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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64847	The commentaries of Sr. Francis Vere being diverse pieces of service, wherein he had command / written by himself in way of commentary ; published by William Dillingham ...	Vere, Francis, Sir, 1560-1609.; Dillingham, William, 1617?-1689.; Dorislaus, Isaac, 1595-1649.; Ogle, John, Sir, 1569-1640.	1657 (1657)	Wing V240; ESTC R219854	108,031	242

For as he must be allowed a great share in these actions recorded by his Brother so were his own services afterwards when General of the English so eminent and considerable that they might easily have furnished another Commentary had not his own exceeding modesty proved a step-mother to his deserved praises He was a religious wise and valiant Commander and that which quartered him in the bosome of the Prince of Orange he was always succesfull in his enterprises sometimes to the admiration both of friends and enemies Take an instance or two When he took Scluys there was one strong hold first to be taken which he found some difficulty to overcome and that was the opinion of his friends of the impossibility of the enterprise And for his enemies Spinola himself were he now alive would I question not do him the right which he did him in his life-time and bear witness of his gallant retreat with four thousand men from between his very fingers when with three times that number he had grasped up the Prince and his men against the Sea-shore And because the proficiencie of the Scholars was ever accounted a good argument of their Masters abilitie I shall make bold with their leaves here to give you a list of some of his Henry Earl of Oxford Thomas Lord Fairfax S. Edward Vere Lieut. Col. S. Sim. Harcourt Ser. Maj. S. Thom. Dutton Captain S. Henry Paiton Captain S. John Burroughs Capt. S. Thomas Gates Captain S. John Conyers Captain S. Thomas Gale Captain S. William Lovelace Cap. S. Rob. Carey Captain S. Jacob Ashley Captain S. Tho. Conway Capt. S. John Burlacy Captain S. Tho. Winne Captain S. Ger. Herbert Captain S. Edw. Harwood Capt. S. Mich. Everid Captain Besides divers others whose effigies do at once both guard and adorn Kirby-hall in Essex where the truly religious and Honourable the Lady Vere doth still survive kept alive thus long by special providence that the present age might more then read and remember what was true Godliness in eighty eight And as for her Lord and Husband who died long since though he left no heir Male behind him to bear his name yet hath he distributed his bloud to run in the veins of many Honourable and Worshipfull families in England for his daughters were The Right Honourable Honourable and vertuous The Countess of Clare The Lady Townshend now Countess of Westmorland The Lady Paulet The Lady Fairfax and Mistris Worstenholme Whose pardon I crave for making so bold with their names but my hope is they will be willing to become witnesses unto their Uncles book though a war-like birth and to let their names midwife it into the world Thus Reader have I given thee a brief account of this piece and so recommend me to Sir Francis Vere W. D. Sir Robert Naunton in his Fragmenta Regalia p. 41. VERE Sir Francis Vere was of that ancient and of the most noble extract of the Earls of Oxford and it may be a question whether the Nobility of his House or the Honour of his atchievements might most commend him but that we have an authentick rule Nam genus proavos quae non fecimus ipst Vix ea nostra voco c. For though he was an Honourable slip of that ancient tree of Nobility which was no disadvantage to his vertue yet he brought more glory to the name of Vere then he took bloud from the family He was amongst all the Queens Sword-men inferiour unto none but superiour to many of whom it may be said To speak much of him were the way to leave out somewhat that might add to his praise and to forget more that would make to his honour I find not that he came much to the Court for he lived almost perpetually in the Camp but when he did none had more of the Queens favour and none less envied for he seldome troubled it with the noise and alarms of supplications his way was another sort of undermining They report that the Queen as she loved Martial men would court this Gentleman as soon as he appeared in her presence and surely he was a souldier of great worth and Command thirty years in the service of the States and twenty years over the English in chief as the Queens General And he that had seen the battel at Neuport might there best have taken him and his Noble brother the Lord of Tilbury to the life The Contents BOmmeler-Waert Pag. 1. The relief of Rhinbergh p. 3. The second relieving of Rhinbergh p. 4. The relieving the Castle of Litken-hooven p. 10. The surprise of Zutphen-Sconse p. 17. The siege of Deventer p. 18. The defeat given the Duke of Parma at Knodsenburgh-Fort p. 20. The Calis-Journey p. 24. The Island-voyage p. 45. The Government of the Briel p. 68. The Action at Turn-hoult p. 72. The battel at Neuport p. 81. Sir Iohn Ogles account of the last charge there p. 106. Clement Edmonds Observation p. 112. The siege of Ostend p. 118. The continuation of it p. 131. Praelium Nuportanum per Is. Dorislaum p. 179. The effigies of S. Fr. Vere and then that of the Lord Vere before the Title-page S. Fr. Veres Monument next after the Epistle to the Reader The mapp of the Sea-coasts and then that of the Low-countreys pag. 1. The mapp of Cadiz and the Islands Azores p. 24. The Action at Turn-hoult p. 72. The Battel at Neuport p. 80. The effigies