mined that he fhould leave the army with three hundred men at arms, mounted on the fleeted couriers they had.. They rode that day and the following night, with fcarccly any repofc upwards of thirty leagues by another road than that'the Eng-lifh had taken, and by day-break arrived at Poi-tiers, They found the gates ready opened, and their party prepared to receive them* Hpd they but delayed one half hour, they would have loft the opportunity; for John Regnault and his friends, having learnt the intention of the others, had fent off in great hafte to fir John Devereux and lord Thomas Percy, who, with a hundred fpears and as many archers, were within one fhort league of the city. The barons and knights of Poitou were thunder-ft ruck at the capture of Poitiers, as well as thofe from Gafcony and England, who were collected in Poitou, to the amount of eight hundred lances and four hundred archers. ' * They called a council to confider in what manner they fhould a& for they faw themfelves in great difficulties, and were doubtful in whom they could put confidence. The barons and knights of Poitou therefore, the better to re-aflure the Englifh, thus addreffed them : c Certainly, gentlemen, it is exceedingly difagreeable for us to fee the affairs of this country in fuch a ftate that we cannot bring any remedy to them ; but depend upon it, that as long as we exift, and there (hall remain any houfe or fort in Poitou to receive us, we will N4 , always