Bayard most gladly obeyed the King’s command and lost no time in making his way to Mezieres with certain young nobles, amongst whom was the young lord Montmorency, and with a goodly company of men-at-arms.  When he arrived he found the place in a very poor condition to stand a siege, and he at once set to work with his usual enthusiasm to improve the fortifications.  He worked himself as hard as any day labourer to encourage the others, and there was never a man-at-arms or a foot-soldier who did not eagerly follow his example.  The Good Knight would say to them:  “It shall not be our fault if this place is taken, seeing what a fine company we are.  Why, if we had to defend a field with only a four-foot ditch round it, we would fight a whole day before we should be beaten.  But, thank God, here we have ditches, walls, and ramparts, and I believe that before the enemy enters many of their men will sleep in those ditches.”

In short, such was the magic of his eloquence, that all his men thought they were in the strongest place in the world.  This was soon put to the test when it was besieged on two sides, from beyond the River Meuse and from the land.  Count Sickingen had about fifteen thousand men, and the other captain, Count Nassau, more than twenty thousand.  A herald was sent to Bayard to point out to him that he could not hold Mezieres against their arms, that it would be a pity for so great and famous a knight to be taken by assault, and that they would give him excellent terms.  And much more of the same flattering nature.

When the Good Knight had heard all the herald had to say, he asked no man’s advice, but replied with a smile:  “My friend, I am surprised at these gracious messages from your masters, whom I do not know.  Herald, you will return and say to them that as the King has done me the honour to trust me, I hope with God’s help to keep this frontier town so long that your captains will be more tired of besieging it than I shall to be besieged....”  Then the herald was well feasted and sent away.  He bore to the camp the Good Knight’s reply, which was by no means pleasant to my lords, and there was present a captain who had seen service under Bayard in Italy.  He assured the company that so long as the Good Knight was alive they would never enter into Mezieres; that when cowards fought under him they became brave men, and that all his company would die with him at the breach before the enemy set foot in the town ... and that his mere presence was of more value than two thousand men....

This was not pleasant to hear, and the Emperor’s captains made a furious attack with their artillery on the ramparts, which continued during four days.  The Good Knight noticed that special damage was done to the walls from the camp of Count Sickingen, and considered by what means he could be induced to go back the other side of the river.  So he wrote a letter to the lord Robert de la Marck, who was at Sedan, in which he hinted at a rumour he had heard that the Count might be persuaded to become an ally of the King of France.  Bayard added that he desired nothing more, but Sickingen must lose no time, for his camp would soon be hemmed in by the approaching Swiss and by a sortie well timed from the town.  This information was to be kept quite private....