THE LOSS OF RHODES a.d. 



1522. 



How the bulwarke of Spaine was lost, and [il. i. 84.] 

 woonne againe. 



THe 24 day of the same moneth, a little before day, 

 they gave assault at the breach of Spaine, to the 

 bulwarke of England, to the posterne of Provence, and 

 at the plaine ground of Italy, all at one houre & one 

 time. The first that mounted to the breach of Spaine, 

 was the Aga of the Janissaries, a valiant man, and of 

 great courage with his company, and bare three score 

 or three score and tenne banners and signes, and pight 

 them in the earth of the breach, and then fought with 

 our men, and mounted on our repaires, making other 

 maner of fray and more rigorous then the other that 

 were passed, and the sayd skirmish lasted about sixe 

 houres. And forthwith, as the assault was given, a great 

 sort of Turks entred into the bulwarke of Spaine, and set 

 up eight or nine signes or banners upon it, and drove 

 our men out, I can not tell how, unwares or otherwise. 

 And they were lords of it three houres and more. How- 

 beit there were of our men beneath in the mine of the 

 sayd bulwarke, the which bulwarke so lost, gave us evill 

 hope. But incontinently the lord great master being at 

 the defence of the posterne of England, having know- 

 ledge of the sayd losse, and that there was great fighting 

 and resistance on both sides at the breach of Spaine, 

 marched thither with the banner of the crucifix, leaving 

 the charge of the sayd bulwarke in the hands of the 

 bailife de la Moree messieur Mery Combant. And the 

 lord mounted on the wall of Spaine, whereas then began 

 a great skirmish, and every man layed his handes to 

 worke, as well to put the enemies out of the breach, as 

 to recover the bulwarke that was lost. And the sayde 

 lord sent a company of men into the bulwarke by the 

 gate of the mine, or by the Barbican, the which entred at 

 the sayd gate, and went up, where they found but few 

 Turkes. For the artillery of the posterne of England, 

 right against the bulwarke of Spaine, had so well met and 



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