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The same day that the count de Lisle, the barons and knights of Gascony, had retreated to la Rčole, they held a counsel, and resolved to separate and withdraw into fortresses, to carry on the war from these garrisons, and to form a body of four or five hundred combatants, by way of frontier guard, under the command of the seneschal of Toulouse. The count de Villemur was ordered to Auberoche1; sir Bertrand des Pres to Pelagrue2; the lord Philip de Dyon to Montagret3: the lord of Montbrandon to Mauduran; sir Arnold de Dyon to Montgis; Robert de Malmore to Beaumont, in Laillois; sir Charles de Poitiers to Pennes in the Agenois. All these knights departed for their different garrisons; but the count de Lisle remained in la Rčole, and had the fortress put in proper repair. When the earl of Derby had taken possession of Bergerac, and staid there two days, he asked the seneschal of Bordeaux, what was most advisable for him next to undertake, as he wished not to remain idle. The seneschal replied, that he thought it would be best to go towards Perigord and upper Gascony. The earl of Derby then gave out his orders to march to Perigord, and left sir John de la Santé4 captain of Bergerac. As the English advanced, they came to a castle called Langon5, of which the provost of Toulouse was governor: they halted there, not thinking it prudent to leave such a post in their rear, and the marshal’s battalion immediately began the assault, which lasted all that day; but they gained nothing. Almost the whole army was employed against it the next day; and, with wood and faggots, they filled up the ditches, so that they could approach the walls. Sir Frank van Halle asked the besieged if they were willing to surrender, because they might delay it until it was too late. Upon this, they demanded a truce to consider of it, which being granted them, after some little time spent in counsel, they all set out for Monsac6, in the French interest, but took nothing with them. The earl of Derby appointed a squire called Aymon Lyon, governor of the castle of Langon7, and gave him thirty archers.
The earl of Derby then rode on towards a town called Le Lac; but the townsmen came out to meet him, brought him the keys of the town, and swore homage and fealty to him. The earl passed on, and came to Mandarant, which he took by storm: after he had placed a garrison in the fortress, he came before the castle of Montgis, won it in the same manner, and sent the governor prisoner to Bordeaux. He afterwards advanced to Punach, which he took and did the same to the town and castle of Lieux8, where he staid three days, to refresh himself and army. On the fourth day he marched to Forsath9, which he gained easily enough, and then the town of Pondaire. He next came to a town of considerable size, called Beaumont en Laillois, which was a dependency on the count de Lisle. The earl was three days before it, and many vigorous attacks were made; for it was well provided with men at arms and artillery, who defended themselves as long as they were able: at last it was taken, with much slaughter on all those that were found in it. The earl of Derby recruited his forces there with fresh men at arms, and then advanced towards the principal town of the inheritance of the count de Lisle, which was under the command of the lord Philip de Dyon and the lord Arnold de Dyon. He invested it on all sides, and made his archers advance to the barriers, where they shot so well that none durst appear to defend them: the English, having won the barriers, and every thing even to the gate, retired in the evening. On the next morning, they renewed the attack in different places at once, and gave those within so much to do, that they did not know which way to defend themselves. The inhabitants therefore requested two knights who were there to treat with the earl of Derby for a peace, that their fortunes might be saved. They sent before them a herald, who obtained a short truce, to see if any agreement could be entered into. The earl of Derby ordered his men to retire, and came himself, accompanied by the lord Stafford and sir Walter Manny to the bars, to confer with the inhabitants. The earl at first would hear of nothing but unconditional submission: at last it was settled, that the town should put itself under the dependency of the king of England, as duke of Guienne, and that twelve of the principal citizens should be sent to Bordeaux, as hostages. The French knights and squires left the place with passports, and went to la Rčole.
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