and galeâ—eâ— And of the sayd naueye companye was Basse that ys to say capetayn in english a Greke whiche was of the noble hoâ—s called Palliogolus the whiche when he shuld take shippyng asked after Antony Melagolo hit was told him that four dayes afore he was myscheuously slayne in Counstantinople Therfor he toke with hym Dymetryus renegate felawe to the sayde Antony anon after theire departyng fro Constantinople by see the turke send as sayd yâ— hys other cost by land that wente ferre aboute by the countreyes of Asya for fere lest crysten men shuld knowe they re entente The Turke also closed and stopped alle maner of passayges of his landys saue the secrete weyes that his oste wente Neuerthelesse the lord Mayster of Rhodes by his grete witte dylygence had knowlege of alle this array For the Turke had messyngers that were not all trewe for som of thayme told thayre maysters conseyle But when the oste that wente by lande came to Lycye the Rhodyans had grete meruayle what they were and the turkes made a commyn sclandyr to dysceyue the Rhodians and saydyn that theyr lord the grete Turke was dede and they were sende thedyr to kepe the contrey of Lycye from harm of ennemyes But the lord Mayster of Rhodes had knowlege of al thees wyles falsede of the Turke And therfore he wyth grete dylygence made strong wyth men of werre and vytaylles all the holdes bothe castelles and forslettes within the Isle of Rhodes That ys to saye Longon The Castylle of Seynt Petre Feracle Lynde Monoleto And alle the people of the Isle of Rhodes wythdrewe to the stronge holdes with they re goodes and catelles And the barle that was rype lyghtly they gederyd hyt vppe and toke hit with thaym And be cause that whete and other maner of cornes were not alle rype thay plukkyd thaym vppe fro the ground as they were and broughte thayme to the townes and holdes And whenne thay were in doyng of these werkys with grete haste and furye the wache that was on the toppe of the hylle besyde seynte stephen shewed a token a knowleche that in the west from Counstantinople was on the see saylyng a grete nombre of shippes And thenne the most parte of the peple of rhodes wente vnto the hye places sawe theim And anone the same shippes wente toward a town called Physoom whiche ys in the countreye called Lycye vpon the see syde .xxii. myles from Rhodes and there they landed receyued the men of werre that came theder by lande by the countrey of asya as I haue sayde afore And thenne they tourned theyme in the see toward Rhodes and so in a shorte tyme they werre at the bankes of the Isle of Rhodes And the nombre of the shippes that came to the bankes of Rhodes was a honderd And thâ—s was in the yere of our lord a thousand four honderd foâ—â— schore the .x. kalendre of the moneth of Iune And anon with grete dylygence they voyded theire shyppes of the men of werre and of their ordonnances And the men of werre made their parkes and their tentes strongly vpon the hylle of seint Stephen afore sayd And afterward they putted they re ordonnance on the see banke vnder the hylle of Seynte Stephen wherfore the Rhodyans sawe all theym that were on the hyll But they myghte not see theire ordonnances and instrumens of werre whiche were on the see banke vnder the hylle be cause of the hyenesse of the hylle And soo anone the shyppes wente and came agayne from the bankes of Rhodes to Physoom bryngyng wyth theyme at euery tyme their men of wrere toward Rhodes And in the meane whyle somme of the turkes on horsebake and on fote the moste hardyest ranne to the walles of Rhodes wyth grete menassing and crakyng And the Rhodyans wyth grete manhode wente agaynest theyme and putte theyme to flyghte and slewe many of theyme And in the nexte daye folowyng the turkes made agayn an other assaute whiles the Rhodyans were at dyner but also they were putte to flyghte and som of theyme to deth But there was one of the knyghtes of Rhodes the whiche auentured him selfe to ferre and was slayne of the turkes and thenne they toke hys heede and putte yt on a spere and ranne with grete myrth and Ioye to theire companye and oste And the body was broughte to Rhodes wyth the rayemente The turkes anone after sette thre bombardes of grete vyolence in the chyrcheyarde and gardens of Seynte Antony whiche was but a lytill space from Rhodes And with thees bombardes they studyed and thoughte to thrawe downe the hye toure strong place