to lose one or two men every time they charged each gun anew.
     The assault of this castle where the Governor was continued very furious on both
     sides, from break of day until noon. Yea, about this time of the day the case was
     very dubious which party should conquer or be conquered. At last the Pirates, per-
     ceiving they had lost many men and as yet advanced but little towards the gaining
     either this or the other castles remaning, thought to make use of fireballs, which
     they threw with their hands, designing, if possible, to burn the doors of the cas-
     tle. But going about to put this into execution, the Spaniards, from the wall let
     fall great quantities of stones and earthen pots full of powder and other combus-
     tible matter, which forced them to desist from that attempt. Captain Morgan see-
     ing this generous defence made by the Spaniards, began to despair of the whole 
     success of the enterprize. Hereupon many faint and calm meditations came into his
     mind; neither could he determine which way to turn himself in that straitness of
     affairs. Being involved in these thoughts, he was suddenly animated to continue
     the assault, by seeing the English colours put forth at one of the lesser castles,
     then entered by his men, of whom he presently after spied a troop that came to
     meet him, proclaiming victory with loud shouts of joy. This instantly put him upon
     new resolutions of making new efforts to take the rest of the castles that stood
     out against him; especially seeing the chief citizens were fled to them, and had
     conveyed thither great part of their riches, with all the plate belonging to the
     churches, and other things dedicated to divine service.
     To this effect, therefore, he ordered ten or twelve ladders to be made, in all 
     possible haste, so broad that three or four men at once might ascend by them. The-
     se being finished, he commanded all the religious men and women whom he had taken
     prisoners to fix them against the walls of the castle. Thus much he had beforehand
     threatened the Governor to perform, in case he delivered not the castle. But his
     answer was: He would never surrender himself alive. Captain Morgan was much per-
     suaded that the Governor would not employ his utmost forces, seeing religious wo-
     men and ecclesiastical persons, exposed in the front of the soldiers to the grea-
     test dangers. Thus the ladders, as I have said, were put into the hands of reli-
     gious 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
     judgement of this design. For the Governor, who acted like a brave and courageous
     soldier, refused not, in performance of his duty, to use his utmost endeavours to
     destroy whoever came near the walls. The religious men and women ceased not to cry
     to him and beg of him by all the Saints in Heaven he would deliver the castle, and