\ '80S of what they had fworn and fealcd. They re-turned for anfwer, thai they iliould very foon re-tire to Poitiers, when they would put themfelves and their dependencies under the obedience of the king of France, • The lords of France, Satisfied with this anfwer, departed from before Thouars j and the dukés difbanded the greater part of their men. On this feparation, the lord de Cliflbn, with a large body of men at arms, of whom the con-ftable had given him the command, came before Mortaignc fur mer, which at that time was at* tached to the Englifh I An EnglHh fquire, called James Clerk, was governor of the • place, and might have had with him about fixty companions. • When the lord de Cliflbn came before Mor-taigrte, he affaulted it very vigorously : but, though he did not fpare himfelf on the occafion, he gained nothing $ upon which he retreated to his quarters. The governor, who found he ihould be hard pulhed, fent off ftcretly to thofe knights of Gaf-cony and England Who were at Niort, to defire they would come that night to Moraigne; that he would lodge them in his hôtel » and that they might eafily p&fs through the quarters of the French forces, who were but two hundred fight-ing men. Thefe lords fet out from Niort, with five hun-dred lances, and rode all night to arrive at Mor-taigne, for they had a great defire to catch the lord de Cliflbn. But a fpy, who had left Niort with them, having overheard fomc part of their - ' ^ intentions,