[A.D. 1451.] CHAP. XXV. THE KING APPOINTS THE COUNT DE DUNOIS HIS LIEUTENANT-GENERAL IN GUIENNE, WHO BESIEGES MONT-GUYON.--IT SURRENDERS TO HIM.--HE LAYS SIEGE TO TOWN OF BLAYE, WHICH IS TAKEN BY STORM.--THE CASTLE CAPITULATES. In the month of May, of the year 1451, according to the Chronicles of St Denis, during the king's residence at Tours, he appointed the count de Dunois and de Longueville, who had come thither for that purpose, his lieutenant-general in Guienne, to reduce that duchy to his obedience. Early in May, the king had issued his summons to several knights and esquires, that they might prepare themselves for accompanying the count on this expedition. The lieutenant-general left Tours with a noble company, and marched to lay siege to a castle called Mont-Guyon, where he was joined by the count d'Angoulême, legitimate brother to the duke of Orleans, master John Bureau, treasurer of France, Pierre de Louvain, and others, to the amount of four hundred spears, with archers and guisarmes, and four thousand franc archers, who instantly commenced the siege, without waiting for the other great barons who were to come thither. This siege lasted eight days; but the governor for the English, Regnault de St Jean, esquire, and attached to the captal de Buch, and a few men at arms, seeing the inutility of defence, against such an army, entered into a capitulation, by which the place was yielded up to the king of France. On the 16th day of May, after the reduction of Mont-Guyon, the lieutenant-general laid siege to one of the gates of Blaye[118]. He was there joined by sir Pierre de Beauveau lord of la Bessiere, lieutenant to the count du Maine and captain of his men at arms, and by sir Geoffry de St Belin, having in their company about eight score spears, guisarmes and archers. Thither came also sir James de Chabannes, grand master of the household, and Joachim Rohault, who posted themselves opposite the castle, and took their quarters at the hospital: they had with them two hundred lances and archers, and two thousand franc archers. At the same time, a large fleet arrived under the command of sir John le Boucher, general of France, in which were numbers of men at arms and archers, with great stores of provision for the supply of the besieging army. This fleet, as it came near to Blaye, found anchored in the port five large vessels well armed, which had arrived from Bordeaux with stores for the relief of those in the town of Blaye. An engagement took place, when the French fought valiantly, and killed so many of the enemy that they were forced to weigh anchor and fly to Bordeaux, whither they were chaced into the harbour. The french fleet then returned to Blaye, where they anchored before the port, to prevent any supplies from being thrown into the town.