The
soldiers searched and rifled the houses of the inhabitants for
victuals; they had lived on horseflesh several weeks, and most of
that also was as lean as carrion, which not being well salted bred
wens; and this want of diet made the soldiers sickly, and many died
of fluxes, yet they boldly rejected all offers of surrender, unless
with safety to their offices. However, several hundreds got out,
and either passed the enemy's guards, or surrendered to them and
took passes.
7th. The townspeople became very uneasy to the soldiers, and the
mayor of the town, with the aldermen, waited upon the general,
desiring leave to send to the Lord Fairfax for leave to all the
inhabitants to come out of the town, that they might not perish, to
which the Lord Goring consented, but the Lord Fairfax refused them.
12th. The rabble got together in a vast crowd about the Lord
Goring's quarters, clamouring for a surrender, and they did this
every evening, bringing women and children, who lay howling and
crying on the ground for bread; the soldiers beat off the men, but
the women and children would not stir, bidding the soldiers kill
them, saying they had rather be shot than be starved.
16th. The general, moved by the cries and distress of the poor
inhabitants, sent out a trumpet to the Parliament-General,
demanding leave to send to the Prince, who was with a fleet of
nineteen men of war in the mouth of the Thames, offering to
surrender, if they were not relieved in twenty days. The Lord
Fairfax refused it, and sent them word he would be in the town in
person, and visit them in less than twenty days, intimating that
they were preparing for a storm. Some tart messages and answers
were exchanged on this occasion. The Lord Goring sent word they
were willing, in compassion to the poor townspeople, and to save
that effusion of blood, to surrender upon honourable terms, but
that as for the storming them, which was threatened, they might
come on when they thought fit, for that they (the Royalists) were
ready for them. This held to the 19th.
20th. The Lord Fairfax returned what he said was his last answer,
and should be the last offer of mercy. The conditions offered
were, that upon a peaceable surrender, all soldiers and officers
under the degree of a captain in commission should have their
lives, be exempted from plunder, and have passes to go to their
respective dwellings. All the captains and superior officers, with
all the lords and gentlemen, as well in commission as volunteers,
to surrender prisoners at discretion, only that they should not be
plundered by the soldiers.
21st. The generals rejected those offers; and when the people came
about them again for bread, set open one of the gates, and bid them
go out to the enemy, which a great many did willingly; upon which
the Lord Goring ordered all the rest that came about his door to be
turned out after them. But when the people came to the Lord
Fairfax's camp the out-guards were ordered to fire at them and
drive them all back again to the gate, which the Lord Goring
seeing, he ordered them to be received in again. And now, although
the generals and soldiers also were resolute to die with their
swords in their hands rather than yield, and had maturely resolved
to abide a storm, yet the Mayor and Aldermen having petitioned them
as well as the inhabitants, being wearied with the importunities of
the distressed people, and pitying the deplorable condition they
were reduced to, they agreed to enter upon a treaty, and
accordingly sent out some officers to the Lord Fairfax, the
Parliament-General, to treat, and with them was sent two gentlemen
of the prisoners upon their parole to return.
Upon the return of the said messengers with the Lord Fairfax's
terms, the Lord Goring, &c., sent out a letter declaring they would
die with their swords in their hands rather than yield without
quarter for life, and sent a paper of articles on which they were
willing to surrender. But in the very interim of this treaty news
came that the Scots army, under Duke Hamilton, which was entered
into Lancashire, and was joined by the Royalists in that country,
making 21,000 men, were entirely defeated. After this the Lord
Fairfax would not grant any abatement of articles--viz., to have
all above lieutenants surrender at mercy.
Upon this the Lord Goring and the General refused to submit again,
and proposed a general sally, and to break through or die, but
found upon preparing for it that the soldiers, who had their lives
offered them, declined it, fearing the gentlemen would escape, and
they should be left to the mercy of the Parliament soldiers; and
that upon this they began to mutiny and talk of surrendering the
town and their officers too. Things being brought to this pass,
the Lords and General laid aside that design, and found themselves
obliged to submit; and so the town was surrendered the 28th of
August, 1648, upon conditions as follows:-
The Lords and gentlemen all prisoners at mercy.
The common soldiers had passes to go home to their several
dwellings, but without arms, and an oath not to serve against the
Parliament.
The town to be preserved from pillage, paying 14,000 pounds ready
money.
The same day a council of war being called about the prisoners of
war, it was resolved that the Lords should be left to the disposal
of the Parliament. That Sir Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, and
Sir Marmaduke Gascoigne should be shot to death, and the other
officers prisoners to remain in custody till further order.
The two first of the three gentlemen were shot to death, and the
third respited. Thus ended the siege of Colchester.
