The author of Macariae Excidium describes the general character of the struggle: ‘Never was a town better attacked and defended than the city of Paphos (Limerick). Theodore (William) left nothing unattempted that the art of war, the skill of a great captain, and the valour of veteran soldiers could put into execution to gain the place; and the Cyprians (the Irish) omitted nothing that courage and constancy could practise to defend it. The continued assaults of the one, and the frequent sallies of the other, consumed a great many brave men of the army and garrison.’ Hist. MSS. Com. xii. 7. 288: ‘At the action in taking the lower town a soldier who was an apprentice to a butcher here in Leadenhall Market had the courage before the king to go up to the very mouths of two cannon of the enemy's with a sword in one hand and a musket in the other and killed both the gunners. The other soldiers followed close after, beat the rest off and kept possession. For this His Majesty sent for him the next day and gave him 200 guineas and a captain's place.’ William, according to an eyewitness, ‘is almost all day long in the trenches and exposes his person on every occasion, as much as a private exposes, and is obliged to expose, his. A few days ago a squadron of the enemy might easily have carried him off’ Notes and Queries, August 18, 1877).