18 THE SIEGE AND BATTLE OF NARVA. 
“Dolgoruiky, and Lt. Generali Weide, both at Revall and here, upon 
“our humble addresses remonstrating our condition, have denied to us 
“any manner of reliefe, or any of our pay due to us, we having full 500 
“R. Dolrs. due to us, the said Generalls having received large remises, 
“and relieved and dayly pay out to divers prisoners, but told us at 
“Revall during our six months miserable imprisonment, as they to this 
“day tell us, during our prison here, that they have not received any 
“money to pay us; in such a miserable condition of 10 months imprison- 
“ment, our soe suffering makes ns beyond all expression sadly ye objects 
“of good men’s comiseration. We ye said Prisoners from ye Depth of 
“our present misery most humbly beg That it may please y’r Exc’cy, of 
“your Innate Clemency, to lay to heart the true Cognizance of ye 
“ Premises, and our deplorable imprisonment in a strange Country, 
“suffering hunger, cold, and nakedness, and that we may be released, 
“and returne to our pristine service, and we shall as redeemed from 
“Death ever pray, and devote our own lives unto your Exc'cys service. 
“Abra. Kennesbe. 
“William Stokes. 
“Archbald Croser. 
“Stockholm, 24th of September 1701.” 
Certain Russian prisoners were liberated by exchange, in 1709, when 
the victory ot Pultava established the ascendency of Peter over his rival 
Charles XII, but numbers remained prisoners twelve years longer. 
By that time very many of these unhappy men, including the Prince de 
Croy who died a pauper prisoner at Reval in 1702, had paid the debt 
of nature. It was a case of “survival to the fittest” It has not yet 
been ascertained when Abraham Kennesby returned to England, but it 
is apparent that when he did so he virtually had to begin his military 
career over again. On 1st August 1720 he was appointed Fireworker 
in the Ro} r al Artillery, and in 1729 was promoted 2nd. Lieut. 1 In the 
latter year Kennesby was commanding the small establishment of 
Artillery at Placentia with pay at three shillings jper diem . 2 When^we 
remember that in 1696 Kennesby received five shillings per diem as 
Fireworker in Newfoundland, it is sickening to find that more than a 
quarter of a century later this old officer, with increased rank/ should 
be receiving only three shillings—a pittance barely sufficient to keep 
body and soul together during the bitter winters in Newfoundland. 
According to “Kane’s List” Lieut. Kennesby died in 1731 and for want 
of a better epitaph let the following suffice:— 
“He was Grit.” 
1 Kane’s List, p. 1. 
2 Cleaveland Notes, p. 211. 
