About the same time Charles de Valois brother to the French king, being sent with an armie into Gascoine, and comming vpon the sudden, found the Englishmen wandering abroad in the countrie out of order, by reason whereof taking them at that aduantage, he caused them to leaue their booties behind them, slue part of them, and chased the residue, the which fled to their ships, or to such hauen townes as were in their possession. The capteins of the Englishmen, as Iohn de Britaine earle of Richmond, and the lord Iohn saint Iohn, after they had got togither their souldiers which had béene thus chased, sent two bands vnto Pontesey to defend that towne against the enimies: also other two bands vnto saint Seuere: and they themselues went to Rion to fortifie that place. Charles de Valois aduertised hereof, thought he would not giue them long respit to make themselues strong by gathering any new power, and therfore appointed the conestable sir Rafe de Neale, (who had woone the citie of Burdeaux from the Englishmen latelie before) to go vnto Pontesey and besiege that towne, whilest he went vnto Rion, which he besieged and fiercelie assaulted. But the Englishmen and Gascoins did not onelie defend the towne stoutlie, but also made an issue foorth vpon their enimies, though (as it happened) the smaller number was not able to susteine the force of the greater multitude, and so were the Englishmen beaten backe into the towne againe. [Sidenote: Pontsey won.] [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] [Sidenote: Rion wone.] Whilest they tried their manhood thus at Rion, the constable woone Pontesey or Pontsac vpon Dordone, and came to ioine with the earles de Valois at Rion, and so inforced both their powers to win that towne. The Englishmen and Gascoins, though they were put in some feare, yet they shewed their approoued valiancie in defending the towne, till at length when they saw they could defend it no longer, and were in no hope of succour from anie part, they fled out about midnight, and made toward their ships: but diuerse of them were taken by the waie, for the Frenchmen hauing knowledge of their intent, forlaie the passages, and taking some of them that first sought to escape thus by flight, slue them, but there was not manie of those. For all the residue, when they perceiued that the Frenchmen had laid betwixt them and their ships, making vertue of necessitie, stood still in defense of the towne, till the Frenchmen entred it by force of assault the friday in Easter wéeke. [Sidenote: Englishmen taken.] [Sidenote: _Abington._] [Sidenote: Sir Adam Kreting kild.] [Sidenote: Sir Walter Gifford.]