198 to take care for the securing of his tqwne, where the enernie no\v dayly threat'ned to come. So he floted the medowes on the Line side, where there was no fortification, and rays'd a fort in the rniddst of the medowes, to preserve the flote, and fortified the Trent bridges more strongly, and, expecting the enemie every bower, was forc'd to let the worke goe on all the Lord's clay. When, calling the captaines together, to consult the best way of preparing for their defence, Mason, the new towne captaine, tookc this time to revive the old mutiny, and said the townsmen would not stand to their workes except the ordinance were drawne downe from the castle to the towne workes: the governor rebuking him for this unseasonable insolence, he and his men were, all the time of this greate exigence, so backward that they were rather an obstruction then assistance, and there was much acloe to get them either to the workes or the guards. Indeed such a blow was given to the parliament interest, in all these parts, that it might well discourage the ill-affected, when even the most zealous were cast downe and gave all for lost: but the governor, who in no occasion ever lett his courage fall, but, when things were at the lowest, recollected all his force, that his owne despondency might not contribute aniething to his mallicious fortune, at this time animated all the honest men, and exprest such vigor and cheerefullnesse, and such stedfast resolution, as disappoynted all the mallignants of their hopes. , The wives, children, and servants, of such as were in the enemie's garrisons and armies, he thought it not safe to suffer any longer in the towne,. in such a time of danger, and therefore commanded them all to depart., not sparing even some of his owne relations; but though this was done by the concurrence of the whole1committee, yet some of them, who were loath the towne should loose any that wisht ill to the governor and his undertakings, privately, without his consent or knowledge; brought back several! persons that were very dangerous to the place.
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