others to the church. Thofe it\ the caftle were. not attacked y for It was marveHoufly ftrong, and could not be approached for the deep and wide, ditches which furrounded it : but the church was inftatrtly affaulted by the Englifh on their entrance into the town, for they had heard that the men at arms had retreated thither. • Sir William de Mellè was a good and gallant knight, and would have defended the church of St. Venant valiantly ; but the Englifh archers had furrounded it, and fhot fo rabidly and with fiich good aim that fcarcdy any dared fhew themfelves in its defence, Thofe who were on the battle^ ments were provided with ftones, pieces of wood and artillery, which they ufed with fufch fuccefe as to wound many ; but the attack was continued with fo great earneftnefs by the Englifh that the church was taken by ftorm and fir William in it, who had foUght valiantly. " The others did the fame ; and hèd they entertained any hopes of be-ing fuppbrted,* thej would have held out*longer, which was • the caufe that they were thus eafily taken. . Sir I William de Mplle was made a pri-foner : he agreed for his ranfom, and returned to France with the confent of his captor, to whom he had given his word according to the manner in ' which all French and Englifh gentlemen be-have to one another in fimilar cafes ; but not fo the Germans, who, whenever they take a pri-soner throw him into durance vile, loaded with irons, in order to gain a more confiderablé ran-fom. . ' • • • • The 380 '