Our knight's career of glory approached its close. By the treachery of a monk, the abbey of St. Salvyn, seven leagues from Poictiers, fell into the possession of the French, who all that year, 1371, had been harassing the English territories. Chandos was deeply mortified at the loss of the abbey, it being within the scope of his seneschalship. To recover it by chivalric skill, or to bring his enemies to fair and manly battle, seemed equally impossible, and his high spirit was wounded at these insults to his military abilities. On the last day of December he made an unsuccessful attempt to recover the abbey; and when he returned to the town of Chauvigny, he dismissed two-thirds of his troops, knights of Poictou and England. Sir Thomas Percy, with thirty spears, had his leave to go in quest of adventures. His own mind was too ill at rest for him to indulge in mere chivalric exercises; and after he had wished them good speed he went back into the house full of melancholy thoughts. He would not retire to rest though the night was far advanced; but he remained in the kitchen warming himself by the fire, his servants endeavouring by their jests and tales to banish his uneasiness. Before daylight a man with the haste and anxiety of the bearer of news of import came into the house. "The Frenchmen are riding abroad," said he to Sir John. "How knowest thou that?" "I left St. Salvyn with them," was the answer. "Which way did they ride?" demanded Chandos. "Their exact course I wot not," replied his informant; "but I saw them on the high road to Poictiers." "What Frenchmen?" required Sir John. "Sir Louis of St. Julian, and Carnot the Breton." "Well," quoth Chandos, "I care not: I have no mind to ride forth to-night: it may happen that they may be encountered, though I am not there." The conversation closed here, but Chandos could not dismiss the subject from his mind. He mused upon what he had heard, and hope gradually broke through the gloom of his disappointment. He then told his knights he would ride to Poictiers, and they joyfully caparisoned their horses. Chandos and forty spears left Chauvigny before daylight, and getting into the Frenchmen's course, they soon overtook them near the bridge of Lusac. They were on foot, preparing to attack Sir Thomas Percy and his little band, who had posted themselves on the other side of the bridge. Before the Frenchmen and Bretons had arranged their plan of assault, they heard the trampling of Chandos's war-horses, and turning round they saw his dreadful banner displayed. He approached within three furlongs of the bridge and had a parley with them. He reproached them for their robberies and acts of violence in the country whereof he was seneschal.