of Rhodes called the toure of Seynte Nycolas and couered their bombardes wyth grete logges and trees bourdes of grete defence But whenne the Rhodyans had spyed it they alsoo ordeyned thre grete bombardes agaynes the oste of the turkes whiche casted throe the ryghte syde of theire oste grete and myghty stones whiche dyd theyme grete harme And in the mornyng folowing George the grete gonner of the whiche we haue sayde afore came sodeynly as amasid man to the dyche of Rhodes toward the palays of the Lord mayster and saluted and greted the Rhodyans frendely and mekely cryed and prayed that he myght come in to the citee and so he was resceyued And be cause that he had the rayement and leuerey of the Turke somme smote at hym But many dyffended hym and brought hym vnto the Lord mayster of Rhodes This George was a personable man and welbesene of grete eloquence and of grete malyce a duche man borne And anone he was asked whiche was the cause of hys comyng theder He answerde For the fayth and relygyon of Ihesu cryste and for the welfare and worship of alle crystendom And be cause that he forsoke the fals byleue of the Turke therfore he was receyued with grete ioye and also his purpos was gretely preysed yf he wold abyde stedfastely in hyt as he sayde Anone after yt was asked him what oste the Turke had sende agaynest Rhodes and what nombre of fyghtyng men and what ordenance of instrumens of werre George with boldenes with witte as it semed with throth answerd to the questyons and sayd that the turk had the nombre of an honderd thousand fyghtyng men and xvi grete bombardes euerychon of .xxii. fote of lenght of the whiche the lest casted stones euery stone of .ix. spannes in compas aboute But within Rhodes were many opynyons and dyuers sentences of the comyng of the sayd George from the Turke to crysten folke For somme sayd that he came as a spye and that afore thys tyme he with grete malyce had done many thynges agaynest god and specyally had forsaken crystes lawe and that for certeyn he werked nowe for to betraye Rhodes The moste parte sayde that he was a grete mayster in makyng of instrumentes of werre and that he was a defensyble man in what someuer place he was in
a baner of Ihesu criste Another of our Lady and another of seynt Ichan baptiste patrone of the ordre of Rhodes were sette vppe on the walles whenne the bataylle was on bothe sydes moste sharpest And anon after the turkes saw properly in the myddest of the clene and bryght eyer a crosse all of shynyng gold also sawe a bryght vyrgyne whiche had in her hande agaynes the oste of the turkes a spere and a shylde and in that syght also apired a man clothed in pouer and vyle araye whiche was accompanyed wyth grete nombre of fayr and welbesene men in armes as yf they wold haue comen downe to the helpe of Rhodes By the crosse of golde we may Iustely vnderstande oure saueour Ihesu cryste And by the vyrgyne we may vnderstande oure lady the blessed marie And by the man pouerly clothed we may vnderstande the holy seynte Iohan baptyste Patron and auowre of the ordre of Rhodes whiche was acompanyed with seyntes angeles of God for to helpe the Rhodyans The whyche goddely and heuenly syghte putted playnly the turkes in soo grete wonder and fere that in no maner after that vysyon they were hardy to loke toward the cytee of Rhodes But anone after they toke counseyl among theyme to leue their entente and tourne agayne to their countreye so that through the grace myracles of almyghty god and through the prudence and dylygence of the lord mayster and fayth and manhode of the knyghtes of Rhodes obeyssaunce of all the people Rhodes was and ys preserued and kepte fro the turkes captyuyte Thees myracles in so moche more are in confirmacyon and deuocyon to our crysten fayth be cause that the firste knowleche of theyme came by the vysyon and fyghte of the turkes ennemyes to oure crysten fayth For afterward many of theyme forsoke theire fals beleue and were crystened withinne the cytee of Rhodes wher as they openly and constantely to alle the men of Rhodes wyth one accorde and with a goode courayge made fayth and knowleche of the goddely and heuenly vysyon whiche they had seen And for certayn euery wyse man may knowe that without Goddes hande so fewe crysten men might not haue resysted withstanded so grete nombre of turkes in especyall when that they were vpon the walles for then they thought to haue