long time in the memory of the people over whom he once reigned. But then, my dear child, you must remember, that it is only desirable to be remembered for praiseworthy and patriotic actions, such as those of Robert Bruce. It would be better for a prince to be forgotten like the meanest peasant, than to be recollected for actions of tyranny or oppression.

THE CHRONICLES OF FROISSART

How the Duke of Normandy laid siege to 'Aiguillon with a hundred thousand men

THE Duke of Normandy and these lords of France

did so much that they came to the castle of Aiguillon. There they laid their siege about the fair meadows along by the river able to bear ships, every lord among his own company and every constable by himself, as it was ordained by the marshals. This siege endured till the feast of Saint Remy: there were well a hundred thousand men of war, a-horseback and afoot: they made lightly every day two or three assaults and most commonly from the morning till it was near night without ceasing, for ever there came new assaulters that would not suffer them within to rest. The lords of France saw well they could not well come to the fortress without they passed the river, which was large and deep. Then the Duke commanded that a bridge should be made, whatsoever it cost, to pass the river: there were set awork more than three hundred workmen, who did work day and night. When the knights within saw this bridge more than half made over the river, they decked three ships, and entered into them a certain, and so came on the workmen and chased them away

with their defenders; and there they brake all to pieces, that had been long a-making. When the French lords saw that, then they apparelled other ships, to resist against their ships, and then the workmen began again to work on the bridge, on trust of their defenders. And when they had worked half a day and more, Sir Gaultier of Manny and his company entered into a ship, and came on the workmen and made them to leave work and to recule back, and brake again all that they had made. This business was nigh every day; but at last the Frenchmen kept so well their workmen, that the bridge was made perforce: and then the lords and all their army passed over in manner of battle, and they assaulted the castle a whole day together without ceasing, but nothing they won; and at night they returned to their lodgings: and they within amended all that was broken, for they had with them workmen enough.

The next day the Frenchmen divided their assaulters into four parts, the first to begin in the morning and to continue till nine, the second till noon, the third to even-song time, and the fourth till night. After that manner they assailed the castle six days together: howbeit they within were not so sore travailed, but always they defended themselves so valiantly, that they without won nothing, but only the bridge without the castle. Then the Frenchmen took other counsel: they sent to Toulouse for eight great engines, and they made there four greater, and they

made all twelve to cast day and night against the castle; but they within were so well pavised, that never a stone of their engines did them any hurt: it brake somewhat the covering of some houses. They within had also great engines, which brake down all the engines without, for in a short space they brake all to pieces six of the greatest of them without.

During this siege oftentimes Sir Walter of Manny issued out with a hundred or six score companions, and went on that side the river a-foraging, and returned again with great preys in the sight of them without. On a day the Lord Charles of Montmorency, marshal of the host, rode forth with a five hundred with him, and when he returned, he drave before him a great number of beasts that he had got together in the company to refresh the host with victual: and by adventure he encountered with Sir Gaultier of Manny. There was between them a great fight and many overthrown, hurt and slain: the Frenchmen were five against one. Tidings thereof came unto Aiguillon: then every man that might issued out, the Earl of Pembroke first of all and his company; and when he came, he found Sir Gaultier of Manny afoot enclosed with his enemies, and did marvels in arms. Incontinent he was rescued and remounted again, and in the mean season some of the Frenchmen chased their beasts quickly into the host, or else they had lost them, for they that issued out of Aiguillon set so fiercely on the Frenchmen, that they

put them to the flight and delivered their company that were taken and took many Frenchmen prisoners, and Sir Charles of Montmorency had much work to scape. Then the Englishmen returned into Aiguillon.

Thus every day almost there were such rencounters beside the assaults. On a day all the whole host armed them, and the duke commanded that they of Toulouse, of Carcassonne, of Beaucaire should make assault from the morning till noon, and they of Rouergue, Cahors and Agenois from noon till night; and the duke promised, whosoever could win the bridge of the gate should have in reward a hundred crowns. Also the duke, the better to maintain this assault, he caused to come on the river divers ships and barges some entered into them to pass the river, and some went by the bridge: at the last some of them took a little vessel and went under the bridge, and did cast great hooks of iron to the drawbridge, and then drew it to them so sore, that they brake the chains of iron that held the bridge, and so pulled down the bridge perforce. Then the Frenchmen leaped on the bridge so hastily, that one overthrew another, for every man desired to win the hundred crowns. They within cast down bars of iron, pieces of timber, pots of lime, and hot water, so that many were overthrown from the bridge into the water and into the dikes, and many slain and sore hurt. Howbeit the bridge was won perforce, but it cost more