TO thentent that the ho­norable and noble au [...]tures offeatis of armes / done and achyued by y ^• warres of Frā ce and Ingland. shuld notably be inregisterd and put in perpetuall memory. wherby the prewe and hardy / may haue ensample to in courage them in theyr well doyng. I syr John̄ Froissart / wyll treat and recorde an hystory of great louage and preyse. But or I begyn / I re­quire the sauyour of all the worlde / who of no­thyng / created al thynges. that he wyll gyue me suche grace and vnderstandyng / that I may cō tinue and ꝑ euer in suche wyse / that who so this proces redeth or hereth / may take pastaūce ple­asure and ensample. It is sayd of trouth / that al buyldynges are masoned and wroughte of dy­uerse stones and all great tyuers / are gurged & assembled of diuers surges and sprynges of water. In lyke wyse all sciences are extraught and cōpiled of diuerse clerkes / of that one wryteth / another parauenture is ignorant. But by the fa­mous wrytyng of auncient auctours / all thyn­gis ben knowen in one place or other. Than to attaygne to the mater that I haue entreprised / I wyll begyn. Fyrst by the grace of god and of the blessed virgyn ourlady saynt Mary: from whom all comfort & consolation procedeth. and wyll take my foundation out of y ^e true cronicles somtyme cōpyled by the right reuerend discrete and sage maister John̄ la Bele somtyme Cha­non in saint Lābartis of Liege / who with good herte / and due diligence dyd his true deuoure / in wrytyng this noble cronicle / and dyd conty­nue it all his lyf dayes. in folowyng the trouth as nere as he myght / to his great charge & coste in sekyng to haue the perfight knowledge ther­of. He was also in his lyf dayes Welbeloued / & of the secret counsayle with the lorde sir John̄ of Haynaulte / who is often remembred (as re­ason requyreth) here after in this boke. For of many fayre and noble auentures / he was chief / causer. And by whose meanes / y ^e sayd (ser) John̄ la Bele myght well knowe and here of many dy­uers noble dedes. The whiche here after shalbe declared. Trouth it is that I / who haue entre­prised this boke. to ordeyne for pleasure and pa­staunce / to the whiche alwayes I haue ben in­clyned / and for that intent / I haue folowed and frequented the company of dyuerse noble / and great lordes. as well in Fraunce Juglande and Scotland / as in diuerse other countries / and haue had knowledge by them. And alwayes to my power iustly haue inquired for the trouth of the dedis of warre / and auentures that haue fallen / and specially / syth the great batell of Poy­ters: where as the noble kynge John̄ of France was takyn prisoner as before that tyme I was but of a yonge age or vnderstandyng. Ho we be it I toke on me / assoone as I came from scole to wryte and recite the sayd boke and bare y ^e same compyled into Ingland / and presented the vo­lume therof to my lady Philypp of Heynaulte / noble quene of Ingland. who right amyably receyued it to my great profite & auaūcemēt. And it may be so / that the same boke is nat as yet er­amyned nor corrected / so iustely as suche a case requyreth. For featis of armes derely bought & achyued / the honour therof ought to be gyuen & truly deuided to them that by promes and hard trauayle haue deserued it. Therfore to acquyte me in that bihalf. and in folowyng the trouth as nere as I can. I / John̄ Froissart haue entreprysed this hystory / on y ^e forsaid ordynaūce and true fundacion / at the instaūce and request of a dere lord of myn (ser) Robert of Namure knyght lord of Bewfort. To whom entierly I owe loue and obeysyunce / and god graunt me to do that thyng that may be to his pleasure.

Amen.

ALl noble hertis to encorage and to shewe them ensample and ma­ter of honour. I (ser) John̄ Froissart begynne to speke after the true re­port & relation of my master John̄ la Bele somtyme Chanon of saynt Lambertis of Liege af [...]ermyng thus / howe that many no­ble ꝑsons haue oft tymes spoke of the warres of France and of Ingland. and ꝑauenture knewe nat iuslely the trouth therof: nor the true occa­sions of the fyrst mouyngis of suche warres: nor howe the warre at length contynued. But now I trust ye shall here reported the true foūdation of the cause and to thentent that I wyll nat for­get myuysshe or abrydge y ^e hystory [...]any thyng for defaute of lāgage / but rather I wyll multi­ply and encrease it / as ner as I can folowynge the trouth. from poynt to poynt. in spekyng and [Page] the wyng all the auētures sith the natiuite of the noble kyng Edward y ^e .iii. Who reigned kyng of England / and achyued many perilous auentures and dyuers great batelles addressed / and other featis of armes of great proWes / syth the yere of oure Lorde god .M. CCC .xxvi. that this noble kyng was crowned in Ingland / for generally suche as were with hym in his batels and happy fortunate auentures / or with his pe­ple in his absence. ought ryght well to be takyn and reputed for valiant and worthy of renowne and though there were great plenty of sondrye parsonages that ought to be praysed and repu­ted as soueraignes / yet among other and pryn­cipally ought to be renowmed the noble propre ꝑsone of y ^e forsaid gentyll kyng. Also the prynce of Walys his son / the duke of Lancastre / (ser) Rei­gnold lorde Cobham / syr Gualtier of Manny of Heynaulte knyght / syr John̄ Chandos / syr Fulque of Harle / and dyuers other of whom is made mencion hereafter in this present boke bi­cause of theyr valyant prowes / for in all batels that they were in most cōmonly they had euer the renowne. both by land and by se / accordyng to the trouth. They in all theyr dedis were so valyant / that they ought to be reputed as soue­raignes in all chyualry. yet for all that suche o­ther as were in theyr companye ought nat to be of y ^e lesse value / or lesse set by. Also in Fraūce in y ^• tyme / there were foūde many good knyghtis stronge and well expert in featis of armes. For the realme of Fraunce was nat so discomfited / but that alwayes ther were people sufficient to fyght withall / and the kyng Philyppe of Ua­ioyes was a ryght hardy and a valiant knyght And also kyng John̄ his sōne / Charles y ^e kyng of Behaigne / the erle of Alāson / the erle of Foyz syr Sa [...]tre / syr Arnold Dangle / the lordes of Beamon / the father and the sonne / and dyuerse other / y ^e whiche I cā nat theyr names. of whom hereafter ryght well shall be made mencion / in tyme and place cōuenient to say the trouth / and to maynteigne the same. all suche as in cruel batels haue ben seen abydyng to the discomfeture sufficiently doyng theyr deuour / may wel be re­puted for valyant and hardy what soeuer was theyr aduenture.

FIrst / the better to entre into the mater of this honorable and plea­saūt hystory of the noble Edward kyng of Ingland. who was crow­ued at Londō the yere of our lorde god .M. CCC .xxvi. on Christmas day / lyuȳg the kyng his father / and the quene his mother. It is certayne / that the opinyon of inglisshmen most comonly was as than / and often tymes it was seen in Ingland after the tyme of kyng At thure / howe that betwene two valyant kynges of Ingland ther was most comōly one bitwene them / of lesse sufficiauncy / both of wytte and of prowes. and this was ryght well aparant by y ^e same kyng Edward the thyrde. for his graund­father called the good kyng Edward the fyrste was ryght valyant / sage / wyse / and hardy auenturous / and fortunate in al featis of warre. and had moche a do agaynst the scottis and conquered them .iii. or .iiii. tymes. For the scottꝭ coude neuer haue victory nor idure agaynst hym / and after his dissease his sōne of his first wyfe who was father to the sayd good kyng Edward the thyrde was crowned kyng and called Edward the .ii. Who resembled nothyng to his father in wyt nor in prowes. but gouerned and kept his realme ryght wyldly. and ruled hym selfe by synyster counsell of certayne parsons / wherby at length he had no profytte norlaude as ye shall here after. For anone after he was crowned Robert Bruse kyng of Scotlande / who had often before gyuen moche a do to the sayd good kyng Edward the fyrst / conquered agayne all Scot­land / and brent and wasted a great parte of the realme of England / a .iiii. or .v. dayes iourney Within the realme at two tymes / and discomfy­ted the kyng and all the Barons of Ingland at a place in Scotland called Estaruelyn by batel arengyd / the day of saynt John̄ Baptyst in the .vii. yere of y ^e reigne of the same kyng Edward In the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xiiii. The chase of this discōfeture endured .ii. dayes and two nyghtys. And the kyng of Ingland wēt w ^t a small company to London. and on Mydlent­sonday in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xvi. The scottis wan agayne the cite of Berwyk by treason. but bicause this is no part of our mater I wyll leue spekyng therof.

[Page ii] THis kyng Edward the .ii. father to the noble kyng Edward the .iii. had .ii. brethern̄ / the one called Marshall / who was ryght wyld & diuers of condicions. the other called sir Aymon erle of Cane right wyse / a miable / gētle and welbeloued with alpeople. This kyng Edward the .ii. was maried to Isabell y ^• doughter of Philyp la Beaw kyng of Fraūce / who Was one of the feyrest ladyes of y ^e worlde. The kyng had by her .ii. sōnes & .ii. doughters. The fyrste son was the noble & hardy kyng Edward y ^• .iii. of whom this hystory is begon. The .ii. was named John̄ / & dyed yong. The first of y ^e dough­ters was called Isabel maried to the yōg kyng Dauid of scotlād / son to kyng Robert de Bruse maried in her tēder yongth by thaccord of both realmes of Ingland & Scotland for to make [...] fight pear. The other doughter was maried to the erle Reynold / who after was called duke of Guerles / & he had by her .ii. sōnes / Reynold and Edward. who after reygned ī great puissaūce.

NOw sheweth the hystory / that this Philyp la Beaw kyng of Fraūce had .iii. sōnes and a feyre doughter named Isabel maried into Ingland to kyng Edward the .ii. & these .iii. sōnes / theldest named Lewes who was kyng of Nauerr in his fathers daies & was called kyng Lewys Hotin. The .ii. had to name Philyp the great or the long. and y ^e .iii. was called Charles. and all .iii. were kyngis of Fraūce after theyr fathers discease by ryght succession eche aff other without hauyng any issue male of theyr bodies laufully begoten. So that after the deth of Charlis last kyng of the .iii. the xii. piers and all the barōs of Fraūce / wold nat gyue the realme to Isabell the suster / who was quene of Inglād by cause they sayd & mayntey­ned & yet do / that the realme of Fraūce is so no­ble that it ought nat to go to a womā / and so cō ­sequētly to Isabel nor to the kyng of Inglande her eldest sonne / for they determyned the sonne of the womā to haue no ryght nor succession by his mother / syn they declared y ^e mother to haue no ryght / so that by these reasons / the .xii. piers and barōs of Fraūce by theyr comon acord dyd gyue the realme of Fraūce to the lord Philyp of Ualois Nephew somtyme to Philyp la beawe kyng of Fraūce / and so put out the quene of Ingland and her sonne / who was as the next heire male as sōne to the suster of Charles last kyng of Fraunce. Thus went the realme of Fraunce out of y ^e ryght lynage as it semed to many folkꝭ Wherby great Warres hath moued and fallen. and great distructiōs of people / and coūtres in the realme of Fraūce / & other places: as ye may here after. This is the very right foūdation of this hystory / to recount the great entreprises & great featis of armes / y ^• haue fortuned & fallen syth the tyme of the good Charlemaigne kyng of Fraunce ther neuer fell so great aduentures.

THe forsaid kyng Edward the .ii. father to y ^e noble kyng Edward y ^e .iii. on whom our mater is foūded. This sayd kyng gouerned right diuer­sly his realme by y ^e exortaciō of (ser) Hewe Spēcer. who had ben norisshed with hym syth the begynnyng of his yongth. The whiche (ser) Hewe had so enticed the kyng / that his father & he were y ^e greattest maisters in all the realme. and by enuy thought to surmoūt all other barons of Ingland. wher­by after the great discōfeture that the scottꝭ had made at Estermelyn. great murmoryng ther a­rose in Ingland bitwene [...]the noble barōs and y ^e kyngꝭ coūsell / & namely ageynst (ser) Hewe Spē ­cer. They put on hym / that by his counsell they were discomfeted / and that he was fauorable to the kyng of scottꝭ. And on this poynt the harōs had diuers tymes comunicatiō to gether / to be aduised what they myght do. wherof Thomas erle of Lā [...]re / who was vncle to y ^e kyng was chief. And anon whan (ser) Hewe Spencer had e­spied this he purueyd for remedy. for he was so great with the kyng / and so nere hym / y ^• he was more beloued with the kyng than all the world after. So on a day he came to y ^e kyng and sayd sir certayn lordes of your realme haue made aliaunce to gether agaynst you. & without ye take hede therto by tymes / they purpose to put you out of your realme. And so by his malicioꝰ me­anes he caused that the kyng made all the sayd lordes to be takyn / and theyr heedis to be strikē of without delay / and without knowlege or an­swere to any cause. Fyrst of all (ser) Thomas erle of Lancastre / who was a noble and a wyse holy knyght. & hath done syth many fayre myracles [Page] [...] [Page primo] [...] [Page] [...] [Page ii] [...] [Page] in Pomfret / wher he was beheedded / for y ^e whiche dede / the sayd sir Hewe Spencer achyued great hate in all the realme: and specially of the quene. and of the erle of Cane brother to y ^e kyng And whan he parceyued the dyspleasure of the quene / by his subtile wytte / he set great discorde bitwene the kyng and the quene / so that y ^e kyng wold nat se the quene / nor come in her company the whiche discord endured a long space. Than was it shewed to the quene secretly / & to the erle of Cane / that withoute they toke good hede to them selfe they were lykely to be distroyed / for sir Hewe Spēcer was about to purchace moch trouble to theym. Than the quene secretly dyd puruey to go in to Fraūce / and toke her way as on pylgrymage / to saynt Thomas of Cantur­bury and so to Wynchelsey. And in the nyght went into a shyp that was redy for her and her yong sōne Edward with her & the erle of Cane and sir Roger Mortymer. And in a nother ship they had put all theyr purueyaūce & had wynde at wyll / and the next mornyng they arryued in the hauyn of Bolayn.

WHan quene Isabell was arry­ued at Bolayn and her sonne with her & the erle of Cane. The capy­tayns and abbot of y ^e towne came agaynst her / and ioyously receued her and her company into the abbey. And ther she aboode .ii. dayes. Than she departed / and to de so long by her iourneys that she arryued at Paris. Thā kyng Charles her brother / who was enfourmed of her comyng sent to mete her dyuers of the greattest lordes of his realme / as the lorde syr Robert de Artoys / the lorde of Crucy / the lorde of Sully / the lorde of Roy / and dy­uers other / who honorably dyd receue her / and brought her in to the Cite of Paris to the kyng her brother. And whan the kyng sawe his suster whom he had nat sene long before. As she shuld haue entred into his chambre / he mette her / and toke her in his armes / and kyst her and sayd ye be welcome feyre suster with my feyre nephewe your sonne / and toke them by the handis / & led them forth. The quene who had no great ioy at her harte. But that she was so nere to the kyng her brother / she wold haue kneled downe .ii. or .iii. tymes at the feet of the kyng. But the kyng wold nat suffre her but held her styl by the right hande / demaunding right swetely of her astate and besynesse. And she answered hym ryght sa­gely / and lamentably recounted to hym all the felonyes and iniuries done to her by syr Hewe Spencer / And requyred hym of his ayde and cōfort. Whan the noble kyng Charles of Fraū ­ce had harde his susters lamentation. Who we­pyngly had shewed hym all her nede and besy­nesse / he sayd to her. Fayre suster appease your selfe / for by the faith I owe to god and to saynt Denyce / I shall right well puruey for you some remedy. The quene than kneled downed whe­ther the kyng wold or nat and sayd. My ryght dere lord and fayre brother. I pray god reward you. The kyng than toke her in his armes and led her into an other chambre / the whiche was apparayled for her / and for the yong Edwarde her sōne / and so departed fro her / and caused at his costis and chargis all thyng is to be delyue­red that was behouefull for her and for her sōne After it was nat long / but that for this occasion Charles kyng of Fraunce assembled together many great lordes and barons of the realme of Fraunce to haue theyr coūsell and good aduise howe they shuld ordeyne for the nede & besynes of his suster quene of Ingland. Than it was coūsailed to the kyng that he shuld let the quene his suster to purchas for her selfe frendis where as she wold in the realme of Fraunce / or in any other place / and hym selfe to fayne & be nat kno­wen therof. For they sayd to moue warre with the kyng of Ingland and to bryng his owne realme into hatred / it were nothyng apertenaunt nor profitable to hym / nor to his realme. But they cōcluded / that conueniently he mgiht ayde her with golde and syluer / for that is the metall wherby loue is attaygned both of gētylemen & of pore souldiours. And to this counsell and ad­uyce accorded the kynge. And caused this to be shewed to the quene priuely by sir Robert Dar­toys. who as than was one of the greatteste lor­dis of all Fraunce.

[Page iii] NOwe let vs speke some­what of sir Hewe Spencer. whan he sawe that he hadde drawen the kyng of Inglād so moche to his wyll / that he coud desire nothyng of hym but it was graunted / he caused many noble men and other to be put to deth without iustice or lawe / bicause he held them suspect to be ageynst hym. and by his pride he dyd so many marueylles / that the barous that were left alyue in the land coude nat beare nor su [...]e it any lenger / but they besought and requyred eche other among them selfe to be of a peasable accorde. And caused it secretly to be knowen to the quene theyr lady. Who hadde ben as then at Parys the space of .iii. yere / Certifiyng her by wryttyng / that if she coulde fynd the meanes to haue any companye of men of armes / if it were but to the nombre of a .M. and to bryng her son and heyre with her into Inglande. That than they wolde all drawe to her and abeye her and her sonne Edward / as they were bounde to do of duety. These letters thus sent secretly to her out of Ingland she shewed them to kyng Charles her brother / Who answered her / and sayde Fayre suster god be your ayde / your besyuesse shall auayle moche the better. Take of my men and subiectis to the nombre / that your frendes haue wrytten you for / and I consent wel to this voyage. I shall cause to be delyuered vnto you golde and syluer as moche as shall susfyce you. And in this mater the quene had done so moche What with her prayer / gyftes / and promysses / that many great lordis and yong knyght / were of her accorde / as to bryng her With great strength agayne into Inglande. Than the quene as secretly as she coulde / she ordeyned for her voy­age / and made her puruey aunce. But she coude nat do it so secretly / but sir Hewe Spencer had knowledge therof. Than he thought to wynne and withdrawe the kyng of Fraunce fro her by great gyftes. and so sent secret messangers into Fraunce with great plentye of golde and syluer and ryche Jewelles / and specially to the kyng. and his priue counsell / and dyd so moche that in shorte space / the kyng of Fraūce and all his pry­ue counselle were as colde to helpe the quene in her voyage / as they had before great desyre / to dohit. And the kynge brake all that voyage / and defended euery parsone in his Realme / on payne of banysshyng the same / that none shuld be so hardy to go with the quene to brynge her agayne into Ingland. And yet the sayd (ser) Hew Spencer aduysed hym of more malyce and be­thought hym howe he myght gette agayne the quene into Inglande / to be vnder the kyngis daunger and his. Than he caused the kyng to wrytte to the holy father the pope effectuously / desyryng hym / that he wolde sende and wrytte to the kyng of Fraunce / that he shulde sende the quene his wyfe agayne into Inglande / For he Wyll acquyte hymselfe to god and the Worlde / and that it was nat his faute / that she departed fro hym / for he Wolde nothyng to her but all lo­ue and good faith suche as he ought to holde in mariage. Also ther Were lyke letters wrytten to the cardynals dyuysed by many subtile way­es / the whiche all maye nat be wrytten here.

Also he sent golde and syluer great plenty to dyuerse cardynalles and prelates / suche as Were moost nereste and secrettest with the pope / and ryght sage and able ambassadours were sente on this message / and they ladde the pope in su­che wyse by theyr gyftes / and subtyle Wayes / that he wrote to the kynge of Fraunce / that on peyne of cursyng / he shulde sende his suster Isabell into Ingland to the kyng her housbande. These letters were brought to the kyng of Frā ­ce by the busshopp of [...]ainctes / whom the pope sent in that legation. And whan the kyng had redde the letters / he caused them to be shewed to the quene his suster / Whom he had nat seen of long space before commaundyng her hastely to auoyde his realme / orels he wolde cause her to auoyde with shame.

WHan the quene hard thys ti­dyngis / she knewe nat What to say / nor What aduyce to take. for as than the barons of the realme of Fraūce were withdrawen frō her by the cōmaundement of the kyng of Fraū ­ce and so she had no comfort nor succoure / but all onely of her dere cosyn / (ser) Robert de Artoys for he secretly dyd counsaile and comfort her as moche as he myght / for other Wyse he durst nat for the kyng hadde defended hym. But he knew well that the quene was chased out of Ingland and also out of Fraunce for euyll Wyll / and by [Page] enuy whiche greued hym greatly. Thus was syr Robert de Artoyes at the quenes commaun dement / but he durste nat speke nor be knowen therof. For he had hard the kyng say and swere That Who so euer spake to hym / for the quene his suster shulde leese his landis and be banys­shed the realme. And he knewe secretly howe y ^e kyng was in mynde and will to make his suster to be taken and Edward her sonne and the erle of Cane / and syr Roger Mortymer / and to put theym all in the handis of the kyng / and of syr Newe Spencer. Wherfore he came on a nyght and declared all this to the quene and aduysed her of the parell that she was in. Than y ^e quene was greatly abasshed / and required hym all we pyng of his good counsaile. Than he sayd madame / I counsaile you that ye depart and go in to the empire / where as ther be many great lor­des / who may ryght well ayde you / and specially the erle Guillyam of Heynault / and syr John of Heynaulte his brother. These two are great lordes and wise men / true / drad / and redoubted of their ennemies. Than the quene caused to be made redy all her purueyaunce. and payd for e­uery thyng as secretly as she myght / and so she and her sonne / the erle of Cane / and all her company departed from Paris / and rode to warde Heynaulte / and so long she rode that she came to Cambresys. And whan she knewe she was in the Empyre. She was better assured than she was before. and so passed through Cambresys and entred into Ostrenaunt in Heynaulte and lodged at Ambreticourt in a knights house who was called syr Dambrycourte / Who receyued her ryght ioyously in the best maner to his po­wer / In so moche that afterwarde the quene of Inglande and her sonne hadde with them into Ingland for euer / the knyght and his wyfe and all his children / and auaunced them in dyuers maners.

THe comyng thus of y ^• quene of Inglāde and of her sonne and heyre into the coū ­trey of Heynaulte was anon well knowen in the howse of y ^e good erle of Heynault / who as than was at Ualenciennes. And syr John̄ of Hey­nault was certified of the tyme whan the quene arryued at the place of syr Dambrecourte. The whiche syr John̄ was brother to the sayde Erle Guillam. And as he that was yong & lusty desiryng all honoure / mounted on his horse / and departed with a small company fro Ualēciennes and came the same nyght to Ambreticourt / and dyd to the quene all honour and reuerence that he coulde deuyse. The quene / who was ryght sorowfull / beganne to declare (complaynyng to hym ryght pyteously) her dolours / Wherof the sayd syr John̄ had great pitie / so that the water dashte in his yen / and sayd certaynly fayre lady beholde me here your owne knyght / who shall nat fayle you to dye in the quarell / I shall do y ^e best of my power to conducte you and my lorde your sonne. and helpe to brynge you into your astatis in Inglande by the grace of god / and With the helpe of your frendis in that parties / and I and suche other as I can desyre shall put our lyues and goodes in aduēture for your sake and shall gette men of warre sufficient if god be pleased without the daūger of the kyng of Frā ­ce your brother. Than the quene wold haue kneled downe for great ioye that she had / and for y ^e good wyll he offred her. But this noble knyght toke her vppe quyckly in his armes and sayde / By the grace of god the noble quene of Inglād shall nat knele to me. But ma dame recomforte yourselfe and all your company / for I shall ke­pe you faithfull promyse / and ye shall go se the erle my brother and the countesse his wyfe / and all theyr fayre chyldren / Who shall receyue you with great ioye. For so I harde theym reporte they wold do. Than the quenesayd. syr I fynde in you more loue and comforte / than in all the worlde. And for this that ye say and affirme me I thāke you a thousande tymes. and yf ye wyll do this ye haue promised / in all courtesy and honoure / I and my sonne shall be to you for euer bounde / and wyll put all the realme of Inglād in your abandon. For it is right that it so shuld be. And after these wordes. whan they were this accorded. Syr John̄ of Heynaulte toke leue of the quene for that uyght / & went to Douaing / & laye in the abbeye. And in the mornynge after masse / he lepte on his horse and came agayn to the quene / Who receyued hym with great Joye by that tyme she had dynedde / and was redy to mounte on her horse to departe with hym / and so the quene departed from the castell of Dam­brety courte / and toke leue of the knyght / and of the lady / and thanked them for theyr good there that they hadde made her / and sayd that she trusted oones to se the tyme / that she or her sonne shulde well remembre theyr courtesye.

Thus departed the quene in the company of y ^e sayd syr John̄ lorde Beamont. who ryght ioy­ously dyd conducte her to Ualencyenues / and agaynst her came many of the Burgesses of the towne / and receyued her right humbly. Thus was she brought before the Erle Guyllaume of Heynaulte / Who receyued her with great ioye / and in lyke wyse so dyd the coūtesse his wyfe / & feasted her ryght nobly. And as than this Erle [Page iiii] hadde foure layre doughters / Margaret Philypp / Jane / and Isabell. Amonge whome the yong Edwarde sette mo [...] hi [...] loue and com­pany on Phylypp. And also the yong lady in al honour was more conuers [...]nt with hym than any of her susters. Thus the quene Isabell a­bode at Ualencyennes by y ^e space of .viii. daies with the good Erle / and with the coūtesse Jane be Ualoys. In the meane tyme the quene apa­railed for her needis and besynesse / and the said syr John̄ wrote letters ryght effectuously vnto knyghtis and suche companyans as he trusted best in all Heynaulte / in Brabant / and in Be­haigne / and prayed them for all amyties / that was bitwene theym / that they wolde god [...] hym in this entreprise in to Inglande / and so there were great plentye what of one countrey and other that were content to go with hym. for his loue. But this sayd syr John̄ of Heynaulte was greatly reproued and counsailed the con­trarye / bothe of the Erle his brother / and of the chief of the counsaile of the countrey / bycause it semed to theym / that the entreprise was ryght hygh and parillouse / seynge the great discordis and great hates that as than was bytwene the barones of Inglande amonge them selfe. And also consyderyng / that these [...]hemen most commonly haue euer great enuy at straungers. Therfore they doubted / that the sayd syr John̄ of Heynaulte / and his company shulde nat re­tourne agayne with honour. But howeso euer they blamed or coūsailed hym / the gētle knyght wolde neuer chaunge his purpose / but layd he hadde but one dethe to dye / the whiche was in the wyll of god. And also sayd / that all knyghtꝭ ought to ayd to theyr powers all ladyes and da mozels chased out of theyr owne countreys be­yng without counsaile or comfort.

THys was syr John̄ of Heynaulte moued in his courage & made his assembly / & prayed y ^e [...] to he redy at hale [...] & y ^• [...] at Bre­das / and the Hollanders to be at [...]uchryghte / at a daye lymytted. Than the quene of Juglande tooke leue of the erle of Heynault / and of the coūtesse, and thanked theym greatly of their honour / se­a [...]t / and good chere: that they hadde made her / kyssynge theym at her departynge. Thus this lady departed and hersonne & all her company with syr John̄ of Heynaulte / Who With great peyne gatte leue of his brother. Sayng to hym My lorde and brother I am yong / and thynke that god hath pourueyed for me this entrepryse for myn aduancemēt. I beleue and thynke ve­rely / that wrōgfully and synfully this lady hath been chased out of Inglande / and also her sōne. hit is almes and glory to god and to the worlde to comforte and helpe them / that be comfort [...] and specyally so hyghe / and so noble a lady as this is. Who is doughter to a kyng and desceu­dyd of a royall kyng. We be of her bloodde and she of oures. I hadde rather renounce and for­sake all that I haue / and go serue god ouer the see. and neuer to retourne into this countrey rather than this good lady shulde haue departed from vs Withowte comforte and helpe. Ther­fore dere brother / suffre me to go with yo ^r good Wyll. wherin ye shall do nobly / and I shall hū ­bly thanke you therof. and the better therby I shall accomplysshe all the voyage. And Whan the good Erle of Heynaulte / hadde [...] harde his brother / and parceued the great desyre that he hadde to his entrepryse / and sawe [...] hy [...] myght tourne hym and his heyres to great ho­noure here after. Sayd to hym. My fayre bro­ther / god forbyd that your good purpose shulde be broken or lerte. Therfore in the name of god I gyue you leue and kyste hym / [...]ynge hym by the hande / insygne of great loue.

Thus he departed / and roode the same nyghte to Mounce in Heynnaulte With the Quene of Inglande. What shulde I make long processe / They dyd so moche by theyre Journeys / that they came to Durdryght in Holande / Wher as theyr specyall assembly was made. And there they purueyed for shyppys great and small su­che as they coulde get / and shypped their horses and harneys and purueyaunce / and so com [...] ded them selfe into the kepyng of god and toke theyr passage by see. In that cōpany there were of knyghtis and lordis. Fyrst syr John̄ of Hey­naulte lord Beamond / syr Henry Da [...]to [...]g / syr Michell de Ligne / the lorde of Gōmeg [...] / syr Parceualde Semeries / (ser) Robert de [...] syr Saures de Boussoit / the lorde of [...] y ^e lord of Pocelles / y ^e lord Uillers y ^e lord of heyn The lorde of Sars / the lorde of Boy [...] / the lorde of Dābretycourte / the lorde of [...] [Page] and syr Oulpharte of Gustelle and diuers other knyghtis and squyers / all in great desyre to serue theyr maister / and whan they were all departed fro the hauyn of Durdryght it was a fayre flete as for the quantite and well ordred / the se­ason was fayre and clere and ryght temperate and at theyr departynge With the fyrsteflodde they came before the Dignes of Holande and the next day they drewe vppe theyr sayles / and toke theyr waye in costynge zelande / and theyr ententis were to haue taken land at Dongport but they coulde nat / for a tempeste toke them in the see / that put them so farre out of theyr course that they wist nat of two dayes wher they wer of the whiche god dyd them great grace For if they had takyn lande at the porte where as they had thought they had ben all loste / for they had fallen in the hand is of theyre ennemyes. Who knew well of theyr commyng. and aboode them there to haue putte theym all to dethe. So hit was that about the ende of two dayes / the tem­pest seased and the maryners parceyued lande in Inglande and drewe to that parte right ioy­ously / and there toke lande on the sandes With­oute any ryght hauyn orporte at Harwiche as the Inglysshe cronicle sayth / the .xxiiii. daye of Septembre / the yere of our lorde .M. CCC. .xxvi. And so aboode on the sandes thre dayes with lytle puruey aunce of vitaylle and vnshyp­ped theyr horses and harneys nor they wist nat in what parte of Inglande they were in: other in the power of theyr frendis / or in the power of theyr ennemies. On the .iiii. day they toke forth theyr way in the aduenture of god / and of saynt George / as suche people as hadde suffred great disease of colde by nyght and hunger and great feare / Whereof they were nat as than clene ryd. And so they rode forth by hylles and dales on y ^e done syde and on the other / tyll at the laste they founde vyllages / and a great abbeye of blacke monkes the whiche is called saint Hamō / wher as they .iii. dayes refresshed themselfe.

ANd than this tidyng spred about y ^e realme so moche that at y ^e last it came to the knowledge of y ^e lordes. by whom the quene was called agayn into Ingland. and they apparailed them in all hast to come to Ed­ward herson / whom they wold haue to theyr soueraigne lorde. And the fyrste that came & gaue them moost comforte was Henry Erle of Lan­castre With the wrye necke / called Torte colle / who was brother to Thomas erle of Lancastre beheeddyd / as ye haue harde here before. who was a good knyght / & greatly recōmended / as ye shall here after in this hystorye. Thys Erle Henry came to the quene with great companye of men of Warre. and after hym came from one parte and other / erles / barones / knyghtys / and squiers with so moche people that they thought them clene out of parelles. and alwayes encrea­sed theyr power as they went forewarde. Than they toke counsell among them that they shulde ryde streyght to the towne of Brystowe / Where as the kyng was and with hym the Spencers. The whiche was a good towne and a stronge / and Well closed / standyng on a good port of the see and a stronge castell / the see bettyng rounde about it. And therin was the kyng and (ser) Hewe Spencer the elder who was about .xC. of age and syr Hewe Spencer his sonne / who was chieffe gouernour of the kyng / and counsayled hym in all his euyll dedis. Also there was the Erle of Arundell / who had wedded the dough­ter of syr Hewe Spēcer / and diuerse other kny­ghtis and squiers repayryng about the kyng is courte. Than the quene and all her companye / lordes of Heynaulte / erles and barons / and all other inglisshemen toke the right way to y ^e said towne of Bristowe / and in euery towne where as they entred / they were receyued with great feast & honour / and alwayes theyr people encreased / and so longe they rodeby theyr iourneys that they arryued at Brystowe. and besygedde the towne rounde about as nere as they myght and the kyng and syr Hewe Spencer the yon­ger helde theym in the castelle / and the olde syre Hewe Spencer and the erle of Arundell / helde them in the towne. And whan the people of the towne sawe the greate power that the Quene was of. For all moost all Inglande was of her accorde / and parceued what parell and daun­ger euydentely they were in. They toke coun­sell amonge theymselfe / and determyned / that they wolde yelde vppe the towne to the quene / So that theyre lyues and gooddys myghte be sauyd. And soo they sende / to treate with the quene and her counsell in this mattyer. But the [Page v] quene nor her counselle Wolde nat agree therto without she myght do w ^t syr Hewe Spencer & with the erle of Arundell what it pleased her.

Whan the people of the towne sawe they coulde haue no peace otherwise / nor saue the towne nor theyr gooddes nor theyr lyues / in that distresse they accorded to the quene / and opened the ga­tes / so that the quene and (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte and all her barous / knyghtis / and squyers en­tred into the towne / and toke theyr lodgyngys within as many as myght & the reside we with­out. Than sir Hewe Spencer and the Erle of [...]rundel were taken & brought before the quene to do her pleasure with them. Than there was brought to the quene her owne chyldren / John̄ hersonne / and her two doughters / the whiche were foūd ther in y ^e kepyng of y ^e sayd syr Hewe Spencer / Wherof the quene had great ioye / for she had nat seue theym longe before. Than the kyng myght haue great sorowe / and sir Hewe Spencer the yonger / who were fast inclosed in the stronge castell / and the moost part of all the realme turned to the quenes parte / and to Ed­ward her eldest sonne.

WHan the quene and her barons and all her company were lodged at theyr ease. Than they beseged the castell as nere as they myght. The quene caused syr Hewe Spē cer the elder and therle of Arūdell to be brought forth before Edward her sonne / and all the ba­rons that were there present. And sayde howe that she and her sonne shulbe take ryght & lawe on them accordyng to theyr desertis. Than syr Hewe Spencer sayd. Ma dame god be to you a good iudge and gyue you good iudgement / and if we can nat haue it in this world / I praye god we maye haue hit in another. Than stepte forth syr Thomas Wage a good knyght / and marshall of the hoste. and ther openly he recoū ­ted they dedis in wrytynge. And than tourned hym to another auncient knyght / to the entent that he shuld bryng hym on that case fanty. and to declare what shuld be done with suche par­sones / and what Judgement they shulde haue for suche causes. Than the sayd knyght coun­sailed with other barons and knyghtis / and so reported theyr opynions / the Whiche was / how they had well deserued deth / for dyuers horry­ble dedis / the whiche they haue commysed. for all the trespas rehersed before to iustifie to be of trouth / Wherfore they haue deserued for the dy­uersyties of theyr trespaces to haue iudgement in .iii. dyuers maners. Fyrst to be drawen / and after to be heedded / and than to be hanged on the Jebet. This in lyke wyse as they were iub­ged so it was done & executed before the castell of Brystowe / in the syght of the kyng and of syr Hewe Spencer the yonger. This iudgement was doone in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC. .xxvi. on saynt Denys day in October. And af­ter this execution / the kyng and the yong Spē cer seyng theym selfe thus beseged in this mys­chief / and knewe no comfort that myght come to them / in a mornyng betymes they two with a smalle company entred into a lytle vessell be­hynde the castell / thynkyng to haue fledde to the countrey of Walys. But they were .xi. dayes in the shyppe and enforced it to saile as moche as they myghte. But what so euer they dydde the wynde was euery daye so contrary to them by the wyll of god / that euery daye oones or twyse they were euer brought agayn within a quart­ter of a myle to the same castell.

At the last it fortuned syr Henry Beamond son to the vicount Beamond in Ingland entred in to a Barge and certayne company with hym / and spyed this vessell / and rowed after hym so long that the shyp wherin the kyng was coulde nat flee fast before them / but fynally they were ouer takyn / and so brought agayn to the towne of Bristow / and delyuered to the quene and her son as prisoners. Thus it befel of this high and hardy entrepryse of syr John̄ of Heynault / and his companye. For whan they departed and entred into theyr shyppes at Durdright they were but .iii. C. mē of armes. And thus by theyr help and the lordes in Inglande / the quene Isabell conquered agayne all her astate and dignyte / And put vnto execucion all her ennemyes wher of all the moost parte of the realme were right Joyouse / withoute it were a fewe parsones su­che as were fauourable to syr Hewe Spencer / and of his parte. And whan the kyng & sir Hew Spencer mere brought to Bristowe by the said sir Henry Beamond The kyng was than sent by the coūsell of all the barons & knyghtis to the strong castell of Barkeley / and put vnder good kepyng & honest / & ther were ordeined people of astate aboute hym / suche as knewe ryght Well what they ought to doo / but they were straytly [Page] commaunded that they shulde in no wyse suffre hym to passe out of y ^e castell. And (ser) Hewe Spē cer was deliuerd to (ser) Thomas wage marshall of [...] host. And after y ^t the quene departed and al her host to ward London whiche was the chief cite of Ingland. & so ryd forth on theyr iourneis and (ser) Thomas Wage caused (ser) Hewe Spēcer to be fast boūd on y ^e best & leuiest hors of al y ^e host and caused hym to were on a tabarte / suche as traytours and theues Were wont to were. And thus he was led in scorue / after the quenes rout through out all the townes as they passed with trumpes and canayres / to do hym the greatter dispyte / tyll at the laste they came to the Cite of Herford / wher as the quene was honorably re­ceyued with great solempnyte / & all her cōpany and ther she kept the feast of all sayntis w ^t great royalte / for the loue of her son and straūgers y ^t were ther.

WHan this feast was done: than syr Hewe Spencer who was no­thyng beloued was brought forth before the quene and all the lordes and knyghtꝭ / and ther before hym in wrytyng was rehersed all his dedis / ageynst the whiche he wold gyue no maner of answere. And so he was than iudged by playn sentence. Fyrst to be drawen on an hyrdell with trumpes and trumpettis through all the cite of Herford and after / to be brought into the market place / where as all the people were assembled / & there to be tyed on hygh vpon a ladder that euery mā myght se hym / and in the same place ther to be made a great fier / and ther his pryuy membres cut from hym / bycause they reputed hym as an herety [...] / and so demed / and so to be brent in the fyre before his face. And than his hart to be dra­wen out of his body & cast into the fyre / bycause he was a false traytour of hart / & y ^t by hys tray­tours coūsell & extorciō y ^t kyng had shamed his realme / and brought it to great myschief. for he had caused to be behedded the greattest lordes of his realme. by whom y ^• realme ought to haue ben susteyned and defended. And he had so en­duced the kyng / that he wolde nat se the quene his wyfe nor Edwarde his eldest son and cau­sed hym to chare them out of the realme for fere of theyr lyues. And than his heed to be stryken of and sent to Lōdon. And accordyng to his iudgement / he was executed. Than the quene and all her lordes toke theyr way toward London / and dyd so moche by theyr iourneys / that they arryued at the Cite of London / and they of the cite with great company mette them / and dyd to the quene and to her sonne great reuerence / and to al theyr company as they thought it best bestowed. And whan they had ben thus recey­ued and feasted the space of .xv. dayes / the kny­ghtis straūgers / and namely syr John̄ of Hey­naulte had great desyre to retourne agayn into theyr owne countres / for they thought they had well done theyr deuour / and achyued greatho­nour / and so toke theyr leue of the quene / and of the lordes of the realme and the quene and the lordes requyred them to tary longer a lytle spa­ce to se what shuld be done with the kyng / who was in pryson / but the straungers had so great desyre to retourne into theyr owne countreys / that to praye theym the contrarye auayled nat. And whan the quene and her coūsell saw that. They yet desyred syr John̄ of Heynaulte to ta­ry tyll it was past Christmas / and to retaygne with hym suche of his company as pleased hym best. The gentle knyght wold nat leue to par­fourme his seruice / but courtesly graunted the quene to tary as long as it pleased her. and cau­sed to tary suche of his company as he coud get that was but a fewe for the remnaunt wold in no wyse tary / Wherof he was displeased. Whan the quene and her counsell sawe that they wold nat abyde for no prayers / than they made them great chere and feastis. And the quene made to be gyuen to them plenty of golde and syluer for theyr costis and seruicis / and dyd gyue great Jewelles to eche of them accordyng to theyr degrees / so as they all helde them selfe ryght well content. And ouer that they had syluer for theyr horses suche as they wolde leue behynde theym at theyre owne estymation without any grud­gyng. And thus syr John̄ of Heynaulte aboode styll with a smalle company among the englis­shemen / who always dydde hym as moche ho­noure as they coude ymagyn and to all his company. And in lyke wyse so dyd the ladyes and damozelles of the countre. For there were great plentye of countesses / and great ladyes gentle pucels who were come thither to acompany the quene. For it semed well to them that y ^• knyght (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte had well deserued y ^• chere and feast that they made hym.

AFter that the most part of the com­pany of Heynault were departed / and (ser) John̄ Heynaulte lorde of Beamond taryed. The quene gaue leue to her people to be parte / sauynge a certayne noble knyghtis the whiche she kept styl about her and her sōne. To counsell them / and commaunded all them that departed to be at London the next Christmas / For as than she was determyned to kepe open court / and all they promysed her so to do. And whan Christmas was come / she helde a great court. And thyther came dukes / erles / harous / knyghtis and all the nobles of the realme with prelates and burgesses of good townes / and at this assemble it was abuysed y ^e the realme coud nat long endure without a h [...] and a chief lord Than they put in wrytynge all the dediss of the kyng who was in prison / and all that he hadde done by euyll counsell / and all his vsagess / and euyll behauyngis / and how euyll he had gouerned his realme / the whiche wass [...]edd openly in playn audience to thentent that the noble sagis of the realme might take therof good aduyce / [...] to fall at acorde how the realme shuld be gouer­ned from thensforth. and whan all the casess and dedis that the kyng had done & cōsented to and all his behauyng and vsagis were red / and wel vndest and. The harone and knyghtis and al y ^• coūsels of the realme / drew them aparte to coū ­sell / and the most part of them accorded / and namely the great lordes and nobles with the bur­gesses of y ^• good townes accordyng as they had hard say / and knew them selfe the most parte of his dedis. Wherfore they cōcluded that suche a man was nat worthy to be a kyng nor to bere a crowne roy all / nor to haue the name of a kyng. But they all accorded that Edward his eldeste son who was ther present / & was ryghful heyre shuld be crowned kyng in stede of his father / so that he wold take good counsell sage and true about hym / so that the realme from thensforth myght be better gouerned than it was before / & that the olde kyng his father shuld be well and honestly kept as long as he lyued accordyng to his astate. and thus as it was agreed by all the nobles / so it was accomplysshed / and than was crowned with a crowne roy all at the palaice of Westm̄ beside London the yong kyng Edward the .iii. who in his bayes after was rightfortu­nate & happy in armes. This coronacion wass in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxvi. on chri­stymas day / and as than the yong kyng was a­bout the age of xvi. and they held the fest tyl the cōuercion of sayut Paule folo wyng / and in the mean tyme greatly was fested sir John̄ of Heynaulte and all the princis and nobles of his coū ­tre. and was gyuen to hym and to his company many ryche Jewels. And so he and his compa­ny in great feast and solas both with lordis and ladyes taried tyll the .xii. day. And than (ser) John̄ of Heynault hard tydyngis / how [...] the kyng of Bayghan / and the erle of Heynault his brother and other great plenty of lordis of Fraūce / had ordeyned to be at Conde at a great feast & tur­ney that was there cryed. Than wold sir John̄ of Heynaulte no longer abyde for no prayer / so great desire he had to be at the said tourney and to se the erle his brother and other lordis of hys countrey / and specially the ryght noble kyng in larges the gentyll Charles kyng of Bayghan / whā y ^e yong kyng Edward & the quene his mo­ther and the barōs saw y ^t he wold no longer ta­ry / and that theyr request coude nat auaile / they gaue hym leue sore agaynst theyr wyls / and the kyng by the coūsell of the quene his mother dyd gyue hym .CCCC. markis ste [...]lyng is of [...] heritable to hold of hym in fee to be payed eue­ry yere in the towne of Bruges. And also dyd gyue to Philyp of Chastaulre his chief esquyer & his soueraigne counsellour .C. marke of rent yerely to be payed at the sayd place / and also delyuered hym moche money to pay therwith the costis of hym and of his company tyl he come [...] to his owne countre. and caused hym to be con­ducted with many noble knyghtis to Douer / & ther delyuered hym all his passage free. And to the ladyes that were come into Ingland with the quene and namely to the countesse of Gar­rēnes / who was suster to the erle of hare / and to dyuerse other ladyes and damozels / ther were gyuen many feyre and ryche iewels at theyr de­partyng. And whan (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte was departed fro y ^e yong kyng Edward and all his company / and wer come to Douer. they entred encontynēt into theyr shippes to passe the see to the entent to come be tymes to the sayd tourney and ther wēt with hym .xv. yong lusty knyghtꝭ of Ingland to go to this tourney with hym and to acqueynt them with the straunge lordis and knyghtꝭ that shuld be ther / and they had great honour of all the company that turneyd at that tyme at Conde.

[Page] AFter that syr John of Heynault was departed fro kyng Edward / he and y ^• quene his mother gouerned the realme by the counselle of the Erle of Kent vncle to the kyng / And by the counsell of syr Roger Mortymer who had great lādes in Ingland / to the sūme of. vu. C .li. of rent yerely: And they both were [...]anisshed and chased out of Inglād with [...] quene as ye haue hard before. Also they vsed moche after y ^e coūsell of (ser) Thomas wage and by the aduyse of other / who were reputed for the most sagest of the realme. How be it ther were some hadd enuy therat / the whiche neuer dyed in Ingland / and also it reigneth and wyl reigne in dyuers other countres. Thus passed [...]orth the wynter and the lent season tyll Easter / and than the kyng and the quene and all the re­alme was in good peace all this season. Than [...]o it fortuned / that kyng Robert of Scotland / who had ben rygh hardy & had suffered moche trauaile agaynst Inglisshmen / and oftē tymes he had ben chased and discom [...]eted / in the tyme of kyng Edward the fyrst / graūdfather to this yong kyng Edward the .iii. he was as than be­come very olde & auncient and sicke (as it was sayd) of the great euyll and malady. Whan he knewe thadu [...]tures that was fallen in Ingland howe that the olde kyng Edwarde the .ii. Was taken and deposed downe fro his regalley and his crowne and certayne of his coūsellours be­hedded and put to distruction / as ye haue hard here before. Than he bethought hy y ^t he wolde defye the yonge kyng Edward the .iii. bicause he was yong / and that the barons of the realme were nat all of one accorde as it was said. ther­fore he the better to spede in his purpose to con­quere part of Ingland. And so about Easter in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxvii. he sent his defyaūce to the yong kyng Edward the .iii. & to all the realme. sendyng them Worde / howe that he wolde entre into the realme of Ingland and brenne before hym / as he had done before tyme / at suche seson as the discomfeture was at the castell of Estermelin: where as the Inglisshmen receyued great dāmage. Whan the kyng of Ingland and his counsell perceyued that they were defyed / they caused it to be knowē ouer all the realme: and commaūded that all the nobles and all other shuld be redy appareled euery mā after his estate: and that they shulde be by Ascen [...]on day next after at the towne of yorke / stan­dyng northward. The kyng sent moche people before to kepe the fronters agaynst Scotland / And sent a great ambassade to sir John̄ of Heynault praying hym right effectuously y ^• he wold helpe to socour and to kepe company with hym in his voiage agaynst the Scottis / and that he wold he with hym at the Ascēcion day nexte af­ter / at yorke / with suche company as he myght gette of men of warre / in those parties. Whan (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte lorde of Beamonde hard y ^• kyngis desyre / he sent streyght his letters & his messengers in euery place / where as he thought to recouer / or attaigne to haue any company of men of warre. Inflaunders / in Heynaulte / in Brabant / and in other places desyryng them y ^t in theyr best apparell for the warre: they wolde mete hym at Wysant for to go ouer the see with hym into Ingland. And all suche as he sent vn­to / came to hym with a glad chere: and dyuerse other that hard therof in trust to attaigne to as moche honour as they had that were with hym in Ingland before at the other voiage. So that by that tyme y ^• sayd lorde Beamond was come to Wysant / ther was redy shyppes / for hym and his company brought out of Ingland. And so they toke shyppyng and passed ouer the see / and arryued at Douer / & so than seased nat to ryde tyll they came within .iii. dayes of Penthecoste to the towne of yorke / wher as the kyng and the quene his mother / and all his lordis were with great host taryeng the comynge ofsir John̄ of Heynaulte / and had sent many before of theyr men of armes / archers and comen people of the good townes and villagꝭ / and as people resor­ted / they were caused to be loged .ii. or .iii. leges of alabout in the countre. And on a day thyther came sir John̄ of Heynaulte and his company / who were ryght welcome & well receyued / both of the kyng / of the quene his mother / and of all other barōs / and to them was delyuered the sub barbes of the cite / to lodge in. And to sir John̄ of Heynaulte was delyuered an abbey of whyte monkes for hym and his howsold. Ther came with hym out of Heynaulte / y ^e lorde of Angiew who was called syr Gualtier / & sir Henry lorde Dantoing / and the lord of Saignoles / and sit Fastres de Rae / sir Robert de Batlleul / and sir Guilliam de Bailleul his brother / and the lorde of Hauereth chasteleyne of Mons / (ser) Allard de Brysnell / (ser) Mychell de Ligne / (ser) John̄ de Mē tigni the yonger and his brother / sir Sawse de Boussat / the lorde of Gōmegines / syr Percyual de Seuernes / the lorde of Byaurien / and the lorde of Floien. Also of the countre of Flaūders Ther was (ser) Hector of Uilais / sir de Ro­des / (ser) Umslart de Guistell / the lorde of Traces sir Guyssuyn de la Muele / and dyuerse came [Page vii] thither of the countrey of Brahant / as the lorde of Dufle syr Tyrry of Uaucourt / syr Rasse de Gres / syr John̄ de Cassebegne / syr John̄ Py­lestre / syr Guyllaum de Courterelless. The .iii. bretherne de Harlebeque / syr Gualtier de hault bergue / and dyuers other. And of Behaignons ther was syr John̄ de Libeaur / and sir Henry his brother / sir Henry de la Chapell / syr Hewe de Hay / syr John̄ de Limies / syr Lambert de Dres / and sir Guilbert de Hers. And out of Cā ­bresis and Artoys / ther were come certayn knyghtꝭ of theyr owne good wylles to auaūce theyr bodyes / so that sir John̄ of Heynaulte had well in his company .v. C. men of armes well appa­railed / and richely mounted. And after the feast of Penthecost came thyther / syr Guyllaume de Juliers / who was after duke of Juliers after y ^• dissease of his father / and sir Henry Tyrry of Branberque / who was after erle of Los / and with them a ryghtfayre row [...] / and all to kepe companye with the gentle knyght sir John̄ of Heynaulte lorde Beamont.

THe gentle kyng of Inglād the better to fest these straūge lordes and all their company helde a great courte on Try­nite sonday in y ^e friers / wher as he & the queue his mother were lodged / kepynge theyr house eche of them apart. All this feast the kyng hadde well .v. C. knyghtis / and .xv. were newe made. And the quene had well in her courte .lx. ladyes and damozelles / who were there redy to make feast and chere to sir John̄ of Heynaulte and to his companye. There myght haue been seen great nobles / plēty of all maner of straūge vitaile. There were ladyes and damozelless fre shly apparayled redy to haue daunced / if they myght haue leue. But incontynent after dyuer there began a great fraye bitwene some of the gromes and pages of the straūgers / and of the archers of Inglande / who were lodged among them in the said subbarbis / and anon all the ar­chers assēbled them to gether with their bowes & droue the straungers home to theyr lodgyngꝭ and the most part of the knyghtis and maisters of them were as then in the kyng is courte / but as soone as they harde tydyngꝭ of the fray eche of them drewe to theyr owne lodgyng in great hast suche as myght entre / and suche as coulde nat get in / were in great parell. For the archers who were to the nombre of .iii. M. shotte faste theyr arowes / nat sparyng maisters nor varlet­tis. And it was thought and supposed that this sraye was begonne / by some of the frendis of y ^• Spencers / & of the erle of Arundels / who were put to deth before / by the a [...]de and counsell of sir John̄ of Heynaulte as ye haue harde before / as than parauenture thought to be som what reue­ged / and to set discorde in the hoost. And so the Inglysshemen / that were hostes to these straū ­gers shoot fast their doores / and wyndowes / & wolde nat suffre theym to entre in to theyr lod­gyngis. howbeit some gate in on the backe syde and quickly armed them / but they durst nat is­sue out into the strete for feare of the arowes. Than the straūgers brake out on the backe side and brake downe pales and hedges of gardens and drewe them into a certeyne playne place / & aboode their company / tyll at the last they were a .C. and aboue of men of armes / and as many vnharnest / suche as coulde nat get to theyr lod­gyugꝭ. And whan they were assēbled to gether they hasted them to go and succoure theyr com­paignyons / who defended theyr lodgyngis in y ^• great strete. And as they went forth they pas­sed by y ^e lodgyng of the lorde Denghyen / wher as there were great gatis both before & behynd openyng into the great strete / and the archers of Ingland shot fersly at the howse / & ther were many of the Henaus hurte / & the good knyght of Austre de Rue / and syr John̄ Parceuall de Meries / and syr Sanse de Boussac / these .iii. coulde nat entre in to theyr lodgyngis to arme them. but they dyd as valiantly as though they had ben armed. They had great leuers in their handis / the whiche they founde in a carpenters yarde. With the whiche they gaue suche strokis that men burst nat aproche to them. They .iii. bette downe that day / with suche few company as they had mo than .lx. For they were great & myghty knyghtꝭ. Fynally the archers that were at the fraye were discomfetted and put to chase and there was deed in the place well to the nombre of .CCC. And it was said they were all of y ^• busshopprike of Lyncoln̄. Itrowe god dyd ne­uer gyue more grace and fortune to any people. than he dyd as than / to this gentle knyght / syr John̄ of Heynaulte and to his companye. For these Inghsshe archers intended to none other thyng / but to murder and to robbe them / for all that they were come to serue the kyng in his be­synesse. These straūgers were neuer in so great parell / all the season that they lay / northey were [...] [Page] euery man had takyn his place to lodge ther al nyght. Than the lordes drewe them aparte / to take counsaile howe they myght fyght with the scottis. consideryng the countrey that they were in / for as farre as they coulde vnderstande. the scottis went euer foreward all about burnyng / and wastyng the countrey and parceyued well howe they coulde nat in any wyse / feyght with them among these mountaignes without great parell or daunger / and they sawe well also they coulde nat ouertake them. But it was thought that the scottis must n [...]dis passe agayne y ^• riuer of Tyne home warde. Therfore it was determined by great aduyce and counsaile / that all the oste shulde remoue at mydnyght / and to make haste in the mornyng to the entent to stoppe the passage of the ryuer from the Scottis / wherby they shulde be aduysed by force / eyther to fyght with them / orels to abyde styll in Inglande to theyr great daunger and losse. And to this con­clusion / all the oste was accorded and so supped and lodged as well as they myght that nyght / & euery man was warned to be redy at the fyrst soundyng of the trumpette. And at the secunde blaste euery man to arme hym without delaye / and at the .iii. euery man quyckely to moūte on theyr horses / and to drawe vnder their owne stā dard & baner / and euery man to take with hym but one loste of breede / and to truste it behynde hym on his horse. It was also determined / that they shulde leaue behynde theym all theyr loose harneys and all maner of cariagis and purueyaunces / for they thought surely to feyght with the scottis the next daye / what so euer daunger they were in thynkyng to ieo [...]de eyther to wyn or to leese all. And thus it was ordeyned and so it was accōplysshed / for about mydnyght euery man was redy apparailed / fewe had slepte but lytle / and yet they had sore traualed the daye before. Is great haste as they made or they were well raunged in batell / the day began to appere Than they auaūced forward in al hast through moūtaignes valeys / and rokkes / and through many euyll passages / without any playn coun­trey. And on the hyest of these hylles / and on the playn of these valeys / there were meruaylouse great marshes and daungerous passages / that it was great meruaile that moche people hadde nat ben lost / for they roode euer styll forward / & neuer taried one for another / for who so euer fel [...] any of these marshes with moche peyne could gette any ayde to helpe theym out agayne. So that in dyuerse places there were many lost and specially horse and cariagꝭ and often tymes in the day there was cryed alarum / for it was said euer that the formost company of their oste wer fyghtyng with their ennemies. so that the hyn­der most went it had ben true / wherfore they hasted theym ouer rokkis and stones and moun­taygnes with helme and sheld redy apparailed to fyght / with spere and swerde redy in hand w ^t out tariyng for father / brother / or companyon. And whan they had thus ron forth often tymes in the day the space of halfe a myle to gyther to­warde the crye wenyng it had been theyr enne­myes. They were deceyued / for the crye euer a­rose by the reysyng of hartis hyndis / and other sauage beastis that were seen by them in y ^• forewarde / after the whiche beastis they made suche showtyng and criyng / that they that came after went they had ben a fyghtyng with theyr enne­mies. Thus rode forth all that daye / the yonge kyng of Inglande by moūtaignes and destis / without fyndyng any hygh way / towne / or vil­lage. And whā it was ageynst nyght they came to the ryuer of Tyne / to the same place / Where as the scottis hadde passed ouer in to Inglande Wenyng to them / that they muste nedis repasse agayne the same waye. Than the kyng of In­glande / and his oste passed ouer the same riuer with suche gydis as he had▪ with moche peyne & trauaile / for y ^• passage was full of great stones And whan they Were ouer / they lodged theym that nyght by the ryuer syde / and by that tyme the Son was goon to reste / and there was but fewe among them that had other axe or hoke / or any instrument to cutte downe any woodde to make their lodgyng is withall / and there Were many that had loste there owne company / and wist nat where they were. Some of the footemē were farre behynde / & wyst nat well what way to take / but suche as knewe beste the countrey sayd playnly they hadde rydden the same daye .xxiiii. englysshe myles / for they roode as faste as they might without any rest / but at suche passages / as they coulde nat chese / all this nyght they laye by this ryuer syde / styll in theyr har­neys / holdynge theyr horses by theyr raynes in theyr handts / for they wyst nat wherunto to tye them. Thus theyr horses dyd eate no meate of all that nyght nor day before. They had nother ootes nor forage for them. Nor the people of the oste had no sustenaūce of all that day nor nyght but euery man his loffe that he hadde caryed be hynde hym / the whiche was sore wette with the swette of the horses / nor they dranke none other drynke but the water of the ryuer / Withowte it were some of the lordis / that had caryed botels w ^t them / nor they had no fyer nor lyght / for they had nothyng to make lyght withall without it [Page ix] were some of y ^• lordes that had torches brought with them. In this great trouble & daūger they passed all that nyght / their armour still on their backis / their horses redy sadled. And whan the day began to appere▪ the whiche was greatly de sired of all y ^• hole oste / they trusted than to synd some redresse for them selfe / and for their horses orels to fyght with theyr ennemies / the whiche they greatly desyred / to thentene to be deliuered out of y ^• great trauaile and peyne that they had endured / and all that day it rayned so faste that the ryuer and passage was waxen great / and rysen so high y ^• or it were noone ther myght none passe the passages agayn. Wherfore they could nat sēde to know where as they were / nor where to haue any forage or lytter for theyr horses / nor brede nor drynke for their owne sustinaūcis but so all y ^• nyght they were fayne to fast / nor theyr horses had nothyng but leues of trees & herbes [...] they cut downe bowes of trees w ^t theyr swerdꝭ to tye withall their horses / & to make themselfe lodges. And about noone some poore folkꝭ of y ^• countrey were founde / and they said howe they were as than .xiiii. myle from Newcastell vpon Tyne / and .xi. myle frō Carlyle. and that there was no towne nerer to them / wheri they might fynde any thyng to do theym ease withall. And whan this was shewed to y ^• kyng / & to the lordꝭ of his coūsell / incontinent were sent thither hor­ses and sompters to fetche thens some p [...]ueyāce and there was a crye in the kyngis name made in y ^• towne of Newcastell / y ^• who so euer wolde bryng brede or wyne or any other vitaile shulde be payd therfore incontinent at a good price / & that they shulde be conducted to the oste in saue garde / for it was publisshed openly that y ^• kyng nor his oste wolde nat departe from the place y ^• they were in / tyll they had some tydyng [...] where their ennemies were become. And the next day by noone suche as had bensent for vitaile retur­ned agayne to the oste with suche purueyaūcis as they coulde gette / & that was nat ouer moche and with them came other folkis of the coūtrey with lytle nagges charged with brede euyll ba­kyn in panyers / and smalle pere wyne in barels and other vitaile to sel in the oste / wherby great part of the oste were well refresshed & eased. and thus they cōtinued day by day the space of .viii. dayes abidyng eueryday y ^• retournyng agayn of y ^• scott [...] / who knew no more where y ^• englissh ostelay. thā they knewe where they wer / so eche of them were ignorāt of other. Thus .iii. dayes and .iii. nyghtis / they were in maner withowte brede / wyne / candel or lyght / [...]oder / or forage / or any maner of purueyaūce / othe [...] for horse or m [...] and after the space of .iiii. dayes a lotte of brede was solde for .vi. d. the whiche was worthe but [...]i. d. And a gallon of wyne for .vi. grootis that was worth but .vi. d. And yet for all that / there was suche rage of famin / that eche toke vitailes out of others handis. wherby there rose diuers batels and stryffes bitwene sondry companyōs and yet beside all these mischieffis it neuer sea­sed to rayne all the hoole weeke. Wherby theyre saddels / pannels / and countresyngles were all rottyn and brokē / and most part at their horses hurt on their backꝭ / nor they had nat wherwith to shoo them / that were vnshodde / nor they had nothyng to couer them selfe withall fro y ^• rayne and colde / but grene busshes / and their armour Nor they had no thyng to make fyre withal but grene bowes / y ^• whiche wolde nat burne bicau­of the rayne. In this great mischief / they were all the weeke / without heryng of any worde of the scottis. vpon trust they shuld repasse agayn into theyr owne countreis the same way or uere ther about / Wherby great noyse and murmour began to ryse in the oste / for some said and layd it to others charge / that by theyr counsaile the kyng and all they were brought in to that daū ­ger / and that they had done it to betraye y ^• kyng and all his ooste. Wherfore it was ordeyned by the kyng & by his counsaile / that the nexte mor­nyng they shulde remoue the ooste / and repasse agayne the ryuer / about .vii. myle thens / wher as they myght passe more at their ease. Than was it cried through out the oste / that euery mā shulde be redy apparailed to remoue / the nexte day by tymes. Also there was a crye made / that who so euer coulde bryng to the kyng certayne knowledge where the scottꝭ were / he y ^• brought fyrst tydyng is therof shuld haue for his labour a .C .li. lande to hym / and to his heires for euer / and to be made a knyght of the kyngis hande. Whan this crye was made in the oste diuers englisshe knyghtis and squiers to the nombre of [...]xv. or .xvi. for couetyse of wynnyng of this promyse. they passed the ryuer in great parell / and rode forth throughe the mountaignes / and de­parted eche one from other takyng their aduē ­ture. The next mornyng the oste dislodged and rode fayre and easely all the daye for they were but euyll apparailed / and dyd so moche y ^t they repassed agayn the ryuer with moche payn and trauaile / for the water was depe / bicause of the rayn that had fallen / wherfore many dyd swym and some were drowned. And whan they were alouer / than they lodged the oste / and ther they founde some forage / medowes & feldis about a lytle village / the whiche the scott [...] had brēt wh [...] [Page] [...] [Page ix] [...] [Page] [...] [Page ix] [...] [Page] they past that way / and the nerte daye they de­parted frothens and paste ouer hyls and dales all day tyll it was noone / and than they founde some villages brent by the scottis / and there a­bout was some champyon countrey with corne and medowes / and so that nyght the ost lodged ther. Agayn the .iii. day they rode forth so that the most parte of the oste wist nat whiche way / for they knewe nat the countrey / nor they coulde here no tydyng is of the scottis. And agayn the [...]. day they rode forth ilyke maner / tyl it was about the houre of. iii and there came a squyer fast tydyng toward the kyng / & said. And it like your grace I haue brought you parfit tydyngꝭ of the scottꝭ your ennemies. surely they be with­in .iii. myle of you / lodged on a great moūtaine abidyng ther for you / & ther they haue ben all this .viii. dayes / nor they knewe no more tidyn­gis of you / than ye dyd of them (ser) this y ^• I shew you is of trouth for I aproched so nere to them that I was takyn prisoner & brought before y ^• lordes of their oste / and there I shewed them tydyngis of you / and how that ye seke for them to then [...]ent to haue batell. & the lordis dyd quyt me my raūsom & prison / whan I had shewed them howe your grace had promised a .C .li. sterlyng of rent to hym y ^• brought fyrst tydyng is of them to you and they made me to promise y ^t I shuld nat rest / tyll I had shewed you thys tydyngys for they sayde they had as great desyre to fyght with you as ye had with theym / and ther shall ye fynde them without faulte / and as soone as the kyng had harde this tidynges he assembled all his ooste in. fayre medowe to pasture theyr horses / & besidis ther was lytle abbey y ^• whiche was all brent called in y ^• dayes of kyng Arthur le Blanche land. Ther the kyng confessed hym and euery man made hym redy. The kyng caused many masses to be song / to howsell all suche as had deuotion therto. And incontyuent he as­signed a .C .li. sterlyng of rent to the squier that had brought hym tidyng is of the scottis / accor­dyng to his pmyse / and made hym knyght his owne handis before all the oste. And whan they had well rested them / and takyn repaste. Than the [...]compet sounded to horse / & euery man moū ted / and the baners and standers folowed thys new made knyght / euery batell by itselfe ī good order through moūtaignes and dales raynged as well as they myght euer redy apparailed to fyght / and they roode / and made suche hast that about noone they were so nere the scottys / that eche of theym myghte clerely se other. And as soone as the Scottis sawe theym / they Issued owte of theyre lodges a foote / and ordeyned .iii. great batelles / in the auaylynge of the hyll. and at the foote of thys mountaygne / there ranne a great ryuer full of great rockes and stones / so that none myght passe ouer / withowte greate daunger or ieopardye / and though the englisshmen hadde passed ouer the ryuer. yet was there no place nor rowme / bytwene the hylle and the ryuer / to sette the batayle in good order. The Scottis hadde, stablysshed their two fyrste ba­telles / at the two corners of the mountaigne ioynyng to the rockes / So that none myght well mounte vpon the hyll to assayle theym / But the scottis were euer redy to beate with stones the assaylantis if they passed the ryuer. And whan the lordes of Inglande sawe the behauyng and the maner of the scottis. they made all their peo­ple to a lyght a foote. and to put of theyr spurris and araynged .iii. great batelles / as they hadde done before / and there were made many newe knyghtis. And whan theyr batelles were sette in good order. Than some of the lordes of In­glande brought theyr yong kyng a horse backe before all the batelles of the oste to the entent to gyue therby the more courage to all his people The whiche kyng in full goodly maner prayed and requyred theym ryght graciously that eue­ry man wolde peyne theym to do theyr beste to saue his honour and common weale of his re­alme. And it was cōmaūded vpō peyne of deth / that none shulde go before the marsha's baners nor breke theyr arraye / without they were commaunded. And than the kyng cōmaunded / that they shulde aduaunce towarde their ennemyes fayre and easely / and so they dyd / and euery batell went forth in good array and order a great space of groūde to the discendyng of the mountaygne / where as the scottis were. And this the englisshe oste dyd to thentent to se if their enne­mies wolde breke their felde or nat. & to se what they wolde do / but they could nat parceyue that they were about to remoue ī any wise / they wer so nere to guyther that they myght knowe eche others armes. Than the oste stode styll to take other counsell. And some of the oste mounted on good horses and rode forth to skrymysshe with theym / and to beholde the passage of the ryuer / and to se the countynaunce of theyre ennemyes more nerer. And there were harauldis of armes sent to the Scottis. gyuyng them knowledge if that they wolde come and passe y ^• ryuer to fight with them in the playn felde / they wolde drawe backe fro the ryuer / and gyue theym sufficient place to araynge theyr batelles / eyther the same day orels the next / as they wold chose them selfe orels to lette them do lyke wyse / and they wolde [Page x] come ouer to them. And whan the scottis is harde this they toke counsell among theymselfe. and anon they answerd the harauldꝭ how they mold do nother the ouenor the other / and sayd syrs / yo ^r kyng and his lordisse well how we be here in this realme / and haue br [...]nt & wasted y ^• coun­trey as we haue passed through / and if they he displeased ther with lette them amend it whan they wyll / for here we wyll abyde / as long as it shall please vs. And as soone as the kyng of Ingland hard that answere / hit was incontynent cryed / that all the oste shuld lodge there y ^• nyght without reculyug backe / And so the oste lodged there that nyght with moche peyne on the hard ground and stones / alwayes styll armed. They had no stakꝭ nor roddis to tye withall their hor­ses / nor forage / nor husshe to make withall any tyre / And whan they were thus lodged. Than the scottis caused some of theyre people to kepe styll the felde / where as they had ordeyned their batelles / and y ^• remnant went to their lodgyngꝭ and they made suche fyers that it was merueile to beholde. And bitwene the day and the nyght they made amerueilus great brute / w ^t blowyng of hornes all at ones / that it semed proprely that all the deuelles of hell had ben there. Thus these two ostis were lodged that nyght. The whiche was saynte Peters nyght / in the begynnyng of Auguste. The yere of oure lorde .M. CCC .xxvii. And the nexte mornynge / the lordes of Inglande harde Masse / and rayngen agayne theyre batelles / as they hadde done the daye be­fore. And the Scottis in lyke myse ordred ther [...] batelles. Thus both the ottis stoode styll in ba­tell / tyll it was noone. The Scottis made ne­uer semblaunt to come to the Englysshe oste to fyght with theym / nor in lyke wyse the englisshe men to them / For they coulde nat aproche to g [...] ­ther withowte great dammage. There were dyuerse compaignyons a horse backe / that pas­sed the Ryuer / and some a foote / to skrymyss [...]e with the Scottis. And in like wyse some of the Scottꝭ brake oute / and skrymysshed with them So that there were dyuerse on bothe partyes slayne / wounded / and takyn prysoners. And after that noone was paste / The lordes of Ju­glande commaunded euery man / to drawe to theyr lodgyng. For they sawe well the Scottis wolde nat fyght with theym / and in like maner thus they dyd .iii. dayes to gyther / and the scot­tis in lyke case kepte styll theyr mountaygnes / Howe be it there was skrymysshynge on bothe partyes / and dyuerse slayne / and prysoners ta­kyn. And euery nyght the Scottis made great fyres & great brute with showttyng & blowyng of hornes. The entencion of the englylshe men was / to holde the scottis there / in mauer as be­seged. For they coulde nat fyghte with theym / there as they were / Thynkyng to haue famys­shed theym. And the englysshe men knewe well by suche prysoners as they hadde takyn / that y ^• Scottis hadde nother bredde / wyne / norsalte / nor other purueyaunce / saue of beastis they had great plentye / the whyche they hadde takyn in the countrey / and myght eate at their pleasure without bredde / whiche was an euyll dyette / for they lacked oten meale to make cakes with­all / as is sayde before / the whyche dyet some of the englisshe men vsed whan they haddenede / specially borderers / whan they make rodes in­to Scotlande. And in y ^• mornyng the .iiii. day the englyssh men loked on the moūtaigne wher as the Scottis were and they coulde se no creature / for the scottis were depted at mydnyght. Than was there sent men a horse backe and a­foote ouer the ryuer to knowe where they were become. And about noone they founde theym lodged on another mountaigne more stronger than the other was / by the same ryuer syde / and where there was a great wodde on the one syde to goo and come secretly whan they lyst. Than incontynent the englysshe oste dislodged / and brewe to that parte in batelled in good order & lo [...]ed theym on another hyll ageynst the scot­tis / and raynged theyr batelles / and made sem­blant to haue come to them. Than the Scottis issued out of their lodges and set theyr batels a­long y ^• ryuersyde ageynst them / but they wold neuer come toward the englisshe oste / and y ^• en­glisshmen could nat go to them wout they wold haue ben slayn or take at auaūtage. Thus they lodged eche [...]cust other y ^• space of .xviii. daies and often tymes y ^• kyng of Inglād sent to them his harauldis of armes offeryng them / that yt they wolde some and fyght with hym he wolde gyue them place sufficient on the playn groūde to pytche theyr felde / Or elles lette theym gyue hym rowme and place / and he assured theym / that he wolde come ouer the ryuer and fyght w ^t theym but the scottis wolde neuer agree them to. Thus both the oostis suffered moche payne and trauayle / the space that they laye so nere to gyther / and the fyrst nyght that the englisshe o [...] was thus lodged on the secund moūtaigne / the lorde willyam Duglas toke with hym aboute CC. men of armes / & past the ryuer farre of fro the oste / so that he was nat parceyued / and sodē ly he brake into the englysshe ooste about myd­nyght criyng Duglas Duglas ye shall all dpe theues of Juglande / And he slewe or he seass [...] [Page] CCC. men / some in their beddis / & some skant redy / and he strake his horse with the spurres / & came to the kyngis owne tent / alwayes criyng Duglas / and strake a sundre .ii. or .iii. cordis of the kyngꝭ tent & so departed / & in y ^• retret he lost some of his men. Than he returned agayn to y ^• scottꝭ / so that they was no more done / but euery nyght the englisshe oste made good & sure wat­che / for they doubted makyng of skryes / & euer the most part of the oste laye in their harneys. & euery day ther were skrymysshes made / & men slayne on both parties / and in conclusion y ^• last daye of .xxiiii. ther was a scottisshe knyght ta­ky [...] / who ageynst his wyll shewed to the lordes of Ingland / what state and condition the scottꝭ were in / he was so sore examyned / that for feare of his lyfe he shewed howe y ^• lordes of Scotlād were accorded among them selfe / that the same nyght euery man shuld be redy armed. and to folowe the baners of the lorde Wyllyam Duglas and euery mā to kepe hym secrete / but y ^• knyght could nat shewe them what they entended to do Than the lordis of Ingland drewe them to coū saile and ther it was thought amōg them / that the scottis myght in the nyght tyme come & as­saile their oste on both sydes to aduenture themselfe other to lyue or dye / for they coulde endure no longer the famyne that was among theym. Than the englysshe lordes ordeyned .iii. [...]at batels / and so stode in .iii. parties without their lodgyngis / and made great fyers / therby to se the better / & caused all their pages to kepe theyr lodgyngis and horses. Thus they stode styll all y ^t nyght armed euery man vnder his owne stā ­dard and baner and in the brekyng of the daye [...]ii. trompettis of Scotland mette with the en­glisshe scout watche / who toke the trompettis & brought them before the kyng of Ingland & his consaile / and than they said openly. Sirs what do ye watche here / ye lese but your tyme / for on the ieopardye of our heedis. the scottis are gone and departed before mydnyght / and they are at y ^• lest by this tyme .iii. or .iiii. myle on theyr way and they left vs .ii. behynd to thentent that We shulde shewe this to you. Than the englisshe lordes said / that it were but a foly to folowe the scottis. For they sawe Well they coulde nat ouer take theym / yet for doubte of disceyuyng / they kept styll the two trompettis pryuely / and cau­sed their batailes to stande styll araynged / tyll it Was nere prime. ¶ And whan they sawe for trouth that the scottis were departed. Than e­uery man had leaue to retraye to their lodgyng and the lordes toke counsaile to determyn what shulde be best to do. And in the meane tyme dy­uerse of the inglisshe oste mounted on their hor­ses / and passed ouer the ryuer / and came to the mountaigne / where as the scottis had ben / and ther they founde mo than .v. C. great bestis re­dy slayne / bicause the scottis coulde nat dryue them before theyr ooste / and bicause that the en­glisshe men shulde haue but small profit of them Also ther they found. CCC. caudrons made of bestꝭ skynnes / with the heare styll on them strayned on stakes ouer the fyre full of water and full offlesshe to be sodden and mo than a .M. spyttꝭ full of flesshe to be rosted. And mo than .x. M. olde shoos made of rawe lether / with the heare styll on them / the whiche the scottis had left be­hynd them. Also there they founde .v. poore en­glysshemen prisoners bounde faste to certayne trees / and some of their legges broken / thā they were losed & let go. & than they returned agayn and by that tyme al the oste was dislodged / and it was ordeyned by the kyng and by the aduyce of his counsaile that the hole oste shulde folowe the marshals baners / and drawe homeward in to Ingland / and so they dyd / and at y ^• last came into a fayre medow / where as they foūd forage sufficient for their horses and cariagis. wherof they had great nede / for they were nigh so feble that it shulde haue ben great peyne for them / to haue goon any forther. The englisshe cronicle sayth / that the scottis had ben fought with all / and syr Roger Mortymer a lorde of Inglande had nat betraied the kyng / for he toke mede and money of the scottis / to thentent they myght de­parte pryuely by nyght vnfoughte with all / as hit maye be seen more playnely in the englisshe Cronycle / and diuers other maters / the whiche I passe ouer at this tyme / and folowe myn au­ctour. And so than the nexte day the oste dislod­ged agayne and went forth / and abowte noone they came to a great abbey / two myle fro the ci­te of Durham / and there the kyng lodged / and the oste there about in the feldis / Where as they founde forage sufficient / for theym selfe and for theyr horses / and the nexte day the oste lay there styll / and the kyng went to the cite of Durham to se the churche / and there he offered. And ī this cite euery man founde their owne cariagis the Whyche they hadde lefte .xxxii. dayes before in a wodde at mydnyght / whan they folowed the scottis syrst / as it hath benshewed before / for the burgesses and people of Durham / had founde and broughte theym into theyr towne at theyre owne costis and chargis. And all these cariagꝭ were sette in voyde granges and barnes in sa­ue garde / & on euery mannes cariage his owne cognisaūce or armes. Wherby euery mā myght [Page xi] knowe his owne. And the lordes and genty lmē were gladde / Whan they had thus founde their cariages. Thus they abonde two dayes in the cite of Durham and the oste rounde about. for they coulde nat all lodge within the cite. & there theyr horses Were newe shoode. And than they toke theyr Way to the cite of yorke / and so with in .iii. dayes they came thither / and ther y ^• kyng foūde the quene his mother. who receyued hym with great ioye. And so dyd all other ladyes damozelles / burgesses / and c [...]mons of the Citie. The kyng gaue lycence to all maner of people / euery man to drawe home [...]arde to theyr owne countreys. And the kyng thanked greatly the Erles / barones and knyghtꝭ of theyr good coū saile and and that they had done to hym in hys io [...]ney. And he retayned styll with hym (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte and all his company / Who Were greatly feasted by y ^• quene and all other ladyes Than the knyghtis and other straūgers of hys company made a byll of their horses / and suche other stuffe as they had lost in that iourney / and delyuered it to the kyngis counsaile euery man by itselfe / and in truste of the kyngis promyse. (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte lorde Beamont boūde hymselfe to all his company / that they shulde be con­tent for euery thyng cōprised in theyr owne bils within a shortspace. For the kyng nor his coun­saile coulde nar so soone recouer golde or syluer to content their desyres / but he delyuered them sufficient by reason to pay all their small char­ges / and to bryng them home withal into theyr owne countreis. And anon after within y ^• same yere they were payd for euery thyng they could desyre. Than they of Heynnaulte bought lytle [...]agges to ryde at theyr case / theyr lackettꝭ and pagis / and all their harneys and baggages by water in .ii. shippes that was deliuered to them the whiche shyppes with theyr [...] arryued at Sluce in Flaundders / and syr John̄ of Heyn­naulte and his companye toke theyr leue of the kyng / of the olde quene / of the erle of Kent / of y ^• erle of Lancastre / and of all the other barones / who greatly dyd honour theym. And the kyng caused .xii. knightis / and. C▪C. men of armes to cōpany them for doubt of the archers of Inglād of Whome they were nat well assured / for they muste needis passe through the busshopryke of Lincoln̄. Thus departed si [...] John̄ of heynaulte and his rowte / in the conduct of these knyghtis and rode so long ī theyr iourney. that they came to Douer / and ther entred into the see ishippis and vessels that they founde redy ther apparayled for them. Than the [...]adlist he knyghtis ve­parted fro thens / and retourned to their owne houses / and the henous arriued at Wysant and ther they soiourned .ii. bayes / in makyng redy theyr horses and harneys. And in y ^• mean tyme (ser) John̄ of Heynault / and some of his company rode a pylgrimage to our lady of Bollayn / and after they returned into Heynaulte and depted eche fro other to their owne howses / & countres (ser) John̄ of Heynaulte rode to therle his brother who was at Ualenciennes / who receyued hym ioyously / for greatly he loued hym. To Whom he recounted all his tydyng is that ye haue hard here before.

