or to withstand the heavy musketry fire poured upon them from the
walls and buildings.

But Tilly's army was so strong that he was able continually to bring
up fresh troops to the attack, while the Scotch were incessantly
engaged. For eight-and-forty hours the defenders resisted successfully,
but at last, worn out by fatigue, they were unable to withstand
the onslaught of the enemy, and the latter forced their way into
the town. Still the Scots fought on. Falling back from the breaches,
they contested every foot of the ground, holding the streets and
lanes with desperate tenacity, and inflicting terrible losses upon
the enemy.

At last, twelve hours later, they were gathered in the marketplace,
nearly in the centre of the town, surrounded on all sides by the
enemy. Several times the Scottish bugles had sounded a parley, but
Tilly, furious at the resistance, and at the loss which the capture
of the town had entailed, had issued orders that no quarter should
be given, and his troops pressed the now diminished band of Scotchmen
on all sides.

Even now they could not break through the circle of spears, but
from every window and roof commanding them a deadly fire was poured
in. Colonel Lindsay was shot dead. Captain Moncrieff, Lieutenant
Keith, and Farquhar fell close to Malcolm. The shouts of "Kill,
kill, no quarter," rose from the masses of Imperialists. Parties
of the Scotch, preferring to die sword in hand rather than be shot
down, flung themselves into the midst of the enemy and died fighting.

At last, when but fifty men remained standing, these in a close