In the month of May of this year, the king of France left Tours, and went to the castle of Tuché[133], to celebrate the feast of Whitsunside, where he staid until July following, and thence went to Mehun sur Yevre[134]. He there declared war against the duke of Savoy, for certain acts done by him to the prejudice of his crown and kingdom. In the month of August, the king departed from Mehun with a large army, and a noble company of knights and men at arms, until he came to the country of Forez[135], intending to invade Savoy; but the cardinal de Touteville, hearing of this on his road to Rome, moved by charity, returned to the duke of Savoy,--and, having learnt the cause of offence, he thence went to the king, and managed the matter so well that the duke waited on the king, and promised to make every amends for what had given offence, according to the king's good pleasure. Peace being restored, the french army retreated to Feurs[136] in Forez, and the cardinal continued his road to Rome[137]. In the beginning of September, the lord de l'Esparre and others of the inhabitants of Bordeaux, by the advice of the lord de Montferrant, the lord de Rosem, the lord de Lane, and the lord d'Anglades, found means to embark secretly for England. On their arrival, they had several conferences with king Henry's ministers, and offered to return to their obedience if they would send a sufficient force to support them. The king assembled his parliament, and summoned to it his peers and captains, when it was determined to send the earl of Shrewsbury to the country of Bordelois in the ensuing month of October. On this being settled, the lord de l'Esparre and his companions, who might be compared to Judas, returned to Bordeaux; for they had sworn, on the holy evangelists, to be true and loyal subjects to the king and crown of France, and had conspired this wicked treason in direct violation of their oaths. In consequence of the arrangements made between them and the English, the earl of Shrewsbury set sail from England with four or five thousand men, whom he landed in Medoc, and conquered some small places to serve them as quarters. He thence made inroads over that part of the country, and subdued it,--which was not difficult, for the king's army was withdrawn, and few remained in the garrisons. When their arrival was known in Bordeaux, the townsmen held several meetings to consider of the manner of their surrender to the English,--and the majority were desirous that the French within the town should be allowed to depart in safety with their effects. At this time, the lord de Coictivy, seneschal of Guienne, was the governor for the king of France, the lord du Pin mayor, and Jean du Foue, knight, his deputy.