fixteen thoufand men at arms tnd forty thoufand* others, while we were fcarcely three hundred lances, and as many archers; ourtown was alfo fo exten-five we could not attend to all parts of it, which we foon felt to our coft, for, while we were defending' one fide, it was fet on fire on another)—we became very much confufed, which the enemy perceived.* And in truth, the king of France and his council aâed handfomely by granting us a truce j for if they had on the morrow renewed their attack, in: the fituation we were.in, they muft have had us at their mercy. : € They honourably treated with us, through the. duke of Brittany, who took much trouble on the occafion. We ought to have paid for this,but they gave us money; and, inftead of being worfted by our enemies, we defpoiled them# k We certainly overreached them, when they paid us, and fuffered us to depart fafe and well, carrying away whatever we had gained by this expedition in Flanders. Be* fides,* added fir William, € to purge myfelf from all blame, fhould there be in England, or out of England, any knight or, fquire,' except the perfons of my lords the dukes of York and of Glocefter,' who fhall dare to fay that I have a&ed difloyally towards 4ny natural lord the king, or have been any way guilty of treafon, I am ready to throw down my glove, and with my body try the event by deeds of arms, fuch as the judges may affign me J This fpeech and the known valour of the knight exculpated him, and freed him from all fear of death, which he was jn danger, of at the beginning*