red on the walls.'

The History then states that "a fire broke out where the strength
of the French was greater, and the French themselves were overcome
with resisting, and in endeavouring to extinguish the fire, until
at length by force of arms, darts, and flames, their strength was
destroyed. Leaving the place therefore to our party, they fled and
retreated beneath the walls for protection; most carefully
blocking up the entrance with timber, stones, earth, and mud, lest
our people should rush in upon them through the same passage."

"On the following day a conference was held with the Lord de
Gaucort, who acted as Captain, and with the more powerful leaders,
whether it was the determination of the inhabitants to surrender
the town without suffering further rigour of death or war. * * *
On that night they entered into a treaty with the King, that if
the French King, or the Dauphin, his first-born, being informed,
should not raise the seige, and deliver them by force of arms
within the first hour after morn on the Sunday following, they
would surrender to him the town, and themselves, and their
property."

"And neither at the aforesaid hour on the following Sunday, nor
within the time, the French King, the Dauphin, nor any one else,
coming forward to raise the siege. * * * The aforesaid Lord de
Gaucort came from the town into the king's presence, accompanied
by those persons who before had sworn to keep the articles, and
surrendering to him the keys of the Corporation, submitted
themselves, together with the citizens, to his grace. * * * Then
the banners of St. George and the King were fixed upon the gates
of the town, and the King advanced his illustrious uncle, the Lord
Thomas Beaufort, Earl of Dorset (afterwards Duke of Exeter) to be
keeper and captain of the town, having delivered to him the keys."

Thus, after a vigorous siege of about thirty-six days, one of the
most important towns of Normandy fell into the hands of the
invaders. The Chronicler in the text informs us, that the
dysentery had carried off infinitely more of the English army than
were slain in the siege; that about five thousand men were then so
dreadfully debilitated by that disease, that they were unable to
proceed, and were therefore sent to England; that three hundred
men-at-arms and nine hundred