who refided at a «ftrong caftle in the good town of Zaides, a league diftant, how the Englifh had won Marquel. The lady was much furprifed, and becaufe her lord, the dauphin was not in the country, fhe immediately fent to all the knights and fquires who were at home, to requeft they would aflift her in recovering poffeflion of her caftle. Knights and fquires, on hearing this, inftantly waited on the lady and laid fiege to the caftle ; but the Englifh were not alarmed and held the place for fifteen days. During this time the lady entered into a treaty, and Ayme-rigot received five thoufand francs in hard mo-ney, for which he and his men furrendered it and returned to his garrifon. In another part thofe of Caluifel, of which Perrot le Brenois was captain, harraffed much the countries of Auvergne and Limoufin. The Eng-glifli had at that time upwards of fixty ftrong caftles on the borders of Auvergne, Limoufin and Quercy, and they could march from fort to fort, even unto Bourdeaux. But the caftle which harraffed the country the moft, was Ventadour*, one of the ftrongeft caftles in the world : the captain of it was a Breton, called Geoffry Tête noir. This Geoffry was a wicked man, flievved mercy to none, and would juft as foon put, to death a knight or fquire as a peafant: he held all * Ventadour,—A caftle in the dioceie of Limoges, near Tulles. Y cl men