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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 The French king meaning to raise the siege from Calis, which the king of England kept there, sent for his sonne the duke of Normandie, which had line long at the siege of Aiguillon, and now by commande|ment of his father left it sore against his will. In this meane while, the earle of Derbie remained in the citie of Burdeaux, and there had held him du|ring all the time that the siege laie before Aiguillon. When he once vnderstood that the siege was raised, and that the duke of Normandie had broken vp his campe, he sent into Gascoigne for all knights and esquires that held of the English part. Then came to Burdeaux the lord Dalbret,The earle of Derbie assem|bleth an armie the lord de Lespare, the lord de Rosam, the lord of Musident, the lord of Pu|miers, and a great sort more of the lords and nobles of Gascoigne, so that the earle had twelue hundred men of armes, two thousand archers, and three thou|sand other footmen. They passed the riuer of Garon, betwixt Burdeaux and Blaie, and tooke their waie to Zanctonge, so to go vnto Poictiers, and tooke by the waie the towne of Mirabell by assault: they wan also the towne and castell of Aunaie, Surgieres and Benon. Also they tooke Maraunt in Poictow by force,Towns won by the earle of Derbie. they burnt also the towne of Lusignen, but the castell they could not win. Moreouer, they did win the bridge, towne, and castell of Tailburge, and slue all that were found within it, bicause a knight of the English part was slaine in the assaulting. From thence the earle of Derbie went and laid siege to saint Iohn Dangelie, which was yéelded to him by composition.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At Niort he made thrée assaults, but could not win it, and so from thence he came to Bourge saint Max|iment, the which was woone by force, and all that were within it slaine; and in like manner the towne of Montreuill Bonin was woone, and the most part of them within slaine, that tooke vpon them to defend it, which were 200 coiners of monie that wrought in the mint, which the French king kept there. From thence he passed forward with his host, and finallie came before the citie of Poictiers, which was great and large, so that he could not besiege it but on the one side. The third daie after his comming thither, he caused the citie to be assaulted in thrée places, and the greatest number were appointed to assaile the wea|kest part of the citie. As then there were no expert men of warre within Poictiers, but a great multi|tude of people vnskilfull and not vsed to any feats of warre, by reason whereof the Englishmen ente|red in at the weakest place. When they within sawe the citie woone, they fled out at other gates, but yet there were slaine to the number of seauen hundred persons, for all that came in the Englishmens waie were put to the sword, men, women, and children. The citie was sacked and rifled, so that great store of riches was gotten there,The citie of Poictiers woon by force. as well of the inhabitants as other that had brought their goods thither for safe|gard of the same. The earle of Derbie laie there ten or twelue daies, and longer might haue laine, if his pleasure had so béene, for there was none that durst go about to disquiet him, all the countrie trembled so at his presence.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At his departure from Poictiers he left the citie void, for it was too great to be kept: his souldiers and men of warre were so pestered with riches, that they wist not what to doo therewith: they estéemed nothing but gold and siluer, and feathers for men of warre. The earle visited by the waie as he returned homewards to Burdeaux the towne of saint Iohn Dangelie,Saint Iohn Dangelie. and other fortresses which he had woone in going towards Poictiers, and hauing furnished them with men, munition, and vittels necessarie, at his comming to Burdeaux he brake vp his host, and licencing his people to depart, thanked them for their paines and good seruice. All this while the siege conti|nued still before Calis, and the French king amongst other deuises which he imagined how to raise the K. of England from it, procured the Scots to make warre into England, insomuch that Dauid king of Scotland, notwithstanding the truce which yet indu|red betwixt him and the king of England, vpon hope now to doo some great exploit, by reason of the ab|sence of king Edward,The king of Scots inua|deth Eng|land. Polydor. intangled thus with the be|sieging of Calis, he assembled the whole puissance of his realme, to the number of fortie or threescore thousand fighting men (as some write) and with them entered into England, burning, spoiling, and wast|ing the countrie, till he came as far as Durham.

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