At the beginning of this year, the king of France issued his summonses throughout his realm, for the assembly of a very large force to carry on his warlike enterprises, and to relieve the town of Tartas, whither he intended marching in consequence of a time being fixed for its surrender, unless relieved by the king. He was determined now to have the greatest army that had been raised during his reign: indeed, there was much necessity for it,—for, had he neglected this business, he ran great risk of losing all Gascony and Guienne, and the obedience of the greater part of the lords in those countries.

This army was collected with all diligence in the different parts of the kingdom, and ordered to march by various roads, and rendezvous at Toulouse. The day of relief had been fixed for the first of May,—but at the request of the english captains who had signed the capitulation at Tartas, it was prolonged to the ensuing feast of St John Baptist, and during this time, the king continued his preparations.

At length, the king marched from Toulouse,—and for a truth, when he, his great lords and all the captains, with their men, were assembled, there were four score thousand horse, and carts and cars without number to carry artillery, provision, and stores of all descriptions. Almost all the principal nobility came thither,—among whom were the dauphin, the count de Richemont constable of France, the lord Charles d'Anjou, the count d'Eu, the count de Foix, the viscount de Helman[105], son to the count d'Armagnac, the lord d'Albreth, the count de Comminges, the two marshals, namely, the lords de LohÉac and de Jaloignes, who commanded the vanguard with the constable, the lord de Coetivy admiral of France, the lord de Villars, the lord de Mongascon, the lord de St Priath, the lord de Chalenton[106], the lord de St Valier, the lord de Videmont and many more great lords.

The king was also accompanied by numbers of adventurous men at arms, the flower of french chivalry, who had for a long while followed warlike enterprises,—such as La Hire, Poton de Saintrailles, Anthony de Chabannes, Olivier de Coetivy, the lord de Blainville, and his brother sir Robert Blanchefort, Pennesach[107], Floquet, Joachim Rohault, Pierre Rohault, Mathelin de l'Escouan, Dominic de Court, and many others of renown.

On the king's arrival at Toulouse, he was informed by the lords of Gascony, that the English were not in force sufficient to oppose him on the day appointed for the relief of Tartas. Having called a council, it was therefore determined to advance thither with only part of the army, that they might more easily obtain provisions. The king marched from Toulouse with but sixteen thousand horse,—among whom, however, were most of the lords and captains above named. He was lodged at a small town called Meillan[108], two leagues from Tartas, belonging to the count d'Albreth, but in the possession of the count de Foix, and his men were quartered round about.

On the morrow, which was the day fixed on for the surrender of Tartas unless relieved by the king of France, the king drew up his men in battle-array before the town, and thus remained from early morn until ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon,—when the lords de Coignac and Enguerrot de Sainct Per, who had the command of the place appeared before him, and brought with them the young Charles d'Albret, who had remained in the town as an hostage. They surrendered the keys of Tartas into the king's hands,—and at the same time, the lord de Coignac did him homage, but Enguerrot retired to the city of Dax. The lord d'Albret now entered Tartas,—and the king went to sleep at Coignac, which is a pretty good town, about two leagues distant from Tartas, where he remained on St John's day and the ensuing one.