Loire. On their arrival, they attacked it on one fide, and every day had (kirmiflies with the garrifon pf the place. When the duke of Burgundy and the greater part of his troops, who had accompanied him into the county of Montbelliard, were returned to Paris, the king fent him, with upwards of a thoufand lances, to la Charité, There were then at that fiege three thoufand knights and fquires, of whom many went every day to fltirmifli with the garrifon ; when feveral were killed and wounded on both fides. At a fally which the garrifon made, the lord Robert of Alençon, fon of the earl of Alençon, who was killed at Crecy, and the lord Louis d'Auxerre, who was fon of the earl of Auxerre, and brother to the earl of Auxerre,- then prefent, were knighted, and difplayed their banners. The inhabitants of la Charité were very hard preffed, and would willingly have furrendered upon terms ; but the duke was refolved to have them un* conditionally, and for that reafon had guarded the river fo that no provifion could enter the town. During this time, the lord Lewis de Navarre, who was deftroying every thing before him in the country of Auvergne, exerted himfelf much, and affembled a fufficient body of men to enable him to raife the fiege of la Charité : he had collected two thoufand combatants at the lead, and had alfo fent into Brittany to requeft that fir Robert Knoiles, fir Walter Huet, fir Matthew Gournay, and feveral other knights and fquires, would haften to his affiftance. They would have complied cheerfully ; but i7i