ls, pikes, and spears, and then, staggering, they broke and
fled, followed by showers of missiles, until they were beyond our reach.

A loud shout rose all along our line, in which we in the tower joined
right heartily, but our troops were too wearied with the ceaseless
exertions they had made during the whole of the afternoon to pursue the
fugitives; indeed, it would have been the very thing the Prince would
have desired, as he would have been down upon them with his cavalry, and
although they might have retreated to the lines, many a valuable life
would have been sacrificed, and no advantage gained.

Colonel Blake therefore contented himself with the brilliant success he
had achieved. He had shown those haughty Cavaliers that the garrison of
Lyme was not to be so easily overcome as they had thought, and had
taught them what they were to expect should they again venture to assail
us.

Such was the termination of the first day of the siege. Descending from
our tower with the satisfaction of having faithfully fulfilled our
promise, we went down the lines to view more nearly the battle-field.
The whole ground was strewed near and far off with the bodies of men and
horses. Parties were at once sent out to bring in any who might be
still living, and to bury the dead while the rays of the setting sun
gleamed on the white tents of the Royalist camp, which could be seen in
the distance.

Few doubted that another day would see a fresh attack made on our
entrenchments, but some were sanguine enough to believe that the Prince,
after the lesson he had received, would retire. I asked my father what
he thought. He answered--

"The Royalists will not go away without further attempts to reduce the
town, for they know too well that if they do they will leave a vigilant
enemy in their rear, under whose standard thousands of honest Puritans
will gladly gather to destroy the enemies of our country's freedom."

The next morning it was seen that the Cavaliers were busy erecting
batteries and throwing up earthworks on all the neighbouring heights, so
that they might command our forts and batter down our houses.

Notwithstanding the preparations made for the destruction of the town,
Colonel Blake urged the garrison to resist to the bitter end, assuring
them that ere that should come Parliament would send them relief.

I cannot attempt to give a detailed account of the siege. Soon after
his first repulse, Prince Maurice opened fi