this　combat　long　and　doubtful。　　The　challenged　party；　who　had　the　choice　of　weapons；　had　marked　the　destructiveness　of　his　opponent's　lance；　and　elected；　therefore；　to　fight　with　pistols　and　battle…axes。　　The　pistols　proved　harmless；　and　then　the　battle…axes　came　in　play；　whose　piercing　bills　made　sometime　the　one；　sometime　the　other；　to　have　scarce　sense　to　keep　their　saddles。　　Smith　received　such　a　blow　that　he　lost　his　battle…axe；　whereat　the　Turks　on　the　ramparts　set　up　a　great　shout。　〃The　Turk　prosecuted　his　advantage　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　yet　the　other；　what　by　the　readiness　of　his　horse；　and　his　judgment　and　dexterity　in　such　a　business；　beyond　all　men's　expectations；　by　God's　assistance；　not　only　avoided　the　Turke's　violence；　but　having　drawn　his　Faulchion；　pierced　the　Turke　so　under　the　Culets　throrow　backe　and　body；　that　although　he　alighted　from　his　horse；　he　stood　not　long　ere　he　lost　his　head；　as　the　rest　had　done。〃

There　is　nothing　better　than　this　in　all　the　tales　of　chivalry；　and　John　Smith's　depreciation　of　his　inability　to　equal　Caesar　in　describing　his　own　exploits；　in　his　dedicatory　letter　to　the　Duchess　of　Richmond；　must　be　taken　as　an　excess　of　modesty。　　We　are　prepared　to　hear　that　these　beheadings　gave　such　encouragement　to　the　whole　army　that　six　thousand　soldiers；　with　three　led　horses；　each　preceded　by　a　soldier　bearing　a　Turk's　head　on　a　lance；　turned　out　as　a　guard　to　Smith　and　conducted　him　to　the　pavilion　of　the　general；　to　whom　he　presented　his　trophies。　　General　Moyses　（occasionally　Smith　calls　him　Moses）　took　him　in　his　arms　and　embraced　him　with　much　respect；　and　gave　him　a　fair　horse；　richly　furnished；　a　scimeter；　and　a　belt　worth　three　hundred　ducats。　　And　his　colonel　advanced　him　to　the　position　of　sergeant…major　of　his　regiment。　　If　any　detail　was　wanting　to　round　out　and　reward　this　knightly　performance　in　strict　accord　with　the　old　romances；　it　was　supplied　by　the　subsequent　handsome　conduct　of　Prince　Sigismund。

When　the　Christians　had　mounted　their　guns　and　made　a　couple　of　breaches　in　the　walls　of　Regall；　General　Moyses　ordered　an　attack　one　dark　night　〃by　the　light　that　proceeded　from　the　murdering　muskets　and　peace…making　cannon。〃　　The　enemy　were　thus　awaited；　〃whilst　their　slothful　governor　lay　in　a　castle　on　top　of　a　high　mountain；　and　like　a　valiant　prince　asketh　what's　the　matter；　when　horrour　and　death　stood　amazed　at　each　other；　to　see　who　should　prevail　to　make　him　victorious。〃　　These　descriptions　show　that　Smith　could　handle　the　pen　as　well　as　the　battleaxe；　and　distinguish　him　from　the　more　vulgar　fighters　of　his　time。　　The　assault　succeeded；　but　at　great　cost　of　life。　　The　Turks　sent　a　flag　of　truce　and　desired　a　〃composition；〃　but　the　earl；　remembering　the　death　of　his　father；　continued　to　batter　the　town　and　when　he　took　it　put　all　the　men　in　arms　to　the　sword；　and　then　set　their　heads　upon　stakes　along　the　walls；　the　Turks　having　ornamented　the　walls　with　Christian　heads　when　they　captured　the　fortress。　　Although　the　town　afforded　much　pillage；　the　loss　of　so　many　troops　so　mixed　the　sour　with　the　sweet　that　General　Moyses　could　only　allay　his　grief　by　sacking　three　other　towns；　Veratis；　Solmos；　and　Kapronka。　　Taking　from　these　a　couple　of　thousand　prisoners；　mostly　women　and　children；　Earl　Moyses　marched　north　to　Weisenberg　（Alba　Julia）；　and　camped　near　the　palace　of　Prince　Sigismund。

