[1] This countesse of Mountfort was sister vnto Lewes earle of Flanders, and named Margaret, Ia. Meir. and not Claudia (as some write.) She was verie diligent in hir businesse, and spared no trauell to aduance hir cause, so that she wan not onelie the harts of the men of warre, but also of the people of Britaine, the which fauoured hir husband, and lamented the mishap of his taking. She first furnished such cities, townes, Froissard castels, and fortresses as hir husband had in possessi|on, with men, munition and vittels, as Renes, Di|naunt, Guerand, Hanibout, and others. This doone, she sent ouer into England, sir Emerie de Clisson, a noble man of Britaine, to require the king of Eng|land of succors, with condition, that if it pleased him, hir sonne Iohn should marrie one of his daughters. ¶ The king of England glad to haue such an entrie into France, as by Britaine, thought not to refuse the offer, & therevpon granted to aid the countesse: & foorthwith raising a power, sent the same ouer into Britaine, vnder the conduct of the lord Walter of Mannie, and others: the which at length, after they had continued long vpon the sea, by reason of contra|rie winds, arriued in Britaine; in which meane time, a great armie of Frenchmen were entred into Bri|taine and had besieged the citie of Reues, and finallie woone it by surrender, & were now before the towne of Hanibout, which with streict siege, and sore brusing of the walles, they were néere at point to haue taken, and the countesse of Mountfort within it If the suc|cours of England had not arriued there, [...] at such time as the Frenchmen were in talke with them within, about the surrender. But after that the Eng|lish [page 363] fleet was seene to approch, the treatie was soone broken off, for they within had no lust then to talke anie further of the matter.