Book III, ch. 19. (Johnes, v. 2, pp. 132-136)... The army then marched away, and came :before a castle called Pulpiron; it was in the possession of marauders, under the command of Angerot and le petit Meschin, who had done much damage to the country round about. Sir Walter de Passac had sworn by the soul of his father, that in return for the mischief, they had done, he would never grant them mercy, but hang them the moment he could lay hands on them. The army laid siege to this castle, which is seated on a rock, whence the view is extensive and pleasant, On forming the siege, sir Walter again swore he would never depart until he had gained it, and taken all within, who should not be allowed to surrender and go away, if they even wished it. Many attacks were made: but the French failed in all, as it was ably defended.
"I know not," said sir Walter, "how things may
turn out; the king of France is rich enough to keep up the siege, and, if I
remain here a whole year, I will not leaye it until I be the master:' What he
had said was attended to, and all things necessary for a long siege were done.
The two captains in the castle, seeing the French were determined not to depart
without having gained it, cost what it would, began to feel alarmed, and thought
it advisable to leave it, whether their enemies would or not. They could easily
do so at their pleasure, for there was a subterraneous passage that had an
outlet half a league from the castle, of which the French had not any suspicion.
When Angerot noticed how the besiegers hall posted themselves, and seemed
resolved to have them by famine or otherwise, he said to his companions,
"Gentlemen, I find the lord de Passac hates us mortally, and that by a blockade
he will starve us. He may easily do it, if he erect a small fort and garrison it
with only one hundred lances; for we shall then be prevented quitting the
castle. I therefore propose that we this night pack up all we can carry, and
sally through the mine, which is wide enough, and opens into a small wood hard
by. We shall thus be out of all danger before any one knows what is become of
us; for there is not one man in the army that is acquainted with this mine." His proposal was agreed to: and that same night, having packed up their all,
they entered the subterranean passage with lighted torches, and issued out in a
wood half a league from the castle. There were those with them able to conduct
them through by-roads to other fortresses in Limousin and Rouergue. Some,
however, the moment they were out of danger, departed different ways, saying,
they would not carry on the war longer. Angerot, with four others, went to a
castle in Perigord, called Mont Royal, where the lord of it received them
handsomely; for he and his dependants were entirely English, and would never
turn French when others did so, and many were of his way of thinking. Thus did
the garrison of Pulpiron escape, not leaving a single varlet behind; and, before
it was known to the army, they had arrived at the different places whither they
intended going. On the third day after the garrison were gone away, the commanders of the
army ordered an assault. They had made a large machine, four stories high, and
each story would hold twenty cross-bows. When this machine was completed, which
they called a Passavant, it was moved to what they thought the weakest place of
the walls, and Genoese cross-bowmen were posted in it. The cross-bows began
shooting, but as no one appeared on the battlements, they imagined the castle
was empty, and ceased to shoot, for they were unwilling to lose their bolts and
arrows. They left the machine, and surprised their captains by their sudden
return. They said,-" My lords, the garrison have certainly quitted the castle; for
there is not a man within it." "How can you know this?" replied sir Walter. "We know, that notwithstanding our shooting, not one showed himself." Ladders
were upon this ordered to be affixed to the walls, and lusty varlets, proper for
the business, to ascend them. They mounted without opposition, for the castle
was empty; and having passed the walls and ascended into the court, they found
near the gate a large bunch of keys, among which was that of the gate. They,
with some difficulty, opened it and the barriers. The lords were much surprised;
but more especially sir Walter de Passac, who thought it must have been by
