The Emperor’s Arrival gave new life to his fainting Army; and perceiving the English Bulwark annoy’d him most, sprung a Mine, that blew many a brave Englishman to Immortality.
The Turks upon this Success, with loud Shouts attack’d the Breach; but the Grand Master, Philip Vellinus, at the Head of the remaining English, repuls’d them, with the Loss of two Thousand Janizaries.
The Cannon of the Besieged did great Execution among the Turks, and their being often repuls’d, gave Solyman but little Hopes of gaining the City by Force; for even the Women of all Degrees threw down Stones from the Battlements on the Heads of the Besiegers, when they came to scale their Walls.
Solyman, after musing alone in his Tent, sent for all his chief Commanders, and told them he would make one general Assault; and if the City was taken, the Troops should be rewarded with the Plunder.
A poor Christian Slave hearing the Proclamation to the Troops, found Means to let the Rhodians know of Solyman’s Design for the next Day.
The Grand Master (at this Notice) prepar’d every thing to oppose them.
The next Morning before Break of Day, the Turks attack’d the City with loud Tecbirs, or Shouts of Onset, in five several Places at once with fifty Thousand Men. The Enemy was repuls’d with great Slaughter from the English and Italian Quarter. But in the mean time Mustapha Bassa, and Achmetes Bassa, attack’d the Spanish Bulwark, (whose Defenders were three parts gone to assist the Italian and English) and soon became Masters of it.
But the Grand Master, with several Knights of the Order, retook it again, after an obstinate Defence, with the Death of all the Turks.
This Success gave new Life to the Rhodians, who every where repuls’d their Enemies.
Solyman on a neighbouring Hill saw all with the utmost Vexation of Mind, and seeing no Hope of Success, order’d a Retreat to be sounded: The harrass’d Troops retir’d to their Camp, leaving above twenty Thousand of their Fellows lifeless behind them, as a Token of the Valour of their Enemies.