Sir John Powis, at his own request, was posted with his men for the defence of a portion of the wall which was especially open to the assaults of the enemy.

These soon commenced in earnest, and the Genoese and Spanish mercenaries endeavoured to carry the place by assault.

Sometimes one point would be attacked, at others points far distant.

Covered by the fire of the French crossbowmen, the Spaniards and Germans came on to the assault, carrying ladders, with which they strove to climb the walls, but the defenders plied them so vigorously with quarrels from their cross-bows and flights of arrows that they frequently desisted before reaching the walls.

When they pushed on, and strove to ascend, their luck was no better.