But they left vs, and downe to _Vernoyle_ went, And made their vaunt they had our army slayne, And through that lye, that towne from vs they hent, Which shortly after turned to their payne: For there both armies met vpon the plaine: And wee eight thousand, whom they [flew, not] slew before, Did kill of them, ten thousand men and more. 26. When wee had taken _Vernoyle_ thus againe, To driue the Dolphin vtterly out of _Fraunce_,[631] The regent sent mee to _Aniovy_[632] and to _Mayne_, Where I besieged the warlike towne of _Mawns_: There lord of _Toyser’s_, _Baldwin’s_ valiaunce Did well appeare, which would not yeelde the towne, Till all the towres and walles were battered downe. 27. But here now, _Baldwine_, take it in good part, Though that I brought this _Baldwine_ there to yeelde, The lyon fearce for all his noble hart, Being ouer matched, is forst to flye the fielde:[633] If _Mars_ himselfe there had ben with his shielde, And in my stormes had stoutly mee withstood, Hee should haue yeeld, or els haue shed my bloud. 28. This worthy knight both hardy, stout, and wise, Wrought well his feat: as time and place require, When fortune failes, it is the best aduise To strike the sayle, least all lye in the mire: This haue I sayd to th’end thou take no ire, For though no cause bee found, so nature frames, Men haue a zeale to such as beare theyr names. 29. But to retourne, in _Mayne_ wan I at length, Such townes and forts as might eyther helpe[634] or hurt, I manned _Mayon_ and _Suzan’s_, townes of strength, Fort _Barnard_, _Thanceaur_, and S. _Cales_ the curt, With _Lile sues Bolton_, standing in the durt: Eke _Gwerland_, _Suze_, _Loupeland_ and _Mountsure_, With _Malycorne_, these wan I and kept full sure. 30. Besides all this I tooke nere forty holdes, But those I razed euen with the ground: And for these deedes, as scely sheepe in foldes Doe shrinke for feare at euery litle sound, So fled my foes before my face, full round Was none so hardy that durst abide the fight, So _Mars_ and fortune furdered mee their knight. 31. I tell no lye, so gastfull grewe my name, That it alone discomfited an hoast: The _Scots_ and _Frenchmen_[635] well[636] confesse the same, Els will the towne which they like cowards lost: For whan they sieged _Beauron_ with great boast, Being fourty thousand _Britaynes_, _French_, and _Scots_, Fiue hundred men did vanquish them like sots.[637] 32.