was well knowen to all the knyghtes of Rhodes the Lord Mayster his brother and all the counseyle of Rhodes elected and chosed hym capetayn and gouernour of all the men of werre And soo manly and wysely he ordeygned and dysposed hym to all suche thynges that shulde noe to the pourpes of the turkes and that shulde helpe and strengh Rhodes for the worshyp helthe and perpetuell glorye of alle crystendom And anone after thys he hadde a grete ofte in whyche were many gentyll knyghtes Baylyffes pryours Mayseres and 〈◊〉 of the order of Seynte Iohan. Of the whyche the most man lyest men were borne in England and in Fraunce and in other countreyes of the weste There were also merchauntes and men of dyuers occupacyons of the selfe Rhodes and of many places of Grede the whyche in wysedom and prudence of many worldly thynges hadde knowlege and experrence Alle thees to geder wyth one word wyth one herte and wyth one feythe pourposed and swere to defende and kepe the cytee of Rhodes or elles to dye gladdely and kyndely for hym that dyed for vs alle And soo anone after a man of Grece wyse and experte in sieges counseyled the lord mayster and the Rhodyans to make and ordeygne an engyne called Trebuke lyke a slynge whyche was grete hye myghty and casted grete and many stones into the hoste of the turkes and so by thys meanes the turkes were in grete fere Iuberâ—e for their loggyses and tentes were broken and smyten to grounde wyth moche grete dammage and hurte to theire gonnes bombardes serpentynes and all theire ordonnances of werre so that in fewe dayes they resceyued thees hurtes and dammayges wythoute nombre We haue sayd before howe the turkes fulfylled a parte of the dyche by the walles wyth stones And be cause that the Rhodyans coude â—ot voyde hit openly they made a myne vnder the ground by the whyche pryuely they bare the stones in the cytee But the turkes anon perceyued that the heyght and the hepe of the stones was made lesse that they coude not crepe vppe by that weye but yf they hasted theyme soo they dyd But before the rhodyans with grete besynesse fonde a remedye to the defawtes of the walles the whiche the turkes by that syde of the cytee had caste downe to the grounde For they withinne the walles not ferre from the dyche made a fronte of a walle wyth stakes and erthe in the myddes and wyth buskes thrusted strongly to geder and tempered it wyth water lyke as they make a mudwalle and vpon thys walle they putted gonnes culuerynes wildfyre and barelles full of pyche sulfur and grete hepes of stones suche thynges that shuld lette the turkes to clymbe vppe so that hit was a pleasur to see their besynes agaynes the begynnyng of the turkes assaute And for to haue in thys werke counseyle was theder brought the forsayde George traytour but he shewed no cunnyng in the defence of the cytee as he hadde promysed and as the rhodyans trusted For the fals and wikked man was cleasyd to see so grete ruyne in the pryncypall walles of Rhodes and hoped that lyghtely the turke sholde euercome yt Neuertheles for to couer hys mynde and malyce counseyled the Rhodyans to sette a bombarde whiche sholde caste from thens to the hoste of the turkes for to breke theire bombardes but he wyste well that therof they shulde heue grete hurte whâ—dâ—â—â—t had ben a token couenaunt betwene the turke and hym or of hys owen auyse dyd hyt thynkyng that the turkes shuld in so moche more casie toward that parte for to veeke the Rhodyans shotte But soo as he counseyled was done and anone grete harmes and dammages came of hyt for the turkes dressed all their shotte thede ward and gaue greter hurie to the broken walle And in thys whyle were shorte arowes into Rhodes wyth lettres whyche blamed George that he dyd not hys deuer for the turke in Rhodes in also moche as he gaue not theyme certayne tokenes of the iuyne and condycyon of the cytee But they knewe not howe george was kepte for suspecte within Rhodes as a man gylte of trayson And whenne hyt was tolde and shewed to George He answered boldely and wyth shrewed langayge wherfore the Rhodyans hadde hym in suspecyon and was putte in pryson And anone by wyse men was examyned and fonde varyable in hys answeres wherfore wyth tokyns suffycyent was putâ—e to tormente where he confessed howe that the Turke hadde sende hym theder to betraye Rhodes yf he myghte as he hadde betrayed many other places in Grece whyche confessyon he affermed after also wythoute tourmente And sayd howe the Turke