HIt was nat long after / but that the kyng / and y ^• quene his mother / therle of Kent his vn­cle / therle of Lancastre / sir Ro­ger Mortymer / and all the ba­rones of Inglande / and by the aduyce of the kyngis counsaile / they sent a bus­shop / and .ii. knyghtis banerettis / with .ii. notable clerkꝭ / to (ser) John̄ of Heynault pray enghym to be a mean that theyr lord y ^• yong kyng of Ingland myght haue in mariage one of the eric [...] ▪ boughts of Heynault his brother named Phy­lyp. For the kyng & all the nobles of the realme had rather haue her than any other lady for the loue of hym. (ser) John̄ of heynault lord Beamont feasted & honored greatly these ambassadours / & brough them to Ualenciēnes to therle his bro­ther. who honorably receued them. & made them suche chere / y ^t it were ouer long here to reherse. And whan they had shewed the content of theyr message. Therle said. Sirs I thāke greatly y ^• kyng your prince / & the quene his mother / & all other lordes of Ingland / syth they haue sent su­che sufficient ꝑsonages as ye be / to do me suche honor as to treat for the mariage. to the whiche request / I am well agreed. if our holy father the pope wyll cōsent therto. With y ^• whiche answer these ambassadours were right well cōtēt. Thā they sent .ii. knyghtꝭ & .ii. clerkꝭ incōtinent to the pope to Auygnon / to purchase a dispēsation for this mariage to be had / for without y ^• popes li­cere they might nat marie / for y ^e linage of Frāce they were so nere of kyn / as at y ^• .iii. degree: for the .ii. mothers were cosyn Jermayns issued of ii. brethern̄. & whan these ambasadors were cōe to the pope / & their requestꝭ & consideratiōs well hard / our holy father the pope / with all the hole [Page] colledge consentyd to this mariage / and so fea­sted them. And than they departed and came a­gayne to Ualenciennes with their buls. Than this mariage was concluded and affirmed on bothe parties. Than was there deuysed / and purueied for theyr apparaile / and for all thyngꝭ honorable / that belonged to suche a lady / who shuld be quene of Inglande / and there this prin­cesse was maryed / by a sufficient procuration brought fro the kyng of Inglande / and after al feast is and triumphes done. Than thys yonge quene entred into the see at Wysant and arry­ued with all her cōpany at Douer. And & John̄ of Heynaulte lorde Beamont her vncle dyd cō ­duct her to the cite of London / where there was made great feast and many nobles of Ingland and the quene was crowned. And there was al­so great iustes / tourneys daunsyng / carolyng / and great feastis euery day. The whiche endu­ced the space of .iii. weekis. The englisshe cro­nicle saith / this mariage / and coronation of the quene was done at Yorke / with moche honour. the sunday in the euyn of the cōuersion of saynt Paule / in y ^e yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxvii. In the whiche cronicle is shewyd / many other thynges of the rulynge of the realme / and of the deth of kyng Edwarde of Carnaruan / and dy­uerse other debates that were within y ^• realme as in the same Cronicle more playnly hit appe­reth / the whiche the auctor of this boke speketh no worde of / b [...]cause [...]auenture he knew it nat. for it was hard for a strāger to knowe all thyn­gis / but accordyng to his wrytyng / This yong quene Philyp aboode styll in Inglande with a [...]all company of any [...]sones of her owne coū ­tre [...] / sauyng one who was named wandelet of Manny / who aboode styll with the quene and was her karuer / & after dyd so many great pro­wesses in dyuerse places / that it were harde to make mencion of them all.

ANd whan that the scottis were departed by nyght from the mountaigne where as the kyng of Ingland hadde beseged theym / as ye haue harde here before.

They went .xxii. Myle throughe that sauage countrey without restyng / and passed the riuer of [...]yne / right nere to Carlyle. And y ^e next day they went into theyr owne lande / and so depar­ted euery man to his owne mansion▪ and within a space af [...] there was a peace purchased bitwene the kyngis of Ingland and Scotland / and as the englysshe cronicle sayth / it was done by the speciall counsell of the olde quene / and (ser) Roger Mortymer for by theyr meanes / there was a p­lyament holden at North hampton at y ^e whiche the kyng being within age / graūted to the scot­tis to release all the feaulties and homages that they ought to haue done to the Crowne of In­glande by his Charter ens [...]aled. And also there was delyuered to the scottis an endenture / the whiche was called the Ragmon / wherin was co [...]teyned all the homages and feaulties that y ^• kyng of scottis / and all the prelatis erles and barones of Scotlande ought to haue done to the crowne of Inglande / sealed with all their sealis with all other rightis / that sondry barones and knyghtis ought to haue hadde in the realme of Scotlan [...]. And also they delyuered to them a­gayn the blacke crosse of Scotland▪ the whiche the good kyng Edwarde conquered / & brought it out of the abbey of Scoue / the whiche was a precious relique / and all rightis and enteresses that euery baron had in Scotlande / was than clene forgyuen / and many other thyngis were done at that parlyament / to the great hurt / and preiudice of the realme of Ingland / and in ma­ner ageynst the wyls of all the nobles of the re­alme saue onely of Isabell the olde quene & the busshop of Ely / and the lord mortymer. They ruled the realme in suche wyse / that euery man was myscontent. So y ^t the erle Henry of Lan­castre / and syr Thomas Brotherton erle mar­shall / and syr Edmund of Wodstocke the kyngꝭ vncles / and dyuerse other lordes and cōmons / were agreed to gether to amende these faultes / if they myght. And in that meane tyme y ^• quene Isabell & syr Roger Mortym̄ / caused a nother parliament to be holden at Salysbury / at the whiche parliament / & Roger Mortymer was made erle of Marche / ageynst all y ^e barōs wyls of Inglād / in preiudice of y ^e kyng & his realme and sir John̄ of Eltham y ^e kyngis brother was made erle of Cornewal. To the whiche [...]liamēt there Henry of Lācastre wold [...]at come. wher­fore the kynge was broughte in beleue / that he wold haue distroyed his parson / for the whiche they assembled a great hoste / and went to ward Bedforde / Where as the Erle Henry was with his companye. Than the Erle Marshall / and therle of Kent the kyngis brother made a peace bitwene the kyng & y ^e erle of Lācastre on whose part was & Henry lorde Beamont / syr Fowke Fitzwayn / & Thomas Rocellin. (ser) Williā Trussell / Syr Thomas Wyther / and abowte a .C. knyghtis who were all exyled out of Inglande by the counsaile of quene Isabell / and the Erle [Page xii] Mortym̄ / for he was so couetous y ^t he thought to haue the most part of all their landis into his owne handis / as it is more playnly shewen in y ^e inglisshe cronicle▪ the whiche I passe ouer and folowe myn auctour. The forsaid peace whiche was purchased bitwene Ingland and Scotlād was to endure .iii. yere. And in the meane tyme it fortuned that kyng Robert of Scotland was right sore aged / & feble▪ for he was greatly char­ged with the great sickenes / so that ther was no way with hym but deth. And whan he felte that his ende drew nere / he sent for suche barones & lordis of his realme as he trusted best. & shewed them / how there was no remedy with hym / but he must nedis leue this transetory lyfe. Cōmaū dyng them on the faith and trouth y ^t they owed hym / truly to kepe the realme / and ayde y ^e yong prince Dauid his sonne / and that whan he wer of age / they shulde obey hym and crowne hym kyng / and to mary hym ī suche a place as was cōuenient for his astate. Than he called to hym the gentle knyght sir William Duglas / & sayde before all the lordes. Sir William my dere frēd ye knowe well that I haue had moche a do my dayes to vphold and susteyne the ryght of this realme and whā I had most a do / I made a so­lemne vow / the whiche as yet I haue nat accomplysshed / wherof I am right sory. The whiche was / if I myght acheue and make an ende of al my warres / so that I myght ones haue brought this realme in rest and peace / than I promysed in my mynd to haue gone / and warred on Chri­stis ennemies / aduersaries to our holy christen faith. To this purpose myn hart hath euer eatē ded / but our lorde wolde nat co [...]sent therto / for I haue had so muche a do in my dayes / & nowe in my last entreprise I haue takyn suche a malady that I can nat escape. And syth it is so y ^t my body can nat go nor acheue / y ^t my hart desireth I Wyll sende the hart instede of the body to ac­complyhssmyn auowe / and bycause I knowe nat in all my realme no knyght more valyaunt than ye be / nor of body so Well furnysshed to ac­cōplysshemyn avowe in stede of my selfe. Therfore I re (qui)re you myn owne dere aspeciall frēde that ye wyll take on you this voiage for the loue of me / and to acquite my soule agaynst my lord god. For I trust so moche in your noblenes and trouth / that and ye wyll take on you / I doubte nat / but that ye shall achyue it / and than shall I dye in more ease and quiete. so that it be done in suche maner as I shall declare vnto you. I woll y ^t as soone as I am trepassed out of this worlde that ye take my harte owte of my body / and en­bawme it / and take of my treasoure / as ye shall thynke sufficient for that entreprise / both for yo ^r selfe / and suche company as ye wyll take With you / and present my hart to the holy S [...]pulchre Where as our lorde laye. Seyng my body can nat come there / And take with you suche com­pany and purueyaunce. as shalbe aparteyuyng to your astate. And where so euer ye come let it be knowen / howe ye cary with you the harte of kyng Robert of Scotland / at his instaūce and desire / to be p̄sented to the holy sepulchre. Thā all the lordes that harde these wordes / wept for pitie. And whan this knyght syr William Du­glas myght speke for wepyng / he sayd. I gentle & noble kyng / a .C. tymes I thanke your grace of the great honour that ye do to me. Sith of so noble and great treasure / ye gyue me in charge And syr I shall do with a glad harte / all that ye haue cōmaūded me / to the best of my true power howe be it I am nat worthy nor sufficient to a­chyue suche a noble entreprise. Than the kyng sayd a gētle knyght / I thāke you so that ye wyl promyse to do it. Syr sayd the knyght / I shall do it vndoubtedly / by the faythe that I owe to god and to the ordre of knyghthodde. Than I thanke you sayd the kyng / for nowe shall I dy [...] in more ease of my mynde / sith that I knowe / y ^t the most worthy and sufficient knyght of my realme shall achyue for me / the whiche I coulde neuer atteyne vnto. And thus soone after thys noble Robert de Bruse kyng of Scotland / t [...] ­passed out of this vncertayne worlde / and hys hart taken out of his body / and enbaumed / and honorably he was entred in the abbey of Don­fremlyn / in the yere of our lord god .M. CCC .xxvii. the .vii. day of the moneth of Nouembre And whan the spryngyng tyme began. Than (ser) William Duglas purueied hym of that whiche aparteyned for his entreprise / and toke his ship at the port of Morais in Scotlande / and sailed into Flanders to Shluce / to here tydyngꝭ / and to knowe if there were any noble man / in that coūtrey / that wolde go to Jerusalem to thētent to haue more cōpany / and he lay styll at Sluce / y ^e space of .xii. daies or he departed / but he wold neuer come alande / but kept styll his shyp / and kept alwaies his port and behauour with great Tryumphe / with trumpettis and clarions / as though he had ben kyng of scottꝭ hym selfe / and in his companye there was a knyght baneret / & .vii. other knyghtis of the realme of Scotland and .xxvi. yong squiers & gentylmē to s (er)ue hym▪ and all his vessell was of golde and siluer / pottꝭ basons / ewers / Dysshes / flagons / barels cup­pes / and all other thyngis. And all suche as wolde come and se hym / they were Well serued▪ [Page] with two maner of wynes / and dyuerse maner of spices / all maner of people accordyng to their degres. And whan he had thus taryed there the space of .xii. dayes. he hard reported y ^t Alphons kyng of Spaigne made warre ageynst a sara­zyn kyng of Granade. Thā he thought to draw to that partie / thynkyng suerely he could nat bestowe his tyme more nobly / thā to warre ayenst goddis ennemies / and that entreprise done. thā he thought to go forth to Jerusalē / & to acheue that he was charged with. And so he departed. & toke the se to ward Spaigne / and arryued at y ^e port of Ualen [...] the great. Than he [...] streight to the kyng of Spaigne / who helde his hoste a­geynst the kyng of Granade sarazyn / and they were nere to gether on the fronters of his lande and within a while after that this knyght syr Williā Duglas was come to y ^e kyng of Spai­gne On a day the kyng issued out into the felde to aproche nere to his ennemies. And y ^e kyng of Granade issued out in like wyse on his part / so that eche kyng myght se other w ^t al their baners displayed. Than they arenged their batels eche ageynst other. Than [...] William Duglas drewe out on the one syde with all his company / to the entent to shewe his prowes the better.

And whan he saw these batels thus ranged on both parties / and sawe that y ^e bataile of y ^e kyng of Spaigne began somewhat to aduaunce to­warde their ennemies / he thought than verelye that they shulde soone assēble to gether to fyght at hande strokes / and than he thought rather to be with the formest / than with the hyndemoost / and strake his horse with the spurres / and al his company also / and dashte into the batelle of the kyng of Granade / criynge Duglas Duglas. Wenyng to hym / the kyng of Spaigne and his host had folowed but they dyd nat / Wherfore he was disceyued / for the Spaignyss he host stode styll. And so this gentle knyght was enclosed / & all his company with the sarazyns / where as he dyd meruelles in armes / but fynally he coulde nat endure / so that he and all his company were slayne. The whiche was great dāmage that y ^e spaynyardis wolde nat rescue them.

¶ Also in this season there were certayn lordes that treated for peace bitwene Inglād & Scot­lande. So that at the last there was a mariage made / and solempnised bitwene the yong kyng of Scotland / and dame Johan of the towre su­ster to kyng Edward of Ingland / at Berwyke as the inglisshe cronicle saith on Mary Maud ly [...]day. The yere of our lord .M .iii. C .xxviii. agaynst the assente of many of the nobles of the realme. But quene Isabell the kyng is mother and the erle Mortymer made that mariage. at y ^e whiche (as myn auctor saith) there was great feast made on bothe parties.

Kyng Charles of Fraunce sōne to the fayre kyng Phylyp was .iii. tymes maried / and yet dyed with­out issue male. The first of his wy­ues was one of the most fayrest la­dyes in all the world / & she was doughter to the erle of Artoys. Howe be it she kept but euyll the sacramēt of matrimony / but brake her wedloke Wherfore she was kept a long space in pryson / in the castell Gaylarde / before that her husband was made kyng. And whan the realme of Frā ­ce was fallen to hym / he was crowned by the assent of the .xii. dowsepiers of Fraunce / and thā bicause they wold nat that the realme of Frāce shulde belong without an heyre male / they ad­uysed by their counsell / that the kyng shulde be remaryed agayne and so he was to the dough­ter of the Emperour Henry of Lucenbourg su­ster to the gentle kyng of Bayhaigne / Wherby the first mariage of the kyng was fordoone by­twene hym and his wyfe that was in prison by the licēce and declaracyon of y ^e pope / that was than / and by his .ii. wyfe / who was ryght hum­ble / and a noble wyse lady. the kyng had a sōne / who dyed in his yong age / and the quene also / at Issodnii in Berrey. And they both dyed sus­peciously. Wherfore dyuers parsones were put to blame after priuely. And after this the same kyng Charles was maried agayn the .iii. tyme to the doughter of his vncle / y ^e lorde Loyes erle of Dewreux / and she was suster to the kyng of Nauerre / and was named quene Johan. And so in tyme and space this lady was with childe / and in the meane tyme / the kyng Charles her husband fell sycke / and lay downe on his dethe bedde. And whan he sawe there Was no waye with hym but deth / he deuised that if it fortuned the quene to be delyuered of a sonne. Than he wolde that the lorde Phylyp of Ualoys shulde be his gouernour / and regent of all hys realme tyll his sonne come to suche age as he myght be crowned kyng. and if it fortune y ^e quene to haue a doughter / than he wold that all the .xii. piers of Fraunce shulde take aduyse and counsell for the forther ordering of the realme / and that they shuld gyue the realme / and regally to hym that [Page xiii] had moost ryght therto. And so within a whyle after y ^e kynge Charles dyed about Ester / in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxviii. And with­in a short space after the quene was delyuerd of a doughter. Than all the peres of Fraunce assē bled a counsell togyder at Parys as shortly as they might conueniently / and there they gaue y ^e realme by cōmen acorde to sir Phylippe of Ua­loys: and put clene out the quene Isabell of Englande / and kynge Edwarde her sonne / for she was suster germayne to king Charles last deed but the opynion of the nobles of Fraunce was / and sayed and maynteyned: that the realme of Fraunce was of so great nobles / that it ought nat by successyon to fall into a womans hande. And so thus they crowned kyng of France Philypp̄ Ualoys at Raygnes / on Trinyte sonday next after. And anone after he somoned all his barownes and men of war [...]. And went withall his power to the towne of Cassell and layd [...]eg therto / in makyng war [...] agaynst the [...]emmyn­ges / who rebelledde agaynst their owne lorde. And namely they of Bruges / of Ippre / and of Franke: for they wolde nat obey therle of Flaū ­ders. But they had chased hym out of his owne countrey / so that he might nat abyde in no par­tie therof / but onely in Gaunt / and scantly ther. These flēmynges were a .xvi. thousande / and had a capytayne called Colen [...]ānequyn a hardy man and a couragious. And they had made their grayson at Cassell / at y ^• wages of dyuerse townes in Flaunders. To thentent to kepe the fronters there about / but ye shall here howe the flemmynges were dysconfeted / and all by their owne outrage.

ANd on a day / they of the garyson of Cassell departed out. To thentent to haue dy­sconfyted y ^e kyng and all his hoost. And they came priuely without any noyse in thre batels well ordred. Wherof the first batayle toke the way to the kynges tentes / and it was a fayre grace that the kynge had natben taken / for he was at souper and all his company / and thought nothyng of them. And the o­ther batayle toke the streyght way to the tentes of the kynge of Behaygne / and in maner they founde hym in lyke case. And the thirde batayle went to the tentes of therle of Heynault / and in likrwyse had nere take hym. These hoostes cāe so peasably to the tentes / that with moch payne they of thoost coude arme them. Wherby all the lordes and their people had ben slayne / and the more grace of god had nat ben / but in maner by myracle of god / these lordes dysconfyted all .iii. batayls / eche batayle by it selfe all in one hour. In such wyse that of. [...]vi. thousande flemmyn­ges ther ascaped neuer a person / captayns and all were slayne. And the kyng & lordes of Frāce knewe nat one of an other / nor what they hadde done tyll all was finyss / edd and atchyued. For they lay in thre sondrie parties one fro an other but as for the flēmynges there was nat one left a lyue / but all lay deed on hepes one vpon an o­ther in the sayed thre sondrie places. And this was done on saynt Bartylmewes day / the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxviii. Than the french men entred into the towne of Cassell and set vp the baners of Fraūce / and the towne yelded thē to the kyng. And also the towne Pyepigne / and of Ipre / & all they of the Castlayne of Bergues / and than the receyued therle Loys their lorde / and sware to hym faythe and loyaltie foreuer. Than after the kynge and his people departed and went to Parys / and he was moche honou­red and praysed for this enterprise and ayd that he had done to his cosyn Lois erle of Flaūders. And thus the kyng was in great prosperite and euery day encresed his ryall estat / for as it was sayd ther was neuer kyng in Fraūce that helde like estat / as dyd this kyng Philyp of Ualoys.

THis yong kyng Edwarde of Englande was gouerned a great space as ye haue harde before / by the coūsell of the quene his mo­ther / and of Edmonde of Wodstoke erle of Kēt his vncle / and by sir Roger Mortymer erle of March. And at y ^e last enuy began to growe by­twene therle of Kent and therle Mortym̄. In so moch y ^t this erle Mortim̄ enformed so the yong kyng / by the cōsentyng of tholde quene Isabell his mother / beryng y ^e kyng in hande that therle of Kent wolde haue enpoysoned hym. To then­tent to be kynge hymselfe / as he that was nexte heyre apparaunt to the crowne / for the kynges yonger brother who was called John̄ a Gaunt was newly deed. And than the kyng who gaue lyght credence to theym / causedde his vncle the erle of Kent to be taken and openly to be behee­ded without any maner of excuse to be harde, [Page] Wherwith many of y ^• nobles of the realme wer sore troubled / and bare a gruge in their hertes towarde the erle Mortymer / and accordyng to thenglysshe cronycle. Therle suffred dethe atte Wynchester / the tenth day of Octobre: y ^• thirde yere of the kynges raygne / and lyeth buryed at the friers in Winchestre. But as myne auctour sayeth: within a whyle after as it was reported quene Isabell the kyng [...] mother was w ^t chylde / and that by therle Mortymer. Wherof y ^e kyng was enfourmed: & how the sayd Mortym̄ had caused him to put to deth therle of Kent his vn­cle / without good reason or cause: for all the re­alme reputed hym for a noble man. Thanne by the kynges commaundement / this erle Morty­mer was taken̄e and brought to London. And there byfore the great lordes and nobles of the realme was recyted by open declaratyon: all y ^e dedes of the sayd Mortymer. Than the kynge demaunded of his counsell what shuld be done with hym / and all the lordes by commen assent gaue iudgement. And sayed syr: he hath deser­ued to dye the sa [...]ethe that sir Hewe Spen­ser dyed. And after this iudgement: there was no delacyon of sufferaunce nor mercy. But in­cōtynent he was drawen throughout London / and than set on a scaffolde and his membres cut from hym / and cast into a fyre and his hert also: bycause he had ymagined treason. And thanne quartered: and his quarters sent to foure of the best cyties of the realme / and his heed remay­ned styll in London. And within a lytle space after the kyng commaunded by thaduyce of his counsell / y ^t the quene his mother shulde be kept close in a castell. And so it was dōe: and she had with her ladyes and damosels / knyghtes and squiers / to serue her acordyng to her estat. And certayne lādes assigned to her / to mētayne ther with her noble estat all dayes of her lyfe. But in no wyse she shulde nat deꝑt out of the castell w ^t ­out it were tose suche sportes as was somtyme shewed byfore the castell gate / for her recreaty­on. Thus this lady ledde forth her lyfe ther mekely / and ones or twyse a yere the kyng her son / wolde cōe and se her. Thenglysshe cronycle sheweth dyuerse other consyderations / why therle Mortym̄ suffred deth the which was on saynt Andrewes euyn. In the yere of our lorde a thousande thre hundred .xxix. The whiche I passe ouer and folowe myne authoure.

ANd after that the king had dōe these two execucyōs: he toke newe counselours of the moost noblest & sagest ꝑsons of his realme. And so it was about a yere after: y ^t Phylip of Ualoys was crowned kyng of France / & that all the ba­rones and nobles of the realme had made their homage and fealty to him / except the yong king of England / who had nat done his homage for the duchy of Guyen: nor also he was nat somo­ned therto. Than y ^e king of France by thaduise of all his counsell: sent ouer into Englande / the lorde Auycenis the lorde Beausalt / and two no table clerkes maisters of the parlyament of Parys: named maister Peter of Orlyaunce / and maister Peter of Masieres. These .iiii. deꝑted fro Paris / and dyd somoch by their iourneis y ^t they cāe to Wysant / and ther they toke see & aryued at Douer. And ther taryed a day to abyde the vnshypping of their horses and bagages: & thā they rode forth so long that they cāe to Wynsore. Where as the kyng and the yong quene of England lay. And than these foure caused to be knowen to the kynge the occasyon of their com­myng. The kyng of Englande for the honoure of the french kyng his cosyn: caused them to cōe to his presence / and receyued them houourably and than they publysshed their message. And y ^e kyng answered them how that the nobles of his realme / nor his counsell was nat as than about hym: but desyred them to drawe to Lōdon / and ther they shulde be answered: in such wyse that of reason they shulde be content. And so they dyned in the kynges chambre and after departed / and lay the same nyght at Colbroke / and y ^t next day at London. It was nat long after: but that the kynge came to his palace of Westmynster. And all his counsell was cōmaunded to be ther at a certayne day lymited / and whan they were all assembled. Than the frenche embassadours were sent for: and there they declared thoccasy­on of their cōmynge / and delyuered letters fro their maister. Thanne the kynge went a parte with his counsell to take aduyse what was best for hym to do. Thanne was it aduysed by his counsell / that they shulde be answered by thor­dynaunce and style of his predecessours / by the bysshopp̄ of London. And so the frēchmen wer called into the counsell chambre: than the bys­shop of London sayd. Lordes that be here assē ­bled for the kyng of Fraunce / the kyng is grace [Page xiiii] my soueraygne lorde hath harde your wordes / and redde the tenour of your letters. Syrs we say vnto you that we woll counsell the kyng our soueraygne lorde here present: that he go into Fraunce / to se the kynge your maister his dere cosyn. Who right amyably hath sent for hym / and as touchyng his faith anohomage / he shall do his deuour in euery thynge that he ought to do of ryght. And syrs ye may shewe y ^e kyng yo ^r maister / that within short space the kyng of En­glande our maister shall arryue in France: and do all that reason shall requyre. Thā these mes­sangers were feasted / and the kynge rewarded them with many great gyftes and iuelles / and they toke their leaue and dyd somoche / that at last they came to Parys / wher they found kyng Phylyppe / to whome they recounted all their newes. Wherof the king was right ioyouse and specially to se the kyng of Englande his cosyn / for he hadde neuer sene hym before. And whan these tidynges were spredde abrode in y ^• realm of Fraunce. Than dukes / erles / and other lor­des aparelled them in their best maner: and the kyng of Fraūce wrot his letters to kyng Char­les of Behaygne his cosyn: and to the kynge of Nauarre. Certifyeng theym the day and tyme whan the kyng of England shuld be with hym / desyringe them to be with hym at the same day / and so they came thyder with gret array. Than was it counselled the kynge of Fraunce / that he shulde receyue the kyng of Englande at the cyte of Amyas / and there to make prouysion for his commyng. There was chambers halles hoste ries / and lodgynges made redy and apparelled to receyue them all and their company. And al­so for the duke of Burgoyne / the duke of Bur­bon / the duke of Lurren: and syr John̄ of Ar­toyes. There was purueyaunce for a thousan­de horse / and for sixe hundred horse that shulde come with the kyng of Englande. The yonge kyng of Englande forgate nat the voyage that he had to do into Fraunce. And so he aparelled for hym and his company well and sufficiently / and there departed out of Englande / in his cō ­pany two bysshoppes / besyde the bysshoppe of London / and foure erles. The lorde Henry erle of Derby his cosyngermayne / sonne to (ser) Thomas erle of Lancastre with the wrie necke / the erle of Salis bury therle of Warwyke / and the erle of Hereforde / and. vt. barownes. The lorde Raynolde Cobham / the lorde Thomas Wage marshall of Englande / the lorde Persy / y ^• lorde Māny / and the lorde Mowbray. And mo than .xl. other knyghtes / so that the kyng and his cō ­pany were about a thousand horse / and y ^• kyng was two dayes in passing bytwene Douer and Wysant. Than the kyng and his company rod to Bullayne / and there taryed one day. This was about the myddes of August / the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred .xxix. And a none the tidynges came to kyng Phylip of Fraunce / howe the kynge of Englande was at Bullayne. Than the kynge of Fraunce sent his constable with great plentie of knyghtes to the kynge of Englande / who as thanne was at Monsternell by the seesyde / and ther was gret tokens of loue and good chere / made on bothe parties. Than̄e the kynge of Englande rodde forth withall his rowt / and in his company the constable of Fraunce. And he rodde so long that they came to the cytie of Amyas / wher as kyng Phylippe / and the kynge of Behaygne. The kynge of Mayllorgues / and the kynge of Na­uarre were redy aparelled to receyue the kynge of Englande / with many other dukes / erles / and great barownes. For there was all the .xii. peres of Fraunce / redy to feast and make chere to the kynge of Englande, and to be there pea­sably to bere wytnesse of the kynge of Englan­des homage. Ther was the kyng of Englande nobly receyued. and thus these kynges and o­ther princes taryed at Amyas the space of .xv. dayes / and in the meane tyme there were many wordes and ordynaunces deuysed / but as farr as I coude knowe / kyng Edwarde of Englād made his homage to the kynge of Fraunce all onely by worde / and nat puttyng his hādes by­twene the kynge of Fraunce handes / nor none other prince nor prelate lymitted for hym. Nor the kynge of Englande wolde nat procede any farther in doyng any more / concernyng his ho­mage. But rather he was detmyned to returne agayne into Englande / and there was redde o­penly the priuyleges of auncyent tyme graun­ted / the which was declared in what maner the kynge shulde do his homage and howe and in what wyse he shulde do seruyce to the kynge of Fraunce. Than the kynge of Fraunce sayd co­syn / we woll nat disceyue you / this that ye haue done pleaseth vs rightwell / as for this present tyme. Tyll such tyme as ye be returned agayne into your realme / and that ye haue sene vnder the seales of your predecessoures / howe and in what wyse ye shulde do. And so thus the kynge of Englande tooke his leaue and departed fro the kynge of Fraunce ryght amyably. And of all other princes that was there / and retourned agayne into Englande / and laboured so longe that he came to Wyndesor. Where his quene re­ceyued d hym right ioyously. And demaunded [Page] tidynges of kynge Phylippe her vncle / and of her linage of Fraūce. The kyng shewed her all that he knewe and of the gret chere and honour that he had there / and sayd in his mynde there was no realme coude be compared to y ^e realme of Fraunce. And than within a space after the kyng of Fraunce sent into Englande of his specyall counsell: the bysshoppe of Chartres / and the bysshoppe of Beannays / the lorde Loys of Cleremont / the duke of Burbon / therle of Har­court / and therle of Tankermylle: with dyuers other knyghtes and clerkes to y ^e counsell of Englande / the which was than holden at London for the parfourmaunce of the kyng of Englan­des homage: as ye haue harde before. And also the kyng of England and his counsell had well ouersene the maner and fourme / how his aun­cyent predecessours had done their homage for the duchy of Acquitayne. There were many as than in Englande y ^• murmured and sayd: how the kyng their lorde was nerer by true successi­on of herytage to the crowne of Fraunce / than Phylippe of Ualoys: who was as than kyng of Fraunce. Now be it the kyng and his coūsell wolde nat knowe it / nor speke therof as at that tyme: thus was ther great assemble and moch a do how this homage shulde be parfourmed. These embassadours taryed styll in England all that wynter / tyll it was the moneth of May folowyng / or they had aunswere dyffinatyue: how be it finally the kynge of Englande by the aduyce of his counsell / and on the syght of his priuyleges where vnto they gaue great fayth: was determyned to write letters in the maner of patentes sealed with his great seale / knowle gyng therin the homage that he ought to do to the kyng of Fraunce. The tenour and report of the which letters patentes foloweth.

EDward by the grace of god: kyng of England / lorde of Ireland / and duke of Ac­quitayne. To them y ^• these present letters shall se or here / send gretyng. We wold it be knowen that as we made homage at Amyas / to y ^e right excellent prince our right dere cosyn Phylyppe kyng of Fraunce: and there it was requyred by hym that we shuld knowledge the sayd homage and to make it to hym expresly / promysinge to bere hym fayth and trouth y ^• which we dyd nat as than / by cause we were nat enfourmed of the trouth. We made hym homage by generall wordes: in sayeng how we entred into his homage in lyke maner as our predecessours. Dukes of Guyen in tymes past had entred into thomage of the kyng of Fraūce for that tyme beyng. And syth that tyme we haue ben well enfourmed of the trouth. Therfore we knowlege by these pre­sentes: that such homage as we haue made in y ^• cyte of Amyas to the kyng of Fraunce in gene­rall wordes / was and ought to be vnderstande this worde lyege man: and that to hym we owe to bere faith and trouth / as duke of Acquitayne and pere of Fraunce / erle of Poyters & of Mutterell. And to thentent in tyme cōmynge y ^t there shulde neuer be dyscorde. For this cause we pro­myse for vs and our successours duk [...] of Acqui­tayne / that this homage be made in this maner folowyng. The kyng of Englande duke of Ac­quitayne / holdeth his handes bytwene the han­des of the kyng of Fraūce. And he that shall ad­dresse these wordes to the kynge of Englande duke of Acquitayne / shall speke for the kyng of Fraunce in this maner. yeshall become lyege man to the kynge my lorde here present as duke of Guyen and pere of Fraunce. And to hym promyse to bere faythe and trouthe say ye: and the kyng of Englande duke of Guyen and his suc­cessours sayth ye. And than the kyng of Fraūce receyueth the kyng of Englande duke of Guy­en / to this sayd homage as lyege man w ^t faythe and trouth spoken by mouth: sauyng his ryght and all other. And furthermore whan the sayd kyng entreth in homage to the kyng of Fraūce for therldome of Poyters and of Muttrell / he shall put his handes bytwene the handes of the kyng of Fraunce for the sayd erldome. And he that shall speke for the kynge of Fraunce / shall addresse his wordes to the kynge and erle: and say thus. ye shall become liege man to the kyng of Fraūce my lorde here present / as erle of Poyters and Muttrell. And to hym ꝓmyse to bere fayth & trouth / say ye. And the kyng erle of Poyters / sayth ye. Than the kyng of Fraūce recey­ueth the kyng and erle to this sayd homage by his fayth / and by his mouth sauyng his ryght and all other. And after this maner it shalbe done / and renewed as often as homage shulde be done. And of that we shall delyuer and our successours dukes of Guyen: after these sayd homages / made letters patentes sealed with our great seale. If the kynge of Fraūce requyre it / and besyde that we promyse in good faythe to holde and to kepe effectuously the peace / and cō corde made bytwene the kynges of Fraūce and the kynges of Englande dukes of Guyen. &c. These letters the lordes of Fraunce brought to the kyng their lorde / and the kyng caused them to be kept in his chauncery.

THe man in the world that most ayded kyng Philyppe to attayne to the Crowne of Fraunce. was syr Robert er­le of Artoyse. Who was done of the most sagelt / and great teste lordes in Fraunce / and of hygh lynage extraughte / fro the blodde roy­all and hadde to his wyfe suller iermayn to the sayd kyng Phylyp / & allwayes was his chief / and speciall compaignyon / and louer in all hys astatis. And the space of .iii. yere / all that was done in the realme of Fraunce / was done by his aduyce / and withoute hym nothyng was done. And after it fortuned / that this kyng Philyppe tooke a meruailouse great his pleasure and ha­tred ageynst this noble man syr Robert of Ar­toyse / for a plee / that was m [...]ed before hym / Wherof the Erle of Artoyse was cause / For he wolde haue wonne his entent by the vertue of a letter that he layd forth / the whiche was nat true as it was sayde. Wherfore the kyng was in su­che displeasure / that yf hadde takyn hym in his ire surely it hadde coste hym his lyfe With­out remedye. So this syr Robert was fayne to boyde the realme of Fraunce / and went to Na­mure to the Erle John̄ his Nephewe. Than the kyng toke the Erles wyfe / and her two son­nes / who were his owne nephewes John̄e and Charles / and dyd put them in prison and were kept straytly / and y ^e kyng sware that they shuld neuer come out of prison / as long as they lyued The kyng is mynde wolde nat be turned by no maner of meanes. Than the kyng in his furye sente hastely to the busshopp Laoul of Liege [...] desired hym at his instaūce that he wolde befye and make warre / agaynst the erle of Namure. without he wolde put out of his countrey [...] Ro­berte erle of Artoyse. ¶ And this busshoppe / Who greatly loued the kynge of Fraunce / and but lytle loued his neyghbours dyda [...] y ^• kyng desired hym. Than the erle of Namure sore a­geynst his wyll / caused the erle of Artoyse to a­uoyde his lande. Than this erle [...] Robert went to the duke of Brabant his cosyn / who right ioyously receyued hym and dyd hym great cōforte And as soone as the kyng of Fraūce knew that he sent worde to y ^e duke / that if he wold susteyue maynteyn or sus [...]re the erle of Artoyse in his co [...] trey / he shulde haue no greatter ennemy than he wold be to hym / and that he wolde make warre ageynst hym / and al his to the best of his power with all the realme of Fraunce. Than the duke sent the erle of Artoyse pryuely to Arge [...]tuel to then tent to se what the kyng wold do forther in the case. And anon the kyng knew it / for he had spyes / in euery corner. The kyng had great di­spyte / that the duke shuld so dele with hym / and within a brief space after / the kyng pourchased so by reason of his golde & syluer / that the kyng of Behaigne / who was cosin iermayn to y ^• duke of Brabant / and the busshop of Liege / the arche bysshop of Coleyn / the duke of Guerles / y ^e mat­ques of Julyers / the erle of Bare / y ^e lord of Los the lorde Fawkmount / and diuers other lordes were alied to guyther al ayenst the duke of Bra­bant / and defyed hym / and entred with a great oste in to his countrey by Esbayng and so [...] to Hanut / & brent twyse ouer the coūtrey where as it pleased them. And the kyng of Fraūce sent with them therle of Ewe his Constable / with a great oste of men of armes. Than the [...] [...] ­liā of Heynaulte sent his wy [...] [...] kyng and his brother [...] John̄ [...] [...]de Be­amont / into Fraunce / to t [...] peace / & suf­feraūce of warr bitwene the kyng and the duke of Brabant. And at last the kyng of Frāce wis [...]y moche warke consented therto / vpon condition that the duke shulde put hym selfe vtterly to a­byde the ordynaunce of the kyng of Fraūce and of his counsaile / in euery mater that the kyng [...] all suche as had befyed hym had ageynst hym / And also w ^t in a certayn day lymitted to auoyde out of his coūtrey the erle of Artoyse / & to make shorte / al this the duke dyd sore ayenst his wyll.

YE haue harde here before recited of the truce bitwene Inglande and Scotland / for the space of .iii. yere / and so the space of [...]ue yere / they kept well the peace / so that in CCC. yere before there was nat so good peace kept. Now beit kyng Edward of Ingland was enformed / that the yong kyng Dauid of Scotland / who had wedded his suster was sea [...]ed of the towne of Berwyke / the whtche ought to ap­perteyn to the realme of Ingland. for kyng Edward the first his graunfather had it in his possession peasably. Also y ^e kyng was e [...] / [...] [Page] the realme of Scotlande shulde holde in chief of the Crowne of Inglande / and how the yong kyng of scottis had nat done as thā his homage Wherfore the kyng of Ingland sent his ambas­sad to the kyng of scottis / desyryng hym to leue his handis of the towne of Berwyke / for it par­teyned to his heritage / for kyngis of Inglande his predecessours haue ben in possession therof And also they somoned the kyng of Scottis to come to the kyng of Ingland to do his homage for the realme of Scotland. Than the kyng of Scottis toke counsaile / howe to answere thys mater. And finally the kyng answerde the En­gli [...] he ambassadours / and sayd. Syrs both I and all the nobles of my realme meruaile greatly of that ye haue requyred vs to do / for we fynd nat auncientely / that the realme of Scotlande shulde any thyng be bounde or be subgiet to the realme of Ingland / nother by homage / or any other wayes. Nor the kyng of noble memorye our father wolde neuer do homage to the kyngꝭ of Ingland / for any warre that was made vn­to hym / by any of [...]. No more in like wyse I am in wyll to do. And also kyng Robert our fa­ther conquered the towne of Berwyke / by force of armes / agaynst kyng Edwarde father to the kyng your maister that nowe is. And so my fa­ther helde it all the dayes of his lyfe as his good heritage. And so in lyke maner we thynke to do to the best of our power. Howe be it lordes We require you to be meanes to the kyng your ma­ster whose suster we haue maryed / that he wyll suffre vs peaseably to enioye our fraūches and ryghtis / as his auncetours haue done here be­fore. And to lette vs enioye that our father hath woune / and kept it peaseably all his lyfe dayes and desyre the kyng your maister / that he wold nat beleue any euyll counsaile / gyuen hym to y ^• contrary. For if ther were any other prince that wolde do vs wrong / he shuld aide / succour / and defende vs / for the loue of his suster Whom We haue maryed. Than these ambassadours an­swerd and said. Syr we haue well vnderstand your answere / we shall shewe it to the kyng our lorde / in lyke maner as ye haue said. and so toke theyr leaue / and returned into Inglande to the kyng. With the whiche answere the kyng of Ingland was nothyng content. Than he somo­ned a parliament to be holden at Westm̄. where as all the nobles & wyse men of the realme were assembled to determine what shuld be best to be done in this mater. And in this meane tyme (ser) Robert erle of of Artoys came into Inglande / dysguysed lyke a marchaunt / and the kyng re­reyued hym right ioyously / and reteyned hym / as one of his counsaile. and to hym assigned the Erledom of Rychemount. And whan the daye of the parliament aproched / and that all the no­bles of the lande were assembled about Londō. Thā the kyng caused to be shewed the message and howe he had wrytten to the kyng of scottis. and of the answere of the same kyng. Wherfore the kyng desyred all the nobles of his realme / y ^t they wolde gyue hym suche counsaile as shulde aꝑteyne to the sauyng of his honour and ryght. And whan they were all assembled in counsaile they thought y ^t the kyng myght no lenger bear by his honour the iniuryes and wronges / that the kyng of Scottꝭ dyd hym dayly / and so they reported their aduise to the kyng exortyng hym to prouyde for his force and strength of men of warre / to atteyne therby the towne of Berwike And to entre into the realme of Scotland in suche wyse / that he shulde constrayne the kyng of Scottis to be ioyfull / to come & do his homage to hym. And so all the nobles and cōmons of the realme of Ingland sayd they wold gladly and willyngly go with hym in that iourney. And of theyr good wyls the kyng thāked them greatly & desired them to be redy aꝑailed at a daye assi­gned & to assēble to gyther at New castell vpon Tyne. And than euery man went home and p̄ ­pared for that iourney. Than the kyng sent a­gayn other ambassadours to the kyng of scottꝭ his brother in lawe / sufficiently to sōmon hym / and if he wolde nat be other wyse aduysed / than the kyng gaue them full auctorite to defie hym. And so the day of the assembly of the kyngꝭ oste aproched / at y ^• whiche day the kyng of Inglāde and all his ost aryued at New castell vpō Tyne and there taried .iii. dayes for the residue of his oste that was comyng after. And on the fourth day / he departed with al his oste toward Scotland / and passed through the landes of the lord Persy / and of the lorde Neuell / Who were two great lordes in Northumberland. and marched on the scottis. And in like wyse so dyd the lorde Rosse / and the lorde Ligy / and the lorde Mombray. Than the kynge and all his oste drew to­ward the cite of Berwyke. For y ^• kyng of Scotland made no other answere to these .ii. messen­gers / but as he dyd to the fyrst. wherfore he was opēly defied / and somoned. And so the kyng of Ingland and his oste entred into Scotlād / for he was coūsailed / that he shuld nat tary at siege at Berwike / but to ryde forth / and to burne the Countrey as his graund father dyd / and so he dyd. In whiche iourney he wasted & distroyed all the playn countrey of Scotland / and exiled diuerse townes that were closed with dykꝭ and [Page xvi] with pales / & toke the strong cattell of Enyag­burth and sette therin a g [...] passed the secund [...] in Scotlād [...] lyn / and ran ouer all the countrey there abowte to Scone / & distroyed the good towne of Douf fremlyn but they dyd no euyll to the abbey / for the kyng of Ingland cōmaunded that no hurte shuld be done therto / and so the kyng cōquered all the countrey to Dondieu and to [...]oubreten a strong castell stādyng on the marches ayenst the wylde scottis / where as the kyng of Scottꝭ and the quene his wyfe were withdrawen vn­to for suretie. For there were no scottis y ^• wolde appere afore the englisshe men for they were all drawen into the forelf of Ged worth / the whiche wer inhabitable / and specially for them y ^• knew nat the countrey / wherin all the scottis wer and all theyr gooddis. And so they set but a lytle by all the rēuant. And it was no maruaile thoughe they were thus dryuen / for the kyng their lorde was but .xv. yere of age / and the erle of Morrey was but yong / and the nephew of Willyam Duglas that was slayne in Spayn was also of the same age. So as at y ^• tyme / the realme of Scotland was dispurueyed of good capiteyns. And whan the kyng of Ingland had ronouer all the playne countrey of Scotlande / and taried ther the space of .vi. monethes / and sawe that none wold come agaynst hym. Than he garnysshed diuers castels that he had wonne / and thought by them to make warre to all the other. Than he withdrew fayre and easely toward Berwike And in his returnyng he wan the castell of Al­uest parteynyng to the heritage of the erle Du­glas / it was a .v. leagis fro Edēburge / and ther in the kyng set good capitayus / and than rode small iourneis tyll he came to Berwike the whiche is at the entre of Scotlande / and there the kyng layd rounde about his siege / and sayd he wolde neuer depart thens / tyll he had wonne it orels the kyng of Scottis to come / and to reyse his siege parforee. And within the towne there were good men of warre set there by the kyng of Scottis. Before this cite ther were many assaultis and sore skrymysshes [...]ygh euery daye / for they of the cite wolde nat yelde them vp symply / for alwaies they thought to be reseued / how be it there was no succour appered. The scottꝭ on mornyng is and nyghtis made many s [...]ryes to trouble the oste / but lytle hurte they dyd / for the englysshe oste was so well kept / that the scottis coulde nat entre / but to theyr dammage / and often tymes loste of theyr men. ¶ And whan they of Berwike sawe that no comfort nor ayde came to them fro any part / & that theyr vitayles began to fayle / & howe they were enclosed both by water and by lande. Than they began to fall in a treate with the kyng of Ingland / and desi­red a truee to indure a moneth. and if within the moneth / kyng Dauid theyr lorde / or some other for hym come nat by force to reyse the siege / thā they to rendre vp the cite / their lyues and good­dis saued / and that the soudiers within myght safly go into theyr countrey without any dam­mage. This treaty was nat lightly graūted for the kyng of Ingland wolde haue had them yel­ded symply / to haue had his pleasure of some of them / bicause they had hold so lōg ayenst hym. But finally he was content by the counsaile of his lordꝭ. And also (ser) Robert of Artoys dyd put therto his payne who had ben all that iourneye with y ^• kyng / & had shewed hym alwayes / home he was uert enheriter to the crowne of Fraun [...] he wolde gladly that the kyng shuld haue made warre into Fraūce / & a left the warres of Scotland. So his wordes & others inclined greatly the kyng to cōdiscend to the treaty of Berwike. So this truee and treaty [...]s graūted. Than they within the cite sent worde to their kyng / in what case they stode / but for all that they coulde fynde no remedy to reyse the siege. So the cite was delyuered vp at thende of the moneth / and also the castell / and the Marshals of the os [...] toke possession for the kyng of Ingland / and the burgesses of the cite came and dyd theyr feaute and homage to the kyng / and sware to hold of hym. Than after the kyng entred with great solem­puite / and taryed there .xii. dayes / and made a capitayn ther / called syr Edward Bailleul / and whan the kyng departed he lefte with the sayde knyght certayne yong knyghtis and squiers to helpe to kepe the landis / that he had conquered of the scottis / and the fronters therof. Than the kyng and his people returned to London / and euery man in to theyre owne countres / and the kyng went to Wyndesore / and (ser) Robert of Ar­toys w ^t hym / who neuer ceassed daye nor nyght in shewyng the kyng what ryght he had to the crowne of Fraunce / & the kyng harkened glad­ly to his wordis. Thus in this season the kyng of Ingland wanne the most parte of the realme of Scotland / who had many expert knyghtꝭ a­bout hym / among other was sir Wylliam Mō ­tague / and syr walter of Manny. They were hardy knyghtis / and dyd many dedis of armes ageynst the scottis. And the better to haue their entre into Scotland / they fortified the basfyde of Rosebourge / and made it a strong castel / and (ser) Wylliam Montague dyd so well in all his en­treprises / that the kyng made hymerle erle of Sa [...] [Page] Surely sayd therle I cannat deuyse a more puissant prince to ayde hym / than the duke of Brabant who is his cosyn germayne. And also the byss hoppe of Liege / the duke of Guerles / who hath his suster to his wyfe. The archbysshop of Colayne / the marques of Jullers / syr Arnolde de Baquehen / and the lorde of Faulquemount. These lordes be thei that may make moost men of warr inshort space of any that I knowe / they arre good men of warre / they may well make [...]X. thousande men of war [...] so they haue wages therafter. They arre people that wolde gladly wynne aduauntage / yf it were so that the kyng my sonne your maister might gette these lordes to be on his part. And so to come into these par­ties / he might well go ouer the water of Dysse / and seke out kyng Phylippe to fyght with hym with this answere these embassadours retour­ned into England to the kyng / and reported all that they had done. Wherof the kyng had great ioy and was well cōforted. These tidyngꝭ came into Fraunce and multiplyed lytle and lytle / so that kyng Phylippes enterprise of y ^e sayd croy­sey beganne to asswage and ware colde / and he coūtermaūded his offycers to sease of / makyng of any farther puision tyll he knewe more what kyng Edward wolde do. Than kyng Edward ordayned .x. banerettes / and .xl. other knyghtes and sent them ouer the see to Ualencēnes. And the bysshoppe of Lyncolne with theym / to then­tent to treat with the lordes of thempyre / suche as therle of Heynalt had named. Whanne they were come to Ualencennes eche of them kept a great estate and port / and spared nothynge / no more than yf the kynge of Englande had bene there in proper persone / wherby they dyd gette great reuo wine and prayse. They had with thē yonge bachelars / who had eche of them one of their eyen closed [...] with a peace of sylke / it was sayd how they had made a vowe among the la­dyes of their contrey that they wolde natse but w ^t one eye tyll they had done some dedes of ar­mes in Fraūce. How beit they woldnat be kno­wen therof. And whan thei had ben well feested at Ualencēnes / than the bysshoppe of Lyncolne and part of his cōpany went to the duke of Brabant who feasted them greatly / and agreed and promysed to susayne y ^e kyng of Englande and all his cōpany in his contrey. So that he might go and come armed and vnarmed at his plea­sure / and to gyue him the best counsell he coude. And also yf the kynge of Englande wolde defy the frenche kyng that he wolde do the same / and entre into the countrey of Fraunce with men of warre / so that their wages might be borne / to the nombre of a thousande mē of armes. Thus than the lordes retourned agayne to Ualencen­nes / and dyd somoch by messangers and by ꝓ­myse of golde and syluer: that the duke of Guerles who was the kynges brother in lawe / and y ^e marques of Jullers / the archebysshoppe of Co­layne / and Waleran his brother. And the lorde of Faulquemount came to Ualencēnes to speke with these lordes of Englande byfore the erle of Haynalt / and the lorde John his brother. And by the meanes of a great somme of Florēs that eche of them shulde haue for themselfe and for their men. They made pmyse to defy y ^t frenche kyng / and to go with the kyng of England whā it pleased hym / with a certayne men of warre. Promysing also: to gette other lordes to take their part for wages / such as be beyonde the ry­uer of Ryne: and be able to bringe good nom­bres of men of warre. Than the lordes of Al­mayne toke their leaue and retourned into ther owne contreis: and thenglysshmen taryed styll with therle of Heynalt / and sent certayne mes­sangers to the bysshoppe of Lyege / and wolde gladly haue hadde hym on their partie. But he wolde neuer be agaynst the french kyng / for he was become his man and entred into his feaul­tie. Kyng Charles of Behaygne was nat desy­red: for they knewe well he was so fermely ioy­ned with the frenche kyng / by reason of the ma­ryage of John̄ duke of Normandy / who had to wyfe the kyngꝭ doughter. Wherby they knewe well he wold do nothyng agaynst y ^• frēch kyng.

IN this season there was great dyscorde bytwene the erle of Flaūders and the flē ­mynges: for they wolde nat obey him / nor he durst nat a byde in Flaunders: but in gret parell. And in y ^• towne of Gaunt there was a man a maker of hony / called Jaques Dartuell. He was entred into such fortune and grace of the people / that all thynge was done that he dydde: he might commaunde what he wolde through all Flaunders / for ther was non though he were neuer so great y ^t durst disobey his commaundement. He had alwayes [Page xviii] goyng with hym vp and downe in Gaunt .lx. or [...]ours kore varlettes armed / and amonge them there were thre or foure that knewe y ^e secretues of his mynde. So that if he mette a ꝑsone that he hated or had hym in suspectyon incontynent he was slayne. For he had commaunded his se­cret varlettes that whanne soeuer he mette any persone and made suche asygae to theym / that incōtynent they shulde slee hym whatsoeuer he were: without any wordes or resouynge. And by y ^t meanes he made many to be slayne / wher­by he was so doughted that none durst speke a­gaynst any thynge that he wolde haue done: so that euery man was gladde to make hym good chere. And these varletꝭ whan thei had brought hym home to his house / than they shulde go to dyner where they lyst: and after dyner returne agayne into the strete before his lodgyng / and there abyde tyll he come out / [...] wayt on hym tyll souper tyme. These souldyours had eche of them foure grotes flemmysshe by the day / and were truely payd wekely. Thus he had in eue­ry towne souldyers and seruauntess at his wa­ges redy to do his commaundement / and to e­spy if ther were any person that wolde rebell a­gaynst his mynde / and to enfourme hym ther­of. And assone as he knewe any suche: he wolde neuer cease tyll they were banysshed or slayne / without respyte. All such great men: as knygh­tes / squires / or burgeses of good townes: as he thought fauourable to therle in any maner / he banysshed them out of Flaunders. And wolde leuey the moyte of their landes to his owne vse / and thother halfe to their wyuess and chyldren / such as were banysshed: of whome there were a great nōbre abode atsaynt Diners. To speke properly: there was neuer in Flaunders nor in none other contrey prince / duke / nor other: that ruled a countrey so pesably / so long as this Ja­ques Dartuell dyd rule Flaunderss. He leuyed the rentes / wynages / and rightes: that pertayned to therle through out all Flanderss / and spē ded all at his pleasure without any acompt ma­kyng. And whāhe wold say y ^e he lacked money they byleued hym / and so it behoued them to do for none durst say agaynst hym. Whan he wold borowe any thynge of any burgesse: there was none durst say hym nay. These englyssh embassadours kept an honourable estate at the towne of Ualencennes. They thought it shulde be a­great comforte to the kynge their lorde yf they might gette the flymmynges to take their part. Than they toke counsell of therle in that mater and he answered / that truely it shulde be one of the grettest aydes that they coude haue. But he sayd he thought their labour in y ^t behalfe coude nat preuayle: without they gette first the good­wyll of Jaques Dartuell. Than they said they wolde assay what they coude do: & so thervpon they departed fro Ualenceunes and went into Flaunders / and departed into thre or foure cō ­panies. Some went to Bruges / some to Ipre and some to Gaūt. And they all kept such port & made so large dyspēce: that it semed that syluer and golde fell out of their hādes and made many great promyses and offers to them that they spake to for that mater. And the bysshopp̄ with a certayne with hym wēt to Gaunt / and he dyd somuch / what with fayre wordꝭ and otherwyse that he gate thacorde of Jaques Dartuell. And dyd gette great grace in the towne and specially of an olde knyght that dwelt in Gauut / who was ther right well beloued: called the lorde of Courcisyen a knight baneret / and was reputed for a hardy knight / & had alwayes serued true­ly his lordes. This knyght dyd moche honour to thenglysshemen: as a valyant knyght ought to do to all strāgers. Of this he was accused to the french kyng: who incontynent sent a strayt commaundement to therle of Flaunders / that he shulde send for this sayd knyght: and assone as he had hym to strike of his hed. Therle who durst nat breke the kynges cōmanndemēt dyd somoch that this knyght came to hym at his sendyng as he that thought non yuell: and incontynēt he was taken & his heed stryken of. Wherof many folkes were sorie and were sore dysplesed with therle: for he was welbeloued with the lordes of the contrey. These englysshe lordes dyd somoche that Jaques Dartuell dyuerse tymes had togyder the counselles of the good townes to speke of the besynes that these lordes of En­glande desyred: and of the fraūchyses and amy­ties that they offred them in the kyng of Englā des byhalfe. So often they spake of this mater that fynally they agreed / that the kynge of En­glande myght come and go into Flaunders at his pleasure. Howe beit they sayd they were so sore bouude to the french kyng that they myght nat entre into the realme of Fraunce to make a­ny warre / without they shulde forfayt a great somme of florens: and so they desyred that they wold be cōtent with this answere as at y ^t tyme. Thenglysshe lordes retourned agayne to Ua­lencennes with great ioy: often tymes they sent worde to y ^e kyng of Englande how they spedde and euer he sent theym golde and syluer to ber [...] their charges / and to gyue to the lordes of Al­maygne [Page] who desyred nothyng els. In this sea­son the noble erle of Heynalt dyed the .vi. day of June / the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxxvii. and was buryed at the friers in Ualencennes. The bysshoppe of Cābraysang the masse / ther were many dukes / erles / and barownes / for he was welbeloued / and honoured of all people in his lyfe dayes. After his dyscease: y ^e lorde Wyl­lyam his sonne entred into the counteis of Hey­nalt / Hollande / and zelande. Who had to wyfe the dougther of duke John̄ of Brabāt / and had to name Jahane. She was endowed with the lande of Bynche / the which was a right fayre heritage and a profitable. And the lady Jahan her mother went to Fontnels on Lescault / and ther vsed the resydue of her lyfe in great deuotion in thabbey ther / and dyd many good dedes.

OF all these ordynaunces and confortes that the kyng of England had get on that syde the see Kyng Phylipp̄ of Fraunce was well enfor­med of all the mater / & wol­de gladly haue had the flemmyngꝭ on his part. But Jaques Dartuell had so surmounted all maner of people in Flaūders that none durst say agaynst his opynion / nor y ^e erle hym selfe durst nat well abyde in the coun­trey. For he had sent the countesse his wyfe and Loys his sonne into Fraunce for dout of the flē mynges. In this season / ther were in the yle of Cagant / certayne knyghtes and squyers of Flā ders in garyson. As sir Dutres de Haluyn / syr John̄ de Radays / and the sonnes of Lestriefe. They kept that passage agaynst thēglysshmen and made couert warre / wherof thenglysshe lordes beyng in Heynalt were well enformed / and how that if they went that way homewarde in­to England / they shulde be met withall to their dyspleasure. Wherfore they were nat well assu­red / howbeit they rode and went about y ^e coun­trey at their pleasure. All was by the confort of Jaques Dartuell / for he supported and honou­red them as moche as he might. And after these lordes went to Doudrech in Holande / and ther they toke shypping to eschue the passage of Cagaunt. Wher as the garison was layd for them by the commaundement of the frenche kyng / so these englisshe lordes cāe agayne into England as priuely as they coude. And came to the kyng who was right ioyouse of their commyng / and whan he harde of the garyson of Cagaunt. He sayd he wolde prouyde for them shortly / and a­none after he ordayned therie of Derby / (ser) Wa­ter Manny / and dyuerse other knyghtes & squiers with fyue hundred men of armes / and two thousande archers / and they toke shippyng at London in the ryuer of Tames. The first tyde they went to Grauesende: the next day to Margate / and at the thyrde tyde they toke the see / & sayled into Flaūders. So they aparelled them selfe / and came nere to Cagaunt.

WHan thenglysshmen sawe the towne of Cagaunt before thē / they made thē redy and had wynd and tyde to serue them. And so in the name of god and saint George they approched and blewe vp their trumpettes and set their archers before them / and sayled to warde the towne. They of Cagaunt sawe well this great shypp̄ aproche / they knewe well they were englysshmen. And araynged them on the dykes and on the sandes / with their baners be­fore them / and they made .xvi. newe knyghtes. They were a fyue thousande mē of warr good knyghtes and squiers / ther was sir Guy of Flā ders a good and a sure knyght / but he was a bastarde and he desyred all his cōpany to do well their deuoyre. And also ther was sir Dutres de Hauyn / syr John̄ de Roodes / sir Gyles de Le­striefe / sir Symon and syr John̄ of Bonquedēt who were there made knyghtes / and Peter of Anglemonster with many other knyghtes and squiers expert men of armes. Thenglysshmen were desyrous to assayle / and the flēmynges to defende. Thenglysshe atchers began to shout / [Page xix] and cryed their cryes / so that suche as kepte the passage were fayne perforce to recule backe. At this first assaute there were dyuerse sore hurte / and the englysshmen toke lande and came and fought hande to hande. The flēmynges fought valyantly to defende the passage / and thēglysshmen assauted chyualrously. The erle of Derby was that day a good knyght: and at the first as­saut he was so forwarde that he was stryken to the erth / and than the lorde of Manny dyd hym great confort / for by pur feat of armes he rele­ued hym vp agayne and brought hym out of p­yll / and cryed Lancastre for the erle of Derby. Than they approched on euery part and many were hurt: but mo of y ^e flemmynges than of the englysshmen / for the archers shot so holly togy­der that they dyd to the flemmynges moche da­mage. Thus in the hauyn of Cagant ther was a sore batell / for the flēmynges were good men of warre chosen out by the erle of Flaunders / to defende that passage agaynst thenglysshemen. And of Englande there was the erle of Derby sonne to the erle Henry of Lancastre with y ^e wry necke / therle of Suffolke: syr Robert Cobham sir Lewes Byauchampe / sir Wyllyam sonne to therle of Warwyke: the lorde Bourcher / syr Water Māny / and dyuers other. There was a sore batayle and well foughten hande to hande: but finally the flēmynges were put to the chase and were slayne mo than thre thousande / what in y ^• hauyn / stretes / and houses. Syr Guy the ba­starde of Flaūders was taken / and sir Dutres de Haluyn and sir John̄ de Rodes wer slayne / and the two bretherne of Bonquedent / and syr Gyles de Lestrief: and mo than .xxvi. knyghtes and squyers & the towne taken and pylled and all the goodꝭ and prisoners put into the shippes and the towne brent. And so thus the englysshe­men retourned into Englande without any damage: the kyng caused sir Guy bastarde of Flā ders to swere and to bynde hymselfe prisoner. And in the same yere he became englysshe and dyd fayth & homage to the kyng of Englande.

AFter this dysconfeture at Cagaunt: tidynges ther­of spredde abrode in the coū ­trey. And they of Flaunders sayd: y ^t without reason and agaynst their wylles therle of flāders had layd there y ^t ga­ryson. And Jaques Dartuell wolde nat at had ben otherwyse and in contynent he sent messangers to kynge Edwarde: recommendyng hym to his grace withall his hert. Counsellyng hym to come thyder and to passe the see / certyfyenge hym how the flemmynges greatly desyred to se hym. Thus the kyng of Englande made great purueyancꝭ: and whan the wynter was passed / he toke the see well acompanyed with dukes / erles / and barownes and dyuers other knyghtes: and aryued at the towne of Andewarpe / as thā pertayninge to the duke of Brabant. Thyther came people from all partes to se hym / and the great estate that he kept. Than he sent to his cosyn the duke of Brabant / & to the duke of Guer­les: to y ^• marques of Jullers / to the lorde John̄ of Heynalt and to all such as he trusted to haue any conforte of. Sayeng howe he wolde gladly speke with theym: they came all to Andewarpe bytwene Whytsontyde / and the feest of saynte John̄ And whan the kyng had well feasted th [...] he desyred to knowe their myndes whaūe they wolde b [...]gynne that they had promysed: requi­rynge them to dyspatche the mater breuely / for that intēt he sayd he was come thyder / and had all his men redy: and howe it shulde be a great damage to hym to defarre y ^e mater long. These lordes had longe counsell among them / and fy­nally they sayd. Syr our commynge hyther as nowe: was more to se you than for any thynge els: we be nat as nowe purueyed to gyue you a full answere. By your lycence we shall retourne to our people / and come agayne to you at your pleasure: and thaūe gyue you so playne an an­swere that the mater shall nat rest in vs. Than they toke day to come agayn a thre wekes after the feest of saynt John̄. The kynge shewed thē what charges he was at with so longe abyding thynkinge whan he came thyther that they had ben full purueyd to haue made hym a playne answere: sayng howe that he wolde nat returne in to England tyll he had a full answere. So thus these lordes departed / and the kynge taryed in the abbay of saynt Bernarde / and some of the englysshe lordes taryed styll at Andewarpe: to kepe the kynge company / and some of the other rode about the countrey in great dyspence. The [Page] duke of Brabant went to Louane and there ta­ryed a long tyme / and often tymes he sent to the frenche kyng / desyring hym to haue no suspecy­ous to hym & nat to byleue any yuell informaci­on made of hym: for by his wyll he sayd he wold make none alyance nor couenant agaynst hym. Sayrng also that the kynge of Englande was his cosyn germayne / wherfore he might nat deny hym to come into his countrey. The day cāe that the kyng of Englande loked to haue an an­swere of these lordꝭ / and they excused them and sayd howe they were redy and their men. So that the duke of Brabant wolde be redy for his part / sayeng y ^t he was nere than they. And that assone as they might knowe that he were redy / they wolde nat be behynde but be at the begyn­nyng of the mater assone as he. Than the kyng dyd so moche that he spake agayne with y ^e duke and shewed him the answere of the other lordes desyring him by amyte and lynage that no faut were founde in hym / sayeng how he parceyued well that he was but cold in the mater / and that without he wer quicker and dyd otherwyse / he douted he shulde lese therby the ayde of all the other lordes of Amayne / through his defaulte. Than the duke sayd he wolde take counsayle in the matter / and whan he had longe debated the mater he sayd howe he shulde be as redy as any other / but firste he sayd he wolde speke agayne with the other lordes: and he dyde sende for thē desyring them to come to hym wher as they pleased best. Than y ^t day was apoynted about the myddes of August / & this counsell to be at Hale bycause of the yong erle of Heynalt who shulde also be ther / and with hym sir John̄ of Heynalt his vncle. Whan̄e these lordes were all come to this parlyament at Hale / they had longe coun­sayle togyder / finally they sayd to the kyng of Englande. Syr wese no cause why we shulde make defyance to the frenche kyng all thynges consydred / without ye can gette thagrement of themperour: and that he wolde commaunde vs to do so in his name. The emperour may well thus do / for of long tyme past there was a coue­nant sworne and sealed that no kyng of Fraūce ought to take any thyng parteyning to thēpyre and this kynge Philyppe hath taken the castell of Creuecure in Cambreysis / and the castell of Alues in Pailleull: and the cytie of Cambray. wherfore themperour hath good cause to defye hym by vs. Therfore sir: if ye can get his acord our honour shalbe the more / & the kyng sayd he wolde folo we their counsayle. Than it was or­dayned / that the Marques of Jullers shulde go to themperour: and certayne knyghtes and clerkes of the kynges / and some of the counsell of the duke of Gwerles. But the duke of Bra­bant wold sende none fro hym / but he lende the castell of Louayne to the kynge of Englande to lye in. And the Marques and his cōpany foūde the emperour at Florebetche / and shewed hym the cause of their commyng. And the lady Margarete of Heynault dydde all her payne to fur­ther forthe the matter / whom sir Lewes of Ba­nyer than emperour had wedded. And ther the Marques of Jullers was made an erle / and y ^e duke of Guelders who byfore was an erle was than made a duke. And themperour gaue com­myssion to foure knyghtꝭ and to two doctours of his counsell / to make kyng Edwarde of En­glande his bycarre generall throughout all the empyre. And therof these sayd lordes hadde in­strumentes publyke: confyrmed and sealed suf­fyciently by the emperour.

IN this season the yonge kyng Dauyd of Scotlande who had lost the best part of his lande / and coulde natte recouer it out of the holde of thēglysshmend / eparted pri­uely with a small company / and the quene his wyfe with hym and toke shippyng and arryued at Bolayne / and so rodde to Pares to kyng Philyppe who gretly dyd feast hym. And offred hym of his castels to abyde in / and of his goodes to dyspende: on the condyci­on that he shulde make no peace with the kynge of Englande without his counsell and agremēt for kyng Philyppe knewe well howe the kynge of Englande apparelled greatly to make hym warre. So thus the kyng / ther retayned kyng Dauyd & the quene a long season / and they had all that they neded at his coste & charge: for out of Scotlande came but lytell substāce to mayn­tayne withall their estates. And the french king sent certayne messangers into Scotlāde to the lordes ther such as kept warr agaynst thēglissh men / offryng them great ayde and confort: so y ^• [Page xx] they wolde take no peace nor tru [...]e with y ^e kyng of Englande / without it were by his agrement or by thaccorde of their owne kyng: who had in likewyse promysed and sworne. Than the lordꝭ of Scotlande coūselled togyder / and ioyously they accorded to his request / and so sealed and sware with the kyng their lorde. Thus this alyance was made bytwene Scotlande and France / the which endured a long season after / and y ^e frenche kyng sent men of warre into Scotland to kepe warr agaynst thenglysshmen. As (ser) Ar­nolde Dandregien who was alter marschall of Fraunce / and the lorde of Garencieres: and dy­uerse other knyghtes and squyers. The frenche kyng thought y ^t the scottes shulue gyue somoch a do to the realme of England / y ^t thēglysshmen shulde nat come ouer the see to anoy hym.

WHan the kyng of England and the other lordes to hym alyed wer departed fro the parlyament of Hale. The kyng wēt to Louan and made redy the castell for his a byding / and sent for the quene to come thyder if it pleased her: for he sent her worde he wolde nat come thens of an hole yere. And sent home cer­tayne of his knyghtes to kepe his lande fro the scottes. And the other lordꝭ and knyghtes that were there styll with the kynge / rode aboute the realme of Flanders and Henalt / makyng grete dyspence gyueng great rewardes and iuels to the lordes / ladyes / and damoselles of the coun­trey to get their good wylles. They dyd somo­che that they were greatly praysed and specially of the common people / bycause of the port and state that they kept. And than about the feest of all sayntes / the marques of Jullers and his cō ­pany sent worde to the kyng how they had sped: And the kyng sent to hym that he shulde be with hym about the feest of saynt Martyne / and also hesent to the duke of Brabāt to knowe his mynde / wher he wolde the plyament shulde beholde and he answered at Arques in y ^• countie of Loz nere to his countrey. And than the kyng sent to all other of his alyes / that they shulde be there: and so the hall of the towne was apparelled and hanged / as though it had ben the kynges chamber. And there the kyng satte crowned w ^t golde / [...]. fote hygher than any other: and there op [...]nly was redde the letters of thēperour / by the which the kyng was made bycare generall and liefre­naunt for the emperour / and had power gyue [...] hym to make lawes and to mynistre Justyce to euery person in thempours name: and to make money of golde and syluer. The emperour also there commaunded by his letters / that all per­sons of his empyre: and all other his subgiettes shulde obey to the kyng of England his vycare as to hymselfe / and to do hym homage. And in contynent ther was clayme and answere made bytwene parties as before the emperour / and right and iudgement gyuen. Also there was re­nued a iudgement and a statute affermed / that had been made before in the emperours courte / and that was this. That who soeuer wolde any hurt to other / shuld make his defyance thredayes byfore his dede: and he that dyde otherwyse shulde be reputed as an euyll doet / and for a by lans dede. And whan all this was done the lor­des departed / and toke day that they shulde all appere before Cambray thre wekes after y ^e feest of saynte John̄ / the whiche towne was become frenche: thus they all departed / and euery man went to his owne. And kynge Edwarde as by­care of thempyre / went than to Louayne to the quene: who was newely come thyder out of Englande with great noblenesse / and well accōpa­nyed with ladyes and damosels of Englande. So there the kynge and the quene kepte their house ryght honorably all that wynter: and caused money / golde / and syluer: to be made at Andewarpe great plentie. yet for all this the duke of Brabant lefte nat / but with great dyligence sent often messangers to kyng Philyppe / as the lorde Loys of [...]rauehen his chefe counsellour / with dyuers other euer to excuse hym: for y ^e whiche cause this knight was often tymes sent / and at the laste abode styll in the frenche court with the kyng: to thentent alwayes to excuse hym a­gaynst all informacions that myght be made of hym. The which knyght dyd all his detroyre in that behalfe.

[Page] THus the wynter passed and somer came / and y ^e feest of saynt John̄ of Baptyst a­proched. And the lordꝭ of en­glande and of Almayne apa relled themselfe to acōplyssh their enterprise: and the frenche kyng wrought asmoch as he coude to the cō ­trary / for he knewe moch of their intentꝭ. Kyng Edwarde made all his prouisyon in Englande and all his men of warr to be redy to passe y ^e see incōtynent after the feest of saynt John̄ / and so they dyde. Than the kynge went to Uyllenort / and there made his cōpany to be lodged as ma­ny as myght in the towne / and the other with­out a long on the ryuersyde / in tentes and pauylyons. And ther he taryed fro Maudelyn tyde / tyll our lady day in Septembre / abyding we­kely for the lordꝭ of thempyre. And specially for the duke of Brabant / on whose cōmynge all the other abode. And whan the kyng of Englande sawe howe they came nat / he sent great messan­gers to eche of them: sommonyng them to come as they had promysed / and to mete with hym at Machlyn on saynt Gyles day / & than to shewe hym why they had taryed so long. Thus kynge Edwarde lay at Uyllenort / and kepte dayly at his cost and charge well to the nombre of .xvi. hundred men of armes / all [...]e fro thother syde of the see: and .x. M. archers besyde all other ꝓ uysious. The which was a matueylous great charge / besyde the great rewardes that he had gyuen to the lordes / and besyde the great army­es that he had on the see. The frenche kynge on his part / had set Genowayes / normayns / Bre­tons / Pycardes / and spanyardes to be redy on the see: to entre into England assone as y ^e warr were opened. These lordes of Almayne / at the kyng of Englande somons came to Machlyn / and with moche besynesse: finally they acorded that the kyng of Englande might well sette for­warde within .xv. dayes after: and to thentent that their warr shuld be y ^e more laudable. Thei agreed to send their defyancꝭ to the french kyng first the kyng of England / the duke of Guerles the marques of Jullers / sir Robert Dartoyse / sir John̄ of Heynalt / the marques of Musse / y ^e marques of Blanquebourc: the lorde of Faul­quemont / sir Arnold of Baquchen / the archbys shop of Colayne / sir Galeas his brother: and al other lordes of thempyre. These defyancꝭ were written and sealed by all the lordes / except the duke of Brabāt / who sayd he wold do his dede by hymselfe / at tyme conuenyent. To bere these defyances into Fraunce: was charged the bys­shop of Lyncolne / who bare thē to Parys. And dyd his message in suche maner y ^t he coude nat be reproched nor blamed: and so he had a safe cō duct to retourne agayne to his kyng / who was as than at Machlyne.

IN the firste weke that the frenche kyng was thus defyed: sir water Manny assone as he knewe it / he gate to hym a .xl. speres and rode through Brabant nyght and day tyll he came into Heynalt / and entred into the wode of Blaton. As than nat knowig what he shulde do: but he had shewed to some of them that were moost priuyest aboute hym. Howe he had promysed before ladyes and damoselles or he came out of Englande / that he wolde be the first that shulde entre into Fraunce / and to gete other towne or castell / and to do some dedes of armes. And than his entēt was to ryde to Mortaigne and to gete it if he might: the which partayned than̄e to the realme of Fraunce. And soo rode and passed the wode of Blaton / and came in a mornynge before the sonne risyng to Mor­taygne and by aduenture he founde the wycket of the gate opynne. Than he alyghtedde with his company and entred in / and dyd sette cer­tayne of his company to kepe the gate. And so went into the hygh strete with his penon before hym / and came to the great towre: but the gate and wycket was fast closed. And whan y ^e watch of the castell harde the brunt / and sawe them he blewe his horne & cryed treason treason. Than euery man a woke and made them redy / & kept them selfe styll within the castell: than sir water of Manny went backe agayne and dyd set fyre in the strete ioyninge to the castell / so that there were a threscore houses brent / and y ^e people sore a frayed: for they wende all to haue been taken. Than sir water and his company rode backe / streight to Conde: and ther passed the ryuer of Hayne. Than they rode the way to Ualencen­nes / and coosted on the ryght hande and came to Deuayne and so went to the abbay: and soo passed forth towarde Bouhaigne. And dyd so­moche [Page xxi] that the captayne dyd let them passe tho­rough by the ryuer. Than thei came to astrong castell parteyning to the bysshopp̄ of Cambray called the castell of Thyne / y ^e which sodēly they toke / and the captayne and his wyfe win. And the lorde Manny made a good garyson: and set therm a brother of his called sir Gyles Mā ­ny / who afterwarde dyd moche trouble to the cytie of Cābray: for the castell was within a leage of the towne. Than sir Water Manny retour­ned into Brabant / to the kynge his soueraygne lorde: whom he founde at Machlyne / and ther shewed hym all that he had done.

AS sone as kynge Phy­lyppe knewe that he was ve­fyed of the kyng of England and of his alyes: he reteyned men of warre on euery syde. And sent the lord Galoys de [...]a Bausyne a good knyght of Sauoy into the cyte of Cambray / and made hym captayne ther: and with hym sir Thybalt de Marneyle / and the lorde of Roy. So that they were / what of Sauoy and of Fraūce a .ii. hundred speres. And kynge Philyppe sent and seased into his handes the countie of Pontyeu / the which the kyng of Englande had before by reason of his mother. And also he sēt to dyuers lordes of thempyre: as to therle of Heynalt his neue we / to the duke of Lorrayne / therle of Bar the bysshop of Metz / the bysshop of Liege: desy ryng them that they wolde make no yuell pur­chase agaynst hym or his realme. The moost part of these lordes answered / howe they wolde do nothyng that shuld be agaynst hym / and the erle of Heynalt wrote vnto hym right courtessy how that he wolde be redy alwayes to ayd hym and his realme agaynst all men. But seyng the kyng of England maketh his warre / as bycare and lyeutenaunt of thempyre. Wherfore he said he might nat refuse to hym his coūtrey nor his confort: bycause he helde part of his countrey of thempour and assone as sir Her [...]e Nuyriell / sir Peter Bahuchet / and Barbe Noyre: who lay and kept the streightes bytwene England and Fraunce with a great nauy / knewe y ^e the warre was opyn. They came on a sonday in the fore noone to the hauyu of Hampton / whyle the people were at masse: and the Normayns / Pycar­des / and spanyerdes entred into the towne / and robbed and pylled the towne / and slewe dyuers and defowled maydens / and enforced wyues: and charged their vessels with y ^e pyllage. And so entred agayne into their shyppes / and whan the tyde came they dysancred & sayled to Nor­mandy and came to Depe. And there departed and deuyded their boty and pyllages.

THe kyng of England departed fro Machelyne & went to Brussels / and all his people past on by y ^e towne. Than came to the kynge a .xx. M. Almaynes / and the kynge sent and demaūded of the duke of Brabāt what was his entensy on to go to Cambray / or els to leaue it. The duke answered and sayed: that as sone as he knewe that he had besieged Cābray / he wolde come thyder with .xii. hundred speres of good men of warre. Than the kyng went to Nyuell and there lay one nyght / and the nexte day to Mons in Heynalt. And there he founde the yong erle of Heynalt / who receyued him ioyously / and euer sir Robert of Dartoyse was a­bout the kyng as one of his priue counsell / and a .xvi. or .xx. other great lordes and knightes of Englande the which were euer about the kyng for his honoure and estate / and to counsell hym in all his dedes. Also with hym was y ^e bysshop of Lyncolne / who was greatly renomed in this iourney / both in wysdome and ī prowes. Thus thenglysshmen passed forth and lodged abrode in the countrey / and founde prouysion ynough before them for their money / howbeit some [...]ayed truly and some nat. And whan the kyng had taryed two dayes at Mons in Heynalt: than̄e he went to Ualencennes & he and .xii. with hym entred into the towne / and no mo persons. And thyder was come therle of Heynalt and (ser) John̄ his vncle / and the lorde of Faguyuelles / y ^e lorde of Uerchyn / the lorde of Haureth: and dyuers other / who were about therle their lorde. And y ^e kyng and therle went hand in hande to y ^e great hall which was redy aparelled to receyue them. [Page] And as they went vp the steares of the hall / the bysshoppe of Lyncolne / who was there present spake out a loude and sayd: Wyllyam bysshopp̄ of Cambray / I admonysshe you as procurer to the kyng of England vycare of thēpyre of Rōe / that ye opyn the gates of the cyte of Cambray / & if ye do nat ye shall forfayt your landes: and we woll entre byforce. Ther was none that answered to that mater: for the bysshop was nat there present. Than the bysshop of Lyncolne sayd a­gayne: erle of Heynault we admonysshe you in the name of thempour / that ye come and serue y ^e kyng of England his vycare: before the cyte of Cambray with suche nombre as ye ought to do. Therle who was ther presēt: sayd with a right good wyll I am redy. So thus they entred in­to the hall / & therle ledde y ^e kyng into his chābre and anon the supꝑ was redy. And y ^e next day the king deꝑted and went to Aspre and ther taryed .ii. dayes / and suffred all his men to passe forth And so than went to Cābray and loged at Wys and besieged the cyte of Cambray roūde about and dayly his power encreased. Thyder came the yong erle of Heynalt in great atray / and syr John his vncle / and they lodged nere to y ^e kyng and the duke of Guerles and his company / the marques of Musse / therle of Mons / the erle of Sauynes: the lorde of Falquemōt / sir Arnolde of Bouquehen: withall thother lordes of them­pyre / suche as were alyed with the kyng of En­glande. And the sixt day after the siege layd / thyder cāe the duke of Brabant with a .ix. hundred speres besyde other / & he lodged toward Ostre­nan on the ryuer of Lescaut / and made a bridge ouer the water / to thentent to go fro y ^e one hoost to the other. And assone as he was come / he sent to defye the frenche kyng: who was at Compy­engne. Wherof Loys of Traneheu who had al­wayes before excused / the duke was so confused that he wold no more returne agayne into Bra­bant / but dyed for sorowe in Fraūce. This sege durynge / ther were many skirmysshes: and sir John of Heynalt and the lorde of Falquemont rod euer lightly togyder / and brent and wasted sore the countrey of Cambresys. And on a day these lordes with the nombre of .v. C. speres / & a M. of other men of warr / came to the castell of Doisy in Cambresys / pertayning to the lord of Coucy / and made ther a great assaut. But they within dyd defende them so valyantly / that thei had no damage / and so the sayd lordes retour­ned to their lodgynges. Therle of Heynalt and his company on a saturday came to the gate to­warde saynt Quyntines / and made ther a gret assaut ther was John̄ Chandos: who was thā but a squier / of whose prowes this boke speketh moch / he cast hymselfe bytwene the barrers and the gate and fought valyantly with a squyer of Uermandoys called Johanne of saynt Dager / ther was goodly featꝭ of armes done bytwene them. And so the heynows cōquered by force the baylles: and ther was entred therle of Heynalt and his marshals / sir Gararde of Uerchyne / (ser) Henry Dantoyng and other: who aduentured them valyantly to aduaunce their honour & at an other gate called y ^e gate Robert / was y ^• lord Beamonde / and the lorde of Falquemont / the lorde Danghyen / sir Wyllyam of Manny / and their companys / made ther asore and a harde assaut. But they of Cambray / and y ^• soudyers set there by the french kyng / defended themselfe and the cyte so valyantly / that thassauters wan nothyng: but so retourned right wery and well beaten to their logynges. The yong erle of Namure cāe thyder to serue y ^e yong erle of Heynalt by desyre / and he sayd he wolde be on their part as long as they were in thēpyre. But assone as they entred into the realme of Fraunce / he sayd he wolde forsake them & go and serue the french kyng / who had retayned hym. And in likewyse so was thentent of therle of Heynalt / for he had cōmaunded all his men on payne of dethe / that none of them shulde do any thyng within the realme of Fraūce. In this season whyle y ^e kyng of England lay at siege byfore Cambray with .xl. M. men of armes / and greatly constrayned thē by assautes. Kyng Philyp made his somons at Peron in Uarmādoys / & the kyng of England counselled with sir Robert Dartoys in whome he had great affyance / demaūdyng of hym whyther it were better for hym to entre into y ^e realm of Fraunce / and to encounter his aduersary: or els to abyde styll byfore Cābray tyll he had won it biforce. The lordꝭ of England and such other of his coūsell / sawe well how the cyte was strōg and well furnysshed of men a warr and vytels and artylary / and that it shuld be long to abyde ther tyll they had wonne the cytie. Wherof they were in no certētie / and also they sawe well how that wynter aproched nere & as yet had done no maner of entprise / but lay at gret erpēce. Than they counselled the kynge to set forwarde into y ^• realme / wher as they might fynde more plentie of forage. This counsell was taken and all the lordes ordayned to dyslodge / and trussed tentꝭ and pauylions and all maner of harnes / & so departed and rode towarde mnūt saynt Martyn the which was at thentre of Fraūce. Thus they [Page xxii] rode in good oroce / euery lorde amōg his owne men: marshals of thenglysshe hoost were therle of Northāpton & Glocetter and therle of Suf­folke: and constable of Englande was therle of Warwyke / and so they passed ther the ryuer of Lescault / at their ease. And whan therle of Heynalt had acōpanyed the kyng vnto the deptyng out of thēpyre / and that he shuld passe the ryuer and entre into the realme of Fraunce. Than he toke leaue of the kyng / and sayd howe he wolde ryde no farther with hym at that tyme / for kyng Philypp̄ his vncle had sent for hym / & he wolde nat haue his yuell wyll but that he wold go and serue hym in Fraunce / as he had serued y ^• kyng of England in thempyre. So thus therle of Henalt and therle of Namure and their cōpanyes rode backe to Quesnoy. And therle of Heynalt gaue the moost part of his company leaue to be part / desyringe them to be redy whan he sende for them / for he sayd that shortly after he wolde go to kyng Philyppe his vncle.

