Petrelë

The modesty of the address made by Scanderbeg to his people was highly applauded, and the course which he advised to be pursued implicitly followed.

Moses, with three thousand horse, was sent forward to Petrela, and was soon followed by Scanderbeg himself, with the remainder of the forces.

Petrela is a strong city twenty-five miles from Croya, situated upon the top of a steep and rocky mountain, like the other cities of Epyre, and well furnished by the Turks with men and munitions of war.

Notwithstanding the strength of that place, Scanderbeg had good hope that the Turkish garrison therein, terrified of the fate of Croya and the slaughter of their countrymen in the surrounding regions, would be induced to yield up the town upon reasonable conditions.

With this end in view, Scanderbeg, after he had established his camp, sent one of his men, a faithful and intelligent fellow who followed him out of Hungary, to offer the garrison, upon condition of their delivering up the place, the option either to enter his service upon liberal terms, or to depart in safety with bag and baggage, and a large sum of money to be divided among them.

The messenger performed his task with great ability.

He set before the garrison of Petrela the example of Croya, exhorting them to bear in mind what that city had suffered, and to think how the dead bodies of their fellow soldiers were exposed to the dogs and wolves in every corner of Epirus, the truth of which they had learned from diverse Turks who had fled for refuge into the town.

Nor did he fail to remind them that Amurath, having lately lost a great battle against the Hungarians, and being engaged in other wars, had no leisure to turn his attention towards Epyre.

The modesty of the address made by Scanderbeg to his people was highly applauded, and the course which he advised to be pursued implicitly followed.

Moses, with three thousand horse, was sent forward to Petrela, and was soon followed by Scanderbeg himself, with the remainder of the forces.

Petrela is a strong city twenty-five miles from Croya, situated upon the top of a steep and rocky mountain, like the other cities of Epyre, and well furnished by the Turks with men and munitions of war.

Notwithstanding the strength of that place, Scanderbeg had good hope that the Turkish garrison therein, terrified of the fate of Croya and the slaughter of their countrymen in the surrounding regions, would be induced to yield up the town upon reasonable conditions.

With this end in view, Scanderbeg, after he had established his camp, sent one of his men, a faithful and intelligent fellow who followed him out of Hungary, to offer the garrison, upon condition of their delivering up the place, the option either to enter his service upon liberal terms, or to depart in safety with bag and baggage, and a large sum of money to be divided among them.

The messenger performed his task with great ability.

He set before the garrison of Petrela the example of Croya, exhorting them to bear in mind what that city had suffered, and to think how the dead bodies of their fellow soldiers were exposed to the dogs and wolves in every corner of Epirus, the truth of which they had learned from divers Turks who had fled for refuge into the town.

Nor did he fail to remind them that Amurath, having lately lost a great battle against the Hungarians, and being engaged in other wars, had no leisure to turn his attention towards Epyre.

Scanderbeg encamped near this stronghold a little before sunset, and remained quiet that night.

In the morning he summoned the place, offering the same conditions which had been received by Petrela and Petra Alba.

The greater part of the garrison were desirous of accepting these terms, but Dezrot, the governor of the town, with a few others, resolutely refused them, whereupon a fierce contest arose between the two parties in the garrison.

At length the majority set upon the governor and his adherents, and delivered them fast bound to Scanderbeg, at the same time yielding up the fortress.

Svetigrad, which in the Scalovonian language means the holy city, is situated on the frontiers of Epirus, in the upper country of Dibra, like an eagle's nest, upon a high and steep hill.

To this city Scanderbeg advanced with all his forces, and having pitched his tents and arranged his camp, he demanded a parley with the inhabitants of the town.

He endeavoured at first to gain the place by composition, as he had done the rest, and to that end directed his messenger to declare what had happened at Kroja, Petrela, Petra Alba, and Stalusa, especially to set forth his liberal treatment of the garrison of the last place, and to say that the governor thereof, who was in his hands, should, together with his partisans, be executed in their sight unless they delivered up the city.

To this message the governor, not being certain of the disposition of his men, was doubtful what answer to return.