Blaues.
In the meane time, the earle laid siege to Blaues, but could not win it. His men rode abroad into the countrie, to Mortaigne, Mirabeau, and Aunay, but wan little, and so returned againe to the siege of Blaues. Now when the month was expired, that they of Angolesme should yéeld, the earle sent his two marshals thither, who receiued the homage and fealtie of the citizens, in the king of Englands name, and so they were in peace, and receiued againe their hostages. At length when the earle of Derbie saw that he did but lose his time in the besieging of Blaues, which sir Guischart Dangle, and sir Guilliaume de Rochfort, being capteins within, did so valiantlie defend, that he could obteine no aduantage of them, he raised his siege, and returned vnto Burdeaux, hauing furnished such townes as he had woone in that iournie with conuenient garisons of men to defend them against the enimies, and to kéepe frontier warre, as they should sée cause.
Froissard saith they were an hundred thousand.
Gio. Villani writeth that they were a six thousand horsmen and fiftie thousand footemen, of Frenchmen, Gascoignes & Lombardes.
Annales de Burgoigne.
1346.
An. Reg. 20.
Angolisme recouered by the Frenchmen. Damassen. Thonins.
Aiguillon besieged.
The French king being sore moued at the conquests thus atchiued by the earle of Derbie, raised a mightie armie, and sent the same foorth, vnder the leading of his sonne the duke of Normandie, into Gascoigne, to resist the said earle, and to recouer againe those townes which he had woone in those parts. The duke of Normandie being come to Tholouz, where generall assemblie was appointed, set forward with his armie, and winning by the waie Miremount, and Ville Franche in Agenois; at length came to the citie of Angolesme, which he inuironed about with a strong siege, continuing the same, till finallie, the capiteine named Iohn Normell, required a truce to indure for one daie, which was granted, and the same was the daie of the Purification of our ladie, on the which, the same capiteine, with the souldiers of the garrison departed, and left the citie in the citizens hands. The Frenchmen, bicause they had granted the truce to indure for that daie without exception, permitted them to go their waies without let or vexation. The citizens in the morning yéelded the citie to the duke. After this, he wan the castell of Damassen, Thonins, and Port S. Marie; Thonins by surrender, and the other two by force of assaults. Then he came to the strong castell of Aiguillon, which he besieged, and laie thereat a long season. Within was the earle of Penbroke, the lord Walter de Mannie, sir Franke de Halle, and diuerse knights and capteins, which defended themselues, and the place so stoutlie, that the Frenchmen could win little aduantage at their hands.