ASsone as kyng Edward had passed the ryuer of Les­caute / and was entred into y ^e realme of Fraunce / he called to hym sir Henry of Flāders who was as thā a yong squier / and there he made hym knyght. And gaue hym yerely. CC. [...]. sterlyng sufficiently assigned hym in England. Than y ^e kyng went and lodged in thabbey of moūt saint Martyn / and ther taryed two dayes & his peo­ple abrode in the contrey / & the duke of Brabāt was lodged in thabbey of Uancellez. Whan the french kyng beyng at Cōpiengne harde these tydynges / than he enformed his somones & sent y ^e erle of Ewe and of Gynes his cōstable / to saynt Quyntines to kepe the towne and frōters ther agaynst his ennemies / and sent y ^e lorde of Cou­cy into his owne contrey / and the lorde of Hen i to his: and sent many men of armes to Guyse & to Rybemont to Behayne / & the fortresses ioy­nyng to thentre of the realme. And so went hymselfe to wards Peron / in y ^e meane season y ^t kyng Edward lay at thabbey of moūt saynt Martyn his men ran abrode in the contrey to Bapau [...]me and nere to Peron & to saynt Quyntines / they founde the contrey piētyfull / for ther had ben no warr of a long season / and so it fortuned that (ser) Henry of Flauders to auance his body / & to eu­crease his honour on a day with other knyghts. Wherof sir John̄ of Heynalt was chefe: & with hym the lorde of Faulquemōt / the lorde of Ber­gues the lorde of Uaudresen / the lorde of Lens and dyuers other to the nōbre of .v. C. And they auysed a towne therby called Hōnecourt / wher in moch peple wer gadered on trust of y ^e fortresses. And therin they had cōueyed all their goodꝭ and ther had ben (ser) Arnolde of Baquehen & syr Wyllm̄ of Dunor and their cōpany: but they at tayned nothyng ther. Ther was at this Hōny­court / an abbot of great wysdome & hardynes / and he caused to be made without the towne a barrers ouerthwart the strete lyke a grate / nat past half a fote wyde euery grate. And he made great puisyons of stones & quicke lyme / & men redy to defende the place. And these lordꝭ whan they came thyder they lighted a fote / & entred to the barrers with their gleuys in their handes / & ther began a sore assaut: & they within valyātly defended thēselfe. Ther was thabbot hymselfe who receyued & gaue many great strokes / there was a ferse assaut: they win cast downe stones / peces of tymbre / potts full of chalke / & dyd mo­che hurt to thassaylers. and (ser) Henry of Flāders who helde his glayue in his handes & gaue ther with great strokes / at the last thabbot toke the gleue in his handꝭ & drewe it so to hym / y ^• at last he set hands on (ser) Henres arme: & drewe it so sore that he pulled out his arme at the barrers to the shulder / & heldehym at a great auauntage: for & y ^• barrers had ben wyd ynough he had drawen hym through: but (ser) Henry wolde nat let his wepen go for sauyng of his honour. Than thother knyghts strake at thabbot to rescue their felowe so this wrastlyng endured a longe space: but fy­nally the knyght was rescued / but his gleaue a­bode with thabbot. And on a day whan I wrot this boke as I past by / I was shewed the gleue by the monkes ther / y ^t kept it for a treasur. So this sayd day: Hōnycourt was sore assaylled y ^e which indured tyll it was nyght / & dyuerse wer slayne and sore hurt. Syr Johān of Heynault lost there a kynght of Hollande / called sir Her­ment. Whan the flemyngꝭ / heynowes / englyssh men / and almaygnes: same the fierse wylles of them within / and sawe howe they coulde gette nothynge there: withdrewe them selfe agaynst nyght. And y ^e next day on the mornyng y ^• kyng [Page] depted fro mount saynt Martyn / cōmaūdynge that no person shulde do any hurt to the abbey / the which cōmaundemēt was kept. And so than they entred into Hermandoys and toke y ^• day their lodgyng be tymes on y ^• mount saynt [...]ui tyne in good order of batayle. And they of saynt [...]uyntines myght well se them / how be it they had no desyre to yssue out of their towne. The fore ryders came rynnynge to the barrers skyr­mysshyng / and the hoost taryed styll on y ^• moūt iyll the next day. Than the lordes toke counsell what way they shulde drawe / and by thaduyce of the duke of Brabant they toke y ^• way to Thyerasse / for that way their prouisyon came dayly to thē. And were determyned that if kyng [...]hy lyppe dyd folowe thē as they supposed he wolde do / that than they wolde abyde hym in y ^• playne felde / and gyue hym batayle. Thus they went forthe in thre great batayls: the marshalles and the Almaygnes had the first / the kynge of En­glande in the myddle warde / & the duke of Brabant in the rerewarde. Thus they rodde forthe brennynge and pyllynge the countrey a thre or foure leages a day / and euer toke their logynge be tymes. And a company of englysshmen and Almaygnes passed the ryuer of Somme by the abbey of [...]ermans / and wasted the countrey al about. An other company wherof sit Johān of Heynalt / the lorde Faulquemōt and sir Arnold of Barquehen were chefe / rode to Drigny saynt Benoyste a good towne. But it was but easely closed / incontynent it was taken by assaut and robbed / and an abbey of ladyes vyolated / and the towne brent. Than they departed and rode towarde Guys and Rybemont / and the kynge of Englande lodged at [...]ehories / and ther ta­ryed a day / and his men ranne abrode and dy­stroyed the countrey. Than the kynge toke the way to the Flammengerie to come to Lesche in Thyerasse / and the marshals and the bysshopp̄ of Lpncolne with a fyue hunderd speres passed the ryuer of Trysague and entred into Laon­noys / towarde the lande of the lorde of Cou [...]y / and bret saynt Gouuen and the towne of Mat­le. And on a nyght lodgedde in the valey besyde Laon / and the nerte day they drewe agayne to their hoost: for they knewe by some of their pri­soners / that the frenche kyng was come to saynt [...]uyntines with a. C. thousand men / and there to passe the ryuer of Somme. So these lordes in their retournynge brent a good towne called Crecy: and dyuerse other townes and hamelet­tes ther about. ¶ Now let vs speke of (ser) John̄ of Heynalt and his company / who were a fyue hundred speres he came to Guys and brent all the towne and bete downe the mylles. And w ^t in the fortresses was the lady Jane his owne dou­ghter wyfe to therle of Bloys called Lewes / she desyred her father to spare therytage of the erle his son in lawe. But for all that sit John̄ of He­nalt wolde nat spare his enterprise: and so than he retourned agayne to the kyng / who was lod­ged in thabbey of Sarnaques / and euer his peple r [...] ouer the countrey. And the lorde of Fal­quemont with a. C. speres came to Lonnion in Thyerasse a great towne / and the men of the towne were fled into a great wood / and had all their goodes with them. And had fortifyed the wood with fellyng of tymbre about thē / the Al­mayns rode thyder and there mette with them. Sir arnolde of Baquehen and his company / & so ther they assayled them in the wood / who de­fēdyd thē aswell as they might: but finally they were cōquered and put to flight. And ther wer slayne and sore hurt mo than .xl. and lost all that they had: thus the contrey was ouer ryden / for they dyd what they lyst.

THe kyng of Englande depted fro Sarnaques and went to Muttrell. And ther loged a nyght / & the next day he went to the Flamēgery / & made all his mē to loge nere about hym. Wherof he had mo than .xl. thousande / and there he was coūsel­led to avyde kyng [...]lyp / and to fyght w ^t hym The french kyng depted fro saynt Duyntines / and dayly men came to hym fro all partes / & so cāe to Uyrōfosse. There the kyng taryed & sayd howe he wold nat go thens tyll he had fought w ^t the kynge of Englande & with his alyes / seyng they were within two leages toguyther. And whā therle of Heynalt who was at Du [...]lnoy re­dy purueyed of men a warr / knewe that y ^• fren­che kyng was at Uyronfosse / thynkyng there to gyue batayle to thenglysshmen. He rode forthe tyll he cāe to the french hoost with .v. C. speres. and presēted hymself to the kyng his vncle / who made hym but small cher / vycause he had ven w ^t his aduersary before Cambray. Howe ve it the erle excused hymselfe so sagely / that the kynge and his counsayle were well cōtent. And it was [Page xxiii] ordayned by the marshals / that is to say by the marshall Bertrame / and by y ^• marshall of Try that the erle shulde be lodged next the englysshe hoost. Thus these two kynges were lodged by­twene [...]yrōfosse and Flamēgery / in the playne feldes without any aduauntage. I thynke ther was neuer sene before so goodly an assemble of noble men togyder / as was there. Whanne the kynge of England beyng in the chapell of Thyerasse / knewe how that king Ph [...]ypp̄ was w ^t in two leages / than he called the lordes of his host togyder / and demaūded of them what he shuld [...]o: his honour saued / for he sayd that his enten cyon was to gyue batayle. Than the lordes be­helde eche other / and they desyr [...]dde the duke of Brabāt to shewe first his entent. The duke said that he was of the accorde that they shulde gyue batayle / for otherwyse he sayd they coude nat depart / sauyng their honours. Wherfore he coun­sayled y ^• they shulde sende harauloes to the frenche kyng / to demaunde a day of batayle. Than an haraulde of the duke of Guerles / who coude well the langage offrenche was enformed what he shulde say: and so herode tyll he came into y ^• frenche hoost. And than he drewe hym to kynge Philyppe and to his counsayle: and sayd (ser) the kynge of Englande is in the felde / and desyreth to haue batell / power agaynst power. The whiche thyng kyng Philyppe graunted / and toke the day / the friday nextafter: and as thā it was weduisday. And so the haraude re [...]ourned well rewarded w ^t good [...]urred gownes gyuen hym by the french kyng and other lordes / bycause of the tidynges that he brought. So thus the iourney was agreed / & knowledge was made ther­of: to all the lordes of bothe the hoostes / and so euery man made hym redy to the matter. The thursday in the mornyng there were two knyghtes of ther [...]e of Heynaultes / the lorde Sangui­nelles / and the lorde of Tupeney. They moun­ted on their horses / and they two all onely dep­ted fro the frenche hoost / and rode to a viewe y ^• englyssh hoost. So they ro [...]e co [...]yng the hoost and it fortuned that the lorde of Sanguynelles horse toke the bridell in the tethe in suche wyse: that his ma [...]ter coud nat rule hym. And so why ther he wolde or nat / the horse brought hym in­to thenglysshe hoost: and there he fell in the handes of the [...]maynes / who perceyued well that he was none of their company: and set on hym and toke hym and his horse. And so he was pri­soner to a fyue orsixe gentylmen of [...]mayne: & a none they set hym to his raunsome. And whan they vnderstode that he was a [...]aynome / the [...] demaunded of hym if he knewe (ser) Joh [...] of Hep­nalt / and he answered yes: and desyred them for the loue of god to bring hym to his presens / for he knewe well that he wolde quyte hym his raū some. Therof were the Almaygns ioyous / and so brought hym to the lorde Beaumounde / who incontynent dyde pledge hym out fro his mai­sters handes. And the lorde of Sanguynelles retourned agayne to therle of Heyualt / and he had his horse agayne delyuered hym at the re­quest of the lorde Beamond. Thus passed that day / and [...]one other thynge done that ought to be remembred.

WHan the friday came in the mornyng / both hoostes aparelled thē selfe redy / and euery lorde harde masse among their owne cōpa [...]y­es / and dyuers wer shr [...]uen. First we woll speke of thorder of thenglysshmen who drewe thē forwarde into the feld [...] and made. iii▪ batels a fote / and dyd put all their horses and bagages into a lytell wood behynde them / and for tefyed it. The first batell ledde the duke of Guerles / the marques of Nusse / the marques of Blaquebour [...]: sir John̄ of Heynalt / therle of [...]ōs / therle of Sauynes / the lorde of Faulquemont / sit Guyllam du Fort / sir Arnolde of Baquche [...] and the almayns: and amonge them▪ was▪ xxii▪ banners / and .lx. penons in the hale / and .viii. M [...]men. The seconde batayle had the duke of Brabant / and the lordes and knyghtes of his countrey. First the lorde of [...]u [...]se / the lorde Bergues / the lorde of Bredangh / the lorde of [...] the lorde of [...]aucelare / the lorde of Borguynall the lorde of Stōneuort / the lorde of wyten / the lorde of Elka / the lorde of Cassebegne / y ^• lorde of Duffle: (ser) Thyrre of [...]alcourt / (ser) Rasse of the Grez / (ser) John̄ of Cassebegne / (ser) John̄ Filyfe / (ser) Gyles of Coterebe / (ser) water of [...]otebergue / the thre bretherne of Harlebecque / (ser) Henry of Flaiū ders: and dyuerse other barownes & knyghtꝭ of flanders who were all vnder y ^• duke of [...] baner: as y ^• lorde of Hallayne / y ^• lorde of [...] sir Hector [...]yllains / sit John̄ of Rodes / (ser) [...] start of Gupstell / (ser) wyllin̄ of Strat [...] / (ser) [...] de la mule: & many other. The duke of Brabāt had a .xxiiii. baners / and .lxxx. penons / & in all a vii. M. men. The .iii. bataile & the grettest ha [...] [Page] the kyng of Englande / and with hym his cosyn therle of Derby: the bysshopp̄ of Lyncolne / the bysshopp̄ of Durame / therle of Salysbury / the erle of Northamton and of Glocetter: therle of Suffolke / sir Robert Dartoyse as than called erle of Rychmont: the lorde Raynolde Cobhm̄ / the lorde Persy / the lorde Roose / the lord Montbray: sir Lewes and sir John̄ Beauchampe / y ^e lorde Dalawarr / the lorde of Laucome / y ^e lorde Basset the lorde fitz water / sir Water Manny sir Newe Hastyngs / sir John̄ Lyle: and dyuers other that I can nat name / among other was (ser) John̄ Chandos / of whom moche honour is spoken in this boke. The kyng had w ^t hym .xxviii. baners / and .lxxxx. penons / and in his batayle a vi. M. men of armes and .vi. M. archers. And he had set an other batell as in a wyng: wherof therle of Warwyke / therle of Penbroke / y ^e lorde Barkley / the lorde Multon: and dyuerse other were as cheyfe / & they wer on horsbacke. Thus whan̄e euery lorde was vnder his banner / as it was cōmaunded by the marshals: the kynge of England mounted on a palfray / acōpanyed all onely with sir Robert Dartoyse / sir Raynolde Cobham / and (ser) Water of Manny: and rode a long before all his batels / and right swetely de­syred all his lordes and other. That they wolde that day ayde to defende his honoure / & they all ꝓmysed hym so to do. Than he returned to his owne batell & set euery thing in good order / and cōmaūded that non shuld go before y ^e marshals banerꝭ. ¶ Nowe let vs speke of the lordes of Fraunce what they dyd. They were .xi. score baners .iiii. kynges .vi. dukes .xxvi. erles / and mo than .iiii. M. knyghtes: and of the cōmons of Fraunce mo than .lx. M. The kyngs that were ther with kyng Philyppe of Ualoys / was the kyng of Behayne / the kyng of Nauerr / & king Dauyd of Scotland: the duke of Normandy / the duke of Bretayne / the duke of Burbon / the duke of Lorrayne / and the duke of Athenes. Of erles: therle of Alanson brother to the kyng / the erle of Flaunders / therle of Heynalt / the erle of Bloys / therle of Bare / therle of Forestes / therle of Foyz / therle of Armynacke / the erle Dophyn of Auuergne / therle of Lōguyle / therle of Stā ­pes / therle of Uandosme / therle of Harrecourt / therle of saynt Pol / therle of Guynes / therle of Bowlougne / therle of Roussy / therle of Dampmartyn / therle of Ualentynois / therle of Aucer therle of Sancerre / therle of Genue / the erle of Dreux and of Gascongne / and of Languedoc. So many erles and vycuntes that it were long to reherse: it was a great beauty to beholde the baners and standerdes wauyng in the wynde / and horses barded: and knyghtes and squyers richely armed. The frechemen ordayned thre great batayls / in eche of them fyftene thousand men of armes. and .xx. M. men a fote.

IT might well be marueyledde: howe so goodly a sight of men of warr so nere togyder shulde depart without batayle. But the french men were nat all of one acorde / they were of dyuers opy­nyons. Some sayed it were a great shame and they fought nat seyng their ennemys so nere thē in their owne countre / raynged in the felde. and also had promysed to fyght with thē: and some other sayd it shulde be a great folly to fyght / for it was harde to knowe euery mannes mynde / & ieoꝑdy of treason. For they sayd if fortune were cōtrary to their kyng as to lese the selde / he than shuld put all his hole realme in a ieopardy to be lost. And though he dyd dysconfet his ennemes yet for all that he shuld be neuer the nerer of the realme of Englande: nor of such landes parteynyng to any of those lordes that be with hym a­lyed. Thus in striuyng of dyuers opynions / y ^e day past tyll it was past noone: and than sodenly ther started an Hare among the frenchmen / and suche as sawe her cryed and made gret brūt wherby suche as were behynde thought they before had ben fightynge. And so put on their hel­mes / and toke their speres in their handes / and so ther were made dyuers newe knyghtes / and specially therle of Heynalt made .xiiii. who wer euer after called knyghts of the hare. Thus that batell stode styll all that friday / and besyde this stryfe bytwene the counsellours of France / ther was brought in letters to the hoost of recōmen­dacion to the frenche kyng and to his counsell. Fro kyng Robert of Cicyle / the which kyng as it was sayd was a great astronomyer: and full of great science. He had often tymes sought his bokꝭ on thestate of the kyngs of England and of frāce: & he founde by his astrology / & by thēflu­ens of y ^e heuēs / y ^t if the french kyng euer fought with kyng Edwarde of england / he shuld be di­scōfited. wherfore he lyke a king of gret wysdōe [Page xxiiii] and as he that douted the peryll of the frenche kyng his cosyn sent often tymes letters to king Philyppe and to his counsayle: that in no wyse he shulde make any batayle agaynst thenglyss men / where as kyng Edwarde was personally present. So that what for dout and for such writyng fro the kyng of Cecyle dyuers of the great lordes of Fraunce were sore a basshed: and also kynge Philyppe was enfourmed therof. He we beit yet he had great wyll to gyue batayle: but he was so counselled to the cōtrary / that the day passed without batell and euery man withdrue to their lodgynges. And whan the erle of Hey­nalt same that they shulde nat fight he departed withall his hole company / and went backe the same nyght to Quesnoy. And the kyng of En­glande / the duke of Brabant: and all the other lordes retourned and trussed all their bagagis / and went the same nyght to Dauesnes in Hey­nalt. And the next day they toke leaue eche of o­ther: and the Almayns / and brabances depar­ted / and the kynge went into Brabant with the duke his cosyn. The same friday that the batell shulde haue ben the french kynge whan he came to his lodgyng he was sore dyspleased / bycause he departed without batayle. But they of his counsayle: sayd howe right nobly he had borne hymselfe / for he had halyantly pursued his en­nemies / and had done somoche that he had put thē out of his realme: and how that the kyng of Englande shuld make many such vyages or he conquered the realme of Fraūce. The next day kyng Philypp̄ gaue lycēce to all maner of men to dept / and he thanked right courtesly the gret lordes of their ayde & socour. Thus ended this great iourney and euery mā went to their owne The frenche kynge went to saynt Omers / and sent men of warre to his garysons: and special­ly to Tourney / to Lysse / and to Doway: and to the other townes marchyng on thēpyre. He sent to Tourney: syr Godmart Dufay / and made hym captayne there / and regent of that coūtrey ther about. And he sent syr Edwarde of Beau­gewe to Mortayne: and whan he had ordred ꝑt of his besynes / than he drewe towarde Parys.

WHan that kynge Edwards was departed fro the flamengery and came into Brabāt / and went streight to Brussels. The duke of Guerles / the duke of Jullers / the marques of Blanqueboure / the erle of Mons / syr John̄ of Haynalt / the lorde of Faulquemōt / and all the lordes of thempyre suche as had ben at that iournay: brought hym thyder to take aduyce & counsell what shulde be done more in the mater that they had be gone. And to haue expe­dycion in the cause: they ordayned a parlyamēt to beholden at y ^e towne of Brussels / and thyder to come was desyred Jaques Dartuell of Gaūt who came thyder with a great company / and al the counsels of the good townes of Flaunders. Ther the king of England was sore desyred of all his alyes of thempyre / that he shulde requyre thē of Flanders to ayde & to mentayne his warr and to defy the french kyng: and to go with him wher as he wolde haue them. And in their so doyng: he to promyse thē to recouer the Isle Do­way / & Bethayne. This request was well hard of the slemynges / and therupon they desyred to take counsell among themselfe: and so they toke coūsell at good leaser / and than they sayd to the kyng. Syr or this tyme ye haue made to vs re­quest in this behalfe: syr if we myght well doo this sauyng your honour / and to saue ourselfe / we wolde gladly do this. But syr we be bounde by faith and othe: and on the somme of two my: lyons of floreyns in the Popes chaumbre / that we may make nor moue no warre agaynst the kynge of Fraunce. Who soeuer it be: on payne to lese the sayd somme / and besyde that to ryn in the sentēce of cursyng. But syr if ye wyll take on you the armes of Fraūce / & quarter them with the armes of Englande & call yourselfe kyng of Fraunce / as ye ought to be of ryght. Than we woll take you for rightfull kyng of Fraūce / & de maūde of you quytāce of out bondes: & so ye to gyue vs ꝑdon therof as king of Frāce. By this meanes we shalbe assured & dyspēsed w ^t all / & so thā we wyll go with you whyder soeuer ye wyll haue vs. Than the kyng toke coūsell for he tho­ught it was a sore mat to take on hym y ^e armes of France & the name / and as thā had cōquered nothing therof / nor coud nat tell what shuld fall therof / nor whyder he shuld cōquere it or nat: & on thother syde loth he was to refuse the confort and ayde of the stemynges / who myght do hym more ayde thā any other. So y ^e kyng toke counsell of the lords of thēpyre / & of the lorde Robert Dartoyse / & with other of his specyall frendes / [Page] so that finally the good and the yuell wayed. He answered to the flemmynges / that if they wolde swere & seale to this accorde / and to promyse to mentayne his warre: howe he wolde do all this with a good wyll / and promysed to gette them agayne Lyle / Do way / & Bethayn: and all they answered howe they were content. Than there was a day assigned to mete at Gaunt / at which day the kynge was there / and the moost part of the sayd lordes and all the counsayls generally in Flaūders. And so than: all this sayd maters were rehersed / sworne / and sealed: and the king quartred the armes of Fraūce with Englande / And from thens forthe toke on hym the name of the kynge of Fraunce / and so contynued tyll he lefte it agayne by composicyo [...] / as ye shall here after in this boke. And so at this counsayle they determyned that the next somer after / they wold make great warre into Fraunce: promysing to besiege the cytie of Tourney. Wherof the flem­myngꝭ were ioyfull / for thei thought to be strōg ynough to gete it / and that ones goten / they be leued shortly after to wynne agayne Lysse / Do way / and Bethayne: with thappurtenaūces [...] ­tayning or holden of therle of Flaūders. Thus euery man departed and went home: the kynge of Englande went to And warpe / and the quene abode styll at Gaunt / and was often tymes vy­sited by Jaques Dartuell: and by other lordes ladyes / and damosels of Gaunt. The kyng left in Flaunders / therle of Salysbury / and therle of Suffolke. They went to Ipre and ther kept a great garyson / and made sore warre agaynst them of Lysse / and there about. And whan the kynges shyppes were redy he toke the see / and so sayled into Englande / and came to London about the feest of saynt Andrewe / where he was honourably receyued. And ther he had cōplayn tes made hym of the dystruction of Hampton / and he sayd that he trusted / or a yere lenger that it shulde be well reuenged.

NOwe lette vs speke of kyng Philyppe / who greatly fortifyed his nauy that he hadde on the see. Wherof syr Kiry Bahuchet and Barbe Noyre were captayns. And thei had vnder them a great retynu [...] of Genowayes / normayns / bretons / & pycardes: they dyd that wynter great damage to the realme of Englande: somtyme they came to Douer / sandwyche / Wynchelse / Hastynges / and Rye: and dyd moche sorowe to thenglysshe men / for they were a great nombre as a .xl. M. men. Ther was none that coude yssue out of en glande: but they were robbed / taken / or slayne / so they wan great pyllage / & specially they wan a great shyppe called the Christofer / laden with wolles as she was goyng into Flaunders. The which shyppe had coost the kynge of Englande moch money / and all they that were taken with in the shyppe were slayne and drowned. Of the which conquest the frenchmen were ryght ioye­ouse. The frenche kyng than sent and wrote to the lorde of Beamont / y ^• lorde of Breme / to the Uidame of Chalon / the lorde John̄ de la Boue the lorde John̄ and Gararde of Loyre / that they shulde make an army and to ryde into the land of syr John̄ of Heynalt / & to burne and dystroy there asmoche as they might. They obeyd and gathered togyder to the nombre of .v. C. speres and so in a mornynge they came before the tow­ne of Simay / & gathered to gyder there a gret pray / for they of the countrey thought that the frenchmen wolde nat a cōe so farre / nor to haue passed the wode of Thyrach. So the frēchmen burnt the subarbes of Simay / and dyuerse o­ther vyllages there about nygh all the lande of Simay except the fortresses / than they went to Aubēton in Thyerach / and ther deuyded their boty. In the same season the soudyours of Cā ­bray came to a lytell strong house without Cā ­bray called Relenques / pertayning to syr John̄ of Haynalt. And a bastarde sonne of his kept y ^• house with a .xv. soudyours with hym / so they were assayled a hole day togyder / and y ^e dykes wer so frosen that a man might well come to the walles. And so they within trussed all that they had / and about mydnight departed and set fyre themselfe on the house: the next day whan they of Cambray came thyder agayne / & sawehowe it was brent they dyd bete downe all that stode / And the capitayne of the house and his compa­ny went to Ualencennes. ye haue well harde by [Page xxv] fore / howe sir Gualter of Manny toke y ^• castell of Thyne: and set therm a brother of his called Gyles of Manny / he made many skirmysshes with them of Cābray / and dyd them moch trouble. And so it hapened on a day that he went fro his garyson with a sixscore men of armes / and came to the barrers of Cambray / and the brunt was so great that many armed them within the cyte / and came to y ^e gate wher as the skirmyssh was. Wher as sir Gyles had put backe them of Cambray / than they yssued out: and among the cambreses ther was a yong squyer a gascoyne / called Wyllyam Marchant: who went out into the felde well horsed / his shelde about his necke and his spere in his hande. And whan (ser) Gyles of Māny sawe hym he rode f [...]er [...]ly to hym: and ther (ser) Gyles was strykē through all his harnes to y ^e hert / so that y ^• spere went clene through his body & so he fell to the erth. Than ther was a [...]yers skirmysshe & many stryken downe on bothe partes / but finally they of Cambray obtayned the place and drewe a way their ennemies / and toke with them sir Gyles of Manny hurt as he was / and so brought hym to Cambray w ^t great toye. Than incontynent they dysarmed hym / [...] dyd gette surgions to dresse his wound: for they wold gladly that he might escaped: but he dyed the next day after. Than thei d [...]myned to send his body to his two bretherne John̄ and Tyr­rey / who were in the garyson at Bouhayne in Ostrenant: for though that the countrey of Heinalt at that tyme was in no warr / yet all the frō ters to warde Fraūce were euer in good awayt So than they ordayned a horse lytter right ho­norably and put his body therin / and caused .ii. freres to conuey it to his bretherne / who recey­ued hym with great sorowe. And they bare hym to the freres at Ualencennes / and there he was buryed: and after that the two bretherne of Mā ny came to the castell of Thynel and made sore warre agaynst them of Cambray incounter­uengyng the dethe of their brother.

¶ In this season: captayne of Turney & Tur­neyses / was sir Godmarde Fay & of the fortres­ses there about / and the lorde of Beauye [...] was within Mortayn on the ryuer of Lescaute / and the stuarde of Carcassonne was in the towne of saynt Amande: (ser) Amery of Poyters in [...]ouay the lorde Galoisde la Baulme / and the lorde of Uyllars / the marshall of My [...]s / and the lorde of Marneyl in the cyte of Cambray. And these knyghtes / squyers / and soudyers of France desyred none other thyng: but y ^e they myght entre into Heynault / and to robbe and [...]yll the countrey. Also the bysshoppe of Cambray who was at Parys with the kyng / cōplayned howe the heynowes had done hym domage / brēt and ouer ron his contrey more than any other men. And than the kyng gaue lycence to the soudiers of Cābresys to make a rode into Heynalt: th [...] they of the garysous made a iourney / and were to the nombre of .vi. C. men of armes. And on a saturday in the mornyng they departed fro Cā ­bray: and also they of la Male Mayson / rode forth the same day and mette togyder and went to the towne of Aspre / y ^e which was a good towne and a great without the walles. The peo [...] ther were in no dout for they knewe of no warr towardes thē: so the frenchmen entred & founde men and women in their houses / and toke them and robbed the towne at there pleasur. And tha sette fyre in the towne: and brent it so clene that nothynge remayned but the walles: within the towne ther was a priory of blacke monkꝭ with great byldinges besyde the church / which helde of saynt Wast of Arras. The frenchmen also robbed the place / and brent it to the yerth / and with all their pyllage they retourned to Cābray These tidynges anone came to the knowledge of therle of Heynault / who was a bedde and a [...]epe in his lodgyng: called the sale / and soden­ly he rose and armed hym and called vp all such knyghtes as were about hym / but they were lo­ged so abrode / that they were nat so sonne redy as therle was / who without taryeng for any ꝑ­son came into the market place of Ualencēnes / and caused the belles to be souned alaram / than euery man a rose and armed them and folowed therle their lord / who was ryden out of y ^e towne in great hast and toke the way towarde Aspre: and by that tyme he had ryden aleage / tidyng [...] came to hym howe the frenchmen were depted. Than he rode to thabbey of Fountnels / where as the lady his mother was: and she had moche a do to repayse hym of his dyspleasure: for he sayd playnly that the dystruction of Aspre shuld derely be reuenged in the realme of Fraunce. The good lady his mother: dyd asmoche as she coude to swage his yre / and to excuse the kynge of that dede. So whā therle had ben ther a cer­tayne space / he toke leaue of her and retourned to Ualencēnes: and incōtynent wrote letters to the prelates and knyghtꝭ of his contrey to haue their aduyce and counsayle in that behalfe. And whan sir John̄ of Heynalt knewe her of / he toke his horse and came to therle his nephue: and as sone as the erle sawe hym / he sayd a fayre vncle your absence hath sette the frenchmen in a pride [Page] A sir ꝙ he with your trouble and anoyance / I am sore dyspleased: howe beit in a maner I am glad therof. Nowe ye be well rewarded for the seruyce and loue that ye haue borne to y ^• french­men Nowe it behoueth you to make a iourney into Fraunce agaynst the frenchmen a vncle ꝙ therle / loke into what quart ye thynke best and it shalbe shortly done. So thus the day of par­lyamēt assigned at Mons came and thyder re­soried all the counsayle of the countrey: and also of Nolande and zelande / ther were di [...]iers opy­nyons. Some wolde that certayne sufficyent ꝑ sons shulde be sent to the french kyng / to knowe if he were cōsentyng to the hurt done in Henalt / or by what tytle he shulde make warre into the erles lande without any defiaunce. And some o­ther wold that therle shulde be reuenged in lyke maner as the frenchmen had begon / how beit finally all reasons debated: it was thought that therle coude do no otherwyse but to make warr into Fraunce. And it was ordayned that therle shulde make his defyaunce to the frenche kyng / and than to entre byforce into the realme of Frā ce: & to bere these defyāces was ordayned / thabbot Thybalt of saynt Crispyne. So thā the let­ters of defyance were written & sealed by therle / & by all y ^e nobles of the cōtrey. Than therle thā ked all his lordes / and other of their good con­fort / and of their promyse to ayde to reuēge him agaynst the frenchmen. Thabbot of saynt Crispyne came into Fraunce / and brought these de fyances to kyng Philypp̄ / who made light therof: and sayd how his nephue was but an outra­ous folc / & howe that he was a marchāt to haue his cōtrey brēt. Thabbot returned to therle & to his counsayle / & shewed howe he had sped. And than therle prepared for men of warre in his cō trey / and in Brabant / and in Flanders: so that he had [...] great nombre togyder. And so set for­warde / towarde the lande of Symay: for therlles intent was to go and brenne the landes of y ^• lorde of Bremus / and also Aubenton / and Thyerache.

THey of Aubenton douted greatly therle of Heynalt & sir John̄ his vncle. And so they sent for some ayde to the great bayly of Uermādoys / and he sent to thē the vydam of Chalons / the lorde Beau­mont / the lorde de la Bone / the lorde of Lore: & dyuers other to the nombre of. CCC. men of armes. And so they repayred y ^e towne in certayne places / and determyned to abyde the heynowes and to defende the towne: the which was a gret towne and full of drapery. The heynowes cam on a friday and lodged nere to Aubenton / & ad­uysed the towne / to se on what quarter it were moost best to be taken: and in the mornyng they aproched in thre wardes their baners before thē right ordynatly: and also their crosbowes. The erle of Heynalt ledde the first batayle and with hym great nombre of the knyghtes and squiers of his countrey. His vncle sir John of Heynalt had the seconde batayle / wher as he had plenty of men a warr. The thyrde had the lorde Faul­quemont with a good nōbre of almaynes. And so thus euery lorde was vnder his owne baner / and there began̄e a sore assaut: and the bowes began to shote both within and without / wher­by dyuers were sore hurt. Therle and his com­pany came to the gate / ther was a great assaut and a sore skirmysshe: ther the Uydame of Ca­lons dyd marueyles / & he made at the gate thre of his sonnes knyghtes. But finally therle and his company cōquered the baylies / and byforce made their ennemies to withdrawe into y ^t gate And also at the gate towarde Symay was sir John̄ de la Bone / and sir John̄ Beamōt / ther was also a cruell assaut: they within wer fayne to withdrawe in at their gates and to leaue the barrers / and the heynowes wan it / and y ^• brige also. Ther was a sore assaut: for suche as were fledde and entred within / went vp on the gate and cast downe barres of yron / stones / pottꝭ full of quycke lyme: wherby many were sore hurt / a squyer of Henalt receyued suche a stroke with a stone on his targe that it was clouyn clene a sonder with the stroke / and his arme broken so that it was long after or he was hole. The saturday in the mornyng ther was a great assaut / & they within dyd their deuer to defende themselfe: but finally the towne was wonne byforce / and their pales and defences broken. And first entred in­to the towne: sir John̄ of Heynalt with his ba­ner / with great cryeng and showtyng. Than y ^u Uydame of Chalons withdrewe hym and his [Page xxvi] company into the place before the mynster / and there made semblant to defende hymselfe as lōg as he myght endure. But the lorde of Bremus departed without order for he knewe well that sir John̄ of Heynalt was lore dyspleased with him so that he thought if he had ben taken / y ^t no raūsome shulde haue saued his lyfe. And whan sir John̄ of Heynalt knewe that he was depar­ted: that had done somoche dyspleasure in his lande of Symay / he pursued after hym. But the lorde of Bremus sledde falt / and founde the gate of his towne opyn / and so entred in: and (ser) Johanne of Heynault pursued hym iuste to the gate with his swerde in his hande. But whan̄e he sawe that he was escaped / he retourned aga­yne to Aubenton: and his men mette certayne of y ^• lorde Bremus men as they folowed their maister / and ther they were stayne without mercy. The erle and his company sought sore with thē that were by the mynster / and ther the Uydam of Chalons dyd marueyls in armes / and so dyd two of his sonnes: but finally they wer all stayn there scaped none / but suche as fledde with the lorde of Bremus / but all were slayne or taken: and a .ii. M. men of the towne and all the town robbed / and pylled: and all the goodes sent to Symay / and the towne brent. And after y ^• but­nyng of Aubenton / the heynowes wēt to Mau­ber Fountaynes: and incontynent they wan it / and robbed and brent the towne. And also the towne of Daube [...]ueyll / and Segny the great & Segny the lytell / and all the hamelettes ther a­bout the which were mo than .xl. Than the erle went to Mouns / and gaue leaue to his men of warr to depart / and thanked them in such wyse that they were all well content. Than anone af­ter therle went to make asure alyance with the kyng of England / to be the more strōger in his warre agaynst the frēchmen. But first he made his vncle sir John̄ of Heynalt chefe maister and gouernour of Holande & zelande: and sir John̄ lay styll at Mons and prouyded for the contrey and sent to Ualencēnes to confort and ayde thē: the lorde Autoyng / the lorde of Uerguy / y ^• lord of Gomegynes / and sir Henry of Huspharyce: and the stewarde of Heynault / with a hundred speares / to the towne of Landrechyes. And to Bouhayne thre brethern almayns / called Courtars: and to [...]scaudyme [...] / sir Gararde Sasses gynes / and into the towne of Dauesnes / y ^e lord of Faulquemount. And thus he dyde into euery fortresse on the fronters of Fraunce.

WHan the frenche kyng knewe howe the heynowes had brent the contrey of Thyerache / taken and stayne his knyghtes / and distroy­ed the good towne of Aubenton. Than he commaunded the duke of Normandy his sonne / y ^t he shulde make a iourney into Heynalt / and bring the countrey into that case that it shuld neuer bere couerd agayne. Also y ^e kyng ordayned therle of Layll Gastone / who was as than with the kyng at Parys / y ^t he shulde make a voyage into Gascoyne as his lyeutenant / and to make warre to Burdeux / and to Bordeloys: and to all the fortresses that helde of the kyng of Englande. And also the frenche kynge enforced his great nauy that he had on the see / and com­maunded them to kepe the bondes of Flanders and nat to suffre the kyng of Englande to passe ouer the see into Flanders on payne of their ly­ues. And whan y ^e frenche kyng vnderstode that the flemynges had made homage to the kynge of Englande / he sent vnto them a prelate vnder the colour of the pope. Shewyng them that ys they wolde retourne and knowledge themselfe to holde of hym / and of the crowne of Fraunce: and to forsake the kyng of Englande / who had enchaunted them. Than he sayd he wolde ꝑdon them of all their trespaces / and wolde quyte thē of the gret sōme of money / that they wer bound vnto hym by oblygacion of olde tyme: and also to gyue thē many fayre franchyses. And y ^e slemmynges answered / howe they thought thēselfe right well assoyled and quyted in any thynge y ^t they were boūde to the kyng of Fraunce. Than the frenche kyng complayned to pope Clement the .vi. whervpon the pope dyd cast suche a sen­tence of cursyng / that no preest durst syng or say ther any diuyne seruyce. Wherof the slemmyn­ges sent a great cōplaynt vnto the kyng of En­glande: who to apease them / sent them worde y ^t whan he came ouer the see / he wolde bring pree­stes out of his contrey to syng masses / whyther the pope wolde or nat: for he sayd he had priuy­lege so to do. And so by that meanes the flēmyn­ges were somwhat apeased. And whan the frenche kyng sawe that he coude nat tourne the slē ­mynges fro their opynion / than he cōmaunded them of the garysons of Tourney / Lysle / and [Page] [...] ▪ and other to make warre on the flem­ [...] and to ouer ronne the contrey. And so [...] [...]ohn̄ du Roy / and (ser) Mathue de Trye marshall of Fraunce: and sir Godmar du Fay / and dyuers other lordes made an army of. M. men of armes and. CCC. crosbowes: what of Turney / Lylle / and Doway. And so in an euenyng ther departed fro Turney / and by y ^• it was day in the mornyng ▪ they were before Courtray / by [...] [...]yme the son was vp they had gathered to­gyther all the catall ther about: and some of thē ran to the gatꝭ / and slewe and hurt dyuers that they founde without. And than̄e they retourned without any domage and droue before them al their prayes so that whā they came to Turney / they had mo thā .x. M. shepe / & as many swyne beates / and kyen: wherof the flemynges were sore troubled. Than Jaques Dartuell sware y ^• it shulde be derely reuenged / and incōtynent he cōmaunded the good townes of Flanders that their men a warr shulde be w ^t hym before Tur­ney at a day assigned / and he wrote to therle of Salysbury and to therle of Suffolke who wer at Ipre / that they shulde be ther at y ^• same. And so agaynst the day lymitted / he wēt out of Gaūt and came to a place bytwene And warpe & Turney called le Pount de Sere: and there he lod­ged and taryed for therles of England and for them of Franke & of Bruges. The sayd two erles thought for their honour that the enterprise shulde nat be delayed by them: and so sent to Jaques Dartuell / promysing hym nat to fayle / to be at the day apoynted. And so on a day they de­parted from Ipre with a .l. speares / and a fortie crosbowes▪ and went towarde the place where as Jaques Dartuell abode for thē and as they passed by the towne of Lyle they were ꝑceyued. And they of the towne yssued out with a .xv. C. men a fote and a horsbacke / and went in .iii. partes / to thentent that therles shuld nat scape thē. So these two erles rode forth by the gyding of sir U [...]art de la Crox ▪ who had kept lōg warr̄ agaynst them of Lyle / and he knewe all y ^• way­es of the contrey: & as than was at Ipre. And so he came forthe with these erles to be their gyde / and he had well gyded them: & they of Lyle had nuely made a great dyke wher as there was neuer none before / and whan sir Uauflart hadde brought them thyder & sawe howe the way was nuely stopped: he sayd to therles of Englande / sirs I se well we can nat passe without the dan­ger of them of Lysle: wherfore I counsell let vs turne agayne and take some other way. Than the lordes sayde nay sir Uauflart: it shall neuer be sayd that we woll go out of our way for feare of them of Lysle. Therfore ryde on byfore / we haue promysed Jaques Dartuell to be w ^t hym this day: and so thenglysshmen rode forth with out feare. Than sir Uauflart sayd sirs ye haue taken me in this vyage to be your gyde / and I haue ben with you all this wynter ī Ipre / wherof I am moch boūde to you. But if they of Lyle yssue out vpon vs / haue no trust that I wyll a­byde them / for I wyll saue my selfe assone as I can / for if I wer taken it shulde cost me my lyfe the which I loue better thā your cōpany. Than the lordes dyd laugh at hym and sayd well / and yf it be so we holde you well excused: and as he ymagined so it be fell ▪ for or they wer ware they were in danger of the frenche busshement / who cryed stoppe sirs / for ye shall nat passe this way without our lycence: and so began to shote and to ronne on the englysshmen. And assone as syr Uauflart sawe the maner he had no lyst to ryde any farther: but retourned assone as he myght and gate hymselfe out of the preace. And the. i [...]. erles fell in the handes of their ennemies / lyke fysshes in a nette for they were closed rounde a­bout in a narowe strayet passage among hedgꝭ busshes / and dykes: so that they coude scape no maner of way / forwarde nor backewarde. So whan they sawe that they wer so hardly bestad they a lyghted a fote and defended themselfe as well as they might / and dyd hurt dyuers of thē of Lysle. But finally their defence coude nat a­uayle them / for euer newe fresshe men of warre came on them. So ther they wer taken byforce and with them a yong squyer of Lymosyne / ne­phue to pope Clement called Remon / who after that he was yelded prisoner / was slayne for co­uetyse of his fayre harnes: and fresshe apareyle. These two erles were set in prison in the hall of Lysle / and after sent to the frenche kynge: who promysed to them of Lysle a great rewarde for the good seruyce that they had done hym. And whan̄e Jaques Dartuell / who was at Pont de Ferre knewe those tidyngꝭ he was sore dyspleased / and so seased his enterprise for that tyme / and retourned agayne to Gaunt.

[Page xxvii] DUke John̄ of Normā ­dy eldyst sonne to the french kyng / made his assemble to be at saynt Quyntines. And with hym was the duke of Athenes therle of Flaunders / the erle of Aucerr / the erle of Ewe / and constable of Fraunce therle of Por­cyen / therle of Roussy / therle of Bresne / therle of de graūt Pre / the lorde Couey / the lorde Craon and dyuers other nobles of Normandy / and of the lowe marches. And whan they were all as­sembled anone after Easter / the yere of our lor­de. M. CCC .xl. The constables and the two marshals: nombred their company to be a .vi. thousand men of armes / and .viii. M. of other folowynge the hoost. And so they went forthe in to the feldes / and went towarde y ^• castell of Cā ­bre (ser) and passed by Bohayn / and rode tyll they passed the sayd castell in Cambre s. And lodged in the towne of Montays on the ryuer of Sels and sir Rycharde of Uerchyne stewarde of He­nalt / knewe by his spyes: how the duke of Normandy was at Moutays. Than he desyred certayne knightes and squyers / suche as wer nere about hym: to go with hym thyder as he wolde bringe them / and they graunted hym so to do. And so departed fro his house at Uerchyn / and with hym a. l [...]. speares / and rode forthe fro the sonne settyng / tyll he came to a forest in the yssuyng out of Heynalt a lytell leage fro Montays / and by y ^• tyme it was night: than he rested hym in a felde / and sayde to his company. Howe he wolde go & a wake the duke at Montays / wherof they were right ioyouse. And sayd howe they wolde aduenture with hym to lyue and dye: he thanked them & with hym there was (ser) Jaques de Sart sir Hēry of Phalyse / sir Olpharte du Guystelles / sir John̄ du Chastellet / and sir Bertrande. And of squyers there [...]s: Gyles and Thyerty of Sommayne / Baudwyn of Beaufort / Colebrier of Brule Moreau of Lescuyer / Sawdart de Stramen / Johān of Robersat / Bridoull de Thyaulx and dyuerse other: they rode priuely and came to Mōtays / and entred into y ^• towne. The frēchmen had made no wat­che / and so the stewarde and all his company a­lyghted before a fayre great lodgyng / wenyng to theym that the duke had lodged ther / but he was in an other house. But they were loged .ii. great lordes of Normandy: the lorde of Bayl­leull / and the lorde of Beaulte / and they were quickely assayled and the gate broken [...]pynne. Whan they hard the cry of Heynalt they were a basshed / & defēded thēselfe as well as they might and ther the lorde of Baylleull was slayne / and the lorde of Beautie taken: & was fayne to pro­myse the seneshall on his fayth & trouth to yelde hymselfe prisoner / w ^t in thre dayes after at Ualē cens. Than the frenchmen began to stirr in the towne / and came out of their logynges & [...] fiers & lighted vp torches and candels / & eche of thē raysed vp other: and a woke the duke who rose and armed hym in hast / & displayed his ba­ner before his logyng / & euery man drue thyder Than the heynoues withdrue a backe sagely to their horses / & mounted: & whan they wer all to gyder they had a x. or .xii. good prisoners / and so returned without any damage / for they wer nat pursued it was so darke. And so they came by that it was day to Quesnoy / & there they re­sted them / and than rode to Ualencens. In the mornyng the duke cōmaunded to dysloge / and to entre into Heynalt and to bren the contrey w ^t out mercy. So the fore ryders went forthe a .ii. C. speares / and captayns of thē were: sir Thy­balt of Marncyle / the Galoys of y ^• Baume / the lorde of Myrpois / the lorde of Rayuenall / the lorde of Sempy / y ^• lorde John̄ of Landas / the lorde of Hangest / & the lorde of Tramels: and after them rode the two marshals with fyue. C. speres. And than the duke with other lordꝭ and knyghtes / & so the fore ryders burnt Forest ber­tran / Bertynguinell / Escarmayne / Uēdegres [...] y ^• wod / Uēdegres on y ^• sandes / vpon y ^• ryuer of Cynell. And the next day they went forwarde / & brent Osmelnall / Uyllers / Gōmegynes / Mar­chepoys Pestell [...] Aufroy / Pyepreux / Fresnoy Obeys the good towne of Bānoy: & all the cō ­trey to the ryuer of Hōmell. And y ^• same second day / the marshals company made a gret assaut and skirmysshe at the castell of Uerchy [...]e▪ but they wan nothyng ther it was so well defended Than they went & lodged by the ryuer of Selz bytwene Ausey and Sansoy / and sir Ualeron lorde of Falquemont was captayne of y ^• towne of Maubenge / and with hym a. C. speares of almayns and heynowes. And whan̄e he knewe that the frenchmen rode and brent the contrey / and sawe howe the poore peple wept: he armed hym and his company / and left the towne in the kepyng of the lorde of Beau Reuoyr / & the lord Montigny: and he sayd he wolde gladly fynde the frenchmen. And so he rode all that day coo­styng y ^• forest of Moriuall / and agaynst nyght he harde howe the duke of Normandy was lo­ged by y ^• ryuer of Sels / than he sayd he wolde go and a wake them. And so he rode forthe / and [Page] about mydnight he passed the ryuer by a gyde / and whan he was ouer he made hym & his com­pany redy / and so rode fayre and easely tyll he came to the dukes logyng: and whan they were nere they spurred their horses and dasshed into thoost / and cryed Falquemont: and cut downe tentes & pauilyons / and slewe dyuers men and dyd great hurt. Than the hoost began to sterre and armed them / and drewe to that part where as the noyse was: and the lorde of Falquemont whan he sawe it was tyme he drue a backe / & of the frēchmen ther were slayne / the lorde of Py­quegny / & taken prisoners: the vycont of Ques­nes and the Borgne of Rouuory / and sore hurt sir Antony of Condune. And whan y ^e lorde Falquemont thought best / he departed and all his cōpany / and passed the ryuer of Sels without damage for they wer nat folowed: and so by the sonne risyng they came to Quesnoy / where as sir Thyerrie of Uallecourt opyned to them the gate. The next day after this dede the duke of Normādy caused his trumpettes to be blowen and so passed the tyuer of Sels / and entred in­to Heynalt. And suche as rode before / as y ^e marshall of Mitpoys / the lord of Noysiers / the Galoys of the Baulme / and sir Thybalt of Marneyle / and iiii. C. speares besyde the brigantes came before Quesnoy to the bariers / and made semblant to gyue assaut. But they within were so well prouyded with good men of warre and artyllery / that they shulde haue lost their payne how beit they made a lytell skirmyssh before the bayles. But at last they were fayne to w ^tdrawe for they of Quesnoy dyscharged certayne peces of artyllery and shotte out great quarels / wherof the frēchmen were a frayd for sleyng of their horses. And so withdrue backe / and in their go­yng they brent Uergyn the great / and Uergyn the lytell / Frelanes / Sa [...]uers / Artes / Seme­ries / Artuell / Saryten / Turgies / Estynen / Aulnoy: and dyuers other / so y ^t the smoke came to Ualencēnes. And than the frenchmen orday­ned their batels on the moūt of Casters nere to Ualencēnes: and certayne of them / as the lorde of Craon the lorde of Mauluryer / the lorde of Mathelon / the lorde of Dauoyr / and a two. C. speares with them rode towarde Mayng / and came and assayled a great to wre / parteyninge to John Uernyer of Ualēcens / and afterwarde it was ꝑteyning to John̄ Neuell. Ther was a great and a fierse assaut / endurynge nygh all day: so that of the frenchmen or they departed were slayne a .v. or .vi. but they within defēded themselfe so well y ^t they toke no damage. Than some of the frenchmen went to Try / wenyng at their first cōmynge to haue past the water: but they of the to wne had broken the bridge / and defended the passage: so that the frenchmen coude neuer haue won it that way. Than̄e ther were some among them that knewe the passages and the contrey / and so they brought a two. C. men a fote and passed the plankes at Ponny: and as sone as they were ouer they came on thē of Try who were but a small nombre / and coude nat endure agaynst them: and so they fledde and dy­uers were slayne and hurt. The same day the se neshall of Heynalt was departed out of Ualen­cens / with a. C. men of armes to socour them of Trye: and a lytell fro saynt wast they met with a .rrv. currours of the frenchmen / and the lorde Boucyqualt / who was after marshall of Frāce and the lorde of Surgeres / and sir Wyllyam Blādeau was their captayns / and they had passed the bridge by Ualencēnes / called the bridge de la Tourell. And whan the seneshall of Hey­nalt sawe them / he ranne out at them and bare downe with his speare the lorde Boucyquault / and toke hym prisoner and sent hym to Ualen­cens: the lorde of Surgeres scaped / but (ser) Wyllyam Blandeau was taken by sir Henry Dusphalyse: and all the other wer taken and slayne but a fewe that scaped. And so than the seneshal went towarde Try: but he came to late / for the frenchemen had wonne it or he came / and were beatyng downe of the mylles / and of a lytell ca­stell that was ther / but whan the seneshall came they had no leaser for they wer put a backe / slay ne and put to flight / and chased so nere that ma­ny lept into the ryuer of Lescalt: & some drow­ned. So thus the towne of Try was delyuerd and than the seneshall went and passed y ^e ryuer of Lescalt at Deuayng: and than he and all his cōpany rode to his castell of Uerchyn & entred into it / to kepe & defēde it yf nede were. All this season the duke of Normandy was on the moūt of Casters nygh all day / thinkynge euer y ^t they of Ualencennes wolde haue yssued out to haue fought with hym / and so they wolde fayne haue done / and sir Henry Dantoynge who had rule of the towne had nat ben: for he wolde suffre no man to yssue out. And he was at the gate Cam­bresen / and had moch a do to kepe the peple w ^t in and y ^e prouost of the towne with him / who with fayre wordes and great reasons a peased the peple. And whan y ^e duke sawe that they wolde nat yssue out to gyue hym batayle: than he sent to y ^e duke of Athenes: and the marshals of Faunce / therle of Aucerre / & the lorde of Chastelon with [Page xxviii] a thre hundred speares: to rynne to Ualencens. And so they rode in good order / and came to the bayls on y ^e syde of Tourell / but they taryed nat there long they feared so the shot / for sleynge of their horses: howbeit y ^e lorde of Chastelon rode so forwarde / that his horse fell vnder hym: so y ^t he was fayne to leape on another / than they re­tourned by the marches / & brent and bete dow­ne the mylles on y ^e tyuer of Uyncell: and so cāe by Chartreux / and than to their hoost agayne. Ther were some of the frenchmen that taryed behynde at Marlyto gette forage more at their case: and such as kept a tow [...] therby ꝑteyning to the heyres of Heynault / and somtyme it was belongyng to sir Robert de Namur: by y ^t right of the lady Isabell his wyfe. Whan they parceyued these frēchemen y ^t were behynde their hoost and howe that thoost was farre of fro thē / they yssued out & set on them / & slewe many and toke all their pyllage / & entred agayn to their toure. All this season: yet the great batayle was styll on the mount of Castres and whan the currers came in on euery syde / than they toke counsayle what they shulde do. The lordes sayd how they were no nombre suffycient to assaut such a tow­ne as Ualencennes / and finally they determy­ned to go to Cambray: and so that nyght they went and lodged at Monyg / and at Fountnel­les: and made good watche / the next mornyng they departed / and ar they went brent Monyg and Fountnelles / and the abbay parteyning to the lady of Ualoys / suster germayne to the frē ­che kyng. Wherof the duke was sore dyspleased and caused them to be hanged that beganne the fyre: and than at their departyng they brent the towne of Try and the castell / and beate downe the mylles / and brent Prony / Romminy / Thyaur / Mouceaulr: and all the playne contrey by twene Cambray and Ualencennes. And than̄e the duke came to Escandure / to a castell partey­nynge to the erle of Heynault: standyng strongly on the ryuer of Lescault / the whiche garyson hadde greuyd sore the towne of Cambray / and capytayne therof was sir Gararde of Sassegynes. And whan the duke had ben before that ca­stell a six dayes it was gyuen vp / wherof all the countrey hadde great marueyle / and had great suspect of treason to the captayne sir Gararde / and to a squyer of his called Robert Marme­aulr: and after they bothe dyed shamefully at Mons in Heynalt. And they of Cambray bete downe the castell / and bare all the stones into their towne to make reparacyons withall.

AFter the dystruction of Escandure: the duke of Normādy went to Cambray and gaue leaue to some of his cō ­pany to depart / and some he sent to the garysons of Do­way and other. And the first weke that they came to Doway they yssued out and they of Lyste with theym: so that they were a thre hundred speares / and their capytaynes were: sir Loyes of Sauoy / therle of Geneue / therle of Uyllars / the Galoys of the Baulme / the lorde of waurayne / the lorde of Uasyers: and so they went and brent the fayre contrey of Ostrenan in Heynault: and lest nothynge with out the forteresses / wherwith they of Bouhay [...] were sore dysplesed: for they sawe the fyers and smokes / and coude nat remedy it. And soo they sent to them to Ualencennes / that if they wolde yssue out a sixe hundred speres in the night thei shuld do moche damage to the frenchmen / who were spredde abrode in the playne countrey / howe be it they of Ualencennes wolde natte go out of the towne. So the frenchmen had great pray / and brent the towne of Nyche / Descoux / Escaudan / Here / Monteny / Senayne Uer­layne / Uargny / Ambretycourt / Lourg / Salr / Ruette / Newfuylle / Lyeu saynt Amande: and all the vyllages in that contrey / and wan great pyllage. And whan they of Doway were gone home than the soudyers of Bohayne yssued out and brent the halfe of Descon whiche was fren­che / and all the vyllages parteyning to France iuste to the gates of Doway: and the towne of Desquerchyne. Thus as I haue deuysed / the garysons in those countreis were prouyded for and dyuerse skirmysshes and feates of warre vsed amonge theym: the same tyme there was certayne soudyours of Almaygne sette by the bysshoppe of Cambray in the fortresse of Male Mayson / a two leages fro the castell Cambre­sien: and marchynge on the other parte nere to Lādreches / wherof the lorde of Poytrell was captayne / for therle of Bloys though he wer lorde therof / yet he had rendred it to therle of Heynalt bycause he was as than frenche. So on a day y ^• Almayns of Male Mayson / cāe to y ^e bayles of [Page] Landreches / and draue away a gret pray. And whan they of Landreches knewe therof / y ^• lord of Poytrels armed him & all his company / and yssued out to rescue the pray: the lorde of Poy­trels was formast hymselfe / and layd his spere in the rest and cryed to the frenchmen / and sayd sirs it is shame to flye away. And there was a squyer called Albert of Colayne / he turned and couched the spere in the rest / and came rennyng agaynst the lorde of Poytrell / and gaue hym suche a stroke on the targe that the spere flewe all to peaces: yet the sayd squyer strake hym aga­yne suche a stroke that the spere entred through his harnes / & into his body iust to y ^• hert: so that he fell f [...]o his horse deed. Than his cōpanyons h [...]ous / as the lorde of Bansiers / Garard de Mastyne and John̄ of Mastyn / and other pursued the frēchmen / in suche wyse that they were taken and s [...]ayne the moost part / but fewe y ^• scaped / and their pray rescued and suche prisoners as they had of Landreches. And so retourned agayne with the lorde of Poytrels deed: after whose dethe the lorde of Floron was long tyme captayne of Landreches / and of the castell ther. Thus some day rode forthe the frenchmen / and some day the heynous / and dyuers encountrynges was bytwene them. Thus the countrey of Heynault was in great trybulacion / for parte therof was brent: and the duke of Normandy was styll on the fronters & no man knewe what he wolde do / and they coulde here no tidynges of therle of Heynalt. True it was he was in Englande / wher as the kyng and the lordes made hym great there / and made great alyance with the kyng there. And so departed out of Englande / and went to themperour Loys of Banyer: and so these were the causes why y ^e he taryed so long out of his owne countrey. And also sir Jo­hanne of Heynalt was gone into Brabant / and into Flaunders: and shewed to the erle of Bra­bant / and to Jaques Dartuell the desolacyon of the countrey of Heynalt: prayeng them in the name of all the heynowes / that they wold gyue th [...] some counsell and ayde. And they answe­red / that they were sure that therle wolde short­ly returne: at which tyme they sayd / they wolde be redy to go with hym whyther as he wolde.

IN the mean season that the duke of Normandy was at Cambray: the bysshoppe and the burgesses of the towne / shewed the duke how the heynowes had get by stelth / the strong castell of Thyne: desyring hym for the cōmon profet of the coun­trey that he wolde fynde some remedy for y ^e garyson ther dyd moche hurt to their cōtrey / than the duke called agayne toguyder men of warre out of Artoyse / and Uermandoys. And so deꝑ­ted from Cambray / and came before Thyne on the ryuer of Lescalt / in the fayre playne medowes towarde Ostrenan. The duke caryed with hym out of Cambray / and Doway: dyuerse great engyns and specially .vi. and made them to be reared agayne the fortres: so these engyns dyd cast night and day great stones / the which bete downe the roffes of the chambers / halles / and towres: so that they within / were fayne to kepe vautes / and sellars. Thus they within suffred great payne / and captayns within wer sir Rycharde Lymosyn englysshe / and two squy­ers of Heynault bretherne to therle of Namur / Johāne and Thyerry. These thre that had the charge / sayd often tyme to their company: sirs surely one of these dayes / therle of Heynalt wyl come agaynst these frenchmen and delyuer vs with honour / and ryd vs out of this paryll / and shal can vs great thanke that we haue kept this fortres so longe. The ingens without dyd cast in deed horses and beestes stynkīg: wherby they within had great dystres thaūe with any other thynge / for the ayre was hote as in the myddes of somer: the stynke and ayre was so abomyna­ble / that they consydred howe that finally they coude nat long endure. Than they toke aduyse to desyre a truse for .xv. dayes / and in that space to sende and aduertyse (ser) John̄ of Heynalt / who was ruler of the contrey in therles absence / and without that he dyde socour them in that space / to yelde vp the fortres to the duke. This treaty was put forth & agreed vnto / than they w ^t in sent a squyer called Estrelart de Sommayne / to sir John̄ of Heynalt: and at Mons in Heynalt the squyer foūde hym / who had nuely harde fro his nephue therle: howe that he was cōmyng home warde into his countrey / and hadde been with [Page xxix] themperour and made great alyance with hym and with the kyng of England: and with the o­ther lordes of thempyre. All this sir John̄ of Henault shewed to this squyer / sendyng worde to them of Thyne that shortly they shulde be con­forted at the returne of his nephue therle. This [...]use duryng / the [...]le of Heynalt returned home wherof all his peple wer gretly reioysed. Than the lorde Beamonde his vncle / shewed hym all maters that was done syth his departyng / and howe that y ^• duke of Normādy had fayne on the fronters / and brent and dystroyed a great part of his contrey. Therle answered howe it shulde be well amended: sayng howe the realme of Frā ce was great ynough to make satisfaction of all forfeturs by them done / and determyned brefe­lye to go and ayde his men at Thyne / who had so honorably defended their fortresses. Than y ^e erle sent for men into Almayne / into Flanders / and in his owne contrey: and so came to Ualen cennes / and daylie his nombre encreased. And departed thens in great aray: with caryag [...] / tentes and pauilyons: & went and lodged at Nās on y ^e playne a long by y ^e ryuer of Lescalt. Ther were lordes of Heynalt: sir John̄ of Heynalt / y ^• lorde of D [...]ghyn / the lord of Uerchyn / the sene­shall of Heynalt / the lorde Dantoyng / the lorde of Barb [...]son / the lorde of Lens / sir Wyllyam of Baylleull / the lorde of Hauereth / chatelayne of Mons / the lorde of Montegny / the lord of Barbays / sir Thyrrie of Ualecourt marshall of Henalt / the lorde of Dalmed and of Gomegynes / the lorde of Brisuell / the lorde of Roysine / the lorde of Trasegmes / the lorde de Lalayne / the lorde of Mastyne / the lorde of Sars / the lorde Uargny / the lorde of Beaury [...]u: and dyuerse other who were all ther to serue therle their lor­de. Also thyder came therle of Namur with .ii. hundred speares: and after cāe the duke of Brabant with .vi. hūdred speres / the duke of Guer­les / therle of Mons / the lorde of Falquemont / sir Arnolde Baquechen: and dyuerse other lor­des and men a warre of Almaygne / and Whyt­phall. And so all these loged along by the ryuer of Lescault / agaynst the frenche hoost / and plentie of vytails came to them out of Heynalt. And whafie these lordes were thus lodged bytwene Nauns / and Illoys. The duke of Normandy who was on the other part with a goodly nom­bre of men a warr / he sende worde to his father howe that therls hoost dayly encreased. Than the frenche kynge bevnge at Peron / raysed vp mo men of warre / and sende to his sonne a .xii. hundred speares. And so hymselfe came to his sonnes hoost lyke a soudyour / for he myght [...] come with an army vpon themperour / without heshulde breke his othe as he dyde. So y ^• duke of Normandy was named to be cheife of that army: but he dyd nothyng but by the counsayle of the kyng his father. Whan they w ^tin Thyne sawe therle of Heynalt of suche puyssance / they were right ioyeous: and the fourth day after y ^t the erle was come thyder / they of Ualence [...] came thyder in great a [...]ay: and John̄ [...]e Boy [...] ­sey prouost of the towne was their capytayne. Than ther was a skirmyssh made agaynst the frenchemen / and dyuers hurt on bothe [...] and in the meane season / they within the fortres had bottes and barges redy / and so pas [...]e [...] the ryuer of Les [...]ault / and were brought to the erle of Heyualt: who ioyously and honourably receyued them. In this tyme that these two ho­stes were lodged on the ryuer of Lescault / the [...]chmen towarde Fraunce: and the heynow­es towarde their owne contreis. Their forages rode forthe but they met nat / bycause the ryuer was euer bytwene them: but the frēchmen went and brent the cōtrey of Ostrenan / that was nat brent before: and the heynowes in likewyse the contrey of Cambreses. Also to the ayde of therle of Heynault / at the desyre of Jaques [...] came thyther a. l [...]. thousande [...]mmynges wel [...] armed. Than therle of Heynalt sent to the duke of Normandy by his haraltes▪ that ther might be batell bytwene them: and howe that it shulde be a great shame so many men of warre assem­bled togyder / and no batayle. The duke answered howe he wolde take aduyse and counsell in that mater / the which counsell was so long / that the haraldes departed without answere. Than the third day after: therle sent agayne to knowe the dukes intencyon / & the duke answered how he was nat yet fully counselled to fight nor to assigne a day of batayle. Sayng moreouer howe that therle was very hasty: whan the erle harde that he thought that it was but a delay / than he sent for all the gret lordes of his hoost / shewyng them what he had done / and what answere the duke had made hym: desyring th [...] to haue their counsell. Than euery man loked on other / & no man wold speke first: at last the duke of Brabāt spake for all (and sayd) as to make a bridge and go ouer to sight with the frēchmen is nat myne opynion: for I knowe certaynly that shortly the kyng of Englande wyll come ouer thesee / & lay sege to Turney / and we all haue sworne to ayd and confort hym in all that we canne. Wherfore if we shulde nowe fyght with the frēchmen / and [Page] fortune to be agayne vs / that we happe to lese y ^• felde / he shulde lose his vyage / and all the helpe that he shulde haue of vs. And if we had the vy­ctorie he shulde can vs no thanke / wherfore my intencyon is that without hym: who is chefe of this warre / that we fyght nat with the power of Fraunce. But whan we shalbe before Turney with hym and the frenche kynge agaynst vs / I thynke it wyll be harde to depart without batell wherfore I wolde coūsell let vs depart / for here we lye at great coost and charge / for I am sure within these .x. dayes we shall here fro the kyng of Englande. To this aduyce the moost part of the lordes agreed / but therle of Heynalt desyred them all in generall nat to depart so sone: and so they agreed to tary sō what lengar they of Brussels wolde fayne haue ben gone / and they of Lo­uane. On a day therle called to hym sir John̄ of Heynalt his vncle / and sayd fayre vncle I pray you ryde downe a long by the ryuer syde / & call ou [...]r the ryuer to speke with some persone of the trenche hoost / and desyre hym to shewe the frenche kyng fro me / that I wyll make a brydge o­uer the water: so that I may haue thre dayes respyte / and than I woll cōe ouer and gyue hym batell. Than the lorde Beamond rode downe a long by the ryuer of Lescalt and a .xiii. knygh­tes with hym / and his penon before hym: and at last he parceyued on the other syde a knyght of Normandy / he knewe hym by his armes. Than he called to hym and sayd / sir Maubousson I pray you speke with me. Than the knight sayd sir what wold you with me / I desyre you quod the lorde Beamonde that ye wyll go to the fren­che kyng and to his counsayle / and say how the erle of Heynault hath sende me hyther to take a truse all onely whyles y ^t he might make a brige ouer this ryuer: wherby he & his / myght passe ouer. I pray you bring me agayne an answere and I shall tary here tyll ye retourne. Than the lord of Maubussō strake his horse with y ^e spur­res and rode to the kyngꝭ tent / where as y ^e duke of Normandy and many other lordꝭ were / ther he shewed his message & he had a short answere for he was cōmaunded to tell hym that sent him thyder / that in y ^e same case as they had helde the erle / in likewyse so they wold cōtynue. Sayng how they wold make hym to sell his lande / and that he shuld haue warr on euery syde / & whan we lyst we woll entre into Heynalt / so farr y ^t we woll bren all his eōtrey. This answer the lorde of Maubusson / reported to the lorde Beamōd: who thanked hym of his labour & so retourned to therle / whom he found playng at chesse with therle of Namur. and assone as therle sawe his vncle / he a rose and harde the answere that the frenche kynge had sent hym / wherwith the erle was dysplesed and sayd well / I trust it shall nat be as he purposeth.

NO we let vs leaue somwhat to speke of therle of Henalt and of the duke of Normandy: and speke of y ^e kyng of England. Who was on y ^e see to the intent to arryue in Flaunders / and so into Heynalt to make warr agaynst the frēchmen. This was on mydsomer euyn / in the yer of our lorde M. C C C .xl. all thenglyssh flete was departed out of the ryuer of Tames / and toke the way to Sluse. And the same tyme bytwene Blanque­berque and Sluse on the see: was sir Newe Kyryell sir Peter Bahuchet / and Barbnoyr: and mo than sirscore great vessels besyde other / and they wer of normayns / bydaulr / genowes / and pycardes: about the nōbre of .xl. M. Ther they were layd by the french kyng / to defend y ^e kyng of Englandes passage. The kyng of England and his / came saylyng tyll he cāe before Sluse: and whan he sawe so great a nombre of shippes y ^t their mastes semed to be lyke a gret wood / he demaūded of the maister of his shyp what peple he thought they were: he answered and sayd / sir I thynke they be normayns layd here by y ^e frenche kyng / and hath done gret dyspleasur in Englande / brent your towne of Hampton / and ta­ken your great shyppe the Christofer: a ꝙ the kyng I haue long desyred to fyght with the frē ­chmen: and nowe shall I fyght with some of thē by the grace of god and saynt George / for truly they haue done me so many dysplesurs y ^t I shall be reuenged & I may. Than the king set all his shyppes in order / the grettest befor well furnys­shed with archers / & euer bytwene two shyppes of archers he had one shypp̄ w ^t men of armes / & than he made an other batell to ly a lofe with ar­chers to confort euer thē that were moost wery / yf nede were. And ther were a great nombre of countesses / ladyes / knyghtꝭ wyues: & other da­mosels y ^t were goyng to se the quene at Gaunt: these ladyes y ^e kyng caused to be well kept with thre hundred men of armes / and .v. C. archers. [Page xxx] ¶ Whan the kyng and his marshals had orde­red his batayls / he brewe vp the seales and can [...] with a quarter wynde / to haue the vauntage of the sonne. And so at last they tourned a lytell to get the wynde at wyll: and whan the normayns sawe them recule backe / they had maruell why they dyde so. And some sayd / they thynke them selfe nat mete to medyll with vs: wherfore they woll go backe / they sawe well howe the kyng of England was ther personally / by reason of his baners. Than they dyd appareyle their flete in order / for they wer sage and good men of warr on the see: and dyd set the Christofer / the which they had won the yer before / to be formast with many trumpettes and instrumentes: and so set on their ennemies. Ther began a sore batell on bothe partes: archers and crosbowes began to shore / and men of armes aproched and fought bande to hande / and the better to come togyder / they had great hokes / & graperss of prou to cast out of one shyppe into an other. And so tyed thē fast togyder / ther were many dedess of armes done takyng and rescuyng agayne. And at last the great Christofer was first won by thēglysshmen / and all that were within it taken or slayne Than ther was great noyse and cry / and then­glysshmen aproched and fortifyed the Christo­fer with archers / and made hym to passe on by­fore to fyght with the genoweyss. This batayle was right fierse and terryble: for the batayls on the see at more dangerous and fierser / than the batayls by lande. For on the see ther iss no recu­lyng nor sseyng / ther is no remedy but to fight / and to abyde fortune: and euery man to shewe his prowes. Of a trouthe sir Newe Kyriell / and sir Bahuchet / and Bathe Noyer / were ryght good and expert men of warre. This batayle endured fro the mornyng tyll it was noone / & thē ­glysshmen endured moche payne / for their ennemies were foure agaynst one / and all good men o [...] the see. ther the king of England was a noble knight of his ownehandꝭ he was in the stou­er of his yongh. In like wyse so was the erle of Derby / Pēbroke / Herforde / Hūtyngdon / Nor­thampton / and Glocetter: sir Raynolde Cob­ham / sir Rycharde Stafforde / the lorde Percy sir water of Manny / sir Henry of Flaunders / sir John̄ Beauchamp: the lorde Felton / y ^e lorde Brasseton / sir Chandos / the lorde Dalawarre / the lorde of Multon / sir Robert Dartoys / cal­led erle of Rychmont: and dyuerse other lordes and knyghtess / who bare themselfe so valy antly with some socours that they had of Brugꝭ / and of the countrey there about / that they obtayned the vyctorie. So that the frēchmen / normaynss / and other were dysconsetted / slayne / and drow­ned / there was nat one that scaped: but all were slayne. Whan̄e this vyctorie was atchyued / the kyng all that nyght abode in his shyppe before Sluse / with great noyse of trūpettes and other instrumentes. Thyder came to se the kynge dy­uers of Flaunders / suche as had herde of y ^e kynges cōmyng: and than the kyng demaunded of the burgesses of Bruges / howe Jaques Dartuell dyd. They answered / that he was gone to y ^• erle of Heynalt / agaynst the duke of Normādy with .lx. M. ssemynges. And on the next day / y ^• which was mydsomer day / the kyng and all his toke lande / and the kyng on fote went a pylgri­mage to our lady of Ardēbourge and ther herd masse and dyned and than̄e toke his horse and rode to Gaunt / where the quene receyued hym with great ioye: and all his caryage ca [...]e after lytell and lytell. Than the kyng wrote to therle of Heynault / and to theym within the castell of Thyne / certyfieng them of his arryuall. And whan therle knewe therof / & that he had dysconfyted the army on the see: he dylloged and gaue leaue to all the souldyours to depart. And toke with hym to Ualencennes / all the great lordes and ther feasted them honourably: and special­ly the duke of Brabant / and Jaques Dartuell. And ther Jaques Dartuell: openly in the mar­ket place in the presence of all the lordes / and of all such as wold here hym: declared what right the kyng of Englande had to the crowne of Frā ce: and also what puyssaunce the thre countreis were of / Flaunders / Heynault / and Brabant: surely ioyned in one alyance. And he dyde so by his great wysdome / and plesaunt wordes that all people that harde hym praysed hym moche: and sayd howe he had nobly spoken / & by great experyēee. And thus he was greatly praysed / & it was sayd y ^t he was well worthy to gouerne y ^• countie of Flaunders. Than the lordes depar­ted / and promysed to mete agayne within .viii. dayes at Gaunt to se the kyng of England / and so they dyd. And the kyng feasted them honora­bly / and so dyd the quene / who was as than nu­ly purifyed of a sonne called John̄ / who was after duke of Lancastre by his wyfe / doughter to duke Henry of Lācastre. Than ther was a coū sell set to be at Uyllenort / and a day lymitted.

WHan the french king harde howe his army on the see was dy­scoufyted: he dylloged and drewe to Arras / & gaue leaue to his men to depart tyll he harde other tidynges. And sent sir Godmar du Fay to Tourney to se that there lacked nothyng: he feared more the itemynges than any other. And sent the lord of Beautewe / to Mortayn to kepe the fronters agaynst Heynalt and he sent many mē of warr to saynt Omers / to Ayre / and to saynt [...]enaunt and purueyed suffyciently for all the forteresses frontyng on Flanders. In this season ther raygned a kyng in Cicyll called Robert / who was reputed to be a great astronomyer and alway­es he warned the frenche kyng and his counsell that in no wyse he shulde fight agaynst the king of Englande: for he sayd it was gyuen the king of Englande to be right fortunate in all his de­des. This kyng Robert wold gladly haue sene these two kynges at a good acorde: for he loued somoch the crowne of Fraunce / y ^• he was right sorte to se the desolacyon cherof. This kynge of Cicyll was at Auygnone with pope Clement / & with the colledge ther and declared to them the peryls y ^• were likely to fall in the realme of Frā ­ce: by the warr byt wene the sayd two kyngꝭ / de syring them that they wold helpe to fynde some meanes to apease them. Wher vnto y ^• pope and the cardynals answered: howe they wolde gladly intende therto / so that the two kynges wolde he [...]e them.

AT this counsayle holden at Uyllenort / were these lordes as foloweth. The kyng of England / y ^• duke of Brabant / therle of Henalt (ser) John his vncle / y ^• duke of Guerles / therle of Jullers / the marques of Faulque­houre / the marques of Musse / therle of Mons / sir Robert Dartoys / the lorde of Falquemont / sir Wyllyam of Dunort / therle of Namur / Jaques Dartuell and many other great lordes & of euery good towne of Flanders a thre or .iiii. personages in maner of a counsayle. Ther was a grement made bytwene the thre contreis: Flā ders / Brabāt / and Heynalt: that fro thens forth eche of them shulde ayde and confort other in all cases. And ther they made assurāce ech to other that if any of them had to do with any countrey thother two shulde gyue ayde. And her after if any of them shulde be at dyscorde one with an o­ther / the thyrde shulde set agremēt bytwene thē. And if he were nat able so to do / than the mater shulde be put vnto the kynge of Englande / in whose handes this mater was sworne and pro­mysed / and he to agre them. And inconfyrmaci­on of loue and amyte: they ordayned a lawe to ryn throughout those .iii. contres / y ^e which was called the lawe of the companyons or alyes: and ther it was determyned y ^t the kyng of Englāde shulde remoue about Maudelentyde after / and ley siege to Turney: and ther to mete all y ^• sayd lordes and thers / with the powers of all y ^• good to wnes. And than euery man departed to their owne houses / to aparell them in that behalfe.