had byd hym yf Rhodes myght not thenne be goten to abyde neuertheles in Rhodes all the siege tyme lenger to espye all the condycyons and maners of their defences that afterward he sholde telle yt to the Turk for to purâ—eâ—e strenger siege more to the pourpos of victorye For the turkes entencâ—on was fynally to haue the cyte of Rhodes Wherfore George hadde of hym grete yeftes and rewardes But anone after George was dampned to deth and in the syghte of all the people of Rhodes for hys trayson and myscheuous counseyles was hanged and anone after euery man of Rhodes retourned agayne to kepe theire place wyth grete gladdenes that George the fals traytour of crystys fayth and he that hadde studyed to putte to deth soo many noble and worshypfull knyghtes and to defowle and rauessche so many goode and honeste women and holy vyrgyns hadde atte laste fonde a nynde accordyng to hys traysons and myscheuous dedys Anon after thys the basse that ys to say the grete Capetayne of the Turke caused other lettres to be casted in the cytee of Rhodes in whyche lettres he conforted and warned the bourgeyses of the sayde cytee and other merchauntes of crystendomme whyche were wythinne the cytee that they shulde fynde the meanes for to yelde theyme and delyuere to hym the Cytee and they sholde haue theire landes and their goodes saue and theire bodyes free and harmelees for he wolde but onely dystroye the knyghtes and men of weâ—â—e beyng wythin Rhodes and yf they dyd otherwyse he menassed to putte theim all equally to deth and by thees meanes and cauteles he ymagyned and thoughte to putte dyuccyon amonges the people of Rhodes but he coude not spede his fulâ— purpes for he fonde theyme Iuste and trewe to God and to the ordre of Rhodes And soo whenne he sawe and consyderid that thys fayled hym he yet by wylenesse sende a man in the nyghte tyme to the dyches of Rhodes in that syde of the cytee where stode a chyrche of oure Lady called Elemeâ—erra Thys man was a Greke and late had forsaken crystys fayth and wente to the Turke And so thys greke called and sayde to theym that wached ther that the greie capeteyn of the turk wolde sende an embasseteur to the Lord Mayster yf the
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
Rhodyans wolde lete hym goo and come sure They answered and sayd to thys man that they were well contente that the grete capeteyne of the Turke sholde sende hys embasserour vnto the dyche and bollewerke of that syde of the cytee and that there sholde be a noble man the whiche shulde gyue an answere for the Lorde mayster so the day next folowing the Embassetoure of the forsayde Capetayne came theder And sayde howe that he hadde grete meruayle that suche a lytyll cytee wolde withstande and resyste agaynest the grete myghte and puyssaunce of the dredefull Turke whyche had conquered .ii. Emperys and so many Kyngdommes Therfore he exhorted theym to haue pyte of iheyme selfe and not to be the cause that the cytee of Rhodes sholde be taken by the assaute of the turkes and by strong hande for thenne the turkes sholde putte to myscheffe and to vyolence bothe men and women beyng in the cytee of Rhodes and forthermore he sayd that yf they of Rhodes wolde desyre take of the turkes peas theâ— sholde haue hyt wyth the possessyon of the selfe Rhodes and wyth alle theire goodes or elles they shulde be putted utterly to destructyon with all maner cruelte and so he menashed to be in shorte tyme to come and therfore he bade theim answere wheder they wolde peas or werre Thenne anon answered the noble and prudente knyghte that there was for the Lorde Mayster and sayde howe that the Rhodyans hadde grete meruaylle that the turkes with soo grete naueye and wyth so strong armee agaynes the honour of all manly werryers shulde eyhorte they re ennemyes to peas And sayd that the Rhodyans vnderstode and knewe ryght well the feynte fals colour of theym for they wyste well that they dyd hit be cause that they sholde preue their hertes Therfore he sayde that nether by yeftes nether by menasshes they wold do shame to crystendom and that wythinne the cyte of Rhodes was a comyn acorde among the grekes latynes and al the people of Rhodes whiche wold rather dye for crystes fayth thenne to be of amyte and of the lawe of Mahumete And yf it so were that the turkes wolde breke vppe their siege and turne agayne to their countreye and after sende embassetoures to Rhodes for peas the Rhodyans sholde therof by conseyl gyue theym an