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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 This daie also, as foure French gentlemen came foorth to discouer the English trenches, capteine Read commanded one of his souldiors to shoot at them, but through mishap his péece burst, and a shiuer EEBO page image 1192 thereof flue out,Capteine Reades arme broken. and brake the arme of his said cap|teine. Mondaie the sixt of Maie, the armie lieng qui|et all the morning, in the afternoone the English or|dinance on the further side the water began to shoot off against the enimies verie hotlie, so continuing till night. This daie the earle of Argile, and diuerse other noble men of Scotland,The earle of Argile with his armie commẽth to Edenburgh. came to Edenburgh with two thousand horssemen and footmen, who shew|ed themselues in order of a muster, on the hill vnder|neth the castell. Which being perceiued of the French within Leith, they shot off thrée great péeces of artil|lerie at them, but (as God would haue it) without hurt, for two of the bullets lighted short, and the third did fall in a garden within the towne of Eden|burgh. The night insuing, the great ordinance in the Englishmens trenches and bulworks continu|ed shooting on euerie side. And héerewith commande|ment was giuen by the lord lieutenant, and the coun|cell, that the whole armie should be readie armed with their weapon and furniture according by mid|night.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The assault giuen to Leith the seauenth of Maie.In the morning by two of the clocke the seuenth of Maie being tuesdaie, diuerse bands passed foorth towards the towne, and entring the ditches offered the scale: other capteins with their men approched the bulworks, and other there were appointed to en|ter beside the mils. Beside the English bands com|manded thus to giue the assault, there were a thou|sand Scots ioined with them, whereof fiue hundred with capteine Uaughan, and such other capteins as were commanded to attempt the bulworke next to Montpelham, and other fiue hundred went with such of the English capteins as were commanded to as|sault the breach beyond the water. Moreouer, as well the lances as light horssemen were assigned to gard the fields;The horsmen appointed to gard the field. sir George Howard with the lances kée|ping betwixt the fort of Montpelham and the sea westward, and sir Henrie Per [...]ie with the light horssemen betwixt the campe and the sea eastward. The rest of the footmen that went not to the assault, were also appointed to gard the trenches and field, in such wise as was thought expedient. So that perfect direction was giuen in euerie behalfe by the lord lieutenant, and other of the councell. And vpon war|ning giuen by capteine Randall sergeant maior, such as had béene commanded to giue the assault in their seuerall appointed places, preased forward with cou|rage inough, and boldlie aduentured to clime the wals, & enter at the breaches, but yet their attempt wanted the wished successe: for what through the Frenchmens policie in stopping the currant of the riuer that night,The English men repelled by the policies and deuises of the French. and other deuises for their owne safegard, and the annoiance of the assailants: and what by reason of the vnfitnesse of the ladders, being too short by two yards and more, the assailants were repelled. For during the whole time of the assault, which continued for the space of an houre and a halfe, the French shot off their flankers, and mainteined their shot from the wals so thicke, that it seemed a verie hell for the time.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 They also hurled downe ouer the wals vpon the assailants heads, great plentie of stones, logs, and mightie péeces of timber, which did much hurt to the Englishmen and Scots, that forced themselues to clime vp. But yet neuerthelesse, manie there were that entred the towne in sundrie places, of the which some came backe againe, although others were bea|ten downe and slaine. To conclude, at length all that escaped with life, were forced to retire with the losse of seauen or eight score Englishmen,The number slaine & hurt at the assault. some haue said two hundred, which were slaine outright, beside those that were wounded, being in number at the least two or three hundred: and amongst other, there were diuer se capteins and gentlemen that were hurt, as sir Thomas Hesketh, master Sutton, master New|port, master Conweie, capteine Wood, Thomas Fitton, with others. Upon the repulse thus giuen to our men by the French, they aduanced and set vp fouretéene ensignes presentlie about the towne, and continued otherwise quiet all that daie. Wednesdaie the eight of Maie in the afternoone,Sir George Howard and sir Richard Lée. sir George Ho|ward, and sir Richard Lée departed towards Bar|wike with certeine companies of horsmen for their safe conduction. Thursdaie the ninth of Maie, the Frenchmen wrought verie earnestlie within the towne, to fortifie the necessarie places, and repare the breaches, euen in the face of the English ordi|nance, which went off diuerse times, and did them much hurt.

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