on
the Turks broke up the siege and retired to Caniza. For this exploit
General Kisell received great honor at Kerment, and Smith was rewarded
with the rank of captain, and the command of two hundred and fifty
horsemen. From this time our hero must figure as Captain John Smith. The
rank is not high, but he has made the title great, just as he has made
the name of John Smith unique.

After this there were rumors of peace for these tormented countries; but
the Turks, who did not yet appreciate the nature of this force, called
John Smith, that had come into the world against them, did not intend
peace, but went on levying soldiers and launching them into Hungary.
To oppose these fresh invasions, Rudolph II., aided by the Christian
princes, organized three armies: one led by the Archduke Mathias and
his lieutenant, Duke Mercury, to defend Low Hungary; the second led
by Ferdinand, the Archduke of Styria, and the Duke of Mantua, his
lieutenant, to regain Caniza; the third by Gonzago, Governor of High
Hungary, to join with Georgio Busca, to make an absolute conquest of
Transylvania.

In pursuance of this plan, Duke Mercury, with an army of thirty
thousand, whereof nearly ten thousand were French, besieged
Stowell-Weisenberg, otherwise called Alba Regalis, a place so strong by
art and nature that it was thought impregnable.

This stronghold, situated on the northeast of the Platen Sea, was, like
Caniza and Oberlympack, one of the Turkish advanced posts, by means of
which they pushed forward their operations from Buda on the Danube.

This noble friend of Smith, the Duke of Mercury, whom Haylyn styles Duke
Mercurio, seems to have puzzled the biographers of Smith. In fact, the
name of "Mercury" has given a mythological air to Smith's narration and
aided to transfer it to the region of romance. He was, however, as we
have seen, identical with a historical character of some importance, for
the services he rendered to the Church of Rome, and a commander of
some considerable skill. He is no other than Philip de Lorraine, Duc de
Mercceur.'

[So far as I know, Dr. Edward Eggleston was the first to identify him.
There is a sketch of him in the "Biographie Universelle," and a life
with an account of his exploits in Hungary, entitled: Histoire de Duc
Mercoeur, par Bruseles de Montplain Champs, Cologne, 1689-97]

At the siege of Alba Regalis, the Turks gained several successes by
night sallies, and, as usual, it was not till Smith ca