THe frenche kyng after the departure of these lordes fro the counsell of Uyllenort he knewe y ^• most part of their determynacion. Than he sēt to Tourney the chefe men of warr of all Fraūce / as therle of Ewe / the yong erle of Guynes his sonne con­stable of Fraunce / therle of Foytz / and his bre­therne / therle Amery of Narbon / sir Aymer of Poyters / sir Geffray of Charney / sir Gararde of Mountfaucon the two marshals / sir Robert Bertrand / and sir Mathue de Troy / the lorde of Caieur / the senesshall of Poyctou / the lord of Chastelayn / and sir John̄ of Landas: and these had with them valyant knyghtes and squyers. They came to Tourney: and founde there sir Godmar du Fay / who was ther before. Than they toke regarde to the prouisyon of the towne as well to the vytels / as to thartyllerie: and forti [Page xxxi] ficatyon / and they causen to be brought out of the contrey there about: where / otes / and other prouysion. ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to y ^• kyng of Englande: whan the tyme aproched that he and his alyes shuld mete before Tourney and that the corne beganne to rype: he departed fro Gaunt with .vii. erles of his contrey .viii. pre­lates xxviii. baronettes ii. C. knyghtesꝭ foure thousande men of armes / and. [...]. M. archers besyde fotemen. All his hoost passed through y ^• towne of Andwarpe / and so passed the [...]uer of [...]escalt and lodged before Tourney / at the gate called saynt Martyne / the way to [...]arde Lysle and Doway. Than anone after came the duke of Brabant with mo than. x [...]. M. men / knyghtes / squyers / and cōmons: and he lodged at the brige of Aryes by the ryuer of Lescalt: bytwene thabbey of saynt Nycholas / and the gate Ualē tenoys. Next to hym came therle of Heynaultꝭ with a gooly company of his contrey / with ma­ny of Holande / and zelande: and he was loged bytwene the kyuge and the duke of Brabaunt. Than came Jaques Dartuell with mo thā. l [...]. thousande slemmynges / besyde them of [...]pre / Dropingne / Cassell / Bergues: and they were sent on the other syde / as ye shall here after. Ja­ques Dartuell lodged at the gate saynt Foun­tayne / y ^• duke of Guerles / therse of Jullers / the marques of Blāqueboure / y ^• marques of musse therle of Mons / therle of Sauynes / the lord of Falquemount / sir Arnolde of Baquechew and all the Almayns were lodged on the other syde towarde Heynalt. Thus the cytie of Tourney was cnuyroned rounbe about / and euery hoost myght resort eche to other: so that none coulde yssue out without spyeug.

THe sige enduring they without wer well prouyded of vytels and at a metely pri ce for it came to them fro all partes. On a mornynge the erle of Heynalt with .v. hundred speres / departed fro the hoost and passed by Lysle / and brent the good towne of Seclyne and many vyllages there a­bout: and their currours ranne to the subarbes of Lens in Artoyse. And after that the erle toke an other way / and rode to the towne of Durchi­es: the whiche was taken & brent / for it was nar closed: and also they burnt Landas / Ly [...] and dyuers other good townes there about / and o­uer ranne the countrey and gate great [...]yllage. And than retourned agayne to the hoost [...] Turney: also the flemynges often tymes assay led them of Tourney / and had made shyppes / belsroys / and instrumentes of assaut: so that e­uery day lightly there was skirmysshyng & dy­uerse hurt / of one and other. The stemmynges toke moche payne to trouble them of Tourney▪ among other assautes ther was one endured at a day ther was many feates of armes done for all the lordes and knyghtes that were in Tour­nay were therat: for thassaut was made in shyppes and vessels wrought for the same intent / to haue broken the baryers and the posterne of the arche. But it was so well defended / that the slē mynges wanne nothyng: ther they lost a shypp̄ with a sixscore men the which were drowned / & at night they withdrue right sore traueyled. [...] so this siege enduryng / the soudyours of sayut Amandeyssued out and came to Hanon in Heynalt / and burnt the towne and vyolated the ab­bey / and dystroyed the mynster / & caryed away all that they might to saynt Amande / and an o­ther tyme y ^• same frenche soudyours passed the wood of saynt Amande / and came to the abbey of Uycongue and made a great fyre at the gate to haue burnt it. Whan thabbot sawe what par­ell his house was in / hastely he toke his horse & rode out priuely through the wood and came to Ualencennes / desyring the prouost ther to lend hym a certayne crosbowes. And whan̄e he had his desyre / he brought thē behynde Rames and set them in the wood towarde the hyghe way to procelet. And ther they shotte agaynst the geno­wayes and frenchmen / beyng before the gate of Uycongne: and whan they sawe and felt y ^• quarels lyght among them commyng fro the wood they were a frayed / & retourned as fast as they myght: and so the abbey was saued.

[Page] HOwe it is to be remē ­bred how sir Wyllyam Du­glas sonne of Wyllm̄ Du­glas brother: who dyed in Spayne. And therle of Patris / therle of Surlant / sir Robert of Herssey / sir Sy­monde Fresyell / and Alysander Ramsey: they were captayns in suche parte of Scotlande as was left vnwonne by thenglysshmen. And they had cōtynued in the forest of Gode0urs y ^e space of .vii. yere wynter & somer / and as they might they made warr agaynst thenglysshmen beyng ther in garyson. Somtyme they had good ad­uēture / and somtyme yuell: & whyle the kyng of Englande was at siege before Tourney. The french kyng sent men of warr into Scotlande and they arryued at saynt Johāns towne / and they desyred the scottes in the french kyngꝭ na­me / that they wolde set on and make such warr in the realme of England: that the kyng might be fayne to retourne home to rescue his owne realme / and to leaue vp the sige at Tourney / and the frenche kyng promysed thē men and money to ayde them so to do. And so the scottes depar­ted out of the forest of Gedeours and passed thorough Scotlande / and wanne agayne dyuerse fortresses: and so past the towne of Berwyke & the ryuer of Tyne / and entred into the contrey of Northumberlande / the which somtyme was a realme. Ther they founde gret plentie of bee­stes / and wasted and brent all the contrey to Durame: than they retourned by an other way dy­stroyeng the countrey. In this voyage they di­stroyed more than thre dayes iourney into the realme of Englande / and than̄e retourned into Scotlande: and conquered agayne all the for­tresses that were holden by the englysshmen ex­cept the cyte of Berwyke and thre other castels / the which dyd them great trouble. They were so stronge that it wolde haue ben harde to haue founde any suche in any countrey: the one was Strumelyn / an other Rosbourg / and the third the chyefe of all Scotlande Edenborowe. The whiche castell standeth on a hygh rocke / that a man must rest ones or twyse or he sōe to the hy­est of the hyll: and captayne ther was sir Water Lymosen / who before had so valiantly kept the castell of Thyne agaynst the frenchmen. So it was that sir Wyllyam Duglas deuysed a feate and dyscouerd his intencyon to his cōpanyons to therle Patris / to sir Robert Fresyell / and to Alysander Ramsay: and all they agreed togy­der. Thā they toke a .ii. C. of the wylde scottes and entred into the see: and made prouisyon of otes mele / coles / and wood: and so pesably thei arryued at a port / nere to the castelll of Edenbo rowe. And in the night they armed theym / and toke a .x. or .xii. of their company suche as they dyd trust best: and dyde disgyse theym in poore torne cotes / and hattes lyke poore men of the cō trey. And charged a .xii. small horses with sackꝭ some with otes / some with where mele / & some with coles: and they dyde set all their company in a busshment / in an olde distroyed abbey ther by / nere to the fote of the hyll. And whan y ^e day began to apere / couertly armed as they were: they went vp the hyll with their marchandyse. And whan they were in the mydde way: (ser) Wyllyam Duglas and sir Symode Fresyll disgy­sed as they were / went a lytell before and came to the porter (and sayd) sir in gret fere we haue brought hyther otes / and whetemele: and if ye haue any nede therof / we woll sell it to you gode chepe. Mary sayd the porter and we haue nede therof: but it is so erly that I darre nat a wake the captayne / nor his stuarde: but let them sōe in and I shall opyn the vtter gate. And so they all entred into the gate of the bayles: sir Wyllm̄ Duglas sawe well how the porter had the keys in his handes of the great gate of the castell.

Than whan the firste gate was opynned / as ye haue harde: their horses with caryages entred in: and the two that came last laden with coles / they made them to fall downe on the grounsyll of the gate / to thentent that the gate shulde nat be closed agayne. And than they toke the porter and slewe hym so pesably: that he neuerr spake worde / than they toke the great keys and opyn­ned the castell gate / than sir Wyllyam Duglas blewe a horne and dyd cast away their torne cotes / and layed all the other sackes ouerthwarte the gate / to thyntent that it shulde nat be shytte agayne. And whan they of the busshment harde the horne: in all hast they myght they mounted the hyll. Than the watchmen of the castell with noyse of the horne a woke / and sawe how the peple wer cōmyng all armed to the castell warde. Than he blewe his horne and cryed treason treson: sirs a ryse and arme you shortly for yonder be men of armes aprochynge to your fortresse: than euery man arose and armed them and cāe to the gate: but sir Wyllyam Duglas and his .xii. companyons defended so the gate that they coude nat close it. And so by great valyantnesse they kept thentre opyn / tyll their busshment cāe they within defended the castell / as well as they might and hurt dyuers of them without: but (ser) [Page xxxii] Wyllyam and the scottes dyd somoch that they conquered the fortresse / and all the englyssmen within slayne: excepte the captayne and sire o­ther squyers. So the scottꝭ taryed ther all that day / and made a knyght of the contrey captayn ther called Symōde Uessey / and with hym dyuers other of the contrey: these tidynges came to the kyng of Englande before Tourney.

VE haue harde before howe the kynge of Englande had besie­ged the cyte of Tourney / with mo than sixscore thousande men of ar­mes with the flemmynge. And by­cause the vytayles within the cytie beganne to mynisshe: the frenche lordes within caused to a uoyde out of the towne / all maner of poore peo­ple such as were nat furnysshed to abyue the aduenture of the siege. They were put out in the opynne day: and they passed through the duke of Brabātes hoost / who shewed their grefe / for he caused them to besafely brought to the frēche hoost at Aras / where as the kyng lay. And ther he made a gret assemble of men of his owne cō ­trey / and part out of the empyre. Thyder came to hym the kyng of Behaygne / the duke of Lo­raygne / therle of Bare / the bysshoppe of Mets and of Coerdune / therle of Mountbelieu / sir John̄ of Chalon / the erle of Geuyne / the erle of Sauoy / & the lorde Lewes of Sauoy his bro­ther. All these lordes came to serue the frenche kynge with all their powers. Also thyder came the duke of Bretaygne / the duke of Burgoyne / the duke of Borbone / therle of Alanson / therle of Flanders / therle Forestes / therle Arminacke therle of Bloyes / sir Charles of Bloyes / therle of Harcourt / therle Dāmartyn / the lorde Cou­cy: and dyuers other lordes and knightes. And after came the kyng of Nauarr / with a goodly nōbre of men a warre out of the contrey in Frā ­ce / that he helde of the frenche kyng / and therby he cāe to serue hym. Also there was the kynge of scottꝭ / with a certayne nōbre apoynted to hym.

WHan all these sayde lordes were come to Aras to the frenche kyng / than he remeuyd and came to a lytell ryuerr a thre leages fro Turney the water was depe / and rounde about full of marysshes / so that no man coude passe but by a lytell way / so narowe that two horses coude nat passe a fronte. There the kyng lay and passed nat the ryuer: for he durst nat. The next day the hoostes lay styll / some of the lordes counsayled to make bridges to passe ouer the water at their ease: than ther wey men sent to aduyse the passage. And whan they had well aduysed euery thyng / they thought it was but a lost labour and so they shewed the kynge / howe that ther was no passage but at the brige of Cressyn. Thus the mater abode in the same case: the tidynges anone spred abrode howe the french kyng was lodged bytwene the bridge of Cressyn and the bridge of Bonnes / to thentent to fight with his ennemies. So that all maner of people suche as desyred honoure / d [...]ue to the one part and to the other / as they owed their seruyce or fauoure Ther were thre Almayns bre­therne in Bouhaygne: whan they harde howe these two kynges aproched nere togyder be like lyhode to fight / than two of thē desyred the. [...]. to abyde styll and kepe y ^e fortres / and they sayd they wolde go and se what chere there was be­fore Tourney. So these two knyght [...] de [...]te [...] one of thē was called sir Courrat Dastra / and the other sir Courrat Lancenuch / and they rode tyll they came to Escampons besyde Ualenc [...]s thinkyng to passe the ryuer of Lescalt at Conde And bytwene Fresnes / and Escampons / they harde a gret brunt of men and sawe howe some came fleyng to themwarde. The two bretherne had with thē to the nombre of .xxv. speares and they encountred the first / and demaūded what they ayled / so to fle away. In the name of god sir [...] they / the soudyers of Mortayne aryssued out and they haue get a great pray / and are go­ynge therwith towarde their fortresse / and also haue taken dyuers prisoners of this countrey. Thā the two bretherne sayd / sirs can ye lede vs ther as they be: and they sayde yes. And so they went after the frenchmen by the gyding of those poore men / and the frēchmen were as than nere [Page] to our lady in the wood / and wer a sixscore soudyers / and draue before them. C. great beestes / and certayne prisoners of the men of the cōtrey. And their captayne was a knyght of Burgone called John̄ de Frelays / ꝑteyninge to the lorde of Beauieuu: assone as the almayns sawe them they ascryed them and ran in fiersly among thē ther was a sore fight: the Burgonyon knyght dyd put hymselfe to defence / and some of his cō ­pany but nat all / for ther were dyuers that sted But they were so nere chased / what with the al­mayns ▪ and with the men of the countrey / that ther scaped but a fewe other slayne or taken: sir John̄ de Frelays was taken / and all y ^• pray re­scued and rendred agayne to the men of the contrey. And after that aduenture / the almayns cāe before Tourney wher they were welcome.

A None after the frenche kyng was lodged thus at the bridge of Bouues / a company of heynous by the settyng on of sir Wyllm̄ Bayllule and y ^• lorde Uauflart de la croyse who sayd howe they knewe all the contrey / and that they wolde bring them into such a place on the frenche hoost / y ^• they shulde haue some wynnynge. And so on a mornyng they departed fro thoost about sirscore cōpanyons knyghtes and squyers: and they rode towarde Dont de Cres­syn / and made the lorde Bayllule to be as chefe / and that to his baner euery man shulde drawe. Nowe the same mornyng rode forthe certayne nōbre of y ^• legoys of the french party / wherof (ser) Robert de Baylleull brother to the foresayd sir Wyllm̄ Baylleull was chefe captayn. So ther were two bretherne on dyuers parties: the lye­gois had passed the bride of Cressyn / and were a foragyng for their horses / & to se if they coude fynde any aduenture profitable for them. The heynowes rode all that mornyng without fyn­dyng of any aduēture / and they also passed the bridge: ther was such a myst that a man coude nat se y ^• length of a spere before hym. And whan the heynous were all ouer: than they ordayned that sir Wyllm̄ Baylluell with his baner shuld abyde on the bridge / and sir Uauflart / sir Ra­flet de Monceaur / and sir John̄ de Uerchyne shulde aduenture on farther. And so they went so farr that they dasshed in to thoost of y ^• kynge of Behayne and the bysshopp̄ of Liege / for they were lodged nere to the bridge / and the lorde of Rademache had made watche the same nyght / and it was at the poynt of his deꝑtyng. So by­twene them ther was a sore conflict / how beit fynally the heynous drue backe towarde y ^• brige: and the liegoys / and lucēbourzins folowed thē and sir Wyllm̄ Baylluell was counselled to re­passe agayne the bridge with his baner / for thei had dyuers of their cōpany to repasse. So the heynous repassed agayne aswell as they might and in their passynge ther were many dedes of armes done / in takynge and rescuyng agayne. So it fortuned▪ that sir Uauflart coude nat re­passe the brige / & so was fayne to saue hymselfe aswell as he might: he yssued out of the preace & toke away that he knewe well / and so entred in to the marshes among busshes and rockes / and ther taryed. The other fought styll at the brige and ther the liegoys ouercame (ser) Wyllm̄ Baylleuls company. And therwith / sir Robert Baylleull whan he harde that noyse in that parte / he cāe rynning thyder with his baner before hym / and whan the heynowes sawe the baner of mo­raynes / they byleued it had ben the baner of sir Wyllm̄ Bayllule and drue thyder / for ther was but a small dyfferēce bytwene their baners / for the armes of morians be barres counterbarres two cheurons gowles: and in the cheuron of (ser) Robert Baylleull ther was a lytell crosse golde which y ^• heynous toke no hede of. Wherby they were disconfyted: and slayne John̄ de Uergny sir water du Pont de large sir Wyllm̄ of Pypē poix / and dyuers other: and taken sir John̄ de Soyre / sir Danyell de Bleze: sir Race de Mō ­ceaur / sir Loys Dampelen / and dyuers other: and sir Wyllm̄ de Baylleul scaped aswell as he might / but he lost moche of his cōpany ▪ (ser) Uau­flart de la Croyse / who was in the marysshe trustyng to haue ben ther tyll it had ben night / and so to haue scaped / was spyed by some that rode a longe by the marese. And they made suche an out cry on hym / that he cāe out and yelded hym selfe prisoner / they toke and brought hym to the hoost and delyuered hym to their maister / who wolde gladly haue saued hī: for he knewe well he was in ieopardy of his lyfe. Anone tidynges of hym was brought to the french kyng / who in cōtynent dyd send for hym: and the kyng immediatly sent hym to Lyle / bycause he had done to thē moche damage. And so win the towne they dyd put him to deth / they wold in no wyse haue pyte of hym nor put hym to any ransome.

OF this dede that sir Robert Bayllieull had done: y ^• frenche kyng was ryght ioyouse. And within a season after / the erle of Heynault / sir John̄ his vncle / and the sene shall of Heynalt: with a .vi. hundred speares / heynowes / and almayns / de­parted fro the siege of Turney. And therle sent to them of Ualencēs ▪ that they shulde come and mete with hym before Mortayne: and to come bytwene Lescharpe / & Lescault to assayle Mortayne: and they came thyder in great array and brought with them great engyus. The lorde of Beauieu who was captayne within Mortayn greatly douted assautyng / bycause the fortresse stode nere to the ryuer / and nere to Heynault as on all parties: therfore he caused .xii. C. pyles to be driuen in the ryuer / to thyntent that no passage shulde be that way. Howbeit for all that y ^• erle of Heynault / and the heynous came thyder on the one syde / and they of Ualencens on the other part And incōtynent they made an assaut and aproched the barrers / but ther were suche depe trenches that they coude nat cōe nere / than some aduysed to passe the ryuer of Lescharpe / and so to cōe on the syde towarde saynt Amand & to make an assaut at the gate toward maulde And as they deuysed: a foure hundred passed y ^• ryuer / so than Mortayne was closed in thre ꝑ­tes / the wekyst syde was towarde Mauld / howbeit ther was strength ynough. To that parte came the lorde Beauieu hymselfe to defende it / for he feared none of the other sydes / he had in his hande a great glaue / sharpe and well [...]elyd and aboue the blade ther was a sharpe hoke of stele / y ^• whan he gaue his stroke the hoke shulde take holde. And loke on whome that it fastened he came to hym / or els fell in the water: by that meanes the same day he cast into the water mo than .xii. At that gate the assant was feresyst / y ^• erle of Heynalt who was on y ^• othersyde knewe nothyng of that assaut / he was araynged alōge the ryuer syde of Lescault / and deuysed howe they might get out of the riuer the pyles byforce or by subtyltie / for than they might come iust to the walles. They ordayned to make a shypp / & a gret engyn to drawe out the pyles eche one af­ter other / their carpenters were set a warke and the engyn made in a shyppe / and the same day they of Ualencens raysed on their syde a great engyn and dyd cast in stones so that it fore troubled them within. Thus y ^• first day passed and the night in assayling and deuysing howe they might greue them in the fortresse / the nexte day they went to assaut on all partes / and the thirde day the shypp̄ was redy / and thengyn to drawe out y ^• pyles. And than dyd set awarke to drawe them out / but ther were so many and suche la­bour in the doyng or they coude drawe out one / that they were wery of that craft: and the lordes wolde they had neuer begon it / and so cōmaun­ded to cease their warke. On y ^• other part with­in Mortayne / there was a connyng maister in makyng of engyns / who sawe well howe then­gyn of Ualencens dyd greatly greue them / he raysed an engyn in y ^• castell / the which was nat very great but he trymmed it to a poynt. And he cast therwith but thre tymes / the firste stone fell a .xii. fote fro thengyn without / the seconde fell nerer / and the thirde stone hit so euyn that it brake clene a sonder the shaft of thengyn with­out. Than the so [...]dyers of Mortaygne made a great shout: so thus the heynous coude get no­thyng ther / than therle sayd howe he wolde w ^t ­drawe and go agayne to the siege of Tourney. And so they dyd / and they of Ualencens retourned to their towne.

A Thre dayes after that therle of Heynault was re­tourned fro Mortaygne / he desyred certayne company­ons to go to saynt Amande / for he had dyuers complayntes how y ^• soudyers of saynt Amand had burnt thabbey of Hanon ▪ and had nere brent Uycoigne / & had done many dispytꝭ to the fronters of Heynalt. So therle departed fro the sige with a .iii. M. men and came before saynt Amand / on the syde towarde Mortayne. The towne was nat closed but with pales / and captayne ther was a knyght of Lāguedoke the seneshall of Cracassone / who had sayd to y ^• mō ­kes of thabbey ther and to them of the towne / y ^• it was nat able to holde agaynst an hoost: how be it he sayd rather than he wolde deꝑt he wold kepe it to the best of his power / but that he sayd [Page] was in the maner of counsell howbeit his wordes was nat byleued. But long before the iuels of the abbey were caryed to Mortaygne for the more suretie / and thyder went the abbot and all his mōkes / for they were no men of warr. And they of Ualencēnes came at therles cōmaunde­ment with a .xii. thousande men / and all y ^• cros­bo wes kept the gate to warde the bridge of Le­sharpe / they began a ferse assaut and many sore hurt on bothe parties. This assaut endured all the day: they of Ualencens coude get nothynge ther / they within scorned and mocked thē: and sayd sirs go your way and drink your good ale And agaynst night they of Ualencennes with­bre we right wery / and had gret marueyle that they coude here no tidynges of therle their lord and therfore they dysloged and drewe towarde their towne: the next mornyng be tymes / therle departed fro Turney / & came to saynt Amand on the syde towarde Mortayne: and incōtynēt they made assaute feers and cruell / and wan at the first the bayles / and came to the gate to war de Mortaygne. And ther therle and his vncle made a great assaut and eche of them had such a stroke on the heed with stones / that their base­nettes were clouen / and their heedes sore asto­nyed. At last one sayd to therle: sir this way we shall neuer entre / the way is strayet and strongly kept. But sir make great rāmes of wood like pyles / and let vs ronne with them agaynst the abbey walles / and we shall peerse it through in dyuers places / and if we get thabbey the towne is ours. Than therle cōmaunded so to be done: and anone gret peaces of tymber wer gote and made sharpe before: and to euery pece twentie or .xxx. persons / ronnyng ther with agaynst the wall: so that they brake the wall in dyuers pla­ces / and valyantly entred ther and passed a ly­tell ryuer that ranne within. And ther was re­dy the seneshall of Carcassone his baner before hym: the which was goules a sheffe syluerthre cheuorns in the sheffe bordred syluer indented. And he and his cōpany defended valyantly the heynowes as long as they might: but their de­fence coude nat auayle for the heynowes wer somany. And in their entryng into thabbey: ther was a monke called danne Frossart who dyde maruels / for he kylled and hurt at the hole ther as he stode an. x [...]iii. so that none durst entre in at that place: but finally he was fayne to depart for he sawe howe the henous entred into the ab­bey in dyuers places. And soo the monke saued hymselfe aswell as he might / and went to Mortayne. Whan therle and his cōpany wer entred into thabbey / he cōmaunded y ^t all shulde be put to the swerde they had so sore dyspleased hym / and done suche hurt in his contrey. The towne anone was full of men of armes / and they with in chased and sought for / fro strete to strete & in euery house: so y ^t fewe scaped but all wer slayne The seneshall was slayne vnder his standarde and a .ii. C. men rounde about hym / & agaynst night therle retourned to Turney / the next day they of Ualencens cāe a gayne to saynt Amand and brent clene the towne / and thabbey minster and all / and brake all the belles the which were goodly. Another day therle agayne deꝑted fro the siege with vi. C. men of armes / and went and brent Orchies / Lādas / and the Chell: and than passed by Hanon the ryuer of Lesharpe / & went into France to a great abbey and aryche called Marchienes / wherof sir Amye of Uer­naulx was captayne / & with hym certayne cros­bowes of Doway: ther therle made assaut for y ^• captayne had well fortifyed the firste gate with great depe dykes / and the frenchmen & monkes ther defended thēselfe right nobly / the heynous at last gate them botes and barges / and therby entred into thabbey: but there was a knyght of Almayne drowned a cōpanyon of the lorde Falquemont called sir Bacho de la Wyer. Therle & his vncle and the seneshall dyd at the gate so valyantly / that the gate was wone: and sir Amye and his cōpany slayne or taken. And ther were taken dyuers monkes and thabbey robbed and brent and the towne also: than therle retourned to the siege before Tourney.

THis siege before Tourney was long and great: and the kyng of England supposed euer to wyn it / for he knewe well ther were mo­che people within and but scant of vytayle. Wherefore he thought to famyssh them and some sayde they founde fomme courtesy in theym of Brabaunt / in sufferynge vytayles to passe through their hoost into the cyte: and they of Brussels and Louane wer sore wery with taryeng ther so long / & they desyred the marshall of thost that they might haue leaue to retourne into Brabāt. The marshall sayd he was well cō tent: but than they must leue all their harnes be hynde them / with the which answere they were [Page xxxiiii] so a shamed that they neuer spake therof more. ¶ Nowe I shall shewe you of a iourney that y ^e almayns made at the same bridge of Cressyne: wher as sir Robert Bayllule dysconfited y ^e heynowes / as the lorde of Rauderōdēce & sir John̄ his son / John̄ Raudebourg esquyer (ser) Arnold of Baquehen / sir Raynolde Descouuenort / sir Rorrant / Dasto / sir Bastyen de Bastes / & Can drelyer his brother / sir Strauren de Leurne: & dyuerse other of the duchy of Jullers & of guer­les. All these rode forthe on a day / and also they had with them certayne bachellers of Heynalt: as sir Floren of Beauryon / sir Latas de la Hey marshall of thoost / sir John̄ of Heynalt / (ser) Oulphart of Guystels / sir Robert Gleuues of therldome of Loz / and dyuers other: they wer a thre C. they came to the bridge of Cressyn / & passed without danger. Than they toke counsell what they shulde do / & it was thought moste for their honour to go and a wake the french host. Ther it was ordayned that the lorde Rauderondence and his son / sir Henry of Keukren / sir Tylman of Sausey (ser) Olphart of Guystels (ser) Lalemāt bastarde of Heynalt Robert of Gleuues / & Jaquelat of Tyaulx / shulde ryde & sodenly dasshe into the frenche host. And the other knyghtes & squyers / to the nombre of thre. C. shulde abyde styll at the brige to kepe y ^e passage. Thus these currours rode forthe to the nōbre of a .xl. speres tyll they came to thoost: and so dassht in and o­uerthrue tentes & pauilyons / and skirmysshed with the frenchmen. The same night two great barons of France had kept the wache that is to say the lorde of Mōmorency / & the lorde of Salieu: and whan they harde the noyse / they came with their baners to y ^t part. Than the almaynz retourned towarde the brige / and the frēchmen after them feersly: and in the chase sir Olphart of Guystels was taken / for he was purblynde: and also two bretherne Mondrope and Jaquelet Tyaulx they wer so nere togyder that ech of them vnderstode others language. And the fren­men sayd to the almayns: sirs ye shall nat scape thus / than one sayd to the lorde of Rauderōdēce sir take good hede for me thynke the frenchmen wyll be at the bridge or we / well sayd he though they knowe one way / I knowe an other. Thā he tourned on the right hande: & toke a way nat moche vsed / the which brought hym and his cō ­pany to y ^e foresayd ryuer / the which was so depe and enuyroned with maresshes / that they coud nat passe ther / so that they were fayne to repasse by the bridge / and the frenchemen euer rode a great galoppe towarde the bridge / and whaūe they came nere to the brige / and sawe that great busshment ther / they sayd among themselfe / I trowe we chase folysshly / we might lightly lese rather than wyn. Than dyuers of them retourned: and specially the lorde of saynt Saulie [...] with his baner and his company / and the lorde Charles of Mōmorency with his baner rode e­uer forwarde and wold nat recule. And so with great courage sette on the almayns / at the first brunt ther was a feerse encounter / and dyuerse ouer throwen on bothe parties. Than cāe in on thother syde / thother almayns / and so enclosed in the frenchmen: the lorde Renolde of Dyscouuenort knewe well the baner of the lorde Mommorency / who was vnder his banner with his swerde in his hand fightyng on euery syde / and so came sodenly on his right hande / & with his lyfthande he toke the bridell of the lorde Mommorencies horse / and spurred forthe his owne horse / and so drewe hym out of the batayle. And euer the lorde Mommorency strake and gaue hym many great strokes / which some he re­ceyued / and some he defended. But finally ther he was taken prisoner: so the almayns dyde so­moche that they obtayned the place / and toke a fourscore prisoners of gentylmen: than they re passed the bridge without any danger. And so came agayne to the siege before Tourney.

NOw let vs she we of au ad­uenture that tell to the flēmynges: of the whiche company ther were captayns sir Robert Dartoyse / & sir Henry of Flāders / they wer in nombre a xl. M. what of the townes of Ippre / Propyngne / Messynes / Cassell and of the Catelayne of Bergus. All these flēmynges lay in the vale of Cassell in tentes & pauylions to coū ­tergaryson the french garysons / that the french kynge had layed at saynt Omers at [...] / at saynt Uenaunt / and in other townes and forteresses there aboute. And in saynt Omers there was therle dolphyne of Auuergne / the lorde of kalengen / the lorde of [...] Rocheforte / the [...] nerse other knyghtes of [...] syn. And [...] also many [...] out [...] [Page] and brake downe dyuers houses / & robbed thē. The fray anon was knowen in the towne / and the lordes within armed them and their cōpa­ny and yssued out at a nother gate / they were a vi. baners and a .ii. C. men of armes and a .vi. .C. fotemen / and they came by a secrete way on the flemmynges / who were besy to robbe & pyll the towne of Arkes nere to saynt Omers / there they were spredde abrode without captayne or good order. Than the frēchmen came on them in good order of batell their bauers displayed cryeng Cleremont / the dolphyne of Auuergne / wherwith the flemmynges were a basshed and beatyn downe by hepes. And the chase of them endured .ii. leages / and ther were slayne a .iiii. M. and .viii. C. and a .iiii. C. taken prisoners and ledde to saynt Omers / and suche as fledde and scaped retourned to the hoost / and shewed their companyons their aduenture. And at last tidynges therof came to their captayns sir Ro­bert Dartoyse / and sir Henry of Flāders / who sayd it was well enployed / for they went forthe without cōmaundement or capitayne: and the same nyght or it was mydnight the flemynges lyeng in their tentes a slepe sodenly generally among thē all ther fell suche a feare in their her tes that they rose in great haste and with suche payne y ^t they thought nat to be dysloged tyme ynough. They bete downe their owne tentes & pauilyons and trussed all their caryages / and so fledde away nat abyding one for an other W ^t ­out kepyng of any right way. Whā these tidynges came to their two captayns / they rose hastely and made gret fiers / and toke torches & moū ted on their horses and so came to these flēmyn­ges / and sayd sirs what ayleth you / do you wāt any thyng / why do you thus flye away / be you nat well assured / retourne in the name of god / ye be to blame thus to flye and no mā chase you But for all their wordes / euery man fledde the ne [...]t way to their owne houses / and whan these lordes sawe none other remedy / they trussed all their harnes in waganes / and retourned to the hoost before Tourney / and the [...] shewed the ad­uenture of the flemmynges: wherof euery man had marueyle / some sayd they were ouercome with fantyses.

THis siege endured a long season: the space of a .xi. wekes thre dayes lesse / and all that season the lady Jane of Ualoys suster to the frenche king / and mother to therle of Heynalt traueyled gretly what on the one ꝑt and on thother to haue a respyte and a peace by twene the parties / so that they might depart w ^t out batayle. And dyuers tymes she kneled at y ^e [...]ete of the frenche kyng in that behalfe: and also made great labour to the lordes of thempyre / & specially to the duke of Brabant and to y ^e duke of Jullers / who had her dought in maryage / & also to sir John̄ of Heynalt. Somoch the good lady procured with the ayde & counsell of Loys Daugymont / who was welbeloued with both ꝑties: that it was graunted y ^t eche partie shuld sende foure sufficyent persons to treat on some good way to acorde the parties / and a truse for thre dayes. These apoynters shuld mete in a ly tell chapell standyng in the feldes called Esplo­tyn / at the day apoynted these persons mette: & the good lady with them. Of the frenche partie ther was Charles kyng of Behayne [...] Charles erle Dalanson brother to the frenche kyng / and the bysshopp̄ of Liege / therle of Flanders / and therle of Armynack. Of thēglysshe partie there was the duke of Brabāt / the bysshop of Licolne the duke of Guerles / the duke of Jullers / and (ser) John̄ of Heynalt. And whan they were all met: they made ech to other gret salutacyons & good ther / and than entred into their treaty & all that day they comuned on dyuers ways of acorde / & alwayes y ^e good lady of Ualoys was amōg thē desyringe effectuously all the parties / that they wolde do their labour to make a peace / howbeit the first day passed w ^tout any thing doyng. and so they retourned & promysed to mete agayne y ^e next day: the whiche day they came togyther a­gayne in the same place / and so fell agayne into their treaty. And so fell vnto certayne poyntes agreable: but it was as thanne so late that they coude nat put it in writynge as that day / and to make an ende: and to make perfyght the mater if they might. The thirde day they met agayne and so finally acorded on a truse to endure for a yere bytwene all parties / and all ther men. And also bytwene thē that were in Scotlande / and all suche as made warr in Gascoyne / Poycton / and in Sāton. And this treuse to begyn the .xl. day next ensuyng / and within that space euery partie to gyue knowlege to his men w ^tout mall engyn / and if suche cōpanyes woll nat kepe the peace let thē be at their chose. But as for Frāce / [Page xxxv] Pycardy / Burgoyne / Bretayne / and Normā dy to be bounde to this peace without any exce­pcyon: and this peace to begyn incontynent by twene the hostes of the two kynges. Also it was determyned / that bothe parties in eche of their names shulde sende foure or fyue personages / as their embassodours and to mete at Arras / & the pope in likwyse to sende thyder foure: and ther to make a full confirmacyon without any meane. Also by this truse euery partie to enioy and possede all and euery thyng / that they were as than in possessyon of. This truse incōtynent was cryed in bothe hoostes / wherof the brabances were right gladde / for they were sore wery with so long lyeng at the siege. So that y ^e nexte day assone as it was day lyght: ye shulde haue sene tentes taken downe / charyotes charged / & people remoue so thycke / that a man wold haue thought to haue sene a newe worlde. Thus the good towne of Tourney was safe without any great damage: howe beit they within endured gret payne / their vytaylsbegan to fayle (for as it was sayd) they had as than scant to serue thē a thre or foure dayes at the moost. The braban­ces departed quickely / for they had grete desyre therto: the kyng of Englande departed sore a­gaynst his mynde / if he might haue done other wyse / but in manerhe was fayne to folowe the wylles of the other lordes / and to byleue their counsayls. And the frenche kynge coude abyde no lengar there as he lay for the yuell ayre / and the wether hote. So the frenchmen had the ho­nour of that iourney / bycause they had rescued Tourney / and caused their ennemies to deꝑte. The kyng of Englande and the lordes on his ꝑtie sayd how they had y ^e honour / by reason that they had taryed so long within the realme / and besieged one of the good townes therof / and al­so had wasted and burnt in the frenche contrey / and that the frenche kynge had nat rescued it in tyme and hour as he ought to haue done by gy­uyng of batayle / and finally agreed to a truse / their ennemies beyng styll at the siege and brennyng his contrey. Thus these lordes departed fro the siege of Tourney / and euery man drewe to his owne. The kynge of Englande came to Gaunt to the quene his wyfe / and shortly after passed the see and all his / except suche as shulde be at the parlyament at Arras. Cherle of Hey­nalt retourned to his contrey / and helde a noble feest at Mons in Heynault / and a great iustes. In the which Gararde of Uerchyn seneshall of Heynault dyd iust and was so sore hurt / that he dyed of the stroke / he had a sonne called Johān who was after a good knyght and a hardy / but he was but a whyle in good helthe. The french kyng gaue leaue to euery man to departe / and went hymselfe to Lyle / and thyder came they of Tourney. And the kyng receyued them ioyou­sly and dyd shewe them gret grace / he gaue thē frely their franches y ^e which they had lost longe before / wherw ^t they were ioyouse / forsir God­mer du Fay and dyuers other knyghtꝭ had ben long gouernours ther: than they made newe ꝓ uost / and iurates acordynge to their auncyent vsages / than the kyng departed fro Lysle to go to Parys. Nowe than came the season that the counsayle shulde be at Arras / and for pope Cle­ment thyder came in legacyon / the cardynall of Napuls / and the cardynall of Cleremont: who came to Parys wher as the kyng made theym mochehonour / and so came to Arras: for the frē ­che kyng ther was therle of Alanson / the duke of Burbon / therle of Flaunders / therle of Blo­ys / the archebysshoppe of Senes / the bysshop of Beawayes / and the bysshoppe of Aucerre / & for the kyng of England / ther was the bysshop of Lyncolne / the bysshoppe of Durame / therle of Warwyke / sir Robert Dartoyse / sir John̄ of Heynalt / and sir Henry of Flanders / at the whiche treaty ther were many maters put forthe / & so contynued a .xv. dayes & agreed of no poynt of effect / for thenglysshmen demaunded / and y ^e frenchmen wolde nothyng gyue: but all onely to rendre the coūtie of Poycton / the which was gyuen with quene Isabell in maryage with the kyng of Englande. So this parlyament brake vp and nothyng done / but the truse to be relon­ged two yeres lengar / that was all that the car­dynals coude get. Than euery man departed / and the two cardynals went through Heynault at the desyre of therle / who feested thē nobly.

WHan that this sayde trewse was agreed and sayled before the cyte of Turney / euery lord and all maner of people dysloged & euery man drue into his owne contrey. The duke of Bretayne / who had ben ther with y ^• french kyng / as well furnysshed [Page] as any other prince that was ther / deꝑted hom warde: and in his way a sickenes toke hym / so that he dyed. At whiche tyme he had no chylde nor had neuer noue by the duchies / nor had no trust to haue / he had a brother by the father side called erle of Moūtfort / who was as than lyueyng: & he had to his wyfe suster to therle Loyes of Flaūders. This sayd duke had an other bro­ther bothe by father & mother who was as than deed: and he had a doughter a lyue / and y ^e duke her vncle had maryed her to the lord Charles of Bloyes / eldyst sonne of therle Guy of Bloyes: that the same erle had by the suster of kyng Philypp̄ of France. Who as than raygned and had promysed with her in maryage y ^e duchy of Bre­tayne after his dyscease / for he douted that the erle Mountfort wolde clayme the inherytance as next of blode / and yet he was nat his proper brother germayne. And the duke thought that the doughter of his brother germayne oughte by reason to be more nere to the Inherytaunce after his dycease / than therle Moūtfort his brother. And bycause he fered that after his dycease therle of Mountfort wolde take away y ^e ryght fro his yongnese: therfore he maryed her with the sayd sir Charles of Bloys / to thyntent that kyng Philyp vncle to her housbande shuld ayd to kepe her right agaynst therle Mountfort / yf he medyll any thynge in y ^e mater. Assone as the erle Moūtfort knewe that the duke his brother was deed / he went incōtynent to Nauntes: the souerayne cytie of all Bretayne. And he dyd so­moche to the burgesses / and to the people of the contrey ther about / y ^t he was receyued as their chefe lord: as moost next of blode to his brother dysceased / and so dyd to hym homage and feal­tie. Than he & his wyfe / who had both the hertꝭ of a lyon: determyned with their counsell to call a court / and to kepe a solempne feest at Naun­tes at a day lymitted / agaynst y ^e which day thei sent for all the nobles and counsails of the good to wnes of Bretayne / to be there to do their ho­mage and fealte to hym / as to their soueraygne lorde. In the meane season or this feest began: therle Mounfort with a great nombre of men a warr deꝑted fro Nauntes / and went to Lymogines: for he was enformed that the tresur that his father had gadered many a day before was ther kept secrete. Whan he came ther he entred into the cyte with gret tryumphe / and dyd hym moche honour: and was nobly receyued of the burgesses / of the clergie / & of the cōmons: and they all dyd hym fealtie / as to their soueraygne lorde. And by such meanes as he founde: y ^• gret treasur was delyuerd to him / and whan he had taryed there at his pleasure / he deꝑted with all his treasur and came to Nauntes to the coūtes his wyfe. And so their they taryed in grete ioye tyll the day came of the feest / and made gret prouysiōs against the same. And whan the day cāe and no man apered for no cōmaundement / ex­cept one knyght called sir Henry du Leon / a noble and a puysaunt man. So they kept the feest a thre dayes as well as they might / with such as were ther. Than it was determyned to retayne soudyers a horsbacke and a fote / and so to dys­pende his gret tresure to attayne to his purpose of the duchy / and to constrayne all rebels to cōe to mercy. So soudyers wer retayned on all sy­des and largely payed / so that they had a great nōbre a fote and a horsbacke: nobles and other of dyuerse countreis.

WHan therle of Mountfort / sawe howe he had peple ynough: than he was coū sayled to go and conquere all the cōtre outher by loue or by force / and to subdue all his rebels. Than he yssued out of the cytie of Naū ­tes with a great hoost / and went to a strong ca­stell standynge on the see syde called Brest: and captayne therin was sir Garnyer of Clysson / a noble knyght and one of the grettest barownes in Bretayne. Therle Mountfort or he came to Brest / he constrayned so all the countrey except the fortresses / y ^t euery man folowed hym a hors­backe or a fote / none durste do none otherwyse, whan therle cāe to the castell of Brest he caused (ser) Hēry de Leon to sende to the captayn to speke with hym / mouyng hym to obey to therle / as to the duke of Bretayne. The knight answered he wold do nothyng after that mocyon tyll he had otherwyse in cōmaundement / fro hym y ^t ought to be lorde ther by right: and the next day therle dyd assaut the castell. Within the castell were a .iii. C. men of armes. and euery man was set to his part of defence: and than the captayn toke a xl. good men of armes & came to the barryers: & so ther was a sore assaut / and dyuers sore hurt. But finally ther came so many assaylātes / that the bayles were wonne byfore / and the defēdantes fayne to retourne into the castell / at a harde [Page xxxvi] aduenture for ther were dyuers slayne / but the captayne dyd so valyantly that he brought his company into the chyefe gate. They that kepte the warde of the gate / whan they sawe that my­schyefe / feared lesyng of the castell: and sodenly they lette downe the portcolyse / and closed their owne capteyne and certayne with him without who right nobly defēded themselfe. They were sore hurt and in great daunger of deth / and the captayne wold neuer yelde hymselfe: they with in cast out stones / tymber / yron / and pottꝭ with quycke lyme: so that the assaylantes were fayne to drawe backe / than they drue vp a lytell of the portcolyse: and the captayne entred and his cō ­pany such as wer left a lyue with him sore woū ded. The next day therle caused certayne ingēs to be raysed: and sayde howe that he wolde nat depart thens / tyll he had the castell at his plea­sure. The thyrde day he vnderstode: howe the captayne within was deed of such hurtes as he receyued before at entrynge into the castell / and trewe it was. Than the duke Mountfort cau­sed a great assaut to be made: and had certayne instrumentes made of tymber / to caste ouer the dykes to come to the harde walles / they within defended themselfe aswell as they myght tyll it was noone. Than the duke desyred thē to yelde and to take hym for their duke / and he wold fre­ly pardon them. Whervpon they toke counsell: and the duke caused the assaut to cease / and fy­nally they yelded them / their lyues and goodes saued: than therle of Mountfort entred into the castell with certayne nombre / and receyued the feaultie of all the men of that Chatelayne. And ther he sette to be captayne: a knyght whom he trusted moche / and than he retourned to his fel­de right ioyouse.

WHan the erle of Mountfort was retourned to his felde / & had stably s [...]hed his captayns in the castell of Brest. Than̄e he drewe to­warde the cite of Renes the which was nat farr thens: & euery where as he wēt he made euery man to do him homage and feaulte as to their ryght lorde / and dayly encreased his hoost. So he came before Renes and pyght vp his tentes / and lodged his peple rounde aboute the cyte / and in the subbarbes. They w ^tin made great semblant of defence: capytaine ther was sir Henry Pennefort / who was well beloued for his treweth and valyantnesse / on a mornyng he yssned out with a two hūdred men / and dasshed into the hoost / and bete downe tentes and slewe dyuers suche of the host as had kept watche the same night drue to the noyse. Than they of the fortresse withdrewe and fledde agayne to their castell: but they taryed so longe / that dyuers of theym were taken and slayne. And sir H [...]y of Pēfort was taken and brought to the erle / than the erle caused hym to be brought before the cy­tie / and to be shewed to the burgesses / y ^t if they wolde saue his lyfe to yelde vp the towne / or els he shuld be hanged before the gates. Than they of Renes toke counsayle the whiche enduredde longe / for the commons had great pyte of their captayne / and he was welbelored among them Also they consydred howe they hadde but small store of vytayle / long to defende the siege: wherfore they sayde they wolde haue peace. But the great burgesses [...] who hadde ynough for theymselfe / wolde nat agre to yelde vp the towne. So that their dyscorde multiplyed so farre / that the great burgesses / who were all of one lynnage drewe a parte and sayde: sirs all that woll take our parte drawe to vs. So that there drewe to­gyther of one affinyte and lynnage to the nom­bre of a two thousande. And whan the other cō ­mons sawe that / they began to sterre and sayde to the burgesses many euyll and vylanous wordes / and finally ran togyder and slewe dyuers of them. Than whan the burgesses sawe what myschefe they were in they agreed to them / and sayd they wolde do as they desyred. Thā ceased the fray: and all the cōmons ranne and opyned the gates / and yelded the cytie to therle Moun­fort and dyde homage and feaultie to hym / and toke hym as their lorde: & so dyd sir Henry Pē ­fort who was made of therles counsayle.

[Page] THus therle of Moūt­fort entred ito Renes with great feest: and lodged his host styll in the feldes / and made the peace agayne by twene the burgesses & the commons. Than he made ther baylyffes / pronost / aldermen / sergyantes / and other officers: and taryed ther thre dayes. Than he dyslodged: and drue towarde y ^• stron gest castell in all Bretayn called Hanybout stā dynge on a port of the see / and the see rennynge rounde about in gret dykes. Whan sir Hēry of [...]ēfort sawe how therle wolde go thyder: he feared his brother who was captayn ther / than he cāe to therle in coūsell & sayd: sir it hath pleased you to admyt me as one of your counsaylours / and sir I haue gyuen you my fayth and allegi­ance. I vnderstande ye purpose to go to Hany­bout: sir knowe for trouth the towne and the castell a [...] of suche strength / that they be nat easy to wynne: I thynke surely ye may well lese your tyme there a hole yere / or ye wynne it perforce. But sir if it wyll please you to byleue me / I shal shewe you the wayes howe to wynne it / whaūe force can nat helpe subtylte & craft must auayle If ye wyll delyuer me. [...]. hūdred men of armes to be rueled as I woll haue thē: I shall go with them halfe a leage before your hoost with y ^e ba­ner of Bretayn before me. And my brother who is gouernour of the castell and of the towne / as sone as he shall se the banner of Bretayne / and knowe that it is I / he woll opyn the gates and let me entre and all my company. And assone as I am within I shall take hym as prisoner / and take possessyon of the towne and gates: and I shall rendre my brother into your handes to do pour pleasure with hym / without he woll obey as I woll haue him. So that ye promyse me by the fayth of your body that ye shall do his ꝑson no bodely hurt: the which request therle promysed & sayd. If ye bringe this about / I shall loue you the better euer after. Than sir Henry Pen­fort departed with his company apoynted / and agaynst euenynge he came to Hanybout / and whan his brother Olyuer Pēfort knewe of his cōmyng / he opyned the gates and let hym entre wenynge he had ben come to haue ayded hym: and so came and mette his brother in the strete. Assone as sir Henry sawe hym / he aproched to hym and toke hym by the arme / and sayd Oly­uer ye army prisoner / howe so ꝙ he. I haue put my trust in you / thynkyng that ye were come hytherto ayde me to kepe this towne and castell. Brother ꝙ sir Henry the mater gothe nat so / I take possession of this towne for therle Mountfort / who is nowe duke of Bretayne: to whome I haue made fealtie and homage / and the most part of the contrey hath obeyed vnto hym. And so shall you do in likewyse / and it wer better ye dyd it by loue than byforce: ye shall deserue the more thanke. Somoche Olyuer was styred by his brother that he agreed to hym: and so therle entred and toke possession of the towne and ca­stell / and set ther a gret garison. Than he went withall his host to [...]ennes and made such treatie with them / that they yelded vp and dyd feal­tie and homage to hym / as to their soueraygne lorde. And there he stablysshed all maner of officers / and taryed ther thre dayes: and frothens he went and layd siege to a strong castell called Roche Peron: captayne therin was (ser) Olyuer of Clysson cosyn germayne to y ^• lorde Clysson / and therle lay ther at siege .x. dayes / and coude fynde no wayes howe to gette the castell it was so strong / and the captayne wolde in no wyse agre to obey / nother for fayre wordes nor foule. So the erle left that siege and departed for that tyme / and went & layd siege to an other castell a .x. leages thens called Aultoy: and therin was captayne sir Geffray Malestroyt / and in his cō pany sir Juon of Triguyde: therle assayled the castell two tymes / but he sawe well he might rather lose ther / than wynne. Than he agreed to a truse for a day / at the instance of sir Henry de Leon / who was euer styll about hym. Soo the treaty toke such effect that they were all frendꝭ: and the two knyghtꝭ dyd homage to therle / and so departed and left styll the same two knightes to be captayns ther / and of the contrey there a­bout. Thanne he went to an other castell called Goy la Forest: and he that was captayne there sawe howe therle had a great hoost / and howe the contrey was sore yelded to hym / and so by y ^• counsell of sir Henry de L [...]on with whome the captayne had ben in cōpany in Pruce / in Gra­nade: and in dyuers other strange contreis / he acorded with therle and dyd hym homage: and therle left hym styll captayne ther. Than therle went to Caraches / a good towne and a stronge castell: and therin ther was a bysshoppe / who was lorde therof. This prelate was vncle to sir Henry de Leon / so that by sir Henris meanes / the bysshoppe agreed with therle and toke hym as his lorde: vnto suche season as somme other shulde come and shewe more ryght to the duchy of Bretaygne

THus therle Moūtfort conquered the countrey and made hymselfe to be called duke of Bretayne. Than he went to a port on the see syde called G [...]e [...]o: thasie he sent his people abrode to kepe y ^• townes and fortresses that he had won. Than he toke the see with a certayne with him: and so arryued in Cornwall in Englande at a port called Chepse: than he enquered where the kynge was / and it was shewed hym howe y ^e he was at wyndsore. Than he rode thyderwarde & came to Wyndsore / wher he was receyued with gret ioye and feest / bothe of the kyng & of the quene and of all the lordes: than he shewed the kynge and his counsayle howe he was in possession of the duchy of Bretayne / fallen to hym by succession by y ^• deth of his brother last duke of Breten. But he feared lest that sir Charles of Bloyes & the frenche kynge wolde put hym out therof by puyssance / wherfore he sayd he was come thy­der to relyue and to holde the duchy of the kyng of Englande by fealtie and homage for euer: so that he wolde defende hym agaynst the frenche kynge and all other that shul [...]e put hym to any trouble for the mater. The kynge of Englande ymagined that his warre agaynste the frenche kyng shulde be well fortifyed by that meanes / & howe that he coude nat haue no more profitable way for hym to entre into France than by Bre­tayne: remembring howe the almayns and brabances had done lytell or nothyng for hym / but caused hym to spende moche money. Wherfore [...]yously he condyscending to therle Mountfortes desyre: and there toke homage by the handꝭ of therle callyng hym selfe duke of Bretaygne. And ther the kyng of Englande in the presence of suche lordes as were ther / bothe of Bretayne and of Englande: promysed that he wold ayde / defende / and kepe hym as his liege man: aga­ynst euery man / frenche kyng and other. This homage and promyses were writen and sealed / and euery [...]tie had his part belyuerd: besyde y ^• the kynge and y ^• quene gaue to therle and to his company many great gyftes: in such wyse that they reputed hym for a noble kyng / and worthy to raygne in gret prosperyte. Than therle toke his leaue and departed and toke agayne thesee and arryued at y ^• forsayd port of Gredo in base Bretayne / and so came to Nauntes to his wyfe who sayde howe he had wrought by good and byscrete counsayle.

WHan sir Charles of Bloys who helde hymselfe rightfull inherytour to Bretaygne by reason of his wyfe: harde howe the erle of Mountfort conquered beforce the countrey / the whiche by reason ought to be his. Than he came to Parys to complayne to kyng Philyppe his vncle: whervpon the kyng coun­selled w ^t the nobles of the realme what he might do in that matter / and it was counsaylled hym y ^• therle Moūtfort shuld be by sufficyent messā gers somoned to apere at Parys / & ther to here what answere he wolde make. So these messā gers were sent forthe: and they founde therle at Nauntes makyng good chere / and he made to them great feest / and finally he answered howe he wolde obey the kynges cōmaundement. And than made hym redy and departed fro Nantes and so came to Paris with a .iiii. C. horse with hym: and the next day he and all his / mounted on their horses and rode to the kynges palayse. Ther the kynge and his .xii. peres with other great lordes of Fraunce taryed his commyng / and the lorde Charles of Blois with th [...]. Than therle entred into the kynges chambre: he was well regarded and saluted of euery person / thā he enclyned hymselfe to the kyng (and sayd) sir I am come hyther at your cōmaundement and pleasure. Than the kyng sayd / erle of Mount­fort for your so doyng I can you good thanke / howbeit I haue marueyle: howe that ye durste vndertake on you the duchy of Bretayne wher­in ye haue no right / for there is another ne [...]e [...] than ye be / and ye wolde dysinheryt hym: and to mentayne your quarell / ye haue ben w ^t myne [Page] aduersary the kynge of Englande / and as it is shewed me ye haue done hym homage for the saine. Than ther [...]e sayd sir byleue it nat: for sure­ly ye at but yuell enformed in that behalf / but (ser) as for the right that ye speke of sauyng your dyspleasur ye do me ther [...] wrong / for (ser) I knowe none so nere to my brother / that is departed as I▪ if it were iuged or playnly declared by right that the [...] were a nother nerer than I / I wolde [...]at be rebell nor a shamed to leaue it. Well sir ꝙ the kyng ye say well: but I cōmaund you in all that ye holde of me / that ye deꝑt nat out of this cytie of Parys this .xv. dayes / by the which ty­me the .xii. peres and lordes of my realme shall iudge this mater / and thāye shall knowe what right ye haue: and if ye do otherwyse ye shall displease me. Than therle sayd: (ser) all shalbe at yo [...] pleasure / than̄e he went fro the court to his lod­gyng to dyner / whan he came to his lodgynge he entred into his chambre / and the [...] satte and ymagined many doutes: & finally with a small company he mounted on his horse and retour­ned agayne into Bretayne / or the kynge or any other wyst wher he was becōe. Some thought he had ben but a lytell sicke in his lodgyng: and whan he came to Nauntes he shewed the coun­tesse what he had done / and than by her counsel herode to all the townes and forteresses that he had wonne: and stablysshed in them good cap­tayns and soudyers a horsbacke and a fote / and dyd gyue them good wages.

IT is to be thought that the frenche kynge was sore dyspleased: whan he knewe that the erle of Mountforte was so departed. How beit he taryed tyll y ^e .xv. day that the lordes shulde gyue their iudgemēt on the duchy of Bretayne / whan the day came they iudged it clerely to (ser) Charles of Bloys wyfe: who was doughter to the brother germayne of the duke last deed by y ^• father syde whom they iudged to haue more right than the erle Mountforte who came by another father / who was neuer duke of Bretayne. In other re­ason the [...] was: they sayde though that therle of Moūtfort had any right / he had forfeted it two wayes. The one bycause he had relyued the du­chy of a nother lorde than of the frenche kynge / of whom he ought to holde it. The other reason was bycause he had broken the kynges cōmaundement: and disobeyed his a rest and prison / as in goyng away without leaue. Whan this iud­gement was gyuen in playne audyence by all y ^• lordes: thanne the kyng called to hym the lorde Charles of Bloys his nephue / and sayde fayre nephue ye haue iudged to you a fayre herytage and a great. Therfore hast you and go and conquere it agaynst hym that kepyth it wrongful­ly / and desyre all your frendes to ayde you: and I shall nat fayle you for my part / I shall lende you golde and syluer ynough: and shall com­maunde my sonne the duke of Normandy to go with you. Than (ser) Charles of Bloys inclyned hym to his vncle / thankyng hym right humbly: than he desyred y ^• duke of Normādy his cosyn / the erle of Alanson his vncle / the duke of Bur­goyne / therle of Bloys his brother / the duke of Butbone / the lorde Loys of Spayne / y ^• lorde Jaques of Burbon / therle of Ewe constable of Fraunce / and therle of Guynes his sonne: the vycont of Rohayne / and all the other lordꝭ that were ther. And all they sayde howe they wolde gladly go with hym / & with their lorde the duke of Normandy. Than these lordes departed to make them redy / and to make ꝓuysion agaynst that iourney.

WHan all these lordes of Normandy: the duke of Alanson / the duke of Burgoyne / and all other suche as shulde go with sir Char­du Bloys / to ayde hym to cōquere the duchy of Bretayne were redy. They departed some fro Pares and some fro other places / and they assembled togyder at the cytie of An­gers: and fro thens they went to Ancennys / the which is thende of the realme on that syde / and ther taryed a thre dayes: than they went forthe into the countrey of Bretayne / and whan they were in the feldes / they nombred their company [Page xxxviii] to a fyne thousande men of armes besyde the ge no wayes / the which were a thre thousande / and thre knyghtes of Gennes oyd lede thē. The one called sir Othes de Rue / and thother sir Char­les Germaulx: and besyde that they had many erosbowes / of whome sir Galoys be la Baulme was captayne. Than all these went to a strong castell standynge on a hyghe mountayne called Chastōceaulx ther was thentre of Bretayne / it was furnysshed with men of warr: & captayns ther were two knyghtes of Lorayne called syr Gyles / and sir Ualeryan. The lordes of Frāce toke counsell to besiege this castell: for they tho­ught if they shulde leaue such a fortres behynde them / it shuld do them great damage. So they beseged it rounde about / and made many assautes / specially the genowayes dydde what they might to attayne prayse at the begynning: but they lost often tymes of their company / for they within defended themselfe so sagely that it was longe or they toke any damage. But finally the assaylantꝭ brought thyder somoch tymbre / wod and fagottes / that they fylled therwith the dy­kes: so that they might go [...]ust to y ^• walles / they within cast out stones / chalke / and brennynge fyre: howbeit they without came to y ^• fote of the walles / & had instrumetes wherby they myght vnder couert myne the walles. Than they with in yelded vp the castell / their lyues and goodes saued: thafie the duke of Normanvy who was chiefe ther / delyuered the castell to sir Charles of Bloys as his owne / who incōtynent set ther a good garyson to kepe thentre: and to conduct suche as came after theym. Than they went to­warde Nantes: wher as they harde how therle of Mountfort their ennemy was / the marshals and currours of their hoost / founde by the way as they went a good towne closed with [...]ykes / the which they feersly assayled: and in the town ther were but fewe peple / and yuell armed. So that anone the towne was wo [...] / robbed / and the one half brent: and all the peple put to y ^• swerde / this towne was called Carquesy: within a .iiii. or fyue leages to Nantes. The lordes lay ther about all that night / y ^• next mornyng they drue towarde Nantes and layed siege rounde about it / and pygh [...]p their tentes and pauilyons. Than the men of warre within the towne and the burgesses armed thē / and went to their de­fences as they were apoynted: some of the host went to y ^• barrers to skirmyssh / and some of the soudyers within & yong buegesses y [...]ue [...] out agaynst them / so that ther were byuees slayne & hurt on bothe parties / ther were [...]yuerse suche skirmysshes. On a mornyng some of the soudy­ers within the cytie yssued out at aduēture / and they founde a .xv. cartes with vytell cōmyng to thoost warde / and a .lx. persons to cōuey it: and they of the cytie were a .ii. C. They set on them and anone dysconfyted them and slewe dyuers and some fled away and scaped / and shewed in thoost howe it was. Than some went to rescue the pray: and ouer toke them nere to the barry­ers / ther began a great skirmysshe / ther came so many fro thoost that they within had moch a do: howbeit they toke the horses out of the cartꝭ and dyd driue them in at the gate / to thentent [...] they without shulde nat driue lightly away the caryages. Than other soudyers of the cytie ys­sued out to helpe their companyons: and also of the burgesses to ayde their parētes / so the fray multiplyed and dyuers were slayne & sore hurt on bothe parties: for alwayes people encreased fro thoost / and some newe euer yssued out of the cytie. Than at last sir Henry the captayne sawe that it was tyme to retreyt: for by his abydinge he sawe he might rather lese than wyn / than he caused them of the cytie to drawe a backe aswell as he myght / yet they were pursued so [...]ere that many were slayne and taken / mo than .ii. C. of the burgesses of y ^• towne. wherof therle of Mōtfort blamed sore sir Henry de Leon / that he cau­sed the retrayt so sone: wherwith sir Hēry was sore dyspleased in his mynde. And after that he [...]old no more cōe to therls coūsell so aften as he dyd before: many had maruell why he dyd so.

AS I hard reported ther were certayne burgesses of y ^• cite sawe howe their goodes went to wast both without & [...]in / & had of their chyldren and frendes in prison & dou­ted that wors shulde come to them after: than they aduysed and spake togy­der secretly / so that finally they cōcluded to tre­at with the lordes of France. So y ^• they myght come to haue peace & to haue their chyldren and frēdes clerely delyuerd out of prison. They ma­de this treatie so secretly: that at laste it was a­greed that they shulde haue all the prosouers de­lyuerd [Page] / and they to set opyn one of y ^e gates that the frenche lordes myght entre / to take the erle Moūtfort in the castell / without doyng of any maner of hurt to the cyte / or to thynhaby tantes or goodes therin. Some sayed this was pur­chased by the means and agrement of sir Henry de Leon / who had ben before one of the erles chiefe counsaylours. Thus as it was deuysed / so it was done in a mornyng: the frenche lordes entred and went streyght to y ^• castell and brake opyn the gates / and ther toke therle Moūtfort prisoner and ledde hym clene out of the cytie in­to their felde / without doyng of any more hurt in the cyte. This was the yere of our lorde god M. C C C .xli. about the feest of all saynt [...]. Thā the lordes of Fraunce entred into the cytie with great ioye: and all the burgesses and other dyd fealtie and homage to the lorde Charles of Bloys as to their ryght souerayne lorde / and there they taryed a thre dayes in gret feest. Than sir Charles of Bloys was coūselled to abyde ther about the cytie of Nauntes tyll the next somer / and so he dyd: and set captayns in suche gary­sons as he had won / than the other lordes went to Parys to the kyng / and delyuerd hym therle of Mountfort as prisoner. The kynge set hym in the castell of Loure wher as he was longe / I at last as I harde reported ther he dyed.

¶ Nowe let vs speke of the countesse his wyfe / who had the courage of a man / and the hert of a lyon. She was in the cytie of Renes whanne her lorde was taken: and howe beit that she had great sorowe at her hert / yet she valyantly re­cōforted her frendes and soudyers / and shewed them a lytell son that she had called John̄ / and sayd a sirs be nat to sore a basshed of the erle my lorde whom we haue lost (he was but a man) se here my lytell chylde who shalbe by the grace of god his restorer / and he shall do for you all & I haue riches ynough ye shall nat lacke: & I trust I shall purchase for suche a capitayne / that ye shalbe all reconforted. Whan she had thus con­forted her frendes and soudyers in Renes / than she wēt to all her other fortresses and good townes / and ledde euer with her John̄ her yonge sonne: and dyd to thē as she dyde at Renes and fortifyed all her garisons of euery thyng y ^• they wanted: and payed largely & gaue frely where as she thought it well enployed. Than she wēt to Hanybout / and ther she and her sonne tary­ed all that wynter / often tymes she sent to byset her garysons / and payed euery man full well and truely their wages.

YE haue harde here before y ^t the siege beynge before Tourney / howe the lordes of Scotland had taken agayne dyuers townes and fortresses fro thenglysshmen / such as they helde in Scotlande. Ther were no mo remayning in thēglysshmens handes but one­ly the castell of Esturmelyne / the cytie of Ber­wyke / and Rousburge. And the scottes lay styll at siege with certayne frenchmen with them su­che as kyng Philyppe had sent thyder to helpe thē before Esturmelyne: and they within were so sore constrayned y ^• they sawe well they coude nat long endure. And whan the kynge of Eng­lande was retourned fro the siege of Tourney and came into his owne realme / he was coūsel­led to ryde towarde scotlande and so he dyd / he rode thyderwarde bytwene mighelmas and al sayntes / cōmaundyng euery mā to folowe hym to Berwyke / than euery man began to styrre: and to drawe thyder as they were cōmaunded. The kyng at last came to yorke / and ther tary­ed for his people: the lordes of Scotlande wer enfourmed of the cōmyng of the kyng of Eng­lande / wherfore they made sorer assautes to the castell of Esturmelyne / and cōstrayned so them within / with engyns and canons that they wer fayne to yelde vp the castell / sauyng their lyues and membres: but nothyng they shulde cary a­way. These tidynges came to the kyng of Englande where as he was / than̄e he departed and drewe toward Esturmelyne and came to New­castell vpon Tyne: and ther lodged and tary­ed more than a moneth abydinge prouysion for his host / the which was put on the see bytwene saynt Andrewes tyde and All sayntes: but dy­uerse of their shyppes were perysshed / for they had suche tempest on the see / that small prouysi­on came thyder. Some were driuen into Hol­lande and into Fryse / wherby thēglysshe hoost had great defaute of vytayls and euery thynge was dere / and wynter at hande. So that they wyst nat wher to haue forage: and in scotlande the scottes had put all their goodes into fortres­ses / and the kyng of England had ther mo thā vi. M. horsmen / and .xl. M. fotemen. The lor­des of Scotland after their wynning of Estur [Page xxxix] melyne they [...]rue into the forestes of Gedeours and they vnderstode well howe the kyng of Englande lay at Newecastell with a great nom­bre / to brenne and to exyle the realme of Scot­lande. Than they toke counsell what they shul­de do: they thought themselfe to small a company to mentayne the warr / seyng howe they had cōtynued the warres more than .vii. yere / with­out heed or captayne. And yet as thā they coude parceyue no socoure fro their owne kyng: than they determyned to sende to the kyng of Eng­lande a bysshop and an abbot to desyre a truse / the which messangers departed fro Scotland / and came to Newecastell wher they founde the kynge. These messangers shewed to the kynge and to his counsayle the cause of their cōmyng: so than it was agreed a trewse to endure foure monethes / on the condycion that they of Scot­lande shulde sende sufficyent embassadours in­to France to kyng Dauyd: y ^t without he wolde come within the moneth of May next folowing so puyssantly as to resyst and defēde his realme els they clerely to yelde themselfe englysshe and neuer to take hym more for their kyng. So thꝰ these two prelates retourned agayne into Scotlande / and incontynent they ordayned to sende into Fraunce / sir Robert [...]ersay / and sir Sy­mon Fresyll / and two other knyghtes to shewe to their kynge their apoyntment. The kynge of Englande agreed the sone [...] to this truse / by­cause his hoost lacked vytayll: so he came backe agayne & sent euery man home. The scottysshe messangers went towarde Fraunce / and toke shypping at Douer.

¶ Nowe kynge Dauyd who had ben a seuyne yere in France / and knewe well that his realme was sore distroyed. Thaūe he toke leaue of the frenche kyng: to go home into his owne contre to confort his people / so he toke shypping with his wyfe and suche cōpany as he had at a port / and dyde put hymselfe vnder the guyding of a maryner Rychard Flamont: and so he aryued at a port of Moroyse / or euer that any in Scotlande knewe therof. Nor he knewe nothyng of the messangers that were gone into France to speke with hym / nor they knewe nat of his re­tournyng home.

WHan that yong kyng Dauyd of Scotlande / was come into his countrey: his men came about hym with great ioye and solem puyte / and brought hym to the towne of saynt John̄s: thyder cāe peple fro all ꝓties to sehym. And than euery man shewed hym the damages / & the dystrueti on that kyng Edward and thenglysshmen had done in Scotlande: than he sayd well I shalbe well reuenged / orels lose all my realme and my lyfe in the payne. Than̄e he sent messangers to all partes ferr and nere / desyring euery man to helpe hym in his busynesse: at his sendyng thy­der came therle of Orkeney a great prince and a puyssaunt / he had maryed the kynges suster: he brought a great nombre of men a warr with hym / and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes of Souegne / of Melbegne / and of Denmarche: some for loue and some for wages / so that whan they were all togyder / they were a .lx. M. men a fote / and on hackenayes a .iii. M. armed af­ter their maner. Whan̄e they were all redy they remoued to go into England / to do ther asmo­che hurt as they might: for y ^• truse was as than expyred / or els to fight with the kynge of Eng­lande / who had caused them to suffre moch dys­ease. The scottes departed fro saynt Johannes towne and went to Donfremelyn: and the next day ther they passed a lytell arme of y ^• see / than they went with great dyligence and passed by Edenborowe / and after by Rousburge the whiche was as than englysshe: but they made none assaut ther / bycause they wolde haue none of their cōpany hurt / nor to wast none of their ar­tillary. They thought to do a greatter dede or they retourned into Scotlande: & so after they passed nat ferre of fro Berwyke / and went by without any assaut gyueng. And so entred into the contrey of Northumberlande: and came to the ryuer of Tyne brennyng all the cōtrey roū ­de about them / and at last came to Newecastell vpon Tyne: and ther he lay and all his people about the towne that night. And in the mornig a certayne nombre of gētylmen that were in the towne yssued out / to the nombre of. C C. speres to make a skry in the scottysshe hoost: they das­shed into y ^• scottyssh host right on therle of Morets tentes / who bare in his armour syluer thre oreylles goules / ther they toke hym in his bed: and slewe many or thoost was moued and wan great pyllage. Than they returned into y ^• tow­ne boldely with great ioye / and delyuerd therle Moret as prisoner to the captayne of the castell [Page] the lorde John̄ Neuell. Whan the scottes were vp / they armed them and ranlyke madde men to the barryers of the towne and made a great assaut / the whiche endured longe but lytell it a­wayled them / and they lost ther many men: for ther were many good men of war within / who defended thēself so wysely / that the scottes were fayne at last to withdrawe a backe to their losse.

WHan that king Dauyd and his counsayle: sawe that his tary­eng about Newcastell was daungerous / and that he coude wynne therby nother profet nor honour: than he departed and entred into the contrey of the bysshoprike of Dyrram / and ther brent and wasted all byfore them. And so came to the cyte of Dyrram / & layed siege rounde about it / and made many great assautes lyke madde men / by cause they had lost therle of Morette: and they knewe well that ther was moche richesse in the cytie / for all the contrey ther about was fledde thyder. The scottꝭ made ingens and instrumē ­tes to come to the walles to make the feercer as­sant: and whan the scottes were gone fro New castell / than̄e sir John̄ Neuyll captayne there / mounted on a good horse and toke away farre of fro the scottes: and dyd somoche that within fyue dayes he came to Chyrtsay / wher as kyng Edwarde lay as than: ther he shewed the king tidynges of the scottes. Than the kynge sende forth messangers into euery part: cōmaūdyng euery man bytwene the age of .lx. and .xv. all excuses layd a part to drawe Northwarde and to mete hym in that contrey / to ayde and defende his contrey / that the scottes distroyed: than lordes / knyghtes / squyers: and all other drewe to­warde the northe. The kyng deꝑted hymself hastely & taryed for no man / and euery man folowed aswell as they might: in the meane season the scottes assauted the cytie of Dyrrame / with in­gens and other instrumentes: so feersly y ^t they within coude nat defende themself / but that the cytie was wonne byforce / and robbed and clene brent: and all maner of people put to deth with­out mercy / men women / and chyldren / monkes / preestes / and chanons: so that ther abode a lyue no maner a person house nor church / but it was distroyed / the whiche was great pytie so to dy­stroy christen blode. And the churches of godde wherin that god was honoured and serued.

THan king Dauyd was coū selled to drawe a backe a long by y ^e ryuer of Tyne & to drawe toward Carlyle & as he went thyderward he loged that nyght besyde a castel of therle of Salysburies / the whiche was well kept with men a warr: captayne therof was sir Wyllm̄ Montagu / son to therle of Salysburis suster. The next day the scottes dysloged to go towarde Carlyle: they had moch cary age with them of such pyllage as they had won at Dyrā. Whan (ser) Wyllm̄ Montagu sawe how the scottꝭ passed by without restyng / thā he with .xl. with him yssued out a horsbacke / and folowed couertly the hynder trayne of the scottes / who had horses so charged with baggage / y ^t they might scāt go any gret pace. And he ouertoke them at thê­tryng into a wood & set on them / and ther slewe and hurt of the scottz mo than. CC. and toke mo than sixscore horses charged with pyllage / and soled thē toward the castell. The cry and brunt of the flight came to the heryng of sir Wyllyam Duglas / who had the charge of the reregarde / and as than he was past y ^e wood: whan he sawe the scottes came fleyng ouer the dales and moū tayns he had great maruell / and than he and all his cōpany ran forth and rested nat tyll they cāe to the fote of the castell / and mounted the hyll in hast. But or he came to the bayls thēgly sshmen were entred / and had closed the barryers & put their pray in saftie: than the scottes began to as­sayle feersly / and they within defēded thē: ther these two Wyllm̄s dyd what they might eche to greue other. This assaut endured so long / that all thoost came thyder kyng & all: whan y ^e kyng and his counsell sawe how his men were slayne lyeng in the felde / and the assaylantes sore hurt without wynning of any thyng / than he cōmaū ded to cease thassaut and to lodge. Than euery man began to seke for his logyng and to gader togyder the deed men / and to dresse theym that were hurt. The next day the kyng of scottes cō ­maunded that euery man shulde be redy to as­sayle / & they within were redy to defende: ther [Page xl] was a sore assautand a perylous / ther might a ben sene many noble dedes on both ꝑtes. Ther was within present / the noble countesse of Sa­lysbury / who was as than reputed for the most sagest and fayrestlady of all England / y ^• castell parteyned to her husbande therle of Salisbury who was taken prisoner with the erle of Sut­tolke before Lyle in Flanders / as ye haue harde before / and was in prison as than [...] the chatelot of Parys. The kyng of Englande gaue y ^e same castell to the sayd erle whan he maryed first the sayd lady / for the prowes and gode seruyce that he had done before whan he was called but sir Wyllm̄ Montagu. This noble lady conforted them greatly within / for by the regarde of such a lady and by her swere cōforting / a man ought to be worthe two men at nede. This assaut du­red long and the scottes lost many of their men / for they aduentured thēselfe hardely / and cary­ed wood and tymbre to haue sylled the dykes to thyntent to bring their engyns to y ^e walles / but they within defēded themselfe so valyantly that the assaylantes were fayne to drawe a backe. Than the kyng cōmaunded y ^• ingens to be wel kept that nyght / and the next day to enforce the assaut / than euery man drue to their lodging except those that kept thyngens. Some wept the deth of their frendes / other conforted them that were hurt they of the castellsa we well if kynge Dauyd cōtynued his sege / how they shuld haue moche a do to defende them & their castell wher fore they toke counsell amonge them to sende to kyng Edward / who lay at yorke as it was she­wed them / by suche prisoners as they had taken of the scottes. Than they loked among thē who shulde do y ^• message: but they coude fynde none that wolde leaue the castell / and the presence of the fayre lady to do y ^t dede / so ther was among them great stryfe. Than whan the captayne sir Wyllm̄ Montague sawe that / he sayd sirs I se well the trueth and good wyll that ye bere to my lady of this house / so that for the loue of her and for you all / I shall put my body in aduentur to do this message / for I haue suche trust in you y ^t ye shall right well defende this castell tyll I re­tourne agayne. And on thother syde I haue su­che trust in the king our souerayne lorde / that I shall shortly bring you suche socours / that shall cause you to be ioyfull / and than I trust y ^e kyng shall so rewarde you / that ye shalbe content. Of these wordes the countesse & all other wer right ioyefull / and whan the night came / the sayd sir Wyllm̄ made hym redy as priuely as he might / and it happed so well for hym / that it rayned all nyght / so that the scottes kept styll within these lodgingꝭ. Thus at mydnight sir Wyllm̄ Montagu passed through thoost & was nat sene / and so rode forth tyll it was day / than he met .ii. scottes halfe a leage fro thost / briuyng before them two oxen and a cowe towarde thoost (ser) Wyllm̄ knewe well they wer scottes and set on thē / and wounded them bothe & slewe the catell / to thy [...] tent y ^t they of thost shuld haue none ease by thē / than he sayd to the two hurt scottꝭ: go yo ^r way­es and say to your kyng that Wyllm̄ of Montague hath thus passed through his hoost / and is goyng to fetche ayde of the kyng of Englande / and so departed. Than the same mornynge the kyng of scottꝭ made a fecrse assaut but nothing coude he wyn / and euery day lightly they made assaut. Than his counsell same how he dyd but lese his men / and y ^t the kyng of England might well come thyder or the castell were wo [...] they by one acorde counselled their kyng to de­part / sayeng how the abyding ther was nor for his profet / nor yet for his honour. And sayd sir ye haue honourably achyued your enterprise / & haue done great dispyre to the englyssshmen: [...] that ye haue ben in this contre a .xii. dayes / and taken & distroyed the cytie of Dyrrame. Wher­fore sir all thynges cōsydred it were good name that ye retourned / and take with you your pyl­lage that ye haue wonne: and an other tyme ye may returne agayne whan it pleaseth you. The kyng who wolde nat do agaynst the opynyons of all his counsell / agreed to them sore agaynst his mynde: howbeit the next mornyng h [...] byss [...] ged and all his host / and toke the way streyght to the great forest of Gedeours / there to tary at their case / and to knowe what the kyng of En­glande wolde do farther / other to god backe a­gayne: or els to entre into Scotlande.

THe same day y ^t the scottes departed fro the sayd castell kyng Edward came thyder with all his host about noon and came to the same place wher as the scottꝭ had saged and was sore displeased that he founde nat the scottes ther / for he cāe thyder in such hast y ^t his horse & men wer sore traueled. [Page] Than he cōmaunded to lodge ther that nyght / and sayd howe he wolde go se y ^• castell and the noble lady therin / for he had nat seue her sythe she was maryed before: than euery mā toke his logyng as he lyst. And assone as the kyng was vnarmed / he toke a .x. or .xii. knyghtes w ^t hym / and went to the castell to salute the countesse of Salisbury: and to se the maner of the assautes of the scottes / and the defence that was made a­gaynst them. Assone as the lady knewe of y ^• kynges cōmyng she set opyn the gates and cāe out so richely be sene / that euery man marueyled of her beauty: and coude nat cease to regarde her noblenes with her great beauty / and the gracyous wordes and countenaunce that she made. Whan she came to the kyng: she knelyd downe to the yerth thankyng hym of his socours: and so ledde hym into the castell to make hym chere and honour / as she that coude ryght well do it / euery man regarded her maruelusly. The king hym selfe coude nat witholde his regardyng of her: for he thought that he neuer sawe before so noble nor so fayre a lady / he was stryken there­with to the hert with a sparcle of fyne loue / that endured longe after: he thought no lady in the worlde so worthy to be / beloued as she. Thus they entred into the castell hande in hande: the lady ledde hym first into the hall / and after into the chābre nobly aparelled / the kyng regarded so the lady that he was a basshed. At last he wēt to a wyndo to rest hym / and so sell in a gret stu­dy: the lady went about to make chere to the lordes and knyghtes that were ther / and cōmaun ded to dresse the hall for dyner. Whan she had al deuysed and cōmaunded: than̄e she cameto the kyng with a mery chere / who was in a gret stu dy (and she sayd) dere & why do ye study so sor yo ^• grace nat dyspleased / it aparteyneth nat to you so to do / rather ye shulde make good chere and be ioyfull: seyng ye haue chased away your enmies who durst nat abyde you / let other men study for the remynant. Than the kyng sayd: a dere lady knowe for trouthe / that syth I entred into the castell: ther is a study cōe to my mynde so y ^• I can nat chuse but to muse / nor I cannat tell what shall fall therof: put it out of my herte I cannat. A sir ꝙ the lady ye ought alwayes to make good chere to confort ther with yo ^• peple / god hath ayded you so in yo ^• besynes and hath gyuen you so great graces / that ye be the moste douted and honoured priuce in all christēdome and if the kyng of scottes haue done you any dy spyre or damage / ye may well amende it whan it shall please you: as ye haue done dyuerse ty­mes or this. Sir leaue your musyng and come into y ^• hall if it please you yo ^• dyner is all redy / a fayre lady ꝙ the kyng: other thynges lyeth at my hert that ye knowe nat of / but surely y ^• swete be hauyng / the perfyt wysedom / the good grace noblenes / and exellēnt beauty that I se in you: hath so sore surprised my hert / y ^• I can nat but loue you: and without your loue I am but déed Than the lady sayde: a ryght noble prince / for goddessake mocke nor tempt me nat / I can nat byleue that it is true that ye say / nor that so no­ble a prince as ye be wold thynke to dyshonour me / and my lorde my husbande: who is so valy­ant a knight / and hath done your grace so gode seruyce / and as yet lyethe in prison for your quarell. Certēly sir ye shulde in this case haue but a small prayse: & nothyng the better therby I had neuer as yet such a thoght in my hert nor I trust in god neuer shall haue / for no man lyueng. If I had any suche intencyon / your grace ought nat all onely to blame me: but also to punysshe my body / ye and by true iustice to be dismēbred Therwith the lady deꝑted fro the kyng & went into the hall to hast the dyner: than she returned agayne to the kyng and broght some of his knyghtes with her / and sayd sir: yf it please you to come into the hall your knightꝭ abideth for you to wasshe ye haue ben to long fastyng. Than y ^• kyng went into the hall & wassht / and sat down amonge his lordes & the lady also: the kyng ete but lytell he sat styll musyng / and as he durst he cast his eyen vpon the lady. Of his sadnesse his knyghtꝭ had maruell for he was nat acustomed so to be: some thought it was bycause the scottꝭ were scaped fro hym / all y ^• day the kyng taryed ther & wyst nat what to do. Sōtyme he ymagined y ^t honour and trouth defēded him to set his hert in such a case to dyshonour such a lady: & so true a knyght as her husband was / who had al­wayes well & truely serued hym. On thother ꝑ [...] loue so constrayned hym / that the power therof surmounted honour and trouth. Thus y ^• kyng debated in hymself all that day & all that night: In the mornyng he a rose and dysloged all his hoost / and drewe after the scottes to chase them out of his realme. Than he toke leaue of the la­dy / sayeng my dere lady to god I cōmende you tyll I returne agayne: requiryng you to aduyse you otherwyse than ye haue sayd to me. Noble prince ꝙ the lady: god y ^• father glorious be yo ^• cōduct / and put you out of all bylayne thoughtꝭ sir I am & euer shalbe redy to do your grace ser uyce to your honour and to myne / therwith the kyng deꝑted all abasshed. And soo folowed the [Page xli] scottes tyll he came to the cyte of Berwyke / and went & lodged within. iiii leages of the forelt of Gedeo ^rs / wher askyng Dauyd and all his cō ­pany were entred: in trust of the great wylder­nesse. The kyng of England taryed ther a .iii. dayes to se if the scottes wold yssue out to fight with hym / in these thre dayes ther were dyuers skirmysshes on bothe ꝑties: and dyuers slayne taken / and sore hurte amonge the scottes. Sir Wyllyam Duglas was he that dyd moost trouble to thenglysshemen / he bare azure / a comble syluer / thre starres goules.

