The true Copy, of a Letter written to a Gentleman of Worship in England.  
Lamentably discoursing the cruelty of Bashaw Mahomet, high Admiral to the great Turk: who with a Fleet of one hundred and seven Galleys, entered the Confines of the Christian Princes within the Straits of Gibraltar.  
With his landing in Sicilia an Island of the Spanish Kings, which he burned and spoiled, taking many Prisoners.  
Also the taking of two of the principal Galleys of the Duke of Florence with one thousand fight men: The taking and burning of three great Ships in the vale of Messina, and two others in the gulf of Venice, one of which being a Venetian, the other a Fleming.  
Printed at London by I.D. for Thomas Gosson: and are to be sold at his shop by London Bridge Gate, 1595.   

The Admiral of the great Turk's invasion of Sicilia an Island of the Spanish Kings, with his other extreme cruelties over divers Nations whom he spoilt, entering the Confines of the Christian Princes in the Straits of Giblatar with 107. Galleys in januarie last.  
RIght worshipful, to write you the many wrongs offered my Captain, your worshipful good friend, in this place (where neither laws of Christians or conscience is regarded) might rather cumber you than any way move your content, wherefore I omit them, not doubting, but by his own reports you have long sithence been advertised of each particular accident, for that I hear to all our great comforts, by Master Spencer of London, who arrived here with a ship of the Thames, that he was met out of the Straits long since: which news (I may well say) was joyful unto us, for that it was verily thought, yea, and spoken expressly, that he was dead, so credibly believed by the sudden going hence of his ship: But blessed be God for his safety, for by his welfare our hopes are made the greater, his care will be the more of us his poor followers, & we shall the more patiently bear this discontent, living here amongst those which hold us in no more regard than they do beasts, but only in regard of the league between our gracious Queen and the grand Seignory, as hath appeared by their indirect dealings with us, not only the Gentleman being present, but with us in his absence, especially, so long as the old Bashaw continued here, which stomached us greatly, the more for our captains departure, of whom he thought if he once again got him in his possession to have made a great gain: But he is now gone to Constantinople, where it is said he is very hardly thought of, not only for abusing my Captain and us, but also for forcing Master Poynes his man the Purser of the Mary to ●u●ne Turk, who is prosecuted hardly by the English men there for the same, so that for the love the Emperor beareth to our Nation, they say he is like to lose his head, since whose departure, and the coming of this new Viceroy we have been very well entreated, and with such favour, as we cannot be better with our nearest friends, being not of our own Nation, which kindness is by the express command of the great Turk, whom he dares not offend, dreading his life.  
But for all their shows of love; God send us the company of our good friends in England, for our own extremity is not such, as is the grief and discontent of mind, to see what numbers of Christians daily are brought hither: And not long since there was brought by Meryteroyze the Admiral 1000 able men prisoners, besides slaves which were taken by four small Galleys of the Turks, going in course on the Christian shore, where they met the the two chief Galleys of the Duke of Florence his Admiral with his lantern, and one other, the least having twenty eight banks on a side, and six men at every Oar. These Galleys when they saw, first the Turks gave them chase, and the Turks coming with them likewise, came suddenly in sight to descry what one the other were.  
The Florentines perceiving them to be Turks, were amazed what to do, some would fight, others gave counsel to be gone: Growing into mutinies within themselves the guider of the Christian Admiral cried out to the Captain, to free his slaves, and let them fight for their liberty: But he cried to be gone, and caused them to row all they could. But his slaves being many of them Turks would not work, but gave over their labour in hope that they should be freed by those Galleys. How so ever it chanced, they assured themselves worse than they were, they could not be: if taken, they were sure of livertie: if not, they could be no worse.  
The companies as is said, being at this odds within themselves, up came the Galleys, and discharged their prows and small shot upon them, doing much spoil unto them and killed many of the men, yet were most bravely answered of the Florentines, who spared neither powder nor shot, but in reasonable sort bestowed them both. But in the end, having small hope to escape being so fiercely assailed, their stomachs quailed, the Turks boarded them. In the entry, they murdered as many with their Curtleaxes as stood in their ways, forcing divers to leap over board, making such massacre amongst them, that might grieve any Christian heart to hear it. In this conflict was the Christian General slain, and many of the better sort, who if they had been men, as they be proud cowards, might as well have taken the Turks.  
Thus the poor Christians being subdued, such of the Turks which in the fight had their friends slain, did in revenge they so abuse them as they wished they had all leapt over board to escape their tyranny, in which fight, there perished many Christians, and not above four score Turks in the whole: with this booty they returned to Argiere again, after they had been from thence some eighteen days, bringing with them of captains Christians nine hundred and ninety, & released threo hundred Turks and more which were slaves with them.  
Amongst which was one Englishman who was Gunner in one of the Galleys, whose favour was more than all the others, yet was he chained with the rest, until the Admiral Meryteroyze had examined him, who finding as well by others reports as his own, that he was taken at Genua, coming Pilot ●ha Fleming to serve against his will, he was set at liberty.  
