[1] [2] They lodged so neare within the verie ditches, that there were deuised certeine plummets of lead, tied with cords to a truncheon of a staffe, like to an handstaffe of a flaile, wherewith the souldiors that watched and warded within the towne on the ram|pire, slue diuerse of the Frenchmen being their lod|ged within their ditches. Thus notwithstanding that the Frenchmen with their artillerie had broken downe the fortifications, so as the breaches were made verie reasonable and easie for them to enter; yet durst they not presume once to giue the assault: for the Englishmen although their powder was sore spent,The valiancie of the Eng|lishmen. and that for want of matches they were con|streined to teare their shirts, and vse the same in sted of matches; yet they shewed themselues so valiant in defending the towne thus beaten & made weake on each hand, that there was no hope left to their aduersaries to win it of them by force. Although the French power on the one side, and eight thousand Scots on an other had so inuironed it, that the Eng|lishmen within were driuen to most hard shifts, for want of things necessarie & requisite for their main|tenance and defense of that towne.