from him to stop your career, and believing that you will still proceed further,--for these reasons, in behalf of myself and the inhabitants of this town, we wish you would allow us these terms: namely, that no hostilities be carried on against us for the space of one month; and if in that time the King of France or the Duke of Normandy come into this country in such force as to give you battle, we then shall hold ourselves free from our engagement; but, if neither of them come, we will then enter under the obedience of the King of England.” Sir Walter Manny went to relate this proposal to the Earl of Derby, who acceded to it upon condition that there should not in the mean time be any repairs made to the fortifications of the town, and that, if any of the English army should want provisions, they might be at liberty to purchase them. Upon this there were sent twelve of the principal citizens as hostages, who were ordered to Bordeaux. The English refreshed themselves with provisions from the town, but none were suffered to enter it. They then continued their march, burning and destroying all the country as far as Aiguillon, the governor of which place came out to meet the earl, and surrendered the town and castle to him, on condition of their lives and fortunes being spared; to the great astonishment of all the country, for it was one of the strongest castles in the world, and almost impregnable. When the squire who had thus surrendered Aiguillon came to Toulouse, which is seventeen leagues distant, the townsmen arrested him on suspicion of treason, and hung him. This castle is situated on the point between two navigable rivers. The earl ordered it to be re-victualled, and the fortifications repaired, in order to its being fit to receive him on his return, and that it might serve for a secure guard to his other possessions. He gave the command of it to Sir John de Gombry. He then came to a castle called Segart, which he took by storm, and put all the foreign soldiers he found in it to death: from thence he came to the town of La Réole. CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE EARL OF DERBY LAYS SIEGE TO LA RÉOLE, WHICH SURRENDERS TO HIM.