ball hit the Town Hall and rolled to the Earl's post, a distance of Another hit Mr. Street's (the Town Clerk's) house. On 13 July the Royalist defenders strengthened the works on Castle Hill. On 15 July a small brass gun was placed on the top of the cathedral, which Henry Townshend states was done to "gall" the besiegers. Rainsborough sent in a letter offering to negotiate. Washington consented to negotiate on honourable terms, and a cessation of hostilities was agreed upon. On 16 July the negotiations went on. A private letter intimated they might have honourable terms, but the gentry and soldiers said they should hold out to the last, so that, as Worcester had been the first city to declare for the King, it should be the last to give up his cause. The negotiations went on, the besieged insisting that Whalley should not be appointed governor if there was a surrender. On 18 July Rainsborough sent in his terms "Articles of agreement for the surrender of the garrison of Worcester", saying they were final. On this it was proposed to fight it out, but Washington told them if it came to a storm he had only powder to last an hour's fight, but he was quite willing to hazard his own person. The mayor called a common council of the citizens to discuss the terms, and they agreed to accept terms if they were the best to be got. Goodwin urged that by the articles of Oxford all other garrisons were entitled to as good terms, but these were in some of the details worse, and expressly objected to the exception of Sir William Russell as something quite unheard of. Rainsborough replied that Worcester had lost the benefit of the Oxford articles by continuing to fight and not surrendering. He refused to alter the articles, or to give more than two days for the surrender. On Washington finding that the citizens would not fight, he informed the gentlemen and officers that he had only three barrels of great powder for ordnance, five barrels of musket powder, and one of pistol powder left, scarcely enough for one day's hot service and storming for 3,000 men; that during the cessation of hostilities many of the men had deserted; that the provisions would not last above a fortnight; that no help could be looked for from the King. On this