answere but syth that they were so myghty in armes they bade theym vse and doo that they came fore and that thorough the grace of Ihesu they shold knowe that they had not to doo nor to fyghte wyth men of Asea their countrey couherdes and vnherty as women but they sholde knowe wel and perceyue that they shulde feghte and be in hande wyth strong manly and crysten people of Rhodes After the whyche answere the turkes wyth loe chiere and halfe shamely contenaunce departed from theyme and tourned agayne to their â—sie and to they re capeteyne And so the more that the rhodyans wythstode the turkes wyth myghte and wysedom the more waxed the turkes furyous agaynes Rhodes And anon after thys wyth grete bombardes gonnes engynes and all other suche instrumentes of werre they vexed and greued the Rhodyans and purposed to preue yf the dedys of the Rhodyans sholde accorde wyth they re grete wordes Therfore lyke wyse as they hadde done a grete and horryble assaute agaynest the toure of Seynte Nycolas .xxxvii. dayes passed or deyned and dressed alle they re bombardes gonnes of werre alle theire ordonnance and theire myghte agaynest the pryncypal strenghte and moste neweste walles of the cyte of Rhodes howe be hyt that they were large newe and fortefyed wyth myghty toures and bollewerkes neuertheles wyth castyng of thre thousand and fyfe honderd grete bombardes stonee they were horrybly brused and thrawen downe And many worshipfull places and howses of the Rhodyans by that syde wyth the hurte the ruyne of that newe walle were myscheuously broken desâ—ryed all to pieces The whiche myserable case and horryble ruyne fered many of the Rhodyans her 〈◊〉 and putted theyme to more thoughte and sorowe thenne euer they were sythen the comyng of the turkes theder But the Lorde Mayster as a stedfaste Prynce trustyng in Ihesu cryste and in hys swete mother marye and in Seynte Iohan Baptyste conforted alle the people so that nether the knyghtes nether the pryours nether the baylyffes of the ordre nether merchaunts nether people in Rhodes were afered but gladly as the case steâ—â— were redy and contente to fyght hand for hande wyth the turkes at broken walles and playne place And so the turkes by two or thre euenynges folowyng came to the dyches wyth theire taberettys and made songes of myrthe hopyng that wythin shorte dayes they sholde gete rhodes And the Rhodyans from thother syde of the broken walle answered thayme as merely agayn wyth trompettes and claryons but the Lorde Mayster knowyng by hys prudence that anone wyth grete myght furye the turkes wold come theder to assaute the cytee he fortefyed the walles with knightes of hys ordre and moste manlyest werryers and he hym selfe by the broken walle was full of besynes to teche warne and comforte all the people abowte hym and was redy atte alle owres abode to gyue socout to the knyghtes werry ere on the walles and so was alle hys people from the hyest degree vnto the loest dysposed In thys whyle the turkes made theyme redy in their ofte for to come and gyue assaute And made a commyn crye that the grete Turke gaue theym all the goodes that were in Rhodes and that they sholde toke al the yong chyldren in Rhodes and cause theim to â—enaye their fayth and they that were aboue .x. yeres vnto .xx. sholde haue their throtes kette and all that were aboue that aage yf they were taken alyue shuld be perfed thorow the fondemente and thorow the hede with a long stake wherefore they bare wyth theyme to the assaut .viii. thousand stakes and that the Turke all onely was contente to be vyctoryous and lorde possessour of Rhodes 〈…〉 all the turkes came toward Rhodes but afore that they gaue assaute after their fals beleue called to their helpe Mahumete and wasshed theim all naked in rennyng water in a kene of purgacyon of their synnes and after they arayed theim euerychon after hys qualyte of werre and broughte sakkes wyth theim to putte in the goodes of Rhodes and tyed at their gyrdess ropes to bynde theire prysonners For they hoped in their God Mahumete that they wythoute fayle shulde haue vyctorye of Rhodes The daye afore that the grete assaut and bataylle was they casted and shotte agaynes the walles grete stones of .viii. the gretest bombardes that they had and casted downe the reparacyons and defences whiche the Rhodyans hadde made in the broken walles so that they stroke and slewe the waches that were on the walles in the night folowyng for they sessed neuer thorowyng throe alle that daye and the nyghte and alle ther mornyng