IN these sayd thre dayes ther were noble men on bothe parties / that treatid for a peace to be had bytwene these two kynges: and their treatie toke suche essect / that a trewse was agreed to endure two yere / so that the frenche kynge wolde therto agree. For the kyng of scottes was so sore alyed to the frenche kyng / y ^• he might take no peace without his cōsent: and it so be the frenche kyng wolde nat agree to the peace / than the truse to endure to the first day of May folowyng. And it was agreed that therle of Morette shulde be quyte for his prisonment if the kyng of scottes coude do somoche to pur­chase with the frenche kyng / that therle of Sa­lisbury might in lyke maner be quyte out of prison / the whiche thyng shulde be done before the feest of saynt John̄ of Baptyst next after. The kyng of Englande agreed y ^• soner to this truse / bycause he had warre in France / in Gascoyne / in Poycton / in Xaynton / in Bretaygne / and in euery place he had men of warre at his wages: than the kyng of scottes sent great messangers to the french kyng to agre to this truse. The frē che kyng was cōtent: seyng it was the desyre of the kyng of scottꝭ / thā therle of Salisbuey was sent into Englande / and the kyng of England sent incōtynent therle Moret into Scotland.

IT is to be knowen that whan the duke of Normādy the duke of Burgoyne / y ^• du­ke of Alāson / the duke of Burbon / therle of Bloys / the constable of Fraunce / therle of Guynes his sonne / sir James de Burbone sir Loyes of Spaygne / with other lordes and knyghtes of Fraunce. Whan they were departed out of Bretayne: and had conquered the stronge castell of Chastoneaux / & the cyte of Nantes: and taken therle of Moūtfort and delyuerd hym to y ^• frenche kyng / who had put hym in prison in the ca­stell of Loure in Parys: and (ser) Charles of Bloys beyng in Nantes and the contrey obeyed to hym rounde about / abydinge the somer season to make better warr than in wynter. Whan the swete season of somer approched: the lordes of Fraunce and dyuers other drue towarde Bre­tayne with a great hoost to ayde sir Charles de Blois / to recouer y ^• resydue of the duchy of Bretayne. They foūde & Charles of Bloys in Nā tes than they determyned to lay sege to Kenes The countesse of Mountfort had well preuēted the mater: and had set ther for captayne (ser) Wyl­lyam of Cadudall breton / the lordes of France came thyder and dyd moche trouble with assautes / howbeit they within defended themselfe so valiantly / that their ennemyes loste more than they wanne. Whan the countesse of Mountfort knewe that the lordes of Fraunce were come in to Bretaygne with suche a puyssance / she sende sir Amery of Clysson into Englande / desyring socourse of the kyng: on the cōdycion that therle of Mountfortꝭ son and heyre / shuld take to wyf one of the kynges doughters / and shulde be called duches of Bretayne. The king of England was as than at London makyng chere to therle of Salisbury / who was newe come out of pri­son: whan this sir Amery of Clysson was come to the kyng / and had made relacyon of his mes­sage. The kyng graunted his request: and cō ­maunded sir Water of Manny to take w ^t hym as many men of warr as sir Amery desyred / & shortly to make them redy to go into Bretayne to ayde the countesse of Mountfort / and to take with him a .iii. M. archers of the best. Thus (ser) Water / and sir Amery toke the see: and with thē went the two bretherne of Lyned all / sir Loys & sir John̄ the Haz of Brabant / (ser) Hubert of Fre­snoy / (ser) Aleyn Syrefound and dyuers other: & a .vi. M. archers. But a great tempest toke thē on the see and a contrary wynde / wherfore they abode on the see .xl. dayes: all this season the lordes of France with sir Charles de Bloys kepte styll the sege before Renes / and sore cōstrayned them within: so that the burgesses of the towne wold gladly haue takē apoyntmēt / but their ca­ptayne sir Wyllm̄ of Cadudall wold in no wyse [Page] agree therto. Whan the burgesses and the com­mons of the towne had endured moche payne & sawe no socours cōmyng fro no ꝑtie / they wold haue yelded vp the towne but y ^e captayne wold nat: whan they sawe that finally they toke hym and put hym in prison. And made couenaunt w ^t sir Charles du Bloys to yelde vp the towne the next day on the condycion that all such as were of the countes part myght go their wayes why­ther they lyst without danger or trouble / y ^e lord Charles de Bloys dyd graūt their desyre. Thꝰ the cytie of Renes was gyuen vp: y ^e yere of our lord. M .iii. C .xlii. in the begynning of May. Sir Wyllm̄ of Nuadudall wolde nat tary ther but went streyght to Hanybout to the countesse of Moūtfort / who as than had hard no tidyngs of sir Amery of Clysson nor of his company.

WHan the cytie of Renes was gyuen vp: y ^e burgesses made their homage & fealtie to the lord Charles of Bloys. Than he was coun­selled to go and lay siege to Hany boute wher as the countesse was: sayeng that therle beyng in prison / yf they myght gette the countesse and her sonne / it shulde make an ende of all their warre. Than they went all to Hany bout: and layed siege therto and to the castell also / as ferr as they might by lande: with y ^e coū ­tesse in Hanybout / ther was the bysshop of Le­on in Bretayne / also ther was sir yues of Tri­biquedy / the lorde of Landreman / sir Wyllm̄ of Nuadudall / and y ^e Chatelayne of Guyngnape the two bretherne of Nuyreth / sir Henry and [...] Olyuer of Pēnefort: and dyuers other. Whan the countesse and her company vnderstode that the frenchmen were commyng to lay siege to y ^e towne of Hanybout: than it was commaūded to sounde the watche bell a la [...] / and euery man to be armed and drawe to their defence. Whan sir Charles and the frenchmen came nere to the towne: they commaunded to lodge ther that nyght / some of the yong lusty companyons cāe skirmysshyng to the barrers / and some of them within yssued out to theym: so that ther was a great affray / but the genowayes and frēchmen loste more than they wanne. Whan night came on / euery man drewe to their lodgynge: y ^• next day the lordes toke counsayle to assayle the batrers to se the maner of them within: and so the thyrde day they made a great assaute to the batrers / fro mornyng tyll it was noone. Than the assaylantes drewe a backe sore beaten / and dy­uerse slayne: whan the lordes of Fraunce sawe their men drawe a backe they were sore dyspleased / and caused the assaut to begynne agayne more ferser than it was before / and they within defended thēselfe valyantly. The countesse her selfe ware harnesse on her body: and rode on a great courser fro strete to strete / desyringe her peple to make good defence: and she caused da­moselles and other women to cutte shorte their kyrtels / and to cary stones & pottes full of chalk to the walles / to be cast downe to their ennemyes. This lady dyd ther an hardy enterprise / she moūted vp to y ^e heyght of a towre / to se how the frenchmen were ordred W ^tout. She sawe howe that all the lordes and all other people of thoost were all gone out of ther felde to thassaut: than she toke agayne her courser armed as she was / and caused thre hundred men a horsbacke to be redy / and she went with theym to another gate wher as there was non assaut. She yssued out and her company / and dasshed into the frenche lodgynges / and cutte downe tentes and set fyre in their lodgynges / she founde no defence ther but a certayne of varlettes and boyes / who ran away. Whan y ^e lordes of France loked behynde them & sawe their lodgynges a fyre / and harde the cry and noyse ther: they retourned to y ^e felde cryeng treason treason / so that all thassaut was left. Whan the countesse sawe that / she drewe to gyder her cōpany: and whan she sawe she coud nat entre agayne into the towne without great damage / she toke an other way and went to the castell of Brest / the whiche was nat ferr thens. Whan sir Loys of Spayne / who was marshal of the host was come to the felde / and sawe their lodgynges brennyng: and sawe the countesse & her cōpany goynge away / he folowed after her with a great nombre: he chased her so nere / that he slewe and hurte dyuerse of theym that were behynde yuell horsed. But the countesse and the moost parte of her company rode so well / that they came to Breste / and there they were recey­ued with great ioye. The next day the lordes of Fraunce / who hadde lost their tentes and their prouisyons: thanne tooke counsayle to lodge in bowers of trees more nerer to the towne / and [Page xlii] they had great marueyle whan they knewe that the countesse herselfe had done that enterprise. They of the towne wyst nat wher the countesse was become / wherof they were in great trouble for it was fyue dayes or they harde any tidyn­ges. The countesse dyd somoche at Brest: that she gate togyder a .v. hundred speres / and than about mydnight she departed fro Brest / and by the sonne rysing she came along by the one syde of the hoost / and came to one of the gates of Ha­nybout the which was opyned for her: and ther in she entred and allher cōpany with gret noyse of trumpettes and canayrs / wherof the frenche hoost had great marueyle: and armed thē and ran to the towne to assaut it / and they within re­dy to defende: ther began a feerse assaut & endured tyll noone / but the frenchmen lost more than they within. At noone thassaut ceased: than they toke counsell that sir Charles du Bloys shulde go fro that sege and gyue assaut to the castell of Alroy the which kyng Arthure made / and with hym shulde go the duke of Burbone / therle of Bloys / the marshall of France / sir Robert Bertrande: and that sir Henry de Leon and part of the geneuoys and the lorde Loys of Spayne / and the vycont of Rohayne withall the spanyer des / shulde abyde styll before Hanybout: for they sawe well they coulde haue no profet to as­sayle Hanybout any more. But they sent for. xii great engyns to Renes / to thyntent to cast into the towne and castell day & night. So they de­uyded their host: the one styll before Hanybout the other with sir Charles of Bloys before Aulroy: they within Alroy were well fortifyed and were a two. C. companyons / able for to mayn­tayne the warre. And sir Henry of Penfort and sir Olyuer his brother were chyefe capitaynes ther / a foure leages fro that castell was y ^e good towne of Uannes parteyning to the countesse / and capitayne ther was sir Gelfray of Mala­trayt / nat farre thens also was the good towne of Guyngnape / the cathelayne of Dyuant was captayne ther: he was at Hanybout with y ^e coū tesse / and had lefte in the towne of Dynant his wyfe and his chyldren / and had lefte ther capy­tayne in his stede Raynolde his son. Bytwene these two townes stode a stronge castell partey­nyng to sir Charles du Bloys [...] was well kept with soudyours burgonyons. Captayne there was sir Gerarde of Maulayne / and with hym an other knyght called Pyer Portbeufe: they wasted all the contrey about them / and cōstray­ned sore the sayd two townes / for ther coude no ther marchandyse nor prouisyon entre into any of thē but in great danger. On a day they wold ryde towarde Uānes / and an other day towar­de Guyngnape: and on a day sir Raynolde of Dynant layed a busshment / and the same day [...] Gerarde of Maulayne rode forthe and had ta­ken a .xv. marchantes and all their goodes / and was driuyng of them towardes their castell called Rochprion and so fell in the busshment: and ther sir Raynolde of Dynant toke sir Gerarde prisoner and a .xxv. of his company / and rescu­ed the marchantes and ledde forthe their priso­ners to Dynant / wherof sir Raynolde was moche praysed and well worthy.

¶ Nowe let vs speke of the countesse of Moūt fort / who was besieged in Hanybout by sir Loys of Spayne / who kept the siege ther: and he had so broken and brused the walles of y ^e towne with his engins. So that they within began to be a basshed / and on a day the bysshop of Leon spake w ^t sir Henry of Leon his nephue / by whō as it was sayd that therle Moūtfort was taken So longe they spake togyder that they agreed y ^• the bysshop shulde do what he coude to cause the cōpany within to agre to yelde vp the town and castell to sir Charles de Bloys: and [...] Hen­ry de Leon on thother syde shuld purchase pece forthē all / of sir Charles de Bloyes: and to lese nothyng of their goodes. Thus the bysshop entred agayne into the towne: the countes incōty­nent douted of some yuell purchase / than she desyred the lordes and knightes y ^t were ther / that for the loue of god they shulde be in no dout / for she sayd she was in suretie that they shuld haue socours within thre dayes: howbeit y ^e bysshope spake somoch and shewed so many reasons to y ^e lordes / that they were in a great trouble all that night. The next mornyng they brewe to coūsell agayne: so that they wer nere of acorde to haue gyuen vp the towne / & sir Hēry was cōe nere to the towne to haue taken possession therof: than the countesse loked downe along the see out at a wyndo in the castell / & began to smyle for great ioy that she had to se the socours commyng / [...] which she had so long desyred. Than she [...] out a loude and sayd twyse: I se the socurs of Englande cōmyng / than they of the towne [...]an to the walles and sawe a great nom [...] of [...] ­pes great and small fresshly decked cōmyng to­warde Hanybout / they thought well it was the socours of England / who had ben on the see .lx. dayes by reason of contrary wyndes.

[Page] WHan the seneshall of Guyngnape / & Perse of Tribyquedy sir Galeran of Landreman and the other knyghtꝭ sawe these so­cours cōmyng: thā they sayd to the bysshoppe / sir ye may well leaue your treaty for they sayd they were nat cō tent as than to folowe his counsayle. Than the bysshoppe sayd sirs: than our company shall de part for I wyll go to hym that hath moost right as me semeth. Than he departed fro Hanibout and defyed the coūtesse and all her ayders and so went to sir Henry de Leon and shewed hym howe the mater went: than sir Henry was sore dyspleased / and caused incontynent to rere vp the grettest ingens that they had nere to the ca­ttell and cōmaunded that they shuld nat sease to last day and nyght. Than he deꝑted thens and brought the bysshoppe to sir Loys of Spayne / who receyued hym with great ioye / and so dyd sir Charles of Bloys: than the countesse dres­sed vp halles and chambers to lodge the lordes of Englande that were cōmyng / and dyd sende agaynst them right nobly. And whan they wer a lande: she came to them with great reuerence and feested them the beest she might / and than­ked thē right humbly: and caused all the knyghtes and other to lodge at their ease in the castell and in the towne. And the nexte day she made them a great feest at dyner: all night & the nexte day also the ingens neuer ceased to cast / and af­ter dyner sir Gaultier of Māny who was chefe of that company / demaunded of the state of the towne & of the hoost without. And sayd I haue a great desyre to yssue out and to breke downe this great ingen that standeth so nere vs / if any [...]oll folowe me. Than & Perse of Tribyquidy sayde howe he wolde nat fayle hym / at this his first begynning: and so sayd the lorde of Lādre man / than they armed them and so they yssued out priuely at a certayne gate / & with thē a .iii. hundred archers / who shotte so holly togyder y ^• they that kept the ingen fledde awaye / and the men of armes came after the archers and slewe dyuerse of them that fledde and bete downe the great engyn / and brake it all to peaces. Than̄e they ranne in amonge the tentes and logynges and set fyre in dyuerse places / and slewe & hurt dyuers tyll the hoost began to styrre: than they withdrue fayre and easely / and they of the hoost ranne after thē lyke madde men. Than & Gaultier sayd: let me neuer be beloued with my lady without I haue a course with one of these folowers / and therwith tourned his spere in the rest: and in likewyse so dyd the two bretherne of L▪ ­dall and the haz of Brabant / sir yues of Triby­quedy / sir Galeran of Landreman and dyuerse other companyons: they ran at the first comers ther myght well a ben legges sene tourned vp­warde: ther began a sore medlynge / for they of the hoost alwayes encreased. Wherfore in beho­ued thenglysshmen to withdrawe towarde ther fortresse: ther might well a ben sene on bothe ꝑ­ties many noble dedes takyng and rescuyng / y ^• englysshmen drewe sagely to y ^• dykes / and ther made a stall tyll all their men wer in sauegard: and all the resydue of the towne yssued out to rescue their cōpany / and caused them of the hoost to recule backe. So whan they of the host sawe how they coude do no good they drewe to their lodgynges: and they of the fortresse in likewyse to their lodgynges: than the countesse discēdyd downe fro the castell with a gladde chere / and came and kyst sir Gaultier of Manny / and his companyons one after an other two or thre ty­mes lyke a valyant lady.

THe next day sir Loys of Spayne called to coun­sell the vycont of Rohayne the bysshoppe of Leon / the lorde Henry of Leon / and the master of the geneuoys to know ther aduyse what was best to do / they sawe well the towne of Ha­nybout was marueylously strong / and greatly socoured by meanes of tharchers of England: they thought their tyme but lost to abyde there / for they coude nat se howe to wynne any thyng ther. Than they all agreed to dyslodge y ^• nexte day and to go to the castell of Alroy: where sir Charles of Bloys lay at siege / the next day be­tymes they pulled downe their lodgynges and drewe thyder as they were purposed. And they of the towne made great cryeng and showtyng after thē: and some yssued out to aduenture thē selfe / but they were sone put a backe agayne and lost some of their company or they coude entre a gayne into y ^• towne. Whan sir Loys of Spay­ne cāe to sir Charles of Bloys / he shewed hym [Page xliii] the reason why he left thesege before Hanybout than it was ordayned that sir Loys of Spayne and his cōpany shulde go and ley siege to Dy­nant / the which was nat closed but with pales / water / and maresse: and as sir Loyes went to­warde Dynant he came by a castell called Conquest. And captayne ther for the countesse was a knyght of Normādy called sir Mencon / and with hym dyuers soudyers: sir Loys came thyder and gaue a great assaut / and they within defended them so well / that thassaut endured tyll mydaight and in the morning it began agayn: thassaylantes persed so nere that they came to y ^• wall and made a great hole through / for the dykes were of no depnesse. And so byforce they entred and slewe all them within the castell / except the knyght whome they toke prisoner: and sta­blysshed ther a newe Chatelayne and a .lx. sou­dyers with hym / thā sir Loys departed & went and layed seige to Dynaunt. The countesse of Mountfort had knowledge howe sir Loyes of Spayne was assautyng of the castell of Con­quest / than she sayd to sir Water of Manny and his company that if they might rescue that ca­stell / they shuld achyue great honour. They all agreed therto / and deꝑted the next morning fro Hanybout so y ^• ther abode but fewe behynde in the towne / they rode so falt y ^• about noone they came to the castell of Conquest wherin was as than y ^• frenche garyson: for they had won it the day before. Whan sir Water of Manny sawe y ^• / and howe that sir Loyes of Spayne was gone he was sory bycause he might nat fight w ^t hym: and sayd to his company / sirs I wyll nat deꝑte hens tyll Ise what company is yander within the castell / and to knowe howe it was wonne. Than he and all his made them redy to the as­saut / and the frenchmen and spanyardes same that / they defended theym selfe aswell as they might: the archers helde them so short that then glysshmen aproched to the walles & they found the hole in the wall / wherby the cattell was won before: and by the same place they entred & slew all within / excepte .x. that were taken to mercy, than thenglysshmen and bret [...]ns drue agayne to Hanybout / they wolde set no garyson in Cō ­quest for they sawe well it was nat to he holden.

NOwe let vs retourne to & Loys of Spayne / who belieged the towne of Dy­nant in Bretayne / and than he caused to be made lytell vessels to make assautꝭ bo­the by water and by lande. And whan y ^• burgesses of the towne sawe howe they were in dāger to lese their lyues & goodes / they yelded thēself agayne the wyll of their capten sir Raynalt Guyngnap / whō they slewe in the myddes of the market place: by cause he wolde nat consent to them. And whan sir Loyes of Spayne had ben ther two dayes and taken fe­altie of the burgesses / and set ther a newe capyten a squyer called Gerard of Maulyne whom they founde ther as prisoner / and the lorde Py­ers Portbeufe with hym. Than they went to a great towne on the see syde called Gerand / they layd siege therto: and founde therby many ves­sels and shyppes laded with wyne that marchā tes had brought thyder fro Poycton & [...]ochell to sell the marchantes anon had solde their my nes but they were but yuell payed. Than & Lo­ys caused some of the spanyardes and geneun­ys to entre into these shyppes: and the next day they assayled the towne bothe by lande and by water / so that they within coude nat defend thē selfe but that they were lightly wonne byforce / and the towne robbed and all the people put to the swerde without mercy: men / women / and chyldren: and fyue churches brent and vyolated Wherof sir Loys was sore dyspleased and caused .xxiiii. of them that dyd y ^• d [...]de to be hanged for their labours. Ther was moche treasoure won / so that euery man had more than he coude bere away: for it was a riche towne of marchan dyse. Whan this towne was won they wyst nat whyder to go farther / than sir Loys of Spayn and with hym sir Othes [...]orne / and certayne genowayes and spanyardes entred into y ^• shyppes / to aduenture along by the see syde to se [...] they might wynne any thyng ther: and the vy­cont of Rohayne / the hysshoppe of [...] [...]en ry of Leon his nephue: and all the other retourned to choost to sir Charles of [...]loys / who lay slyll before the castell of A [...]lroy. And ther they founde many knyghtes and lordes of Fraunce who were newely come thyder: as sir Loyes of Poycters / therle of Ualence / therle of Aucerre therle of Porcyen / therle of Joigny / the erle of Bolayne: and dyuerse other that kyng [...] had sent thyder / and some y ^• canme of there owne good wylles to serue sir Charles of Bloys. [...] [Page] than the strong castell of Alroy was nat wonne but ther was suche famyn within / that .vii. dayes before they had eten all their horses: and the lorde Charles de Bloys wolde nat take them to mercy / without he might haue them simpley to do his pleasur. And whan they within sawe no other remedy: secretely in the night they yssued but and by the wyll of god went through thoost on the one syde / yet some were ꝑceyued & slayne but sir Henry of Pennefort and sir Olyuer his brother scaped by a lytle wood that was therby and went streyght to Hanybout to the coūtesse. So thus wansir Charles of Bloyes the castell of Alroy / whan he had layne at siege .x. wekes: than he newly fortifyed the place and set therin newe captayns and men of warr. Than he de­parted and went & layed siege to Uānes / wher­in sir Geffray of Maletrayt was captayne / the next day certayne soudyers of the countesses of Mountfort beyng in the towne of Ployremell / yssued out on the hope somwhat to wynne: and came sodenly in the mornyng into the host of sir Charles de Bloys / but they aduentured them­selfe so farr that they were closed in and lost many of their folkes / and thother fledde away and were chased to the gates of Ployremell / the whiche was nat ferr of fro Uānes. And whan they of the hoost were retourned fro the chase / incon­tynent they made assaut to Uānes / and byforce wanne they bayles / harde to the gate of the cyte ther was a sore skirmysshe and many hurt and slayne on bothe parties / the assaut endured tyll it was night: than ther was a truse taken to en­dure all the next day. The burgesses y ^• next day yelded vp the towne whyther y ^• captayne wold ornat who whan he sawe it wold be none other wyse / departed out of the towne as secretly as he coude and went to Hanybout. Sosir Char­les of Bloys and the frenchmen entred into Uā nes and taryed ther fyue dayes / than they went and layd siege to an other cytie called Traiz.

NOw let vs returne to sir Loyes of Spayne who whan he was at the porte of Guerand by the seesyde / he and his cōpany sayled forth tyll they came into Bretayn bretonaunt / to a port called Camperle right nene to Quypercorentyn and to saynt Mathue of Fyne Portern. Than they yssued out of the shyppes and landed / and brent all the countrey about and gate moche rychesse: the whiche they conueyed into their shyyppes / Whan sir Gaultyer of Manny / and sir Arnold of Clysson vnderstode those tidynges / they de­termyned to go thyder: and shewed their myn­des to sir Gyles of Tribyquedy / and to the Cathelayne of Guyngnape. The lorde of Landre­man / sir Wyllm̄ of Caducall / the two brethern of Penneforde / and to the other knyghtes that were ther in Hanybout / and all they agreed to go with good wylles: than they toke their shyp­pes / and toke with theym a thre thousande ar­chers / and so sayled forthe tyll they came to the port wher as the shyppes of sir Loys of Spay­nes lay. Incōtynent they toke theym and slewe all that were within theym / and they founde in them suche rychesse that they had maruell ther­of: than they toke lande and went forthe & brent dyuers townes and houses before them / and departed themselfe into thre batayls / to the intent the soner to fynde their ennemys / and left a thre hundred archers to kepe their shippes and that they had wonne. Than they sette on their way in thre partes: these tidynges anone came to sir Loyes of Spayne / than he drewe togyder all his company and withdrue backe towarde his shyppes in great hast / and encountred one of y ^• thre batayls / than̄e he sawe well he must nedes fyght: he sette his men in order and made newe knyghtꝭ / as his nephue called Alphons. Than sir Loys sette on fiersly / and at the first rencoū ­ter many were ouerthrowen / and likely to haue ben dysconfyted / and the other two batels had nat come on: for by the cry and noyse of the people of the contrey they drewe thyder. Than the batayle was more seerser / thenglysshe archers shotte so holly togyder that the geneuoyes and spanyardes wer dysconfited / and all slayne: for they of the cōtrey fell in with staues and stones / so that (ser) Loys had moche a do to scape and dyd flee to the shyppes / and of .vi. M. there scaped with hym but thre hūdred / and his nephue was slayne. And whan he cāe to the shyppes he roud nat entre for the archers of England kept hym of: so he was fayne with gret ieopardy to take a lytell shypp̄ called Lyque / & suche of his cōpany as he coūde get to him / and sayled away as fast as he might. Whan sir Gaulter and his cōpany cāe to the shyppes / they entred into the best ship they had / and folowed in the chase of sir Loyes of Spayne: who euer fledde so fast before them [Page xliiii] that they coude nat ouertake hym. Sir [...]oyes at last toke port at Redon / and he and all his entred into the towne but he taryed nat there: for incontynent▪ thengly sshmen landed at the same place / so that sir Loyes and his company were fayne to get such horses as they might and rode thens to Renes / the which was nat ferre thens: and such as were yuell horsed were fayne to fall in the handes of their ennemyes / so that sir Lo­ys entred into Renes: and thenglysshmen and bretons retourned to Redone / and there lay all nyght. The nexte day they toke agayne the see: to sayle to Hanybout to the countesse of Moūt­fort but they had a contrary wynde / so that they were fayne to take lande a thre leages fro Dy­nant. Than they toke their way by lande / and wasted the countrey about Dynant / and tooke horses suche as they coude get some without sa­dyls and so cāe to Rochprion. Than sir Gaul­tier of Manny saydsirs: yf our company were nat so soretraueled I wolde gyue assaut to this castell / the other knyghtes answered hym and sayd / sir set on at your pleasure for we shall nat for sake you to dye in the quarell / and so they al went to the assaut. Than Gerarde of Maulyn who was captayne ther made good defence / so that there was a perylouse assaut. Sir Johan Butler / and sir Mathewe of Fresnoy were sore burte with many other.

THis Gerarv of Maulyn hadde a brother called Rengne of Maulyn who was captayne of a lytel for tresse therby called Fauet. And whasie he knewe that thēglysshmen and bretons were assayling of his brother at Rochprion: to thentent to ayde his brother he yssued out & toke with hym a .xl. cōpanyons. And as he came thyderwarde through afayre medowe by a wood syde / he foūde certayne englysshmen and other lyeng there hurt / he sette on them and toke them prisoners and ledde them to Fauet hurt as they were: and some sledde to sir Water of Manny and shewed hym the case / than he ceased the as­saut. And he and all his company in great hasse folowed them that ledde the prisoners to Fauet but he coude nat ouertake them: so that Regny and his prisoners were entred into the castell. Than thenglysshmen as sore trayueled as they were made ther a gret assaut but nothyng cou­de they wynne / they were so well defended: and also it was late. They lay ther all night / to the entent to assyle y ^• castell agayne in the mornig Gerarde of Maulyn knewe all this he toke his horse in the night and rode all alone to Dynant and was ther a lytell before day. Than he shewed all the case to the lorde Pyers Portbeuse ca­pitayne of Dynaunt / and assone as it was day he assembled all the burgesses of the towne in y ^• common hall: and ther Gerarde of Maulyne she wed theym the mater in suche wyse that they were all content to go forth / and so armed them and went towardes Fauet with a sixe thousand men of one and other. Sir Gaultier of Man­ny knewe therof by a spye / than̄e they couusay­led togyder and cōsydred that it were great dā ­ger for them if they of Dynant shulde come on thē on the onesyde / & sir Charles of Blois & his cōpany on thother syde: so they might be enclo­sed. Thā they agreed to leaue their cōpanyons in prisone tyll another tyme that they might a­mende it / and as they retourned towarde Ha­nybout / they came to a castell called Gony lafo rest: the which was yelded vp to sir Charles of Bloyes a fyftene dayes before. Than sir Gaul­tier sayde howe he wolde go no farther as sore trayueled as he was / tyll he had made assaute to that castell / to se the demeanynge of thē with in. Ther they made a fierse assaut & they with­in quickely defended theym selfe / sir Gaultier encouraged his company and was euer one of theformast in somoche that the archersshotte so quyckely and so close togyder / that ther was none durst appere at their defence. Sir Gaul­tier dyd somoche that parte of the dyke was fylled with busshes and wood / so that they came to the walles with pyckaxes and other instrumentes / and anone made a great hole through the wall. And ther they entred perforce / and slewe all they founde within and lodged ther y ^• night and they next day they went to Hanybout.

WHan the coūtesse knewe of their cōmynge she came and mette them / and kyssed & made them great chere: and caused al the noble men to dyne with her in the castell. Nowe in this season sir Charles of Bloys had wonne Uannes / and lay at sege at Carahes: the coūtes of Mōt­fort and sir Gaultier of Manny / sent certayne messangers to the kyng of Englande / signyfi­eng hym howe sir Charles of Bloys and the lordes of France had conquered Uannes / Renes / and dyuers other good townes and castelles in Bretaygne / and was lickely to wynne all with out he were shortly resysted. These messangers arryued in Cornewall and rode to Wyndesore to the kyng.

¶ Nowe lette vs speke of sir Charles of Blo­ys / who had so sore constrayned with assautes and ingens the towne of Carahes / that they yelded theym selfe vp to sir Charles / and he re­ceyued them to mercy: and they sware to hym homage and fealtie & toke hym for their lorde. And ther he made newe officers / & taryed ther a fyftene dayes: thā they determyned to go and lry siege to Hanybout / yet they knewe well the towne was well fortifyed with sufficyent prouisyon. And so thyder they went and layed there siege / and the fourth day after thyder came sir Loys of Spayne / who had layen in the towne of Renes a sixe wekes / in helyng of suche hur­tes as he had. He was well receyued there / for he was a knyght moche honoured and welbeloued among them. The frenche company dayly encreased / for ther were dyuers lordes & knyghtes of France were goyng into Spayne warde for suche warres as was bytwene the kynge of Spayne / and the kyng of Granado sarasyne. And as these knyghts passed through Poyctou and harde of these warres in Bretayne / drewe that way: sir Charles of Bloyes had rayred vp agaynst Hanybout a fyftene or sixtene great engyns / the whiche caste into the towne many a great stone. But they within set nat moch ther­by / for they were well defended there agaynste them: and somtyme they wolde come to the walles and wype them in derysion / sayeng go and seke vp your company whiche resteth in the fel­des of Camperle: wherof sir Loys of Spayne and the genowayes had great dyspite.

ON a day sir Loyes of Spayne came to the tent of sir Charles du Bloyes / and desyred of hym a gyft for all the seruyce that euer he had done / in the presence of dy­uerse lordes of France. And sir Charles graunted hym: bycause he knewe hymselfe somoche bounde to hym / sir ꝙ he I requyre you cause the two knyghtes that be in prison in Fauet to be brought hyther / that is to say sir John̄ Butler and sir Hubert Fresnoy / and to gyue them to me to do with them at my plea­sure. Sir this is the gyft that I desyre of you: they haue chased / dysconfetted / and hurt me: & slayne my nephue Alphons / I can nat tell how otherwyse to be reuenged of them / but I shall stryke of their heedes before the towne / in the syght of their companyons. Of these wordes (ser) Charles was a basshed: and sayd certenly with right a goodwyll I woll gyue you y ^e prisoners / syth ye haue desyred them. But surely it shulde be a shamefull dede to put so to dethe suche two valyant knyghts as they be: and it shalbe an oc­casyon to our ennemyes to deale in likewyse w ^t any of ours if they fall in lyke case / & we knowe nat what shall daylie fall: the chances of warre be dyuers. Wherfore dere cosyn I requyre you to be better aduysed: than sir Loyes sayd / sir if ye kepe nat promyse w ^t me / knowe ye for trouth that I shall depart out of your company / & shall neuer serue nor loue you agayne whyle I lyue. Whan sir Charles sawe none other bote: he sent to Fauet for the two knyghts / and in a morning they were brought to sir Charles of Bloys tent but for all y ^t he coulde desyre / he coude nat turne sir Loyes of Spayne fro his purpose: but sayd playnly that they shulde be beheeded anone af­ter dyner / he was so sore dyspleased with them. All these wordes that was bytwene sir Charles and sir Loyes for thoccasion of these two knightes / anone was come to the knowlege of sir Water of Manny by certayne spyes that shewed y ^e [Page xlv] myschefe that these two knyghtes were in / than he called his company and toke counsaile what was best to do / some thought one thynge / some thought an other: but they wyst nat what remedy to synde. Than sir Gaultier of Māny sayd / sirs it shuld be great honour for vs if we might delyuer out of daunger yonther two knyghtes and yf we put it in aduenture though we fayle therof / yet kynge Edwarde our mayster woll canne vs moche thanke therfore / and so woll all other noble men: that herafter shall here of the case. At leest it shalbe sayd howe we dyd our de­uoyre sirs this is myne aduyse if ye woll folow it / for me thynketh a man shulde well aduēture his body to saue the lyues of two suche valyant knyghtes. Myne aduyse is that we deuyde our selfe into two partes / the one part incontynent to yssue out at this gate and to a range themself on the dykes to styrre thoost and to skirmysshe / I thynke that all the hole hoost woll come ren­nyng thyder. And sir Aymery ye shall be capy­tayne of that company / and take with you a .vi. thousand good archers / and shre hundred men of armes: and I shall take with me a hundred men of armes / and fyue hundred archers. And I wyll yssue out at the posterne couertly / & shal dasshe into the hoost a monge the lodgynges be hynde / the whiche I thynke we shall synde as good as voyde. I shall haue suche with me as shall well bring me to the tent of sir Charles du Bloyes / where as I thynke we shall fynde the two knyghtes prisoners: and I ensure you / we shall do our deuoyreto delyuer them. This de­uyse pleased them all / and incontynent they ar­med them and about the houre of dyner sir Ay­mery of Clysson yssued out with his company and set opyn the chiefe gate towardes the hoost and some of them dasshed sodaynly into thoost and cut downe tentes / and slewe and hurte dy­uerse: thoost was in a sodayne fray and in hast armed theym / and drewe towardes thenglyssh men and bretons. Who fayre and easely reculed backe / there was a sore skirmysshe and many a manne ouerthrowen on bothe parties / than sir Aymery drewe his people a longe on the bykes within the barryers / and the archers redy on bothe sydes the way to receyue their ennemys. The noyse and crye was so great that all y ^e hole hoost drewe thyder / and left their tentes voyde sauynge a certayne varlettes. In the meane season sir Gaultier of Manny and his cōpany ys­sued out at a posterne priuely / and cāe behynde the hoost and entred into the lodgynges of the frenche lordes / for there were none to resyst thē all were at the skirmysshe. Than̄e sir Gaultier went streyght to sir Charles of Bloys tent / and founde there the two knyghtes prisoners / [...] Hubert of Fresnoy / and sir John̄ Butteler: and made them incōtynent to leape vpon two good horses that they brought thyder for the same in­tent / and retourned incontynent and entred a­gayne into Hanybout the same way thei yssued out / the countesse receyued them with gret ioy. All this season they fought styll at y ^e gate / than tidynges came to the lordes of Fraunce howe the two knyghts prisoners were rescued: whan sir Loyes of Spayne knewe therof he thought hym selfe dysceyued / and he demaunded which way they were gone that made that rescue / and it was shewed hym howe they were entred into Hanybout. Than̄e sir Loyes departed fro the assaut and went to his lodgynge right sore dy­spleased / than all other lefte the assant: in there trayet there were two knyghtes that aduentu­red them selfe so forwarde that they were taken by the frenchmen the lorde Landreman and the Chathelayne of Guyngnape / wherof sir Char­les of Bloyes hadde great ioye / and they were brought to his tent and there they were so pre­ched to that they tourned to sir Charles parte / and dyd homage and feaultie to hym. The .iii. day after all the lordes assembledde in the lorde Charles tent to take counsayle / for they sawe well that Hanybout was so strong and so well fortifyed with men of warre [...] that they thought they shulde wynne but lytell there. And also the countrey was so wasted that they wyst nat why ther to go to forage & also wynter was at hande wherfore they all agreed to depart. Than they counsayled sir Charles of Bloyes that he shuld sende newe prouisyons to all cyties / townes / & fortresses / suche as he had wonne: and noble capitayns with good soudyours to defende their places fro their ennemyes. And also if any man wolde treat for a trewse to Whytsontyde / that it shulde nat be refused.

TO this counsell euery man agreed / for it was thaūe bytwene saynt Reymy and All sayntes / the yere of ourelorde god. M. CCC .xlii. Than euery man departed / [...] [Page] Charles of Bloys went to Carahes withall the lordes of his partie: and he retayned certayne of the lordes styll with hym / to counsayle hym in all his besynesse. And whyle he lay there on a day / a burges and a riche marchant of Jugon was taken by the marshall sir Robert of Bean­noys / and he was brought to the lorde Charles This burgesse had all the rule in the towne of Jugon vnder the countesse / & also he was wel­beloued in the towne. This burges was put in feare of his lyfe / he desyred to be let passe for his ransome: how be it he was so handled one wayes and other / that he fell in a bargayn to betray the towne of Jugone and to leaue opyn a cer­tayne gate / for he was so well be trusted in the tawne that he kept the kayes whan he was ther This to acomplysshe / he layed his sonne in ho­stage: and sir Charles promysed to gyue hym fyue hundred pounde of yerely rent / the day of poyntment came and the gate was lefte opyn at n [...]ght and sir Charles and his company entred into the towne with great puyssaunce / the wat­che of the castell dyd perceyue them: and he be­gan to cry a larum treason treason. They of the towne began to styre and whan they sawe that the towne was loste / they fledde to the castell by heapes / and the burgesse that had done the treason fled with thē for a countenāce. And whan it was day sir Charles & his company entred into the houses to lodge and toke what they wolde / and whan̄e he sawe the castell so stronge and so full of men / he sayd he wold nat go thens tyll he had it at his pleasure. Sir Gerard of Rochfort captayne of the castell perceyued the burgesse y ^• had betrayed them / he toke and hanged hym o­uer the walles: and whan they consydred howe sir Charles had made a vowe nat to deꝑt thens tyll he had the castell / and that their prouysion wolde nat serue them .x. dayes / they agreed to yelde them: their goodes that was left and their lyues saued / the which was graūted them. And so they made fealtie and homage to sir Charles of Bloyes / and he stablysshed captayne there y ^e sayd sir Gerard of Rochfort and newely refres­shed the towne and castell with mē of warr and [...]uisyon. In this meane season certayne noble men of Bretayne spake for a truse for a certayn space / bytwene sir Charles of Bloyes and the countesse of Mountfort / the which was agreed by all their ayders and assisters: also the kynge of Englande sent for the countesse to come into Englande / and assone as this trewse was con­firmed the coūtesse toke see and passed into En­glande.

LE haue well harde here be­fore: howe the kynge of Englande had great warres in dyuers coun­treis / and had men of warre in ga­rysons to his gret cost and charge: as in Picardy / Normādy / Gascoyne / Xaynton Poycton / Bretayne / and Scotlande. ye haue harde also before / how the kyng was stryken in loue with the countesse of Salisbury / loue quickened hym day and night: her fresshe beautie & godely demeanour was euer in his remēbrance though therle of Salisbury was one of the pri­uyest of his counsell / and one of them that had done hym best seruyce. So it fell that for y ^e loue of this lady / and for the great desyre that y ^e king had to se her: he caused a great feest to be cryed and a iustyng to be holden in the cyti of Lōdon in the myddes of August / the which cry was al­so made in Flaunders / in Heynault / in Brabāt and in Fraunce: gyueng all cōmers out of eue­ry contrey safe cōduct to come and go / and had gyuen in cōmaundement through his owne re­alme that all lordes / knyghtes / squyers / ladyes and domosels shuld be ther without any excuse and cōmaunded expresly the erle of Salisbury that the lady his wyfe shulde be ther / & to bring with her all ladyes and damosels of that coun­trey. Therle graunted the kyng as he that tho­ught none yuell the gode lady durst nat say nay howbeit she came sore agaynst her wyll / for she thought well ynough wherfore it was: but she durst nat dyscouer the mater to her husband she thought she wolde deale so to bringe the kynge fro his opynion. This was a noble feest: there was the erle Wyllyam of Heynalt and [...] John̄ of Heynalt his vncle / and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes of hyghe lynage / there was great daunsynge and iustynge the space of .xv. dayes / the lorde John̄ eldyst son to the vycount Beaumonde in England was slayne in the iu­stes. All ladyes and damoselles were fresshely besene accordyng to their degrees / except Alys countesse of Salisbury / for she went as simply as she myght: to the intent that the kyng shulde nat sette his regarde on her for she was fully determyned to do no maner of thynge that shulde tourne to her dyshonour nor to her husbandes. At this feest was sir Henry with the wrye necke [Page xlvi] erle of Lancaltre / and sir Henry his sonne erle of Derby / sir Robert Dartoyes erle of Rych­mount / the erle of Northampton and of Glocetter / the erle of Warwyke / the erle of Salisbury the erle of Penneforde / the erle of Hereford / the erle of Arundell / the erle of Cornewall / the erle of [...]uenforde / the erle of Suffolke / the baron of Stafforde: and dyuers other lordes & knightes of Englande. And at all these nobles departed / the kyng receyued letters fro dyuers lordes of sundrie contreis: as out of Goscoyne / Bay­on / Flaunders fro Jaques Dartuell / and out of Scotlande fro the lorde Rose and the lorde Persy / and fro sir Edward Baylleull captayne of Berwyke / who sygnifyed the kynge that the scottes helde but simply the trewse concludedd the yere before / for they newely assembled togy­der moch people for what entent they coude nattell. Also the captayne in Poycton / Xanton / Rochell / and Burdeloyes: wrote to the kyng howe the frenchmen made great preparacions for the warre for the peace made at Arras was nere expyred wherfore it was tyme for the kyng to take counsayle and aduyse: and so he aunswered the messangers fro poynt to poynt.

AMong all other thyn­ges the kynge of Englande wolde socoure the countesse of Moūtfort / who was with the quene. Thanne the kyng desyred his cosyn sir Robert Dartoyes to take a certayne nombre of men of warre and archers and to go with the coūtesse into Bretayne. And so he dyde and they departed and toke shypping at Ham­pton / and were on the see a great season bycause of cōtrary wyndes. They departed about Ester at this great counsell at London the kyng was aduysed to sende to Scotlande for the parfour maunce of a trewse to endure for two or thre ye­res. Consydring that the kyng had somoche be­synesse in other places / the kynge of Englande was lothe therto / for he wolde haue made suche warr into Scotland that they shulde haue ben fayne to haue desyred peace / howbeit his coun­sayle shewed hym suche reasons that he agreed therto. Among other thynges his counsell sayd that it was great wysdome whan a prince hath warre in dyuers plac [...] / at one tyme to agre with one by truse / another to pacify with fayre wor­des / and on the thyrde to make warre. Thanne was there a bysshoppe sende on that legacyon / and so he went forthe and in processe retourned agayne and brought relacyon / howe y ^e the king of scottes wolde agre to no trewese without the agrement of the frenche kynge. Than the kyng of Englande sayde openly / that he wolde neuer rest tyll he had so arayed the realme of Scotlande that it shulde neuer be recouered: than he [...] ­maunded that euery man shulde be with hym at Berwyke by Eester / except suche as were a­poynted to go into Bretayn. The feest of Ester came / and the kynge helde a great court at Berwyke / for the chiefe of the lordes and knyghts of England were ther / and there taryed the space of thre wyckes. In the meane season certayne good men laboured bytwene y ^e parties to haue a trewse: and so there a truse was agreed to en­dure for two yere / and confyrmed by the french kyng. Than euery man departed and the kyng went to Wyndsore: than he sende the lorde Thomas Hollande / and the lorde John̄ [...] Bayon with two hundred men of armes / and­four hundred archers to kepe the fronters ther.

¶ Nowe let vs speke of sir Robert Dartoyes / that yere fell so hye that it was nere to then [...]g of May / in the myddes of the whiche moneth the trewse bytwene the lorde Charles of Bloys and the countesse of Mountfort shulde expyre. Sir Charles of Bloyes was well [...]fyed of the purchase that the countesse of Mou [...] had made in Englande / and of the confort that the kynge had promysed her / for the whiche intent the lorde Loyes of Spayne / sir Charles Germaux / and sir Othes Dornes were layd on the see about Gernzay with a thre thousande genowayes / and a thousande men of armmes / and .xxxii. great shyppes.

[Page] SIr Robert Dartoyes erle of Rychmont / and with hym therle of Pennefort / y ^e erle of Salisbury / therle of Suffolke / therle of Quen­fort / the baron of Stafford the lorde Spenser / the lord Bourchier: and dyuers other knyghtes of En­glande and their cōpanyes / were with the countesse of Mountfort on the see. And at last came before the yle of Gernzay: than they ꝑ [...]eyued y ^e great flete of the genowayes / wherof sir Loys of Spaygne was chiefe captayne. Than their marynars sayd sirs arme you quickely / for yonder be genowayes and spaniardes that woll set on you: than thenglysshmen sowned their trumpettes and reared vp their baners and stander­des with their armes and deuyses / with the ba­ner of saynt George. And sette their shippes in order with their archers before / and as y ^e wynd serued them they sayled forth / they were a xlvi vessels great and small: but sir Loys of Spaygne had .ix. greatter than any of the other / and thre galyes. And in the thre galyes were y ^e thre chiefe captaynes: as sir Loyes of Spayne sir Charles / and sir Othes / and whan they apro­ched nere togyder / the genowayes beganne to shote with their crosbowes / and the archers of Englande agaynst theym: there was sore sho­tynge bytwene them and many hurte on bothe parties. And whan̄e the lordes / knyghtes / and squyers came nere togyder there was a sore batayle: the countesse that day was worth a man / she had the harte of a lyon and had in her hande a sharpe glayue / wherwith she fought feersly. The spanyardes and genowayes that were in the great vessels / they cast downe great barres of yron and peaces of tymbre y ^t which troubled sore thenglysshe archers: this batayle beganne about the tyme of euynsonge and the nyght de­parted them for it was very darke / so that one coude scant knowe an other. Than they with­drewe eche fro other and cast ankers and abode styll in their harnes for they thought to fight a­gayne in the mornynge / but about mydnight ther rose suche a tempest so horryble as though all the worlde shulde haue endedd. There was none so hardy but wold gladly haue ben a land the shyppes dasshed so togyder / that they went all wolde haue ryuen in peaces. The lordes of Englande demaunded counsayle of their ma­ryners what was best to do / they aunswered to take lande assone as they might / for the tempest was so great that if they toke the see / they were in daunger of drownyng. Than they drewe vp their ankers / and bare but a quarter sayle / and drewe fro that place: the genowayes on the o­ther syde drewe vpp̄ their ankers and toke the depe of the see for their vesselles were greatter than thenglysshe shyppes / they might better a­byde the brunt of the see / for if the great vessels had cōe nere the lande they were lickely to haue ben broken. And as they deꝑted they toke foure englysshe shyppes laded with vytell and tayled them to their shyppes / the storme was so hede­ouse that in lasse than a day they were driuen a hundred leages fro the place wher they were be fore / and the englysshe shyppes toke a lytell ha­uen nat ferre fro the cytie of Uannes / wherof they were ryght gladde.

THus by this tourment of y ^e see brake and departed the batell on the see / bytwne sir Robert Dartoyes / and sir Loyes of Spayne. No man coude tell to whome to gyue the honour / for they departed agaynst bothe their wylles: thenglysshmen toke lande nat farre of fro Uannes / and brought all their horse and harnes a lande / thā they deuysed to sende their nany to Hanybout / and to go theymselfe and ley siege to Uannes / therin were captayns sir Henry of Leon & Olyuer of Clysson / and with them the lorde of Turmyne / and the lord of Loheac. Whan they sawe thenglysshmen come to besiege them / they toke good hede to their defences bothe to the castell / and to the walles and gates: and at euery gate they set a knyght with .x. men of armes and .xx. crosbowes.

¶ Nowe let vs speke of sir Loyes of Spayns and his company: they were sore tourmented on thesee and in great daunger all that nyght / and the nexte day tyll noone: and loste two of their shyppes menne and all. Than̄e the thirde day about prime the see apeased: than they de­maunded of the maryners what parte of lande was nexte / they aunswered the realme of Na­uarre: and that the wynde hadde driuen theym [Page xlvii] out of Bretayne more than sirscore leages / thā there they cast anker and above the fludde: and whan the tyde came they had good wynde to retourne to Rochell. So they costed Bayon / but they wolde nat come nere it / and they met foure shippes of Bayon cōmyng fro Flaunders / they sette on them and toke theym shortly / and flewe all that were in them: than they sayled towar­des Rochell / and in a fewe dayes they arryued at Gue [...]rande. Ther they toke lande / and hard ther howe sir Robert Dartoyes lay at siege be fore Uannes. Than they sent to the lorde Charles of Bloyes to knowe his pleasure what they shuld do / sir Robert Dartoys lay at siege with a thousande men of armes / and thre thousande archers and wasted all the countrey about / and brent to Dynant and to Gony la Forest / so that none durst abyde in the playne countrey: there were many assautes and skirmysshes at the barryers of Uannes. The countesse of Mountfort was styll with sir Robert Dartoys at the siege also sir Gaultier of Manny who was in Hanybout delyuered the kepynge of the towne to sir Wyllyam Caducall and to sir Gerard of Rochfort: and toke with hym sir yues of Tribyque­dy / and a. C. men of armes / and. CC. archers: and deꝑted fro Hanybout and went to the siege before Uannes. Than incon [...]ynent there was made a great assaut in thre places all at ones: y ^e archers shotte so thycke that they within scante durst apere at ther defence / this assaut endured a hole day and many hurt on bothe parties / a­gaynst night thenglysshmen withdrue to their lodgyngꝭ. And they within in likewyse sore we­ry of trayuell: and they vnarmed thē / but they of the hoost without dyd nat so for they kept on styll their harnes except their heed peces / and so dranke and refresshed them. And than by the aduyse of sir Robert Dartoyes / they ordayned a­gayne thre batayls: and two of them to assaute at the gates / and thethirde batayle to kepe thē ­selfe priue tyll the other two batayls had assay­led long. So that all the strength of the towne shulde be ther by all lickelyho [...]e to defend / thā it was ordayned that this thyrde batayle shuld sette on the moost feblest place of all the towne with ladders / ropes / and hokes of yron to caste on the walles. And as they de [...]ysedde so it was done / sir Robert Dartoys with the first batell came and made assaut in the night at one of the gates / and therle of Salisbury with y ^e seconde batell at an other gate / & bycause it was darke to thyntent to make them within the more abasshed / they made great fiers: so that the bright­nesse therof gaue lyght into the cytie. Wherby they within had wende y ^t their houses had ben a fyre and cryed treason / many were a bedde to rest them of their trayuell the day before and so rose sodenly and ran towardes the lyght with­out order or gode aray / and without counsell of their captayns: euery man within armed them Thus whyle they were in this trouble therle of Quenefort / and sir Water of Manny with the thyrde batell came to the walles wher as there was no defence made / and with their ladders mounted vp and entred into y ^e towne / the frēch­men toke no hede of them they were so ocupyed in other places / tyll they sawe their ennemis in the stretes. Than euery mā fledde away to saue themselfe: the captayns had no leaser to go into the castell but were fayne to take their horses & yssued out at a postern / happy was he y ^t might get out to saue hymselfe: all that euer were sene by thenglysshmen were taken or slayne / and the towne ouer ron and robbed: and the countesse and sir Robert Dartoyes entred into y ^t towne with great ioy.

THus as I haue shewed you the cyte of Uannes was taken / and a fyue dayes af­ter the countesse of Mount­fort sir Gualtier of Manny sir yues of Tribiquedy: and dyuerse other knyghtꝭ of en­glande and of Bretayne returned to Hanybout and therle of Salysbury / therle of Pennefort / therle of Suffolke / therle of Cornwall / depar­ted fro Uannes: fro sir Robert Dartoyes with thre thousandemen of armes / and thre. M. ar­chers / and went and layed siege to the cytie of Renes. And sir Charles de Bloyes was departed thens but foure dayes before / and was gone to Nantes: but he had left in the cytie many lor­des / knyghtes / and squyers. And styll sir Loys of Spayne was on the see / and kept so the fronters agaynst Englande / that none coude go bytwene Englande and Bretayne / without great danger. They had done that yere to Englande great damage / for the takyng thus of Uannes by thenglysshmen the countrey was sore abas­shedde / for they thought that there hadde been suche capitaynes that had ben able to haue de­tended [Page] de it agaynst all the worlde / they knewe well the towne was stronge and well prouyded or men of warre and artyllary / for this mysad­nenture sir Henry of Leon / and the lorde Clys­son were sore a basshedde / for their ennemyes spake shame agaynst theym. These two knyghtes were so sore dyspleased with the mater / that they gette togyder a company of knyghtes and soudyours: so that at a day apoynted they met before the cytie of Uannes / mothan .xii. thou­sande of one and other: thyder came the lorde Robert of Beaumanoyre marshall of Bretayn they layd sege to y ^e cite on all sydes / and than as­sayled it fersly. Whan [...] Robert Dartoys sawe howe he was besieged in the cytie / he was nat neglygent to kepe his defence / and they with­out were fierse by cause they wolde nat that they that laye at siege at Renes / shulde nat trouble theym. They made so feerse assaute and gaue theym within so moche a do / that they wan the barryers and after the gates / and so cutted in­to the cytie by force. The englysshmen were put to the chase / and dyuerse hurte and slayne: and specially sir Robert Dartoyes was sore hurte / and scapedde hardely vntaken / he departed at a posterne / and the lorde Stafforde with hym / the lorde Spencer was taken by sir Henry of Leon / but he was so sore hurte that he dyed the thyrde day after. Thus the frenchemen wanne agayne the cytie of Uannes / & sir Robert Dar­teyes taryed a season in Hanybout sore hurte / and at laste he was counsayled to go into Eng­lande to seke helpe for his hurtes: but he was so [...] handled on the see that his soores rankeled and at laste landed and was brought to Lon­don and within a shorte space after he dyed of the same hurtes / and was buryed in London in the church of saynt Poule: the kynge dyd as nobly his obsequy as though it had ben for his owne proper cosyne germayne therle of Derby his dethe was greatly be moned in Englande / and the kyng of Englande sware that he wolde neuer rest tyll he had reuenged his dethe. And sayde howe he wolde go hym selfe into Bretay­ne / and bringe the countrey in suche case that it shulde nat be recouered agayne in fortie yere after. Incontynent he sent out letters through­out his realme: that euery noble man and other shulde come to hym within a moneth after. And prepared a great nauy of shyppes / and at the ende of the moneth he toke the see / and toke landyng in Bretayne nat farre fro Uannes / there as sir Robert Dartoyes ariyued / he was thre dayes a landyng of all his prouisyon: the .iiii. day he went towarde Uannes. And all this season therle of Salisbury and therle of Pēbroke were lyeng at siege before Renes.

AFter the kyng of Eng­lande had ben a lande a cer­tayne space / he went and layed siege to Uānes. And with in the towne ther was sir O lyuer of Clysson / and sir Hē ry of Leon / the lorde of Turmyne / sir Geffray of Malestrayet and sir Guy of Lohearc: they supposed well before that the kyng of Englande wolde come into Bretayne wherfore they had prouyded the towne and ca­stell with all thyngs necessary. The kyng made a great assaut that endured halfe a day but ly­tell good they dyd the cyte was so well defēded. Whan̄e the countesse of Mountfort knewe that the kyng of Englande was come / she departed fro Hanybout accompanyed with sir Gaultier of Manny: and dyuers other knyghtes & squyers / and came before Uānes to se the kyng and the lordes of thoost / and a foure dayes after she retourned agayne to Hanyboute with all her owne company.

¶Nowe let vs speke of sir Charles of Bloyes who was in Nauntes / and assone as he knewe that the kyng of England was aryued in Bre­tayne / he sent worde therof to the frenche kyng his vncle desyring him of socour. Whan y ^e king of England sawe this cyte so strong: and hard reported howe the countrey ther about was so poore and so sore wasted / y ^• they wyst nat wher to get any forage / nother for mā nor beest. Thā he ordayned to deuyde his nombre: first therle of Arundell / the lorde Stafforde / sir water of Manny / sir yues of Tribyquedy: and sir Ry­chard of Rochfort with .vi. C. men of armes / & vi. M. archers to kepe styll the siege before Uā nes / & to ryde and distroy the contrey all about And the kyng went to Renes / wher he was ioy fully receyued with them that lay at siege there before / and had done a long season. And whan the kyng had ben ther a fyue dayes / he vnder­stode that sir Charles du Bloyes was at Nan­tes / and made there a great assemble of men of warre. Than̄e the kynge departed fro Renes / [Page xlviii] and left them [...]yll ther that were ther before to contynue their siege. Than the kyng cāe before Nauntes and besieged it as farre as he might / but he coude nat lay rounde about / the cite was so great: the marshall of the hoost rode abrode and distroyed great part of the countrey. The kyng ordayned his batellon a lytell moūtayne without the towne / and there [...]ryed fro y ^e mor­nyng tyll is was noone / wenyng that sir Charles of Bloys wolde haue yssued out to haue gyuen hym batayle: and whan they sawe it wolde nat be they brewe to their lodgyngs / the fore ry­ders ranne to the baryers and skirmysshed and brent the subbarbes. Thus the kyng lay before Nauntes / and sir Charles within: who wrote to the frenche kyng the state of thenglysshmen. The frenche kyng had commaunded his sonne the duke of Normandy / to gyue ayde to (ser) Charles of Bloyes: the which duke was as than cōe to Angyers / and there made his assēble of men of warr. The kyng of Englande made dyuers assautes to Nantes / but euer he lost of his men and wanne nothyng: and whan he sawe that by assautes he coude do nothyng / and that [...] Charles wolde nat yssue out into the felde to fyght w ^t hym: than he ordayned therle of [...]uenforte / sir Henry vycont of Beaumōt / the lorde [...]er [...]y / y ^e lorde Rose / the lorde Mombray / the lorde Da­lawarre / the lorde Raynolde Cobham: and the lorde sir John̄ Lysse / with sixe hundred men of armes / and two hundred archers to kepe styll y ^e siege ther: and to ryde and distroy the countrey all about. And than the kynge went and layed sege to the towne of Dynant / wherof sir Peter Portbeu [...]e was captayne: the kyng made there fierse assautes / and they within defended themselfe valyantly. Thus the kyng of England all at one season had sieges lyeng to thre cites / and a good towne in Bretaygne.

WHyle the kyng of England was thus in Bretayne / wastynge and distroyeng the contrey: suche as he hadlyeng at sege before Uā nes gaue dyuers [...] / and spe­cially at one of the gats. And on a day ther was a great assaut: and many feates of armes done on bothe parties / they within set opyn the gate and came to the baryers / bycause they sawe the erle of Warwykes baner / and therle of Arn̄dels the lorde Staffordes / and sir Water of Man­nes / aduenturyng themself teopdously as they thought. Wherfore the lorde Clysson / sir Henry of Leon: and other aduentured themselfe couragyously ther was a sore skirmysshe / finally the englysshmen were put backe / than the knyghts of Bretayne openyd the barryes and aduentu­red themselfe / and left sir knyghtes with a gode nombre to kepe the towne / and they yssued out after thenglysshmen: and thenglysshmen recu­led wysely and euer fought as they sawe their auantage. Thenglysshmen multiplyed in suche wyse / that at last the frēchmen and bretons wer fayne to recule backe agayne to their towne / nat in so good order as they came forthe: than then­glysshmen folowed thē agayne and many were slayne and hurt. They of the towne sawe their men recule agayne and chased / than they closed their barryers in so yuell a tyme / that the lorde Clysson and sir Hēry of Leon were closed with out: and ther they were bothe taken prisoners. And on the other syde the lorde Stafforde was gone in so farre / that he was closed in bytwene the gate and the baryes / and ther he was taken prisoner / and dyuerse that were with hym ta­ken and slayne. Thus thenglysshmen drewe to their lodgynges / and the bretons into the cytie of Uannes.

THus as ye haue harde these knyghtes were taken on bothe parties / there was no mo suche assautes after. Nowe let vs speke of y ^e king of Englande: who lay at se­ge before Dynant / whan he had layne ther a four dayes: he gate a great nō bre of bottes and barges / and made his archers to entre into theym / and to rowe to the pales: wherewith the towne was closedde it had none [Page] other walles. The archers shot so feersly y ^t non durst shewe at their defence / than was ther cer­tayne other with ares so that whyle the archers dyd shote they hewed downe the pales: and so entred byforce. Thā they of the towne fledde to the market place but they kept but a small order for they that entred by the pales came to y ^t gate and dyd opyn it: than euery man entred and y ^e capitayne sir Pyers Portbeufe taken / and the towne ouer ron and robbed: thēglysshmen wan moche richesse in that towne / for it was a great towne of marchandyse. Whan the kyng had ta­ken his pleasure ther / as long as it had pleased hym: he left the towne voyde and went to Uan­nes and lodged there.

¶ Nowe let vs retourne to sir Loys of Spay­ne / and to sir Charles Germaur and (ser) Othes Dornes / who was as than admyrall on the see: with .viii. galeys / xiii. barkes / and .xxx. other shyppes with genowayes & spanyardes. They kept the coost bytwene England and Bretayne and dyd moche damage to them that came to refresshe the hoost before Uannes: and at a tyme they set on the kynge of Englandes nauy lyeng at Aucerre / in a lytell hauyn besyde Uannes: so that they slewe a great part of them that kepte the shyppes / and had done moch more damage yf thenglysshmen lyeng at the siege had nat ron thyder in all hast: and yet asmoche hast as they made / sir Loys of Spayne toke away iiii. shippes laded with prouisyon / & drowned thre and all that was in them. Than the kyng was counselled to drawe part of his nauy to Brest hauen and the other part to Hanybout the which was done / and styll endured the siege before Uan­nes / and Renes.

HOwe let vs retourne to the iourney that the duke of Normandy made the same season in Bre­tayne / to ayde and confort his co­syn syt Charles de Bloyes. The duke knewe well: howe the kyng of Englande had sore damaged the contrey of Bretayn / and had besieged thre cytes / and taken the towne of Dynant. Than the duke departed fro the cytie of Angyers: with mo than .iiii. M. men of ar­mes / and. rxx M. of other: he toke they heygh way to Nauntes by the gyding of the two mar­shals of Fraunce / the lorde of Momorency and the lorde of saynt Uenant. And after them rode the duke and therle of Alanson his vncle / therle of Bloys his cosyn / the duke of Burbone was ther therle of Ponthyeu / therle of Bolayne / y ^e erle of Uandome / therle of Dāmartyne / y ^e lorde of Craon / the lorde of Coucy / the lorde of Suly the lorde of Frenes / the lorde of Roy: & so many lordes knightes & squyers of Normādy / Dau­uergne / Berry / Lymosen / Dumayn / Poicton / and Xaynton / that it were to long to reherse thē all: and dayly they encreased. Tidynges came to the lordes that lay at siege before Nantes: y ^t the duke of Normandy was commynge thyder with .xl. M. men of warr. Incōtynent thei sent worde therof to the kyng of England / than the kyng studyed a lytell and thought to breke vp his siege before Uannes / and also his siege be­fore Renes: and all togyder to drawe to Nauntes. But than his counsell sayd to hym sir ye be here in a good sure ground and nere to your nauy: and sende for them that lyeth at siege before Nantes to come to you and let the siege ly styll before Renes: for they be nat so ferr of but they shalbe euer redy to come to you yf nede be: the kynge agreed to this counsell and so sent for thē before Nauntes and they came to hym to Uā ­nes. The duke of Normandy came to Nantes wher sir Charles de Bloys was / the lordes lo­ged in the cytie / and their men abrode in the cō ­trey: for they coude nat all lodge in the cytie nor in the subbarbes.

WHyle y ^• duke of Normādy was at Nauntes / the lordes of En­glande that lay at siege before Renes. On a day made a great and a feerse assaut / for they had made many instrumentes to as saut with all: this assaut enduredde a hole day / [Page xlix] but they wan nothynge but lost byuers of their men: within the cytie was the lorde Dancenysi the lorde of Pont (ser) John̄ of Malatrayt yuan Charnell / & Bertram Grasquyne squyer: they defended thē selfe so well with the bysshoppe of the cytie that they toke no damage / howe be it thenglysshmen lay ther styll / and ouer ran and wasted the contrey all about. Than the duke of Normandy departed with all his host and drue towarde Uannes the soner to fynde his ennemies / for he was enformed howe they of Uannes were in moost ieopardy and in peryll of lesyng: than the two marshals went forthe and sir Gef­fray of Charney / and therle of Guynes consta­ble of Fraunce made the areregarde. So thus the frenchmen came to Uannes on thother syde agaynst ther as the kyng of Englande say / they lay a longe by a fayre medowe syde and made a great dyke about their host. The marshals and fore ryders often tymes skirmysshed toguyder on bothe parties / than the kynge of Englande sende for therle of Salisbury / and therle of Pē broke / and the other that lay ar siege at Renes to come to hym / and so they dyd. Thenglysshe­men and the bretous of that partie were well to the nombre of .ii. M. and .v. C. men of armes / & vi. M. archers / and .iiii. M. of other mē a fote: the frenchmen were foure tymes as many well a ꝑelled. The kyng of England had so fortifyed his hoost / that the frenchmen coude take no ad­uauntage of hym / and he made no mo assautes to the towne / bycause of sparyng of his mē and artyllary: thus these two hoostes lay one aga­ynst an other a longe season / tyll it was well on warde in wynter. Than pope Clement the sixt sende the cardynall of Penester / and the cardy­nall of Cleremount to entreat for a peace: and they rode often tymes bytwene the parties but they coude bring them to no peace. In the mean season ther were many skirmysshes: and men taken / slayne / and ouerthrowen on bothe pties thenglysshmen durst nat go a foragyng / but in great cōpanyes / for they were euer in great danger by reason of busshmentes that were layd for them. Also sir Loyes of Spayne kept so the see coost / that with moche danger any thyng came to thenglysshe hoost / the frenchmen thought to kepe the kynge ther inmaner as be sieged. Also the frenchmen endured moche payne with wete and colde for day and night it rayned on them / wherby they lost many of their horses and were fayne to dyslodge and lye in the playne feldes they had somoche water in their lodgynges. At last these cardynals dyd somoch that there was a truse agreed for thre yere / the kyng of Englande / and the duke of Normandy sware to vphol­de the same without brekyng / as the custome is in suche lyke cases.

THus this great assem­bly brake vpp̄ / and the siege raysed at Uannes: the duke of Normandy went to Nantes and had with hym y ^e two cardynals. And the kyng of Englāde went to Hanybout to the countesse of Mountfort: ther was an ex­chaunge made bytwene the baron of Stafford and the lorde Clysson. Whan the kyng had tary ed at Hanybout as long as it pleased him / than he left ther therle of Penbroke / sir Wyllyam of Caducall and other: and than̄e retourned into Englande aboute Christmas. And the duke of Normandy retourned into Fraunce and gaue leaue to euery man to depart / and anone after y ^• lord Clysson was taken vpon suspecyous of treason and was putte into the chatelet of Parys / wherof many had great marueyle: lordes and knyghtes spake eche to other therof / and sayde what mater is y ^t is layd agaynst the lorde Clys­son / ther was none coude tell: but some ymagi­ned that it was false enuy / bycause the kynge of England bare more fauour to delyuer hym [...] exchang rather than sir Henry of Leon who was styll in prison / bycause the kyng shewed hym y ^• auantage his enemyes suspected in hym ꝑauen ture that was nat true: vpon the which suspect he was be heeded at Paris without mercy or excuse / he was gretly be moned. Anone after ther were dyuers knyghtes were accused in sembla­ble case: as the lorde of Maletrayt and his son / the lorde of Uangor / sir Thybault of Morilon and dyuers other lordes of Bretayne to the nō ­bre of .x. knyghtes and squyers / and they lost all their heedes at Parys. And anone after as it was sayd ther was put to dethe by famyne .iiii. knyghtes of Normandy / sir Wyllyam Baron / sir Henry of Maletrayt / y ^e lorde of Rochtesson [Page] and sir Rycharde of Persy / wherby after there fell moche trouble in Bretayne / and in Normā dy. The lorde of Clysson had a sonne called as his father was Olyuer he went to the countesse of Mountfort and to her sonne who was of his age: and also without father / for he dyed as ye haue hard before in y ^e castell of Lour in Paris.

IN this season the king of England toke pleasure to newe reedefy the Castell of wyndsore / the whiche was begonne by kynge Arthure. And ther firste beganne the table rounde / wherby spran­ge the fame of so many noble knightes through out all the worlde. Than kyng Edwarde deter myned to make an order and a brotherhode of a certayne nombre of knyghtes / and to be called knyghtes of the blewe garter: and a feest to be kept yerely at wynsore on saynt Georges day. And to begynne this order the kynge assembled togyder erles / lordes / and knyghtes of his re­alme: and shewed them his intēcyon. And they all [...]oyously agreed to his pleasur / bycause thei sawe it was a thyng moche honourable & wher by great amyte and loue shulde growe and en­crease than was ther chosen out a certayne nō ­bre of the moost valyantest men of the realme. And they sware and sayled to mentayne the or­dr naunces suche as were deuysed: and y ^e kyng made a chapell in the castell of wynsore of saynt George and stablysshed certayne chanous ther to serue god and enduyd them with fayre rent. Than the kyng sende to publysshe this feest by his heraldes into Fraunce Scotlande▪ Bur­gone Heynault Flaunders / Brabant and in­to thēpyre of Almayne: gyueng to euery knight and squyer that wolde come to the sayd feest xv. dayes of saule conduct before the feest. And af­ter the whiche feest to begynne at wyndsore on saynt George day nexte after / in the yere of our lorde. M. CCC. [...]. and the quene to be ther ac [...]panyed with. [...]. C. ladyes and damosels all of noble lynage▪ and aparelled acordingly.

WHyle the kynge made this preparacion at wyndsore for this sayd feest / tidynges came to hym howe y ^e lorde Clysson and dyuers other lordes had lost their heedes in Fraūce / wher with the kyng was sore dysple­ased. In so moch that he was in purpose to haue serued sir Henry of Leon in lyke case whom he had in prisonne but his cosyn the erle of Derby shewed to hym before his counsayle suche rea­sons to asswage his yre and to refrayne his cou rage. Sayeng sir though that kyng Philyppe in his hast hath done so foule a dede as to put to dethe such valyant knyghtes▪ yet sir for all that blemysshe nat your noblenesse / and sir to say the trouth your prisoner ought to bere no blame for his dede / but sir put hym to a resouable raunsōe Than the kynge sent for the knyght prisoner to come to his presence / and than sayd to hym a sir Henry: sir Henry / myne aduersary Philyppe of Ualoyes hath shewed his feleny right cruell / to put to dethe suche knyghtes / wherwith I am sore dyspleased / and it is thought to vs that he hath done it in dyspite of vs. And if I wolde re­garde his malyce I shulde serue you in lyke maner / for ye haue done me more dyspleasure / and to myne in Bretayne than any other person: but I woll suffre it and let hym do his worst / for to my power I woll kepe myne honour / and I am content ye shall come to a lyght ransome for the loue of my cosyn of Derby / who hathe desyred me for you / so that ye woll do that I shall shewe you. The knyght answered and sayd / sir I shal do all that ye shall cōmaunde me: than sayd the kyng I knowe well ye be one of the richest kny­ghtes in Bretaygne / and yf I wolde sore cease you ye shulde pay me .xxx. or .xl. M. [...]utes / but ye shall go to myne aduersary Philypp̄ of Ua­loyes: and shewe hym on my behalfe / that syth he hath so shamefully putte to dethe so valyant knyghtes in the dispyte of me / I say and woll make it good he hath broken the truse / taken by twene me and hym: wherfore also I renownce it on my parte and defye hym fro this day fore­warde. And so that ye woll do this message yo [...] raunsome shalbe but .x. M. scutes / the which ye shall pay and sende to Bruges within .xv. day­es [Page l] after ye he past the see / and moreouer ye shall say to all knyghtes and squyers of those partes that for all this they leaue nat to cōe to our feest at wyndsore / for we wolde gladly se theym and they shall haue sure and saue cōduct to retourne [...]v. dayes after the feest. Sir sayd the knyght to the beste of my power I shall accomplysshe your message / and god rewarde your grace for the courtessy ye shewe me / and also I humbly thanke my lorde of Derby of his goodwyll. And so sir Henry of Leon departed fro y ^e kyng and went to Hampton / and ther toke the see / to thyntent to arryue at Har [...]ewe: but a storme toke hym on the see which endured systene day­es / and lost his horse whiche were caste into the see: and sir Henry of Leon was so sore troubled that he had neuer helth after / howe be it at laste he toke lande at Crotoy. And so he and all his cōpany went a fote to Abuyle and ther they get horses / but sir Henry was so sicke that he was fayne to go in a lytter: and so came to Parys to kynge Philypp̄ and dyd his message fro poynt to poynt / and he lyued nat long after / but dyed as he went into his countrey: in the cytie of An­gyers god assoyle his soule.

THe day of saynt Ge­orge approched that this gret feest shuld be at Wyn­sore / ther was a noble company of erles / barownes / ladyes / and damoselles / knyghtes / and squyers: & great tryumphe / iustynge / and tournayes / the which endured fyftene dayes: and thyder came many knyghtꝭ of dyuerse contreis / as of Flan­ders / Heynalt / and Brabant / but out of Fran­ce ther came none. This feest duryng / dyuerse newse came to the kynge out of dyuers contreis thyder came knyghtes of Gascoyne: as y ^e lorde of Les [...]are / the lorde of Chaumount / the lorde of Musydent▪ sende fro the other lordes of the countrey suche as were englysshe: as the lorde de / Labreth / the lorde of Punye [...]s / the lorde of Mountferant / the lorde of Du [...]as / the lorde of Carton / the lorde of Grayly and dyuerse other: and also ther were sent messangers fro the cytte of Bayon / and fro Bourdeaux. These messan­gers were well feested with the kynge and with his counsayle / and they shewed hym howe that his countrey of Gascoyne / and his good cytie of Bourdeaux were but febly conforted / wher­fore they desyred hym to sende thyder suche a captayne and suche men of warr / that they might resyste agaynst the frenchemen / who were in a great army and kept the feldes. Than the kyng ordayned his cosyn the erle of Derby to go thy­der & he to be as chiefe captayne / and with hym to go therle of Penbroke / therle of Quenforde / the baron of Stafforde / sir Gaultier of Man­ny / the lorde Franque de la Hall / the lyeure de Brabant / sir Hewe Hastynges / sir Stephyn de Tombey / the lorde of Manny / sir Rychard Haydon / the lorde Normant of Fynefroyde / [...] Robert of Lerny / sir John̄ Norwyche / sir Ry­charde Rocklefe / sir Robert of Quenton / and dyuers other / they were a fyue hundred knygh­tes and squyers / and two thousande archers: the king sayd to his cosyn therle of Derby / take with you golde and syluer ynough / ye shall [...]at lacke: and depart largely therof with your men of warr / wherby ye shall gette their loue and fauoure. Than the kynge ordayned sir Thomas Daugorne into Bretaygne / to the countesse of Mountfort to helpe to kepe her countrey for all the peace that was taken / for he douted that the frenche kyng wolde make warre bycause of the message that he sent hym by sir Henry of Leon. And with hym he sent a hundred men of armes / and two hundred archers: also the kyng orday­ned therle of Salisbury / and therle Dulnestre into the northe [...]ties with a hundred men of ar­mes / and sixe hundred archers for the scottꝭ had rebelled agayne to hym / and had brent in Corn wall / and ronne to Bristowe / and besieged the towne of Dulnestre. Thus the kynge sent his men of warr into dyuers places / and delyuerd the captayns golde and syluer sufficyent to pay their wages & to retayne soudyers / and so euery company departed as they were ordayned.

¶ Nowe first lette vs speke of therle of Derby for he had the grettest charge / he toke shypping at Hampton / and sayled tyll he aryued at Bay­on a good towne and a stronge cytie / the which had long been englysshe. They landed ther the sixt day of June / in y ^e yere of our lorde. M .iii. C .xliiii. ther they were well receyued and taryed ther a seuyn dayes / and the eyght day departed and went to Burdeaux / wher they were re­ceyued with solempne processyon. And the erle [Page] of Derby was lodged in thabbay of saynt An­drewe and whan the erle of Laylle the frenche kynges lyeutenant in those parties vnderstode of the commyng of thenglysshmen: he sende for therle of Comyges / the erle of Pyergourt / the erle of Carman / the vycount of Uyllemure / the erle of Ualentenoyes / therle of Myrande / the erle of Duras / the lorde of Maryde / the lorde Delabard / the lorde of Pycornet / the vycont of Chastellone / the lorde of Newcastell / the lorde of Lestyne / the abbot of saynt Syluer: and all other lordes suche as helde of the french partie. And whan they were all togyder / than̄e he de­maunded counsayle on the commyng of therle of Derby / they answered howe they thought themselfe strong ynough to kepe the passage at Bergerate ouer the ryuer of Garon: the which sayeng pleased well therle of Layll who as than was in Gascoyne as kyng vnder y ^e french kyng and had kept that contrey as long as the warre had endured / and had taken dyuers townes & castels fro thenglysshmen / than these lordes sent for men of warr fro all parties & went and kept the subbarbes of Bergerate / the whiche were great and inclosed with the ryuer of Garon.