enchantment they had been able thus to escape, and asked his knights how it
could have been done. The seneschal of Toulouse replied, "That if they were gone, it must have been
through some subterraneous passage." The castle was searched, and this passage discovered in the cellars, with the
door wide open. The lords would examine it; and sir Walter said to the seneschal
of Toulouse,-" Did not you know of this passage, sir Hugh?" "By my faith," he replied, "I certainly have heard that such a thing was in
this castle; but I forgot it, and never imagined they would thus have made use
of it." "But in God's name they have done so," answered sir Walter, "as is very
clear. Have all the castles in this country similar mines and passages?" "Sir," said sir Hugh, "there are many castles which have been built in the
same manner, particularly all those that belonged to Reginald de Montauban; for
when he waged war against king Charlemagne of France, he had them so well built,
by the advice of Maugis his cousin, that when the king was besieging them with
his whole power, and resistance would have been vain, they made use of their
tunnels, and departed without taking leave." "By my troth," said sir Walter, "I admire the thought. I know not if any
king, duke, or neighbour I have, will make war upon me; but on my return home I
will have instantly built, at my castle of Passac, just such a passage." Here ended this conversation. They took possession of the castle, and, having
placed a good garrison therein to guard it, they began their march towards the
town and castle of Convalle *, in which were Espaignolet de Papercau, a
Biscayan, and a number of pillagers. - Ch. 20. Sir Walter de Passac, with his army, came before
Convalle, and surrounded it on all sides. Having called to him the senechal of
Toulouse, he said,- "Was this one of sir Reginald de Montauban's castles?" He answered, that it was one. "Then it has a subterraneous passage like his others," "Ay, in God's Name truly there is one; for by means of this passage did
Espaignolet take the castle a second time and the lord within it." "Order the knight to whom it belongs, and who is with us, to come hither; for
it will be proper," added sir Walter, "that we first get information from him."
On sir Raymond de Convalle appearing, he was asked concerning the strength of
the place, and if there were a subterraneous passage like that of la Bassere. He
replied, that it was by such means he had been captured; that he had long ago
stopped it up as useless; "but these robbers who keep possession of my castle
have repaired it, and entered the castle through it." "And do you know its issue?" "Yes, my lord: it opens into a wood not far hence." "It is well, by God," said sir Walter, and was then silent. At the end of four days, sir Walter was conducted by sir Raymond to the
opening of the mine in the wood, accompanied by two hundred of the country
peasants well armed. When arrived at the entrance, he had all the earth
and thorns cleared away from before it, and a number of torches lighted, and
said to those with him, "Enter this passage, which will lead you to the hall of
the castle: when you come to the door, break it open, for you are sufficiently
strong to do it, and to combat all you shall find in the castle." They replied, they would cheerfully obey. Having entered the passage, they came to the steps that lead to the door of
the hall, and began to make use of their axes and hammers in battering the door.
As it was about night-fall, the garrison kept a good watch, and heard them
working in the mine to enter the castle. They instantly informed Espaignolet of
it; be was going to bed, but he advised them to place benches, stones, and.
other things in the doorway, to embarras it so much that they might not enter.
This was instantly done, and no better defence could have been made; for
although their opponents had cut the door into a thousand pieces, they found
their difficulties so increase upon them, they gave it up, and returned about
midnight to tell their lords, how the garrison, having heard them, had blocked
up the passage, making it impossible to gain entry by that way. Upon this the
passavant was ordered from la Bassere, which being taken to pieces, was brought
on carts to Convalle, and remounted on its wheels, fit for immediate service.
