AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1522. 



to defend themselves. And the more to hearten and 

 give them courage and good will, some knights of the 

 Crosse, decked their men with colours and devises, and 

 tooke with them men of the towne and strangers, and 

 with great noyse of trumpets and timbrels, they made 

 many musters, as envying each other which should keepe 

 best aray and order, and have the fairest company. It 

 was a great pleasure to see them all so well agree, and 

 so well willing. 



The number of the men of the towne amounted and 

 were esteemed, three or foure thousand, beside men of 

 the villages, that might be 1500. or 2000. 



The eight day of the same moneth, the Turkes hearing 

 of those tidings, made a fire for a token in a place called 

 le Fisco, in the maine land right against Rhodes. And 

 certaine dayes afore they had made another, that is to 

 weet, when the ship of a knight named Menetow went 

 thither, and had with him the clarke of the gallies named 

 Jaques truchman, the which under shadow to speake with 

 him, was withholden of the Turkes. For the great 

 Turke had commanded to take him or some other man 

 of the Rhodes to have perfect knowledge in what estate 

 the towne was then in every thing. And they of the 

 towne weening that the second fire was for to deliver 

 Jaques, the reverend lord great master sent one of his 

 galliasses, whose patron was called messire Boniface of 

 Provence, to know the cause thereof And when hee 

 arrived at the sayd place of le Fisco, he demaunded of the 

 Turkes wherefore they had made the token of fire. And 

 they said that it was because their lord had sent a letter 

 to the great master, but as yet it was not come, and 

 desired him to tary till it were brought. The patron as 

 warie & wise in the businesse of the sea, thought in 

 himselfe that the Turkes made such prolonging to some 

 evill intent, or to surprise his vessell being alone, where- 

 fore hee bade them give him the letter speedily, or els 

 he would goe his way, and neither tary for letter nor 

 other thing : and told them of the evill and dishonest 



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