Thus was Blaye besieged on all sides, by land and water; and as this was completed, the count de Penthievre arrived, with one hundred lances and three hundred cross-bows, and was quartered near to the count de Dunois. Many gallant deeds were done, and deep trenches and mines made,--and the walls were so much battered, by heavy cannon and bombards, that there were breaches in several places. The most valiant warriors on the part of the king of England, in Guyenne, were then in the town; but a little before sunset, on the 28th day of May, at the hour of sounding to mount the guard, some franc archers of the company of John de Meauze, called the lord of Maugouverne, captain of the franc archers of Touraine, mounted the walls of the town, and a storm regularly followed,--when the place was won, and the English lost, in killed and prisoners, full two hundred men. The mayor of Bordeaux, together with the lord de l'Esparre, the lord de Montferrant, and others--in all, about two hundred--hastily retreated into the castle; but, consulting together, they thought further resistance would be vain against such members, without hope of being succoured, and surrendered the castle on capitulation. Instantly on the reduction of the castle of Blaye, the count de Dunois marched his forces to besiege the town and castle of Le Bourg[119]. The siege did not, however, continue more than five or six days; for the garrison, observing the preparations for such large batteries of cannon and bombards, and the great strength of the besiegers, offered to surrender on being allowed to march away in safety with arms and baggage. There were from four to five hundred combatants in the place, under the command of sir Beraud de Montferrant, who departed with them for Bordeaux; and sir James de Chabannes, grand master of the household, remained governor of it for the king of France.