When the Earl of Derby perceived that his men were laboring in vain, and getting themselves killed without any advantage, he sounded a retreat. On the morrow he ordered the peasants to bring great quantities of brushwood, fagots, straw, and turf, and to throw them all into the ditches of the castle, and plenty of earth with them. When a part of the ditch was so filled that one might get to the foot of the walls, he assembled three hundred archers, well armed and in battle-array, and sent before them two hundred countrymen, covered with shields, having large pickaxes and hooks: while these first were employed in picking the walls, the archers made such good use of their bows that no one dared to show himself on the battlements. This lasted the greatest part of the day, when the pickaxe-men made so large a breach in the walls, that ten men might enter abreast. The inhabitants of the town and castle were quite confounded: some fled toward the church, and others by a back way out of the town. The fortress was immediately taken and pillaged, and all the garrison were put to death, excepting such as had taken refuge in the church, whom the Earl of Derby pardoned, for they had submitted to his mercy. The earl placed in the castle a fresh garrison, under the command of two English captains, Richard Willes and Robert Scot; and then he came before Monsegur, where he ordered his men to prepare huts for themselves and horses: he continued before it fifteen days. The governor of the town was Sir Hugh de Bastefol, and there never passed a day without some assault being made upon it. They sent for large machines from Bordeaux and Bergerac; and the stones which they cast into the town destroyed roofs, tiles, and the principal buildings. The Earl of Derby sent every day to let them know, that, if they suffered the town to be stormed, every one would be put to the sword; but, if they would render obedience to the King of England, he would pardon them, and treat them like friends. The townsmen would cheerfully have surrendered, and they went to the governor to consult him, and to sound his intentions; who answered them by ordering them to the battlements, for that he had provision of every sort in sufficiency to hold out for half a year if it were necessary. They left him in apparent good humor; but about the time of vespers they seized him, and closely confined him, assuring him, at the same time, he should never be set at liberty if he did not assist them to make some terms with the Earl of Derby. When he had sworn that he would do every thing in his power, they let him go: he went directly to the barriers of the town, and made signs that he wished to speak with the Earl of Derby. Sir Walter Manny being present came to the governor, who said to him, “Sir Walter Manny, you ought not to be surprised if we shut our gates against you, for we have sworn fealty to the King of France; but not perceiving any one coming