of S. Iohn Ogle p. 106. The mapp of Ostend p. 118. ERRATA Page 27. line 8. dele in the. p. 32. lin last put the parenthesis after Caletta pag. 132. lin 22. for spilt read split p. 147. l. 16. r. among the rest came that A MAPPE OF THE SEA COASTS A MAPPE OF THE LOWE COVNTRIES Sr HOR 〈…〉 E since Baron of Tilbury THE COMMENTARIES OF Sr. FRANCIS VERE BOMMELER-WAERT IN the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred eighty and nine the Count Charles Mansfeldt having passed with part of his armie into the Bommeler-Waert the rest lying in Brabant over against the island of Voorn prepared both troops to passe into the said island with great store of flat-bottomed boats his artillerie being placed to the best advantage to favour the enterprise The Count Maurice had to impeach him not above eight hundred men the whole force that he was then able to gather together not being above fifteen hundred men whereof the most were dispersed alongst the river of Wael fronting the Bommeler-Waert to impeach the enemies passage into the Betowe Of these eight hundred men six hundred were English of which my self had the command These seemed small forces to resist the enemy who was then reckoned about twelve thousand men and therefore the Count Maurice and the Count Hollock one day doing me the honour to come to my quarter put it in deliberation whether it were not best to abandon the place whereunto when others inclined my opinion was That in regard of the importance of the place

my coming aboard the Gallions were run on ground near the shore and their men some swimming others in their boats began to forsake their ships I was then bold to say to my Lord of Essex that it was high time to send his small shipping to board them for otherwise they would be fired by their own men which his Lordship found reasonable presently sent his directions accordingly and in the mean time sent Sir William Constable with some long boats full of souldiers which his Lordship had towed at his stern since the first imbarquing to have landed in the Caletta But notwithstanding he made all haste possible before he could get to the Gallions two of them were set on fire and the other two by this means saved and taken utterly forsaken of their men who retired through the fennes to porto Saint Maria. The Spanish fleet thus set on ground the prosecution of that victory was committed to and willingly undertaken with the sea-forces by a principall officer of the fleet And because longer delay would increase the difficulty of landing our forces by the resort of more people to Calis it was resolved forthwith to attempt the putting of our men on shore and to that end commandment was given that all the men appointed for that purpose should be imbarqued in the long boats and that my Lord of Essex should first land with those men which could be disembarqued and then my Lord Admirall to second and repair to the Generall who the better to be known would put out his flag in his boat The troops that were first to land were the regiments of the Generalls my own that of Sir Christopher Blunt Sir Thomas Gerrard and Sir Conniers Clifford On the right hand in an even front with a competent distance betwixt the boats were ranged the two regiments first named the other three on the left so that every regiment and company of men were sorted together with their Colonels and chief officers in nimble pinnaces some in the head of the boats some at stern to keep good order the Generall himself with his boat in which it pleased him to have me attend him and some other boats full of Gentlemen-adventurers choice men to attend his person rowed a pretty distance before the rest whom at a signall given with a drum from his boat the rest were to follow according to the measure and time of the sound of the said drum which they were to observe in the deeping of their oars and to that end there was a generall silence as well of warlike instruments as otherwise Which order being duly followed the troops came all together to the shore betwixt Puntall and Calis and were landed and severall regiments imbattelled at an instant without any encounter at all the Spaniards who all the day before had shewed themselves with troops of horse and foot on that part as resolved to impeach our landing being clean retired toward the town The number of the first disembarquing was not fully two thousand men for diverse companies of those regiments that had put themselves into their ships again could not be suddenly ready by reason the boats to land them belonged to other great ships Calis on that side was walled as it were in a right line thwart the land so as the sea on both sides did beat on the foot of the wall which strength together with the populousness of the town in which besides the great concourse of Gentlemen and others upon the discovery of our fleet and alarm of our Ordnance there was an ordinary Garrison of souldiers had taken from us all thought of forcing it without battery and therefore being landed we advanced with the troops to finde a convenient place to encamp till my Lord Admirall with the rest of the forces and the Ordnance were landed Being advanced with the troops half the breadth of the neck of the land which in that place is about half a mile over we might perceive that all along the sea-shore on the other side of this neck of land men on hors-back and foot repaired to the town which intercourse it was thought necessary to cut off And therefore because the greatest forces of the enemies were to come from the land it was resolved on to lodge the better part