Bacon's Rebellion

especially when that Bacons numbers was knowne; which at
this time did not exseed above a hundred and fifty, and these
not above two thirds at worke neather. An action of so
strange an Aspect, that who ever tooke notis of it, could not
chuse but thinke but that the Accomackians eather intended
to receve their promised pay, without disart; or other ways
to establish such signall testimonies of there cowerdize or dis-
affections, or both, that posterity might stand and gaze at
there reched stupidety.

      Bacon soone perceved what easey worke he was likely to
have, in this servis, and so began to set as small an esteeme
upon these mens curages, as they did upon there owne credits.
Hee saw, by the Prolog, what sport might be expected in the
play, and soe began to dispose of his affaires accordingly.
Yet not knowing but that the paucity of his numbers being
once knowne, to those in Towne, it might raise there hearts
to a degree of curage, haveing so much the ods, and that mani-
times number prevales against ressalution, he thought it not
amiss, since the Lions strength was too weake, to strengthen
the same with the Foxes Braines: and how this was to be
efected you shall heare.

      For emediately he despacheth two or three parties of Horss,
and about so many in each party, for more he could not spare,
to bring in to the Camp some of the prime Gent: Women,
whose Husbands were in towne. Where when arived he sends
one of them to inform her owne, and the others Husbands,
for what purposes he had brought them into the camp, namely,
to be plac’d in the fore frunt of his Men, at such time as those in
towne should sally forth upon him.

     The poore Gent: Women were mightely astonish’d at this
project; neather were there Husbands voide of amazements
at this subtill invention. If Mr. Fuller¹ thought it strangc,
that the Divells black gard should be enrouled Gods soulders,
they made it no less wonderfull, that there innocent and harm-
less Wives should thus be entred a white garde to the Divell.
This action was a Method, in war, that they were not well
aquainted with (no not those the best inform’d in millitary
affaires) that before they could com to pearce their enimies
sides, they must be obliged to dart there wepons through there

     ¹Rev. Thomas Fuller (1608-1661), the witty author.