The First Book 37 



In the meantime, the enemy, having closely besieged the 

 city on all sides, came to the very gates thereof, and pulled out 

 the earth at one end, as those in the city put it in at the other 

 end ; they planted their great cannons against it, and threw 

 in granadoes at pleasure : but those in the city made several 

 sallies upon them with good success. At last, the General 

 of the Associate army of the enemy, having closely beleaguered 

 the north side of the town, sprung a mine under the wall of 

 the Manor Yard, and blew part of it up ; and having beaten 

 back the town forces (although they behaved themselves very 

 gallantly), entered the Manor House with a great number 

 of their men, which as soon as my Lord perceived, he went 

 away in all haste — even to the amazement of all that were by, 

 not knowing what he intended to do — and drew 80 of his own 

 regiment of foot, called the White Coats, all stout and valiant 

 men, to that post, who fought the enemy with that courage, 

 that within a little time they killed and took 1,500 of them ; 

 and my Lord gave present order to make up the breach which 

 they had made in the wall *. Whereupon the enemy remained 

 without any other attempt in that kind, so long, till almost 

 all provision for the support of the soldiery in the city was 

 spent, which nevertheless was so well ordered by my Lord's 

 prudence, that no famine or great extremity of want ensued. 



My Lord having held out in that manner above two months, 

 and withstood the strength of three armies ; and seeing that 

 his Lieutenant-General of the Horse whom he had sent for 

 relief to his Majesty, could not so soon obtain it (although he 

 used his best endeavour), for to gain yet some little time, began 

 to treat with the enemy ; ordering in the meanwhile, and upon 

 the treaty, to double and treble his guards 2 . At last after 



1 The breach was made by the blowing up of St. Mary's Tower, whence the Manor 

 House was easily reached (Markham's Fairfax, p. 148). The assault was made pre- 

 maturely, and in insufficient force, by General Crawford, who was eager to monopolise 

 the honour of the expected success. The Duchess greatly exaggerates the loss of the 

 besiegers, which Rushworth puts at a total of 300 (Rushworth III, ii, 631). Baillie 

 blames ' the foolish rashness of Major Crawford, and his great vanity to assault alone 

 the breach made by his mine, without the acquainting Lesley or Fairfax with it ' (Letters, 

 ii, 195). Slingsby, who was there, speaks only of 200 prisoners, and estimates the 

 strength of the storming party at 500 (Memoirs, p. 109, ed. 2). 



2 The Marquis made overtures for a treaty on June 8, and the negotiations were 

 carried on till the 15th. The correspondence is printed in Rushworth III, ii, 624-631. 

 Newcastle demanded that the garrison should be allowed to march out with arms, am- 

 munition, and baggage, to join the King or Prince Rupert. These terms were of course 

 refused by the besiegers, who sent counter-propositions, to which Newcastle replied : 



' My Lords, — I have perused the conditions and demands your Lordships sent ; 

 but when I considered the many professions made to avoid the effusion of Christian 



