_â—O the moste excellente moste redoubted and moste crysten kyng Kyng Edward the fourth Iohan kay hys humble poete lawreate and moste lowly seruant knelyng vnto the ground sayth salute It ys not out of your knowleche herty pyte moste prudente Prynce howe that thies fourty yeres passed the turkes hane vexed the crysten partyes hane preuayled had of the crysten men the ouerhande in so moche that nowe late agaynest al right reason were possessours in Italye in the domynyon grounde of the most constant kyng Ferrand of Arragon king of Naples in preiudyce horryble terrour to the court apostolyque to al crystendome For by that the grete Turke late named Mahumete proposed ordeyned grete myght strenghte to vndoo subuerte the holy cytee of Rome putte Italye to his subiectyon after lightly to ouercome oppresse the resydue of crystendome But Ihesu cryste our redemptour wold not his crysten people to be put into lenger peyne or to more trybulacion he hath retrayte withdrawen hys rodde as a kynd father to his dere children contente with grete menasses lytil punycyon Certes the synnes of the crysten people as I thynke lytil regarde to our saueour Ihesu meued caused the ryghtwys god to warne vs to haue him beter in mynde by the flagel of this grete mighty ennemye But after repentence prayers of our holy father the pope Cardynalles Crysten prynces all crysten people and with so grete pardones of the court of seyntes petre paule through the grace of the blessed Ihesu this grete turke in his moste pryde his moste hope hath made be sodeyn deth amende of his lyue and ys the cruel generacyon of the turkes for euermore with goddes grace deiecte caste out of Italye And all the turkes among them selfe in grete Werres Whiche thyng ys token to all crysten prynces here after to recouer the partyes crysten Certayn yt ys moste gracyous prynce that he fewe dayes afore hys deth layde siege to the noble cytee of Rhodes whiche ys the key yate of all crystendome But ther he was put to hys worse to shame And be cause that I haue seen red in Italye of the oppressyng captyuyce by the sayd Turke of the worshipful cytee somtyme of Constantinople and also not many yeres passed of the infortunate losse of the streng cytee of Nygrepount For the Cardynale greke of Mycene made wrode in latyne the lamentable captyuyte of Constantinople to the pope and Balthasar perusyn wrote in the langayge Italyon of Nygrepount to the lord of Vrbyn for to meue the crysten people to prayers and prouycion I haue thought more beter labour more commendable purpos yf I in the reuerence of Ihesu cryste in the worship of your gode grace shulde put with dylygence out of latyn in english to the vnderstondyng of your people the dylectable newesse and tithynges of the gloryous victorye of the Rhodyans agaynest the turkes wherof they redyng shal haue Ioye consolacyon shal alwey deuoutely knowe by dayly miracles goddes werkes the inestimable power certente of our crysten fayth And in so moche more to youre hyensse I make a yefte of my labour that your gode grace abondeth with al vertues also much as in a moste crysten king longeth to be And also I am of this opynyon that al the comyn wele comyn gode cometh through god the kynges to their peoples wherfor what so euer frute or pleasur your peple shal in thys my studies finde they shal yelde glorye to god grace than kynges to your hyenes The whiche god almyghty kepe euer prosper with all your noble desires â—Yth that I haue aplyed me to declare and publysshe to alle crysten people the siege of the noble and inuyncyble cytee of Rhodes Fyrst I purpose to telle and opene the causes that meued the cruell tyraunt Mahumete grete Turke and insacyable enemye to oure crysten fayth that he with so grete might so grete streynght vexed the Rhodyans howe be it that afore this tyme the rhodyans and the Turkes often haue had werrys Neuertheles thys cruel Turke after the subduyng oppressyng of the myserable dolorous cytee of Constantynople hath begonne ordeyned agayns the cytee of Rhodes greter werrys theme euer dyd hys predecessours For the entente and purpos of the sayde grete Turke was to persecute and outerly vndoo the crysten fayth Therfore after the space of .xxiiii. yeres whenne that he had conquered many empyres kyngdommes and lordshyppes was wrothe to see the lytyll cytee of Rhodes standyng so nygh his kyngdommes and lordshyppes not subiect nor contrybutarye to hym Therfore four dyuers tymys with shippes and men of werre assauted the castelles and places of the Isle of Rhodes where bothe by lande and by water thorough goddes grace he was venquysshed and ouerthrowe and of his oste many slayne with the Rhodyans many drownâ—d and many putte to flyght and to shame Therfore after he sawe the noble hertys of the knyghtes and people of Rhodes that nether by fyghtyng nether by power he might attayne the cytee thought and ymagyned by subtylyte and cauteles to haue hys entente therof And so often tymes after that he had grete part of Grece to hys obeysaunce temptyd to make peas and amyte wyth the Rhodyans so that they wold knowlege hym as they re souuerayn and yerely yolde hym a lytyll trybute whiche condytyon the Rhodyans alleweye withseyed and dyffyed And when he sawe that in no wyse he coude gette nor attayne trybute of rhodes in that manere offerred theym yet peas vpon thys condytyon That the embassedoures of the knyghtes of seynte Iohan of Ierusalem that ys to saye of Rhodes shulde come to hys courte and presente to hym certayn royall yeftes the whiche he thoughte to resceyue vnder the tytle of trybute and so by wyles entended to make the sayde cytee of Rhodes trybutarye to hym but he coude not spede hys fals purpos For the noble and victoryous Prynce and renomed lord The lord mayster of Rhodes and hys pendent counseyl refused of their ennemy peas nor wolde be of amyte with hym that was a persecutor of crystes â—yth crystes relygyon And so daye and nyghte the most nobelest knyghtes of the sayd Relygyon accordyng to their ordre helped and defended oure fayth and the sayd cytee of Rhodes For thees causes now sayd the furyous enemye conceyued agayns the cytee of Rhodes inestymable hate rede wrathe and ymagyned yf he myght outerly to dystroye the sayde Rhodes And to this crnel purpose he was also meued by conseyl persuasyons of the traytours of crystes fayth the whiche had in knowlege alle the places and secretes of Rhodes Among the whiche fals traytours renegates was one especyal of the cytee of Rhodee called Antony Melagolo a man vnkynd to god to man He was noble of byrth euyll of condycyons lyuyng the whiche by
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
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
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