moreover, they knew that in any case they might expect pillage and
rapine should the city be taken, for the property of the townspeople
when a city was captured was regarded by the soldiery as their
lawful prize, whether friendly to the conquerors or the reverse.
The town was at once summoned to surrender, and upon Lindsay's
refusal the guns were placed in position, and the siege began.

As Tilly was anxious to march away to the north to oppose Gustavus
he spared no effort to reduce New Brandenburg as speedily as
possible, and his artillery fired night and day to effect breaches
in the walls. The Scotch officers saw little of their hosts now,
for they were almost continually upon the walls.

At the first news of the approach of the Imperialists the syndic
had sent away his daughters to the house of a relative at Stralsund,
where his son was settled in business. When Farquhar and Malcolm
returned to eat a meal or to throw themselves on their beds to
snatch a short sleep, the syndic anxiously questioned them as to
the progress of the siege. The reports were not hopeful. In several
places the walls were crumbling, and it was probable that a storm
would shortly be attempted. The town itself was suffering heavily,
for the balls of the besiegers frequently flew high, and came
crashing among the houses. Few of the inhabitants were to be seen
in the streets; all had buried their most valuable property, and
with scared faces awaited the issue of the conflict.

After six days' cannonade the walls were breached in many places,
and the Imperialists advanced to the assault. The Scotch defended
them with great resolution, and again and again the Imperialists
recoiled, unable to burst their way through the lines of pikes