WHan therle of Derby had ben at Burdeuxa .xv. dayes / he vnderstode howe these lordes & knyghtes of Gascoyne were at Bergerath. In a mornynge he drewe thyderward / and he cau­sed sir Gaultier of Manny and sir Franque de Hall to go before / who were marshalles of his hoost: that mornynge they rode thre leages to a castell that was englysshe called Mounteroly­er but a lytell leage fro Bergerath / ther they taryed all that day and that night. The next mor­nynge their currours ranne to the varryers of Bergerath / and at their retourne they reported to sir Gaultier of Manny howe they had sene parte of the demeanour of the frenchemen / the which they thoght to be but symple. That mor­nynge thenglysshmen dyned be tymes: and as they satte at dyner sir Gaultier of Manny be­helde therle of Derby and sayde / sir yf we were good men of armes we shulde drinke this eue­nynge with the frenche lordes beyng in Berge­rath ꝙ therle and for me it shall nat be let: whā euery man harde that they sayde let vs go arme vs / for we shall ryde incontynent to Bergerath ­ther was no more to do / but shortly euery man was armed and a horsebacke. Whan the erle of Derby sawe his cōpany so well wylled he was right ioyeouse / and sayde lette vs ryde to our ennemies in the name of god and saynt George so they rode forthe with their baners displayed in all the heate of they day / tyll they came to the vaylles of Bergerath / the whiche were nat easy to wynne: for part of the ryuer of Garon went about it. Whan the frenchmen sawe thenglysshmen come to assayle them / they sayde amonge thēselfe howe they shulde sone be driuen backe / they yssued out in good order. They had many of the villayns of the contrey yll armed / the en­glysshmen approched and the archers began to shote fiers [...]y: and whanne those fotemen felt the arowes lyght among theym / and sawe the ba­ners and standerdes waue with the wynde the which they had nat bene acustomed to se before. Than thei reculed backe among their owne mē of armes / than thenglysshmen of armes apro­ched and dasshed in amōg their enmys & [...]lewe and bete downe on euery part for the frenchmen of armes coulde nother aproche forwarde nor backewarde for their owne fotemen / who recu­led without order and dyd stoppe thē their way ­ther were many slayne and sore hurt thēglysshe archers were on bothe sydes the way and shotte so holly togyder / that none durste approche nor yssue through theym. So the frenchmen were put a backe into the subarbes of Bergerath / but it was to suche a myschefe for them that the first bridge and baylles were wonne by clene force: for thenglysshmen entred with them / and there on the pauement many knyghtes were slayne and sore hurte / and dyuers prisoners taken of them that aduentuted theymselfe to defende the passage: and the lorde of Mirpoyse was slayne vnder sir Gaultier of Mannes baner who was the first that entred. Whan therle of Layll sawe that the englysshmen had wonne the subbarbes and slayne his men without mercy / he than re­culed backe into the towne and passed the brige with great trouble and danger / before y ^t bridge ­ther was a soreskirmysshe / the lordes & knygh­tes fought hande to hande: the lorde of Manny auaunced hymselfe so ferre among his ennemy­es / that he was in great daunger. Thenglyssh­men toke ther the vycount of Bousquetyne / the [Page li] lorde of Newcastell / the lorde of Chastellon / the lorde de Lescu / all other of the frenchmen entred into the towne / and closed theirgates and lette downe their portcolyse. And than wente to the walles to their defences / this assaut & skirmyssh endured tyll the euenyng: than thenglysshmen withdrue right sore wery and entred into y ^e sub­barbes / the which they had wonne: where they founde wyne and v [...]tayle sufficyēt for their hole hoost for two monethes. The next mornyng the erle of Derby caused his trumpettes to be sow­ned / and set his people in order of batayle and aproched the towne and made a sore assaut / the which endured tyll noone: lytell dyd thenglyssh men at that assaut for they within defended thē ­selfe valyantly / at noone the englysshmen with drewe / for they sawe well they dyd but lese their payne. Than the lordes went to counsayle and determyned to assaut the towne by water / for it was closed but with pales / than therle of Der­by sende to the nauy at Burdeaux for shyppes / and ther was brought fro Burdeaux to Bergerath .lx. shyppes and barkes. The next day in y ^e euenynge they ordred their batayls and in the next mornyng by the son rysinge the nauy was redy to assaut by water / the baron of Stafford was captayne: thenglysshmen and archers ad­uentured theym selfe valyantly / and came to a great barryer before the pales / the which anone was cast downe to the yerth: thanne they of the towne came to therle de Laylle / and to the other lordes and knyghtes that were ther / and sayde sirs take hede what ye woll do: we be in a great iedpardy to be all lost. If this towne be lost [...]oe lese all that we haue and our lyues also: yet hit were better that we yelded ourselfe to the erle of Derby than to haue more damage. The erle of Laylle sayd / go we to the place wher as nedeth moost defence / for we wyll nat as yet yelde vpp̄ the towne: so they wente to defende the pales. The archers that were in the barkes shot so holly togyder / that none burst apere at their defen­ce without they were slayne or sore hurte: there were within a two hundred genowayes cros­bowes / and nere were pauysshed agaynste the shotte / they helde the englysshe archers well a­warke all the day / and many hurt on bothe par­ties: finally the englysshmen dyd somoche that they brake downe a great pane of y ^e pales / than they within reculed backe / and desyred a treaty and a t [...]ew [...]e the which was graunted to endur all that day & the nextnyght / so that they shulde nat fortify in the meane season. So eyther par­tie drewe to their lodgynges: this nyght the lordes within the towne were in great counsayle / and finally about mydnight they trussed bagge and baggage / and departed out of the towne of Bergerath / and toke the waye to the towne of Ryoll / the which was nat ferre fro thens. The next mornynge the englysshmen agayne entred into their barkes and came to the same place where they had broken the pales / and ther they founde certayne of the towne who desyred thē that they wolde pray the erle of Derby to take them to mercy / sauyng their lyues and goodes and fro thensforthe they wolde be obeysaunt to the kynge of Englande. The erle of Quenefort and therle of Penbroke sayde they wolde speke gladly for theym: and so they came to the erle of Derby and shewed hym thyntent of them of the towne. The erle of Derby sayde / he that mercy desyreth mercy ought to haue / bydde theym o­pyn their gates / and she we them they shalbe as­sured of me and all myne. These two lordꝭ went agayne to them of the towne / and shewed them the erle of Derbyes intent: than they assembled all the people toguyder and sowned their belles and opyned their gates / and yssued out menne and women in processyon: and humbly mette the erle of Derby / and so brought hym into the chiefe churche / and there sware faythe and ho­mage to the erle / in the name of the kyng of En­glande / by vertue of a procutacyon that the erle hadde.

THe same day that therle of Laylle was come to Ry­oll fro Bergerate / he and his company deuysed to depart themselfe / some into one for­tresse and sōe into an other: and to kepe fronter warre. And the seneshall of Tholouz / the erle of Uyl­lemure were sent to Auberoche / sir Bertrame de Presse to Pellagrewe / the lorde Phylippe of Dyone to Mount agret / the lorde of Mount­brandone / to Mauldurane / Arnolde of Dyone to Mountgyse / Robert of Malmore to Beau­mount [Page] in Laylloes sir Charles of Poyters to P [...]nnes in Agynoes. Thus these knyghtꝭ wer deuyded fro garyson to garyson / and the erle of Laylletaryed in the Ryoll / and newe repayred the fortresse. And whaūe the erle of Derby had ta [...]yed in Bergerath two dayes / he demaūded of the seneshal of Burdeaur what way was best for hym to take / for he sayde he wolde natte lye styll: the seneshall aunswered howe he thought it best to drawe to Pyergourt / and into hyghe Almaygne. Than the erle of Derby prepayred to departe / and left captayne in Bergerathe sir John̄ dela Sante. And as thēglysshmen went forwarde they came to a castell called Lango: wherof the veigneur of Tholouz was captayn there thenglysshmen taryed and gaue assaut to the castell / bycause they sayde they wolde narte leaue suche a castell behynde theym / but at that assaut the englysshmen wanne but lytell. The nexte day the assauters brought fagottes / tym­ber / and other thynges: and fylled so the d [...]kes that they might go to the walles. Than sir Frā que de Hall counsayled them within to yelde: for he sayd they might abyde so long y ^t it shulde be to late. They within desyred respyte to gyue an answere / the which was agreed: and whan they had counsayled the parties greed / so they deꝑted with their lyues / but they bare a way no thynge & went to Mousacke. Therle of Derby made capitayne at Lango a squyer called Ay­mone Lyone / and with hym .xxx. archers: than therle rode to a towne called le Lacke / and they of the towne met hym on the way and brought hym the kayes / and dyd homage to the kyng of Englande. Than therle went forthe / and came to Mandurant / the whiche he wanne with as­saut: whan he had sette rulers there / he went to the castell of Mountgyse and toke it also by as­saut / and the captayne he sende as prisonere to Burdeaux / than he rode to Punache the which also he wanne / and also the castell de la Lewe: and there he taryed thre dayes / the fourth daye he went to Forsathe and wanne it lightly / and also the towre of Pondayre: than̄e he came to a great to wne called Beaumount in Laylloyes / parceyninge to the inherytaunce of the erle of Laylle: thre dayes the erle of Derby lay there and made great assautes / the place was well for tifyed with men of warre and artillery: how be it finally it was wonne / and many of them with in slayne. Than therle of Derby set there newe captayns and men of warre / and fro thense he went to the chiefe to wne parteyninge to the erle of Laylle: wherof the lorde Philyppe of Dy­one / and Arnolde of Dyone were capitayns. The englysshmen approched to the barryers / and the archers shotte so quickely: so that they of the towne durste nat appere at their defence. So the firste day they baylles harde to the gate of the towne was wonne / and in the euenynge the assaut seaced and euery man drewe to their lodgynges. The next mornynge the assaut be­gan agayne in dyuers places / so that they with in wyst nat well what to do: than̄e they desyred to haue a peace / than an haraulde was sende to them and a day respyte to treat in the meane se­ason: than̄e the erle of Derby hym selfe went to the barryers to speke with theym of the towne / and with hym was the baron of Stafforde and the lorde of Manny. Therle wolde they shulde haue yelded themselfe simply / but they so agre­ed that the towne shuld be vnder the obeysance of the kyng of Englande: and that they shulde sende twelfe of their burgesses into the cytie of Burdeaur for hostage. And the lordes and kni­ghtes of Fraunce departed vnder saue conduct and went to the Ryoll.

AFter this conquest the erle of Derby went to Bonu all / and there made a great assaute and many hurte on bothe parties: finally it was taken̄e and newe refresshed with captaynes and men of warre. Than therle passed farther into the coū ­tie of Pyergourt / and passed by Bordall with­out any assaute: and laboured so longe that at laste he came before Pyergourt. Therle of that countrey was in the towne / and the lorde Ro­ger of Quenfort his vncle / and the lorde of Du­ras with a sixscore knyghtes and squyers of the countrey. The erle of Derby aduysed howe he myght best assayle the towne to his aduaunta­ge / for he same well it was stronge: soo that all thynges consydred it was thought nat beste to enploy his people there in that ieopardy. And [Page lii] so went and lodged a two leages thense by a ly­tell ryuer / to the intent to assayle the castelle of Pelagrue / about mydnight yssued out of Py­ergourt a two hundred speares / and are it was day they came into the lodgynges of thenglyssh men and slewe and hurte many: and came into the erle of Quenfortes tent and founde hym ar­mynge / and he was so sharpely assayled that he was taken prisoner and thre other of his house. Than the gascoyns went backe or the host were more styred / and drewe agayne to their towne as it was nedefull for theym: they founde their gates opyn / for they were hotely pursued and driuen home into their barryers. Than the ga­scons a lyghted / and defended their barryers and fought hande to hande: so that they lost no­thyng. Than thenglysshmen retourned to their hoost: and the erle of Derby went to Pelagrue and ther was sixe dayes and made many great assautes / ther was the delyuerance made of the erle of Quenfort and his company by exchang / for the vycount of Bonquentyne / the vycount of Chastellone / the lorde of Lescue / and of the lorde of Newcastell: on the condycion that the landes of Pyergourt shulde abyde thre yeres in rest and peace / but the lordes and knyghtes of the countrey might well arme themselfe with out any forfette / but nothyng to be robbed and brent within the countrey durynge that space. Thus thenglysshmen departed fro before Pe­lagrue / for that pertayned to the countie of Py­ergourt / than the erle of Derby went to Aube­roche a fayre castell and a stronge / pertayninge to the bysshoppe of Tholouz. Thenglysshmen lodged theymselfe there about / as thoughe they were mynded to abyde there a longe space: and dyde sende them worde within to yelde thēselfe for if they were taken byforce / they were all but deed without mercy: they within hadde great dout of their lyues and they sawe no socour cō ­mynge fro no partie: than they yelded themselfe and became subgettes to the kyng of England. Than the erle of Derby drewe towarde Bur­deaux / and left in garyson in Aube coche sir Frā que de la Halle / and sir Alayne of Fynefroyde and sir John̄ of Lynedall. Than̄e in his way he came to a good towne called Lyburne / twelfe leages fro Burdeaux and layde siege about it / and sayde howe he wolde nat depart thense tyll he had it. They within tooke counsayle / so that all thynges consydred: the good and yuell they yelded them to therle of Derby and dyd homa­ge / and ther therle taryed a thre dayes: and left the erle of Penbroke / the lorde Stafforde / sir Stephyn of Courey / and sir Alysander Hau­sayle styll in Lyborne: than therle of Derby▪the erle of Quenfort / sir Gaultier of Manny / and other rode streyght to Bourdeaux.

AT the retournynge of therle of Derby to Bourde­aux: he was ioyefully recey­ued and mette with processy­on / and offeredde hym euery thyng in the towne at his pleasure: there he taryed & spor­ted hym with the burgesses / ladyes / and damo­sels of the towne. ¶Nowe lette vs speke of the erle of Laylle who was at the Ryoll: whan̄e he vnderstode that the erle of Derby was at Bur­deaux and lay styll / and no lickelyhode that he wolde styrre any farther that season. Than he wrote to the erle of Pyergourt / of Carmaynye / of Couynes / and of Breuniquele: and to all the other lordes of Gascoyne of the frenche partie / that they shulde assemble their men / and come and mete hym before Auberoche / for his mynde was to ley siege therto: they all obeyed hym for he was as kynge in those parties of Gascoyne. The lordes and knyghtes within Auberoche was nat ware of any siege tyll it was layd rounde about them / so that none coude yssue out nor entre without parceyuinge. The frenchemen brought with them four great engyns fro Tholouz / the whiche dyd caste day and night / they made no other assaut: so within sixe dayes they had broken the roffes of the towres and cham­bers / that they within durste nat abyde but in lowe vautes: the intent of them of the host was to slee them all within / or els to haue them yelde simply. Therle of Derby had knowledge howe the siege lay before Auberoch / but he knewe nat that his company wer so sore oppressed as they were. Whan sir Franque de Hall / sir Aleyne de Fyneforde / and sir John̄ of Lyndall / who were thus besieged within Auberoche / sawe thēselfe thus hardly bestadde: they demaunded among their varlets if their were any for a good rewar de wolde bere a letter to therle of Derby to Bur deux / one varlet stepped forth and sayd he wold [Page] gladly bere it nat for the aduantage of his re­warde / but rather to helpe to delyuer them out of daunger. In the nyght the varlette toke the letter sealed with their seales / and thanne went downe the dykes and so past through the hoost / there was none other remedy: he was met with the firste watche and past by them for he spake good gascoyne and named a lorde of the hoost and sayd he parteyned to hym / but than agayn he was taken among the tentes / and so brought into the herte of the hoost / he was sherched and the letter founde on hym: and soo he was kepte saue tyll the mornynge that the lordes were as­sembled togyder. Than the letter was brought to therle of Layle: they had great ioye whanne they perceyued that they within were so sore cō ­strayned that they coude nat long endure than they toke the varlet and hanged the letter about his necke and dyd put hym into an engyn / and dyde cast hym into the towne. The varlette fell downe deed / wherwith they within were sore troubled / the same season therle of Pyergourt / and his vncle sir Charles of Poyters and the vycount of Carmany / and the lorde of Duras were a horsbacke / and passed by the walles of the towne as nere as they might: and cryed to them within and sayd in mockery: sirs demaū ­de of your messanger where he founde therle of Derby syth he went out but this nyght / and is retourned agayne so shortly. Than sir Frāque de Hall sayde sirs though we be here in closed / we shall yssue out whan it shall please god and the erle of Derby: as wolde to god he knewe in what case we be in / for and he knewe it there is none of you that durste kepe the felde / and if ye wolde sende hym worde therof / one of vs shall yelde hymselfe prisoner to you to be raunsomed as a gentylman ought to be / the frenchmen an­swered nay nay sirs / the mater shall nat go so. The erle of Derby shall knowe it well ynough / whan with our engyns we haue beaten downe the castell to the yerthe / and that ye haue yelded vp simply for sauyng of your lyues. Certaynly quod sir Franque we shall nat yelde our felfe so we woll rather dye here within: so the frēchmen retourned agayne to their hoost and the thre englysshe knyghtes were sore abasshed / for y ^• sto­nes y ^• fell in the towne gaue so sore strokes that it semed lyke thondre falled fro heuyn.

ALl the mater of taking of this messāger with the letter and necessytie of thē with in Auberoch was shewed to the erle of Derby / by a spye that had been in the frenche hoost. Than therle of Der­by sent to the erle of Penbroke beyng at Bergerath to mete with hym at a certayne place / also he sende for the lorde Stafforde and to sir Stephyn Tombey beyng at Lyborne / and the erle hymselfe with sir Gaultier of Manny / and his company rode towardes Auberoche: and rode so secretely with suche guydes as knewe the cō ­trey / that therle came to Lyborne and there ta­ryed a day abydinge the erle of Penbroke: and whan he sawe that he came nat he went forth for the great desyre that he had to ayde them in Au­beroch. Thus therle of Derby / therle of Quen­forde▪ sir Gaultier of Manny / sir Rychard Hastynges / sir Stephyn Tombey / the lorde Fe­ryers and the other yssued out of Lyborne: and rode all the night and in the mornyng they wer within two lytell leages of Auberoche. They entred into a woode / and lyghted fro their hor­ses and tyed their horses to pasture / abydinge for the erle of Penbroke: and there taryed tyll it was noone. They wyste nat well than what to do / bycause they were but thre hundred speres / and sixe hundred archers: and the frenchmen before Auberoch were a .x. or .xii. thousande men: yet they thought it a great shame to lese their cō panyons in Auberoche / finally sir Gaultier of Manny sayde: sirs lette vs leape on our horses and let vs coost vnder the couert of this woode tyll we be on the same syde that ioyneth to their hoost / and whan we be nere put y ^• spurres to the horses and crye our cryes / we shall entre whyle they be at supper: and vnware of vs ye shallse them be so dysconfited that they shall kepe none aray. All the lordes and knightes agreed to his sayeng: than euery man toke his horse and or­dayned all their pages and baggage to abyde styll ther as they were: so they rode styll a long by the wode / and came to a lytell ryuer in a vale nere to y ^• french host. Than they displayed their baners and prnons / and dasshed their spurrꝭ to their horses and cāe in a fronte into the frenche hoost among the gascoyns / who were nothyng [Page liii] ware of that busshment. They were goynge to supper and some redy sette at their meate: then­glysshmen cryed a Derby a Derby / and ouer­threwe tentes and pauylions and slewe & hurte many: the frenchmen wyst nat what to do they were so hasted / whan they cāe into the felde and assembled togyder. They founde the englysshe archers ther redy to receyue theym / who shotte so feersly that they slewe man & horse / and hurt many: therle of Layll was taken prisoner in his owne tent and sore hurte / and the erle of Pyer­gourt and sir Roger his vncle in their tentes / & ther was slayne the lorde of Duras / sir Aymer of Poyeters / and therle of Ualentenoys his brother was taken / euery man sledde that myght best: but therle of Conynes / the vycount of Car mayne & of Uillemny / and of Brūquell / and y ^• lorde de la Borde & of Taryde [...] and other that were loged on the othersyde of the castell dreme backe / and wente into the feldes with their ba­ners. Thenglysshmen who had ouercome all y ^• other basshed in feersly among them ther was many a proper feat of armes done / many taken and rescued agayne: whan they within the ca­stell harde that noyse without / and sawe then­glysse baners and penons. In contynent they armed them and yssued out / and russhed into y ^• thyckest of the preace / they gretly refresshed the englysshmen that had fought ther before: wher to shulde I make long processe / and tho of therle of Laylles partie were nygh all taken or slayne yf the night had nat come on / ther had but fewe scapedde: ther were taken that day what erles and vycountes to the nombre of .ix. and of lor­des / knyghtes / and squyers taken / so that ther was no englysshman of armes / but that had .ii. or .iii. prisoners. Thisbatell was on saynt La­rans nyght / the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .xl. and foure: thenglysshmen delt lyke good cōpa­nyons with their prisoners / and suffred many to depart on their othe and promyse to retourne agayne at a certayne day to Bergerath / or to Burdeaux. Than the englysshmen entred into Auberoche / and ther the erle of Derby gaue a supper to the moost part of the erles and vycoū ­tes prisoners / and to many of the knyghtes and squyers: thēglysshmen gaue lande to god / in y ^• that a thousande of them had ouercome .x. M. of their ennemyes / and had rescued the towne of Auberoche / and saued their cōpanyons that were within: who by all lickely hod shulde haue ben taken within .ii. dayes after. The next day anone vpon sonne rysing / thyder came therle of Penbroke with his company a thre hundren spe res / and a foure thousande archers. Thatie he sayd to therle of Derby certaynly cosyn ye haue done me great vncourtesy to fight with our en­nemyes without me: seyng that ye sent for me / ye might haue ben sure I wolde nat fayle to cōe fayr cosyn ꝙ therle of Derby / we desyred gretly to haue had you with vs / we taryed all day tyll it was ferr past no one. And whan we sawe that ye came nat we durst nat abyde no lenger / for if our ennemyes had knowen of our cōmyng they had ben in a great aduantage ouer vs / & nowe we haue the aduantage of them I pray you be content and helpe to gyde vs to Burdeaux. So they taryed all that day and the nexte nyght in Auberoche: and the next day be tymes they de­parted and left captayne in Auberoche a knight of Gascoyne called Alysander of Chamont / this they rode to Burdeaux and ledde▪ with them the moost part of their prisoners.

THey of Burdeux wyst nat what ioye to make: nor how to receyue therle of Derby and sir Gaultier of Man ny / for the takyng of the erle of Laylle and mo than two hundred knyghtꝭ with hym. So thus passed that wynter without any more doynge in Gascoyne that ought to be remēbred and whan it was past Eester / in the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .xlv. In the myddes of May▪ therle of Derby who had layne all that wynter at Burdeaux / made a great assemble of men of armes and archers / to the entent to go and lay siege to the Ryoll / the first day fro Burdeux he rode to Bergerath wher he founde therle of Pē broke / who had in like wyse made his assembly: ther they taryed thre dayes / and than departed and nombred their company and founde howe they were. M. men of armes / and two. M. ar­chers: than they rode so longe tyll they came to saynt Basyll and layd siege therto. They with­in consydred howe the greattest men and moost part of Gascoyne were prisoners / & sawe howe they shulde haue no socoure fro no parte: so all thynges consydred they yelded themselfe / & dyd [Page] homage to the kyng of England. Than therle passed forthe and toke they way to Aguyllone: and in his way he founde the castell of Roche­myllone / the whiche was well furnysshed with soudyers and artyllary / howbeit therle of Der­by cōmaunded to gyue assaut and so the [...] was a ferse assaut. They within cast out great bar­res of yron and pottꝭ with lyme / wherwith they hurt dyuers englysshmen suche as aduentured themselfe to farr: whan therle sawe his m [...]hurt and coude do nothyng [...] he withdrue the assaut. The next day he made the vyllayns of the countrey to bring thyder fagottes / busshes / donge / s [...]rawe / and erth / and fylled part of the dykes: so that they might go to the walles: and so they made. CCC. archers redy / and. CC. men of the countrey to go before them with pauysshes / and hauyng great pycares of yron: and whyle they dyd vndermyne the wall the archers shuld shote / and so they dyde that none within durste apere at their defence. This assaut endured the moste part of the day / so that finally the myners made a great hole through the wall: so that ten men myght entre a front. Thanne they within were sore a basshed / some fledde into the church and somme stale away by a priue gate: so this towne and castell was taken / robbed / and the moost parte slayne / except suche as were fledde into the church ▪ the which therle of Derby cau­sed to be saued / for they yelded themself simply. Thau therle sette there newe captayns two en­ [...] squyers / Rycharde Wylle and Robert [...]: than therle went to Mountsegure and lay [...] siege therto / and taryed ther a fyftene day [...]s / captayne within was sir Hewe Bastefoll / & euery day there was assaut and great engyns were brought thyder [...]ro Burdeaux / & fro Ber­gerath: so that the stones [...] they cast brake downe walles / roffes / and houses. Therle of Derby sende to them of the towne / shewyng them that if they were taken byforce they shulde all dye: & if they wolde come vnder they obeysance of the kynge of Englande he wolde pardon them all / and take them for his frendes. They of the towne wolde gladly haue yelded theym / and went and spake with their captayne in maner of coū ­ [...]yle to se what he wolde say: and he answered theym and sayd sirs kepe your defence / we ar a­ble to kepe this towne this halfe yere if nede be. They departed fro hym in semyng well cōtent but at nyght they toke and putte hym in prison sayeng howe he shuld neuer go out therof with­out so be he wold agre to make their peace with therle of Derby / and whan that he had sworne that he wolde do his deuoyre: they let hym out of prison / and so he went to the barryers of the towne and made token to speke with the erle of Derby / sir Gaultier of Manny was ther pre­sent and he went & spake with him. The knight sayd sir Gaultier of Manny / ye ought natte to haue marueyle though we close our gates aga­ynst you ▪ for we haue sworne feaultie to the frenche kyng: and I se well that ther is no persone in his behalfe that wyll stoppe you of your way / but me thynke ye are lyke to go farther. But sir for my selfe and for the menne of the towne I desyre you that we may abyde in cōposicyon / that ye make vs no warr nor we to you the space of a moneth: and duryng that terme if the frenche kyng or the duke of Normandy come into this contrey so strong as to fyght with you / than we to be quyte of our couenaunt: and if they come nat or one of them / than we shall put vs vnder [...] obe [...] sance of the kyng of England. Sir Gaultier of Manny went to therle of Derby to knowe his pleasure in that behalfe / therle was content so that they within shuld make no fortifycation in that season: and also y ^• if any of thēglysshmen ther lacked any vitayls / that they might haue it of them for their money. To this they were cō tent / and sent▪ xii. burgesses of the towne to Burdeaux in hostage: than thenglysshmen were re­fresshed with prouisyon of the towne / but none of them entred. Than they passed forth and wasted and exyled the contrey / the which was ple­sant and frutefull / and came to a castell called & guyllon / and the captayne therof came to therle and yelded vp the castell / their lyues and good [...] saued. Wherof they of the contrey had gret marueyle / for it was named one of the strongest ca­stels of the worlde / & whā the captayne that had yelded vp the castell so soone came to Tholoum / the which was .xvii. leages thense / they of that towne toke hym and layd treason to his charge and hanged hym vp. The sayd castell stode by­twene two great ryuers able to bere shyppes / y ^• erle of Derby newe repeyred y ^• castell and made captayne ther sir Joh [...] of Gombray: tha [...]e the erle went to an other castell called Segart / the whiche he toke by assaut / and all the soudyours within slayne / and fro thense he went to the towne of le Ryoll.

[Page liiii] THus the erle of Derby [...] before the Ryoll and layed siege therto on all sydes / & made bas [...]y [...]es in the feldes and on the waye [...] / so that no prouisyon coulde entre into the towne / a [...]he euery day ther was assaut: the siege [...]ured a longe space. And whan the moneth was e [...]yred that they of Segur shulde gyue vp their towne / the erle sent thyder and they of the [...]owne gaue vp and became vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande / the captayne sir Hewe Bastefoll became seruant to the erle / with other that were within / vpon certayne wages that they hadde. Thenglysshmen that had lye [...] longe before the Ryoll more than nyne wekes / had made in the meane space two belf [...]oys of great tymbre with .iii. stages / euery belfroy o [...] fou [...] great whelys and the sydes towardes the towne were coue­red with cure boly to defende them fro fyre and fro shotte. And into euery stage ther were [...]oynted. C. archers / by strength of men these two belfroyes were brought to the walles of the towne / for they had so fylled the dykes that they myght well be brought iust to the walles. The archers in these stages shotte so holly tog [...]der that none durst apere at their defence without they were well pauysshed / and bytwene these two belfro­ys ther were a. CC. men with pycaxes to myne the walles / and so they brake through the wal­les. Thaūe the burgesses of the towne came to one of the gates to speke with some lorde of the hoost / whan the erle of Derby knewe therof he sent to them sir Gaultier of Manny and the ba­ron of Stafforde: and whan they cāe ther they founde that they of the towne wolde yel [...]e them their lyues and goodes saued. Sir Ago [...]s de Bans who was captayne within knewe that y ^e people of the towne wolde yelde vp / he went in­to the castell with his cōpany of soudyers / and whyle they of the towne were entrety [...]g / he conueyed out of the [...]owne gret quantyte of wyne & other prouisyon / and than closed the castell ga­tes: & sayd howe he wolde nat yelde vp so so [...]e. The foresayd two lordes retourned to therle of Derby / shewyng hym howe they of the towne wolde yelde themself and the towne their lyues and goodes saued: thaūe therle sende to knowe howe the captayne wolde do with y ^e castell / a [...] it was brought worde agayne to hym howe he wolde nat yelde. Than therle [...]udye [...] a lytell▪ sayde well go take them of the towne to mercy / for by the towne we shall haue the castell / thaūe these lordes went agayne to them of the towne and receyued them to mercy / so that they shulde go out into the felde and delyuer therle of Der­by the kayes of the towne / sayenge sir fro heus­forth we knowlege our selfe subgettes and obey saunt to the king of Englande. And so they dyd and sware that they shulde gyue no comforte to them of the castell / but to greue them to the best of their powers: than therle cōmaunded that no man shulde do any hurt to the towne of Ryoll / nor to none of them within. Than therle entred into the towne and laydsiege rounde about the castell as nere as he might / and rered vp all his engyns the which caste nyght and day agaynst the walles / but they dyde lytell hurt the walles were so stronge of harde stone: it was sayd that of olde tyme it had ben wrought by the handes of the sarasyns who made ther warkes so strongely that ther is none such nowe a bayes. Whā the erle sawe that he coulde do no good with his engyns he caused theym to cease / than he called to hym his myners: to thyntent that they shuld make a myne vnder all the walles / the whiche was nat sone made.

WHyle this siege endured / and that y ^e myners were a wor­ke: the lorde Gaultier of Man­ny remembred how [...] his fader was stayne goynge a pylgri­mage to sait James. And howe he harde in his youth / howe he shulde be bury­ed in the Ryoll or there about: thaūe he made it to be enquered in the towne ys there were any manne coude shewe hym his fathers tombe / he shulde haue a hundred crownes for his labour. And there was an aged man came to sir Gaul­tier and sayd / sir I thynke I ca [...]e brynge you nere to the place wher your father was buryed: thanne the lorde of Manny sayde if your wor­des be trewe I shall kepe couenaunt and more. ¶ Nowe ye shall here the maner howe the lorde Gaultiers father was slayne: it was trewe that somtyme ther was a bysshoppe in Cambresis / a Goscoyne borne / of the house of Myrpoyse. And so it fortuned that in his dayes / ther was at a tyme a great tournayeng before Cambrey: [Page] wher as there were .v. C. knyghtꝭ on both par­ties: and ther was a knyght gascoyne [...]ourney­ed with the lorde of Manny father to sir Gaultier / & this knyght of Gascoyne was so sore hurt and beaten that he had neuer helth after but dyed: this knyght was of kynne to the sayde by s­tho [...]e. Wherfore the lorde of Manny was in his [...] and of all his lynage / a two or thre yere after certayne good men laboured to make peace bytwene thē / and so they dyd. And for a mendes the lorde of Manny was bounde to go a pylgrimage to saynt James and so he went thyder warde: and as he came foreby the towne of Ryoll / the same season therle Charles of Ualoyes brother to kynge Philyppe / lay at siege before the Ryoll / the whiche as than was englysshe: and dyuers other townes and cyties than pertayning to the kynge of Englande fa­ther to the kynge that layed siege to Tourney. So that the lorde of Manny after the retour­nyng of his pylgrimage: he came to se therle of Ua [...]oys who was ther as kyng and as y ^e lorde of Many went at night to his lodgyng / he was watched by the way by certayne of thē of the ly­nage of hym y ^t the lorde of Māny had made his pylgrimage for. And so w ^tout therles lodgyng he was slayne and murdred and no man knewe who dyd it / howe be it they of that lynage were helde suspect in y ^e mater but they were so stron­ge and made suche excuses that the mater past / for ther was none that wold pursue the lorde of Mannes quarell. Than therle of Ualoyes caused hym to be buryed in a lytell chapell in the felde / the which as than was without the towne of Ryoll: and whan therle of Ualoyes had wonne the towne / than the walles were made more larger / so that the chapell was within the towne. Thus was sir Gaulter of Mānes fader slayne and this olde man remēbred all this mater / for he was present whan he was buryed. Than̄e sir Gaultier of Manny went with this gode aged man to the place wher as his father was bury­ed and ther they founde a lytell tombe of mar­ble ouer hym / the which his seruauntes layd on hym after he was buryed. Than̄e the olde man sayd: sir surely vnder this tombe lyeth your fa­ther than the lorde of Manny redde the scrip­ture on the tombe the whiche was in latyn / and ther he founde y ^t the olde man had sayd trouth: and gaue hym his rewarde. And w ^tin two day­es after he made the tombe to be raysed and the bones of his father to be taken vp and put in a [...]ofer: and after dyd sende them to Ualencēnes in the county of Heynalt. And in the freres ther made theym to be buryed agayne honourably / and dyde there his obsequy [...]yght goodly / the which is yet kept yerely.

NOwe let vs retourne to the siege about the castell of the Ryoll / the which had endured .xi. wekes / so long wrought the mynours that at last they came vnder the base court / but vnder the dō geon they coude nat gette for it stode on a harde rocke. Than sir Ag [...]us des Bans their capten / sayd to his company: sirs we be vndermy [...]d so that we ar in great daunger / than they were all sore a srayed / and sayd sir ye ar in a great dan­ger and we also / without ye fynde some remedy year our chefe and we wyll obey you trucly / we haue kept this house right honourably alonge season. And though we nowe make a composy­cion we can nat be blamed / assay if ye canne get graunt of therle of Derby to let vs depart / our lyues and goodes saued: and we to delyuer to hym this castell. Than sir Agous dyscendedde downe fro the hygh to wre / and dyd put out his heed at a lytell wyndo ▪ & made a token to speke with some of the host: than he was demaunded what he wolde haue / he sayd he wolde fayne speke with therle of Derby or with y ^e lorde of Mā ­ny. Whan therle knewe therof he sayd to y ^e lorde of Manny and the lorde Stafforde / lette vs go to the fortresse and knowe what the capten woll say. Than they rode togyder / and whan sir A­gous sawe theym he toke of his cappe and salu­ted them eche after other / and sayde lordes it is of trouth that the frenche kyng sende me to this towne / to defende and to kepe it and the castell to my power. And ye knowe right well howe I haue aquyt my selfe in that behalfe / & yet wolde if I might: but alwayes a man may nat abyde in one place / sir yf it woll please you I and all my company wolde depart our lyues and goo­des saued / and we shall yelde vnto you the for­tresse. Than therle of Derby sayde / sir Agous ye shall nat go so away: we knowe ryght well we haue so sore oppressed you that we may haue you whan we lyst / for your fortresse stādeth but [Page lv] vpon stayes: yelde you simply and we wyll re­ceyue you / sir Agons sayde: sir yf we dyde so I thynke in you somoch honour and gentylnes [...] ye wold deale but courtelly with vs / as ye wold the frenche kynge shulde deale with any of your knyghtes / for goddessake sir blemyssh nat your noblenesse for a poore sort of soudyours that be here within / who hath won with moche payne and paryll their poore lyueng: whome I haue brought hyther out of the prouynce of Sauoy / and out of Daulphyne / sir knowe for trouthe y ^t yf the lest of vs shulde nat come to mercy as well as the best / we woll rather sell our lyues in suche wyse that all the worlde shulde speke of vs / sir we desyre you to bere vs some cōpany of armes and we shall pray for you. Than therle and the other two lordes went a parte and spake togy­der / they spake long togyder of dyuers thynges finally they regarded the trouthe of sir Agons / and consydred howe he was a stranger: and al­so they sawe that they coude nat vndermyne the dongeon / they agreed to receyue them to mercy Than the erle sayde to sir Agons: sir we wolde gladly to all straungers bere good company of armes: I am content that ye and all your com­pany depart with your lyues saued / so that you bere away nothynge but your armoure. So be it quod sir Agons / than he went to his compa­ny and shewed them how he had spedde. Than they dyd on their harnesse and toke their horses wherof they hadde no mo but sixe / some bought horses of thenglysshmen / the whiche they payed for truely. Thus sir Agons de Bans departed fro the Ryoll and yelded vp the castell to the en­glysshemen / and sir Agons and his company wente to Tholous.

WHan the erle of Derby had taken his pleasure at Ryoll: than he went forth and lest an englyssh knyght at Ryoll to repayre and a mende that was broken / & he rode to Mountpesance and made assaut there / and within there were but men of the countrey that were gone thyder with their goodes / in trust of the strength of the place: and so they defended theymselfe as longe as they might / but finally the castell was wone with assaut and by scalyn­ge / but there were many of thenglysshe archers slayne / and au englysshe gentylman slayne cal­led Rycharde of Pennenort / he bare the lorde Staffordes baner. Therle of Derby gaue the same castell to a squyer of his called Thomas of Lancastre: and left with hym in garyson .xx. archers / than therle went to the towne of Mauleon and made assaut / but he wanne it nat so / at nyght there about they lodged: the nexte day a knyght of Gascone called sir Alysander of Chamont sayd to therle / sir make as though ye wol­de dyslodge and go to some other part / and leue a small sort of your people styll before the towne and they within woll yssue out I knowe theym so well and let them chase your men that be be­hynde: and let vs lye vnder the olyues in a bus­shement / and whan they be past vs lette part of vs folowe them and some retourne towardꝭ the towne. Therle of Derby was cōtent with that counsayle / and he caused to abyde behynde the erle of Quenforde with a hundred with hym all onely / well enformed what they shulde do: than all the other trussed bagge and baggage / and departed and went halfe a leage / and ther layd sir Gaultier of Manny with a great busshmēt in a vale amonge olyues and vynes: and therle rode on forth / whan they of Mauleon sawe the erle departe and some styll abydinge behynde / they sayde among themselfe let vs go yssue out and go and fyght with our ennemyes that ar a­bydinge behynde their maister / we shall soone dysconfet them / the whiche shall be a great ho­noure and profette to vs / they all agreed to that opynion and armed them quickely and yssued out who myght first / they were a four hundred: Whan therle of Quenfort and his cōpany sawe them yssue they reculed backe / and the frenche­men folowed after in gret hast / and so ferr they pursued them that they past the busshmēt / than sir Gaultier of Mannyes company yssued out of their busshmēt and cryed Manny / and part of them dasshed in after the frenchmen / and another part toke the way streyght to y ^e towne / they founde the baylles and gates opyn / and it was nyght: wherfore they within wende it had ben their owne cōpany that yssued out before. Thā thenglysshmen toke the gate and the brige and incontynent were lordes of the towne: for suche of the towne as were yssued out / were inclosed bothe before and behynde / so that they were all taken and slayne: and suche as were in y ^e towne dyde yelde them to therle of Derby / who recey­ued [Page] them to mercy / and of his gentylnes respy­ted the towne fro brennyng and robbynge. And dyde gyue that hole seignorie to sir Alysaunder of Chamount / by whose aduyce the towne was wont and sir Alysaunder made a brother of his captayne ther called Antony of Chamont / and therle left with hym certayne archers and other with pauysshes: than therle departed and came to Wyelfrāche in Agenoys / the which was won by assaut and the castell also: and he lefte there for captayne a squyer of his called Thom̄s Coq̄ Thus therle rode all about the contrey and no man resysted hym / and conquered townes and ca [...] / and his men wanne ryches meruayle to esteme.

WHan the erle of Derby had this towne at his pleasure / thasie herode to Myremōt drawyng to­wardes Burdeux: for all this iourney his currours neuer aproched to port saynt Mary. Therle was thre dayes before Myremont and on the fourth day they yel­ded / therle gaue it to a squier of his called John̄ Bristowe / and after his men wan a lytell towne closed / standyng on the ryuer of Gerone called Thomynes / and after the stronge castell of Damassene / the whiche they well garnysshed with men of armes and archers. Than they came before the cytie of Angolesme and layd siege ther­to / and therle sayde he wolde nat depart thense tyll he had it at his pleasure: than̄e they within made apoyntment with the erle to sende .xxiiii. of their chiefe burgesses to Burdeur in hostage for the respyte of a peace for a moneth / and if w ^t in that space the frenche kynge do sende a suffy­ciēnt persone to kepe the felde agaynst therle of Derby: than they to haue agayne their hostagꝭ and to be quyte of their bonde / and yf nat than they to put theym vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande. This done: thasie the erle rode to Blames and layed siege therto / within were two captayns of Poycton / sir Guysshart Dangle and sir Wyllyam̄ de Rochchouart: and they sayde they wolde yelde to no manne. And whyle this siege endured some of the englysshe­men rode to Mortayne in Poycton / where as sir Boucyquant was captayne / and made there a great assaut but it auayled nat: but dyuers of them were hurt & slayne / and so departed thens and went to Myrebell and to Alney. And after came agayne to the siege of Blames: euery day there was some feate of armes done / the terme of the moneth erpyred that they of Angolesme shulde yelde. The erle of Derby sent thyder his two marshals / to whome they of the cyte sware homage and fealtie in the behalfe of the kyng of Englande: and so they were in peace and had a gayne restored their hostages. And the erle sent thyder at their desyers John̄ of Norwyche to be their captayne / styll the siege endured before Blasmes / so that thenglysshmen were halfe we­ry / for wynter approched and there they coulde wynne nothynge: than they determyned to go to Bourdeaux tyll another season / and so they dyllodged & went ouer Gerande and so to Burdeaux / and than deꝑted his people into dyuers garysons to kepe fronter warre.

IN this season sir God­fray of Harecourt fell in the indygnation of the frenche kynge / who was a great ba­ron in Normandy and bro­ther to therle of Harecourt / lorde of saynt Sauyour the vycount / and dyuers other townes in Normā ­dy. And it was sayde all was but for enuy: for a lytell before he was as great with the kyng and with the duke of Normādy as he wolde desyre but he was as than openly banysshed the realm of Fraunce / and yf the kynge coulde haue gette hym in his yre / he wolde haue serued hym as he dyd sir Olyuer of Clyssone / who was beheeded the yere before at Parys. This (ser) Godfray had some frendes who gaue hym warnyng secretly howe the kyng was dyspleased with hym: than he auoyded the realme assone as he myght and went into Brabant to the duke there who was his cosyn / who receyued him ioyfully. And ther he taryed alonge space and lyued of suche reue­newes [Page lvi] as he had in Brabant for [...]ut of Fraunce he coude gette nothynge. The kyng had seaced all his landes there of Constantyne / and tooke the profet therof hymselfe: the duke of Brabant coude in no wyse gette agayne this knyght into the kynges fauoure / for nothynge that he coude do. This dyspleasure cost greatly the realme of Fraunce after: and specially the contrey of Normandy / for the tokens therof remayned a hyn­dred yere after / as ye shall here in this hystorie.

IN this season raygned in Flaunders in great pro­speryte and puysaunce Ja­ques Dartuell of gaūt / who was as great with the kyng of Englande as he wolde desyre: and he had promysed y ^e kyng to make hym lorde and herytour of Flaū ­ders / and to endewe his sonne the prince of Wa­les therwith. And to make the count [...]e of Flaū ­ders a duke dome: for the which cause [...] feest saynt John̄ Babtyst / they yere of our lor­de god. M. CCC .xlvi. the kynge of Englande was come to Sluse with many lordes & knyghtes / and had brought thyder with hym y ^e yonge prince his sonne / on the trust of the promyse of Jaques Dartuell. The kyng withall his nauy lay in the hauyn of Sluse and there he kept his house / and thyder came to vysette hym his frendes of Flaunders: ther were great counsaylles bytwene the kyng and Jaques Dartuell on the one ꝑtie / and the counsayls of the good townes of Flaunders on the other partie. So that they of the countrey were nat of the agrement with the kyng / nor with Jaques Dartuell: who pre­ched to theym that they shulde disheryte the erle Loyes their owne naturall lorde / and also his yong sonne Loyes / and to enheryte the sonne of the kynge of Englande / the which thynge they sayd suerly they wolde neuer agre vnto. And so the laste day of their counsayll / the whiche was kept in the hauyn of Sluse in the kynges great shyppe called the Katheryne / there they gaue a fynall answere by common acorde: and sayde sir / ye haue desyred vs to a thynge that is great and weyghtie / the which herafter may sore tou­che the countrey of Flaunders and our heyres: trewely we knowe nat at this day no persone in the worlde that we loue the preferment of so moche as we do yours: but sir this thynge we cannat do alone / without that all the cōmynaltie of Flaunders acorde to the same sir we shall goo home and euery man speke with his cōpany ge­nerally in euery towne / and as the moost parte agre we shalbe cōtent: and within a moneth we shall be here with you agayne / and than̄e gyue you a full answere / so that ye shalbe cōtent. The kyng nor Jaques Dartuell coude as than haue none other answere / they wolde fayne haue had a short day but it wolde nat be. So thus deꝑted that counsayle & euery man went home to their owne townes / Jaques Dartuell taryed a lytell season with the kyng / and styll he promysed the kyng to bring them to his entent: but he was disceyued / for assone as he came to Gaūt he went no more out agayne: for suche of Gaunt as had ben at Sluse at the counsayle there / whan they were retourned to Gaunt or Jaques Dartuell was come into the towne / great and small they assembled in the market place: and ther it was openly shewed what request the kynge of Eng­lande had made to them by the settyng on of Jaques Dartuell: than euery man began to mur­mure agaynst Jaques / for that request pleased them nothynge / and sayde that by the grace of god there shulde no suche vntrouthe be founde in them / as willingly to disheryte their naturall lorde and his yssue / to enheryte a stranger. And so they all departed fro the market place nat cō ­tent with Jaques Dartuell. ¶ Nowe beholde and se what fortune fell / if he had ben as welcōe to Gaunt as he was to Bruges and Ipre / they wolde agreed to his opinyon as they dyde: but he trusted somoche in his prosperyte and great­nesse / that he thought soone to reduce thē to his pleasure. Whan he retourned he cāe into Gaunt about noone: they of the towne knewe of his cō ­myng / and many were assembled toguyder in the strete where as he shulde passe / and whasie they sawe hym they began to murmure and be­gan to ron togyder thre heedes in one hood and sayde / beholde yonder great maister who woll order all Flaunders after his pleasure / the whi­che is nat to be suffred. Also their were wordes sowen through all y ^e towne howe Jaques Dar­tuell had .ix. yere assembled all the reuenewes of Flaunders without any count gyuen: and ther­by hath kept his estate. And also send great ry­chesse out of the countrey into Englande secret­ly: [Page] these wordes set them of Gaunt on fyre / and as he rode through the strete he parceyued that ther was some newe mater agaynst hym / for he sawe suche as were wonte to make reuerence to hym: as he came by he sawe theym tourne their backes towarde hym / and entre into their hou­ses. Than he began to doute: and assone as he was a lyghted in his lodgyng he closed fast his gates / doores / and wyndose. This was skante done▪ but all the strete was full of men / and spe­cially of them of the small craftes: ther they as­sayled his house bothe behynde and before / and the house broken vp: he and his within y ^• house defended themselfe a longe space and slewe and hurt many without / but finally he coude nat endure▪ for thre partꝭ of the men of the towne were at that assaut. Whan Jaques sawe that he was so sore oppressed: he came to a wyndowe with gret humylite barcheeded / and sayd with fayre langage: good people what ayleth you / why be you so sore troubled agaynst me. In what ma­ner haue I dyspleased you / shewe me & I shall make you amendes at your pleasures: than su­che as harde hym answered all with one voyce / we woll haue acompt made of the great tresure of Flaunders / that ye haue sende out of the way without any tytell of reason: than Jaques an­swered mekely and sayde / certaynely sirs of the tresoure of Flaunders I neuer toke nothynge / withdrawe your selfys paciētly into your hou­ses / and come agayne to morowe in the mornynge / and I shall make you so good acompt that of reason ye shalbe content. Than̄e all they an­swered & sayd: nay we woll haue acompt made incontynent / ye shall nat scape vs so: we knowe for trouthe that ye haue sende great rychesse in­to Englande without our knowlege. Wherfore ye shall dye: whan̄e he harde that worde he ioy­ned his handes togyder and sore wepyng sayd / sirs suche as I am ye haue made me: & ye haue sworne to me or this / to defende me agaynst all persons / and nowe ye wolde slee me without reason [...] ye may do it and ye woll / for I am but one man among you all / for goddessake take better aduyce. And remembre the tyme past: and con­syder the great gracꝭ and curtesyes that I haue done to you ye wold nowe rendre to me a small rewarde for the great goodnesse y ^• I haue done to you / and to yo ^• towne in tyme past: ye knowe ryght well marchanutdyse was nighe lost in all this countrey / and by my meanes it is recoue­red: also I haue gouerned you in great peace & rest for in y ^• tyme of my gouernyng ye haue had all thynges as ye wolde wysshe / corne / rychesse and all other marchaundyse. Than they all cryed with one voyce: come downe to vs and prech nat so hyghe / and gyue vs acompt of the great treasoure of Flaunders / that ye haue gouerned so long without any acompt makynge / the whiche parteyneth nat to an offycerto do: as to re­ceyue the goodꝭ of his lorde or of a contrey with out acompt. Whan Jaques sawe that he coude nat apease theym: he drewe in his heed and clo­sed his wyndowe / and so thought to steale oute on the backesyde / into a churche that ioyned to his house: but his house was so broken that .iiii. hundred ꝑsons were entred into his house: and finally there he was taken and slayne without mercy / and one Thom̄s Denyce gaue hym his dethe stroke. Thus Jaques Dartuell endedde his dayes: who had ben a great maister in Flā ­ders / poore men first mounteth vp / and vnhap­py men sleeth them at the ende. These tidynges anone spredde abrode the countrey: some were sorie therof / and some were gladde.

IN this season therle Loyes of Flaunders was at Teremounde: and he was ryght ioyouse whan he harde of the dethe of Jaques Dartuell his olde ennemy▪ howbeit yet he durst nat trust them of Flaunders / nor go to Gaunt. Whan the kyng of Englande who lay all this season at Sluse: abyding the answere of the flē ­mynges / harde howe they of Gaunt had slaynr Jaques Dartuell his great frende he was sore dyspleased. Incōtynent he departed fro Sluse and entred into the see: sore thretnyng the flem­mynges and the countrey of Flaunders / & sayd howe his dethe shulde be well reuenged. Than the counsayls of the gode townes of Flaunders ymagined well howe the kyng of England wolde be soore dyspleased with this dede: thau they determyned to go and excuse themselfe specially they of Bruges / Ipre / Courtra / Andewarpe / & of Francke: they sent into Englande to y ^• kyng for a salue cōduct / that they might come to their excuse: the kynge who was as than somwhat a­swaged of his dyspleasure graūted their desyre than there cāe into Englande men of estate out of the gode townes of Flanders except of Gaūt this was aboute the feest of saynt Mychaell / & the king beyng at Westmynster besyde Lōdon. There they so mekely excused them of the dethe of Jaques Dartuell / and sware solemly y ^• they knewe nothynge therof tyll it was done: if they had he was the man that they wolde haue defē ­ded to the best of their powers / and sayde howe they were right sorie of his dethe / for he had go­uerned [Page lvii] the contrey right wysely. And also they sayde: that though they of Gaunt hadde done that dede / they shulde make a sufficyent amen­des / also sayenge to the kynge and his counsell / that thoughe he be deed: yet the kynge was ne­uer the farther of fro the loue and fauoure of thē of Flaunders / in all thynges except the inhery­taunce of Flaunders / the which in no wyse they of Flaunders woll put a way fro the ryght hey­res. Sayeng also to the kynge: sir ye haue fay­re yssue bothe sonnes and doughters / as for the prince of Wales your eldest sonne / he canne nat fayle but to be a great prince without the inhe­rytaunce of Flaunders. Sir ye haue a yonge doughter: and we haue a yonge lorde / who is herytoure of Flaunders / we haue hym in oure kepynge: may it please you to make a maryage bytwene them two. So euer after the county of Flaunders shall be in the yssue of your chylde: these wordes and suche other apeased the kyng / and finally was content with the [...]emmynges / and they with hym: and soo lytell and lytell the dethe of Jaques Dartuell was forgoten.

IN the same season the erle Wyllyam of Heynalt beynge at siege before the tow­ne of Dautryche / and there hadde lyen a long season: he constrayned theym so soore / what by assautes and other­wyse / that finally he hadde his pleasure of thē: and anone after in the same season about y ^• feest of saynt Remy. The same erle made a great as­semble of men of armes / knyghtes and squyers of Heynault / Flaunders / Brabant / Hollande / Guerles / and Jullyers: the erle and his company departed fro Dordreche in Hollande / with a great nauy of shyppes. And so sayled to war­des Freese: for the erle of Heynault claymed to be lorde there / and yf the fresons had been men to haue brought to reason: therle in dede hadde there great ryght / but there he was slayne and a great nombre of knyghtes and squyers with hym. Sir John̄ of Heynault aryued nat there with his nephue / for he aryued at another pla­ce: and whan he harde of the deth of his nephue lyke a manne out of his mynde he wolde haue tought with the fresons: but his seruantes and specially sir Robert of Gluues / who as thanne was his squyer / dyd putte hym into his shyppe agayne / agaynst his wyll. And so he retourned agayne with a small cōpany / and came to [...]oūt say [...]it Gertrude in Hollande / wher the lady his nece was / wyfe to the sayd erle named Iahane eldest doughter to the duke of Brabant: & than she went to the lande of Buyche / the which wass her endowrie. Thus y ^• countie of Heynall was voyde a certayne space: and sir John̄ of Hey­nalt dyd gouerne it vnto the tyme that Margaret of Heynault doughter to therle Aubertcame thyder and toke possessyon of that herytage: & all lordes and other dyde to her feaultie and ho­mage. This lady Margaret was maryed to y ^• lorde Loyes of Bauyer emperour of Almayne and kynge of Romayns.

ANone after the french kyng entreated & caused the erle of Bloys to entreat this lorde John̄ of Heynalt to become frenche / promysing to gyue hym more reuenues in Fraunce than he had in En­glande / to he assigned wher he wolde hymselfe deuyce. To this request he dyd nat lightly agre for he had spent all the floure of his youth in the scruyce of the kyng of Englande: and was euer welbeloued with the kyng. Whan therle Loyes of Bloyes / who had maryed his doughter and had by her thre sonnes: Loyes / John̄ / and Guy / sawe that he coude nat wynne hym by that meanes / he thought he wold assay an other way / as to wyn the lorde of Saguynels / who was chefe cōpany on and grettest of counsell with the lorde John̄ of Heynault. And so they bytwene thē de­uysed to make hym byleue that they of Englande wolde nat pay hym his pencyon / wherwith sir John̄ of Heynault was sore dyspleased / so y ^• he renounced his seruyce / and good wyll that he bare to the kynge of Englande. And whan the frenche kyng knowe therof incontynent he sent sufficyent messangers to hym / and so retayned [Page] hym of his counsayle with certayne wages / and recompensed hym in Fraunce / with asmoche or more than he had in Englande.

THe frenche kyng was well infourmed of the cōquestes that the erle of Derby had made in the countrey of Gascone / thanne he made a great sommons: that all no­ble and nat noble able for the feare of warre shulde be at Orlyaunce / and at Bourges and there about / at a certayne day ly­mytted by reason of this cōmaundement came to Parys duke Odes of Burgoyne his sonne: and therle of Arthoys and of Colayne: they cāe to the kynge with a thousande speares. Than̄e came the duke of Burbone / and therle of Pon­thyeu his brother / with a great nombre of men of armes / thyder also came the erle of Ewe and of Guynes cōstable of Fraunce with a great cō ­pany: also therle of Tankernyll / the dolphyne of Auuerne / therle of Forestes / therle of Dam­pmartyne / therle of Uandone / the lorde of Coucy / the lorde of Craon / the lorde of Sully / the bysshoppe of Bewuayes / the lorde of Frennes / the lorde of Beauiewe▪ the lorde John̄ of Cha­alon / the lorde of Roy and dyuerse other: they all assembled in the cytie of Orlyaunce / they of that part of Loyre: and they of Poycton / of Xa­ynton / of Rochell of Caoursyn / and Lymosyn they met in y ^• marches of Tholouz. So all thes passed forthe towarde Roueryng: and they foū ­de moche more company assembled in the cytie of Rodes / and in the marches of Auuerne / and Prouence. So at last they all came to the cite of Tholouz / and there about: for they coude nat be all lodged in the cytie / for they were in nombre mo than a hundred thousand. This was in the yere of our lorde god. M. CCC .xlv. anone af­ter the feest of Christmas the duke of Norman­dy / who was chefe of that hoost / rode forth with his two marshals before hym / the lorde of Mo­morēcy / and the lorde saynt Uenant. First they went to the castell of Myremont / the which the englysshmen had wonne before: and captayne w ^tin was one John̄ Bristowe / there they made assaut within were a hundred englysshmē. And with the frenchmen was sir Loyes of Spayne with genowayes crosbowes / who sparedde no shotte: so that they within the castell coulde nat defende them selfe / but that the castell was won and they all take and slayne with the captayne: than the marshals set ther newe men / than they passed forthe and came to vyle Franche in Age­noyes. There all the hoost layd siege and assay led the towne / at y ^• season the captayne sir Thomas Corque was nat there / he was at Burde­aux with therle of Derby who had sent for hym Howbeit they within defended themselfe valy­antly: but finally they were taken perforce / and the towne robbed and brent / and slayne y ^• moste part of the soudyers: than the hoost drewe to the cytie of Angolesme and layd siege there / capy­tayne within was a squyer called John̄ Nor­mell. Whan therle of Derby harde of this gret hoost / and howe they had wonne agayne Myr mount / and Uyle Franche: and brent y ^• towne and left the castell voyde / than he sent four kny­ghtes with threscore men of armes / and thre hū dred archers to Uyle Franche to entre into the castell / and to close the gates agayne of the tow­ne / and promysed theym that if the frenchmen came thyder agayne to assayle theym / he wolde socoure thē what soeuer fell therof. And so these four knyghtes: that is to say sir Stephyn Cō ­bey / sir Rycharde Heldone / sir Raffe Hastyn­ges / and sir Normant of Fynfroyde / went thy­der and newely fortifyed the towne and castell: Than therle of Derby desyred the erle of Pen­broke / sir Gaultier of Manny / sir Franque de Hall / sir Thomas Coque / sir John̄ de la Tou­che / sir Rycharde of Beauayes / sir Philyp Re­ckeleue / sir Robert Neuyll / sir Thomas Bri­set / and dyuerse other knyghtes and squyers to go all to Aguyllon / and to kepe that fortres / for he wolde besore dyspleased if that shulde be lost they departed and were a .xl. knyghtꝭ and squyers / & thre hundred men of armes with archers. And so they entred into the stronge castell of A­guyllon: and there they founde a sixscore soudy ours all redy / that therle of Derby had left ther before: than they made prouisyon for all thyn­ges necessarie. And as these foresayd four kny­ghtes came towarde Uyle Frāche: they founde in their way great plentie of beafes / mottons / & corne: the which they toke with them into their towne / and they repayred agayn the castell and mended the walles and gates of the towne: so that they were at last a fyftene hūdred men able [Page lviii] to make defence / and had vytayle sufficyent for sixe monethes. The duke of Normādy who had long lyen at sieg before Angolesme: sawe howe he coude nat wynne the towne by assaut / for euery day he lost of his men: than he cōmaunded to make no more assautes / but to remeue nerer to the towne. On a day the seneshall of Beaucayre came to the duke and sayd: sir I knowe well all the marchesse of this countrey / if it wyll please yout to lette me haue a sixe hundred men of ar­mes / and I shall go abrode into the contre and gette vytayle for your hoost / for within a whyle we shall lacke. The duke was content: the next day the seneshall toke with hym certayne knightes / squyers / and lordes / that were cōtent to go vnder hym. First the duke of Burbou / therle of Ponthieu his brother / the erle of Tankernyll / therle of Forestes / the dolphyn of Auuerne / the lorde of Pons / the lorde of Partuey / the lorde of Coucy / the lorde Daubigny / the lorde Dau­semont / the lorde of Beauiewe / sir Guyssharde Dangle / sir Sayntre / and dyuerse other to a .ix. C. speares. They toke their horse in the eue­nyng and rode all nyghttyll the brekyng of the day in the mornyng: and so came to a gret tow­ne that was but newly wonne by thēglysshmen called Athenys / and there aspy came to the sene shall and sayd: sir ther is in the towne a sixscore men of armes / gascons / and englysshe / and .iii. hundred archers: who woll defende the towne if ye gyue assaut / but I sawe this mornyng a ii. C. great beestes putte out of the towne into the medowes / ioyninge to the towne. Than the se­neshall sayd: sirs I thynke it best let all our cō ­pany abyde styll here in this valey / and I woll go with .lx. with me and fecthe y ^• catayle hythee and I thynke thenglysshmen woll yssue incon­tynēt to rescue the pray / than shall ye mete with them. So this was done: y ^• seneshall with thre­score well horsed rode by wayes couert about y ^• towne by gidyng of the spye / tyll at last they cāe into the fayre medowes / wher the catayle pastured. Thā they draue all the beestꝭ togyder a longe by the towne by another way / than they cāe thyder. They of the castell & on the walles sawe them: and began to blowe and to styrre in the towne / and a waked some out of their beddes / for it was erely in the mornynge: and than they drewe togyder & mounted on their horses / and yssued out he that myght firste / so that there a­bode in the towne none but a certayne vylayns / thenglysshmen hasted them sore after the frēch­men / and cryed sirs ye shall nat go thus away. Than the frēchmen came on them: so that with in a lytell space they were ouercome / and the captayne sir Stephyn Lesey was taken prisoner and some other with hym / and all the other slayne. And than the frenchemen rode hastely to the towne / the which they wanne with assaut / for it was without kepynge: the first batayle that en­tred was the duke of Burbons / than they sette there newe captayns. And so depted with their pray and prisoners: and so came the next day to the hoost before Angolesme / the seneshall of Be aucayre achyued great honoure by that dede / howbeit ther were gretter lordes with hym thā hymselfe / but he was captayne as at that tyme.

THus these lordes of Frā ­ce helde a great season sege before Angoleme / and they ranne ouer all the countrey that thenglysshmen hadde wonne before / and dyd moche trouble / and toke many prisoners and great prayes / the which they bro­ught to their hoost / the two bretherne of Bur­bon achyued great laude and prayse / for alwayes they went forth with y ^• formast. Whan John̄ Norwiche sawe that the duke wolde nat depart thens tyll he had the towne at his pleasure: and parceyued howe their vitayls began to wast / & that the erle of Derby made no maner to rescue theym. And also he sawe well howe they of the towne enelyued greatly to the frenche party for they wolde haue tourned frenche or that tyme if they had durst: therfore he doubted of treason. [...]herfore he thought to saue hymself and his cō pany: on the euyn of the Purifycation of our lady / all alone he went to the walles of the cyte W ^t ­out she wyng to any man what he wolde do / he made a token with his hatte to them of the host. they that sawe the signe came thyder & demaunded what he wolde ▪ he sayde he wolde gladly speke with the duke of Normandy / or with one of his marshals. Incōtynent this was shewed to the duke: who went thyder & certayne knyghtes with hym: assone as the captayne sawe the duke / he toke of his cap & saluted the duke / and the duke saluted hym and sayde / John̄ howe is it with you: woll you yelde your selfe / sir [...] he [Page] I am nat so yet determyned / but sir I wold de­syre you in the honoure of our lady / whose day shalbe to morowe / that ye wolde graunt a truse to endure all onely but to morowe: so that you nor we none to greue other / but to be in peace y ^• day. The duke sayde I am content and so they departed / the nere day which was Candelmas day▪ John̄ Norwiche and his company armed them and trussed all that they had to bere away Than they opyned their gate and yssued oute: than they of the hoost began to styrre / than the captayne rode on before to them and sayd: sirs / beware do no hurt to none of vs▪ for we woll do none: we haue trus [...] for this day all onely agre­ed by the duke your caiptayne. If ye knowe it nat go and demaunde of hym: for by reason of this trewse we may ryde this day whyther we woll. The duke was demanded what was his pleasure in that mater: the duke answered and sayde let them depart whyder they woll a god­desname / for we can nat let them for I woll kepe that I haue promysed. Thus John̄ Norwych departed and all his company / and passed the french hoost without any damage and went to Aguyllon. And whan the knightes ther knewe howe he had saued hymselfe and his company / they sayde he had begyled his ennemyes▪ by a good subtyltie. The next day after they of the cytie of Angolesme went to counsayle / and deter­myned to yelde vp the towne to the duke / they sent to hym into the hoost certayne messangers who at last spedde so well that the duke toke thē to mercy / and pardoned them all his yuell wyll and so entred into the cytie and into the castell / and toke homage of the cytizens: and made ca­ptayne ther Antony Uyllers and set a hundred soudyers with hym / than the duke went to the castell of Damass [...]ne where he helde siege .xv. dayes and euery day assaut: finally it was won and all that were within slayn. The duke gaue that castell and the landes therto▪ to a squyer of Beausse called the Bourge of Mulle / than the duke came to Thomyus on the ryuer of Garon and there lay at siege a certayne space / at laste they within yelded vp / their goodes and lyues saued: and to be sauely conducted to Burdeaur So the strangers departed / but they of y ^• tow­ne came vnder the obeysaunce of the duke: the duke taryed aboute the ryuer of Garon / tyll it was past Ester. And than he went to port saynt Mary on the same ryuer / and there were a two hundred englysshmen / that kept the towne and the passage and was well fortisyed: but it was taken with assaut and all they within / than ther were set newe captayns and men of warr / and newe repayred the towne / and thanne the duke went to Aguyllone.

THe duke of Normādy and these lordes of Fraunce / dyd somoche that they came to the castell of Aguyllone: there they layde their siege aboute the fayre medowes / along by y ^• ryuer able to bere shyppes euery lorde amonge his owne compa­ny▪ and euery constable by hym selfe as it was ordayned by the marshals. This sege endured tyll the feest of saynt Remy: ther were well. C. thousande men of warr a horse backe and a fote / they made lightly euery day two or thre assautꝭ / and moost cōmenly fro the mornyng tyll it was nere nyght without ceasynge: for euer there cāe newe assauters that wolde nat suffre them with in to rest / the lordes of Fraunce sawe well they coude nat well come to the frōters without they passed the ryuer / the which was large and depe Than the duke cōmaunded that a bridge shuld be made whatsoeuer it coste: to passe the ryuer there were sette a warke / mo than thre hundred workemen / who dyde worke day and nyght. Whan the knyghtꝭ within sawe this brige more than halfe made ouer the ryuer they decked thre shyppes and entred into theym a certayne. And so cāe on the workemen / and chased them away with their defenders: and ther they brake all to peaces that had ben longe a makynge. Whan̄e the frenche lordes sawe that: than they apayrel­led other shyppes to resyst agaynst their shyp­pes: and than the workemen beganne agayne to worke on the bridge / on trust of their defen­ders. And whan they had worked halfe a day & more: sir Gaultier of Manny and his compa­ny entred into a shyppe and came on the worke­men / and made them to leaue warke & to recule backe: and brake agayn all that they had made. This besynesse was nygh euery day / but at last the frenchmen kept so well their workemen that the bridge was made perforce. And thanne the lordes and all their army passed ouer in maner of bataylle: and they assawtedde the castell a [Page lix] hole day togyder without ceasyng / but nothyn­ge they wanne. And at nyght they retourned to their lodgynges: and they within amended all that was broken / for they had with them worke men ynoughe. The next day the frenchmen de­uyded their assauters into foure partes: y ^• first to begynne in the mornyng and to contynue tyll nyne / the seconde tyll noon / they thyrde to euyn song tyme: and the fourth tyll night. After that maner they assayled the castell sire dayes togy­der / howe be it they within were nat so sore tra­ueyled / but alwayes they defended themselfe so valyantly that they without wanne nothynge / but onely the bridge without the castell. Than̄e the frenchmen toke other counsayle / they sende to Tholouz for eyght great engyns / and they made there foure gretter: and they made all. xii to cast day and nyght agaynst y ^• castell / but they within were so well ꝑauysshed that neuer a ston of their engyns dyde they many hurt. It brake somwhat the coueryng of some houses / they w ^t ­in had also great engyns / the which brake downe all the engyns without / for in a shorte space they brake all to pecys sixe of the greattest of thē without. Duryng this siege often tymes (ser) Water of Manny yssued out with a hundred or sire score cōpanyons: and went on that syde the ry­uer a foragynge / and retourned agayne with great prayes / in the syght of them without. On a day the lorde Charles of Momorēcy marshall of the host rode forthe with a fyue hundred with hym / and whan̄e he retourned he draue before hym a great nombre of beestes / that he had get togyder in the countrey to refresshe thoost with vytayle. And by aduenture he encountred with sir Gaultier of Manny: there was bytwene thē a great fight / and many ouerthrowen / hurte / & slayne: the frenchemen were fyue agaynst one / tidynges therof came vnto Aguyllon / than euery man that myght yssued out. Therle of Pen­broke first of all and his company: and whan he came he founde sir Gaultier of Māny a fote enclosed with his ennemyes / and dyde meruayls in armes. In contynent he was rescued and re­mounted agayne / and in the meane season some of the frenchemen chased their beestes quyckely into the hoost / or els they had lost them / for they that yssued out of Aguyllon set so feersly on the frenchmen / that they putte theym to the slyght: and delyuerd their company that were takenne and tooke many frenchemen prisoners. And sir Charles of Momorēcy had moche warke to scape: than thenglysshmen retourned into Aguyl­lon. Thus euery day almoost there were suche rencounters besyde y ^• assautes: on a day all the hole hoost armed them / and the duke commaunded that they of Tholouz / of Carcassone / of Be­aucayre / shulde make assaut fro the mornynge tyll noone: and they of Remergue / Caours / & Agenoys / fro noone tyll night. And y ^• duke promysed who soeuer coude wynne the brige of the gate / shulde haue in rewarde a hundred crownꝭ also the duke the better to mentayne this assaut he caused to come on the ryuer dyuerse shyppes and ba [...]ges / some entred into them to passe the ryuer: and some went by the bridge. At the last some of theym toke a lytell vessell and went vn­der the brige: and dyde cast great hokes of yron to the drawe bridge / and than drewe it to them so sore that they brake the chenes of yron y ^• helde the bridge / and so pulled downe the bridge par­force. Than the frenchmen lept on the bridge so hastely that one ouerthrewe an other: for euery man desyred to wyn the hundred crownes: they within cast downe barres of yron / peces of tym­bre / pottes of lyme / and hote water: so that ma­ny were ouerthrowen fro the bridge into the water / and into the dykes / and many slayne & sore hurt. Howbeit the bridge was wonne perforce: but it cost more than it was worthe / for they coude nat for all that wyn the gate: than they drewe a backe to their lodgynges for it was late / than̄e they within yssued out ▪ and newe made agayne their drawe bridge: stronger than̄e euer it was before. The next day ther came to the duke two connyng men maisters in carpentre / and sayde sir if ye woll let vs haue tymbre and workemen / we shall make foure scaffoldes as hygh or hyer than̄e the walles. The duke cōmaunded that it shulde be done: and to get carpenters in the cō ­trey and to gyue them good wagꝭ / so these four scafoldes wer made in four shyppes but it was long first / and cost moch or they were finysshed than such a shulde assayle the castell in thē were apoynted and entred. And whan they were pas­sed halfe the ryuer / they within the castell let go four martynetes that they had newely made to resyst agaynst these scafoldes: these four martynettes dyd cast out so great stones / and so often fell on the scafoldes / y ^• in a short space they were all to broken so that they that were within them coulde nat be pauysshed by theym: so that they were fayne to drawe backe agayne / and or they were agayne at lande / one of the scafoldꝭ drow­ned in y ^• water / & the moost part of thē that were Win it / the which was great damage: for therin were good knyghtes / desyringe their bodyes to auaūce. Whan the duke sawe that he coude nat [Page] come to his entent by that meanes he caused the other thre scafoldes to rest. Than he coudese no way howe he might gette the castell / and he had promysed nat to departe thense tyll he had it at his wyll without the kyng his father dyd sende for hym. Than he sende the constable of France and the erle of Tankernyll to Parys to y ^e kyng and there they shewed hym the state of the siege of Aguyllone the kynges mynde was that the duke shulde lye there styll tyll he had won them by famyn: syth he coude nat haue thē by assaut.

THe kyng of Englande who had harde howe his mē [...] constrayned in the castell of Aguyllon: than he thought to go ouer the see [...] to Gascoyne with a great [...] my / ther he made his [...] syon and sent for men all about his real [...] in other places wher he thought to spe [...] money. In the same season the lord [...] [...] of Harecourt came into Englande / who was banysshed out of Fraūce: he was well receyued with the kynge and retayned to be about hym / and had fayre landꝭ assigned hym in Englande to mentayne his degree. Than the kynge cau­sed a great nauy of shyppes to be redy in the hauyn of Hampton / and caused all maner of men of warr to drawe thyder / about y ^e feest of saynt John Baptyst / the yere of our lorde god. M. C C C .xiv. the kynge deꝑted fro the quene / and lefte her in the gydinge of therle of Cane his co­syn. And he stablysshed the lorde Persy and the lorde Neuyll to be wardyns of his realme with the archebysshoppe of yorke / the bysshoppe of Lyncolne / and the bysshopp̄ of Durham: for he neuer voyded his realme / but that he lefte euer ynough at home to kepe and defende the realme yf nede were. Than the kyng rode to Hampton and there taryed for wynde: than he entred into his shyppe and the prince of wales with hym / and the lorde Godfray of Harecourt: and all o­ther lordes erles barownes / and knyghtꝭ with all their cōpanyes: they were in nombre a foure thousande men of armes / and ten thousande ar­chers / besyde Irysshmen and walsshmen that folowed the host a fote. ¶ Nowe I shall name you certayne of the lordes that went ouer with kyng Edwarde in that iourney. First Edward his eldest sonne prince of wales / who as than̄e was of the age of .xiii. yeres or there about: the erles of Herforde / Northamptone / Arundell / Cornewall / warwyke / Hūtyngdon / Suffolke and Oxenforth. And of barons: the lorde Mortymer / who was after erle of Marche: the lor­des: John̄ / Loyes / and Roger of Beauchāpe / and the lorde Reynold Cobham. Of lordes: the lorde of Mombray / Rose / Lucy / Felton / Bra­stone / Myllon / Labey / Maule / Basset / Bar­lett / and wylloughby: with dyuers other lordꝭ. And of bachelars: there was John̄ Chandoys Fytzwaren / Peter and James Audelay / Ro­ger of Uertuall / Bartylmewe of Bries / & Ry­charde of Penbruges / with dyuers other that I can nat name: fewe ther were of stāgers / ther was the erle Hauyou / sir Olphas of Guystels / and .v. or .vi. other knyghtes of Almayne: and many other that I can nat name. Thꝰ they say­ [...] [...]rth that day in the name of god: they were [...] [...]warde on their way towarde Gascone / [...] on the thirde day ther rose a cōtrary wynde [...] them on the marches of Cornewall / & [...] lay at ancre .vi. dayes. In that space [...] had other counsell by the meanes of [...] Godfray Harcourt / he counselled the kyng nat to go into Gascoyne / but rather to set a lande in Normandy: and sayde to the kyng / sir the coū ­tre of Normandy is one of the plentyous coun­treis of the worlde. Sir on ieoꝑdy [...] my heed if ye woll lande ther / ther is none tha [...] shall re­syst you / the people of Normandy haue nat ben vsed to the warr / and all the knyghtes and squyers of the contrey ar nowe at the siege before A­guyllon with the duke. And sir ther ye shall fynde great townes that be nat walled / wherby yo [...] men shall haue suche wynning that they shalbe the better therby .xx. yere after: and sir ye may folowe with your army tyll ye come to Cane in Normandy. Sir I requyre you byleue me in this voyage: the kyng who was as than but [...]in the floure of his youth / desyring nothyng somoche as to haut dedes of armes / inclyned greatly to the sayeng of the lorde Harecourt / whom he called cosyn: than he cōmaunded the maryners to set their course to Normādy. And he toke in­to his shyp y ^e token of thadmyrall therle of war­wyke: and sayd howe he wolde be admyrall for that vyage / & so sayled on before as gouernor of y ^• nauy / & they had wynde at wyll: than y ^• kyng [Page lx] in the ysse of Cōstantyne at a port called Hogue saynt wast. Tydinges anone spredde [...]rode howe thenglysshmen were a lande: the to [...] of Constantyne sent worde therof to Maryst [...] kynge Philypp̄ / he had well harde before howe the kynge of Englande was on the see with a great army but he wyst nat what way he wolde drawe other into Normandy / Bretayne / or Gascoyne. Assone as he knewe that the kyng of Englande was a lande in Normandy / he sende his constable therle of Guyues and the erle of Tankernell / who were but newely come to hym [...] his sonne / fro the siege at Aguyllon to y ^• towne of Cane, cōmaundyng them to kepe that towne agaynst the englysshmen / they sayd they wolde do their best: they departed fro Parys with a good nombre of men of warre / and dayly there came mo to them by the way. And so came to the towne of Cane / where they were receyued with great ioye of men of the towne and of the coun­trey there about / that were drawen thyder for suretie: these lordes toke hede for the prouisyon of the towne the which as than was nat walled The kyng thus was aryued at the port Hogue saynt wast / nere to saynt Sauyour the vycoūt the right herytage to the lorde Godfray of Har­court / who as than was ther with the kynge of Englande.

WHan̄e the kynge of Eng­lande arryued in the [...]ogu [...]sa­ynt wast / the kynge yssued out of his shyppe and the [...] fo [...] that he sette on the grounde / he fell so rudely that y ^e blode brast but of his nose: the knyghtes that were aboute hym toke hym vp and sayde / sir for goddessake entre agayne into your shyppe and come nat a lande this day: for this is but an y [...]ell signe for vs / than the kyng answered quickely and sayd wherfore / this is a good token for me for y ^• land desyreth to haue me. Of the whiche auswere all his men were right ioyfull: so that day & nyght the kyng lodged on the sandes / and in y ^• meane tyme dyscharged y ^• shyppes of their horsess and other bagages / there the kyng made two mar­shals of his hoost / the one the lorde Godfray of Harecourt: and the other therle of warwyke / & the erle of Arundell constable. And he ordayned that therle of Huntyngdon shulde kepe the [...]e [...]e of shyppes with. C. men of armes / and .iiii. C. archers. And also he ordayned thre batayls, one to go on his right hande closyng to the see syde / and the other on his lyfte hande: and the kynge hymselfe in the myddes / and euery night to lod­ge all in one felde. Thus they sette forth as they were ordayned and they y ^t went by the see toke all the shyppes that they founde in their wayes and so long they went forthe what by see & what by lande / that they came to a good port / and to a good towne called Har [...]ewe / the which incontynent was wonne / for they within gaue by for feare of [...]ethe: howebeit for all that the towne was robbed / and moche golde and syluer there founde and ryche iewels / there was founde so­moche rychesse that the boyes and vyllayns of the hoost sette nothyng by good furred gownes they made all the men of the towne to yssue out and to go into the shyppes / bycause they wolde nat sustre them to be behynde them / for feare of rebellyng agayne. After the towne of Har [...]ewe was thus taken and robbed without brennyng / than they spredde a brode in the countrey / & dyd what they lyst: for there was nat to resyst them / at laste they came to a great and a ryche towne called Cherbourgue / the towne they wan and robbed it and brent parte therof: but into the castell they coude nat come it was so stronge and well furnysshed with men of warre: than̄e they passed forthe and came to Mountbourgue and toke it & robbed and brent it clene. In this ma­ner they brent many other townes in that coun­trey & [...]an so moch rychesse that it was maruell to rekyn it: thanne they came to a great towne well closed called Quar [...]tyne / where ther was also a strong castell and many soudyours with­in to kepe it / than̄e the lordes came out of their shyppes and feersly made assaut: the burgesses of the towne were in great feare of their lyues / wyues and chyldren: they suffred thenglysshe­men to entre into the towne agaynst the wyll of all the soud yours that were ther: they putte all their goodes to thenglysshmens pleasures they thought that moost aduauntage. Whan the son dyours within sawe that they went into the ca­stell / the englysshmen went into the towne and two dayes to guyder they made sore assautes: so that whan they within se no socoure / they yelded vp their lyues and goodes sauyed: and so [Page] departed / thenglysshmen had their pleasure of that good towne & castell. And whan they sawe they might nat mentayne to kepe it / they set fyre therin and brent it: and made the burgesses of y ^• towne to entre into their shyppes as they had done with thē of Harflewe Chyerburgue / and Mountbourge / and of other to wnes that they had wonne on the see syde: all this was done by the batayle that went by the see syde / and by thē on the see togyder. Nowe let vs speke of the kinges batayle: whan he had sent his first batayle a longe by the see syde as ye haue harde, wherof one of his marshals therle of Warwyke was captayne and the lorde Cobham with hym: than he made his other marshall to lede his hoost on his lyft hande / for he knewe the yssues and entrees of Normandy better than any other dyd ther the lorde Godfray as marshall rode forthe with fyue hundred men of armes / and rode of fro the kynges batayle as sire or seuyne leages: in brennynge and exilyng the countrey / the which was plentyfull of euery thynge: the granges full of corne / the houses full of all ryches / riche burges­ses / cartes and charyottes / horse / swyne / mot­tous / and other beestes: they toke what thē lyst and brought into the kynges hoost / but the sou­dyours made no count to the kynge nor to none of his offycers / of the golde and syluer that they dyd gette / they kept that to themselfe. Thussir Godfray of Harecourt rode euery day of fro y ^• kynges hoost / and for moost parte euery nyght resorted to the kynges felde. The kyng toke his way to saynt Lowe in Constantyne / but or he came ther he lodged by a ryuer abyding for his men that rode a long by the see syde / and whan they were come they sette for the their caryage / and therle of Warwyke / therle of Suffolke / sir Thomas Hollande / and sir Raynolde Cobhm̄ and their cōpany rode out on the one syde / and wasted and eriled the contrey as the lorde Hare court hadde done: and the kynge euer rode by­twene these bataylles / and euery nyght they lo­gedde togyder.

