the princcj they flung down a great piece of wall, which filled the ditches. The Englifh &w this with pleafure, for they were all armed and prepared to enter the town. Thofe on foot did fo, and ran to the gate, which they deftroyed as well as the barriers, for there were no other defences ; and all this was done fo fuddenly that the inhabitants had not time to pre-vent it. . The prince, the duke of Lancafter, the earls of Cambridge and of Pembroke, fir Guifcard d'Angle and the others, with their men, rufhed into the town. You would then have feen pillagers, adive to do mifchief, running through the town, flaying men, women and children, according to their orders. It was a moft melahçholy bufinefs ; for all ranks, ages and fexes caft themfelves on their knees before the prince, begging for mercy ; but be was fo inflamed with paffion and revenge that he liftened to none, but all were put to the fword, wherever they could be found, even thofe who were not guilty : for I know not why the poor were not fpared, who could not have had any part in this treafon i but they fufFçred for it, and indeed more than' thofe who had been the leaders of the treachery. There was not that day in the city of Limoges any heart fo hardened, or that had any fenfe of religion, who did not deeply bewail the unfortu-nate events paffing before their eyes s for upwards of three thoufand men, women and children were H 4 ^ put 103