ould conquer, or
be conquered. At last, the pirates perceiving they had lost many men,
and yet advanced but little towards gaining either this, or the other
castles, made use of fire-balls, which they threw with their hands,
designing to burn the doors of the castles; but the Spaniards from the
walls let fall great quantities of stones, and earthen pots full of
powder, and other combustible matter, which forced them to desist.
Captain Morgan seeing this generous defence made by the Spaniards, began
to despair of success. Hereupon, many faint and calm meditations came
into his mind; neither could he determine which way to turn himself in
that strait. Being thus puzzled, he was suddenly animated to continue
the assault, by seeing English colours put forth at one of the lesser
castles, then entered by his men; of whom he presently after spied a
troop coming to meet him, proclaiming victory with loud shouts of joy.
This instantly put him on new resolutions of taking the rest of the
castles, especially seeing the chiefest citizens were fled to them, and
had conveyed thither great part of their riches, with all the plate
belonging to the churches and divine service.

[Illustration: "MORGAN COMMANDED THE RELIGIOUS MEN AND WOMEN TO PLACE
THE LADDERS AGAINST THE WALLS"--_Page 128_]

To this effect, he ordered ten or twelve ladders to be made in all
haste, so broad, that three or four men at once might ascend them: these
being finished, he commanded all the religious men and women, whom he
had taken prisoners, to fix them against the walls of the castle. This
he had before threatened the governor to do, if he delivered not the
castle: but his answer was, "he would never surrender himself alive."
Captain Morgan was persuaded the governor would not employ his utmost
force, seeing the religious women, and ecclesiastical persons, exposed
in the front of the soldiers to the greatest danger. Thus the ladders,
as I have said, were put into the hands of religious persons of both
sexes, and these were forced, at the head of the companies, to raise and
apply them to the walls: but Captain Morgan was fully deceived in his
judgment of this design; for the governor, who acted like a brave
soldier in performance of his duty, used his utmost endeavour to destroy
whosoever came near the walls. The religious men and women ceased not to
cry to him, and beg of him, by all the saints of heaven, to deliver the
castle, and spare both his and their ow