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in Cobs pound, having no means in the world to retreat. 
Whereupon they fought desperately for ye space of 3 hours, 
& ye valiant Comptons percieving their extreme loss, 
attempted three several times ‘to storm and regain my out- 
works but all ye three times were beaten off with as much 
resolution and gallantry of my souldiers as could be expressed 
by men. Ye enemy within set fire to all ye hay, straw, & 
all ye combustible stuff to smother my men out of ye upper 
rooms, which did indeed much annoy them; and ye enemy 
without threw at least an hundred hand grenades on ye 
houses, so as they set them on fire in 3 several places; 
whereupon Sir Charles & Sir William, thinking all their 
owa, sent a trumpetter to parly, but I commanded that none 
should parley, nor would I permit ye trumpetter to 
speak at all unto me; & fain he would have said some- 
thing to my souldiers, but I commanded him upon 
his life to be gone & not to return any more upon his peril, 
& we continued to fight still; and ye aforesaid fire did so 
encrease, that I thought it fit to offer quarter to those that 
were in ye stable, for their lives only: but they would not 
hear me. Upon which I drew all my men together, & fell 
violently upon them, in which assault were slain & taken 
prisoners all those whose names are in the ensuing list. 
This did so dishearten ye Comptons & all their forces that 
they presently drew off all their foot & only faced me with 
their horse, & sent another trumpetter to parley; but I 
commanded to give fire upon him, that he returned with 
no other answer but what a musket could speak. And 
thus by Gods providence & mercy we were clearly rid of 
them. Sir, this is as true & short a narrative as I can 
conveniently give you. I am as we all are 
“‘ your obliged servants & kinsmen 
“George & William Purefoy. 