THus by thēglysshmen was brent / exyled / robbed / wasted and pylled / the good plentyfull countrey of Nor­mandy. Thanne the frenche kyng sent for the lorde John̄ of Heynalt / who cāe to hym with a great nombre: also the kyng sende for o­ther men of armes / dukes / erles / barownes / knyghtes / and squyers: and assembled togyder the grettest nombre of people that had bensene in France a hundred yere before he sent for men into so ferr countreys that it was longe or they came togyder: wherof the kynge of Englande dyde what hym lyste in the meane season. The french kyng harde well what he dyd: and sware and sayd howe they shuld neuerretourne agay­ne vnfought withall: and that suche hurtes and damages as they had done shulde be derely re­uenged / wherfore he had sent letters to his fren­des in thempyre to suche as wer farthest of: and also to the gentyll kyng of Behayne / and to the lorde Charles his son / who fro thens for the was called kynge of Almaygne he was made kynge by the ayde of his father / and the frenche kyng: and had taken on hym the armes of thempyre. The frenche kyng desyred them to come to hym withall their powers / to thyntent to fyght with the kynge of Englande / who brent and wasted his countrey. These princes and lordes made them redy with great nombre of men of armes / of almaynes / behaynoes / and luxambroses / and so came to the frenche kyng: also kyng Philypp̄ send to the duke of Lorayne / who came to serue hym with. CCC. speares: also ther came therle samynes in Samynoes / therle of Salebrug [...] / the erle of Flaunders / the erle Wyllyam of Na­mure / euery man with a fayre cōpany▪ ye haue harde here before of the order of thenglysshmen howe they went in thre batayls: the marshalles on the right hande and on the lyft / the kyng and the prince of Wales his sonne in the myddes. They rode but small iourneys: and euery day toke their lodgynges bytwene noone and thre of the clocke / and founde the countrey so frute­full that they neded nat to make no ꝓuisy on for their hoost but all onely for wyne: and yet they founde reasonably sufficyent therof. It was no marueyle though they of the countrey were a­frayed: for before that tyme they had neuer sene men of warre / nor they wyst nat what warre or batayle ment: they fledde away as ferr as they might here spekyng of thenglysshmen / and left their houses well stuffed / and graunges full of [Page lxi] corne / they wyst nat howe to saue and kepe it: y ^• kynge of Englande and the prince had in their batayle a thre thousand men of armes / and sixe thousande archers / and a ten thousande men [...] fote / besyde them that rode with the marshals. Thus as ye haue harde the kyng rodeforth wastynge and brennyng the countrey without bre­kyng of his order: he left the cytie of Constance and went to a great towne called saynt Lowe / a rych towne of drapery / and many riche burges­ses in that towne / ther were dwellyng an .viii. or nynescore burgesses crafty men▪ Whanne the kynge came ther he toke his lodgyng without: for he wolde neuer lodge in the towne for feare of fyre / but he sende his men before and anone y ^• towne was taken and clene robbed. It was harde to thynke y ^e great ryches that there was won in clothes specially: clothe wolde ther haue ben solde good chepe yf ther had ben any byers / thā the kynge went towarde Cane / the which was a greatter towne and fall of drapery / and other marchauntdyse: and riche burgesses / noble la­dyes and damosels / and fayre churches / and specially two great & riche abbeys / one of the Cry­nyte / another of saynt Stephyn. And on y ^e one syde of the towne one of the fayrest castels of all Normandy / and capitayne therin was Robert of Blargny with thre hundred genowayes / and in the towne was therle of Ewe and of Guynes constable of Fraunce / and therle of Tankernyll with a good nombre of men of warr. The king of England rode that day in good order and lo­gedde all his batayls togyder that night / a two leages fro Cane / in a towne with a lytell hauyn called Naustreham: and thyder cāe also all his nauy of shyppes / with therle of Huntyngdone / who was gouernour of them. The cōstable and other lordes of France that nyght watched well the towne of Cane / and in the mornyng armed them with all them of the towne. Than the con­stable ordayned that none shulde yssue out / but kepe their defences on the walles / gate / bridge / and ryuer / and left the subbarbes voyde: bycause they were nat closedde / for they thought they shulde haue ynough to do to defende the towne bycause it was nat closedde but with the ryuer / they of the towne saybe howe they wolde yssue out / for they were strong ynough to fyght with the kyng of Englande. Whan the cōllable sawe their good wyls: he sayd in the name of god he it / ye shall nat fyght without me. Than they ys­sued out in good order: and made good face to fyght and to defende theym / and to putte their lyues in aduenture.

THe same day thenglyssh men rose erly and apayrelled them redy to go to Cane: the kyng harde noyse before the sonne rysing. And than toke his horse / and the prince his son / with sir Godfray of Harcourt marshall and leader of the hoost / whose counsayle the kyng moche folowed. Than they drewe towarde Cane with their batels in good aray / and so aproched the good towne of Cane. Whaūe they of the towne / who were redy in the felde sawe these thre batayls commyng in good order / with their baners and stāde [...]des wauyn­ge in the wynde: and the archers the which they had nat ben accustomed to se / they were sore a­frayd / and fledde away toward the towne without any order or good aray / for all that the con­stable coulde do: than the englysshmen pursued them egerly. Whan the constable and the erle of of Tākernyll sawe that / they toke a gate at the entry and saued thēselfe and certayne with thē: for the englysshmen were entred into the towne some of the knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce / suche as knewe the way to the castell went thy­der / and the captayne ther receyued them all for the castell was large. Thēglysshmen in y ^• chaselle we many for they toke non to mercy: than the constable and the erle of Tankernyll beynge in the lytell towre at the bridge fote / loked a longe the strete & sawe their men [...]ayne without mer­cy / they douted to fall in their hand. At last they sawe an englysshe knyght with one eye called [...] Thom̄s Holand and afyue or sixe other knyghtes with hym / they knewe thē / for they had sene them before in Pruce / in Grenade / and in other vyages: than they called to sir Thomas & sayd howe they wold yelde thēselfe prisoners. Than sir Thomas came thyder with his cōpany and mounted vp into the gate / and there founde the sayd lordes with .xxv. knyghts with them / who yelded theym to sir Thomas and he toke thēfor his prisoners and left company to kepe theym / and than moūted agayne on his horse and rode into the streates / and saued many lyues / of la­vyes / damosels / and cloysterers fro defoylyng / for the soudyers were without mercy. It fell so well the same season for thenglysshmen: that the [Page] [...]er whiche was able to bere shyppes at that [...]e was so lowe that men went in and out be­syde the bridge they of the towne were entred into their houses: and cast downe into the strete stones tymbre and [...]ron: and slewe and hurte mo than fyue hundred englysshmen / wherwith the ky [...]ge was sore dyspleased. At night whan he hard therof / he cōmaunded that the next day all shulde be putte to the swerde and the towne brent but than sir Godfray of Harecourt sayd: dere sir for goddessake ass wage somwhat your courage / and let it su [...]fice you that ye haue done ye haue yet a great voyage to do orye come be­fore Calys / whyderye purpose to go: and sir in this towne there is moche people who wyll de­fende their houses / and it woll cost many of yo ^r men their lyues or ye haue all at yo ^r wyll wher­by parauēture ye shall nat kepe your purpose to Calys / the which shulde redowne to your rech. Sir saue your people for ye shall haue nede of them or this moneth passe: for I thynke verely your aduersary kyng Philypp̄ woll mete with you to fight / and ye shall fynde many strayt passages and rencoūters. Wherfore your men and ye had mo shall stande you in gode stede: and sir without any further sleynge ye shall be lorde of this towne / men and women woll putte all that they haue to your pleasur. Than the kyng sayd sir Godfray you ar our marshall▪ ordayne eue­ry thyng as ye woll: than sir Godfray with his baner rode fro strete to strete and cōmaūded in the kynges name / non to be so hardy to put fyre in any house / to slee any persone / nor to vyolate any woman. Whan they of the towne hard that crye / they receyued the englysshmen into their houses and made theym good chere: and some opyned their coffers and badde them take what them lyst / so they might be assured of ther lyues howe be it ther were done in the towne many y­uell dedes murdrers and roberyes. Thus the englysshmen were lordes of the towne thre dayes ano wanne great richesse / the which they sent by ba [...]kesse and barges to saynt Sauyoure / by the ryuer of Austr [...]hen a two leagꝭ theus: wher as all their nauy lay / than the kyng sende therle of [...]unty [...]gdon with two hundred men of ar­mes / and foure hundred archers with his nauy and prisoners: and richesse that they had gotte / backe agayne into Englande. And the kynge bought of sir Thomas Hallande▪ the constable of Fraunce / and therle of Tankernyll: and payed for them twentie thousande nobles.

THus the kyng of Eng­land ordred his besynesse be­ynge in the towne of Cane / and sende into England his nauy of shyppes charged [...] clothes / iewelles / vessels of golde & syluer / and of other rychesse: and of prisoners mo than .lx. knightes and thre hundred burgesses. Than he departed fro the towne of Cane / and rode in the same or­der as he dyde before: brennynge and exilynge the countrey / and toke the way to Ewreus and so past by it. And fro thens they rode to a great towne called Louyets / it was the chiefe towne of all Normandy of drapery / riches and full of marchandyse: thēglysshmen soone entred ther­in for as than it was nat closed / it was ouer ron spoyled / and robbed without mercy / there was won great richesse. Thaūe they entred into the countrey of Ewreus / and brent and pylled all y ^e countrey / except the good townes closed and castels▪ to the which the kynge made none assaut / bycause of the sparyng of his people and his artillery. On the ryuer of Sane nere to Rone: there was the exle of Harecourt / brother to sir Godfray of Harecourt / but he was on the fren­che partie / and therle of Dr [...]ux with hym: with a good nombre of men of warre: but thenglysshmen left Roon and went to Gysors / where was a strong castell / they brent the towne / and than they brent Uernon / and all the countrey about Roon / and Pont de Lache / and came to Naū ­tes / and to Meulence / and wasted all the coun­trey about: and passed by the stronge castell of Robeboyes / and in euery place a long the ryuer of Sane / they founde the briges broken. At last they came to Poyssey and founde the brige broken but the arches and [...]oystes lay in the ryuer / the kyng lay there a .v. dayes. In the mean sea­son the brige was made to passe the hoost W ^tout paryll: thenglysshe marshals ranne a brode iust to Parys / and brent saynt Germayne in Lay / and Mountioy / and saynt Clowde / and pety Bolayne by Parys / and the quenes Bourge: they of Parys were nat well assured of theym selfe / for it was nat as than closed. Than kyng Philyppe remoued to saynt Denyse / and or he went caused all y ^• pentessys in Parys to be pul­led [Page lxii] downe / and at saynt Deuyse were redy c [...] / the kynge of Behayne / the lorde John̄ of Hey­nalt▪ the duke of Lorayne / therle of Flaunder [...] / therle of Bloyes / and many other great lordes and knyghtes: redy to serue the frenche kynge. Whan the people of Parys sawe their kyng [...]e­part / they came to hym and kn [...]lyd downe and sayd: a sir and noble kyng what woll ye do leue thus this noble cytie of Parys / the kynge say [...] my good people doute ye nat / the englysshmen woll aproche you no nerer than they be / why so sir ꝙ they / they be within these two leages: and assone as they knowe of your departynge / they woll come and assayle vs / and we b [...]at able to defende them: sir tary here styll and helpe to de­fende your gode cite of Parys. Speke no more ꝙ the kynge: for I woll go to saynt Denyse to my men of warre / for I woll encountre the en­glysshmen / and fight against them what soeuer fall therof / they kyng of Englande was at [...]u­issoy / and lay in the no [...]ery there / and kept ther the feest of our lady in August / and satte in h [...] robes of scarlet furred with army [...]s: and after that feest he went forth in order as they were he fore. The lorde Godfray of Harecourt rode out on the one syde with fyue hūdred men of arme [...] and .xiii. hundred archers: and by aduēture he encoūtred a great nombre of burgesses of Amyense a horsebacke / who were ryding by the kyu­ges cōmaundement to Parys / they were quy­ckely assayled / and they defended themselfe va­lyantly: for they were a great nombre and well armed / there were foure knyghtes of Amyense their captayns. This skirmysshe dur [...] longe: at the first metyng many were ouerthrowen on bothe partes / but finally the burge [...]es were ta­ken and nye all slayne / and thenglysshmen to [...] all their caryages and harnes. They were well stuffed: for they were goyng to the french kyng well apoynted / bycause they had nat s [...]ne hym a great season before: ther were slayne in y ^• felde a. [...]ii. hundred / than the kynge of Englande en­tred into the contrey of Beauuosy [...] / [...]rennynge and [...]yling the playne countrey: and lodged at a fayre abbey and a ryche called sayu [...] Messene nere to Beaways / ther the king taryed a night and in the mornyng depted. And whan he was on his way he loked behynde him: and sa [...]e the abbey a fyre / he caused incontynent .xx. of them to be hanged that set the fyre ther / for he had cō ­maunded before on payne of dethe / none to v [...] ­late any church / nor to bren any abbey: than the kyng past by the cite of Beaways / without any assaut gyueng: for bycause he wolde nat trou­ble his peple / nor walt his artillery. And so t [...] day he toke his logyng bety [...] a lytell [...] called Nully: the two mars [...] came so nere to Beaways / that they made assaut and skirmysh at the barryers in thre places▪ the whiche assaut e [...]ured a long space: but y ^• towne within was so well defended by the meanes of the bysshopp̄ / who was ther within / that finally thenglysshe­men departed and brent clene harde to the gatꝭ / all the subbarbes. And than at night they came into the kynges felde / the next day the kyng de­pted brennyng and wastyng all before hym & at night lodged in a good vyllage called Gran [...]u­iller the next day the kyng past by Argies / ther was none to defende the castell / wherfore it was sone taken and brent. Than they went forth dy­stroyeng the countrey all about and so came to the castell of Poys where ther was a good towne & two castels: ther was no body in them but two fayre damosels doughters to y ^e lorde of Poys they were soue taken / and had ben vyolated and two englysshe knyghtꝭ had nat ben / sir Jo­han ¶ hādos and sir Basset: they defended thē and brought them to the kyng / who for his ho­nour made them gode chere and demaunded [...] them whyther they wolde faynest go / [...] to Corbe: and the kynge caused them [...] ught thyder without paryll / that nyght y ^• kyng lodged in the towne of Poys: they of the towne and of the castels spake that nyght with y ^• mar­shals of thoost / to saue them and their towne [...] brennyng / and they to pay a certayne somme of [...]orey [...]s / the nexte day assoue as the hoost was departed. This was graunted them▪ and in the mornyng the kyng departed with all his hoost / except a certayne that were left there to receyue the money that they of the towne had promysed to pay. Whan they of the towne sawe thoost [...]e­part and but a fewe left behynd / than they say [...] they wolde pay neuer a peny / and so [...]a [...]e out and set on thenglysshmen / who defended them­selfe aswell as they might: and sende after thost for socoure. Whan sir Reynolde Coh [...]am / and sir Thomas Hollande / who had the rule of the reregarde harde therof / they retourned and cry­ed treason treason: and so came agayne to Po­ys warde / and founde their companyons styll fightyng with them of the towne. Than anoue they of the towne were nigh [...] all slayne and the towne brent / and the two castels beaten downe. Than they retourned to the kynges hoost / who was as than at Araynes and there [...]odged / and had commaūded all maner of men on payne of dethe / to do no hurte to no towne of Arsyn / [...]o [...] [Page] there the kyng was mynded to lye a day or two to take aduy [...]e howe he myght passe the ryuer of Some for it was necessarie for hym to passe the ry [...]er / as yeshall here after.

NOwe lette vs speke of kyng Philyppe who was at saynt Denyse / and his peo­ple aboute hym / and day [...]y encreased. [...]hasie on a day he departed and rode so longe that he came to Copp [...]g­ny du [...]uyse / a thre leages fro Amyense▪ & there he taryed. The kyng of Englande beyng at A­raynes wyst nat where for to passe the ryuer of Some / the which was large and depe / and all briges were broken and the passages well kept: than at the kynges cōmaūdement his two mar­shals with. M. men of armes / and two. M. ar­thers went a long y ^• ryuer to fynde some passag / and passed by Long pre / & came to the bridge of Atheny / the which was well kept with a gret nō bre of knyghtes & squyers / and men of the countrey: the englysshmen a lyghted a fote / and as­sayled the frenchmen from the mornynge tyll it was noone: but the bridge was so well fortify­ed and defended / that the englysshmen depar­ted without wynning of any thynge: than they went to a great to wne called Fountayns on the [...]uer of Somme / the which was clene robbe [...] and brent for it was nat closed. Thā they went to another towne called Longe in Ponthieu / they coulde nat wynne the bridge it was so well kept and defended / than they deꝑted and went to [...]yqueny / and founde the towne / the bridge / and the castell so well fortifyed▪ that it was na [...] lykely to passe there / the frenche kyng hadde so well defended the passages: to thentent that the kyng of Englande shulde nat passe the ryuer of Somme to fight with hym at his aduauntage or els to famysshe hym there. Whan̄e these two marshals had assayed in all places to fynde passage / and coude fynde none: they retourned a­gayne to the king and shewed howe they coude fynde no passage in no place / the same night the frenche kynge came to Amyense / with mo than a hundred. M. men. The kynge of Englande was right pensyfe / and the next morning harde masse before the sonne rysinge / and than dy [...]o­ged: and euery man folowed the marshals ba­ners / and so rode in the countrey of Uimewe / aprochynge to the good towne of Abuyle / and foūde a towne therby whervnto was come mo­che people of the countrey / in trust of a lytell de­fence that was there / but thenglysshmen anone wanne it / and all they that were within slayne and many taken / of the towne and of the coun­trey. The kynge toke his lodgynge in a great hospytall that was there / the same day the fren­che kynge departed fro Amyense / and came to Araynes about noone / and thēglysshmen were departed thense in the mornyng / the frenchmen founde there great prouisyon that the englyssh­men had left behynde them / bycause they departed in hast: there they founde flesshe redy on the broches / brede and pastyes in the ouyns / wyne in tonnes and barelles / and the tabuls redy layed. There the frenche kyng lodged and taryed for his lordes / that nyght the kyng of England was lodged at Oysement: at nyght whan̄e the two marshalles were retourned / who had that day ouer ronne the countrey to the gates of Abuyle / and to saynt Ualery / & made a greatskir­mysshe there. Than the kynge assembled togy­der his counsayle / and made to be brought be­fore hym certayne prisoners / of the countrey of Ponthieu / and of Uymen: the kyng right cur­tesly demaunded of theym / if ther were any a­mong them that knewe any passage byneth Abuyle / that he and his hoost might passe ouer the ryuer of Somme: yf he woldeshewe hym ther­of he shulde be quyte of his raunsome / and .xx. [...]his company for his loue: ther was a varle [...] [...]ed Gobyn a Grace / who stept forthe & sayde to the kyng: sir I promyse you on the ieopardy of my heed I shall bringe you to suche a place / where as ye and all your hoost shall passe the ryuer of Some without paryll / there be certayne places in the passage that ye shall passe .xii. men a front two tymes bytwene day and nyght / ye shall nat go in the water to the knees / but whan the fludde cometh the ryuer than waxeth so gret [...] no man can passe / but whan the [...]udde is gon the whiche is two tymes bytwene day & nyght / than the ryuer is so lowe that it may be passed without danger / bothe a horsebacke and a fote. The passage is harde in the botom with whyte stones / so that all your caryage may go surely: therfore y ^e passage is called Blanch taque / and ye make redy to deꝑte be tymes / ye may be ther [Page lxiii] by the sonne rysinge / the kynge say [...] if this be trewe that ye say I quytethe thy raunsome and all thy company / and moreouer shall g [...]ue the a hundred nobles / than the kynge commaunded euery man to be re [...]y at the sounde of the trum­pette to departe.

THe kyng of Englande slepte nat moche that nyght / for atte mydnight he a rose & so wne [...] his trumpette: tha [...] incontynent they made redy caryages and all thynges. And atte the brekynge of the day they departed fro the towne of Oysement / and rode after the guydinge of Go [...]yn a Grace so that they came by the sonne rysing to Blanch Taque / but as than the flu [...]de was vpp̄ so that they might nat passe: so the kynge taryed there tyll it was prime / than the ebbe came. The frenche kyng had his currours in the countrey who brought hym worde of the [...]emeanoure of the englysshmen / than he thought to close the kyng of Englande bytwene Abuyle and the ryuer of Some / & so to fyght with hym at his pleasure. And whan he was at Amyēse: he had ordayned a great barowne of Normandy / called sir God mardu Fay to go and kepe the passage of Blā ­che Taque / where the englysshmen must pa [...] or els in none other place: he had with hym. M. men of armes / and sixe thousand a [...]ote with the genowayes / soo they went by saynt Rey [...]g [...]y­er in Ponthieu / and fro thens to Crotay / wher as the passage lay. And also he had with hym a great nombre of men of the countrey / and also a great nombre of theym of Mutterell / so that they were a twelfe thousand men / one and other whan the englysshe hoost was come thyder / sir Godmardu Fay araunged all his company to defende the passage / the kyng of England lette nat for all that / but whan̄e the [...]ludde was gone he cōmaunded his marshals to entre into y ^e wa­ter in the name of god and saynt George: than they that were hardy and coragyous entre [...] on bothe parties / and many a man reuersed / ther were some of the frēchmen of Arthoyes and Pycardy / that were as gladde to iuste in the water / as on the drie lande. The frenchemen defended so well the passage at the yssuing out of the wa­ter / that they had moche to do: the genowayes dyde them great trouble with their c [...]os [...]owes / on thother syde the archers of Englande shotte so holly togyder / that he frenchmen were fayne to gyue place to the englysshmen. There was a sore batayle and many a noble feate of armes done on both sydes / finally thenglysshmen pas­sed ouer / and assembled togyder in the felde: the kynge and the prince passed and all the lordes / than the frenchmen kept none array but depar­ted he that myght best. Whan sir Godmar sawe that dyscon [...]itu [...]e: he fledde and saued hymselfe some [...]edde to Abuyle / and some to saynt Ray­gnyer / they that were there a fote coude nat [...]ce so that ther were slayne a great nombre of them of Abuyle / Muttrell / Arras / and of saynt Ray­gnier / the chase endured more than a great leag And as yet all the englysshmen were nat passed the ryuer / and certayne currours of the kyng of Behayne / & of sir John̄ of Heynaultꝭ / came on thē that were behynd / and toke certayn horses & caryages / and slewe dyuers or they coude take the passage. The french kyng the same mornynge was departed fro Araynes / trustyng to haue founde thenglysshmen bytwene hym and the ryuer of Some / but whan he harde howe that sir Godmar du Fay and his company were [...]yscō ­fyted / he taryed in the felde and demaunded of his marshals what was best to do / they sayd sir ye can nat passe the ryuer but at the brige of Ab­uyll / for the sludde is come in at Blanche taque than he retourned and lodged at Abuyle. The kyng of Englande whan he was past the ryuer he thanked god: and so rode forthe in lyke ma­ner as he dyde before: than he called Gobyn a Grace and dyd quyte hym his ransome and all his company and gaue hym a hundred nobles and a good horse. And so the kynge rode forthe fayre and easely / and thought to haue lodged in a great town called Norell / but whan he knewe that the towne [...]ertayned to the coūtesse of Dā ­merle / suster to y ^e lorde Robert of Arthoys: the kyng assured the towne and countrey asmoche as pertayned to her and so went forthe: and his marshalles rode to Crotay on the seesyde / and brent the towne and founde in the hauyn many shippes and barkꝭ charged with wynes of Pō ­thieu pertayning to the marchauntes of [...]ayn­ton / and of Rochell: they brought the best ther­of to y ^e kynges host. Than one of the marshals [...]o [...]e to the gates of Abuyle / & fro thens to saynt [Page] Reygnier / and after to the towne of Ruesaynt Esperyte. This was on a friday: and bothe batayls of the marshals retourned to the kynges hoost about noone / and so lodged all toguyder nere to Cressy in Pouthieu: the kynge of En­glande was well enfourmed / howe the frenche kyng folowed after hym to fight. Than he said to his cōpany: lette vs take here some plotte of groūde for we wyll go no farther tylle we haue sene our ennemyes / I haue good cause here to abyde them / for I am on the ryght herytage of the quene my mother / the which lande was gy­uen a [...]her maryage. I woll chalenge it of myne aduersary Philyppe of Ualoys: and bycause that he had nat the eyght part in nombre of men as the frenche kyng had / therfore he commaun­ded his marshals to chose a plotte of grounde som what for his aduauntage: and so they dyde and thyder the kynge and his hoost went / than he sende his currours to Abuyle to se if the frenche kyng drewe that day into the felde or natte. They went forthe and retourned agayne: and sayde howe they coude se none aparence of his commyng / than euery man toke their lodgyng for that day / and to be redy in the mornynge at the sound of the trūpet in the same place. Thus friday the frenche kynge taryed styll in Abuyle abyding for his cōpany / and sende his two marshals to ryde out to se the dealyng of thenglysshmen / and at nyght they retourned & sayde howe the englysshmen were lodged in the feldes ▪ that nyght the frenche kyng made a supper to all the chefe lordes that were ther with hym / and after supper / the kyng desyred them to be frendes [...]h to other: the kyng loked for the erle of Sauoy / who shulde come to hym with a thousande speares / for he had receyued wages for a thre mone­thes of them at Troy in Campaigne.

ON the friday as I sayd before: the kyng of Englan­de lay in y ^e feldes / for the contrey was plētyfull of wynes and other vytayle / & if nede had ben they had prouisyon folowyng in cartꝭ and other caryages. That night the kyng made a supper to all his chefe lordes of his hoost / & made them gode chere / and whan they were all departed to take their rest. Than the kynge entred into his oratorie: and kneled downe before y ^e auter prayeng god deuoutly / that if he fought the next day that he might achyue the iourney to his honour than aboute mydnight he layde hym downe to rest / and in the mornynge he rose be tymes and harde masse ▪ and the prince his sonne with hym and the moste part of his compa [...] were confes­sed and houseled. And after the [...]asse sayde: he commaūded euery man to be armed & to drawe to the felde / to the same place before apoynted: than the kyng caused a parke to be made by the wodesyde / behynde his hoost: and ther was set all cartes and caryages / and within the parke were all their horses for euery man was a fote: And into this parke there was but one entre / than he ordayned thre batayls. In the first was the yonge prince of Wales / with hym the erle of Warwyke and Canforde / the lorde Godfray of Harecourt / sir Reynolde Cobham / sir Thom̄s Holande / y ^e lorde Stafforde / the lorde of Ma [...] ­uy / the lorde Dalaware / sir John̄ Chandos / sir Bartylmewe de Bomes / sir Robert Neuyll / y ^e lorde Thomas Clyfforde / the lorde Bourchier / the lorde de la Tumyer / & dyuers other knygh­tes and squyers that I can nat name: they wer an .viii. hundred men of armes / and two thou­sande archers / and a thousande of other with y ^e walsshmen: euery lorde drue to the felde apoyn­ted / vnder his owne baner and penone. In the second batayle was therle of Northampton / the erle of A [...]dell / the lorde Rosse / the lorde Lygo / the lorde Wylough by / the lord Basset / the lorde of saynt Aubyne / sir Loyes Tueton / the lorde of Myleton / the lorde de la Sell / and dyuers o­ther about an eight hundred men of armes / and twelfhundred archers. The thirde batayle had the kyng: he had seuyn hundred men of armes / and two thousande archers: than the kyng lept on a hobby with a whyte rodde in his hand / one of his marshals on the one hande / and the other on the other hand: he rode fro reuke to reuke desyringe euery man to take hede that day to his right and honour. He spake it so swetely & with so good coūtenance and mery chere / that all su­che as were dysconfited toke courage in the sayeng and heryng of him. And whan he had thus visyted all his batayls / it was than nyne of the day: than he caused euery man to eate & drinke a lytell / and so they dyde at their leaser. And af­terwarde they ordred agayne their bataylles / than euery man lay downe on the yerth and by [Page lxiiii] hym his salet and bowe / to be the more [...] he [...] whan their ennemyes shulde come.

THis saturday the fren­che kynge rose [...]tymes and hard masse in Abuyle / in his lodgyng in the abbey of sa­ynt Peter: and he departed after the some rysing. whan he was out of the towne two leages aproc [...]yng towarde his ennemys / some of his lordes sayd to hym: Sir it were good y ^t ye ordred yo ^r batayls / and let all your fote men passe som what on before / that they be nat trou­bled with the horsemen. Than y ^e kyng sent .iiii. knyghtꝭ / the Moyne Bastell the lorde of Noy­ers / the lorde of Beauie we / and the lorde [...]am begny to ryde to a viewe thenglysshe hoste: and so they rode so nere that they might well se part of their dealyng. Thenglysshmen sawe the well and knewe well howe they were come thyder to a vieu them / they let them alone: and made no countena [...]warde thē and let them retourne as they came. And whan the frenche kyng sawe [...]oure knyghtes retourne agayne / he tary­ [...]ll they came to hym: and sayd sirs what ti­dynges / these four knyghtes eche of them loked on other / for ther was none wolde speke before his cōpanyon: finally the kyng sayd to Moyne who pertayned to the kyng of Behaygne / and had done in his dayes somoch that he was reputed for one of the valyantest knightꝭ of the worl­de / sir speke you. Than he sayd: sir I shall spe­kesyth it pleaseth you vnder y ^e correction of my felawes / sir we haue ryden & sene the behauyng of your ennemyes / knowe ye for trouth they are rested in thre batayls / abidyng for you: Sir I woll counsell you as for my part sauynge your dyspleasure / that you and all your cōpany rest here and lodg for this nyght / for or they that be behynde of your [...]ōpany become hyther / and or your batayls beset in gode order it wyll be very late / and your people be wery and out of array: and ye shall fynde your ennemis fresshe and re­dy to receyue you / erly in the mornynge ye may order your bataylles at more leaser and aduyse your ennemis at more delyberacyon / and to re­garde well what way ye woll assayle theym: for sir surely they woll abyde you. Than the kynge cōmaunded that it shuld be so done / than his .ii. marshals one rode before another behynde / sayeng to euery baner / tary and abyde here in the name of god and saynt Denys / they that were formast taryed / but they that were behynde wolde nat tary but rode forthe / and sayd howe they wold in no wyse abyde tyll they were as ferr forward as y ^• formast. And whan they before sawe them come on behynde / than they rode forward agayne so that the kyng nor his marshals coude nat rule thē / so they rode without order or good aray tyll they came in sight of their ennemyes. And assone as the formast sawe them / they reculed than abacke [...]out good aray: wherof they behynde had maruell and were a basshed / and thought that the formast company had ben fightynge / than they might haue had leaser & rome to haue gone forwarde if they had lyst. Some went forthe and some abode styll: the cōmons of whom all the wayes bytwene Abuyle and Cressy were full. Whā they sawe that they were [...]ere to their ennemies / they toke their swerdes and cryed downe with them let vs [...]e them all / ther was no man though he were present at the iourney that coude ymagen or shewe y ^e trouth of the yuell order that was among the frenche partie / and yet they were a meruelous great nombre. That I write in this boke I lerned it specially of the engysshmen / who well behelde their dea­lyng: and also certayne knyghtes of sir Johan of Heynaultes / who was alwayes about kyng Philyppe shewed me as they knewe.

THēglysshmen who were in thre batayls lyeng on the grounde to rest them / assone as they saw the frenchmen aproche: they rose vpon their fete fayre and easely without and hast / and aranged their batayls. The first which was the princes batell: the archers there stode in maner of a herse / and the men of armes in the botome of the batayle. Therle of Northā pton & therle of Arundell with the second batell were on a wyng in good order / redy to confort the princes batayle if nede were. The lordꝭ and knyghtꝭ of France cāenat to the assemble togy­der [Page] in good order / for some cāe before and some came after in such hast and yuell order / y ^t one of thē dyd trouble another. Whan the french kyng sawe the englysshmen his blode chaunged and sayde to his marshals make the genowayes go on before and begynne the batayle in the name of god and saynt Denyse: ther were of the genowayes trosbowes about a fiftene thousand but they were so wery of goyng a fote that day a six leages armed with their crosbowes / that they sayde to their constables we be nat well ordred to fyght this day for we be nat in the case to do any great dede of armes / we haue more nede of rest. These wordes came to the erle of Alanson who sayd a man is well at ease to be charged w ^t suche a sorte of rascalles / to be faynt and fayle nowe at moost nede. Also the same season there fell a great rayne and a clyps with a terryble thonder / and before the rayne ther came fleyng ouer bothe batayls a great nombre of crowes / for feare of the tempest cōmynge. Than anone the eyre beganne to waxe clere / and the sonne to shyne fayre and bright: the which was right in the frenchmens eyen / and on the englysshmens backes. Whan the genowayes were assembled toguyder and beganne to aproche / they made a great leape and crye to abasshe thenglysshmen / but they stode styll and styredde nat for all that / than̄e the genowayes agayne the seconde tyme made a nother leape and a fell crye / and stepped forwarde a lytell / and thenglysshmen remeued nat one fote [...] thirdly agayne they leapt and cry­ed and went forthe tyll they came within shotte: than̄e they shotte feersly with their crosbowes. Than thenglysshe archers stept forthe one pase and lett fly their arowes so holly and so thycke that [...]semed snowe / whan the genowayes felte the arowes persynge through heedes / armes / and brestes: many of them cast downe their cros [...]ow [...]s and dyde cutte their strynges / and re­tourned dysconfited. Whan the frenche kynge sawe them flye away: he sayd slee these rascals for they shall lette and trouble vs without rea­son than ye shulde haue sene the men of armes dasshe in among them / and kylled a great nom­bre of them. And euer styll the englysshmen shot where as they sawe thyckest preace: the sharpe arowes ranne into the men of armes / and into their horses: and many fell horse and men amō ge the genowayes: and whan they were downe they coude nat relyue agayne the preace was so thycke / that one ouerthrewe a nother. And also amonge the englysshemen there were certayne [...]ascalles that went a fote / with great knyues: and they went in among the men of armes / and slewe and murdredde many as they lay on the grounde: bothe erles / barownes / knyghtꝭ / and squyers: wherof the kyng of Englande was af­ter dyspleased / for he had rather they had bene taken prisoners. The valyant kyng of Behay­gne called Charles of Luzenbourge / sonne to the noble emperour Henry of Luzenbourge / for all that he was nyghe blynde. Whan he vnder­stode the order of the batayle / he sayde to them about hym / where is the lorde Charles my son: his men sayde sir we can nat tell / we thynke he be fightynge / than he sayde sirs ye are my men / my companyons / and frendes in this iourney. I requyre you bring me so farre forwarde / that I may stryke one stroke with my swerde / they sayde they wolde do his commaundement: and to the intent that they shulde nat lese hym in the prease / they tyed all their raynes of their bridel­les eche to other and sette the kynge before to a­complysshe his desyre / and so thei went on their ennemyes: the lorde Charles of Behaygne his sonne / who wrote hymselfe kyng of Behaygne and bare the armes. He came in good order to the batayle: but whasie he sawe that the matter wente a wrie on their partie / he departed I can nat tell you whiche waye: the kynge his father was so farre forewarde / that he strake a stroke with his swerde / ye and mo than foure: and fo­ught valyantly. And so dyde his company / and they aduētured themselfe so forwarde / that they were ther all slayne / and the next day they were founde in the place about the kyng / and all their horses tyed eche to other. The erle of Alansone came to the batayle right ordynatly and fought with thenglysshmen / and the erle of Flaunders also on his parte / these two lordes with their cō ­panyes coosted the englysshe archers and came to the princes batayle and there fought valyantly longe. The frenche kynge wolde fayne haue come thyder whanne he sawe their baners / but there was a great hedge of archers before hym. The same day the frenche kynge hadde gyuen a great blacke courser to sir Johan of Heynault and he made the lorde Johan of Fussels to ryde on hym and to bere his banerre / the same horse tooke the bridell in the tethe / and brought hym through all the currours of thēglysshmen / and as he wolde haue retourned agayne he fell in a great dyke and was sore hurt / and had ben ther deed & his page had nat ben / who folowed hym through all the batayls / and sawe wher his maister lay in the dyke / and had none other lette but for his horse / for thenglysshmen wolde nat yssue [Page lxv] out of their batayle for takyng of any prisoner / than̄e the page a lyghted and relyued his mai­ster / than he went nat backe agayn y ^e same way that they came: there was to many in his way. This batayle bytwene Broy / and Crelly this saturday was ryght cruell and fell / and many a feat of armes done that came nat to my knowlege: in the night dyuerse knyghtes and squyers lost their maisters / and somtyme came on then­glysshmen / who receyued theym in suche wyse / that they were euer nighe slayne / for there was none taken to mercy nor to raunsome▪ for so the englysshmen were determyned in the mornyng the day of the batayle certayne frenchemen and almaygnes / perforce opyned the archers of the princes batayle / and came and fought with the men of armeshande to hande. Than the secon­de batayle of thenglysshmen came to socour the princes batayle the whiche was tyme / for they had as than moche a do / and they with y ^e prince sent a messanger to the kynge who was on a ly­tell wyndmyll hyll: than the knyght sayd to the kyng / sir therle of Warwyke / and therle of Cā ­fort / sir Reynolde Cobham / and other suche as be about the prince your sonne ar feerlly fought with all and aresore handled: wherfore they de syre you that you and your batayle wolle come and ayde them / for if the frenchmen encrease as they dout they woll / your sonne and they shall haue moche a do. Than the kynge sayde is my sonne deed or hurt / or on the yerthe felled: no sir [...] the knyght but he is hardely matched / wher­fore he hathe nede of your ayde. Well sayde the kyng retourne to hym and to them that sent you hyther / and say to them that they sende no more to me for any aduenture that falleth / as long as my sonne is a lyue: and also say to thē that they suffre hym this day to wynne his spurres / for if god be pleased I woll this iourney be his / and the honoure therof: and to them that be aboute hym. Than the knyght retourned agayn to thē and shewed the kynges wordes / the which gretly encouraged them: and repoyned in that they had sende to the kynge as they dyd. Sir God­fray of Harecourt wolde gladly that the erle of Harecourt his brother myght haue bene saued / for he hard say by thē that sawe his baner howe that he was ther in the felde on the frenche par­tie / but sir Godfray coude nat come to hym be­tymes / for he was slayne or he coude cōe at hym and so was also the erle of Almare his nephue. In another place the erle of Alenson and therle of Flaunders fought valyantly / euery lorde vn­der his owne baner / but finally they coude nat resyst agaynst the puyssaunce of the englysshe­men: and so ther they were also slayne & dyuers other knyghtꝭ and squyers. Also therle Lewes of Bloyes nephue to the frenche kyng / and the duke of Lorayne fought vnder their baners / but at last they were closed in among a cōpany of englysshmen and walsshemen / & there were slayne for all their prowes. Also there was slay­ne the erle of Ausser / therle of saynt Poule and many other / in the euenynge the frenche kynge who had lefte about hym no mo than a threscore ꝑso [...]s one and other / wherof sir John̄ of Hey­nalt was one / who had remounted ones the Kynge for his horse was slayne with an arowe / thā he sayde to the kynge sir departe hense for it is tyme / lese nat your selfe wylfully: if ye haue losse at this tyme ye shall recouer it agayne a nother season. And soo he toke the kynges horse by the bridell and ledde hym away in a maner persor­ce / than the kyng rode tyll he came to the castell of Broy / the gate was closed bycause it was by that tyme darke. Than the kynge called the ca­ptayne / who came to the walles and sayd: who is that calleth there this tyme of nyght / than the kynge sayde opyn your gate quickely / for this is the fortune of Fraunce. The captayne knewe than it was the kyng / and opyned the gate and let downe the bridge: than the kyng entred and he had with hym but fyue barownes / sir Johan of Heynault / sir Charles of Momorency / the lorde of Beauiewe / the lorde Dabegny / and the lorde of Mountfort: the kynge wolde nat tary there but drāke and departed thense about myd nyght / and so rode by suche guydes as knewe the countrey tyll he came in the mornynge to A­myense and there he rested. This saturday the englysshemen neuer departed fro their batayls for chasynge of any man / but kept styll their fel­de and euer defended themselfe agaynst all such as came to assayle them: this batayle ended a­boute euynsonge tyme.

[Page] ON this saturday whan the nyght was cōe: and that thēglysshmen hard no more noyse of the frēchemen / than they reputed thēselfe to haue the vyctorie / and the french­men to be dysconfited / slay­ne / and fledde away. Than they made great fyers and lyghted vp torchesse and candelles / by­cause it was very darke / than the kyng auayled downe fro the lytell hyll where as he stode / and of all that day tyll than his helme came neuer of on his heed. Than he went withall his batayle to his sonne the prince: and enbrased hym in his armes and kyst hym and sayde fayre sonne god gyue you good ꝑseuerance / year my good son thus ye haue aquyted you nobly: ye ar worthy to kepe a realme / the prince inclyned himselfe to the yerthe honouryng the kyng his father / this night they thanked god for their good aduen­ture / and made no boost therof / for the kynge wolde that no manne shulde be proude or make boost / but euery man humbly to thanke god. On the sonday in the mornyng there was suche a myst / that a man myght nat se the bredethe of an acre of lande fro hym / than there departed fro the hoost by the commaūdement of the kyng and marshalles fyue hundred speares / and two thousand archers: to se if they might se any frenchemen gathered agayne togyder in any place / the same mornyng out of Abuyle & saynt Reyn­gnyer in Ponthieu / the commons of Rone and of Beauioys yssued out of their townes natte knowyng of the dyscōfiture the day before they met with thēglysshmen / wenyng they had bene frēchmen. And whan thēglysshmen sawe them they sette on them fresshly / and there was a sore batayle / but at last the frenchemen fledde and kept none array / their were slayne in the way­es and in hedges and busshes: mo than̄e seuyn thousande. And if the day had ben clere: there had neuer a onescaped / anone after a nother cō pany of frenchmen were mette by the englyssh­men. The archebysshopp̄ of Rone / and y ^e great priour of Fraunce: who also knewe nothynge of the dysconfiture the day before for they harde that the frenche kynge shulde a fought the same sonday: and they were goynge thyderwarde. Whan̄e they mette with the englysshmen there was a great batayle / for they were a great nombre / but they coude nat endure agaynst the en­glysshmen / for they were nyghe all slayne / fewe scaped / the two lordes were slayne. This mor­nyng thenglysshmen mette with dyuerse french men / that had loste their way on the saturday / and had layen all nyght in the feldes / and wyst nat where the kyng was nor the captayns / they were all slayne as many as were met with / and it was shewed me: that of the cōmons and men a fote / of the cyties and good townes of France ther was slayne foure tymes as many as were slayne the saturday in the great batayle.

THe same sonday as the kyng of Englande came fro masse suche as had ben sente forthe retourned and shewed the kyng what they had sene and done: and sayde sir we thinke surely ther is now no more aparence of any of our ennemyes / than y ^e kyng sende to serche howe many were slayne / & what they were. Sir Reynolde Cobham / & sir Richard Stafforde with thre haraldes went to serche the felde and contrey: they visyted all thē that were slayne and rode all day in the feldes / and retourned agayne to the hoost as the kyng was goynge to supper. They made iust report of that they had sene / and sayde howe ther were xi. great princes deed / fourscore baners .xii. C. knyghtes / and mo than .xxx. thousande other. Thēglysshmen kept styll their felde all y ^t nyght on the monday in the mornyng the kyng prepa­red to depart / the kyng caused the deed bodyes of the great lordes to be taken vp and conueyed to Mutterell / and there buryed in holy groūde and made a crye in the countrey to graunt truse for thre dayes / to thyntent that they of the coun­trey might serche the felde of Cressy / to bury the deed bodyes. Than the kynge went forthe and came before the towne of Muttrell by the see / & his marshals ranne to warde Hedyn: and brent Uābam and Seram / but they dyd nothyng to the castell it was so strong and so well kept / they lodged that night on the ryuer of Hedyn towardes Blangy. The next day they rode towarde Bolayne / and came to the towne of Unysame: there the kyng and the prince lodged / and [Page lxvi] taryed there a day to refresshe his men / and on the Wednysday the kyng came before the stron­ge towne of Calys.

IN the towne of Calys ther was captayne a knyght of Burgone called sir John̄ de Uieu / and with hym was sir Andrewe Dandrehen / sir John̄ de Sury / sir Barbon de Belborne / sir Godfray de lament / sir Pepyn de Urmue and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers. Whan the kyng of England was come before Calys / he layd his siege and ordayned bastides bytwene the towne and the ryuer / he made carpenters to make houses and lodgynges of great tymbre / and set the houses lyke stretes / and couerd them with rede and brome. So that it was lyke a lytell towne: and there was euery thynge tosell / and a markette place to be kept euery tuesday and saturday ▪ for flesshe and fyssh / mercery ware / houses for cloth for bredde / wyne and all other thyngꝭ necessarie such as cāe out of England ▪ or out of Flanders / ther they might bye what they lyst. Thēglyssh­men ran often tymes into the countrey of Guy­nes / and into Triuynois / & to the gates of saynt Omers / and somtyme to Boleyn: they brought into their hoost great prayes. The kyng wolde nat assayle the towne of Calys: for he thought it but a lost labour / he spared his peple & his artil­lery / and sayd howe he wolde famyssh thē in the towne with long siege / without the french kyng cōe and reyse his siege ꝑforce. Whan the capten of Calys sawe the maner & thorder of thēglysshmen: than he constrayned all poore & meane pe­ple to yssue out of the towne. And on a wednys­day ther yssued out of men women / & chyldren / mo than .xvii. C. and as they passed through y ^• hoost they were demaunded why they deꝑted / & they answered and sayde bycause they had no­thyng to lyue on. Than the kyng dyd them that grace that he suffred them to passe through his host without danger / and gaue them mete and drinke to dyner and euery pson .ii. [...] slerlyng in almes / for the which dyners many of them pray­ed for the kynges prosperyte.

THe duke of Norman­dy beyng at sege before the strong castell of Aguyllou: so it was that about y ^e myddes of Auguste he made a great assaut to the castell so that y ^e most part of his host were at the assaut / thyder was come newely the lorde Philyp of Burgone erle of Arthoys / and of Bolone / & cosyn germayn to the duke of Normādy / he was as than a yōg lusty knyght. And assone as the skirmyssh was begon / he toke his horse with the spurres & came on the skirmysshe warde / & the horse toke the bytte in his teth / and bare away his maister and stumbled in a dyke / and fell horse & man: the knyght was so brosed with the fall that he had neuer helthe after / but dyed of the same hurt. Than anone after y ^e frenche kyng sent for his sonne the duke of Normā ­dy cōmaundynge hym in any wyse to breke vp his siege before Aguyllou / and to retourne into Fraunce / to defende his herytage fro thēglysshmen. And thervpon the duke toke counsayle of the lordes that were there with hym / what was best to do: for he hadde promysed nat to depart thens tyll he had wone the castell / but the lordes counsayled hym sythe the kynge his father had sende for hym / to depart. Than the next day be tymes: the frenchemen trussed bagge and bag­gage in great hast and departed towarde France: than they that were within the fortresse ys­sued out with the penon of the lorde Gaultiers of Manny before them: they dasshed in amon­ge the hynder company of the frenchemen / and flewe and toke dyuerse of theym to the nombre of threscore and brought them into their fortres and by those prisoners they knewe of the iour­ney that the kynge of Englande had made that season into Fraunce / and howe that he lay at si­ege before Calys. Or the french kyng departed fro Amyense to Parys warde / after the batayle of Cressy / he was so sore dyspleasedde with sir Godmar du fay / bycause the kynge sayd he dyd nat his deuer truely in kepyng of the passage of Blāch taque / wher as thēglysshmē passed ouer the ryuer of Some. so y ^t if the french king coud a gette hym in y ^e hete / it wold haue cost hym his heed / & dyuers of the kyngꝭ counsell wolde y ^t he shuld a dyed & sayd he was a treto [...] & causer of y ^e [Page] great losse that the kynge had at Cressy / but sir John̄ of Heynault excused hym / and refrayned the kynges yuell wyll: for he sayd / howe coulde it lye in his power to resyst the hole puysance of thengly sshmen / whan all y ^• floure of the realme of Fraunce togyder coude nat resyst them. Thā anone after came to the kynge and to the quene the duke of Normandy who was well receyued with them.

IT was natlong after but that sir Gaultier of Mā ny fell in cōmunycation with a knyght of Normandy who was his prisoner / & demaū ­ded of hym what money he wolde pay for his raunsome / the knyght answered and sayd he wolde gladly pay thre. M. crownes / well ꝙ the lorde Gaul­tyer: I knowe well ye be kynne to the duke of Normandy and welbeloued with hym that I am sure. And if I wolde sore oppresse you I am sure ye wolde gladly pay .x. thousand crownes / but I shall deale otherwyse with you / I woll trust you on your faythe and promyse. ye shall go to the duke your lorde / and by your meanes gette a saue conduct for me and .xx. other of my cōpany to ryde through Fraunce to Calys / payeng curtesly for all your expenses. And if ye can get this of the duke or of the kyng / I shall clere­ly quyte you your ransome with moche thanke: for I greatly desyre to se the kynge my maister / nor I wyll lye but one nyght in a place tyll I cōe there. And if ye can nat do this / retourne agayn hyder within a moneth / and yelde your self styll as my prisoner: the knyght was content and so went to Parys to the duke his lorde / and he ob­tayned this pasport for sir Gaultier of Manny and. [...]r. horse with hym all onely this knyght returned to Aguyllon and brought it to [...] Gaul­tier / and ther he quyted the knyght Norman of his raunsome. Than anone after sir Gaultier toke his way and .xx. horse with hym: & so rode through Auuergne / and whan he taryed in any place he shewed his letter and so was lette passe but whan he came to Orleaunce for all his letter he was a rested and brought to Parys / & there put in prison in the Chatelet. Whan the duke of Normandy knewe therof / he went to the kynge his father and shewed him howe sir Gaultier of Manny had his saue conduct / wherfore he re­quyred the kynge asmoche as he might to dely­uer hym / or els it shulde be sayd howe he had be trayed hym: the kyng answered and sayd howe he shulde be put to dethe / for he reputed hym for his great ennemy. Than sayd the duke: sir if ye do so surely I shall neuer bere armour agaynst the kynge of Englande / nor all suche as I may let: and at his departyng he sayd that he wolde neuer entre agayn into the kynges host. Thus the mater stode a certayne tyme: there was a knyght of Heynalt called sir Mansart de Sue / he purchased all that he myght to helpe sir Wa­ter of Manny / and went often in and out to the duke of Normādy / finally the kyng was so coū selled that he was delyuerd out of prison and all his costes payed. And the kynge sende for hym to his lodgyng of Nesle in Parys and there he dyned with the kynge / and the kynge presented hym great gyftes and iewels / to the value of a thousande floreyns: sir Gaultier of Manny re­ceyued them on a condycion / that whan he cam to Cales that if the kyng of Englande his mai­ster were pleased that he shulde take them / than he was content to kepe them / or els to sende thē agayne to the frenche kyng / who sayd he spake lyke a noble man. Than̄e he toke his leaue and departed and rode so long by his iourneys that he came into Heynalt / and taryed at Ualencennes thre dayes: and so fro thens he went to Ca­les and was welcome to the kynge / but whan y ^e kyng harde that sir Gaultier of Manny had receyued gyftes of the frenche kynge: he sayde to hym sir Gaultier / ye haue hytherto truely ser­ued vs and shall do as we trust. Sende agayn to kyng Philyppe the gyftes that he gaue you / ye haue no cause to kepe theym / we thanke god we haue ynough for vs & for you: we be in good purpose to do moche good for you acordyng to the good seruyce that ye haue done. Thanne sir Gaultier toke all those iewels and delyuerd thē to a cosyn of his called Mansac / and sayd ryde into Fraunce to the kynge there / and recōmend me vnto hym / and say howe I thanke hym. M. tymes for the gyft that he gaue me / but shewe hym howe it is nat the pleasure of the kyng my maister that I shulde kepe thē / therfore I sende them agayne to hym. This knyght rode to Parys and shewed all this to the kyng who wolde nat receyue agayne the iewelles / but dyde gyue [Page lxvii] them to the same knyght sir Mansac / who tha­ked the kyng and was nat in wyll to say nay.

LE haue harde here before / howe the erle of Derby was in the cytie of Burduex / duryng the sea­son of the siege before Aguyllone. And assone as he knewe that y ^e du­ke of Normandy had broken vp his siege / than he sende into Gascoyne for all his knightes and squyers that helde of the englysshe partie: than came to Burdeaux the lorde Dalbret / the lorde de Lanspere / y ^e lorde of Rosam / the lorde of Musydent / the lorde of Punyers / the lorde of Tor­ton / the lorde of Bouq̄ton / sir Amery of Trast / and dyuers other: so that therle had a .xii. hun­dred men of armes / two thousand archers / and thre thousande fotemen. They passed theryuer of Garon bytwene Burdeaux and Blay: than they toke the way to zaynton and came to My­rabell / and wan the towne with assaut and the castell also: and sette therin newe captayne and soudyours. Than they rode to Alnoy and wan the castell and the towne / and after they wanne Surgeres / and Benon: but the castell of Ma­rant a thre leages fro Rochell they coulde nat gette / than they went to Mortayn on y ^e see syde in Poyctou and toke it perforce / and made ther a garyson for thē. Than thei rode to Lusignen / they brent the towne but the castell wolde nat be wonne / than they went to Taylbourge / & wan the brige / towne / and castell: and stewe all that were within / bycause a knyght of theyrs was slayne in thassautyng. The countrey was so a­frayed that euery man fledde into stronge hol­des and townes and forsoke their owne houses they made none other aparance of defence: but all knyghtꝭ and squyers kept them styll in their fortresses / and made no semblant to fyght with thenglysshmen. Than at last the erle of Derby came and layd siege to saynt John̄ Dangle and made there a gret assaut / within the towne ther were no men of warre tyll agaynst night whan thassaut seased. Sir Wyllyam Ryonmayre of the towne / and the moost part of the burgesses sende to therle of Derby to haue a saue conduct for sixe of their burgesses to come into the hoost to treat with therle the same night / or els y ^e next day / the which was graunted: and the next mornynge these burgesses came to therles tent / and there concluded to become good englysshmen / as long as the kyng of Englande or some other for hym wolde kepe and defende them fro y ^e frenchmen. Ther therle refresshed hym in that towne thre dayes and toke homage of the burgesses there: than the erle went to the stronge towne of Nyort / wherin was captayne the lorde Guys­sharde Dangle / ther therle made thre assautes but nothyng coude he wynne / than he departed thens and went to to Burge saynt Maxymen / the which was wonne perforce and all that were within slayne. After they went to Mōstrell boy [...] / wherin ther were a two hūdred money makers that forged there money for the frēchkyng they sayde they wolde nat yelde vp but defende the towne / but there was made suche a feerse as­saut that it was won / and all they within slayne Therle newe fortifyed y ^e castell and made there a garyson / than the erle came before the cytie of Poycters / the whiche was great and large: the erle besieged it on the one syde for he had nat nō bre sufficyent to lay rounde about. Incontynēt they made assaut & they of they cytie / who were a great nombre of meane people nat very mete for the warre / they defended themselfe so well at that tyme that they toke but lytell damage / the assaut ceased and euery man went to his logyn­ge. The next day certayne knyghtes of the host toke their horses and rode about the towne / and returned and made report to therle of that they had sene / than they determyned the nexte day to assaut the cytie in thre places: and the greattest nombre to assaut wher as was the wekest place of the cytie / and thus it was done. And as than in the towne ther was no knight y ^t knewe what ment any feate of warr / nor the people were nat erpert in dedes of armes to knowe howe to de­fende assautes / so in the wekyst place thenglysshmen entred. Whan they within sawe the towne wonne they fledde away out at other gates but ther were slayne a .vii. hundred for all were put to y ^e swerde men / women / and chyldren / and the cytie ouerron and robbed: the whiche was full of great richesse / aswell of thynhabytauntes as of them of the countrey that were come thyder for surety / dyuers churches were there distroy­ed and many yuelldedes done and mo had ben doue and therle had nat ben / for he cōmaunded [Page] on payne of dethe no man to breune no churche / nor house / for he sayde he wolde tary there a ten or [...]dayes / so that therby part of the yuell de­des wereseased / but for all that there was roberyes ynough. Therle lay ther a .xii. dayes and lengar myght haue done if it had pleased hym / for ther was none to resyst hym: all the contrey trymbled for feare of hym. Than therle depar­ted fro Poycters and left it voyde / for it was to great to be kept / at their departyng they had so moche rychesse that they wyst natte what to do therwith / they sette by nothynge but golde and syluer / and fethers for men of warre. Thanne they retourned by small iourneys to saynt Jo­han Dangle / there therle rested hym a certayne space / and thenglysshmen gaue many good iu­els to the ladyes and damosels of y ^e towne / and so dyd therle hymself and made euery day gret dyners / suppers / and bankettes / & made great reuell and sport among them: he achyued suche grace among them there / that they sayd he was the moost noble prince that euer rode on horse­backe. Than he toke his leaue of thē / and made the mayre and y ^e burgesses to renewe their othe and to kepe the towne as the ryght herytage of the kyng of Englande / than the erle retourned by suche fortresses as he had wonne / tyll he cāe to therytie of Bourdeaux: than he gaue leaue euery man to depart / and thanked them of their good seruyce.

IT is longe nowe syth we spake of kyng Dauyd of Scotlande / howe be it tyll nowe there was none occasion why / for the trewse that was takenue was well and trewly kept. So that whan the kynge of Englande had be sieged Calays and lay there / than the Scottes determyned to make warre into Englande / and to be reuen­ged of such hurtes as they had taken before / for they sayde than / howe that the realme of Eng­lande was voyde of men of warr / for they were as they sayd with the kyng of Englande before Calys / and some in Bretaygne / Poyctou / and Gascoyne: the frenche kyng dyd what he coude to styrre the scottes to that warre / to the entent that the kynge of Englande shulde breke vp his siege / and retourne to defende his owne realme The kynge of Scottes made his sommons to be at saynt John̄s towne / on the ryuer of Tay in Scotlande: thyder came erles / barownes / and prelates of Scotlande: and there agreed that in all haste possyble / they shulde entre into Englande / to come in that iourney was desy­red Johan of the out Iles / who gouerned the wylde scottes: for to hym they obeyed and to no man els. He came with a thre thousande of the moost outragyoust people in all that countrey. Whan all the scottes were assembled / they were of one and other / a fyftie thousande fightynge menne: they coude nat make their assemble soo secrete / but that the quene of Englande / who was as thanne in the marchesse of the Northe about yorke / knewe all their dealynge. Than̄e she sent all about for menne / and lay herselfe at yorke: than all men of warre and archers came to Newcastell with the quene. In the meane se­ason the kyng of scottes departed fro saynt Jo­hannes towne / and wente to Done Fremelyne the firste day / the nexte day they passed a lytell arme of the see and so came to Esdērmelyne / and than to Edēbrough. Than they nombred their company / and they were a thre thousande men of armes knyghtes and squyers / and a thretie thousande of other on hackenayes: thanne they came to Rousbourg the first fortresse englysshe on that parte / captayne there was sir Wyllyam Montague / the scottes passed by without any assaut makynge / and so went forthe brennynge and distroyenge the countrey of Northumber­lande / and their currours ranne to yorke and brent as moche as was without the walles and retourned agayne to their host / within a dayes iourney of Newcastell vpon Tyne.

[Page lxviii] THe quene of England who desyred to defende her contrey came to Newcastell vpon Tyne / and there tary­ed for her mē who came day­ly fro all [...]tes. Whan the scottes knewe that the englysshe men assembled at Newcastell they drue thyder­warde / and their currours came rennynge be­fore the towne: and at their retournynge they brent certayne small hamelettes there about / so that the smoke therof cāe into the towne of Newcastell: some of the englysshmen wolde a yssued out to haue fought with them that made the fy­ers / but the captayns wolde nat sulfre theym to yssue out. The next day y ^• kyng of scottes with a .xl. thousande men one and other / came and lodged within thre lytell englysshe myle of New­castell in the lande of the lorde Neuyll / and the kyng sent to them within the towne that if they wolde yssue out into the felde / he wolde fyght with theym gladly. The lordes and prelates of England / sayd they were content to aduenture their lyues with the ryghtand herytage of the kynge of Englande their maister: than they all yssued out of the towne / and were in nombre a twelfe hundred men of armes / thre thousand archers / and seuyne thousande of other with the walsshmen. Than the scottes came and lodged agaynst theym / nere togyder: than euery man was sette in order of batayle / than the quene cāe among her men: and there was ordayned four batayls / one to ayde another. The firste had in gouernaunce the bysshoppe of Dyrham / and the lorde Percy: the seconde the archbysshoppe of yorke / and the lorde Neuyll: the thyrde the bysshoppe of Lyncolne / and the lorde Mōbray The fourth the lorde Edwarde de Baylleule captayne of Berwyke / the archbysshopp of Can­terbury / and the lorde Rose / euery batayle had lyke nōbre after their quantyte: the quene went fro batayle to batayle desyring them to do their deuoyre to defende the honoure of her lorde the kyng of Englande / and in the name of god eue­ry man to be of good hert and courage promy­syng them that to her power she wolde remēbre theym aswell or better / as thoughe her lorde the kyng were ther personally. Than the quene departed fro them recōmendyng them to god and to saynt George / than anone after the bataylles of the scottes began to set forwarde / and in lyke wyse so dyd thēglysshmen / than the archers be­gan to shote on bothe parties: but the shot of the scottes endured but a shortspace: but y ^e archers of Englande shot so feersly / so that whan the batayls aproched there was a harde batell. They began at nyne and endured tyll noone / the scot­tes had great ares sharpe and harde / and gaue with them many great strokes / howbeit finally thenglysshmen obtayned the place and vyctorie but they lost many of their me. There were slayne of the scottes / therle of Sys / therle of Ostre / the erle Patrys / therle of Surlant / therle Da­stredare / therle of Mare / therle John̄ Duglas and the lorde Alysaunder Ramsey who bare the kynges baner: and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers. And there the kynge was taken / who fought valiantly and was sore hurt: a squyer of Northumberland toke hym called John̄ Cop­lande / and assone as he had taken the kynge he went with hym out of the felde with .viii. of his seruaunces with hym and soo rode all that day tyll he was a fyftene leages fro the place of y ^e batayle / and at nyght he cāe to a castell called Or­yulus. And than he sayde he wolde nat delyuer the kyng of scottes to no man nor woman lyue­yng / but all onely to the kynge of Englande his lorde: the same day there was also taken in the felde the erle Morette / the erle of Marche / the lorde Wyllyam Duglas / y ^e lorde Robert Uesy / the bysshoppe of Dadudame / the bysshoppe of saynt Andrewes / and dyuers other knyghtes & barownes. And ther were slayne of one and o­ther a .xv. thousande / and the other saued themself as well as they might: this batell was besyde Newcastell / the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .xlvi. the saturday next after sayur Mychaell.

WHan the quene of Englande beyng at Newcastell / vnderstode howe the iourney was for her and her men: she than rode to the place where the batayle hade ben / than̄e it was shewed her howe the kyng of scottꝭ was taken by a squyer called John̄ Coplande / and he hadde caryed away the kyng no man knewe whyder. Than the quene wrote to the squyer cō maundyng hym to bring his prisoner the kyng of scottes / and howe he had nat well done to de­part with hym without leaue: all that day then­glysshmen [Page] taryed styll in y ^e same place / and the quene with them: and the next day they retour­ned to New castell. Whan the quenes letter was brought to Johan Coplande: he answered and sayd that as for the kyng of scottes his prisoner he wolde nat delyuer hym to no mā nor woman lyueng but all onely to the kynge of Englande his souer ayne lorde. As for the kynge of scottes he sayd he shuld be sauely kept / so that he wolde gyue acompte for hym / thanne the quene sende letters to the kyng to Calays wherby the kyng was enfourmed of the state of his realme / than the kyng sende incōtynent to Johan Coplande / that he shulde come ouer the see to hym to the si­ege before Calays. Than the same Johan dyd putte his prisoner in saue kepynge in a stronge castell / and so rode through England tyll he cāe to Douer / and there toke the see and arryued before Calays. Whan the kyng of Englande sawe the squyer he toke hym by the hande and sayd / a welcome my squyer / that by your valyantnesse hath taken myne aduersary the kyng of Scot­tes / the squyer kneled downe and sayde: sir yf god by his grace haue suffred me to take y ^e king of scottes by true conquest of armes / sir I thynke no man ought to haue any enuy there at / for aswell god may sende by his grace suche a for­tune to fall to a poore squyer / as to a great lorde and [...] I requyre your grace be nat myscontent with me / though I dyde nat delyuer the kynge of Scottes at the cōmaundement of the quene / Sir I holde of you as myne othe is to you / and nat to her but in all good maner: the kyng sayd Johan the good seruyce that ye haue done and your valyantnesse is somoche worthe / that hit must counteruayle your trespasse / and be taken for your excuse / and shame haue they that bere you any yuell wyll therfore. ye shall retourne a­gayne home to your house / and tha [...]e my plea­sure is that ye delyuer your prisoner to y ^e quene my wyfe: and in a rewarde I assigne you nere to your house where as ye thynke best yourselfe tyue hundred pounde sterlyng of yerely rent / to you & to your heyres for euer: and here I make you squyer for my body. Than̄e the thyrde day he departed and retourned agayne into Eng­lande & whan he came home to his owne house he assembled to guyder his frendes and kynne / and so they toke the kyng of Scottes and rode with hym to the cytie of yorke / and there fro the kyng his lorde / he presented the kyng of Scot­tes to y ^e quene and excused hym so largely / that the quene and her counsell were content. Than the quene made good prouisyon for the cytie of yorke the castell of Rosbourg / the cyte of Dyr­ham / the towne of Newcastell vpon Tyne / and in all other garysons on the marchesse of Scotlande / and left in those marchesse the lorde Percy / and the lorde Neuyll / as gouernoure there: thanne the quene departed fro yorke towardes London. Than she sette the kynge of Scottes in the strong towre of London / and therle Morette / and all other prisoners: and sette good kepyng ouer them. Than she went to Douer and there tooke the see / and had so good wynde that in a shorte space she arryued before Calays thre dayes before the feest of Alsayntes / for whose cō myng the kyng made a great feest and dyner to all the lordes & ladyes that were ther / the quene brought many ladyes and damoselles with her aswell to acompany her / as to se their husban­des / fathers / bretherne / and other frendes that lay at siege there before Calays / and had done a longe space.

THe siege before Calais enduredde longe / and many thynges fell in the meane season / the whiche I canne nat write the fourthe parte. The frenche kynge had sette men of warre in euery fortresse in those marchesse in the countie of Guynes / of At thoyes / of Boloyne / and aboute Calays / and had a great nombre of genowayes / normayns / and other on the see: so that whan any of th [...] glysshmen wolde goo a forragynge other a [...] or horsebacke / they founde many tymes harde aduentures / and often there was skirmysshing about the gates and dykes of the towne / and of­ten tymes some slayne and hurte on bothe par­ties / some day y ^• one part lost and some day the other. The kynge of Englande caused engyns to be made to oppresse theym within the towne / but they within made other agayne to resist the so that they toke lytell hurt by them / but nothyn­ge coude come into the towne but by stelth / and that was by the meanes of two maryners / one called Maraunt / and the other Mestryell / and [Page lxix] they dwelt in Abuyle / by theym two they of Ca­lays were often tymes reconforted and fresshed by stelth and often tymes they were in great [...] ­yll / chased and nere taken: but alwayes they scaped and made many englysshemen to be drow­ned. All that wynter the kyng lay [...]yll at the si­ege / and thought and ymagined euer to kepe y ^• commentie of Flaunders in frendshyppe / for he thought by their meanes the soner to c [...]e to his entent / he sende often tymes to them with fayre promyses: sayeng that if he myght gette Calys he wolde helpe them to recouer [...] / and Do­way with all their appurtenaunces. So by oc­casyon of sache promyses / whyle the kyng was in Normandy towardes Cressey and Calays / they went and layd siege to Bethwyn / and ther captayne was sir Dedeart de [...]onty who was banysshed out of Fraunce. They helde a great siege before that towne / and [...]ore constrayned them by assaut / but within were [...]our knyghtes captayns set there by y ^e frenche kyng to kepe the towne / that is to say sir G [...]ssray of Charney sir Ewstace of Rybamount / sir Ba [...]dwy [...] of Ne­kyn / and sir John̄ of Landas: they defended y ^• towne in suche wyse / that the flemmynges wa [...] nothyng ther / but so departed and retourned agayne into Flaunders / but whyle the kynge of Englande lay at siege before Calys he sent styll messāgers to them of Flanders and made them great promyses to kepe their amyte with hym / and to oppresse the drift of the french kyng who dyde all that he coulde to drawe them to his opynyon. The kyng of Englande wolde gladly y ^• the erle Loyes of Flaunders / who was as than [...]t f [...]fte [...]e yere of age / shulde haue in mar [...]age his doughter Isabell: somoche dyd the kyng y ^• the flēmynges agreed therto wherof the kynge was gladde / for he thought by that mariage the flēmynges wolde the gladlyer helpe hym / and the flēmynges thought by hauyng of the kynge of Englande on their partie they might well r [...] ­ [...]yst the frenchmen: they thought it more necessary and profytable for them / the loue of the kyng of Englande rather than the frenche kynge / but the yong erle who had ben euer norysshed amō ­ge the noble men of France wolde nat agre and sayd playnly he wolde nat haue to his wyfe the doughter of hym that sle [...]e his father. Also du­ke Johan of Brabant purchased greatly that y ^• erle of Flaunders shulde haue his doughter in maryage / promysing hym that if he wolde take her to his wyfe / that he wolde cause hym to en­ioy the hole erldome of Flanders / other by [...]ay­re meanes or otherwyse. Also the duke sayde to the frenche kyng / sir if the erle of Flanders woll take my doughter I shall fynde the meanes that all the flemmynges shall take your part and for sake the kyng of Englande / by the whiche pro­myse the frenche kyng agreed to that maryage. Whan the duke of Brabant had the kyngꝭ gode wyll: than he sent certayne messāgers into Flā ­ders to the burgesses of the good townes / and shewed them so fayre reasons / that the counsay­les of the good townes sent to the erle their naturall lorde / certifyeng hym that if he wolde come into Flanders & vse their counsayle they wolde be to hym trewe and good frendes / and delyuer to hym all the rightes and iurysdictyons of Flā ders / asmoche as euer any erle hadde. The erle toke counsayle and went into Flaunders: wher he was receyued with great [...]oye / and gyuen to hym many great presentes. Ass one as the kyng of Englande harde of this he sende into Flaunders the erle of Northampton / therle of Arun­dell / and the lorde Cob [...]am / they dyde somoche with the offycers and commons of Flaunders / that they had rather that their lorde therle shul­de take to his wyfe the kyng of Englandes dou­ghter / than the doughter of the duke of Brab [...]t / And so to do they affectuously desyred their lor­de & shewed hym many fayre reasons / to drawe hym to that way: so that the burgesses that wer on the duke of Brabantes partie durste nat say the contrary / but than the erle in nowyse wolde concent therto / but euer he sayde he wolde natte wedde her whose father had slayne his / though he myght haue halfe of the hole realme of Eng­lande. Whan̄e the flemmynges sawe that: they sayd howe their lorde was to moche french and yuell counsayled / and also sayd howe they wol­de do no good to hym / syth he wolde nat belyue their counsayls: than they toke and putte hym in Cortoyse prison and sayd howe he shulde ne­uer depart without he wolde folowe and byleue their counsayls. Also they sayd that the erle his father belyued and loued to moche the frenche­men / for if he wolde a byleued thē he shuld haue ben the greattest lorde in all christendome / and recouered agayne Lysle / Doway / and Beth­wyn / & yet alyue. Thus the mater abode a cer­tayne space: the kynge of Englande lay styll at the siege before Calays / and kept a great court that Christmas. And about the begynnynge of lent after: came thyder out of Gascoyne the erle of Derby / the erle of Penbroke / the erle of Can forte / and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers / that had passed the see with the erle. Thus the erle of Flaunders was long in danger amonge [Page] the stemynges in Cortoyse prison / and it great­ly anoyed hym. Than at last he sayde he wolde byleue their coūsayle: for he knewe well he sayd that he shulde haue more profet there / than in any other contrey. These wordes reioysed greatly the flemynges: than they toke hym out of prison / & suffred hym to go a haukyng to the ryuer the which sport the erle loued well ▪ but euer ther was good watche layde on hym / that he shulde nat steale away fro theym: and they were char­ged on their lyues to take good hede to hym. And also they were suche as were fauourable to the kyng of Englād: they watched hym so nere that he coude nat pysse without their knowledge This endured so longe that at last the erle sayd that he wolde gladly haue to his wyfe the kyng of Englandes doughter than the flemmynges sende worde therof to the kynge and to y ^• quene and poynted a day that they shuld come to Bergus in the abbey / and to bringe their doughter with theym / and they wolde bring thyder their lorde the erle of Flanders: and there to cōclude vp the maryage. The kyng and the quene were gladde therof: and sayde that the flemmynges were good men / so to Bergus bytwene New­port and Grauelynge / came the moost saddest men of the gode townes in Flaunders / and bro­ught with thē the erle their lorde in great estate. The kyng of Englande and y ^• quene were ther redy: the erle curtesly inclyned to the kyng and to the quene / the kyng toke the erle by the ryght hande right swetely and ledde hym forthe: say­eng as for the dethe of the erle your father / as god helpe me: the day of the batayle of Cressey nor the nexte day after I neuer herde worde of hym that heshulde be there / the yong erle by sē ­blant made as thoughe he had ben content with the kynges excuse / than they fyll in communycacyon of the maryage / there were certayne arty­cles agreed vnto by the kyng of Englande / and the erle Loyes of Flaunders: and great amyti­es ther was swor [...]e bytwene them to be holden. And there the erle fyaunced Isabell the kyng of Englandes doughter: and promysed to wedde her ▪ so that iourney brake of and a newe day to be apoynted at more leaser / the flemmynges re­tourned into Flaunders with their lorde / and the kynge of Englande with the quene went a­gayne to the siege of Calays. Thus the mater stode a certayne tyme: and the kynge and the quene prepayred greatly agayne the maryage for iewelles and other thynges to gyue away / acordyng to their behauyours. The erle of Flanders dayly past the tyme at the ryuer and made semblant that this maryage pleased him great­ly: so the flemmynges thought that they were than sure ynough of hym / so that there was nat so great watch made on hym as was before / but they knewe nat well the cōdycion of their lorde / for what soeuer coūtenance he made out warde / his inwarde courage was all frenche. So on a day he went forthe with his hawkes / the same weke y ^• the maryage shulde haue ben finysshed / his fauconer cast of a faukon to an hearon / and therle cast of a nother: so these two faukons chased the hearon / and the erle rode after as to fo­lowe his faucon. And whan he was a gode way of and had the aduantage of the feldes: he das­shed his spurres to his horse / and galoped forth in suche wyse that his kepars lost hym / styll he galoped forthright / tyll he came into Arthoyes and ther he was in suretie. And so than he rode into Fraunce to kyng Philyp and shewed hym all his aduenture: the kynge and the frenchmen sayd howe he had dalt wysely / the englysshmen on the othersyde said howe he had betrayed and disceyued them ▪ but for all that the kyng left nat to kepe the flemmynges in amyte: for he knewe well the erle had done this dede nat by their coū sell / for they wer sore dyspleased therwith. And the excuse that they made: the kyng soone byle­ued it in that behalfe.

WHyle the kynge lay at siege before Calays / ther came to se the kynge and the quene dyuers lordꝭ and knightes of Flanders ▪ of Brabant / of Heynault / and of Almay­gne: and there departed none agayne / but that had great gyftes gyuen them. The same season there was newely come into the countie of Na­mure and of Liege dut of the holy lande sir Ro­bert of Namure: and the lorde of Lespentyne hadde made hym knyght at the holy sepulcre. This sir Robert was as than a yong lusty kni­ght: and was nat desyred of any of bothe kyn­ges / than he came of his owne good mynde well acōpanyed and richely / to the siege before Ca­layes: and there presented hymselfe to the kyng [Page lxx] of Englande / who ioyfully receyued hym / and so dyde the quene and all the other lordes: he entred greatly into the kynges fauour ▪ bycause he bare the name of sir Robert de Arthoys his vu­cle. Thus sir Robert became the kynges liege man / the kynge gaue hym thre hundred pounde sterlynge by yere out of his cofers / to be payde at Bruges: there he taryed with the kynge be­fore Calays tyll the towne was wonne / as ye shall here after.

IT is longe nowe syth we spake of sir Charles de Bloyes / as than the duke of Bretaygne / and of the coun­tesse of Mountforde: but it was bycause of the truse that was takenne at Uannes / the whiche was well kept. For durynge the trewse eyther partie kept peasably that they had in possessyon: and assone as the trewse was expyred / they made agayne feerse warr. There was cōe into Bretaygne fro the kynge of Englande sir Thomas Dangorne / and sir Johan Harewell / they came thyder fro the siege of Calays with a hundred men of armes / and foure hundred ar­chers. They taryed with the countes of Moūt forde at Hanybout / and with them sir [...] of the castell bretone bretonant: thenglysshmen and bretons of y ^• part made often tymes iour­neys agaynst sir Charles de Bloyes men som­tyme they wanne and somtyme they lost the cū ­tre was expled and distroyed by reason of these men of warre. On a day these englysshmen wēt and layde siege to a good towne called Roche­daren and often tymes they made a [...]autes / but the towne was so well defended that thenglysshmen wanne nothyng / captayne within the towne was Tassartde Guynes / they within y ^• towne were thre partes / ratherenglysshe than fren­che. And so they tooke the capytayne and sayde they wolde stee hym: without he wolde yelos hymselfe englysshe to them / thanne hesayde he wolde do as they wolde haue hym / and so ther­vpon they let hym go: and than he t [...]ryed with the englysshmen and tourned to the countes of Mountfordes parte. And so he was styll capy­tayne of the towne: and left certayne soudyers to kepe the towne and castell / whan sir Charles du Bloyes herde therof / he sware that the ma­ter shulde natte longe beso. Thatic he sende for menne all aboute Bretaygne / and Normandy▪ and assembled in the cytie of Nauntes sixtene hundred menne of armes / and twelfe thousande a fote: ther were with hym a four hundred kny­ghtes and .xxiiii. baners. So he cāe and layde siege to Rochdaren: lately before wonne by the englysshmen / and had great engyns that caste day and nyght / the which sore cōstrayned them within. Than they of the towne sende messan­gers to the countesse of Mountforde / that acor­dynge to her promyse to sende theym some ayde and conforte / than the countesse sende all about to assemble men toguyder ▪ and shortely she had a thousande menne of armes / and eyght thou­sande a fote ▪ and she made capytayns of theym the forsayd thre knyghtes / who sayd they wolde neuer retourne tyll they had reysed the seige before Rochdaren / or els to dye in y ^• quarell. And so they sette forthe and came nere to the hoost of sir Charles of Bloyes / and lodged by a ryuer syde that night / to thyntent to fight the next day and whan euery man was at rest: sir Thomas Dangorne / and sir Johan Artwell caused halfe their cōpany to be armed / and depted fro them hoost about mydnight / and sodenly entred into the lorde Charles hoost on y ^• one syde ▪ and beate downe and slewe moche people / and they tary­ed so longe that all the hoost was moued and e­uery man redy / so that they coulde nat retourne agayne without batayle. There they were en­closed and fought withall sharpely / so that they might nat bere the frenchmens dedes / but ther they were taken / and sir Thomas Dangorne sore hurt / but sir Johan Artwell saued hymselfe aswell as he might by the ryuer / and retourned to his company and shewed them his aduēture thanne they were determyned to haue retour­ned agayne to Hanybout.

[Page] THe same seson that the englysshemen were thus in counsayle / and had determyned to haue departed: there came to them a knyght from the countesse of Mountforte called Garnyer lorde of Ca­dudall with a hūdred men of armes. And assone as he was come and knewe all their demenour: h [...] sayde nay sirs lette vs nat thus tourne agay­ne / leape on your horses and suche as haue non lette them come a fote. Lette vs nowe go loke on our ennemyes: for nowe they thynke them selfe sure I warant we shall dysconfet thē. Than the horsemen rode forthe and the fotemen folowed / and aboute the sonne rysinge they dasshed into the lorde Charles ho [...]st / and euery manne ther was a slepe and a [...] rest / for they thought to haue no more a do at that tyme. Thenglysshmen and bretous bete downe tentes and pauilyons / and slewe people downe right / for they were soden­ly taken / ther was moch people slayne: and sir Charles of Bloyes / and all the lordes of Bre­tayne and Normādy that were there with hym were taken prisoners. Thus the siege of Roch­daren was reysed / and the lorde Charles was brought to Hanyboute ▪ but suche fortresses as were of his partie helde styll / for his wyfe who called her selfe duchesse of Bretaygne / toke the warre in hande.

KInge Philyppe who knewe well howe his men were sore constrayned in Calays ▪ commaunded euery manne to be with hym at the feest of Pen­tecost / in the cyte of Amyense or ther about: ther was non durst say nay. The kyng kept there a great feest thyder came duke Odes of Burgoyne / and the duke of Normandy his eldyst sonne / & the duke of Orlya [...]se his yongest sonne: the duke of Burbon / therle of Fo [...]tz / the lorde Loyes of Sau [...]y sir John̄ of Heynalt / the erle of Armynake / the erle of Forestes / therle of Ualentenoys / and dy­uers other erles / barons / and knyghtes. Whan they were all at Amyense they toke counsayle / y ^• frenche kyng wolde gladly that the passages of Flaunders myght haue ben opyned to hym: for than he thought he might sende part of his men to Grauelyng / and by that way to refresshe the towne of Calys / and on that syde to fyght ease­ly with thenglysshmen. He sende great messan­gers into Flanders to treat for that mater / but the kynge of Englande had there suche frendes that they wolde neuer acorde to y ^t curtesy / than the frenche kyng said howe he wolde go thyder on the syde towarde Burgoyne. The kynge of Englande sawe well howe he coude nat g [...]t Calays b [...]t by famyne / than he made a stronge ca­stell and a hygh to close vp the passage by the see and this castell was set bytwene the towne and the see / and was well fortyfied with springalles bombardes / bowes / and other artillary. And in this castell were threscore men of armes / and two hundred archers they kept the hauyn in su­che wyse that nothyng coude come in nor out / it was thought that therby they within shulde the soner be famysshed. In that season the kynge of Englande so exhorted them of Flaunders that there yssued out of Flaunders a hundred thou­sande / and went and layde [...]iege to the towne of Ayre ▪ and brent the con [...]rey all about / as M [...]nyuell la gorge / Estelles le Uentre / and a marche called la Loe: and to the gates of saynt Omer / and Turwyne. Than the kyng went to the towne of Arras / and sette many men of warr to the garysons of Arthoys / and specially he sent his constable sir Charles of S [...]aygne to saynt O­mers / for the erle of Ewe and of Guynes / who was constable of Fraunce was prisoner in En­glande as it hath ben shewed before. The flem­mynges dyd the frēchmen great trouble or they departed: and whan the flēmynges were retur­ned than the french kyng and his company deꝑted fro Arras and went to Hedyn / his host with y ^e caryage held well in length a thre l [...]agꝭ of that contrey and ther he taryed a day / & the next day to Blangy. Ther he rested to take aduyse what way to go forthe: than he was counsayled to go through the contrey called la Belme / and y ^t way he toke and with hym a. CC. M. one and other and so passed by the countie of Franqueberg / & so came streyght to the hyll of Sangattes / by­twene Calys and Wyssant. They came thyder in goodly order with baners displayed / that [...]it was great beautie to beholde their puyssaut ar­ray / they of Calys whan they sawe them lodge it semed to them a newe siege.