of the army in the narrowest of the neck which near Puntall is not broader then an ordinary harque-bush-shot To which streight Sir Conniers Clifford was sent with three regiments viz. his own Sir Christopher Blunts and Sir Thomas Gerrards there to make a stand to impeach the Spaniards from coming to the town till he received further order for the quartering and lodging of his men Which done the Lord Generall with the other two regiments and his company of adventurers which was of about two hundred and fifty worthy Gentlemen in all not fully a thousand men advanced nearer the town the better to discover the whole ground before it And as we approached a far off we might perceive the enemy standing in battel under the favour of the town with cornets and ensignes displayed thrusting out some loose horse and foot toward us as it were to procure a skirmish I marking their fashion conceived hope of a speedier gaining the town then we intended and were then about and said to his Lordship at whose elbow I attended that those men he saw standing in battel before the town would shew and make the way for us into the town that night if they were well handled and at the instant I propounded the means which was to carry our troops as near and covertly as might be towards the town and to see by some attempt if we could draw them to fight further from the town that we might send them back with confusion and disorder and so have the cutting them in pieces in the town-ditch or enter it by the same way they did His Lordship liked the project and left the handling thereof to me I presently caused the troop to march towards the other side of the neck of land because the ordinary and ready way to the town lay on that side low and inbayd to the foot of the hilly downs so as troops might march very closely from the view of the town Then I chose out two hundred men which were committed to the conduct of Sir Iohn Wingfield a right valiant Knight with order that he should march on roundly to the enemy where they stood in battel and to charge and drive to their battels the skirmishers but if the enemy in grosse profered a charge he should make an hasty and fearfull retreat to their judgement the way he had gone till he met with his seconds that followed him and then to turn short and with the greatest speed and fury he could to charge the enemy The seconds were of three hundred men led as I remember by Sir Matthew Morgan who were to follow the first troop a good distance and so as both of them till

the enemy were engaged might not at once appear to them and to advance with all diligence when the troop before them did retire to meet them charge the enemy enter the town with them peslemesle With the rest of the forces his Lordship and I followed The place served well for our purpose being covert and of no advantage for their horsmen and the directions were so well observed that the enemy was engaged in following our first troop before they discovered the rest and so in hope and assurance of victory being beyond expectation lively encountered they fled in disorder towards the town so nearly followed of our men that most of the horsmen forsook their horses and saved themselves some by the gates others clambering over the walls as did also their footmen our men following them at the heels to the very gate which they found shut against them and men standing over it and upon the walls to resist us The ditch was very hollow but dry out of which was raised a massy rampier with two round half bulwarks the one towards the one sea the other towards the other for height and thicknesse in their perfection but not steeped and scarped so as it was very mountable lying close to the old wall of the town which somewhat overtopped it no higher then in many places a man might reach with his hand To the top of this rampier our men climbed who being for the most part old and experienced souldiers of the Bands I brought out of the Low-countries boldly attempted to climbe the wall from which they beat with their shot the defendants wanting no encouragements that good example of the chiefs could give them the Generall himself being as forward as any Whilest it was hard stroven and fought on that side I sent a Captain and Countrey-man of mine called Upsher with some few men alongst the ditch to see what guard was held along the wall toward the Bay-ward and whether any easier entrance might be made that way or no willing him to bring or send me word which he did accordingly though the messenger came not to me He found so slender a guard that he entred the town with those few men he had which the enemy perceiving fled from the walls and our men entred as fast on the other side My Lord of Essex was one of the first that got over the walls followed by the souldiers as the place would give them leave and such was their fury being once entred that as they got in scatteringly so they hasted towards the town without gathering any strong and orderly body of men as in such case is requisite or once endeavouring to open the gate for more convenient entry for the rest of the troops I therefore foreseeing what might ensue of this confusion held the third body of the men together and with much adoe brake open the gate by which I entred the town and so keeping the way that leads from the gate towards the town joyned to my foot those men I met withall scattered here and there Not farre from the Market-place I found my Lord of Essex at a stand with fourty or fifty men whence I might see some few of the enemy in the Market-place which made me advance towards