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
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
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
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
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