16T . ' great multitudes coHefted in the city of Rhodez, and on the borders of Auvergne and Provence. ' . At lai thefe lords were all' afembfed, vrith theit men, in and near Touloufe, for they were too great in numbers to'htf lodged in the'city : tley arimuttel in the whole, to upwards of a hundred thoufand perfons. This was the year of grace 1345. Soon after the feaft of Ghrifiknas, the duke of Normandy, who was the comniander in chief of this army, fet out to join it, ahd oidéred his mar-* flials, the lord of Montmorency and the lord of St Venait, to advance with the van. They came firft to thé caftie of Miràiummt, which the Ejagliih had conquered in the fttmmer, and meft vigorotifly aflaulted it. There were Within it about a hundred Englifcraen for its defence,- under the coswnand Of John Brifeoe. " , With the French were the lord Itcwis of Spain, and a number of Genoeife crofe-bowmen, that fpared none: thofe within could not defend themfelves againft ib fuperior a force, but were taken, and He greater part of tfiem flain,x even their captain. The marfhalis, having recruited' their battalion with frefli men, advanced further, and came before Villefranche, ib the county ofc Agenoia. The army hatted1 these, and furrounded' it on all fides. Sir Thomas Cook, the governor, was not there, but at Bourdeaux, whiflier th&eavl of Derby had feht fbr hiim Hbwever thofe within made a vigorous defence: but, in the 'ends they were taken by ftornj^and the greater part of the garrifon put to the fword. . - \ The