letter-patent, in Latin, which is dated at "Lipswick, in Misenland,
December 9, 1603" It recites that Smith was taken captive by the
Turks in Wallachia November 18, 1602; that he escaped and rejoined his
fellow-soldiers. This patent, therefore, was not given at Alba Julia,
nor until Prince Sigismund had finally left his country, and when the
Emperor was, in fact, the Prince of Transylvania. Sigismund styles
himself, by the grace of God, Duke of Transylvania, etc. Appended to
this patent, as published in Smith's "True Travels," is a certificate
by William Segar, knight of the garter and principal king of arms of
England, that he had seen this patent and had recorded a copy of it in
the office of the Herald of Armes. This certificate is dated August 19,
1625, the year after the publication of the General Historie.

Smith says that Prince Sigismund also gave him his picture in gold, and
granted him an annual pension of three hundred ducats. This promise of
a pension was perhaps the most unsubstantial portion of his reward,
for Sigismund himself became a pensioner shortly after the events last
narrated.

The last mention of Sigismund by Smith is after his escape from
captivity in Tartaria, when this mirror of virtues had abdicated. Smith
visited him at "Lipswicke in Misenland," and the Prince "gave him
his Passe, intimating the service he had done, and the honors he had
received, with fifteen hundred ducats of gold to repair his losses."
The "Passe" was doubtless the "Patent" before introduced, and we hear no
word of the annual pension.

Affairs in Transylvania did not mend even after the capture of Regall,
and of the three Turks' heads, and the destruction of so many villages.
This fruitful and strong country was the prey of faction, and became
little better than a desert under the ravages of the contending armies.
The Emperor Rudolph at last determined to conquer the country for
himself, and sent Busca again with a large army. Sigismund finding
himself poorly supported, treated again with the Emperor and agreed to
retire to Silicia on a pension. But the Earl Moyses, seeing no prospect
of regaining his patrimony, and determining not to be under subjection
to the Germans, led his troops against Busca, was defeated, and fled to
join the Turks. Upon this desertion the Prince delivered up all he
had to Busca and retired to Prague. Smith himself continued with the
imperial party, in the regiment of Earl Meldritch. About this