The occasions why the great Turke came to besiege the Citie of Rhodes.

The first and principall cause was that he did consider and sawe by
experience, that there was none other Towne nor place in Leuant that warred
against him nor kept him in doubt, but this poore rocke of Rhodes. And
hearing that continuall complaintes of his subiectes as well of Syria, as
of Turkie, for the domages and prises dayly done of their bodies and goods
by Christian men of warre receiued into Rhodes: And also of the shippes and
gallies of the religion, he tooke conclusion in himselfe, that if he might
put the sayde Towne in his power and subiection, that then he should be
peaceable lord of all the parties of Leuant, and that his subiects should
complaine no more to him.

The second, that he might followe the doings of his noble predecessours,
and shewe himselfe very heire of the mightie and victorious lord Sultan
Selim his father, willing to put in execution the enterprise by him left
the yeere one thousand fiue hundred twentie and one. The which Selim the
great Turke put in all redinesse his armie to the number of three hundreth
sayles purposing for to send them against Rhodes, if mortalitie had not
happened in his host, and he afterwarde by the will of our lorde was
surprised and taken with death: wherefore he being in the latter ende of
his dayes, (as some Turkes and false christian men that were at this siege
shewed me) did charge by his testament, or caused to charge his sonne now
being great Turke, that after this death hee should make his two first
enterprises, the one against Bellegrado in Hungarie, and the other against
Rhodes, for to get him honour, and to set his Countries and subiectes in
rest and suretie. The which fatherly motion easilie entered into him and
was imprinted in the heart and yoong will of the sayde Solyman, his sonne,