Most Illuſtrious, and moſt Excellent Lord my moſt Honored Patron.

YOur Excellency ſhall receive herewith an ac­count of one of the moſt memorable Succeſ­ſes that in ſo ſhort a compaſs of time the Divine Providence could give to poor Mor­tals, over the Common Enemy.

The Venetian Fleet departed from Sdille to the number of nineteen Gallies, and ſix Galeaſſes, the Ships being left behind to make more ſpeed; And finding that the Enemies Fleet was gone from Mettelino having newly come out of the Dardanelli, to the number often Gallies, being inform'd there by the Slaves that the ſayed Fleet was at Scio where they expected recreuts from Conſtantinople, we bent our cours towards that place, where not finding the ſayed Armata, we were told by the Slaves that it was gone towards Rhodes, for to caulk ſom bottoms, we making that way, we met with five Saics which were part of the Alexandrian Ca­ravan deſign'd for Smirna, whereof one was burnt, and two ſtranded; Thence we ſteerd our cours towards Samos, and Scala nuova, and in the way took a Veſſell of Alexandria.

Herupon we diſpatch Felucas and Brigantines towards Sa­mos and Scala nuova in queſt of the Enemies Fleet, but before their return we finding our ſelfs nere Cao corbo, we ſpied it betimes in the morning making ſayl towards the Streight of Samos; The Turks Armata was 25 miles diſtant from ours, and we no ſooner diſcoverd it, but we made all the ſpeed that Sayles and Oares could make to find them out. But with the favour of the wind they got to the Channel of Samos. And having notice the Fleet from Barbary were expected with a good quanty of Rialls to meet at Scio, and joyn with the reſt of the Armata, we applyed our ſelf to prevent that con­junction, and to ſtreighten that Iland, which began already to feel want.

That Evening another Saic was taken, and Advice was brought of nine Veſſels which made ſayl towards Scio with a weak wind, and ſix more becauſe of the Night were left behind; All theſe were Ships of Barbary as we had intelli­gence, which were going to reinforce the Turks Armata; And amongſt them there was the Golden Croſſe a Flemiſh Ship, who being come from Venice with a Cargaſon of Bisket, and being retir'd to Tine, was taken by them, a little before, they counterfeiting a Flemiſh Banner, which the Captain percei­ving, he ſavd his men aſhore, and left them the Ship.

Theſe were Ships from the Coaſt of Algier, among the formoſt ther was the Admirall, the Captain, and the Padro­na in the middle, which was taken laſt of all.

They having diſcoverd our Fleet, they began to ſtreighten their Sayles, to joyn with thoſe that were furtheſt off, ſhewing therby a reſolution to fight.

Therupon we ordred our ſelfs for battail, on the right ſide ſtood Proveditor Badoaro, on the left Comiſſary Michael, and in the middle the moſt Excellent Lord the Capitan Ge­nerall Mocenigo; Therupon the Gallies divided themſelfs to three Squadrons, with two Galeaſſes attending evry Squadron.

In the Vantgard their ſayld the Gally of Barbaro Captain of the Gulph, aſſiſted by, and directed by the Lord Auguſtin Marcello; This Veſſell with incomparable valour made to­wards, and aſſaulted the Enemy.

The Fortreſſe of Scio ſtounded the Enemy with their great Canon ſhot. The moſt Excellent Lord Captain General Mocenigo having diſposd of all things for Fight, the Canons went off for three howers perpetually on both ſides, with ſuch an ardor and fury, that a greater obſtinacy could not be in any Battail.

And it may eaſily be beleevd, for the Moores or Barbareſchi, are of the fierceſt, and moſt undaunted nature of any among the Turks.

Ther being ſcarce a breath of wind left, the Ships began to make uſe of leggs for wings, and make uſe of Oares, which they uſe to do when they are out in cours, but by the high vertu and valour of the Captain General all our Galeaſſes were inordred to boord the Enemy, and the firſt who did ſo was Lodovico Baffo Director of the Captain Galeaſſa Moroſini, who approaching the poop of the Enemies Admirall with two Gallies more which were to attend him, viz. that of Commiſſary Michael, and the honorable Giacomo Pollani, who did the work, For the comands of the General were ſo pun­ctually performd, that the Aggreſſors being twice beaten back, yet by pure valour and force they made themſelfs Ma­ſters of the ſayd Ship, which did much animat the reſt.

At the ſame time the Captain of the Galeaſſe Loredano boorded another ſhip being attended by the Gallie of the Lord Gerolimo Peſaro, and after a tough fight, he made the Veſſell his own.

In the interim ther came out of the Port of Scio a Gally, and 2 Galeots for the aſſiſtance of the Enemy, but the Lord Franciſco Viſcamo took order with them, and beat them back again to port.

The moſt excellent Captain Generall did inceſſantly tor­ment the Enemies Captain with his Gallie, who made more reſiſtence than others, and Captain Renier attempting to boord her, the wind interpoſing it ſelf by turning North­weſt oblig'd him to paſs with the Gallie of the Lo. Nicolas Zane to the boording of another Ship. But in his place ther came Antonio Priuli with his Galeaſſe, who with extraordi­nary fierceneſs ſet upon her, ſo that the oppoſition was very obſtinat, At laſt Mehemet a Renegado Hollander who comand­ed in chief being hurt in the Legg, whereof he died the next day, the Ship was wonne, and the Banner of the Chriſtian General was planted upon Her to the glory of the great God who furtherd the Enterprize.

