THE LOSS OF RHODES ad. 



1522. 

 to the great master, and lords of the Councel, whereby 

 they required and besought meekely the sayd reverend 

 lord to have respect to them and their poore housholds, 

 and to make some appointment with the great Turke, 

 seeing that the sayd matter was already forward in pur- 

 pose, that he would do it ; and that it would please him 

 to consider the pitious & sorowful estate that the towne 

 was in ; & that there was no remedy to save it : and at 

 the lest way, if the lord would not make appointment, 

 to give them leave (of his goodnesse) to have their wives 

 and their children out of the Rodes to save them, for 

 they would not have them slaine nor made slaves to the 

 enemies. And the conclusion was, that if the sayd lord 

 would not purvey therefore, they would purvey for it 

 themselves. And there was written in the said request 

 the names of eight or ten of the richest of the towne. 

 Which words of the sayd supplication being heard, the 

 sayd lord and his councell were abashed and ill content 

 as reason would, seeing that it was but a course game, 

 and thought on many things to make answere to the 

 sayd citizens, for to content and appease them : and also 

 to see if they should intend to the appointment, as they 

 required, and after as the Genouoys had reported : and 

 the better to make the sayd answere, and to know more 

 plainly in what estate the towne was in all things : that 

 is to wit, first of gunpowder, and then of men of warre, 

 and of the batteries. Also were demanded and asked the 

 lord of S. Giles pre John, which had the charge of the 

 gunpowder, and then the captaine Sir Gabriel Martiningo, 

 for being over their men of warre (as it is said) as to him 

 that knew the truth ; if the towne might holde or not, or 

 there were any meanes to save it. The sayd lord of S. 

 Giles arose, saying and affirming upon his honour and 

 his conscience that almost all the slaves and labourers 

 were dead and hurt, and that scantly there were folke 

 enow to remove a piece of artillery from one place to 

 another, and that it was unpossible without folke any 

 more to make or set up the repaires the which every day 



45 



