Having done this, they made vigorous approaches toward the town, which they damaged very much by their cannon and engines of war. The besieged made so good a defence, that the business was continued for more than two months, during which time they sent notice to king Charles that unless speedy succours were afforded them, they must surrender to his enemies. The king, hearing this, assembled his council, when it was resolved to raise the siege, or at least to throw reinforcements of men and provision into the place. This was attempted but without effect. An assembly of men at arms was then ordered by king Charles at Orleans, and the command of them given by the king to the count de Dunois bastard of Orleans. He had with him sir William d'Albreth lord d'Orval, the lords de Graville, de Villag, de Gaucourt, Estienne Vignolles surnamed La Hire, sir Gilles de St Simon, Gaultier Boussart, and many other captains, amounting to sixteen hundred combatants, all men of tried courage. They commenced their march with a large train of forage-carts, intending only to revictual the town, and not to raise the siege. When they were arrived within half a league of the enemy's camp, they held a council as secretly as they could, and determined to attack the nearest quarters of the English. They had some of the garrison of Montargis with them as guides,--and in the number was one called le Petit Breton. La Hire was appointed leader of one of the parties, and fell on the English quarters with great courage, shouting, 'Montjoye St Denis!' The English were quite unprepared,--and their camp was soon on fire in various parts,--and much slaughter was committed near to where the lord de la Pole was lodged: indeed the whole of that part was defeated, and the lord de la Pole escaped with eight others in a small boat. The garrison of the town had dammed up the river so high that the bridges the English had made were overflowed, and most of them who attempted to escape over them fell into the water and were drowned. The bastard of Orleans, while this was going forward, made a vigorous attack on the quarters of sir Henry Bisset: he had dismounted, and began to be hard pressed, when those who had destroyed the lord de la Pole's quarters opportunely came to his support, for the lord de Graville had been wounded. The English, finding that fortune was against them, began to retreat toward the quarters of the earl of Warwick; but crossing a bridge in haste, and too many at once, it broke down with their weight and great numbers lost their lives. Add to this, that the garrison made a well-timed sally to assist their friends, and killed great numbers and made many prisoners.