The action which ensued was one of the most stubborn sea-fights on record. Cassard attacked with three ships, the _Parfait_ ranging alongside the _Falcon_, while the _Serieux_ and _Phoenix_ tackled the _Pembroke_. If the Frenchmen expected an easy conquest of the _Falcon_ by the huge 70-gun ship they were very much in error. With her crew of 740 men the _Parfait_ was run alongside, and her bowsprit lashed to the fore-rigging of the _Falcon_. Instantly Constable turned the tables on the foe, rushing on board at the head of one hundred men. They were repulsed, with heavy losses on both sides, and before Cassard could return the compliment the two ships fell apart. The _Falcon's_ flight was soon stayed by the heavy fire of the French ship, which brought down spars and cut rigging extensively, and once more Cassard laid her on board. His first attack was repelled by the indomitable Constable and his men; but the price was too heavy: something like 120 men had been killed or desperately wounded already, and Constable, taking counsel with his officers, was forced to the conclusion that it was useless to sacrifice more lives, and so hauled down his colours; he had been badly wounded in the shoulder, but kept his place on deck. According to Captain Schomberg, in his "Naval Chronology," there were only sixteen men of the _Falcon's_ crew able to stand at their quarters when she surrendered. Meanwhile, the _Pembroke_ and the other two ships were hammering each other at close range, and much damage resulted on both sides. After an hour and a half of fighting Captain Rumsey, who had behaved splendidly, was killed, and Barkley, the first lieutenant, came on deck and took his place. For two hours after the captain's death the unequal conflict was maintained: Cassard came down and joined the fray after the _Falcon_ was captured, and had a tremendous cannonade with the _Pembroke_, yardarm to yardarm, while the _Serieux_ pounded her on the other quarter. It could not last; the English ship's mizzen-mast went crashing by the board, her maintopmast followed, her rigging was nearly all cut away, her mainmast wounded and tottering, her decks lumbered with wreckage, which also rendered the ship almost unmanageable, and the crew falling by tens--to hold out longer would be worse than useless, so Barkley and his brother officers agreed, and the colours had to come down. The losses on both sides afforded ample testimony to the splendid courage of the Englishmen and the gallant pertinacity of the French. Six months later Constable and the surviving officers of the _Pembroke_ were tried by court-martial, were judged to have done their duty, and honourably acquitted.