A halt was made for a day, to rest the men and horses and, four days later, after crossing the Perigord hills, and keeping ten miles south of Angouleme, they came within sight of Cognac.

Messages had already been sent on to announce their coming and, five miles from the town, they were met by the Prince of Conde and the Admiral.
"Your first message lifted a load from our minds, madame," the Admiral said.

"The last news I received of you was that you were still at Nerac, and as an intercepted despatch informed us that orders had been sent from the court for your immediate arrest, we were in great uneasiness about you." "We left Nerac just in time," the queen said; "for, as we have learned, the governor of Agen, with a strong force, left that city to effect our capture at the very hour that we started on our flight." "Did you know where you would find us, madame?
We sent off a message by trusty hands, but whether the gentleman reached you we know not." "Indeed he did, and has since rendered us good service; and Henri here has taken so great a fancy to him that, since we left Villeneuve, he has always ridden by his side." After Conde had presented the gentlemen who had ridden out with him to the queen, and the seneschal in turn had introduced the most important nobles and gentlemen to the prince and Admiral, they proceeded on their way.
"Have you taken Cognac, cousin ?" the queen asked Conde.
"No, madame; the place still holds out.

We have captured Saint Jean d'Angely, but Cognac is obstinate, and we have no cannon with which to batter its walls." As soon, however, as the queen arrived at the camp, a summons was sent in in her name and, influenced by this, and by the sight of the reinforcements she had brought with her, Cognac at once surrendered.
As soon as Philip rode into camp, he was greeted joyously by his cousin Francois.
"We did not think, when we parted outside Niort, that we were going to be separated so long," he said, after they had shaken hands heartily.

"I was astonished indeed when, two days later, I met the Admiral outside the walls of the town again, to hear that you had gone off to make your way through to Nerac.
"I want to hear all your adventures.