them without attending any commandment who upon my approaching retired themselves into the Town-house whither I pursued them broke open the gates and after good resistance made by the Spaniards in the upper rooms of the house became Master of it in which I left a guard and went down into the Market-place and found my Lord of Essex at the Town-house-door I humbly intreated his Lordship to make that place good and give me leave to scoure and assure the rest of the town which I did accordingly And though I was but slackly and slenderly followed by reason of our mens greedinesse of spoil yet such Spaniards as I found making head and coming towards the Market-place I drove back into the Fort Saint Philip and the Abby of Saint Francis Those of the Abby yielded to the number of two hundred Gentlemen and others and being disarmed were put into a Chapel and there left guarded Those of Saint Philip it being now in the evening cryed to us that in the morning they would render the place Before which also having put a guard and understanding by some prisoners that there was no other place of any strength but the old town near the Market-place I repaired to my Lord of Essex whom I found in the Market-place and my Lord Admirall with him And after I had made report on what terms things stood where I had been I went to the said old town to visit the guards which were commanded by Sir Edward Conway with part of the forces landed with my Lord Admirall and from thence to that part of the town where we entred And thus all things in good assurance returned to the market-place where the rest of the forces were being held together to be readily imployed upon all occasions Their Lordships went up to the Town-house and there gave God thanks for the victory and afterwards all wounded and bloudy as he was yet undressed gave the honour of Knighthood to Sir Samuel Bagnall for his especiall merit and valour in that dayes service The losse was not very great on either side for as the Spanish troops that stood ordered without the walls got into the town confusedly and disorderly before we could mingle with them so every one as he was counselled by fear or courage provided for his own safety the most flying to the old town and Castle Those that made head after the first entrance being scattered here and there our men as they followed with more courage then order so encountered them in the like scattering manner falling streight to hand-strokes so as it seemed rather an inward tumult and town-fray then a fight of so mighty nations The next day the old town and the Fort of Saint Philip were delivered unto us and the people that were in them except some principall prisoners were suffered to depart with great courtesie shewed especially to the women of better sort There went out of the town Gentlemen and others likely men to bear arms betwixt four and five thousand the brunt of this exploit was born with lesse then a thousand men We could have no help of Sir Conniers Clifford who mistaking his directions went with his troops to the bridge called Punto Zuarro about three leagues distance And my Lord Admirall notwithstanding his Lordsh. used all possible diligence in the landing his men arrived not till we were in a manner full Masters of the town It was long disputed whether the town should be held or no. I offered with four thousand men to defend it till her Majesties pleasure might be known My Lord of Essex seemed to affect to remain there in person which the rest of the Council would not assent unto but rather to abandon and set it on fire

go to Fayall the Lord Thomas with his squadron and I with my ship were to go to Graciosa and Sir Walter Raleigh with his either to Pico or Saint George but Sir Walter Raleigh whether of set purpose or by mistake I leave others to judge making with his squadron more haste then the rest of the fleet came to Fayall afore us landed his men and received some losse by the Spaniards that kept the top of the hill which commanded both the haven and the town The Generall with the rest of the fleet came to an anchor before the Island and hearing of Sir Walter Raleighs landing and losse was highly displeased as he had cause it being directly and expressely forbidden upon pain of death to land forces without order from the Generall and there wanted not about my Lord that the more to incense him aggravated the matter seeing the Spanish ensigne upon the hill his Lordship prepared to land with all haste and so about an houre before sun-set came into the town A competent number of men were given to Sir Oliver Lambert to guard the passages and then it was consulted how to go on with the enterprise of forcing them They were entrenched on the top of the hill to the number of two hundred which was so steep that it seemed artillery could not be drawn towards the said trench The night growing on I desired his Lordship to give me leave to go up to discover the place which his Lordship assented unto and so taking two hundred souldiers I set forward the young Earl of Rutland Sir Thomas German and diverse other Gentlemen-adventurers accompanying me At our coming to the top of the hill finding no watch in their trenches we entred them and possessed the hill where we found some of our men slain by the Spaniard The hill was abandoned as we supposed in the beginning of the night unseen or undiscovered of us or those that were placed at the foot of the hill we were all very sorry they so escaped as was also the Lord Generall for there was no following or pursuing them in that mountainous Island The Captain and Officers