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inuironed with a great poole, whoſe water could not be drawen away, the wall being good, and flanked with good towers, and the approaches difficile for the planting of Ordinaunce; the Caſtle beeing much ſtronger, garniſhed with great and ſtrong towers and verie good wals, with a donion ſeperated, ditched with good and great ditches: and beſides all this the Counte of Briſac well accompanied with Gentlemen, Captaines and Souldiers, with a great ſhowe that hee would not haue made this proofe but with intent to get honour, and to defend the place effectuallie, as in deed vnto the Summons which his Maieſtie did make the next day, he made an anſwere conuenient vnto ſuch a reſolution, which was that he had vowed vnto God, that he would neuer ſpeak of anie compoſition for that Towne, which made all men thinke, that he would haue defended it better than he did.
His Maieſtie (whoſe preſence in ſuch like affaires is the perfect ſchoole of extreame diligence, determined ſo to begin, as that he would not make 2. workes of one) did batter the Caſtle; for that the Caſtle being wonne, the Towne could not hold out, and cauſed the morrowe after, with great expedition, Gabions to be made for the batterie, bags to be filled with earth, and all things neceſſarie to be done. Which was ſo diligently followed, that in leſſe than three dayes all was in a readineſſe, and had begun to batter vpon the Thurſday, but that he ſtayed for three Cannons which Mounſieur Montpenſier brought him out of the Caſtle of Caen: which could not arriue at the ſaid ſiege vntill that verie day.
With
