AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1522. 



as wise and prudent considering that a towne that will 

 heare intreatings is halfe lost, defended upon the paine of 

 death sith that Siotis had spoken these two times, that 

 none should be so hardy to speake nor answere them of 

 the campe, without his knowledge & commandement : 

 but seeing they were such ambassadors, they reported the 

 words of the sayd Albanese, or ever the sayd lord had 

 knowledge of the words of the Siotis. The which words 

 spread thorow the towne put many folke in thought, and 

 would have undone that that the Siotis said : the which is 

 no marvell whereas is much people, for with good will 

 and most often they regard sooner to save the lives of 

 them and their children, then they doe to the honour of 

 the residue. Howbeit not one durst speake a word 

 openly of that businesse, but all secretly : and some came 

 and spake to certaine lords of the great crosse for to 

 speake to ye lord great master. And in effect some lords 

 spake therof to him, persuading him that it should be 

 good to thinke thereon, seeing that the towne went to 

 losse. To whom the sayd lord shewed many things for 

 his honor and the Religion : and that no such things 

 ought to be done or thought for any thing in the world, 

 but rather he and they to die. The lords hearing this 

 answere, went their wayes, and then returned againe to 

 the sayd lord, advising him more to thinke well on all 

 things, and to the salvation of his towne and of his reli- 

 gion. And they sayd moreover, that they doubted that 

 the people would rather have a peace then to die them- 

 selves, their wives and children. The lord seeing that 

 such words were as things inforced, as who should say, 

 if thou do it not, we shall do it as wise men and prudent, 

 willing to make remedies of needfull things by counsell, 

 called the lords of his Councell for to have advise in these 

 doings, and other. And when they were assembled, the 

 lord proposed the words that were to him denounced, 

 and sayd : With these termes and wordes came two or 

 three marchants and citizens of the towne that knocked at 

 the doore of the Councell, and presented a supplication 



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