tlpon hearing this, fent to him fir Walter Manny and lord Baffet. Whep they were come near, the lord de Vienne faid to them : € Dear gentlemen, you who are very valiant knights, know that the king of France, whofe fubjeéls we are, has fent us hither to defend this town and caftle from all harm and damage : this we have done to the heft of our abilities. All hopes of help have now left us, fo • that we are moft exceedingly ftraitened ; and if the gallant king, your lord, have not pity upon us, wc muft perifh with hunger. I therefore intreat, that you would beg of him to have compaffion on us, and to have the goodneft to allow us to depart in ' the ftate we are in, and that he wiltbe fatisfied with having pofieffion of the town and caftle, with all that is within them, as he will find therein riches enough to content him/ To this fir Walter Manny replied : € John, we are not ignorant of what the .king our lord's intentions are; for he has told them to us : know then, that it is not his pleafure you fiiould get off fo ; for he is refolved that you fur-render yourfelves folely to bis will, to allow thofe whom he pleafes their ranfom, or to put them to • death ; for the Calefians have done him fo much mifchief, and have, by their obftinate defence, coft him fo many lives and fo much money, that he is •mightily enraged/ The lord de Vienne anfwered : c Thefe condi-tions are too hard for us. We are but a fmall number of knights and fquires, who have loyally fgrvefl our lord and mafter, as you would have done, and have fuffered much ill and diftguiet ; .but é ' we m-