197 that commanded them told them that he would goe to the next towne to buy them some bread, and with that pretence came away and never saw them more. The enemie was endeavouring to make a passage over the river, to come on the other side of them and encompasse them, which when they saw and consider'd, that they had no order what to doe, nor bread for one meale, nor bullett more then their musketts were loaded withall, and that it was impossible for them to come of, if they stay'd till the enemie enclos'd them, and further discovering that their fi·iends in the spittle were in parlee, they conceiv'd it their best way to come home, which they plotted so to doe that the enemie might not perceive it till they were out of their reach; so leaving lighted matches and squibs laid at certeine distances, to deceive the enemie, they came safe home; but within !esse than halfe an hour after they were gone the enemie came on the other side, and not missing them till morning, by .reason of the squibbs, they pursued them not, by which meanes they came safe to Nottiqgham; which was a Yery seasonable mercy, for had they stay'd the choicest armes in the garrison had bene lost, and the be~t and most confiding souldiers disarm'd: for Sr. John agreed upon articles with the prince, to deliver up the spittle wherein he lay, with all the musketts, ordinance, and ammunition, in it; the foote souldiers to march away with colours flying, swords and pikes, the horsemen with their horse and swords, and all the commanders with their pistolls: but the prince broke all these conditions, and pillaged them to their shirts, and sent many captaines quite naked away. The committee of Nottingham now began againe to mutter at the governor, but he would not take notice of it, but applied himselfe says of it, was deserted and sacrificed for want of support: ·the road stili Jay open to Lincoln, but probably Prince Rupert was too strong and too active to let the besiegers escape any way unless they had acted with better accord~ amongst them- ~- '
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