merely with lytill peyne the victorye of the cytee of rhodes But who letted theym then to come down fro the walles to the cytee afore that the Rhodyans clymed with ladders to feght with theim dryue them fro the walles Certainly hit was none other but god Who was he that blynded their witte so that anon after the firste assaute they ordeyned not an other agaynes our crysten men whiche by the first assaute had ben pyteously hurte wonded were all wery of fyghting Hit was non other but god Who was cause of the deth of so many of theym in the space of two owres in the grete last assaute but god his angels that were seen in the bright eyer Who was he shortly that putte from the vyctorie of Rhodes so lytil a cyte in comparyson of others as constantinople nygrepount many moe strong myghty the Turke strong and ful of pryde Well may euery man knowe that it was more goddes acte then mannys Wherfor we alle crysten men mekely with herty deuocyon owe to yelde graces louynges to almyghty God whiche had preserued rhodes the keye of all crystendom from the foule vnrightful subiectyon of the turkes whiche hath ben for theire euyll purpes smyten and kytted in pieâ—s as bestes and fynally were putted fro theire entente But for to come to the conclusyon of the departyng of the turkes Anone after that they were putte to flyght they wente bakward a large myle and there they made newe tentes to abyde there whyle they charged their shippes and galeyes with all their ordonnances of were And in this whyle they charged in lytyll galeyes daye by daye and oure by oure their men that were sore hurt and wounded with all their arraye and brought theym agayne to the contrey of Lycya where they had resceyued them whenne they came toward the siege of Rhodes and ther they abode tyll they were hole and myghte tourne agayn to Turkea their countreye That same Lycya was to theim a grete commodyte and to all their entente for from thens to Rhodes was but a narowe see called the see Lycyon And not ferre from the banke of the sayd Lycya was a grete old towne called Physcum where fyrst they abode the nauey that came from Constantinople and nowe also were there wyth their woundes dylegentely refresshed And sco anâ—ne after thys yt was concladed among the turkes that all the ofte shold departe from Rhodes Therfor they made a grete wast and destryed all maner gardens and vynes al other thinges the whiche they supposed that might doo ease to the Rhodyans Also they brende many houses spolyed fyldes of their catelles charged their shippes with grete nombre of the bestes of the Isle of Rhodes whiche myght not afore the siege be broughte into the cytee not into the holdes of the Isle in the mene whyle that the turkes made theym redy to retourne to their countreye were spyed sene from Rhodes two grete shippes in the see saylyng from the weste toward Rhodes anone the Rhodyans hadde demyng that they were shippes of crystendome and of their frendes And as they supposed yt was for they were send theder by the moste crysten kyng moste deuoure Prynce Ferrand of aragonne kyng of naples to helpe and socour the Rhodyans agaynes the turkes for the shippes were charged with the moste manlyest men of werre of his kyngdome and of all stuffe necessarye for theym Thees two myghty and strong shippes entred frendly toward the porte of Rhodes aboute one the clokke after mydday in the beholdâ—nge and syghte of the Rhodyans whyche therfor made grete Ioye and myrthe and yolded grete graces louynges to almyghty God But whenne they shold entre into the hâ—uen the turkes shotte grete soones of bombardes to theyme soo that one of theyme was sore hurte in the maste and the tother eschwed and escaped the shotte withoute hurte and soo they casted theire anturs abode the tyde that they might entre into the hauen but toward the nyghte the see waxed so rough that they durste no lenger abyde there at the ancure Therfore the shippe that had not ben hurt toke the brode see and thoder shippe be cause that her moste was in a grete daunger doutyng to sayle abode the tyde wyth all paryll and Iuberie But throe the grace of god almyghty at that tyde entered surely into the hauen of Rhodes the nexte daye folowyng the other shyppe whyche hadde taken the brode see retorned agayn to entre into the port but a myle a half fro the porte the wynde fayled her myght seyle no further wherfore the turkes sende theder twenty