and that he came to Rhodes as a penytent man that had forsaken his fayth and his maker and that suche a wyse man as he was wolde not come to Rhodes allon to dysceyue suche a prudent man as the lorde mayster was and suche a grete felyshyp of knyghtes of Rhodes And so was thought for the beter that George sholde abyde in Rhodes But anone fewe dayes after somme that loued the crysten fayth in the oste of the Turke shotre arowes with lettres into Rhodes whiche lettres were fonde and warned the Rhodyans to be ware of the treson of George Therfore the lord mayster comman ded anone that george sholde be kepte with .vi. might men whiche sholde take hydde on hym But neuertheles he herde had at alle owres georgys conseyle to suche prouycyons that belongeth to engynes and instrumentes of werre After this the turkes with grete myghte of bombardes and other instrumentes of werre laboured day and nyghte to putte down ouerthrawe a place whiche was a quater of a myle wythin the see by the weste banke of Rhodes whiche maked with her walles and wynges a plesaunt hauen to shippes and galeyes and ys called the tour of Seynt Nycholas and it was made in the olde tyme and after the olde and bygge makmg of walles The sayde tour was sette so nygh the citee of Rhodes be cause that no persone by lande nor ly water shold come to Rhodes withoute their lycence And also the mouth of the hauen and that place was so streyte that nether galeye nether shippe myght entre but only one ot ones and aboue thys porte was the forsayd seynt Nycolas toure the whiche was made of the Rhodyans within thye honderd yeres And the turkes thoughte that if they had this tour in their subiectyon that they sholde lyghtely ouercome Rhodes considering the grete commodyte of the hauen and of the selfe place of the tour And therfore they casted agaynes the tour thre honderd grete stones of bombardes and brake the toure stoutely put hit in a grete danger to be ouerthrawen and in moche lasse space thenne euer the Rhodyans thoughte that hit sholde haue ben possible But neuerthelesse the nether olde and auncyon walle stode stedfastely for hyt was made in olde tyme of a bygge matere and substance And anone the lord mayster alleway prouydent and besye came to the tour with a bargâ—e ful of men and made reparacyons with stones and trees as in suche a tyme the case requyred and putâ—e in the â—â—ur many fyghtyng men and the manlyest of hys oste the whiche sholde be the strenghte the kepyng of that place in the toure that was so beten in the syde toward the west that ther was lefte no maner of reparacyon but with handes and nombre of strong men After that thees prouycyon had ben made in the forsayde tour they ordeyned men of werre vnder the walles of the cytee and vnder the walle vppon the banke of the see the whiche was from the castell of Seynte Peter vnto a certayne place called Mandrache and there were men on horsebake on fote that shulde lette the turkes to come to land in that coste and there abowte the see is at euery tyde flowe and ebbe wherfore were there thrust done pypes and tonnes and tabelles full of nayles so that the turkes what someuer ebbyng befel shulde not passe ouer And forthermore was made another grete prouycyon in that parte of the cyte wher the lorde mayster stode in clene harnesse for in that part were ordeyned bombardes other grete instrumentes castyng grete stones for to breke the galeyes of the turkes and also vnder the tour that the Lorde mayster kepte were lytill shippes fylled with gonne pouder and brymme stone and other suche thynges the whiche when the galeyes of the turkes came nerâ— shulde be putte in fyre to the destructyon of the galeyes of the turkes And whenne thees thynges were so ordeyned all the Rhodyans with manhode abode from daye to daye and from oure to our that the turkes sholde gyue theym assaute and in the mornyng neyt folowyng the turkes came with fifty galeyes from the hylle of Seynt Stephen aforsayd toward the cytee and they thoughte shortely to come a lande and there they made a grete crye and a grete noyse with trompes and taberettys other suche instrumentes be cause that they shold make afered oure folke of theym for their grete noyse But anone after whenne the turkes with theire galeyes came nere the toure aforesayd the bombardes and other instrumentes of werre whiche were there ordeyned brake with grete might the arayes of the turkes and put