that landed with Sir Walter Raleigh were presently committed and before our departure thence Sir Walter Raleigh was called to answer for himself in a full assembly of the chief Officers both by sea and land in the Generalls presence Where every one being to deliver his opinion of the crime it was grievously aggravated by the most for my part no man shewed lesse spleen against him then my self The Generalls goodnesse would not suffer him to take any extream course but with a wise and noble admonition forgave the offence and set also at liberty the Captains that had been committed After the fleet had taken the refreshing that Island could afford which was in some good measure we put from thence and for three dayes were plying off and on betwixt Graciosa and the Island of Tercera the ordinary way of the Indian fleet and in the mean time certain were sent a shore by the Generall at Graciosa to draw from the Inhabitants some portion of monie and provisions to redeem them from spoiling They brought word to the Generall in the afternoon that from the Island a great ship was discovered on the road-way from the Indies but they being sent again with some other to make a full discovery at their return which was sudden it was found to be but a pinnace I must confesse in this point I may be ignorant of some particulars because things were not done as they were wont by Council or if they were it was but of some few to which I was not called But in all likelihood there was wilfull mistaking in some to hinder us of that rich prey which God had sent as it were into our mouths Howsoever it was that same night when it was dark the Generall with the fleet altered their course and bare directly with the Island of Saint Michael as it was given out to water A pinnace coming to me in the Lord Generalls name told me it was his pleasure my ship and Dread-nought in which Sir Nicholas Parker was should beat off and on betwixt the Islands of Saint George and Graciosa for that the Indian fleet was expected The Rainbow in which was Sir William Monson and the Girland my Lord of Southamptons ship were to lie by the like order on the North-part of Graciosa willing us if we discovered any fleet to follow them and to shoot off now and then a piece of Ordnance which should serve for a signall to the rest of the fleet This order as I take it was delivered us about ten of the clock at night About midnight or one of the clock those of our ship might hear shooting according to this direction rather in a manner of a signall then a fight toward that part of the Island where the other two ships were to guard which as we after understood was from the Rainbow which fell in the midst of the Indian fleet whom in their long boat they hailed and by the Spaniards own mouths knew whence they were who held them in scorn and in a great bravery told them what they were laden withall The wind was very small so as it scarce stirred our ship but we directed our course as directly to the sound of the Ordnance as we could and so continued all night the morning was very foggy and misty so as we could not discover farre but still we might hear shooting of Ordnance when we listned for it About eight or nine of the clock before noon it began to clear and then we might see as we judged some five or six leagues off a fleet of twenty sails which was much about half way betwixt us and Tercera The wind began a little to strengthen and we to wet our sails to improve the force of it and somewhat we got nearer the Spanish fleet more through their stay to gather themselves together then our own good footmanship All this while the Rainbow and the Girland followed the fleet so neare that they might to our judgements at pleasure have engaged them to fight But their fleet being of eight good Gallions of the Kings the rest merchants of good force though the booty were of great inticement it might justly seem hard to them to come by it and so they onely waited on them attending greater strength or to gather up such as straggled from the rest The Girland overtook a little friggot of the Kings laden onely with Cochinell which she spoiled and I found abandoned and ready to sink yet those of my ship took out of her certain small brasen pieces The Indian fleet keeping together in good order sailed still before us about two leagues and so was got into the haven of Tercera into the which they towed their ships with the help of those of the Island before we could come up to them It was evening when we came thither and

delivered by their commandments to the Lords the States-Generall in their Council-chamber as also sometime after that to the Prince Maurice of Nassau and the Earl William his cosen concerning this matter Yet ere I come to the relation it shall not be amisse to wipe away two main aspersions which I have often met withall by way of objection and are as well in every mans mouth as in Emmanuel of Metteren his book The first and that is the word it lucked well judging the fact by the event but reservedly condemning the purpose for had not the shipping come say they as it did what would have become of the town he would have given it up Colonel Utenhoven a man of note and yet living one of their own Nation a Governour of a Town knows better and the following Treatise shall also make it appear otherwise and that he had not the least thought of rendring the town though succour had not come to him at all this point therefore shall here need no further inlargement The second is That he might have carried the matter otherwise and have drawn lesse jealousie upon himself