He resolved, therefore, to limit himself at least for the moment to an energetic defence; but this did not prevent him from sending messengers to Maximilian before the complete investment, to ask him to intervene and send a corps of relief, if he did not wish to see the place fall into the hands of the king of France, which would certainly happen if it were left to itself. But he added it would resist to the last, and he could answer for the disposition of the garrison. On his side, Messire Charles d'Amboise seemed not to wish to precipitate matters; he hanged several soldiers who had been guilty of acts of pillage in the neighbourhood, and ordered that the dwellers in the suburbs should be considerately treated. By the evening of the 8th of September the town was completely invested. A body, consisting of three thousand two hundred men, remained encamped on the northern plateau, acting in conjunction with five hundred men posted among the ruins of the lower town and three hundred men behind the walls on the lower slopes of the hills on the east.[39] Most of the cavalry occupied the right shore of the larger stream and the valley on the south. A body of about five hundred men blockaded the _tête du pont_, and had orders to seize it when a favourable occasion offered. That night some pieces of artillery were brought into position on the lower slopes of the eastern hills to command all the eastern declivity of the _cité_. Some were assigned to the body of troops blockading the _tête du pont_. The besiegers' artillery was thus disposed:-- Veuglaires, Bombards. Spiroles. Attack on the northern boulevard 4 2 Battery on the slopes of the eastern hills 2 4 Before the _tête du pont_ 4 On the western slopes of the plateau commanding the lower town 2 Park of reserve 6 12 -- -- Total 12 24 -- -- The artillery of the besieged consisted of:-- Bombards. Culverins.