31 THE SEA. 



being able to rally the citizens through their great confusion, retired to one of the castles 

 remaining, and thence fired incessantly at the pirates; but these were not in the least 

 negligent either to assault him or to defend themselves, so that amidst the horror of the 

 assault they made very few shots in vain; for, aiming with great dexterity at the mouths 

 of the guns, the Spaniards were certain to lose one or two men every time they charged 

 each gun anew. This continued very furious from break of day till noon ; yea, about this 

 time of day the case was very dubious which party should conquer or be conquered. At 

 last, the pirates perceiving they had lost many men, and yet advanced but little towards 

 gaining either this or the other castles, made use of fire-balls, which they threw with their 

 hands, designing to burn the doors of the castles; but the Spaniards from the walls let 

 fall great quantities of stones, and earthen pots full of powder and other combustibles, 

 which forced them to desist. Captain Morgan, seeing this generous defence made by the 

 Spaniards, began to despair of success. Hereupon many faint and calm meditations came 

 into his mind; neither could he determine which way to turn him in that strait. Being 

 thus puzzled he was suddenly animated to continue the assaults by seeing English colours 

 put forth in one of the lesser castles, then entered by his men, of whom he presently after- 

 wards spied a troop coming to meet him, proclaiming victory with loud shouts of joy. 

 This instantly put him on new resolutions of taking the rest of the castles, especially 

 seeing the chiefest citizens were fled to them, and had conveyed thither great part of their 

 riches, with all the plate belonging to the churches and divine service. 



"To this effect he ordered ten or twelve ladders to be made in all haste, so broad that 

 three or four men at once might ascend them. These being finished, he commanded all 

 the religious men and women whom he had taken prisoners to fix them against the walls 

 of the castle. This he had before threatened the governor to do if he delivered not the 

 castle, but his answer was, 'He would never surrender himself alive/ Captain Morgan 

 was persuaded the governor would not employ his armed force, seeing the religious women 

 and ecclesiastical persons exposed in front of the soldiers to the greatest danger. Thus the 

 ladders, as I have said, were put into the hands of religious persons of both sexes, and 

 these were forced at the head of the companies to raise and apply them to the walls; but 

 Captain Morgan was fully deceived in his judgment, for the governor, who acted like a 

 brave soldier in the performance of his duty, used his utmost endeavour to destroy who- 

 soever came near the walls. The religious men and women ceased not to cry to him, and 

 l>eg of him by all the saints of Heaven, to deliver the castle, and spare both his and their 

 lives ; but nothing could prevail with his obstinacy and fierceness. Thus, many of the 

 religious men and nuns were killed before they could fix the ladders, which at last being; 

 done, though with great loss of the said religious people, the pirates mounted them in 

 great numbers, and with not less valour, having fire-balls in their hands, and earthen pots 

 full of powder ; all which things being now at the top of the walls, they kindled and cast 

 in among the Spaniards. 



"This effort of the pirates was very great, inasmuch as the Spaniards could no longer 

 resist nor defend the castle, which was now entered. Hereupon they all threw down their 

 arms, and craved quarter for their lives. Only the governor would crave no mercy, but 

 killed many of the pirates with his own hands, and not a few of his own soldiers, because 