When all was ready, sir Walter de Passac, impatient to win this castle, ordered
his trumpets to sound, and the host to arm and advance in proper array. The
seneschal of Toulouse was on one side, with all his seneschalship; on the
opposite sir Roger d'Espaign, in like manner, with his men from Carcassonne;
there were the lord de Barbazan, sir Benedict de Faignolles, the lord de Benoch,
the son of the count d'Estarac, sir Raymond de I'Isle, and the knights and
squires of the country, each with his company, drawn up in good array. The
attack and defence now seriously commenced: the garrison defended themselves
valiantly; indeed it behoved them so to do, for they found themselves hard
pressed; and knowing that sir Walter would show them no mercy, if taken, were
resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible. The Genoese cross-bows
behaved well, and shot so truly with their bolts, that the boldest was afraid of
them; for whomsoever they struck on the head, it was over with him. Sir Walter de Passac was in the front acting wonders in arms, and crying out,
"How, my lords! shall such a stinking crew keep us here all the day? If they
were good men at arms, I should not wonder; for in them is much more vigour than
in such fellows as we are attacking; it is my intention to dine in the castle,
and it will depend on you that I accomplish my purpose." Those who were desirous
to obtain his favour advanced eagerly to the attack, and fixed several ladders
to the walls, near where the large machine was placed, which they mounted under
protection of the cross-bows, who prevented the garrison from showing
themselves. The French thus entered the castle of Convalle sword in hand; they
pursued their enemies, killing great numbers, and the remainder they made
prisoners. Sir Walter, having entered by the gates, was asked what he would have
done with the prisoners. "By St, George, I will they be all hanged." His orders were instantly obeyed, and Espaignolet suffered the first. The
lords dined in the castle, and the men at arms in the town, where they remained
the whole day. Sir Walter gave to the lord de Convalle his town and castle, and
then made preparations to continue his march. After the conquest of Convalle, the army marched for a fort, called Mastulle,
which with the others had done much mischief to the country. On their arrival,
they began an attack, which was bravely resisted at first; but it lasted not
long, for the place was taken by storm, and all within slain or hanged. When
those of Roix, Rocheforte, and other castles in possession of these pillagers,
heard that sir Walter de Passac was on his march, and that, whatever places he
took, he had hanged the garrisons, they were doubtful whether they might not
come to the same end, and in consequence, left their forts in the night time, by
subterranean passages or otherwise; for Roix and Rochefort have mines, having
formerly belonged to sir Reginald de Montauban so that when the French arrived
they found them both empty. Having taken possession, they re-garrisoned and re-victualled
them, and then marched towards Toulouse to enter Bigorre, for there were in that
country two castles on the borders of Tarbes, called Jullians and Nazareth, held
by these marauders, who much harassed Tarbes and its neighbourhood, as well as
the territory of the lord d' Anchin. Sir Walter de Passac and his army, having refreshed themselves in Toulouse,
took the road towards Bigorre, and seated themselves before Jullians, saying
they would never depart until they had delivered the country from its
oppressors. Sir Walter was joined by the seneschal of Donnezan, who represented
the count de Foix, according to the summons of sir Walter to come to his aid in
driving the pillagers out of the country; for they made, when opportunity
offered, as free with the country of Donnezan as they did elsewhere. It was for
this reason the seneschal had come, and with the approbation of the count,
otherwise he would not have dared to have done it. They were fifteen days before they could gain the castle of Jullians, for it
was strong, and the captain a Gascon squire, called Bruyer de Brunemote, of
great skill and valour. He had quitted la Bassere in the manner before
mentioned; and at last, finding they could not take it by storm, they consented
to a capitulation, agreeing to spare the lives of the garrison and to conduct
them to Lourde. A squire, called Bertrand de Montdighen, escorted them thither.
When the French had possession of the castle of Jullians, they debated whether
to keep or to raze it: at last they determined to demolish it on account of its
vicinity to Lourde, for that garrison, the men being traitors, might, after they
had left it, regain possession by stratagem or open force. It was therefore
razed; and the stones to this day remain in heaps, without the expectation of
its being rebuilt. The army then came before Nazareth, a strong place, of which some adventurous
companions had kept possession for more than a year. When they heard that those
of Jullians had retreated, they also withdrew, having obtained a passport, and
went to Lourde, where they knew they would not seek them, unless they wished to
lose their labour, for Lourde is so strong it is impossible to be conquered. The
French, finding Nazareth empty, razed it to the ground, to the great joy of the
inhabitants of Tarbes, as they had received many injuries from it. They then marched to the castle of Auch, in Bigorre, situated among the
mountains on the borders of Bearn. They remained there about fifteen days, but
only conquered the lower court with all the horses within it, through? very many
attacks were made: the great tower, being seated on a high rock, they could not
win, for it is impregnable. The lords seeing they were labouring in vain, and
that William Morenton, the captain) would neither surrender nor listen to any
treaty whatever, marched away, and returned to Tarbes. Sir Walter de Passac then
disbanded his army, with liberty for them to return to their homes. Those who
had served in this army received their pay in money or in promissory notes, at
their option: he himself retired to recruit himself at Carcassonne, and in that
neighbourhood.