“It cost him a light skirmish to gain the fort; at last hee entered; many slayne, some prisoners, and some escaping.  Now by the command of that battery, the retreate being assured, Capt Foxe seconds him w^th much bravery, beateing upon their trenches from the easterne to the south-west point, till hee came to the work w^ch secur’d the morter-peece, w^ch being guarded w^th 50 men, hee found sharpe service, forceing his way through muskett and cannon, and beateing the enemy out of the sconce w^th stones, his muskett, by reason of the high worke, being unserviceable.  After a quarter of an houres hard service, his men gott the trench and scal’d the rampier, where many of the enemy fledd, the rest were slayne.  The sconce, thus won, was made good by a squadron of musketteers, which much annoyed the enemy, attempting to come upp agayne.  The 2 maine works thus obtained, the two captaynes w^th ease walked the rest of the round, whilst Mr Broome, w^th a companye of her la^pps servants and some fresh souldiers, had a care to levell the ditch, and by a present devise, with ropes lifting the morter-peece to a low dragge, by strength of men drew it into the house, Capt.  Ogle defending the passage ag^t another companye of the enemye which play’d upon their retreate.  The like endeavour was used to gayne theire greate gunnes; but lying beyond the ditch, and being of such bulke and weight, all our strength could not bringe them off before the whole army had fallen upon us; however, our men took tyme to poyson all the cannon round, if anything will doe the feate, Capt.  Rawstorne still defending the first passe ag^t some offers of the enemy to come up by the wood.”

It was near the conclusion of this affray, as Mr Broome, the steward, and several of his helpers, were encompassing the great dragon which had so often vomited forth fire and smoke upon them, intending to carry it away captive, that they heard a voice from the breach below:—­

“Hold, ye uncircumcised:—­I will make your house desolate, and the glory thereof shall be turned into ashes.”

The mortar was ready charged, and they beheld Gideon, with a lighted match, springing towards them.  Several of the men drew aside in dismay; but as Providence willed it, he was prevented from his purpose, the light being struck from his hand, and himself tumbled backwards into a deep and muddy ditch, extinguishing both light and life apparently together.  But he arose, and would have run a tilt at them in this unsavoury condition, had he not been caught by one of his enemies, who waggishly exclaimed—­

“Let us yoke this great Amalekite to the gun.  He’ll help us well over the ditch.”

This goodly piece of advice was not neglected; and the unhappy Gideon, fastened between two yoke-fellows, was dragged on by main force, the hindmost threatening to shoot him if he made any resistance.

In vain did he cry out for vengeance upon them.  His gods were deaf—­no miracle was wrought for his deliverance; and though he would have called down fire from heaven upon his adversaries, the thunders he impiously desired died harmless on his own tongue.