Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
On every side so thick beset, they might not long contend. But as their captain wild, each man his force did strain, To sand a Turk (some two or three) unto the hellish train, And he himself which saw, he might no more abide, Did thrust a mide the thickest throng, and so with honour died. With him there died like wise, his best approved men, The rest did yield as men amazed, they had no courage then. Amongst the which myself, was ta'en by Turks alas, And with the Turks a turkish life, in Turkey must I pass. I was not done to death for so I often craude, But like a slave before the Gattes, of Famagosta saved. That piece once put to sack, I thither was conveyed, And under safeguard evermore, I silly boy was stayed. There did I see such sights, as yet my heart do prick, I saw the noble * Bragadine, when he was fleyd quick. First like a slave enforced to bear to every breach, Two baskets laden full with earth * Mustaffa did him teach. By whom he might not pass before he kissed the ground, These cruel torments (yet with more) that worthy soldier found. His ears cut from his head, they set him in a chair, And from a main yard hoisted him aloft into the air, That so he might be showed with cruelty and spite, Unto us all, whose weeping eyes did much abhor the sight. Alas why do I thus with woeful words rehearse, These weary news which all our hearts with pity needs must pierce? Well then to tell you forth, I still a slave remained, To one, which Prelybassa height, who held me still enchained. With him I went to Seas into the gulf of Pant, With many christians captives more, which did their freedom want. There with the Turkish train we were enforced to stay, With waltering still upon the waves, did wait for further pray. For why? they had advise, that the Venetian fleet, Did floote in Argostelly then, with whom they hoped to meet. And as they waltered thus with tides and billows tossed, Their hope had hap, for at the last they met them to their cost. As in October last upon the seventh day, They found the force of christian knights addressed in good array. And shall I try my tongue to tell the whole discourse, And how they did encounter first, and how they joined in force? Then hearken now my lords, for sure my memory, Doth yet record the very plot of all this victory, The christian crew came on, in form of battle pight, And like a crescent cast themselves preparing for to fight. On other side the Turks, which trusted power to much, Disorderly did spread their force, the will of God was such. Well at the last they met, and first with cannones thunder, Each other sought with furious force to slit their ships in sunder.
seed 43: T47 · seed 44: T45 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
On euery ſide ſo thicke beſet, they might not long contend. But as their captaine wilde, eche man his force did ſtrayne, To ſend a Turke (ſome two or thrée) vnto the helliſhe trayne, And he himſelfe which ſawe, he might no more abide, Did thruſt a mide the thickeſt throng, and ſo with honour died. With him there dyed like wiſe, his beſt aproued men, The reſt did yéeld as men amazd, they had no courage then. Amongeſt the which my ſelfe, was tane by Turkes alas, And with the Turkes a turkiſh life, in Turkie muſt I paſſe. I was not done to death for ſo I often craude, But like a ſlaue before the Gattes, of Famagoſta ſaude. That péece once put to ſacke, I thither was conueyed, And vnder ſauegard euermore, I ſilly boye was ſtayed. There dyd I ſée ſuch ſightes, as yet my heart do pricke, I ſawe the noble Bragadine, when he was fleyd quicke. Firſt like a ſlaue enforſt to beare to euery breach, Two baſkets laden full with earth Muſtaffa dyd him teach. By whome he might not paſſe before he kyſt the grounde, Theſe cruell tormentes (yet with mo) that worthy ſouldior found. His eares cut from his head, they ſet him in a chayre, And from a maine yard hoiſted him aloft into the ayre, That ſo he might be ſhewed with crueltie and ſpight, Vnto vs all, whoſe wéeping eyes dyd much abhorre the ſight. Alas why do I thus with woefull wordes rehearſe, Theſe werye newes which all our heartes with pittie néedes muſt pearce? Well then to tell you forth, I ſtyll a ſlaue remaind, To one, which Prelybaſſa hight, who held me ſtyll enchaind. With him I went to Seas into the gulfe of Pant, With many chriſtians captiues mo, which dyd their fréedom wāt. There with the Turkiſhe traine we were enforſt to ſtaye, With waltring ſtyll vpon the waues, dyd waite for furder praye. For why? they had aduiſe, that the Venetian fléete, Dyd floote in Argoſtelly then, with whome they hopte to méete. And as they waltered thus with tides and billowes toſt, Their hope had hap, for at the laſt they met them to their coſt. As in October laſt vppon the ſeuenth daye, They found the force of chriſtian knightes addreſt in good aray. And ſhall I trie my tong to tell the whole diſcourſe, And howe they did encounter firſt, and howe they ioynd in force? Then harken nowe my lords, for ſure my memorye, Doth yet recorde the very plot of all this victorye, The chriſtian crew came on, in forme of battayle pight, And like a creſſent caſt them ſelues preparing for to fight. On other ſide the Turkes, which truſted power to much, Diſorderly did ſpread their force, the will of God was ſuch. Well at the laſt they met, and firſt with cannones thunder, Eache other ſought with furious force to ſlit their ſhips in ſunder.