When　Sigismund　Battori　came　out　to　view　his　army　he　was　made　acquainted　with　the　signal　services　of　Smith　at　〃Olumpagh；　Stowell…　Weisenberg；　and　Regall；〃　and　rewarded　him　by　conferring　upon　him；　according　to　the　law　ofarms；　a　shield　of　arms　with　〃three　Turks'　heads。〃　　This　was　granted　by　a　letter…patent；　in　Latin；　which　is　dated　at　〃Lipswick；　in　Misenland；　December　9；　1603〃　It　recites　that　Smith　was　taken　captive　by　the　Turks　in　Wallachia　November　18；　1602；　that　he　escaped　and　rejoined　his　fellow…soldiers。　　This　patent；　therefore；　was　not　given　at　Alba　Julia；　nor　until　Prince　Sigismund　had　finally　left　his　country；　and　when　the　Emperor　was；　in　fact；　the　Prince　of　Transylvania。　　Sigismund　styles　himself；　by　the　grace　of　God；　Duke　of　Transylvania；　etc。　　Appended　to　this　patent；　as　published　in　Smith's　〃True　Travels；〃　is　a　certificate　by　William　Segar；　knight　of　the　garter　and　principal　king　of　arms　of　England；　that　he　had　seen　this　patent　and　had　recorded　a　copy　of　it　in　the　office　of　the　Herald　of　Armes。　　This　certificate　is　dated　August　19；　1625；　the　year　after　the　publication　of　the　General　Historie。〃

Smith　says　that　Prince　Sigismund　also　gave　him　his　picture　in　gold；　and　granted　him　an　annual　pension　of　three　hundred　ducats。　　This　promise　of　a　pension　was　perhaps　the　most　unsubstantial　portion　of　his　reward；　for　Sigismund　himself　became　a　pensioner　shortly　after　the　events　last　narrated。

The　last　mention　of　Sigismund　by　Smith　is　after　his　escape　from　captivity　in　Tartaria；　when　this　mirror　of　virtues　had　abdicated。　Smith　visited　him　at　〃Lipswicke　in　Misenland；〃　and　the　Prince　〃gave　him　his　Passe；　intimating　the　service　he　had　done；　and　the　honors　he　had　received；　with　fifteen　hundred　ducats　of　gold　to　repair　his　losses。〃　　The　〃Passe〃　was　doubtless　the　〃Patent〃　before　introduced；　and　we　hear　no　word　of　the　annual　pension。