The Lo. Franceſco Moſenigo Lieutenant, and Brother to the4 moſt excellent Captain General who aſſiſted all the while at the prore, did ſtir himſelf notably in this exploit, as all­ſo Signor Aluiſe Dona who in quality of an adventurer and Volontier was upon the ſayed gallie, did ſhow moſt ſignal proofs of reſolution and valour in the acqueſt of the ſayed ſhipp.

One ſhipp alone which was lagg behind the reſt by the favour of the wind being joyned with ſix more which were allready diſcoverd, and come neer, put themſelfs all to flight.

With the ſhip on the right wing a moſt blouddy fight continued by the Squadon of the Proveditor Badoer, cauſing two to run a ſhore which were afterwards fyrd by the enemy himſelf, wherein ſome ſwom to land, others choſe rather an honorable death then to expoſe themſelfs to Slavery.

The Captain of the Golfo Barbaro did boord another Shipp being joynd with Signor Lunardo Moro, who were emulous with one another in point of valour; But this fight coſt us dear, for the Captain of the Golf was hurt in his left ſhould­er, Marcello director of the Galley had a ſore hurt in his right foot, and Lunardo Moro had a muskett ſhort in his neck which is feard is Mortal; In the gallie ther remaind hurt Franciſco Bollani, Luca Falier with little hope of life; In this engagement the courage of Sig. Baptista Caotorta upon the gallie Remera was very remarkable.

The generous actions, and exemplary proweſſe of Father Auguſtin Moro a Dominican Fryer is not here to be omitted, for the gallie Moro being indiſtreſſe, he with few more endu­r'd the Shocks of the Turks who from the land pelted the prore, wher he receavd five wounds but non mortal we hope.

Two gallies being ſtranded the Proveditor of the Armata came to the ſuccour of the moſt excellent Captain General who drew the gally Capitan de golfo from danger, and by his ordinance driving away the peeple from the ſhore which were come thither in ſwarms, both the gallies were freed; And ſo in five howers battail were preſervd all the Veſſells5 of the moſt Serene Republique, but not without effuſion of bloud.

Of nine Veſſells fower were taken out of the very body of the battail, but ſo torn that they came as naked Carcaſes without maſts, ſo furiouſly did the Venetian armes play a­gainſt them.

Among thoſe Veſſells which were taken ther is the Cap­tain, and the Admirante; Among the reſt one fledd away fearing the Shock, Three were burnt, and one two daies after becauſe they could not hale her aſhoare they put fier in her.

The Slaves which were taken in this battail come to a great nomber, among whom Aidin Chaus who was ſent with money from Constantinople to Barbary for to hyre this Fleet for the ſervice of the Gran Signor, Ther was alſo taken Me­hemet di Berb•ria Colonell of the Janizaries, Cuſain d' Algieri Captain of a Shipp, as alſo Captian Generall of the Fleet the who died a little after of his wounds, beſide a great nomber of Chriſtian Slaves were freed.

The nomber of the dead on the Eenmies ſide was great becauſe few could ſcape by ſwimming, and ther was not a Ship but had 150 Soldiers, and evry one had 30 Mariners Slaves of all Nations.

The dead on our ſide came to 100 and 17. among whom Colonell Pietro de Landa a Subject of high eſteem for experi­ence and valour.

But the wounded came to the nomber of 346, a­mong whom beſides the Noble-men before nominated ther is Signor Andrea Bragadini, an extraordinary Captain of one of the galeaſſes, upon which Signor Antonio Loredan•had occaſion to diſcover an extraordinary valour who was a­board the ſayed galeaſſe; Among the wounded ther are all­ſo Don vicenzo, Vando and Horatio Bartolini.

Such was the concluſion of this glorious fight, which pro­miſeth ſom good fortune to follow upon the Iland of Scio; And certainly it may be eſteemd an incomparable Glory, that ſo6 ſmall a Fleet ſhold take & deſtroy ſo many ſhips, and put to flight 7 more which were in a warlike equipage; But all muſt be attributed to the aſsiſtance of that great God who pro­tects the juſt cauſe of the Republique, wherin the moſt ſerene Prince Bertuca valiero doth govern in chief, and with ſuch ſin­gular prudence; Adde hereunto that the Heroique vertu, and valour, the piety, juſtice, the auſpicious fortune, and rare directions of the moſt excellent Captain General Moce­nigo, did infinitly conduce to this ſignal victory, which pro­miſeth ſecurity to all Chriſtendome, with benedictions and triumph to the Venetian Armies.

This is all I can impart for the preſent to your Excellency, reſerving my ſelf for a more punctuall relation another time, wherin ther wil be occaſion to ſpeak of the merit, and glory of evry one of thoſe noble Venetians who with ſo much magna­nimity encreaſe the antient renown of this invincible Repub­lique.

SInce my laſt, ther are freſh News, that a ſquadron of Turkiſh Saiques are taken, and that the Venetian Fleet is ad­vanc'd through the Caſtles into the Helleſpont towards Con­ſtantinople, where ther are fearfull confuſions, the Greek Patri­arch being lat•ly ſtrangled, and the Janezaries bafled the Gran Signore in the Seraglio, and comitted many other Inſo­lencies.