In the mean time, the artillery of the king of France, as well in the blockhouse of St Martin as elsewhere, played continually on the walls and gates of Pontoise, and damaged them greatly; but the besieged repaired them in the night, as well as they could, with beams of wood and old barrels: they also made frequent sallies, in which several were killed and wounded on both sides. The king was desirous of inclosing the town all round,--but could not well do it from the danger of an attack from the english army, and of his troops being cut off from succouring each other when thus separated; for he knew how near the enemy were, and in great force, preparing to make him raise the siege. It was from this cause that the French delayed surrounding the town closely on all sides. A huge blockhouse was ordered to be instantly built in the forest of Compiégne, and floated down the Seine to Pontoise, where they would fix it as they should judge expedient,--and William de Flavy was commanded to see that this was immediately done. Some time after, the lord Talbot came a second time and revictualed the town, and supplied it with all sorts of stores in abundance. Each time, he took away those who had been wounded, leaving reinforcements, from his own men, and, as before, met with no interruption or opposition in his return. The king, observing those measures of his adversaries, became very melancholy; for he saw no end to a siege when the town was so continually and uninterruptedly reinforced. Nevertheless, he was personally active in strengthening his leaguers, and in providing them with all necessary stores, in case the enemy should advance to attack them. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 89: Solignes,--Jaloignes.--Du Cange.] [Footnote 90: Maubuisson,--a convent in the diocese of Beauvais.] [Footnote 91: Cotivy,--Coitiny.--Du Cange.] [Footnote 92: Cheurin. Q. Ennery?] [Footnote 93: Mantes,--capital of the Mantois, on the Seine, 19 leagues from Rouen.] CHAP. LI. THE DUKE OF YORK, GOVERNOR OF NORMANDY FOR THE KING OF ENGLAND MARCHES AN ARMY TO PONTOISE, TO FORCE THE KING OF FRANCE TO RAISE THE SIEGE. The duke of York, commander in chief and lieutenant-general for king Henry in the marches of France and Normandy, had assembled from six to seven thousand combatants,--among whom were the lord Scales, the lord Talbot, sir Richard Woodville, who had married the duchess of Bedford, sister to Louis de Luxembourg count of St Pol, and many other captains, then at Rouen, but whose names I have not been told. There were likewise collected a large train of carts and horses, laden with artillery and provision, together with a great number of live cattle.