[1] This was doone not without great danger of the pioners and men of war that garded them, for as the French desperatlie made their approch, so they were made by English gunners to tast the bitter fruit that the canon & culuerings yéelded. But such was the multitude of the Frenchmen that were now as|sembled togither, in hope to recouer that towne, which being possessed by the English, cut off all traf|fike from Rouen and Paris, and so consequentlie from the chéefe parts of the whole realme of France, that with their generall aid,Thus we sée [...] in opi|nion vnpossi|ble, by indus|trie possible. and drawing the water downe to the sea, the marishes were made passable and firme ground, which to men of great experience was thought a thing vnpossible. The castell, the walles, and other defenses of the towne were bat|tered, breaches made, and the trench which before the comming of the conestable, was but brought to the point ouer against the bulworke of saint Addresses, was now within foure daies aduanced néere hand the space of two miles, vpon the causeie or breach which was all of stone, without anie earth to couer them: so that they were driuen to make the best shift they could with woolsacks, sandbags, baskets and fagots. Yet all this had neuer come to passe, nor could haue beene wrought without infinit slaughter, and far more losse of French bloud, that necessarilie should haue béene spilt, if the great mortalitie of pes|tilence which entred the towne about the beginning of the summer,The great [...] of pes|tilence in Newhauen. throgh a malicious infection, had not so greatlie increased, that it [...]ue & tooke awaie dailie great numbers of men, beside those that being sicke thereof, escaped with life but were yet so feeble and weake, that they were notable to helpe themselues, nor to doo anie seruice auailable at all.