theym offe fro the cost with their grete myscheffe And in thys dede the Lord Mayster of Rhodes hym selfe came oute of the walles of the sayde toure wyth hys companye for to fyghte hand for hand wyth the turkes and there were ouerthrawen and putte to dech .vii honderd turkes and many were wounded and many drowned as somme sayden that came to Rhodes from the turkes After thye the Lord mayster clene armed and rydyng vpon a myghty hors came agayne to Rhodes with his feleshyp as an Emperour vyctoryous and came to the chyrche where was the ymayge of oure lady called our Lady on the hylle of Felerene whiche place ys full of myracles and there he kneled downe and yolde thankynges and leuynges 〈◊〉 God and oure lady of hys vyctorye and afterward came to hys pallays and howshold for to refresshe hys companye And so whenne the turkes sawe that they coude not ouercome the forsayde toure they purposed to breke the walles of the cytee wyth grete bombardes and gonnes in dyuers places of the same cytee and that be cause that the puyssance might of the Rhodyans shold be dyuyded and that they shold not be all in one place as they had ben late in the defence of the forsayd toure of Seynte Nycolas and also they dede yt for more lyghtely to ouercome the strenghte of the forsayd coure Therfore in the nyghte nexte folowyng the turkes with grete noyse broughte grete bombardes and gonnes toward the walles of Rhodes in that syde of the cytee where as the Iues 〈◊〉 kepyng wache defence by the comandement of the lord may sier and before the sayd walles they putted .viii. grete instrumentes whiche casted grete stones in the cyte had made ronde abowte bollewerkes to the instrumentes because that the Rhodyans shulde not hurte theym Another grete instrument they putted atte fote of a hylle toward the weste aboue the whiche hylle stode the galowes of the Iustyce of Rhodes and from that place they casted grete stones in rhodes in that part of the cytee where the wynde mylnes were and brake theim all to pâ—ecâ—s Whenne the Lorde mayster sawe the purpos and the wyles of hys enemyes whiche had then made moche more strenghte and myghte then euer they had done by fore he or deyned in Rhodes processyons generalles with
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
fewe dayes after that thys was done the turkes for despyte and grete annoye of the foresayde thynges whiche were done vnto theyme made anone redy a grete ordonnaunce and came agayne vnto the tour of seynt nycolas for to haue it anon with their bombardes boldely they casted downe the bollewerkes forslettes And as faste as they casted theym downe the Rhodyans repayred theim agayn The turkes also made a long bâ—igge of the length of a quater of a myle the whiche recched from the banke there as the turkes laye vnto the banke of seynt Nicolas toure and was so large that .vi. men on horseback myghte ryde a fronte and was made with voyded pypes and with bordes strongly nayled vpon them purposed to beynge the same brigge by craft into the water and they fested and knytted strongely to the sayde brigge grete and myghts ropes whiche had in thother ende strong ancures whiche ancurâ—s they fasted with a bote to the nether bank of the tour so that the brigge with the drawyng of the corde and flotyng shulde haue recched to the sayd banke Anone afoer that the Rhedians had knowleche of thees werkes a shipman wel experte in swymmyng wente by nyghte and noted the cordes fro the ancre and knytted theim vnto a stone of the banke so that lyghtely whenne the turkes drewe the corde they knewe wel that they were begyled of the Rhedyans The lord mayscer of Rhodes vnderstandyng thys nobe acte rewarded the forsayd shypman worshipfully and ryght largely And so whenne the turkes sawe and knewe the grete frawde whyche was done to theym of the Rhodyans thoughte and ordeyned that they wold brynge the forsayd brygge theder wyth grete strenghte and nombre of botes being full of rowers whyche and toure grete stones of bombardes and of gonnes wyld fyre and arowes of bowes and balestres And soo alle the nyght from twelfe the clocke vnto x. in the daye they faught all by derke but as the fyre of the bombardes and the flammes of the wyldfyre gaue lyghte And so after that the turkes were put oute with their grete dammage and harme that the men of Rhodes had the vyctorye a man myght haue seen thre dayes folowyng ded men of the turkys partye casted and lvyng in the banke of the see toward Rhodes