THE SIEGE OF PLYMOUTH. 281 
Royalist hands. The value of such.a man as Martin in such a 
port as Plymouth is clear. Like his predecessors, Wardlaw and 
Gould, he succumbed to the service. The burial of Lieut.-Colonel 
Richard Martyn is recorded in the register of St. Andrew for 
October, 1644. Col. Kerr was the next commander. Martin, 
however, was still at the head of affairs when Maurice, early in July, 
made another assault; but being again unsuccessful, drew off, and 
once more left matters in the hands of Grenville. 
On the Ist of this month an ordinance of the Lords and Com- 
mons, appointed Commissioners for the Western Counties for 
raising moneys for the maintenance of the army and garrisons 
there, and for other purposes. The chief care of this committee 
was the supply of Plymouth. At the head of the Commissioners 
for Cornwall was John Lord Robartes; and it was at his desire 
that Essex made his unfortunate march into the West,* Robartes 
believing and arguing that in this way great assistance would be 
obtained in his own county. Plymouth was greatly encouraged 
by the news of the Lord General’s approach. As he drew near, 
Grenville, who had now only 500 foot and 300 horse,+ retreated 
on Tavistock, abandoning all his positions. At Fort Stamford 
four guns were taken, and at Plympton eight; whilst at Saltash 
and a great fort—wherever that may have been—there were found 
more cannon and many arms. Essex, strengthened then or 
subsequently by 2,500 men from Plymouth, marched on into 
Cornwall by Newbridge.t Grenville’s house at Fitzford was 
assaulted on the 23rd July, 150 prisoners made, and £3,000 
worth of pillage taken. On the 26th the passage at Newbridge 
was forced, Essex losing 40 men against Grenville’s 400.6 A 
regiment of Plymouth horse is recorded to have charged bravely. 
It does not add to our estimate of Grenville’s qualities as a soldier, 
or to our opinion of his men, that Essex was able to effect the 
passage so easily. The sides of the gorge of the Tamar at Gunnis- 
lake are exceedingly steep, even precipitous, the river deep; and 
Grenville’s force, if small, ought to have inflicted great loss on the 
assailants. 
At this time some of the Parliamentary fleet were at Plymouth, 
as appears from the following correspondence, for a copy of which, 
with the summons of surrender already cited, I am indebted to 
* WHITELOCK, p. 92. + CLARENDON, vol. ii. p. 807. 
t Wuiretock, p. 93, § WuirTELock says 200. 
