THE LOSS OF RHODES ad. 



1522. 



water and by land, and went himselfe in person against 

 Bellegrado, a right strong place in Hungarie. And after T'he taking of 

 that hee had besieged it the space of two moneths or °^w^^^' 

 thereabout, for fault of ordinance and vitailes, it was 

 yeelded to him by composition the eight day of Septem- 

 ber, in the yeere of our lord, one thousand five hundred 

 twentie and one. The sayd Solyman having this victory, 

 being swollen and raised in pride and vaineglory, turned 

 his heart agaynst Rhodes. Neverthelesse, he not igno- 

 rant of the strength of it, and considering the qualities 

 of the people that were within it, of whom he should 

 be well received as his predecessours had bene afore- 

 times, doubted much, and knew not how to furnish his 

 enterprise. For his capitaines and Bashas turned him 

 from it as much as they might by many reasons, they 

 knowing the force of it, save onely Mustofa Basha his 

 brother in lawe, the which counselled and put him in 

 minde to goe thither. Finally, hee purposed entirely to 

 have it by treason or by force. And also for the same 

 cause and purpose, his father in his dayes had sent a 

 Jewe physician into Rhodes as a spie, to have the better Forren physi- 

 knowledge of it : the sayd Solyman was informed that "^.^^ become 

 he was there yet, wherfore he sent him worde that he ^^^^ 

 should abide there still for the same cause. And gave 

 in charge to one of the chiefe men in Sio, to send unto 

 the sayd Jewe all things needefuU to maintaine him. 

 And the same Jewe wrote to him of Sio, under privie 

 wordes, all that was done in Rhodes to give knowledge 

 thereof to the great Turke : and the better to hide his 

 treason, the sayde Jewe made himselfe to bee baptised. 

 And to bee the more named to be expert in Physike, 

 he did some faire cures to such as were diseased, whereby 

 he began to bee well trusted, and came in favour with 

 many substantiall folkes of the towne. Among all other 

 things whereof hee advertised the great Turke, one was 

 of a wall that was taken downe for to be new builded 

 at the bulwarke of Auvergne, certifying him that if hee 

 came hastely with his hoste, hee might easilie and at 



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