184 THE SIEGE OF PLYMOUTH. 



for horse and foot, sent us with speed, by God's 

 assistance, we may be able to take the field ; for all 

 the country is inclined to us, which opportunity we 

 hope the Parliament will not neglect. 



One remarkable passage of God*s providence to 

 us, we must with thankfulness relate, remember, 

 and acknowledge, that, after the town had been 

 for a long time besieged strictl}', and no fresh 

 victual, either fish or flesh, could be had ; whereby 

 the poor people were grievously punished; there 

 came an infinite multitude of pilchards into the har- 

 bour within the Barbican, which the people took up 

 with great ease in baskets ; which did not only 

 refresh them for the present, but a great deal more 

 were taken, preserved, and salted, whereby the poor 

 got much money ; such a passage has not happened 

 before. 



We cannot forget the great humanity of the good 

 women of Plymouth, and their courage in bringing 

 out strong waters, and all sorts of provisions, in the 

 midst of all our skirmishes and fights, for the re- 

 freshing of our soldiers, though many women were 

 shot through the clothes. We cannot omit to set 

 down also here, that \n a few days alter our arrival 

 home, one Sampson Hele, Esq. of Fardel, came on 

 a message from the Prince, to persusde the yielding 

 of it; but coming without drum or trumpet, for his 

 offence, he was persuaded to yield us 20001. for the 

 payment and clothing of our soldiers ; without which 

 we could not possibly have subsisted so long. 



The enemy*s word was, The town is ours: and 

 our word was, God with us. We had, upon the loss 

 of Mount Stamford, a day of humiliation; and, 

 upon God's deliverance of us at Lory Point, a day 

 of thanksgiving; and another since the siege was 

 raised. The chief Conmianders before us were 

 Prince Maurice, Earls of Marlborough and New- 

 port, Lord Mohun, Lieu tenant-General WagstafT, 

 Major-general Bassett, Sir Thomas Hele, Sir Ed- 



