firing；　lest　we　should　hurt　our　own　troops　as　well　as　the　enemy。
  Soon　after；　their　foot　appeared；　and　our　cannon　saluted　them　in
  like　manner；　and　killed　them　a　great　many　men。
  Their　first　line　of　foot　was　led　up　by　Colonel　Barkstead；　and
  consisted　of　three　regiments　of　foot；　making　about　1；700　men；　and
  these　charged　our　regiment　in　the　lane；　commanded　by　Sir　George
  Lisle　and　Sir　William　Campion。　　They　fell　on　with　great　fury；　and
  were　received　with　as　much　gallantry；　and　three　times　repulsed；　nor
  could　they　break　in　here；　though　the　Lord　Fairfax　sent　fresh　men　to
  support　them；　till　the　Royalists'　horse；　oppressed　with　numbers　on
  the　left；　were　obliged　to　retire；　and　at　last　to　come　full　gallop
  into　the　street；　and　so　on　into　the　town。　　Nay；　still　the　foot
  stood　firm；　and　the　volunteers；　being　all　gentlemen；　kept　their
  ground　with　the　greatest　resolution；　but　the　left　wing　being
  routed；　as　above；　Sir　William　Campion　was　obliged　to　make　a　front
  to　the　left；　and　lining　the　hedge　with　his　musketeers；　made　a　stand
  with　a　body　of　pikes　against　the　enemy's　horse；　and　prevented　them
  entering　the　lane。　　Here　that　gallant　gentleman　was　killed　with　a
  carabine　shot；　and　after　a　very　gallant　resistance；　the　horse　on
  the　right　being　also　overpowered；　the　word　was　given　to　retreat；
  which；　however；　was　done　in　such　good　order；　the　regiments　of
  reserve　standing　drawn　up　at　the　end　of　the　street；　ready　to
  receive　the　enemy's　horse　upon　the　points　of　their　pikes；　that　the
  royal　troops　came　on　in　the　openings　between　the　regiments；　and
  entered　the　town　with　very　little　loss；　and　in　very　good　order。
  By　this；　however；　those　regiments　of　reserve　were　brought　at　last
  to　sustain　the　efforts　of　the　enemy's　whole　army；　till　being
  overpowered　by　numbers　they　were　put　into　disorder；　and　forced　to
  get　into　the　town　in　the　best　manner　they　could；　by　which　means
  near　two　hundred　men　were　killed　or　made　prisoners。
  Encouraged　by　this　success　the　enemy　pushed　on；　supposing　they
  should　enter　the　town　pell…mell　with　the　rest；　nor　did　the
  Royalists　hinder　them；　but　let　good　part　of　Barkstead's　own
  regiment　enter　the　head…gate；　but　then　sallying　from　St。　Mary's
  with　a　choice　body　of　foot　on　their　left；　and　the　horse　rallying　in
  the　High　Street；　and　charging　them　again　in　the　front；　they　were
  driven　back　quite　into　the　street　of　the　suburb；　and　most　of　those
  that　had　so　rashly　entered　were　cut　in　pieces。
  Thus　they　were　repulsed　at　the　south　entrance　into　the　town；　and
  though　they　attempted　to　storm　three　times　after　that　with　great
  resolution；　yet　they　were　as　often　beaten　back；　and　that　with　great
  havoc　of　their　men；　and　the　cannon　from　the　fort　all　the　while　did
  execution　upon　those　who　stood　drawn　up　to　support　them；　so　that　at
  last；　seeing　no　good　to　be　done；　they　retreated；　having　small　joy
  of　their　pretended　victory。
  They　lost　in　this　action　Colonel　Needham；　who　commanded　a　regiment
  called　the　Tower　Guards；　and　who　fought　very　desperately；　Captain
  Cox；　an　old　experienced　horse　officer；　and　several　other　officers
  of　note；　with　a　great　many　private　men；　though；　as　they　had　the
  field；　they　concealed　their　number；　giving　out　that　they　lost　but　a
  hundred；　when　we　were　assured　they　lost　near　a　thousand　men　besides
  the　wounded。
  They　took　some　of　our　men　prisoners；　occasioned　by　the　regiment　of
  Colonel　Farr；　and　two　more　sustaining　the　shock　of　their　whole
  army；　to　secure　the　retreat　of　the　main　body；　as　above。
  The　14th；　the　Lord　Fairfax　finding　he　was　not　able　to　carry　the
  town　by　storm；　without　the　formality　of　a　siege；　took　his
  headquarters　at　Lexden；　and　sent　to　London　and　to　Suffolk　for　more
  forces；　also　he　ordered　the　trained　bands　to　be　raised　and　posted
  on　the　roads　to　prevent　succours。　　Notwithstanding　which；　divers
  gentlemen；　with　some　assistance　of　men　and　arms；　found　means　to　get
  into　the　town。
  The　very　same　night　they　began　to　break　ground；　and　particularly　to
  raise　a　fort　between　Colchester　and　Lexden；　to　cover　the　general's
  quarter　from　the　sallies　from　the　town；　for　the　Royalists　having　a
  good　body　of　horse；　gave　them　no　rest；　but　scoured　the　fields　every
  day；　and　falling　all　that　were　found　straggling　from　their　posts；
  and　by　this　means　killed　a　great　many。
  The　17th；　Sir　Charles　Lucas　having　been　out　with　1；200　horse；　and
  detaching　parties　toward　the　seaside；　and　towards　Harwich；　they
  brought　in　a　very　great　quantity　of　provisions；　and　abundance　of
