On the third daie when we should haue come vpon them, they had knowlege giuen before day, and so retiring, got them to the mounteins, hasting fast toward Tholouse; and the countrie people that were their guides to lead them that waie, were taken as they should haue passed the water. And bicause the popes sergeant at armes was in my kéeping, I caused him to examine the guides that were so taken; and for that the guide which was thus examined, was the constables guide, and his countrieman, he might well sée and know the countenance of the Frenchmen vpon this examining him. And I said to the same sergeant, that he might well declare to the pope, and to all them of Auignion, that which he had heard or séene. And as touching the answer which my lord made to them that were sent to treat with him, you would be well apaied if you vnderstood all the maner; for he would not suffer in any wise that they shuld come néerer vnto him. But if they came to treat of anie matter, he would that they should send to the king his father: for my lord himselfe would not doo any thing therin, except by commandement from my lord his father.
And of my lords turning backe to follow after his enimies, and of the passage of the riuer of Garonne, and of the taking of castels and townes in this iournie, and of other things which he hath doone against his enimies in pursuit of them in this iournie, being things right worthie and honorable, as manie know verie well, in like maner as sir Richard Stafford, & sir William Burton can more plainelie declare, than I to you can write, for it were too much to put in writing. And my lord rode thus abroad in the countrie of his enimies eight whole wéekes, and rested not past eleuen daies in all those places where he came. And know it for certeine, that since this warre began against the French king he had neuer such losse or destruction as he hath had in this iournie: for the countries and good townes which were wasted at this iournie, found to the king of France euerie yeare more to the maintenance of his warre than halfe his realme hath doon beside, except the exchange of his monie which he maketh euerie yeare, and the aduantage and custome which he taketh of them of Poictou, as I can shew you by good remembrances, which were found in diuerse townes in the receiuers houses: for Carcason and le Moignes, which is as great as Carcason, and two other townes in the coasts of Carcason, found to the king of France yéerelie wages for a thousand men of armes: and beside that 100000 old crowns to mainteine the war.
And know you, that by the remembrances which we found, that the townes in Tholouse which are destroied, and the townes in the countrie of Carcason, and the towne of Narbonne and Narbonnois did find euerie yeare with the sums aforesaid, in aid of his war, foure hundred thousand old crownes, as the burgesses of the great townes & other people of the countrie which ought to know it, haue told vs. And so by Gods assistance if my lord had wherewith to mainteine this warre, and to make the kings profit and his owne honor, he should well inlarge the English marches, and gaine manie faire places: for our enimies are greatlie astonied. And at the making héereof, my lord hath appointed to send all the earles and baronets to abide in certeine places on the marches, to make roads, and to annoie his enimies. Now my lord, at this present I know none other newes to send, but you may by your letters command me as yours to my power. My right honorable lord, God grant you good life, ioy, health, long to continue. Written at Burdeaux, the tuesdaie next before Christmasse.
[The tenor of an other letter written by sir Iohn Wingfield, directed to sir Richard Stafford knight, who had béene in Gascoigne, and there leauing his familie, was now returned into England.]
1356.
Right deare sir, and right louing fréend, touching newes after your departure, you may vnderstand, that there be taken and yéelded fiue townes inclosed, to wit, port saint Marie, Cleirac, Tonings, Burgh, saint Pierre, Chastiell Sacret or Satrat and Brassake. Also seauentéene castels, to wit, Coiller, Buset, Lemnake, two castels called Boloines, which ioine the one néere so the other, Mounioy, Viresch, Frechenet, Mountender, Pudeschales, Mounpoun, Montanac, Valeclare, Cenamont, Leistrake, Plassac, Cont Destablison; and Mounriuell. And will it please you to know that my lord Iohn Chandois, my lord Iames Audeley, and your men that are with them, and the other Gascoignes that are in their companie, & my lord Baldwine Butetort, & that companie, & my lord Reignald Cobham, tooke the said towne, which is called Chastiell Sacret or Satrat, by assault: and the bastard of Lisle which was capteine of the said towne was also slaine there, as they assaulted it, being stricken with an arrow thorough the head: and my lord Reignold is returned backe toward Languedocke, and my lord Baldwin towards Brassacke, with their companies: and the lords Iohn & Iames, and those of their companie remaine in Chastiell Satrat, and haue vittells plentie of all sorts to serue them betwéen this and Midsummer, except fresh fish and cabages as they haue certified vs by letters, wherefore yée néed not take care for your men.
Buscicault.
And there be in that towne more than thrée hundred glaiues, and thrée hundred yeomen, and a hundred and fiftie archers. And they haue rid before Agen, and burnt and destroied all their milles, and haue burnt and broken downe all their bridges that lie ouer Garon, and haue taken a castell without the same towne, and haue fortified it. And monsieur Iohn Darminake, and the seneshall of Agenois, which were in the towne of Agen, would not once put foorth their head, nor anie of their people, and yet haue they béene twise before that towne. And monsieur Busgaud was come, and monsieur Ernald de Spaine, and Grimoton de Chambule, with thrée hundred glaiues, and thrée sergeants Lombards, and they are in the towne of Muschacke, which is in Cressie, and it is but a mile from Chastiell Satrat or Sacret, and a league from Bressake, and yée may well thinke that there will be good companie one with another.
The capitall de Beuf.
And further may it please yée to know, that monsieur Bartholomew is at Coniake with six score men of armes of my lords house, & six score archers, & the capitall de Buche or Beuf, the L. Monferrant, & the L. of Crotonie, which haue with them 300 glaiues, & six score archers, and two hundred sergeants, beside them which are in Tailbourgh, Tanney, and Rochford, so that when they are togither, they may be well six hundred glaiues, and at the making héereof, they were vpon a iournie towards Aniou and Poictou, and the earles of Suffolke, Oxford, and Salisburie, the lord of Museden, monsieur Ellis de Pomiers, and other Gascoignes, with the which are well more then fiue hundred glaiues, and two hundred sergeants, and thrée hundred archers, and they were at the making hereof toward the parties of Nostredame de Rochemade, and haue béene foorth aboue twelue daies, and were not returned at the sending of these presents. My lord Iohn Chandois, my lord Iames, and my lord Baldwin, and those which be in their companie are also foorth vpon a iournie toward their parties; my lord Reinold and those of the houshold, with the Gascoigns which be in their companie, are also foorth vpon a iournie towards their parties.