galeyes of their naueye arayed and armed for to fyght ouercome the shypp bring her to the turkes but the crysten men of nayles and of Secylle that were in the shypp bare theym and quyted so manly that nether for the shotte of the galeyes nor for the might of soo many men that there were agaynest so fewe they neuer made token of fere but resysted so manly vertuously that in the space of thre owres that the bataylle dured they slewe four tymes greter nombre of turkes then they were theim self soo that they hadde the better hand and were vyctoryous in that fyghtyng was slayne the schief capeteyne of the sayde galeyes and wyth thys harme shame retourned the galeyes to their partye and the shippe of the crysten men the day folowyng with full sayle standerdes of victorye tryumphe entered into the port of Rhodes Thyes two shippes broght to Rhodes mery tythynges for they brought the 〈◊〉 lettres whiche were red declared openly be fore all theym of Rhodes that wold gyue audyence therto In the whiche lettres our holy father the pope comforted desyred of the lord mayster of all the crysten people that was within Rhodes that for the loue of Ihesu cryste they wholde with all their herte manhode withstande the furye of the turkes that in of hoste they shold haue socours from Italye bothe by see by land in so grete nombre and strenght that they shulde be lightely delyuered of the trauayles and peynes whiche â—othe daye nyghte the turkes wyth all besynes ymagyned and wrought agaynes theim for the hoste of the crysten people shuld come so myghty that wyth the grate helpe of God they shuld be able to gyue bataylle to al the puyssance of the turkes hane the becer of hit wherfore the Rhodyans alle wyth one voyce thanked God and magnefyed wyth grete praysynges our holy father the 〈◊〉 Syâ—te the fourth the whyche tythynges wente anone to the ofte of the Turkes and fered theym fore wherfore they the soner departed from Rhodes wher they had ben at the siege thre monethes saue a daye tourned agayn to the countrey of Lycya arryued to the grete towne Physcum where they taryed and refresshed theym nerehand .xl. dayes and aftreward tourned to their countrey with their grete shame their hurte grete myschefe Deo gracias
grete deuccyon of hym and alle hys people of Rhodes and after that they had made theyr prayers to god to our lady in whoe 's quarell they faught the Lorde mayster anon commanded to putte down the houses and habytacyons of the Iues that were with in the cytee by the walles called the Iure of Rhodes Also were there made wythinne the cytee of Rhodes grete and mighty dyches for the sauyng of the body of the cytee yf the turkes gate the fyrste walles and therfore they made day and myghte grete werkes as walles of tymbre and many other thynges defensybles to the whiche labour euery creature in rhodes of alle maner of aage bothe men and women of alle maner states putted and aplyed theym selfe and they re goodes wyth grete wylle and grete deuocyon for Ihesus sake And in thees whyle the bombardes and grete gonnes of the turkes casted downe and destryed the walles of the cytee of Rhodes wyth so grete myghte and strenghte and with soo grete wonder that alle they that were in Rhodes strangers and other olde and yong of all the countreyes of crystendom sayd that they herde neuer strokes of bombardes so grete and so horryble as thylk were The fals traytour George sayde also that hyt was Impossible after hys thynkyng to fynde in all the world suche instrumentes of werre that were so grete and horryble of noyse as they were for they of a towne called Reede whyche ys an honderd myles from Rhodes toward the eest herde the grete brute and the grete noyse as they sayd afterward And also for to shewe and declare the meruoylous gretenesse of the sayde bombardes and gonnes the grete pyles and postes strong and myghty that were stykked in the gronde behynde atte taylle of the forsayde grete bombardes gaue suche grete and myghty shakyng that the howses of Rhodes other whyles shaked in suche a wyse like yf hyt hadde ben a yerth quake But they of Rhodes alleway besy and prouydent stopped wyth trees the grete ruyne of they re walles and made also many dyches wythinne the cytee The turkes vexed also the Rhodyans wyth many other and dyuers instrumentes of werre for they ordeyned rond aboue the foresayde Cytee of Rhodes certayn instrumentes of werre the whyche ben called