Affairs　in　Transylvania　did　not　mend　even　after　the　capture　of　Regall；　and　of　the　three　Turks'　heads；　and　the　destruction　of　so　many　villages。　　This　fruitful　and　strong　country　was　the　prey　of　faction；　and　became　little　better　than　a　desert　under　the　ravages　of　the　contending　armies。　　The　Emperor　Rudolph　at　last　determined　to　conquer　the　country　for　himself；　and　sent　Busca　again　with　a　large　army。　Sigismund　finding　himself　poorly　supported；　treated　again　with　the　Emperor　and　agreed　to　retire　to　Silicia　on　a　pension。　　But　the　Earl　Moyses；　seeing　no　prospect　of　regaining　his　patrimony；　and　determining　not　to　be　under　subjection　to　the　Germans；　led　his　troops　against　Busca；　was　defeated；　and　fled　to　join　the　Turks。　　Upon　this　desertion　the　Prince　delivered　up　all　he　had　to　Busca　and　retired　to　Prague。　　Smith　himself　continued　with　the　imperial　party；　in　the　regiment　of　Earl　Meldritch。　　About　this　time　the　Sultan　sent　one　Jeremy　to　be　vaivode　of　Wallachia；　whose　tyranny　caused　the　people　to　rise　against　him；　and　he　fled　into　Moldavia。　　Busca　proclaimed　Lord　Rodoll　vaivode　in　his　stead。　　But　Jeremy　assembled　an　army　of　forty　thousand　Turks；　Tartars；　and　Moldavians；　and　retired　into　Wallachia。　Smith　took　active　part　in　Rodoll's　campaign　to　recover　Wallachia；　and　narrates　the　savage　war　that　ensued。　　When　the　armies　were　encamped　near　each　other　at　Raza　and　Argish；　Rodoll　cut　off　the　heads　of　parties　he　captured　going　to　the　Turkish　camp；　and　threw　them　into　the　enemy's　trenches。　　Jeremy　retorted　by　skinning　alive　the　Christian　parties　he　captured；　hung　their　skins　upon　poles；　and　their　carcasses　and　heads　on　stakes　by　them。　　In　the　first　battle　Rodoll　was　successful　and　established　himself　in　Wallachia；　but　Jeremy　rallied　and　began　ravaging　the　country。　　Earl　Meldritch　was　sent　against　him；　but　the　Turks'　force　was　much　superior；　and　the　Christians　were　caught　in　a　trap。　　In　order　to　reach　Rodoll；　who　was　at　Rottenton；　Meldritch　with　his　small　army　was　obliged　to　cut　his　way　through　the　solid　body　of　the　enemy。　　A　device　of　Smith's　assisted　him。　　He　covered　two　or　three　hundred　trunksprobably　small　branches　of　treeswith　wild…fire。　　These　fixed　upon　the　heads　of　lances　and　set　on　fire　when　the　troops　charged　in　the　night；　so　terrified　the　horses　of　the　Turks　that　they　fled　in　dismay。　Meldritch　was　for　a　moment　victorious；　but　when　within　three　leagues　of　Rottenton　he　was　overpowered　by　forty　thousand　Turks；　and　the　last　desperate　fight　followed；　in　which　nearly　all　the　friends　of　the　Prince　were　slain；　and　Smith　himself　was　left　for　dead　on　the　field。

On　this　bloody　field　over　thirty　thousand　lay　headless；　armless；　legless；　all　cut　and　mangled；　who　gave　knowledge　to　the　world　how　dear　the　Turk　paid　for　his　conquest　of　Transylvania　and　Wallachiaa　conquest　that　might　have　been　averted　if　the　three　Christian　armies　had　been　joined　against　the　〃cruel　devouring　Turk。〃　　Among　the　slain　were　many　Englishmen；　adventurers　like　the　valiant　Captain　whom　Smith　names；　men　who　〃left　there　their　bodies　in　testimony　of　their　minds。〃　And　there；　〃Smith　among　the　slaughtered　dead　bodies；　and　many　a　gasping　soule　with　toils　and　wounds　lay　groaning　among　the　rest；　till　being　found　by　the　Pillagers　he　was　able　to　live；　and　perceiving　by　his　armor　and　habit；　his　ransome　might　be　better　than　his　death；　they　led　him　prisoner　with　many　others。〃　　The　captives　were　taken　to　Axopolis　and　all　sold　as　slaves。　　Smith　was　bought　by　Bashaw　Bogall；　who　forwarded　him　by　way　of　Adrianople　to　Constantinople；　to　be　a　slave　to　his　mistress。　　So　chained　by　the　necks　in　gangs　of　twenty　they　marched　to　the　city　of　Constantine；　where　Smith　was　delivered　over　to　the　mistress　of　the　Bashaw；　the　young　Charatza　Tragabigzanda。




III

CAPTIVITY　AND　WANDERING

Our　hero　never　stirs　without　encountering　a　romantic　adventure。　Noble　ladies　nearly　always　take　pity　on　good…looking　captains；　and　Smith　was　far　from　ill…favored。　　The　charming　Charatza　delighted　to　talk　with　her　slave；　for　she　could　speak　Italian；　and　would　feign　herself　too　sick　to　go　to　the　bath；　or　to　accompany　the　other　women　when　they　went　to　weep　over　the　graves；　as　their　custom　is　once