The king advanced on Friday to Verlic, where he dined and lay,--and the lords of the town came to meet and offer him the keys of it, as a proof of their obedience. It is said, that the body of Santa Maria Jacobi, the sister of the Virgin, is interred there; on which account, as the king wished to see it, he staid there until Monday, when he proceeded to Bahut to dinner. In the afternoon, the king, like a valiant prince, armed himself, and went to visit the siege which the French were carrying on against a strong town, and still stronger castle called Mont St Jean. Many violent assaults were made, and as gallantly opposed by a garrison from all nations, who wounded numbers of the French. The king, on his arrival, ordered the place to be stormed on all sides, which was done with great effect, and lasted for eight hours. A breach was at length made in the wall, through which the French instantly rushed, and put all the garrison, to the number of nine hundred and fifty-five to the sword,--but not without having many of their men killed and wounded. The government of this town and castle was given to the lord of Taillebourg, who guarded it to his honour. It was esteemed to be impregnable; and not long before this, Alphonso of Naples had remained before it for seven years, but was unable with all his forces, to conquer it. The king returned from this place to Verbie, and thence to Bahut, where he lay,--and there heard that the duke of Calabria had fled from St Germain[141], on learning the fate of St Jean. St Germain, from its situation, is the key to the kingdom of Naples, the town being very strong, with two or three castles well fortified, and the whole is crowned by a very large monastery, in which reposes the body of St Benedict. On Thursday, the 12th of February, the king lay at the small town of St Cyprienne, and dined the next day at Aquino, the birthplace of the celebrated doctor and saint Thomas of Acquino, and thence went to lie at St Germain. On the morrow, he lay at Mignano. Monday, the 16th, he dined at Nôtre Dame di Correggio, and supped at Tiano, where he was joyfully received, and there heard the welcome news, that the duke of Calabria had also fled from Capua. The inhabitants of Capua here waited on him with the keys of their town, and, with uplifted hands, supplicated him to have mercy on them.