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A burgundy knight, named sir John de Vienne, was governor of Calais; and with him were sir Arnold d’Andreghen, sir John de Surie, sir Bardo de Bellebourne, sir Geoffry de la Motte, sir Pepin de Were, and many other knights and squires. On the king’s arrival before Calais, he laid siege to it, and built, between it and the river and bridge, houses of wood: they were laid out in streets, and thatched with straw or broom; and in this town of the king’s, there was everything necessary for an army, besides a market-place, where there were markets, every Wednesday and Saturday, for butcher’s meat, and all other sorts of merchandise: cloth, bread, and everything else, which came from England, and Flanders, might be had there, as well as all comforts, for money. The English made frequent excursions to Guines1 and its neighbourhood, and to the gates of St. Omer and Boulogne, from whence they brought great booties back to the army. The king made no attacks upon the town, as he knew it would be only lost labour; and he was sparing of his men and artillery; but said, he would remain there so long that he would starve the town into a surrender, unless the king of France should come there to raise the siege. When the governor of Calais saw the preparations of the king of England, he collected together all the poor inhabitants, who had not laid in any store of provisions, and, one Wednesday morning, sent upwards of seventeen hundred men, women, and children, out of the town. As they were passing through the English army, they asked them, why they had left the town? They replied, because they had nothing to eat. The king, upon this, allowed them to pass through in safety, ordered them a hearty dinner, and gave to each two sterlings, as charity and alms, for which many of them prayed earnestly for the king.