I thank God he hath given us this day a very happy sucess of the two principal forts here. We have taken one by a gallant and a thorough-fought assault, and for a quarter of an hour we did look for a very furious resistance, yet so it pleased God to daunt their hearts, and to animate those worthy soldiers who attempted it, as it was entered, and the enemy, as many as did abide, killed, the rest fled to the other fort. There was one gentleman whom we all present did behold, that had the leading of all the rest that went to the assault, which was Mr Edward Stanley, Lieutenant to Sir William Stanley. Since I was born I did never see any man to behave himself as he did. First climb the breach, a pike-length before and above any person that followed him, so did he alone maintain the fight, first with his pike, and afterward his sword, against at the least nine or ten, and every man either brake his pike upon his breast, or hit him with the shot of their musket, yet would he not back a foot, but kept himself in this sort without any one man to get up to him; we all gave him for lost if he had a hundred lives. When he had long thus dealt most valiently and worthily, and none of his company easily could come to him, at length they all came so fast together as one bare up another even to the top of the breach, where that gentleman got a halberd and leapt among the enemies, and then the rest with him, in so resolute manner as they speedily despatched the enemy, and in the sight of all the town both placed their ensigns and made this fight.... This gentleman shall I never forget if I live a hundred year, for so worthily he did by God’s goodness, as he was the chief cause of all the honour of this day, and he shall have part of my living for it as long as he lives.
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