a on the fortifications. The French assaulted St. Agatha with three
thousand arquebusiers; and the garrison, though they made a vigorous
defence, were soon obliged to abandon the place, and retreat to Newnam
Bridge. The siege of this latter place was immediately undertaken,
and at the same time the fleet battered the risbank, which guarded
the entrance of the harbor; and both these castles seemed exposed to
imminent danger. The governor, Lord Wentworth, was a brave officer; but
finding that the greater part of his weak garrison was enclosed in the
castle of Newnam Bridge and the risbank, he ordered them to capitulate,
and to join him in Calais, which, without their assistance, he was
utterly unable to defend. The garrison of Newnam Bridge was so happy as
to effect this purpose; but that of the risbank could not obtain such
favorable conditions, and were obliged to surrender at discretion.

{1558.} The duke of Guise, now holding Calais blockaded by sea and land,
thought himself secure of succeeding in his enterprise; but in order to
prevent all accident, be delayed not a moment the attack of the place.
He planted his batteries against the castle, where he made a large
breach; and having ordered Andelot, Coligny's brother, to drain the
fossee, he commanded an assault, which succeeded; and the French made a
lodgement in the castle. On the night following, Wentworth attempted to
recover this post; but having lost two hundred men in a furious attack
which he made upon it,[*] he found his garrison so weak, that he was
obliged to capitulate. Ham and Guisnes fell soon after; and thus the
duke of Guise, in eight days, during the depth of winter, made himself
master of this strong fortress, that had cost Edward III. a siege of
eleven months, at the head of a numerous army, which had that very year
been victorious in the battle of Crecy. The English had held it above
two hundred years; and as it gave them an easy entrance into France, it
was regarded as the most important possession belonging to the crown.
The joy of the French was extreme, as well as the glory acquired by
Guise; who, at the time when all Europe imagined France to be sunk
by the unfortunate battle of St. Quintin, had, in opposition to the
English, and their allies the Spaniards, acquired possession of a place
which no former king of France, even during the distractions of the
civil wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, had ever ventured
to attempt. The Eng