  sheep　and　black　cattle　sufficient　for　the　supply　of　the　town　for　a
  considerable　time；　and　had　not　the　Suffolk　forces　advanced　over
  Cataway　Bridge　to　prevent　it；　a　larger　supply　had　been　brought　in
  that　way；　for　now　it　appeared　plainly　that　the　Lord　Fairfax　finding
  the　garrison　strong　and　resolute；　and　that　he　was　not　in　a
  condition　to　reduce　them　by　force；　at　least　without　the　loss　of
  much　blood；　had　resolved　to　turn　his　siege　into　a　blockade；　and
  reduce　them　by　hunger；　their　troops　being　also　wanted　to　oppose
  several　other　parties；　who　had；　in　several　parts　of　the　kingdom；
  taken　arms　for　the　king's　cause。
  This　same　day　General　Fairfax　sent　in　a　trumpet　to　propose
  exchanging　prisoners；　which　the　Lord　Goring　rejected；　expecting　a
  reinforcement　of　troops；　which　were　actually　coming　to　him；　and
  were　to　be　at　Linton　in　Cambridgeshire　as　the　next　day。
  The　same　day　two　ships　brought　in　a　quantity　of　corn　and　provisions
  and　fifty…six　men　from　the　shore　of　Kent　with　several　gentlemen；
  who　all　landed　and　came　up　to　the　town；　and　the　greatest　part　of
  the　corn　was　with　the　utmost　application　unloaded　the　same　night
  into　some　hoys；　which　brought　it　up　to　the　Hythe；　being
  apprehensive　of　the　Parliament's　ships　which　lay　at　Harwich；　who
  having　intelligence　of　the　said　ships；　came　the　next　day　into　the
  mouth　of　the　river；　and　took　the　said　two　ships　and　what　corn　was
  left　in　them。　　The　besieged　sent　out　a　party　to　help　the　ships；　but
  having　no　boats　they　could　not　assist　them。
  18th。　　Sir　Charles　Lucas　sent　an　answer　about　exchange　of
  prisoners；　accepting　the　conditions　offered；　but　the　Parliament's
  general　returned　that　he　would　not　treat　with　Sir　Charles；　for　that
  he　（Sir　Charles）　being　his　prisoner　upon　his　parole　of　honour；　and
  having　appeared　in　arms　contrary　to　the　rules　of　war；　had　forfeited
  his　honour　and　faith；　and　was　not　capable　of　command　or　trust　in
  martial　affairs。　　To　this　Sir　Charles　sent　back　an　answer；　and　his
  excuse　for　his　breach　of　his　parole；　but　it　was　not　accepted；　nor
  would　the　Lord　Fairfax　enter　upon　any　treaty　with　him。
  Upon　this　second　message　Sir　William　Masham　and　the　Parliament
  Committee　and　other　gentlemen；　who　were　prisoners　in　the　town；　sent
  a　message　in　writing　under　their　hands　to　the　Lord　Fairfax；
  entreating　him　to　enter　into　a　treaty　for　peace；　but　the　Lord
  Fairfax　returned；　he　could　take　no　notice　of　their　request；　as
  supposing　it　forced　from　them　under　restraint；　but　that　if　the　Lord
  Goring　desired　peace；　he　might　write　to　the　Parliament；　and　he
  would　cause　his　messenger　to　have　a　safe　conduct　to　carry　his
  letter。　　There　was　a　paper　sent　enclosed　in　this　paper；　signed
  Capel；　Norwich；　Charles　Lucas；　but　to　that　the　general　would　return
  no　answer；　because　it　was　signed　by　Sir　Charles　for　the　reasons
  above。
  All　this　while　the　Lord　Goring；　finding　the　enemy　strengthening
  themselves；　gave　order　for　fortifying　the　town；　and　drawing　lines
  in　several　places　to　secure　the　entrance；　as　particularly　without
  the　east　bridge；　and　without　the　north　gate　and　bridge；　and　to
  plant　more　cannon　upon　the　works；　to　which　end　some　great　guns　were
  brought　in　from　some　ships　at　Wivenhoe。
  The　same　day；　our　men　sallied　out　in　three　places；　and　attacked　the
  besiegers；　first　at　their　port；　called　Essex；　then　at　their　new
  works；　on　the　south　of　the　town；　a　third　party　sallying　at　the　east
  bridge；　brought　in　some　booty　from　the　Suffolk　troops；　having
  killed　several　of　their　stragglers　on　the　Harwich　road。　　They　also
  took　a　lieutenant　of　horse　prisoner；　and　brought　him　into　the　town。
  19th。　　This　day　we　had　the　unwelcome　news　that　our　friends　at
  Linton　were　defeated　by　the　enemy；　and　Major　Muschamp；　a　loyal
  gentleman；　killed。
  The　same　night；　our　men　gave　the　enemy　alarm　at　their　new　Essex
  fort；　and　thereby　drew　them　out　as　if　they　would　fight；　till　they
  brought　them　within　reach　of　the　cannon　of　St。　Mary's；　and　then　our
  men　retiring；　the　great　guns　let　fly　among　them；　and　made　them　run。
  Our　men　shouted　after　them。　　Several　of　them　were　killed　on　this
  occasion；　one　shot　having　killed　three　horsemen　in　our　fight。
  20th。　　We　now　found　the　enemy；　in　order　to　a　perfect　blockade；
  resolved　to　draw　a　line　of　circumvallation　round　the　town；　having
  received　a　train　of　forty　pieces　of　heavy　cannon　from　the　Tower　of
  London。
  This　day　the　Parliament　sent　a　messenger　to　their　prisoners　to　know
  how　they　fared；　and　how　they　were　used；　who　returned　wo