whiche were fonde arayed wyth golde and syluer and precious clothyng and parte of their araye was seen flotyng in the see whiche geyre and araye was taken vppe by the crysten men with grete profyte and wynnyng And in also moche more was thys vyctorye in gladnesse to the Rhodyans because that there were slayne many noble turkes and in especial a â—â—syn of the grete turke the deth of the whiche was a grete sorowe to the grete turke and to all hys people and hys body was fonde on the banke spolyed of the Rhodyans And anone after thys grete fyghtyng somme turkes yelde them to the crysten people of Rhodes and sayde for trouth that ther were slayne of the turkes thre thousand and fyfe honderd and that the basse by the space of thre dayes for sorow thoughte spake wyth noo man of hys companye nor with none other And anon auysed the grete turk of thys grete myschyfe that was befalle to theym And in so moche more was wroth that wyth so grete deth of hys people and myscheuous harmes he had noo thyng profyted agaynest Rhodes nether agaynes the forsayde tour but with hye dammage and shame was putte offe as not able wyth alle that feleshyp and myght to ouercome the cyte of Rhodes as he hadde pourposed And so after that the turkes sawe that they coude not wynne the toure by strenghte and myghte anone they tourned theire fantasye and studyed wyth alle theire vertue and myghte to assaute the cytee and in especyal they made grete assaut agaynest the walles that were kepte by the Iues and also agaynes the walles that the nacyon of Italye kepte and defended and shortely the turkes made grete dammages and hurtes all abowte the walles of the cytee wyth theire grete gonnes and bombardes in so moche that they thought to come by wyles and subtyll meanes nygh to the walles of the cyte And so they made certayn dyches in dyuers places of the fyldes and couered theym with grene bowes and afterward they pritted erthe and turnes vppon the same and myned faste prynely for they pourposed to come to fyghte hande for hande wyth the Rhodyans Also they ordeygned certayne logges whiche they coueryd wyth grene bowes be cause that they sholde not be knowen and fro thens they shotte to the walles of Rhodes grete bombardes gomies and serpentynes in suche a wyse that noo man durste loke out of the walles of the cytee to theire fylde and to their werkes And in this whyle the turkes fylled a certayne place of the dyche of the citee wyth trees and stones and suche other thynges so that the dyche was made equall and playnnyssed vnto the heyght of the broken walle soo that lyghtely they myghte come for to feyghte hande for hande with the Rhodyans Then the Lorde Mayster of Rhodes consyderyng and seeyng openly the grete hardynesse of the turkes and also the grete daunger that the cytee of Rhodes stede in he as a noble Prynce louyng and defendyng hys sayde cytee and lordshyppe and hys people wyth grete dysygence called alle hys famous knyghtes and gouernours of hys werree and thenne he declared shewed to theyme wyth prudence and eloquence the grete daungers in the whiche by the furye and open boldenesse of the turkes Rhodes the moste crysten cytee stode in Fewe dayes by fore the siege of Rhodes was come from the royame of Fraunce to Rhodes the myghty and exellente knyghte named Antony Daubusson whyche was brother to the Lord Mayster of Rhodes Thys Antony Daubusson was Lord in Fraunce of a place whyche ys called Montelyon a man of grete wysedom and counseyle strong and hardy in werres and bataylles He departed from the royaume of Fraunce wyth a companyr of clenly and lykkely men whiche were able to fyghte vnder what somme euer baner that belonged to kyng or Emperour And hys entente and purpos was to vysyte deuoutely the blessyd and holy sepulchre of cure saueour Ihesu cryste in Ierusalem But whenne he vnderstode and perceyued that the grete Turke sholde come and laye siege to Rhodes he pourposed to helpe and defende the cytee of rhodes wyth Iuborte of hys lyfe and all hys companye for he thoughte that in noo maner place nor in noo maner wyse he myghte spende hys bloode better and more for the welfare of hys soule thenne there where he shulde fyghte for the precyous name of oure Lord Ihesu cryste and for the ryghtfull quarell of all crysten fayth and to kepe from captyuyte of the turkes the noble cytee of Rhodes and be cause that hys holynesse and hys herty loue whiche he hadde to the fayth of Ihesu cryste and also that hys grete manhode