Whiles these Galleys were abroad, there arrived a Frigate here from Constantinople with Letters, commanding as well Argiere, as all other Ports in Barbary by a day 〈◊〉 … d, with such Galleys as they could make to meet the Admiral of Turkey, who came with a great Fleet to range the ●eas, 〈◊〉 ●●w● the forces of the Christians 〈◊〉 commanding them to put o●er to the Christian shore, and learn by such means as they could what forces the Christians had, who they were informed had one hundred and fifty Sails reads to encounter them, and in the vale of Messina to meet them, to give intelligence what they heard.  
For this service, seven Galleys from Argiere was appointed four, of them being Meryteroyze who was Admiral: many Ro●zus vice Admiral: many Prechinel●, and many Spaniola, the chief of the other best Galleys, who were not long in providing, but hastened to meet the Bassa we as they were commanded, and putting over to the Christian shore, in the … e of Venice, they gave chase to a tall ship of Venice, with whom they came and haled them, but the Venetians would not suffer them to come a board but most courageously resisted them, doing great spoil, yet in the end were enforced to yield, and being taken and demanded how they durst break the League between them and the State whom they answered in such manner, that they were for their labour chained and made slaves, and their ship which was laden with great wealth, bound for Marcellus was before their faces without any remorse fired.  
From thence they bore to Calabria, an Island situate between Christendom and Barbary where they gave chase to a grea●●●●e-boat laden (as they say) with Englishmen goods▪ These Flemings seeing the Galleys give them chase, & doubting they had been the Spanish Galleys, fearing if they were taken they should be ill entreated for wearing the english colour in their top, heaved the same over board, with their Charti● Party bills of lading and all letters that might give them any show to be, or have to do for England: for which their rashness when the Turks had boarded and taken them, they were all made prisoners and chained, and their ship fired & burned, notwithstanding all their entreaties, dilating truly what they were, and what they intended: Soon after this mischief was ended, the Turkish Galleys had sight first of two Galleys then three then four more, so that they had descried nine Sails in sight, all tall Galleys far bigger than the Turks, which being well perceived 〈◊〉 was suspected by the Turks, they were part of that Fleet of one hundred and fifty which was said to be made out for them, and thereon resolved not to stay, dreading the rest was not far, and they too weak to encounter them, & therefore made from them all they could: But the Christian Galleys having had sight of them, gave them chase, but wind failing them, and the Turks Galies being light & nimble, towed away from them and so escaped.  
This hazard past, they plied to meet the Fleet as they had directions, of whom by other small Galleys which were sent for spies they had intelligence, th●ther they made, & in the vale of Messina met them, at which, such general rejoicing after these manner was made that the noise of their Cannons and small shot was heard tumbling in the air by report near twenty Leagues. This triumph past, Meryteroyze & his three companions were sent for to the Bashaw, who gave them great entertainment, and many welcomes: To him when they had at large discoursed what had happened them with all their fortunes in their voyage, the night growing on, they take their leaves for that time, each one going to his charge. The next morning a flag of parley was put out in the Admiral, to summon all Commanders to come 〈…〉 where of●●●…me par●ey, they had 〈…〉 their intended action, each one … ng ●●s charge delivered, as will those for the service by sea, as those appointed for the land: To Sicilia they come, and rowed close aboard the shore, banking breast and breast, and on the isle where they were most sure their force was least; they landed: at whose sudden coming, the people such as could make shift for themselves, fled into the mountains leaving few others but aged and weak people, with young children, which those cruel people made no conscience to kill in most brutish and vile manner, seven several villages they thus surprised: Carried their ordinance from their Ports, spoiled and rifled their goods, burned their towns and houses, sacked their holds & places of defence, leaving many man wifelsss, and many a wife husbandless, the parents lamenting their children lost, led by these merciless people into captivity, and the children crying for the parents who were murdered, their vineyards burned in like manner, and what mischief was there which they did not perform? Thus by the force of those merciless people are many beggared which were of wealth and utterly spoiled. And it is greatly feared in all Christian Regions in these parts, that with greater forces they will make their repair into those Confines: and by the Merchants of Marcellus it is commonly spoken here, that he gathereth a great power pretending to come for Naples: To rebate whose furious pride in conquering, the Spanish King hath sent to the State of Venice for aid against them, which the Duke will not grant in regard of the League between them, without great matters be accomplished which is required: It is said, he requireth Sicilia be assured to the State of Venice. But how true the report of these Prince's doings is, I cannot say, for the rest I have certain knowledge to be true, as well by that Englishman, which was present at all the service, which was taken in the Duke of Florence Galleys, as also by divers other which were eye witness to the same and returned hither with great spoil.  
God of his great mercy unite the hearts of all Christian Princes, that they loving faithfully, may join themselves and their Forces, to relieve those miserable afflicted people, which grove under the burden of their miseries: So shall God be glorified by them, and the oppressed comforted.  
Thus sir I have been over bold with your Worship, which I hope you will pardon, and remember my suit to my friendly Captain, whom I hope shortly to see.  
Argiere this tenth of januarie. Your Worships in all duty, ever ready, R. La.