Somewhat After Midnight, They Who Had The
Guard Of The Castle, Hearing Us Busy About The Gates Of The Said
Castle, Abandoned The Same; Some Being Taken Prisoners, And Some
Fleeing Away By The Help Of Boats To The Other Side Of The Haven, And
So Into The Country.
The next day we quartered a little more at large, but not into the
half part of the town; and so making substantial trenches, and
planting all the ordnance, that each part was correspondent to other,
we held this town the space of one month.
In the which time happened some accidents, more than are well
remembered for the present. But amongst other things, it chanced that
the General sent on his message to the Spaniards a negro boy with a
flag of white, signifying truce, as is the Spanish ordinary manner to
do there, when they approach to speak to us; which boy unhappily was
first met withal by some of those who had been belonging as officers
for the king in the Spanish galley, which with the town was lately
fallen into our hands. Who, without all order or reason, and contrary
to that good usage wherewith we had entertained their messengers,
furiously struck the poor boy through the body with one of their
horsemen's staves; with which wound the boy returned to the General,
and after he had declared the manner of this wrongful cruelty, died
forthwith in his presence. Wherewith the General being greatly
passioned, commanded the provost-marshal to cause a couple of friars,
then prisoners, to be carried to the same place where the boy was
strucken, accompanied with sufficient guard of our soldiers, and there
presently to be hanged, despatching at the same instant another poor
prisoner, with this reason wherefore this execution was done, and with
this message further, that until the party who had thus murdered the
General's messenger were delivered into our hands to receive condign
punishment, there should no day pass wherein there should not two
prisoners be hanged, until they were all consumed which were in our
hands.
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