Slynges or Engynes And the turkes with suche instrumentes of werre casted in to the eyere a pype full of grete stones the whyche foll vpon the houses of Rhodes and putted theym in a wrecched ruyne wyth grete murdre of theym that were within for that tyme and forthermore they putte in a grete thoughte and sorowe alle the hole cytee of Rhodes for noo persone was sure in hous wyth oute he were in a kaue But neuerthelesse the prudente and wyse Lorde Mayster and hys noble conseyle fonde a remedye as hit foloweth For anone he commanded that alle maner of women and all folke of yong aage and olde aage not able for to fyghte shulde be putte by the walles of the towne in a voyde place for the guyse of the cytees ys to haue next the walles suche a voyde place and there were made myghty schaffoldes the whiche were not so hye as the walles of the cytee for be cause that the turkes sholde not aspye hyt for in suche voyde place they casted noo stones but into the myddes of the cyte The yong men able to fyghte kepte theym self eshewed the castyng of the stones in the day lyght and in the nyght they hyded theym in streng places kaues so that by the myracles of god prayers of crysten people fewe men or bestes of the cyte were hurted The turkes not vnderstanding howe god pourneyed kepte the Rhodyans harmeles ordeyned two grete slynges in a hye place toward the weste from the whiche they myght seen all the cyte of Rhodes and fro thens they casted grete stones in the myddes of the cytee In thees meane whyles whenne thees thynges were so ordeyned the grete basse of the turke sawe consyderyd that the dylygence of the Lord mayster noyed moche to hys power and to hys counseyles Therfore he dysposed by meane whyles to putte to deth the forsayd Lord mayster of Rhodes And ordeyned two turkes of the whyche one of theyme shulde goo yeld hym selfe to the Rhodyans for to lyue in crystes fayth telle the Rhodyans that another of the turkes whiche was hys folawe sholde also come to Rhodes and forsake the fals byleue of the Turke But the basse that ys to saye the cappetayne of the turkes had ordeyned that the same felaw shold bring poyson into Rhodes wyth whiche the Lorde Mayster sholde be putte to deth and be cause that thees two turkes shold auenture theym selfe to poyson the Lord Mayster the basse hadde promysed theim many grete rewardes But he that came to Rhodes afore hys felawe as we haue sayde was in hys talkyng and in hys purpos and in alle hys desyng in Rhodes fonde inconstante and varyante wherfore anone the Rhodyans had demyng and playne opynyon that he was come for to worke som trayson And so after dylygence and sâ—rayâ—e examynacyon he confessed the trayson and hys boldenes and therfore was he putte to dethe as a traytre The daye neyce folowyng hys felawe no thyng knowyng of thys came toward Rhodes but the crysten men stroke sore vpon hym wherfore he fledde and torned agayne to the turkes so the basse was begyled of his trayson In thees whyles the turkes werred agayns one syde of the cyte called the warde of the Italyans in a derk nyghte they came so nygh that they putted gonnes and grete bombardes vpon the bankes of the dyches and made grete strenghte wyth trees rond abowte that they sholde not be broken with no maner shottes of the Rhodyans But anone after they were spyed and sene wherfore there was a conseyle made in Rhodes where fyfty lykkely yong men and veray louers of oure lord Ihesu cryste promysed them selfe there to deye in that quarell or to destroye in that same nyghte the sayd grete bombardes and gonnes with alle theire araye And so a knyght of the ordre of Seynt Iohan was capeteyne to the sayd fyfty lykkely yong men and they came pryuely by the bothome of the dyche wyth certayne ladders whiche they broughte wyth theym to the bankes wher as the bombardes and gonnes were and made suche a fray that the turkes fledde away fro the bombardes and .x. of theym were slayne and also they destreyed alle that ordonnaunce and casted in the dyche And thys done the forsayd fyfty yong men wyth they re capeteyne came agayne in to the cyte of Rhodes as men vyctoryous Wherfore the Lord Mayster of Rhodes gaue vnto theym many worshypfull yeftes be cause of they re vertuous manhode and for to gyue courayge exhortacyon to alle other And they were resceyued in Rhodes wyth grete glorye and Ioye also they had grete thankynges of alle the people of Rhodes Therfore