by acquainting the Captains with it sooner considering it was done without the privity of the Lords the States nor was it fitting to bring an enemy through such secret passages This at the first view seems to say somewhat as borrowing strength from the common proceedings in other ordinary Governours who upon the point aswell of Parley as Article ere they enter into either with an enemy consult first as it is fit with the Captains of the Garrisons and this it seems was likewise expected here But upon what reasons was he such a Governour he was a Generall he had Governours under him Did he intend as commonly others do to deliver the Town he meant nothing lesse as is partly before and shall be hereafter largely proved What account did the States ever require of him what disgrace was there given him more then a free acknowledgement of his singular carriage and judgement in the mannaging of a businesse of so great importance True it is there was at first a kinde of staggering amongst the best which the mist of some partiall information from some male volent person in Ostend had brought them to but this was soon cleared first by his own letters in brief and after by me more at large if not to the most of them yet I dare say to the most discreet and judicious amongst them But let us now see whether it had been either necessary or convenient that the secret of this stratageme should have been revealed sooner either to the Lords the States or Captains of the Garrison To me it seems that it had been to the States preposterous to the Captains dangerous nay more repugnant to sense and common reason and that for these reasons following The project it self was but an Embryo and had been a meer abortive had he delivered himself of it before the attempt of the enemy for from thence it must receive both form and being now that was uncertain and unknown unto him especially the time he could therefore have no certain befitting subject to write to the Lords the States of this matter till the deed were done and the project put in practise which so soon as it was be presently dispatched a messenger giving them a due account of the cause of his proceedings and that to their contentment It was a stratageme whose power and vertue confisted wholy in secrecie it was also a thread whereon hung no lesse then the States Town his own honour and the lives of all them that were with him therefore in reason did not admit the least communication for the best pledge you can have of a mans secrecie is not to open your thoughts unto him Lastly if he would have forgot himself so much as to have committed a secret to the trust of many could he yet promise himself that he should not meet with opposition would they instantly have been all of his minde would no man suspect the handling Why did they then after and that when it was consummated and finished I have heard Colonel Utenhoven say That if the Generall should have made the proposition he had broken the enterprise and he knew best the Captains inclinations for he was the mouth betwixt the Generall and them to clear those jealousies he saw them apprehend in him It was therefore the safest and best way that could be taken to set this businesse abroach rather without their knowledge then flatly against it and to hazzard the interpretation of the action rather then the action it self Besides who ever yet knew the Generall Vere so simple or so weak as to avoid military forms where they were necessary or expedient Wanted he judgement his enemies will not say it Had he not will he had too many of them too great to lay open himself to their malice he was a better mannager of his reputation then to give them so palpable so grosse an advantage to build their scandal on It was the publick service and his own judgement that led him into this course wherein if there were any danger for his part it lay on my head which he ventured for the safetie of all It seems then that as it was not necessary so had it been exceedingly inconvenient that the book of this secret should have been sooner unclasped before it was set on foot or to the Lords the States before it was accomplished I come now to the relation leaving the branch in the objection touching the bringing in of the enemie as not worthy to receive an answer About the twelfth of November it began to freez exceedingly the wind being North-west where it remained till Christmasse or after blowing for the most a stiff gale often high and stormy in this time no shipping came unto us or succours out of Holland or Zeland nor could they for the wind nor had we any for some few weeks after Our men munition and materials wasted daily the sea and our enemy grew both upon us At the spring-tide we looked still when that would decide the question touching the town betwixt us and our adversaries so exceeding high it was and swelling through the continuance of the North-west wind which beat flat upon us and brought extraordinary store of waters from the Ocean into those narrow parts Hands we could set very few to work our places of guard were so many our numbers so small and those over-watched Two thousand and an hundred men was our strength the convenient competency for the town was at least four thousand for workmen our need was more then ever for the whole town with the new forts therein lately begun by the Generall who fore-saw the storm lay more then half-open insomuch that in divers places with little labour both horse and foot might enter The North-west raveline our Champion against the sea was almost worn away The Porcupine or Porc-espic not