soi the knights of Brittany faw the Englifh thris come to the affiftance of the duke, they were very in* • dignant, and fhut up their own caftles, /hewing much ill will againft the duke. " Things remained in this doubtful manner all the winter. - ; As foon'as the feafon permitted, fir Bertrand du Guefclin marched from Poiriers with full four-teen hundred combatants, and laid fiege toN the town and caftle of Civray. There were with himi of Breton knights, fir Alain de Beaumanoir, John de Beaumanoir, Arnoul Limoufin, Geoffry Ricon* Yypn de Laconet, Geoffry de Kerimel, with many other knights and fquires. They fixed their quar-ters before Civray; and furrounded them with pa* lifadoes to prevent being furprifed in the night* Frequently the moft expert of them advanced to make trials of fkill with thofe of the caftle, who defended themfelves valiantly. During the fiege, fir Robert Micon* and Ni-cotin l'Efcot *, the governors of Civray, fent in-telligence of their fituatipn to fir John Devereux and the earl of Angus, who were in garrifon at Niort. . They inftintly ordered the garrifons from Lufignan and Gouzar to march to Niort, when they amonnted all together to fix or fèven hun-dred good men at arms, well equipped, without counting the pillagers. They advanced until they came near to Civray, which is but four leagues from Niort I when they halted fome time to ar- • Sir Robert Micon mi Nicotin l'Efcot, "M/'MSS. hav* fir Robert Miton and fir Marti» Scott. - VOL. IV. P T range