THE COASTS OF SAINTONGE. 265 



their chief, when after having been besieged for nine 

 months and having exhausted all other resources, 

 they wished to strengthen their own courage. It 

 required more than ordinary devotion to accept a 

 duty like this, and we can scarcely wonder that 

 Guiton should at first have hesitated ; but when once 

 he accepted the charge confided to him, he never 

 wavered for a moment. In the midst of the most 

 horrible scenes, he always showed himself calm and 

 almost cheerful in his bearing towards his fellow 

 citizens. He managed everything both in regard to 

 the internal administration, the defence of the city, 

 and the negotiations which were being carried on 

 both with England and the king of France. By day 

 he presided over the councils, visited the sick, and 

 consoled the dying, and at night he made the rounds 

 and himself gave orders to those on guard. Some 

 few citizens, bewildered by suffering, and fully con- 

 scious that it was he alone who prolonged this des- 

 perate resistance, attempted to set fire to his house, 

 and even endeavoured on several occasions to assassi- 

 nate him. Guiton, although he had no mercy for 

 spies and traitors, contented himself with commit- 

 ting them to prison, and pursued his unswerving 

 course. At length, having twice seen the English 

 fleet approach the roads without making any attempt 

 to aid them, after having ascertained that a treaty 

 had been signed by which these faithless allies left 

 them to the mercies of Richelieu*, and finding that 



* It is easy to perceive, from reading the details of the negotia- 

 tions which took place before and during the siege, that the English 

 government had expected to find among the inhabitants of La 



