201 JTOGEi: OF WENDOVKR. [-V.D. 1202. account of queen Isabel, whom the said earl had engaged as his wife by word of mouth before she was married to king John; and thus they formed a large foree there, and continued the most fierce assaults on the castle in order to gain possession of it as soon as possible. Of a glorious victory gained by king John al Mirabeau. The queen being placed in this predicament, sent messengers with orders to use all speed, to the king, who was then in Normandy, earnestly beseeching him by his filial affection to come to her assistance ; on receipt of this intelligence, the king hastily set out with a strong foree, and travelling night and day, he accomplished the long distance quicker than is to be believed, and arrived at Mirabeau. When the French and the people of l'oictou learned that the king was on his way, they went out with a pompons array to meet him, and give him battle ; but when they- met each other in battle order, and had engaged, the king bravely withstood their turbulent attacks, and at length put them to flight, pursuing them so quickly with his cavalry, that he entered the castle at the same time as the fugitives. Then a most severe conflict took place inside the walls of the castle, but was soon determined by the laudable valour of the English ; in the conflict there two hundred French knights were taken prisoners, and all the nobles in l'oictou and Anjou, together with Arthur himself, so that not one out of the whole number escaped who could return and tell the misfortune to the rest of their countrymen. Having therefore, secured his prisoners in fetters and shackles, and placed them in cars, a new and unusual mode of conveyance, the king sent some of them to Normandy, and some to England, to be imprisoned in strong castles, whence there would be no fear of their escape ; but Arthur was kept at Falaise under cloec custody. How the French king retired in confusion from the siege of the castle of A roues. Whilst these events were passing at the castle of Mirabeau, the French king with a large army marched against the castle of Arques, and laid siege to it. So arranging his engines all round it, he for fifteen days endeavoured, by