pply of
food placed in large troughs.

At ten o'clock a trumpet called all the defenders to their posts.
The enemy were drawn up in order, and moved towards the house in
six columns; two taking their way towards the rear, to attack the
house on that side, while the others advanced toward different
points on the wall.

Ladders and long planks were carried at the head of each column. As
they approached the assailants halted, and the arquebusiers came
forward and took their post in line, to cover by their fire the
advance of the storming parties.

As soon as these advanced, a heavy fire was opened by the besieged
with crossbow and arquebus. The parapet was high and, while they
exposed only their heads to fire, and were altogether sheltered
while loading, the assailants were completely exposed. Orders were
given that the defenders should entirely disregard the fire of the
matchlock men, and should direct their aim upon the storming
parties. These suffered heavily but, urged forward by their
officers, they gained the edge of the moat, pushed the planks
across, and placed the ladders; but as fast as these were put into
position, they were hurled down again by the defenders who, with
long forked sticks, thrust them out from the wall and hurled them
backwards; sometimes allowing them to remain until a line of men
had climbed up, and then pouring a pail of boiling water over the
wall upon them.

The farmers vied with the men-at-arms in the steadiness of the
defence, being furious at the sight of columns of smoke which rose
in many directions, showing that the cavalry of the besiegers were
occupied in destroying their homesteads. Sometimes, when four or
five ladders were planted together, the assailants managed to climb
up to the level of the parapet; but only to be thrust backward with
pikes, and cut down with swords and axes. For two hours the assault
continued, and then De Brissac, seeing how heavy was the loss, and
how vain the efforts to scale the wall at any point, ordered the
trumpeters to sound the retreat; when the besiegers drew off,
galled by the fire of the defenders until they were out of range.

The attempts of the two columns which had attacked the house,
itself, were attended with no greater success than those of their
fellows; their efforts to gain a footing in any of the rooms on the
first floor having been defeated, with heavy loss.

The leaders of the assailants held a consultation, after their
troop