On the other hand, the garrisons of the duke of Burgundy, in his towns of Douay, Lens[10], Hesdin, Maizerolles[11], and others, made continual excursions and ambuscades against the foragers of the royal forces, and likewise against those who brought provisions to the army from Amiens, Corbie, and other parts, whom they generally robbed, killed, or made prisoners. Hector de Saveuses, a very renowned man at arms, was particularly active in his kind of warfare: he usually collected from two to three hundred combatants under his banner, and, by secretly leading them against the king's forces, acquired much fame, and was greatly in the good graces of his lord, the duke of Burgundy: his companions were usually Philippe and Louis de Wargis, Lamon de Launoy, and other expert men at arms. The duke of Burgundy, having resolved to relieve Arras, sent for all his captains, and, having consulted them, ordered, that on a fixed day they should make an attack on the king's army at Vaudemont, where the van division was quartered, under the command of the duke of Bourbon; and the garrison was to make a sally to support them, of which they were to be timely informed. These captains assembled a force of about four thousand combatants, whose commanders were the lord de Croy, the lord de Fosseux, the lord de Jumont, the lord de Challons, sir Gautier de Ruppes, and some others, who marched their men to within about four leagues of Arras, and thence sent their scouts forward. The names of these scouts were Actis, Jacques de Breumeur, brother to Louis de Bussy, and others, whose names I have forgotten; but they were all taken by the king's army, and carried to the head-quarters. The duke of Burgundy's captains hearing of this, and supposing their intended attack would be known, were much troubled, and, without doing any thing, returned to their garrisons, to the great displeasure of the duke. During the time the king lay before Arras, his men took the fortress of Avênes le Comte, belonging to the duke of Burgundy, and Villers le Châtel from the lord de Gournay, both four leagues distant from Arras. They were regarrisoned with a considerable force, who much harrassed the adjacent country, and gave the army intelligence of all assemblies of the enemy. All this time the town of Arras was constantly attacked by the cannons, veuglaires, bricolles, and other engines, to the great annoyance of its inhabitants, more especially on the side toward Vaudemont, and, moreover, several mines were made under the walls. One was particularly directed on this side, with the intent of forming a secret entrance to the city, but it was discovered by a counter-mine of the besieged, and a vigorous skirmish took place within it, each party being armed with lances. The count d'Eu fought with sir John de Meschastel, lord de Montagu, very valiantly, considering his youth: he had been knighted on this occasion by his brother-in-law the duke of Bourbon.