VE shall here what the kynge of Englande dyd & caused to be done whan̄e he sawe and knewe that the french kyng came with so great an hoost to rayse the siege / the whiche had coste hym somoche good and payne of his body / and lost many of his mē: and knewe well howe he had so constrayned the towne / that hit coulde nat longe endure for defaute of vitayls / it greued hym sore than to depart. Than he ad­uysed well howe the frenchmen coud [...] nat apro­che nother to his hoost nor to the towne / but in two places / other by the downes by the see syde / or elles aboue by the hygheway / and there was many dykes / rockes / and maresshes / and but one way to passe ouer a bridge called Newlan­de bridge. Than̄e the kynge made all his na [...]y to drawe a long by the cost of the downes euery shyp well garnysshed with [...]ōbardes / cros [...]ow­es / archers / springalles / and other artyllary: wherby the frenche hoost myght [...]at passe that way. And the kynge caused the erle of D [...]y to go and kepe Newlande bridge with a great nō bre of men of armes and archers / so that the frē ­chemen coude natte passe no way without they wolde haue gone through the marshes / the whiche was vnpossyble. On the othersyde towarde Calys / ther was a hyghe towre kept with. [...]. archers / and they kept the passage of y ^• downes fro the frēchmen / the which was well fortifyed with great and double [...]ykes. Whan the french men were thus lodged on the mount of San­gate: the commons of Turney who were a fyf­tene hundred came to that towre / and they with­in shotte at them / but they passed the dykes and came to the fote of the wall with pykes and ho­kes / there was a fore assaute and many of them of Tourney sore hurte / but at laste they wanne the towre / and all tha [...] were within slayne / and the towre beaten downe. The french kyng sent his marshals to aduyse what way he myght a­proche to fyght with the englysshem [...] / so they went forthe and whan they had aduysed the passages and straytes / they retourned to the kyng and sayd / howe in nowyse he coude come to the englysshmen / without he wolde lese his people. So the mater rested all that day and nyght af­ter / the nexte day after masse the frenche kynge sende to the kynge of Englande / the lorde Gof­fray of Charney / the lorde Ewstace of Ryba­mount / Guy of Nele / and the lorde of Bea [...]ewe and as they rodde that stronge way / they sawe well it was harde to passe that way. They praysed moche the order that the erle of Derby kepte there at the bridge of Newlande / by the which [...] they passed / than they rode tyll they came to the kynge / who was well acompanyed with nobl [...] men aboute hym than̄e they fou [...]e lyghted and came to the kynge / and dyde their reuerence to hym / than the lorde Ewstace of Rybamont [...] sir the kynge my maister sendeth you worde by vs that he is come to the mount of Sangate to vs batayle with you but he canne fynde no way to come to you. Therfore sir he wol [...]e that y [...] shulde apoynt certayne of your counsayle / and in lykewise of his / and they bytwene theym to aduyse a place for the batayle. The kyng of Englande was redy aduysed to answere and sayd sirs I haue well vnderstande that ye des [...]re m [...] on the behalfe of myne aduersary / who kepe [...] wrongfully fro me myne herytage: wher [...]ore I am sor [...]e. Say vnto hym fro me if ye lyst [...] I am here and so haue bene nyghe an ho [...] and all this he knewe right well / he might [...] come hyther soner if he had wolde / but he hath suffred me to abyde [...]ere so long the which [...] ben gretly to my coste and charge / I [...]we co [...] ­de do somoche if I wolde to be sone lorde of [...]alays / wherfore I am natte determynedd [...] to fo­lowe his deuyse and [...]ase / nor to depart [...] whiche I am at the poynt to wynne / and that I haue so [...]ore desyred and derely bought ▪ wher­fore if he nor his men canne passe this way / lett [...] theym seke some other passage if they thynk [...] to come hyther. Than̄e these lordes departe [...] [...] were conueyed tyll they were paste Newlande bridge ▪ than they shewed the frenche kynge the kynge of Englan [...]es aunswere. In the [...] season whyle the frenche kynge studyed ho [...] to [...]ight with the kyng of Englande / the [...] ca [...] into his hoost two cardynalles from pope Cl [...] ­ment in legacion / who toke great pay [...]e to [...] bytwene these hoostes / and they procuredde so moche that the [...] was graunted a certayne tre [...] ­tie of acorde / and a respyte bytwene the two kynges / and their men beynge there at siege and in the felde all onely. And so the [...] were four lord [...] [Page] apoynted on eyther partie to counsell togyder / and to treat for a peace for the frēche kyng ther was the duke of Burgoyne / & the duke of Bur­bone / sir Loyes of Sauoy / and sir John̄ Hey­nalt. And for thenglysshe partie: therle of Der­by the erle of Northamton the lorde Reynolde Cobham / and the lorde Gaultyer of Manny. and the two cardynalles were meanes bytwene the parties. These lordes mette thre dayes and many deuyses put forthe / but none toke effect: and in the meane season the kyng of Englande alwayes fortifyed his host and felde and made dykes on the downes / that the frenchmen shuld nat sodenly come on thē. These thre dayes pas­sed without any agrement than the two cardy­nalles returned to saynt Dmers / and whan the frenche kynge sawe that he coude do nothynge / the next day he dysloged be tymes and toke his waye to Amyens / and gaue euery man leaue to depart. Whan̄e they within Calays sawe their kynge depart they made great sorowe: some of the englysshmen folowed the tayle of the french men: and wanne somers cartes / and caryages / horse / wyne and other thynges: and toke priso­ners / whom they brought into the hoost before Calays.

AFter that the frenche kyng was thus departed fro Sangate they within Ca­lays sawe well howe their so coure fayled thē / for the whi­che they were in gret sorowe Than they desyred somoche their captayn sir John̄ of Uyen / that he went to the walles of the towne / and made a sygne to speke with some person of the hoost. Whan the kyng harde therof / he sende thyder sir Gaultier of Many / and sir Basset: than sir John̄ of Uy­en sayd to them: sirs ye be right valy ant knyghtes in dedes of armes / and ye knowe well howe the kynge my maister hath sende me and other to this towne / and commaunded vs to kepe it to his behofe: in suche wyse that we take no bla­me nor to hym no dammage / and we haue done all that lyeth in oure power. Nowe our socours hath fayled vs / and we be so sore strayned that we haue nat to lyue withall / but that we muste all dye / or els e [...]rage for famyn: without the noble and gentyll kyng of yours woll take mercy on vs / the which to do we requyre you to desyre hym to haue pyte on vs / and to let vs go and de­part as we be / and lette hym take the towne and castell and all the goodes that be therin / y ^• whi­che is great habundaunce. Than sir Gaultyer of Manny sayde / [...] we knowe somwhat of the entencyon of the kynge our maister for he hath shewed it vnto vs / surely knowe for trouth it is nat his mynde that ye nor they within the tow­ne shulde departe so / for it is his wyll that ye all shulde put your selfes into his pure wyll to ran­some all suche as pleaseth hym / and to putte to dethe suche as he lyste / for they of Calays hath done hym suche cōtraryes and dispyghtes / and hathe caused hym to dyspende soo moche good / and loste many of his menne: that he is sore greued agaynst them / than the captaynesayde / sir this is to harde a mater to vs / we arhere with­in a small sorte of knyghtes and squyers / who hath trewely serued the kynge our maister / as well as ye serue yo ^rs. In lyk [...] case and we haue endured moche payne and vnease / but we shall yet endure asmoche payne as euer knyght [...] dyd rather thaune to consent that the worst ladde in the towne shulde haue any more yuell / than the grettest of vs all. Therfore sir we pray you that of your humylite / yet that ye woll go and speke to the kynge of Englande: and desyre hym to haue pytie of vs / for we truste in hym somoche gentylnesse / that by the gace of god his purpose shall chaung. Sir Gaultier of Manny and sir Basset retourned to the kynge / and declared to hym all that hadde ben sayde: the kynge sayde he wolde none otherwyse / but that they shulde yelde theym vp symply to his pleasure / than sir Gaultyersayde sir sauyng your dyspleasure in this: ye may be in the wronge / for ye shall gyue by this an yuell ensample / if ye sende any of vs your seruauntes into any fortresse we woll nat be very gladde to go / if ye putte any of theym in the towne to dethe after they be yelded / for in lyke wise they woll deale with vs / if the case fell lyke: the whiche wordes dyuerse other lordes that were there present sustayned and maynteyned. Than the kynge sayde / sirs I woll nat be alone agaynst you all / therfore sir Gaultyer of Manny ye shall goo and say to the capytayne / that all the grace that he shall fynde nowe in me is / that they lette sixe of the chiefe burgesses of [Page lxxii] the towne come out bare he [...]ed / bare foted and bare legged / and in their shertess with haulters about their neckess / with the [...] of the towne and castell in their handes / an [...] lette they in si [...]e yelde themselfe purely to my wyll / and the resy­dewe I wyll take to mercy. Than sir Gaultyer retourned and founde sir John̄ of Uyen [...]yll on the wall / abydinge for an answere: [...]hanne sir Gaultier shewed hym all the grace that he coul­de gette of the kynge / well [...] sir Johan: sir I requyre you tary here a certayne spacetyll I go in to the towne and shewe this to the commons of the towne / who sent me hyder. Than sir John̄ went vnto the market place and so wned the cō ­mon bell / than incontynent men and women as­sembled there / than the captayne mane reporte of all that he had done / and sayde sirs it wyll be none otherwyse therfore nowe take aduyse and make a shorte aunswere. Thanne all the people beganne to wepe and to make such sorowe that there was nat so hard a hert if they had sene thē / but that wolde haue had great pytie of theym: the captayne hym selfe wepte pyt [...]on [...]y. At last the moost riche burgesse of all the towne called Ewstace of saynt Peters / rose vp and sayde o­penly. Sirs great and small / great myschiefe it shulde be to suffre to dye suche people as be in this towne / other by famyn or otherwyse: whan there is a meane to saue theym / I thynke he or they shulde haue great merytte of our lorde god that myght kepe theym fro suche myschie [...]e: as for my parte I haue so good truste in our lorde god that if I dye in the quarell to saue the rest­dewe that god wolde pardone me. Wherfore to saue them I wyll be the first to putte my lyfe in teopardy: Whan he had thus sayde euery man worshypped hym / and dyuers kneled downe at his fete with sore wepyng and sore sighes. Thā another honest burgesse rose and say [...]e I wyll kepe company with my gossyppe Ewsface / he was called John̄ Dayre / than rose vp Jaques of Wyssant / who was riche in goodes and herytage: he sayd also that he wolde holde company with his two cosyns in likwyse / so [...]yd Peter of Wyssant his brother / and than̄e rose two other they sayde they wolde do the same: thanne they went and aparelled them as the kyng [...] besyred. Than the captayne went with them to the gate / ther was great lameutacyon made of men / women / and chyldren at their departyng: than the gate was opyned and he yssued out with the. vt burgesses and closed the gate agayne / so [...] they were bytwene the gate and the barriers. Than he sayd to sir Gaultier of Māny: sir I [...] here to you as captayne of Calays / by the hole consent of all the peple of the towne these six bu [...] gesses / and I swere to you truely that they be & were to day moost honourable / riche / and most notable burgesses of all y ^• towne of Calys wherfore gētyll knyght I requyre you / pray the kyng to haue mercy on theym that they dye nat / ꝙ sir Gaultier I can nat say what the kyng wyll do / but I shall do for them the best I can: than̄e the barryers were opyned the sixe burgesses went towardes the kyng and the captayne entred a­gayne into the towne. Whan sir Gaultier presē ­ted these burgesses to the kyng they kneled downe and helde vp their handes and sayd: gentyll kyng beholde here we sixe who were burgesses of Calays and great marchantes / we haue bro­ught to you the kayes of the towne and of the castell / and we submyt oure selfe clerely into your wyll and pleasure / to saue the resydue of the people of Calays / who haue suffred great payne. Sir we bescche your grace to haue mercy and pytie on vs through your hygh nobles: than all the erles & barownes / and other that were ther [...] wept for pytie. The kyng loked felly on theym / for greatly he hated the people of Calys: for the gre [...] damages and dyspleasures they had done hym on the see before. Than he cōmaūded their heedes to be stryken of / than euery man requy­red the kyng for mercy / but he wolde here no mā in that behalfe: than sir Gaultier of Māny said a noble kyng for goddessake refrayne your courage / ye haue the name of souerayn nobles therfore nowe do nat a thyng that shulde blemysshe your renome / nor to gyue cause to some to speke of you villany / euery man woll say it is a great cruelty to put to deth suche honest persons / who by their owne wylles putte themselfe into your grace to saue their cōpany. Than the kyng wryed away fro hym and cōmaunded to sende for y ^• hangman / and sayd they of Calys hath caused many of my mē to be slayne / wherfore these shalt dye in likewyse. Than the quene beynge great with chylde / kneled downe & sore wepyng sayd: a gētyll sir syth I passed the see in great parell I haue despred nothyng of you / therfore nowe I hūbly requyre you in y ^• honour of the son of the virgyn Mary and for the loue of me / y ^t ye woll take mercy of these sixe burgesses. The kyng be helde y ^• quene & stode styll in a study a space and thā sayd / a dame I wold ye had ben as nowe in sōe other place / ye make suche request to me y ^• I can nat [...]eny you: wherfore I gyue them to you to do your pleasure with theym / than the quene caused thē to be brought into her chambre / and [Page] made y ^e halters to be taken fro their neckes and caused them to be newe clothed and gaue them their dyner at their leser. And than she gaue ech of them sire nobles and made thē to be brought out of thoost in sauegard / & set at their lyberte.

THus the strong towne of Calays was gyuen vp to kyng Edwarde of England the yere of our lorde god. M CCC .xlvi. in the moneth of august / the kyng of Englād called to hym sir Gaultier of Manny and his two marshals / therle of War­wyke and therle of Stafforde and sayd to thē. Sirs take here the kayes of the towne and ca­stell of Calys / go and take possessyon there and putte in prison all the knyghtes that be there / & all other soudyours that came thyder symply to wynne their lyueng / cause theym to auoyde the towne. And also all other men / women and chyldren / for I wolde repeople agayne the towne w ^t pure englysshmen. So these thre lordes with a hundred with them went and toke possessyon of Calys / and dyd put in prison sir John̄ de Uien sir John̄ of Surrey / sir John̄ of Belborne and other: than they made all the soudyers to bring all their harnesse into a place apoynted / & layed it all on a hepe in the hall of Calys / thanne they made all maner of people to voyde & kept there no mo persons but a preest / and two other aun­cyent personages / suche as knewe the customes lawes / and ordynaunces of the towne / and to signe out the herytagꝭ howe they were deuyded than they prepared the castell to lodge the kyng and quene / and prepared other houses for y ^e kynges company. Than the kyng mounted on his horse and entred into the towne with trumpets tabours / nakquayres / and hormyes / and there the kyng lay tyll the quene was brought a bedd of a fayre lady named Margarete. The kynge gaue to sir Gaultier of Māny dyuers fayre houses within the towne / and to therle Stafforde / to the lorde of Bethene / to sit Bartylmewe of Bomes / and to other lordes to repeople agayn the towne / the kynges mynde was whan he cāe into Englande to sende out of London a .xxxvi. good burgesses to Calys to dwell there / and to do somoche that the towne myght be peopled w ^t pure englysshmen / the which entent the kynge fulfylled. Than y ^e newe towne and bastyd that was made without the towne was pulled dow­ne / and the castell that stode on the hauyn ras­shed downe / and the great tymbre and stones brought into the towne / than the kynge orday­ned men to kepe y ^e gates / walles / and barryers / and amēded all thynges within the towne / and sir John̄ de Uien and his cōpany were sent in­to Englande / and were halfe a yere at London than they were putte to raunsome: me thynke it was great pyte of the burgesses and other men of the towne of Calys / & women / and chyldren / whasie they were fayne to forsake their houses / herytages / and goodes / and to bere away no­thyng: and they had no restorement of the fren­che kyng for whose sake they lost all: the moost part of them went to saynt Omers. The cardy­nall Guy de Boloyne / who was come into Frā ­ce in legacyon and was with the frenche kynge his cosyn in the cytie of Amyense / he purchased somoche that a truse was taken bytwene y ^e kyn­ges of Englande and of Fraunce / their contres & herytages to endure two yeres. To this truse all ꝑties were agreed / but Bretayne was clere­ly excepte / for the two ladyes made styll warre one agaynst the other. Than the kyng of Eng­lande and the quene retourned into Englande / and the kyng made captayne of Calys sir Amery of Pauy a lumbarde borne / whom the kyng had greatly auaunced / than the kynge sende fro Lōdon .xxxvi. burgesses to Calays / who were ryche and sage / and their wyues and chyldren. and dayly encreased the nombre / for the kynge graunted there suche lyberties and franchysses that men were gladde to go and dwell there / the same tyme was brought to Lōdon sir Charles de Bloyes who called hymselfe duke of Breten / he was putte in Cortoyse prison in the towre of London with the kyng of Scottes and the erle Morette / but he had nat ben there longe but at the request of the quene of Englande / sir Char­les her cosyn germayne was receyuedde on his fayth and trouth / and rode all about London at his pleasure / but he might natly past one night out of London without it were with the kynge or with the quene. Also the same tyme ther was prisoner in Englande therle of Ewe and Guy­nes / a right gentyll knyght: and his dealynge was suche that he was welcome wher soeuer he came / and with the kyng and quene / lordes la­dyes / and damosels.

ALl this yere these two kynges helde well the trewse taken bytwene them: but sir Wyllm̄ Duglas and the scottes beyng in the forest of Ge­deours / made warre dayly on the englysshmen. Also su­che as were in Gascoyne / Poyctou / and Xayn­tone: aswell frenche as englysshe kept nothyng the trewse taken bytwene the two kynges / but conquered often tymes townes and castels one vpon the other byforce / by purchase / or by stelth nyght & day: and often tymes ther fell bytwene thē many fayre auētures / somtyme to the frenchmen / and somtyme to thenglysshmen / & alway­es the poore brigantes wanne in robyng of townes and castels. And some therby came riche: so that they were made capitayns of other brigantes / there were some well worthe .xl. thousande crownes / often tymes they wold spy wher was a good towne a dayes iourney or two fro them / than they wolde assemble .xx. or .xxx. of them to­gyder: and go by couert wayes day and nyght / and so entre into the towne vnknowen in y ^e mornynge / and sette fyre on some house. Than they of the towne wolde thynke that it was done by some men of warre / and so flye away out of the towne: and thanne these brigantes wolde breke vp cofers and houses / and robbe and take what they lyste: and slye away whan they had done. Among other there was a brigant in Langue­docke: he spyed the stronge castell of Couborne in Lymosyn / he rode in the nyght with .xxx. cō ­panyons and toke the castell by stell he / and the lorde of the same castell prisoner: who was cal­led Coubourne / and putte hym in prison in his owne castell. And there kept hym so longe: that at last they raunsomed hym at .xxiiii. thousande crownes / and they kept styll y ^e castell and made sore warr in the contrey. And after by fayre pro­myses the frenche kyng bought hym and his castell: and gaue hym. x [...]. thousand crownes / and made hym vssher of armes about him: and this Brigant Bacon was euer well horsed / ap [...] ­led / and armed lyke an erle. And so he contynu­ed as longe as he lyued.

IN lyke case there were brigantes in Bretayne / who made warre and wanne townes and castelles / and lyued by robery & helde of no man: for that they wanne thei kept to thēselfe / and solde to them of the countrey townes and castels derely. And among other there was one as a mayster called Croquart / who was before but a poore page attendyng on the lorde Dercle in Holland. Whan this Croquart began to waxe a man: his lorde gaue hym leaue to depart and go to the warres into Bretayne / and there he fyll in seruyce with a man of armes and bare hymselfe well / and at askirmysshe his maister was taken and slayne / thanne bycause of his prowes his felowes dyde chuse hym capitayne in stede of their mayster. And than he dyd gette somoche by wynnyng of townes and castelles / that he was estemed to be worthe .xl. thousand crownes besyde his horse: wherof he had a .xx. or .xxx. good coursers / and double horse: and he had the brute to be one of the moost expert men of armes in all that coun­tre. And he was chosen in a batayle to be one of the .xxx. of the englysshe partie: and he wan ther the price of all other / the frēche kyng made hym offers and promyse that if he wolde becōe fren­che to make hym a knyght / and to mary him rychely / and to gyue hym two thousande pounde of reuenewes yerely: but he wolde in nowyse cō sēt therto. And it fortuned hym on a day to ryde a yonge horse / the which he had bought for thre hundred crownes: and he spu [...]red hym soo sore that the horse ranne away with hym / and in romnyng fell in a dyke & brake his maysters necke / thus ended Croquart.

[Page] ALl this season in the towne of saynt Omers / was the lorde Geffray of Charney: & kept the fronters ther / vsing euery thynge touchynge the warre / as kyng. Than he be thought him howe that lum­bardes naturally be couetonse: wherfore he thought to assay to gette the towne of Calys / wher of Amery of Pauy lumbarde was capitayne / & by reasone of the trewse they of saynte Omers myght go to Calys / and they of Calys to saynt Omers: so that dayly that resorted toguyder to do their marchādyses. Than sir Geffray secretly fyll in treaty with sir Amery of Pauy: so that he promysed to delyuer into the frēchmens han­des the towne and castell of Calys for .xx. thou­sande crownes. This was nat done so secretely but that the kyng of Englande had knowledge therof: than the kyng send for Amery de Pauy to come into England to Westmynster to speke with hym / and so he came ouer: for he thought that the kyng had nat had knowledge of that mater / he thought he had done it so secretly. Whan the kyng sawe hym he toke hym apart (& sayd) thou knowest well I haue gyuen the in kepyng the thynge in this worlde y ^t I loue best next my wyfe & chyldren / that is to say the towne and ca­stell of Calys / and thou hast solde it to the frēch­men / wherfore thou haste well deserued to dye. Than the lumbard kneled downe (and sayd) a noble kyng I cry you mercy / it is trewe that ye say / but sir the bargayne may well be broken for as yet I haue receyued neuer a peny: the kyrge had loued well the lumbard (and sayd) Amery / I woll that thou go forwarde on thy bargayne and the day that thou apoyntest to delyuer the towne let me haue knowledge therof before / and on this condycion I forgyue the thy trespas / so thervpon the lumbard retourned agayne to Calays and kept this mater secrete. Than sir Gef­fray of Charney thought well to haue Calays: and assembled a certayne nombre secretly / a .v. hundred speares: ther were but a fewe y ^• knewe what he purposed. I thynke he neuer made the frenche kyng of knowledge therof: for if he had I trowe the kyng wolde nat a consented therto / bycause of the truse. This lumbard had apoynted to delyuer y ^e castell the first nyght of y ^e newe yere: the lumbarde sende worde therof by a bro­ther of his to the kyng of Englande.

WHan the kyng of England knewe the certayne day apoynted he departed out of England with thre. C. men of armes / and .vi. C. archers: & toke shyppyng at Do­uer / and in the euenynge arryued at Calays / so secretely that no man knewe therof / and went and layde his men in busshmentes in the cham­bers and towres within the castell. Than̄e the kyng sayde to sir Gaultyer of Manny: I woll that ye be chiefe of this enterprice / for I and my sonne the prince woll fyght vnder your baner. The lorde Geffray of Charney: the last day of Decembre at nyght departed fro Arras and all his company / and came nere to Calis about the hour of mydnight / and than taryed there aby­dynge for his company / and sende two squyers to the posterne gate of the castell of Calys. And there they founde sir Amery redy: than they de­maunded of hym if it were tyme that the lorde Geffray shulde come: and the lumbarde sayde yes. Than they retourned to their maister and shewed hym as the lumbard sayd / than he made his men passe Newlande bridge in good order of batayle: than he sende .xii. knyghtes with a hundred men of armes / to go and take possessi­on of the castell of Calays / for he thought well if he myght haue the castell / he shulde soone gette the towne: seyng he had so gode a nōbre of men with hym / and dayly might haue mo whan̄e he lyst. And he delyuered to the lorde Edwarde of Ren [...]y .xx. thousande crownes to pay the lum­barde / and sir Geffray houed styll in the feldes priuely with his baner before hym. His entent was to entre into the towne by y ^e gate orels nat / the lumbarde had lette downe the bridge of the posterne and suffred the hundred men of armes to entre peasably: and sir Edwarde delyuered at the postern .xx. thousand crownes in a bagge to the lumbarde / who sayde I trust here be all: for I haue no leaser now to tell them / for it wyll be anone day. Than he cast y ^e bagge with crownes into a coter: and sayde to the frenchemen / cōe on sirs ye shall entre into the dongyon / than shall you be sure to be lordes of the castell / they went thyder and he drewe apart the barre: and [Page lxxiiii] the gate opyned. Within this towre was y ^e king of England with two hundred speares: who ys­sued out with their swerdes & ares in their han­des / cryeng Manny Māny to the rescue / what weneth the frenchmen with so fewe men to wyn the castell of Calays: than the frenchmen sawe well that defence coude nat auayle theym / than they yelded thēselfe prisoners / so that ther were but a fewe hurt: than they were put into y ^• same towre in prison. And thengly sshmen yssued out of the castell into the towne & mounted on their horses / for they had all the frenche prisoners horses / than tharchers rode to Bolayne gate wher sir Geffray was with his banner before hym / of goules / thre skuchens of syluer / he had great desyre to be the first shulde entre into the towne / he sayd to the knyghtes that were about him / with out this lumbarde opyn the gate shortely we ar lyke to dye here for colde. In the name of god (ser) sayd Pepy de Werre: lumbardes ar malycious people and subtyll / he is nowe lokynge on your crownes to se if they be all good or nat / and to reken if he haue his hole somme or no. There / with the kynge of Englande and the prince his sonne was redy at the gate vnder the bauer of (ser) Gaultier of Manny: with dyuers other baners as the erle Stafforde / the erle of Suffolke / the lorde John̄ Montagu brother to therle of Sa­lysbury / the lorde Beachame / the lorde Be [...]le / and the lorde Dalawarre: all these were lordes and had baners / there were no mo in that iour­ney. Than the great gate was set open and they all yssued out: whan̄e the frenchmen sawe them yssue and herde them cry Manny to the rescue / they knewe well they were betrayed / than (ser) Geffray sayd to his company (sirs if we slye) we are clene lost / yet wer we better to fight with a gode hert in truste the iourney shall be ours. The en­glysshmen herd these wordes (& sayd) by saynt George ye say trewely: shame haue he that sly­eth / the frenchmen a lighted a fote and put their horses fro them / and ordred themself in batayle. Whan the kyng sawe that he stode styll (& sayd) let vs order our selfe to fight: for our ennemyes woll abyde vs / the kyng sende part of his com­pany to Newland bridge / for he herde say ther were a great nombre of frenchmen. Than thy­der went a sixe baners / & thre hundred archers: and there they founde the lorde Monau of Fre­nes / and the lorde of Creques kepyng y ^e bridge and bytwene the bridge and Calays ther were many crosbowes of saynt Omers and Ayre: so there was a sore fray / and slayne and drowned mo than sixe hundred frenchmen / for they were soone discomfytted and chased into the water. This was erly in the mornyng but in cōtynent it was day: the frenchmen kept their grounde a whyle and many feates of armes there done on bothe partes / but the englysshmen euer encrea­sed by commyng out of Calays / and the french­men abated. Than the frēchmen sawe well they coulde nat longe kepe the bridge: than suche as had their horses by them mounted and shewed their horses heles / and thenglysshmen after thē in chase: there was many a man ouerthrowen / they that were well horsed saued themselfe / as y ^e lorde Frenes / y ^e lorde Creques / the lorde of Sē py / the lorde of Louchinleych / and the lorde of Namure / many were taken by their owne out­rage that might haue bensaued if they had lyst / Whan̄e it was fayre day that euery man myght knowe other: than some of the french knyghtes and squyers assēbled togyder agayne / and tur­ned and fought feersly with the englysshmen / so that ther were some of the frenchmen that toke good prisoners / wherby they had bothe honour and profet. ¶ Nowe let vs speke of the kyng / who was ther vnknowen of his ennemyes / vn­der the banner of sir Gaultyer of Manny / and was a fote among his men to seke his enemyes / who stode close togyder with their speares a .v. fore long. At the first meatyng there was a sore rencountre: and the kyng light on the lorde Eu­stace of Rybemount / who was a stronge and a hardy knight: there was a long fyght bytwene hym and the king that it was ioy to beholde thē at last they were put a sondre / for a great company of bothe parties came the same way & fought there feersly togyder. The frenchmen dyd ther right valyantly / but specially the lorde Eustace of Ribamont who strake the kyng the same day two tymes on his knees / but finally the kynge hymself toke him prisoner / and so he yelded his swerde to y ^e kyng (and sayd) sir knyght I yelde me as your prisoner: he knewe nat as than that it was the kyng. And so the iourney was for the kyng of England: and all that were ther with (ser) Geffray slayne or taken / ther was slayne (ser) Hē ­ry of Boys / and sir Pepyn de la warre / and sir Geffray taken. Thꝰ this iourney was achyued by Calis / y ^e yere of our lorde. M. CCC .lviii. y ^e last day of Decēbre towarde the next mornyng.

[Page] WHan this batayle was done the kyng returned agayne to the castell of Calays & caused all the prisoners to be brought thyder. Than y ^e frē ­chmen knewe well y ^t the kyn­ge had ben there personally hy [...] vnder the baner of sir Gaultier of Mā ny: the kynge sayd he wolde gyue them all that [...]ght a supper in the castell of Calys / the hour of supper cāe and tables couerd. And the kyng and his knyghtes were ther redy euery man in newe a [...]arell / and the frenchmen also were ther and made good chere thoughe they were priso­ners. The kyng satte downe and the lordes and knygh [...]s about hym right honorably / y ^• prince lordes and knyghtes / of Englande serued the kynge at the first messe: and at the seconde they satte downe at an other table they were all well serued and at great leaser. Than̄e whan supper was done and the tables take away: the kynge taryed styll in the hall with his knyghtes & with the frenchmen and he was bare heeded sauyng a chapelet of fyne perles y ^• he ware on his [...]eed. Than the kynge went fro one to another of the frenchmen: and whan he came to sir Geffray of Charney / a lytell he changed his countenance & loked on hym (and sayd) sir Geffray by reason I shulde loue you butte a lytell / wha [...] ye wolde steale by night fro me that thynge which I haue so der [...]ly bought and hath cost me somoch gode I am right [...]oyouse and gladde that I haue ta­ken you with the proffe. ye wolde haue a better markette than I haue had: whan ye thought to haue Calys for .xx. thousande crownes but god hath holpen me / and ye haue fayled of your purpose: and therwith the kyng went fro hym and he gaue neuer a worde to answere. Than y ^• kynge cāe to sir Eustace of Rybamont and ioyous­ly to hym he sayd: sir Eustace ye are the knyght in the worlde that I haue sene moost valyant assayle his ennemyes and defende hymself / nor I neuer founde knyght y ^• euer gaue me somoche a do body to body as ye haue done this day wherfore I gyue you the price aboue all the knightes of my court by right sentēce: than the kyng toke the chapelet y ^t was vpon his heed / beyng bothe fayre goodly / and tyche (and sayd) sir Eustace I gyue you this chapelet for the best doar in at­ [...]es in this journey past of eyther party: and I desyre you to bere it this yere for the loue of me. I knowe well ye be fresshe and amorouse: and often tymes be among ladyes and damoselles / say wher soeuer ye come that I dyd gyue it you and I quyte you your prison and ransome / and ye shall depart tomorowe if it please you. The same yere a thousande thre hundred .xlix. kynge Philyppe of Fraunce wedded his seconde [...]yfe the wednisday / the .xxix. day of January: dame Blanche doughter to kynge Philyppe of Na­uerre (who dyed in Spayne) she was of y ^e age of eyghtene yere or there about. Also the nyne­tene day of February next after in y ^• begynning of lent: the duke of Normandy the kyngꝭ eldest sonne wedded his seconde wyfe at saynt Gene­uese / nere to saynt Germayne in Lay Jane coū ­tesse of Bolayne / somtyme wyfe to y ^e lorde Phylyppe sonne to the duke Eudos of Burgoyne: y ^• which lorde Philyppe dyed before Aguyllone a thre yere before that. She was doughter of the erle Wyllyam of Bolayne / and of the doughter of L [...]yes erle of Eureur: this lady helde in her handes the duchy of Burgoyne / and the coun­tesse of Arthoyes / Bolayne / Auuergne / and dy­uerse other landes.

IN the yere of our lorde god. M. CCC .l. at the be­ginyng of August / sir Raoll of Caours & dyuerse other knyghtꝭ and squyers to the nombre of sixscore men of armes / fought before a castell called Auleon: within a capitayne of the kynge of Englandes in Bretayne called sir Thomas Dāgorne. And the same sir Thom̄s ther [...]ayn and to the nombre of a. C. men of armes with hym: the same yere the .xxii. day of August king Philypp̄ dyed at Nogeunt / and was caryed to our ladyes church in Parys. And the thursday after he was buryed at saynt Denyse on the lyft hande of the hygh auter / and his bowelles were buryed at the Jacopyns in Parys / and his hert at Bourfontayne in Ualoys. The .xxvi. day of Septembre next ensuynge on a sonday was sa­cred and crowned at Reyns kynge John̄ eldest son to kyng Philyp: and the same day the quene also was crowned: and ther the king made cer­tayne knyghtes his eldest son dolphyn of Uyen & Loys his seconde son erle of Alanson / the erle of Stāpes / the lorde Joh [...] of Arthoys / y ^• duke [Page lxxv] Philypp̄ of Orlyaunce brother to the kyng / the duke of Burgoyne son to the quene by her [...] husbande / the lorde Philyp of Burgoyn / therle Dāmartyn / and dyuers other. And the [...]ōday after the kyng departed and went to Parys by Laon / Soyssons / and Se [...]lys / and the kynge and quene entred into Parys in great tryūphe the .xvii. day of Octobre / and there kept a great feest the hole weke / and the kyng [...]aryed thet at Neele and at his palys / tyll it was saynt Mar­tyns tyde: and there made ordynaunce for his ꝑlyament. The tuesday the .xvi. day of Nouēbre Raffe erle of Ewe and of Guynes constable of France / who was newly come out of prison in England was taken in y ^• kyngꝭ house at Neele in Parys / wher the kyng was / by the prouost of Parys at the kynges cōmaundemēt / and in the sāe house he was put in prison tyll the thursday after / & about the hour of matyns the same day he was beheeded in prison / in the presence of the duke of Burbon / the erle Armynake / the erle of Monford / the lorde John̄ of Bolayne / therle of Renell / and dyuers other knyghtes who were there present by the cōmaundement of the kyng who was at his palays. This cōstable was be­heeded for high treasons: the which he cōfessed to the duke of Athenes / and to dyuers other: he was buryed in y ^e augusty [...]s in Parys without the walles of the church by the apoyntment of y ^• kyng / for honour of the frendes of the sayd con­stable. In the moneth of January [...]olowynge Charles of Spayne to whom the kyng had gyuen the countie of Angolen / was than made cō ­stable of France. The first day of Aprill next af­ter / the lorde Guy of Neell marshall of Fraunce fought in [...]ayntou with dyuers englysshmen [...] gascoyns / and the sayde marshall and his men were there dysconfited & the marshall taken pri­soner / and the lorde Wy [...] his brother / y ^• lorde Arnolde Dandrehen & dyuers other. On good friday the .x. day of Aprill / the yere of our lorde M. CCC .li. was presented a reed hatte to Gyles Rygalt of Roussy / who was abbot of saynt Denyce / and was made cardynall in the palais of Parys / in the presence of the kyng by the bysshoppe of Laon & Parys / by authorite of a bull fro the pope / the which hadde na [...] be acustomed ther before. In seprēbre after the frenchmen re­couered the towne of saynt John̄ Dangle / the which thēglysshmen had kept [...]yue yere / it was delyuerd vp by thēglysshmen / bycause they had nothyng to lyue by / wout any ma [...]e [...] of batayle in the moneth of Octobre was publy [...]hed y ^• fraternyte of the noble house of saynt Ouen [...]e [...] to Paris / & all suche as were bretherne ther bare a starre on his bonet and on his mantell before. This yere was the grettest darth that any man than lyueng coude remēbre throughout all france / for a ceptyer of whete was worthe at Parys viii .li. parisie [...] ▪ and a septier of otes at .lx. s. of parys / for a busshell of pees .viii. s. & other gre­nes there after. In the same moneth of Octobre the same day that the fraternyte of saynt Owen was celebrate / thenglysshmen toke the towne of Guynes for all the truse: the same yer ther was a maryage made bytwene the constable of france▪ and the doughter of sir Charles [...]e Bloys.

IN the yere of our lorde M. CCC .lii. in the vygill of our lady in the myddes of august / the lord Guy of Neell lorde of O [...]femōt as than marshall of France / in Bre­tayne was slayne in bataile the lorde of Briquebeke / the Cathelayne of Be­au wayes / & dyuers other nobles / aswell of Bretayne as of other marches of France. The .iiii. day of Septēbre shulde a fought in Parys the duke of Bo [...]sme / agayne the duke of Lancastre for certayne wordes that he shulde say of y ^e duke of Boesme / the which duke apealed hym in the court of Frāce. These two dukes came into the felde all armed in a lystes made for y ^• sayd duke of Almayne chalenger / and for the duke of Englande defender. And though thēglysshmen wer enemys to the french kyng / and that thenglyssh duke came thyder vnder saue cōduct to fight [...] the defence of his honour / yet the frenche kynge wold nat suffre them to fight: for assone as they had made their othes in such case requysite and were on their horses redy with their speares in their handes. Than the kyng toke on hym y ^• mater / and dyd set them in acorde and gremēt: the vi. day of Decēbre folowyng pope Clement the vi. dyed at Auygnon / the .xi. yere of his pōti [...]ic [...] te / and the .xi. day of the same moneth about the hour of thre was chosen pope / a cardynall of Lymosyn / called by his tytle y ^• cardynall of Ostre / but bycause he was bysshoppe of Cleremont he was called most cōmonly y ^• cardynall of Clere­mont / and whan he was chosen pope he was n [...] [Page] med Innocēt / his owne proper name was Stephyn [...]ubert / y ^• yere of our lorde. M .iii. C .liii. the .viii. day of January / anone after y ^• brekynge of the day in the mornyng / the kyng Charles of Nauer erle of Eureur caused to be slayne in the towne of the Egle in Normādy in an hostre / the lorde Charles of Spayne constable of Frā ­ce in his bedde / by certayne men of armes that he sent to do that dede and hymselfe abode with out the towne tyll they had done and retourned agayne to hym. And as it was sayde with hym was the lorde Philypp̄ of Nauer his brother / & the lorde Lovs of Harcourt / the lorde Godfray of Hat court his vncle and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers aswell of Normandy as of Nauer. Than the kynge of Nauer and his cōpany went to the cyte of Deureur wherof he was erle and fortifyed the towne / and with hym also ther was the lorde of Maule / John̄ Maler lorde of Grauyll / the lorde of [...]morie / of Mulent / and dyuers other nobles of Normandy. And than̄e the kyng of Nauer went to the towne of Mant and he had sent dyuers letters into diuers gode townes of France: howe that he had put to deth the constable for dyuers great trespaces by him cōmytted / and he sent the erle of Namure to the french kyng to Parys to excuse hym. Than the kynge sende to Mant the cardynall of Bolayne the bysshoppe of Laon / the duke of Burbon / the erle of Uaudone & other / to treat with the kyng of Nauerr / for though he had caused to dye the cōstable of France / yet he thought he shulde nat clene lese the fauour of the frenche kyng / whose doughter he had maryed: therfore he made re­quest of pardon to the kyng. It was thought in the realme of Fraunce that great warre shulde ense we bytwene these two kynges / for the kyng of Nauer had made great assembles of men of warre in dyuers regions / and fortifyed his townes & castles: finally there was agrement made bytwene these two kynges vpon certayne cōdy­cions wherof part solo weth herafter. That is to say: the french kyng shall delyuer to the kyng of Nauer .xxxviii. M. [...]i. tornois of lande / aswell for certeyn rent that the kyng of Nauer had out yerely of the tresur in Pares as vpon other lā ­des that the frenche kyng ought to assigne hym by certeyne treat [...] graūted long before bytwene their predecesso's / bycause of the countie of Chā payne. And also for the maryage of the kynge of Nauer: for maryeng of the kyng [...] doughter / at which maryage he was promysed great landes / that is to say .xii. M. [...]i. of land: also the kyng of Nauer wolde haue the coūtie of Beamōt le Roger / the land of Bretuell in Normādy / Conches and Dorbec / the vycoūt of Pōtheu by the see / & the bayllage of Cōstantyne: the which thynges were agreed vnto by the french kyng. Howbeit the coūtie of Beamont / & the landes of Conches Bertuell / & Dorbec: parteyned to the lorde Philyp duke of Orleāce brother to the french kyng / who gaue hym other lādes in recōpence therof. Also it was agreed that the lordes of Harcourt and all his other alyes shuld holde of him for all their landes whersoeuer they were in France if they lyst orels nat: also it was agreed y ^• he shuld holde styll all the sayd landes besyde thē that he helde before in parie / and if he lyst to kepe his es cheker two tymes in the yere / as nobly as euer dyd any duke of Normādy: also the french kyn­ge to ꝑdon the deth of the cōstable / and all suche as were cōsentyng therto: and to ꝓmyse by his oth neuer to do any hurt or dāmage to any ꝑson for that occasion. And also the kyng of Nauerr to haue a great som̄e of money of y ^• french kyng and ar the kyng of Nauer wolde cōe to Parys: he wolde haue in hostage the erle of Aniowe / se­conde son to the kyng. Than he came to Pares with a great nōbre of men of armes: and the. iiii day of march / he came into the ꝑlyament chābre wher the kyng satte & dyuers of the peres of the realme with him and his counsell: ther was the cardynall of Bolayne / ther the kyng of Nauer desyred the french kyng to ꝑdon hym the deth of the cōstable of France / sayeng how he had gode cause so to do / the which he offred ther to proue or els to be at the kynges pleasure. And also he sayd and sware that he dyd it nat for no grudge to the kyng / nor in dispyte of his offyce: sayeng also howe ther was nothyng so greuous to him as to be in the dyspleasur with the kyng. Than the lorde Jaques of Burbone as than constable by the kynges cōmaundement / sette his handes on the kynge of Nauer / and caused hym to go a backe out of the kyng [...] pres [...]ns: thā quene Jane and quene Blanche / suster to the kynge of Na­uer / the which Jane had ben wyfe to kyng Philyppe last deed: came to the frenche kyng & kne­led downe / and the lorde Reynold Detrey with them (and he sayd) my right redouted soueray­gne lorde: beholde here these two ladyes & que­nes Jane and Blanche. Sir they vnderstande howe the kyng of Nauer is in your dyspleasur / whereof they be sorie: and requyre you to for­gyue hym your yuell wyll / and by the grace of god he shall so bere hymselfe frohens forwarde / that you and all the people of France shalbe ple­ased with hym / than the constable and the mar­shalles [Page lxxvi] went agayne for the king of Nauer / and so brought hym into the kynges presence / and ther he stode bytwene the two quenes. Than y ^e cardynall sayd sir kyng of Nauer: the kyng my maister is nat well cōtent with you for the dede that ye haue done / it nede nat to be rehersed / for ye haue publysshed it yourselfe by youre owne writyng / so that euery man doth knowe it ye ar so bounde to the kyng that ye ought nat thus to haue done. ye be of his blode so nere as euery man knoweth that ye ought to holde of hym / & also ye haue wedded his doughter / where fore your trespasse is the greatter: Howe beit at the instaunce and loue of these ladyes the quenes / who hath effectuously requyred for you: and also the kyng thynketh that ye dyde it w ^tout great aduysement / and by small counsayle / therfore y ^e kyng pardoneth you with good hert and wyll. Than the two quenes and the kynge of Nauer kneled downe and thanked the kynge / than the cardynall sayd agayne: let euery man fro hens­forthe beware though he be of the kynges lyna­ge to do any suche lyke dede / for surely though he be the kynges sonne / if he do any suche to the leest offycer parteyning to the kyng / he shall a­byde the iustyce of the realme in that case: than the court brake vp / and so euery man departed. The .xxi. day of Marche / a knyght baneret of the lowe marchesse called sir Reynolde of Pre­signy lorde of Maraunt besyde Rochell / was drawen and hanged on the gybette / by iudge­ment of the parlyament / and by the kynges coū sayle / the yere of our lorde god. M. CCC .liiii. in the moneth of August. The erle of Harcourt and sir Loyes his brother / counsayled with the frenche kyng▪ and as it was sayde / they shewed the kyng all the mater of the dethe of the consta­ble / and in Septēbre the cardynall of Bolayne went to Auygnon / some sayd the kyng was dyspleased with hym. Howe be it the space of a yere that he had ben in France he was as preuy with the kynge as any other. The same season there went out of the realme of France / the lorde Ro­bert de Lorris chāberlayne with the kyng / and if the kyng had takyn hym in his yre / some tho­ught it shulde haue cost hym his lyfe: bycause it was noysed that he had shewed to the kynge of Nauerre certayne secretes of the frenche kyng: in like wyse as the lordes of Harecourt had she­wed the kyng of Nauers secretes to the frenche kyng. In the moneth of Nouembre the kyng of Nauer went out of Normandy without know­ledge of the french kyng / and sported hym in dyuers places tyll he came to Auygnon ▪ and in the same moneth the archebysshop of Rowan chan­celer of Fraunce / the duke of Burbone / and dy­uers other englysshe lordes wente to Auygnon to the pope to treat for a peace bytwene the kyn­ges of England and of France. And also y ^e same moneth the frenche kyng went into Normandy to Cane / and toke in his handes all the landes of the kynge of Nauers / and set in his offycers in euery towne and castell / except sixe: that is to say Eareur / Pontheu / Chirburge / Gaurey / Auranges / and Mortaygne / these wolde nat yelde vp / for ther were naueroys within theym (that answered and sayd) they wolde nat delyuer vp their townes & castels: but all onely to the kyng of Nauer their lorde: who had sette them there. In the moneth of January by saue conduct cāe the lorde Robert de Lorris to the frenche kyng: and was a .xv. dayes at Parys or he coude spe­ke with the kyng / and whan he had spoken with hym yet he was nat reconsyled at the full / but returned agayne into Auygnon by the ordynance of the kynges counsell / to be as one of them that were ther for the treaty bytwene Englande and France. In the ende of February tidynges cāe howe trewse was taken bytwene the sayde two kynges to endure to the feest▪ of saynt John̄ Baptyst: and in the mean tyme the pope to do what he myght to make a further peace. And therfore he sende messangers to bothe kynges / that they shulde sende further authorite by their embassadours / to conclude on an other maner of peace. The same moneth the frenche kyng made newe money of fyne golde: called florence of y ^e lambe / for in the pyell there was grauyn a lambe .lii. of theym went to a marke weyght / and after they were made the kynge made .xlviii. to goo for a marke weyght and the course of all other florēs was prohibyted. The same moneth sir Grāchet be Lore came to Parys to speke with the kynge as messanger fro the kyng of Nauer: and he re­tourned agayne in February / & bare with hym a letter of saue cōduct to the kyng of Nauer / the same yere about lent came dyuers englysshmen nere to y ^e towne of Nauntꝭ in Bretayne / and entred into the castell by scalyng a .lii. but sir Guy of Rochfort who was captayn & was as than in the towne / he dyd somoche with assaut that the same nyght he wanne the castell agayne / and all thenglysshmen taken and slayne. At Easter the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .lv. kyng Johan of France sent into Normādy his eldest son Char­les dolphyn of Uienoys to be his lieutenāt ther and there he taryed all that somer / and the men of the contre graūted hym .iii. M. mē of armes [Page] tor thre mouethes. Also in the moneth of august the kyng of Nauer / came out of Nauer to the castell of Chierburge in Constantyne / and with hym a .x. M. men of warr one and other. Ther were dyuers treates cōmuned of / bytwene the kyng of Nauer and the frenche kyng / but suche as were in the castell of Eurur and Pontheau / robbed & pylled the countre all about. And some of them came to the castell of Couches / the whi­che was as than in the french handes / and wan it and newe fortifyed it / many thynges dyde the nauereys agaynst the frenchmen / finally the .ii. kynges were agreed. Than the kyng of Nauer went to the castell of Uernell to the dolphyne / & he brought the kyng of Nauer to Parys / and y ^• xxiiii. day of Septēbre the kyng of Nauer and the dolphyn came to the frenche kyng to the ca­stell of Lour. Than the kyng of Nauerr made his reuerence and excused hymselfe honorably / in that he departed out of the realme of France / and also he sayd it was shewed hym how y ^• kyn­ge shulde nat be well content with hym. Than y ^• frenche kynge desyred hym to shewe what they were that had made that report / than he answe­red that syth the deth of the cōstable / he had don nothyng agaynst the french kyng / but as a true man ought to haue done. Howe beit he desyred the french kyng to pardon euery thyng / promy­synge to be true as he ought to be to his father & chiefe lorde / than̄e the duke of Athenes sayde in kynges behalfe the kynge doth pardon hym all thynges with a good hert.

ALso in the yere of oure lorde. M. CCC .lv. in y ^• moneth of Octobre: the prince of Wales eldest son to the kyng of England went into Gas­coyne and went nere to Tholouz and so paste the ryuer of Garon & went into Cracassone and brent the borowe but the cytie was well defended. And fro thens he went to Narbon brēnyng and exilynge the contrey / and in the moneth of Nouembre he retourned to Burdeur with great pyllage and many prisoners / for no man resysted hym. And yet in the contrey was therle of Armynake lieu­tenant to the french kyng in Langnedocke / and also the lorde of Foitz / the lorde Janques of Burbon / the lorde of Pontheu / the cōstable of Fran­ce / and the lorde John̄ of Cleremont marshall of Fraunce / and a farre gretter company than the prince had: the same yere in the ende of Octobre the kyng of England cāe to Calys / and he rode with a great hoost to Hedyn / & brake the parke ther and brent the house within & about the ꝑke / but he entred nat into the town nor castell. And the frenche kyng who had made his assemble at the cytie of Amyens / heryng of the kyng of En­glande rode towarde hym / but the kyng of En­gland was returnyng to Calys / and the french kyng folowed hym tyll he came to saynt Omers And than he send his marshall Dauthayne & dyuers other to the kyng of England / offeryng to fight body to body or power to pouer / what day soeuer he wold apoynt: but y ^• kyng of England refused that batayle / & so retourned agayn into England / and the frenche kyng to Parys. The same yere about the feest of saynt Andrue: there was assembled at Pares by the kynges cōmaū ­ment / the prelates of France / the barownes and the counsayls of the good townes. And ther the chanceler of France in the ꝑlyament chambre resyted the state of the warres of France / desyring them thervpon to take aduyce what ayd might be gyuen to the kyng to mentayne & defende the sayd warres: and also he sayde it is come to the kynges knowledge / howe that his subgettes ar sore greued by reason of the mutacyon of y ^• mo­neys. Therfore the kyng offereth to make gode money & durable: so y ^• they wolde graunt hym sufficient ayde to mētayne his warres / they an­swered that is to say: the clergy by the mouth of the archbysshop of Reyns / the nobles by y ^• duke of Athenes / and the good townes by the mouth of Stephyn Martell prouost of the marchantꝭ of Parys. All they sayde they were redy to lyue and dye with the kynge: & put their bodyes and goodes into his seruyce / requyring to haue deliberacyon to speke togyder / the which was graū ted thē. The same yere the vigyll of the cōcepci­on of our lady: the kyng gaue the duchy of Normandy to Charles dolphyn of Uienoys his el­dest son / and the next day he made his homage. After the delyberacyon taken by the thre estates they answered to the kyng in the ꝑlyament chā ­bre by the mouthes of the sayde thre ꝑsons howe they wolde fynde hym for one yer. xxx. M. men at their costꝭ & charge / the fināce to pay the wagꝭ of so many men of warre was estemed to .l. M. [...]. parisien̄ / & the thre estatꝭ ordenid this som̄e to be leuyed of euery ꝑson & of euery estate mē of y ^• [Page lxxvii] nobles / and other euery man .viii. [...]. [...] of euery pounde: and that the gabell of salt shulde ron through the realme / but bycause they were nat in certayne of this inposicyon ▪ [...]abell shuld suffyce. Therfore it was ordayned that the thre states shulde retourne agayne to Parys to se & knowe if this inposicyon w [...]lde serue or no (the first day of March) at the which day thyder a­gayne they came all: except certayne of y ^• great townes of Picardy and Normandy / and some nobles of the same such as were at the inposici­on makyng came thyder / & they founde that the first graunt wolde nat suffyce to reys [...] the sayde some. Wherfore they ordayned a newe subse [...]y: that is to say / that euery person of the blode royall or otherwyse: clerke / lay / relygious / or rely­gions / except and nat except / householders / cu­rates of churches / hauyng rentes or reuenewes offices / or admnystracyon / women / wydowes / chyldren maryed or natte maryed hauyng any thynge of their owne / or in any others kepynge none age or admynistracion. And all other of e­uery estate authorite / or priuylege: that they a [...] thā vsed or haue vsed in tyme past / if it be. C. [...]. of reuenues or vnder / if it befor terme of lyse in herytage / in plege / or by meanes of office / or pē ­cion duryng lyfe or at wyll shall pay to hiss ayde & subsidy of euery .iiii. [...] .xl. souces. And of .x. [...]. of reuenues or aboue .xx. souces / labourers and workemen lyueng by their labour / shall pay .x. souces: seruantes prentyses lyueng by their seruyces takyng. C. s. by yere or more shall in likewyse pay .x. s. taking these moneys after y ^• rate of Parys money in that countre / and at Cour­ney for the money currant in that partes. And if seruantes haue nat by yere / but. C. ss. [...]: they shall pay nothing wourthey haue goodꝭ after the rate / than shall they pay as other do. and also beggers / monkes / and cloystereus without offyce or admynistracyon / nor chyldren beynge in warde / vnder the age of .xv. yere hauyng nothyng in their handes / nor noones hauynge no reuenewes aboue .x. [...]. shall pay nothynge: nor also women maryed / because their husbandes payeth: for the value of their husbandess shalbe rekened aswell for that they haue by their wifes as of their owne. And as for clerkess and men of the church / prelat [...] / abbottes / pr [...]ours / chanons / curates / and other as is beforesayde: if they be worthe aboue. C. [...]. in reuenewes by yere in be­nefic [...] of the church or patrimony / or y ^• one with the other / to the som̄e of .v. M. [...]. they shall pay iiii. [...]. for the first. C. [...]. and for euery, C. [...]. af­ter tyll ye come to the som̄e of .v. M. [...] .xl. ss. nor they shall pay nothyng for that they may spe [...]e aboue .v. M. [...]. nor for their moua [...]l [...]: [...] value of their benefyces shalbe estemed after the rate of their dymes / whan that is pay [...] [...] out any excepcion or priuyledge. And as for no­ble men & men of y ^• good townes that may sp [...] ­de aboue the som̄e of. C. [...]. in reuenewes [...] pay tyll they come to the som̄e of .v. M. [...]. for e­uery. C .xl. s. besyde .iiii. [...]. of y ^• first. C. [...]. A [...]d the men of the gode townes insemblable maner tyll they come to. M. [...]. of reuenues: and as for the mouables of the noble men that haue na [...] C. [...]. of reuenewes / their mouables shalbe estemed and rekenyd to the value of. M. [...]. & no farther. And other men that haue nat .iiii. C. [...]. of reue­newes: their good [...] shalbe rekenyd tyll they [...] to .iiii. M. [...]. y ^t is to say. C. [...]. of mouables [...] x. [...]. of reuenues / and after that rate to nay. And if a noble man haue nat in reuenues but all one­ly. C. [...]. and in mouables nat past. M. [...]. or that a noble man hath nat in reuenues nat past. [...]. C. [...]. nor in mouables past .iiii. M. and it [...] part in mouables and part in reuenewes / they must be estemyd togyder to the som̄e of. M. [...]. for the noble men: & to .iiii. M. [...]. to other and nat aboue. The saturday the fyft day of marche the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .lvi. there rose a discēyon / bytwene the cōmons of the towne of Arras and the great men of the same / and the cō mons slewe y ^• same day mo than .xvii. of y ^• chefe ꝑsonages of the towne / and on the monday af­ter they slewe other four / and banisshed dyuers that were nat as than in towne / and so the cō mons was as than chefe maisters in y ^• towne.

ALso the iuesday the .v. day of Aprill / about the myddes of lent / the frenche kyng deꝑted before day fro Meneuell in harnes accōpanyed w ^t a. CC. speares: amonge the which was therle of Aniowe his sonne / and the duke of Orleance his brother the lorde John de Arthoyserle of Ewe / y ^• lorde Charles his brother / cosyn germayn to y ^• kyng the erle of Tankernyll / sir Arnolde Dādrehen than marshall of Fraunce: and dyuers other to the nombre abouesayd. The kyng and they cāe [Page] streyght to the castell of Rowan by the posterne and came nat in the towne. And there he founde in the hall at dyner with his sonne the dolphyne Charles the kyng of Nauerr / and John̄ erle of Harcourt / and the lordes of Preaux / Grauyll / Clere / and dyuers other. Ther the french kyng caused the kyng of Nauer to be taken / therle of Harcourt the lordes of Preaux / of Clere / sir Loys and sir Wylliam of Harcourt / bretherne to y ^• erle: the lorde Frequent of Fryquant / the lorde of Tournbeu / the lorde Maubeu of Mames­ners and two squyers Olyuer Doubles / & Jo­han Uaubatou / and dyuers other. The kynge put them in prison in dyuerse chambers within the same castell: bycause that syth the newe recō ­sy [...]acion made for the deth of the lorde Charles late constable of Fraunce / the kyng of Nauerre had ymagined and treated dyuers thynges / to the damage and dyshonour of the frenche kyng and of his realme. And therle of Harcourt had spoken iniuryous wordes agaynst the kyng in the castell of Ruell / where the assemble was to conclude for the ayde to be gyuen to the kynge: in lettyng to his power the same ayd to be graū ted. Than the frenche kyng dyned there: and after toke his horse and rodde out into a telde be­hynde the castell called the felde of pardon / and thyder in two cartꝭ was brought therle of Har­court / the lorde Grauylle / the lorde Maubeu / and Olyuer Doubles: and there all their heedꝭ were stryken of / and after all foure drawen to y ^e gybette of Rowan and there hanged / and their heedes sette on the gybette. The same day and the next day the frenche kynge delyuered all the other out of prison: except thre / y ^t is to say Charles kyng of Nauer / who was caryed to Parys and put in prison in the castell of Loure / and af­ter into the chatelette. And certayne of the fren­che kynges counsell were apoynted to kepe him also Fryquet and Uaubatou were put into the same prison / and therfore the lorde Philypp̄ of Nauer helde in his handes dyuers castels per­tayning to his brother the kyng of Nauerre in Normandy. And for all that the frenche kynge sende to hym to delyuer the same castels / yet the refused so to do: and he and the lorde Godfray of Harcourt assembled togyder dyuers enemys of the french kynges / and brought them into y ^e contrey of Constantyne / the which countre they helde and kept fro the frenche kyng. The wed­nysday after Ester: theyere of our lorde god a. M. CCC .lvi. sir Arnold Dādrehen than marshall of France went to the towne of Arras / and ther wysely w ^tout any besynesse of men of warr he toke mo than a hundred prisoners of them of the towne suche as had made the rebellyon ther and slayne dyuers of the chiefe burgesses of the towne. And the next day he made .xx. of them to be beheeded: and y ^e other he kept styll in prison to knowe the kynges pleasure in that behalfe / & so by that meanes the towne was brought into trewe obeysance to the kyng. In the moneth of June the duke of Lancastre came into Cōstan­tyne and fyll in company with the lorde Philyp of Nauerr / and the lorde Godfray of Harcourt they were in all about a foure thousande fygh­tyng mē: they rode to Lyseur / to Orbec / to Pō ­theau and refresshed the castell there / the which had ben besieged more than two monethes: but the lorde Robert of Hotetot maister of the cros­bowes in Fraunce / who had layne there at sieg with dyuers nobles and other / departed fro the siege whan the knewe of the commynge of the duke of Lancastre / and left behynde theym for hast their engyns and artillary: and they of the castell toke all. Than the duke of Lācastre and his company rode for the robbyng and pyllyng the townes and contrey: as they passed toward Bretuell the which they newely refresshed / and bycause that they knewe and founde y ^e cyte and castell of Eureux to be newely yelded to y ^e fren­che kynge / who had longe kept a siege there at. And also they sawe howe the cytie was brēt and the cathedrall churche robbed: as well by the na­ueroyse / who yelded vp the castell by composy­cyon / as by the frenchemen that lay there at the siege. They left it: and than the duke of Lanca­stre and the lorde Philyppe of Nauerr went to Uernueyll in Perche / and toke the towne and castell / and robbed the towne and brent a great parte therof. The frenche kyng who had made redy his assemble assoone as he herde tidynges of the duke of Lancastre / he wente after hym with a great nombre of men of armes and fote­menne / and folowed them to Conde in goynge streyght to the towne of Uernueyll: thanne the duke and his company went towardes the tow­ne of the Egle / and the kynge folowed them tyll he came to Tuebufe / a two leages fro the towne of the Egle. And thā there it was shewed to the kyng howe he coulde folowe no farther / for ther were suche forestes that his ennemyes myght take hym whan they lyste / soo that the shulde do but lese his labour to go any farther after them / than the kyng retourned with all his hoost / and went to the castell of Thilyers / the whiche was in the hādes of nauaroes. The kyng toke it and sette men of warr therin: than the kyng went to [Page lxxviii] the castell of Bretuell / wherin were men of the kyng of Nauers. There y ^e kyng lay at siege the space of two monethes: and than y ^e castell was gyuen vp / and they within went wher they lyst with their goodes and lyues saued.

WHan the frenche kynge had made his iourney: and reconquered townes [...] castelles in base Normandy / per­taynyug as than to the kyng of Nauerre whome he helde in prisonne / and was gone backe to the cytie of Parys. It was nat long after but that he herde howe the prince of Wales with a good nombre of men of warre / was ferre entred into the countrey aprochyng the gode [...]otrey of Berry. Than the kyng sayd and sware that he wolde ryde and fyght with hym where­soeuer he founde hym: than the kyng made aga­yne a specyall assemble of all nobles and such as helde of hym his commaundement was that all maner of excuses layde a parte his letters ones sene that euery man on payne of his dyspleasur shulde drawe and mete with hym in y ^• marches of Bloyes and Torayne / for the entent to syght with thenglysshmen. And the kyng to make the more hast: deꝑted fro Parys and rode to Char­tres to here the better of suretie what thenglyssh men dyd. There he re [...]ted & dayly men of warre resorted thyder fro all partes: as of Aunergne / Berrey / Burgoyne / Lorayne Heynault / Uer­mandoyse Picardy / Bretayne / and Norman­dy: and euer as they came they were set forwar­de and made their musters. And lodged in the countrey by the ass [...]gnement of the marshalles / the lorde Johan of Cleremont and the lorde Arnolde Dādrehen: the kyng sende also great prouisyon to all his fortresses and garyson [...] in An­towe / Poyctou / Dumayne / & Torayne: and in to all the fortresses wher he thought thenglyssh men shulde passe / to the entent to close the passa­ges from them / and to kepe thē fro vitayl [...] that they shulde fynde no foragefor thē nor their horses. Howe beit for all that the prince and his cō ­pany / who were to the nombre of two. M. men of armes and sir. M. archers rode at their ease and had bitayls ynough / for they founde the cō tre of Auuerne right plentyfull / but they wolde nat tary ther but went for the to make warre [...] their enemyes: they brent and exyled the cōtrey asmoch as they might. For whan they were en­tred into a towne and founde it well replenys­shed of all thyngꝭ: they taryed ther a two or thre dayes to refresshe them / whan they depted they wolde distroy all the resydue strike out the hee­des of the vessels of wyne / and bren where / bar­ly and otes / and all other thyngꝭ: to thyntent [...] their enemyes shulde haue no ayde therof. [...] than they rode forthe & euer founde good cōtres and plētyfull: for in Berry / Torayne A [...]owe / Poyctou / and Mayne is a very plentyfull con­tre for men of warr: thenglysshmen rode for the in this maner tyll they came to the good cytie [...] Burges. And ther they made a gret skirmyssh at one of the gates: capitayns within were / the lorde of Consant / & the lorde Hutyn of [...] who kept the cyte: ther was many feates of [...] ­mes done / thenglysshmen deꝑted without any more doyng / & went to Issoldon a strong castell the which was feersly assayled and thyder ca [...] all the hole hoost howbeit they coud nat wy [...]it. The gētylmen defended it valiantly: than they passed farther and toke their way to U [...]on / [...] great towne and a good castell but it was yuell closed and the peple ther nat sufficyent to make defence / therfore it was won perforce. And ther they founde wyne and other vitayls gret plenty and taryed there thre dayes co refresshe all there host / and thyder cāe tidynges to the prince how the french kyng was at Charters with a gret as­semble of men of warr and howe y ^• all the tor [...] ­nes and passagꝭ aboue the ryuer of Loyre were closed and kept / that none coude passe the ryue [...] Than the prince was counselled to returne and to passe by Torayne and Poycton / and so [...] way to Bourdeaux. Than the prince toke that way and retourned: whan they had done with the towne that they were in their pleasure / and [...]ken the castell and slayne the mo [...]st part that were within / than they rode towarde Remoren tyne. The french kyng had send into y ^• countrey thre great barownes to kepe the fronters there [...] the lorde of Craon / the lorde Boucequant / and the hermyte of Chamont / who with thre. C. spe­res rode into that contrey in costyng thēglyssh­men / and had folowed thē a sixe dayes togyder [...] and coude neuer fynde auantage to set on them: [Page] for thēglysshmen rode euerso wysely / that they coude nat entre on them on any syde / to their aduauntage. On a day the frenchmen putte them­selfe in a busshement nere to Remorentyne / at a marueylous strayte passage / by the whiche the englysshmen must nedes passe: y ^e same day ther was departed fro the princes bataile by leaue of the marshals: y ^e lorde Bartylmewe of Breches / the lorde of Musydent gascoyne / the lorde Pe­tyton Courton the lorde Dalawarre / the lorde Basset the lorde Danyell paseler the lorde Ry­charde of Pontchardon / the lorde Nowell Lo­rynch the yong lorde Spencer Edwarde / and the lorde Dambretycourte: with two hundred menne of armes to ronne before Remorentyne. They passed foreby the frenchmens busshment and was nat ware of them: assone as they were passed / the frenchmen brake out and came after them feersly / thenglysshmen who were well for­warde herde the noyse of the horses commynge after them / and parceyued how they were their ennemyes: they tourned and stode styll and a­bode the frēchmen: who came on thē with great randon their speares in their restes. And so cāe ronnyng to thenglysshmen: who stode styll and suffre them to passe / and there was nat of them past a fyue or sir ouerthrowen at y ^• first metyng than thenglysshmen dasshed forthe their horses after the frenchemen. There was a feerse skyr­mysshe and en [...]red long: and many knightes and squyers beaten downe on both partes / and dyuers taken and rescued agayn / so that a long season no man coulde tell who had the better / so long they fought that the batayle of thenglysshe marthalles aproched. And whan the frenchmen sawe theym commyng a long by a woode syde: they [...]ledde he that might best / & toke their way­es to Remorentyne / and the englysshmen in the chase natte sparyng their horses. There was a harde batayle and many a man ouerthrowen: howe beit the one halfe of the frenchmen entred into the castell / the thre lordes saued theymselfe and dyuerse other knyghtes and squyers that were well horsed. Howe beit the towne was ta­ken at their fyrst commynge: for the frenchmen all entred into the castell.

THe prince of wales herde how his fore ryders were a fightyng: than he toke that way and came into the tow­ne of Remorentyne / wherin was moche of his people [...] dyeng howe they myght get the castell. Than the prince cōmaunded the lord sir John̄ Chandos to go and speke with theym of the castell / than sir Johan went to the castell gate / and made signe to speke with some person within. They that kept the watche ther demaū ded what was his name / & who dyd sende hym thyder / he shewed them: than sir Boucyquant / and the hermyte of Chamount came to the bar­ryers. Whan sir Johan sawe theym: he saluted them curtelly and sayde / sirs I am sende hyder to you fro my lorde y ^e prince / who wyll be ryght courtesse vnto his ennemyes as me thynketh / he sayeth that if ye wyll yelde vpp̄ this fortresse to hym and yelde your selfe prisoners / he wyll re­ceyue you to mercy / and kepe you good compa­ny of armes. The lorde Boucyquant sayde: we arnat in purpose to putte ourselfe in that case / it were great folly syth we haue no nede so to do we thynke to defende our selfe. So they depar­ted and the prince lodged there: and his men in the towne without at their ease / the next day euery man was armed and vnder his baner / and beganne to assayle the castell right feersly / the ar­chers were on the dykes and shotte so holly to­gyder / that none durste scant apere at their de­fences. Some swame ouer y ^e dykes on bordes / and other thyngꝭ with hokes and pikes in their handes / and myned at y ^e walles: and they with­in cast downe great stones and pottꝭ with lyme / there was slayne on y ^e englysshe partie a squyer called Remond Derge du Lache / he was of the cōpany of the Captall of Beoffes. This assaut dured all the day without rest: at nyght the en­glysshmen drewe to their logynges and so past the nyght / in the mornyng whan the sonne was rysen / the marshals of the hoost sowned the trū ­pettes. Than all such as were ordayned to gyue the assaut were redy appayrelled: at the whiche assaut the prince was personally / and by reason of his presence greatly encouraged the englysshmen / and nat ferre fro hym there was a squyer called Bernarde slayne with a stonne / than the prince sware that he wolde nat depart then styll he had the castell and all them within at his pleasure. Than the assaut enforced on euery part: finally they sawe that by assautes they coulde nat wyn the castell / wherfore they ordayned engins [Page lxxix] to caste in wylde fyre into the base court / and so they dyde y ^t all the base court was a fyre / so that the fyre multiplyed in suche wyse that it toke in­to the couerynge of a great towre couered with rede. And whā they within sawe that they must other yelde to y ^e wyll of the prince / orels peryshe by fyre. Than all thre lordes cāe downe and yelded them to the prince: and so the prince toke thē with hym as his prisoners / and the castell was left voyde.

AFter the takyng of the castell of Remorentyne / and of them that were therin: the prince than and his compa­ny rode as they dyde before / distroyeng the countre aprochyng to Antowe / & to Tourayne. The frenche kyng who was at Charterz departed and came to Bloyes / and ther taryed two dayes: and than to Amboyse / and the ne [...]t day to Loches: and than he herde howe that the prince was at Towrayne / and how that he was retournyng by Poyctou / euer the englysshmen were costed by certayne expert knyghtꝭ of Frā ­ce / who alway made report to y ^e kyng what the englysshmen dyd. Than the kynge came to the hay in Towrayne: and his men had passed the ryuer of Loyre / some at the bridge of Orleance / and some at Mchun / at Saulmure Bloyes and at Towrs / and wher as they might. They were in nombre a .xx. thousande men of armes besyde other / ther were a .xxvi. dukes and erles and mo than sixscore baners / and the foure sonnes of the kyng who were but yonge: the duke Charles of Normandy / the lorde Loyes y ^e was fro thens forthe duke of Aniewe / and the lorde Johan duke of Berry / and the lorde Philyppe who / was after duke of Burgoyne. The same season pope Innocēt the sixt send the lorde Bertrand cardynall of Pyergourt / & the lorde Ny­cholas cardynall of the Egle into France / to treat for a peace bytwene the frenche kyng / and all his enemyes. First bytwene hym and the kyng of Nauerr who was in prison: and these cardy­nalles often tymes spake to the kyng for his de­lyuerance duryng the sege at Bretuell / but they coude do nothyng in that behalfe. Than the cardynall of Pyergourt went to Tours / and ther he herde howe the frenche kynge hasted sore to fynde the englysshmen: th [...] rodde to Poy­cters for he herde howe bothe [...] hoostes drewe thyderward. The frenche kyng herde howe the prince hasted greatly to retourne / and the kyng feared that he shulde scape hym / and so deꝑted fro Hay in Tourayn and all his company / and rode to Chauuygny / wher he taryed that thursday in the towne / and without along by the ry­uer of Creuse: and the next day the kyng passed the ryuer at the bridge ther weuyng that the en­glysshemen had ben before hym / but they were nat. Howe beit they pursued after and passed y ^e bridge that day mo th [...]hrescore thousand horses / and dyuers other passed at Chasteleraunt / and euer as they passed they tooke they way to Poieters. On the othersyde the prince wyst nat truely where the frenchmen were / but they sup­posed that they were nat farre of / for they coude nat fynde no more forage wherby they had gret faut in their hoost of vitayle: and some of them repēted that they had distroyed somoch as they had done before whan they were in Berry / An­iowe / and Torayne: and in that they had made no better prouision. The same friday thre great lordes of France / the lorde of Craon / the lorde Raoull of Coucy / and therle of Joigny taryed all day in the towne of Chamygny / and part of their companyes: the saturday they passed the bridge and folowed the kyng / who was than a thre leages before / and tooke the waye amonge busshes without a wode syde to go to Poicters The same saturdaye the prince and his cōpany dysloged fro a lytell vyllage therby / and sent before hym certayne currours to se if they myght fynde any aduēture / and to here where the frēchmen were: they were in nombre a threscore men of armes well horsed & with them was the lorde Eustace Dambreticourt / and the lorde John̄ of Guystelles: and by aduenture the englysshmen and frenchemen mette togyder / by the forsayde wode syde. The frenchmen knewe anone howe they were their ennemyes / than in hast they dyd on their helmyttes / and displayed their baners / and came a great pase towardes thēglysshmen: they were in nombre a two hundred men of ar­mes. Whan the englysshmen sawe them / & that they were so great a nombre: than they determined to slye and let the frenchmen chase them / for they knewe well the prince with his hoost was nat farre behynde / than they tourned their hor­ [...]es [Page] and toke y ^• corner of the wood: and the frēch­men after theym cryenge their cryes and made great noyse. And as they chased they came on y ^e princes batayle or they were ware therof them­selfe ▪ the prince taryed ther to haue worde aga­yne [...] them that he send forthe the lorde Raoll of Coucy with his baner went so farre forward that he was vnder the princes baner / ther was a [...] batayle and the knyght fought valiantly. Howe beit he was there takenne: and the erle of Wyng [...]y the vycoūt of Bruce / the lorde of Cha [...] ▪ and all the other taken̄e or slayne / but a fewe that scaped. And by y ^• prisoners the prince knewe howe the frenche kynge folowed hym in suche wyse that he coude nat eschue the batayle: than he assembled togyder all his men and commaunded that no man shulde go before the marshals baners. Thus the prince rode that satur­day fro the mornyng tyll it was agaynst night: so that he came within two lytell leages of Poi­cters than the Captall de Buz / sir Aymenon of Punyers / the lorde Bartylmewe of Brunes / & the lorde Eustace Dambretycourt: all these the prince sende forthe to seyf they myght knowe what the frenchmen dyd. These knyghtes deꝑ­ted with two hūdred men of armes well horsed / they rodde so farre that they sawe the great ba­tayle of the kynges they sawe all the feldes couered with men of armes / these englysshmen coud nat forbers / but sette on the tayle of the frenche hoost and cast downe many to the yerth: & toke dyuers prisoners / so that the hoost beganne to styrre and [...]idynges therof came to the frenche kyng as he was entryng into the cytie of Poy­cters. Than he retourned agayne and made all his he ost do the same: so that saturday it was very late or he was lodged in the felde ▪ thēglissh currours retourned agayne to the prince & she­wed hym all that they sawe and knewe and said howe the frenche hoost was a great nombre of people: well sayde the prince in the name of god lette vs now study howe we shall fyght with thē at our aduauntage / that night the englysshmen lodged in a strong place among hedges / vynes and busshes: and their hoost well watched / and so was the frenche hoost.

ON the sonday in y ^• mornyn­ge the frenche kynge / who hadde great desyre to fight with the englysshmen herd his masse in his pauilyon / and was houseled and his foure sōnes with hym after masse ther came to hym the duke of Orleaunce / the duke of Burbon / therle of Pontheu / the lorde Jaques of Burbone / the duke of Athenes constable of France the erle of Tankernyll the erle of Salebruce / the erle of Dāmartyne / the erle of Uantador / and dyuers other great barownes of France / and of other neyghbours holdynge of Fraunce: as the lorde Cleremont / the lorde Arnolde Dandrehen marshall of France / the lorde of saynt Uenont / the lorde John̄ of Landas / the lorde Eustace Ribamont / the lorde Fyennes / the lorde Geffray of Chargny / y ^• lord Chatellon / the lorde of Suly / the lorde of Neell sir Robert Duras / & dyuers other: all these with the kyng went to counsell. Than finally hit was ordayned that all maner of men shulde drawe into the felde / & euery lorde to display his baner and to set forth in the name of god and saynt Denice / than trumpets blewe vp through the hoost / and euery man mounted on horsebacke and wēt into the felde / wher they sawe the kynges baner waue with the wynde. There myght a been sene great nobles of fayre harnesse and riche armory of baners and penōs for there was all the floure of France / ther was none durst abyde at home without he wolde be shamed for euer / than it was ordayned by y ^• ad­uyce of the constable and marshals to be made thre batayls: and in ech warde .xvi. M. men of armes / all mustred and past for men of armes. The first batayle the duke of Orleaunce to go­uern with .xxxvi. baners / and twyse as many penons. The seconde the duke of Normandy and his two bretherne / the lorde Loys and the lorde John̄. The thirde y ^• kyng hymselfe: and whyle that these batayls were settyng in aray / y ^• kyng called to hym the lorde Eustace Rybamont / the lorde John̄ of Landas / and the lorde Richarde of Beawyeu and sayd to them: sirs ryde on be­fore to se the dealyng of thenglysshmen / and ad­uyse well what nombre they be / and by what meanes we may fight with theym / other a fote or a horsebacke. These thre knyghtes rode forth and the kynge was on a wyght courser / and sayde a high to his men: sirs among you whan ye be at Parys / at Chartres / at Roan / or at Orleaunce: than ye do thret thenglysshmen ▪ and desyre to be [Page lxxx] in armes out agaynst theym. Nowe ye become therto / I shall nowe shewe you thē: nowe shewe forthe your yuell wyll that ye bere them / and re­ueng your dyspleasurs and damages that they haue done you / for without dout we shall fyght with them. Suche as herde him: sayd sir a god desname so be it / that wolde we se gladly. Ther with the thre knightes retourned agayne to the kyng / who demaunded of them tidynges / than sir Eustace of Rybamont answered for all (and sayde) sir we haue sene the englysshmen by estymacion they be two thousande men of armes / & four thousand archers / and a fyftene hūdred of other / howebeit they be in a stronge place. And as farre as we can Imagyne they ar in one ba­tayle: howbeit they be wysely ordred and a lon­ge the way they haue fortifyed strongly the hedges and busshes: one part of their archers are a long by the hedge / so that none can go nor ryde that way / but must past by them. And that way must ye go and ye purpose to fyght with them / in this hedge there is but one entre and one ys­sue by likelyhode that four horsemen may ryde a front / at thende of this hedge where as no mā can go nor ryde / there be men of armes a fote & archers afore them in maner of a herse / so that they woll nat be lightely disconfyted. Well sayd the kyng what woll ye than counsayle vs to do: sir Eustace sayde / sir lette vs all be a lote except thre hundred men of armes well horsed of y ^• best in your hoost and moost hardyest / to the entent they somwhat to breke and to opyn the archers. and thane your batayls to folowe on quickely a fote / & so to fight with their men of armes hand to hande. This is the best aduyce that I canne gyue you: if any other thynke any other waye better let hym speke. The kyng sayd thus shall it be done: than the two marshalles rode fro batayle to batayle and chose out a thre. C. knygh­tes and squyers of the moost expert men of ar­mes of all the hoost / euery man well armed and horsed. Also it was ordayned that the bataylles of alwayns shulde abyde styll on horsebacke to confort the marshalles if nede were: wherof the erle of Salesbruce / the erle of Neydo and the erle of Nosco were capitayns: kynge Johan of France was there armed and .xx. other in his a­payrell / and he dyd put the gyding of his eldest sonne to the lorde of saynt Uenant / the lorde of Landas / and the lorde Thybault of Bodenay: and the lorde Reynolde of Quenoll called the archepreest was armed in the armoure of the yongerle of Alanson.

WHan the frenche kyngꝭ batayls was ordred and euery lorde vnder his banner a­mong their owne men: than it was cōmaunded that eue­ry man shulde cutte their speres to a fyue fote long / and e­uery man to put of their spurres. Thus as they were redy to aproche: the cardinall of Piergort came in great hast to the king / he came the same mornynge from Poycters: he kneled downe to the kyng and helde vp his handes / and desyred hym for goddessake a lytell to absteyne settynge forwarde tyll he had spoken with hym (than he sayde) sir ye haue here all the floure of your re­alme agaynst a handfull of englysshmen / as to regarde your company: and sir if ye may haue them acorded to you without batayle / it shalbe more profitable and honourable to haue theym by that maner / rather than to aduēture so noble chiualry as ye haue here present: sir I requyre you in the name of god and humylyte / y ^• I may ryde to the prince and shewe hym what danger ye haue hym in. The kynge sayd it pleaseth me well: but retourne agayne shortely / the cardy­nall deꝑted and dilygently he rode to the prince who was among his men a fote: than the cardynall a lyghted and came to the prince who receyued hym curtessy. Than the cardynall after his salutacyon made (he sayde) certaynly fayre son if you and your counsayle aduyse iustely the puyssaunce of the frenche kynge / ye woll suffre me to treat to make a peace bytwene you & I may: the prince who was yong and lusty sayd / sir the honour of me and of my people saued / I wolde gladly fall to any reasonable way: than the car­dynall sayd (sir ye say well) and I shall acorde you and I can: for it shulde be great pytie yf so many noble men and other as be here on bothe parties shulde come togyder by batayle. Than the cardynall rode agayne to the kyng (& sayd) sir ye nede nat to make any great haste to fyght with your ennemyes: for they canne nat slye fro you though they wolde they be in suche a groūd [Page] wherfore sir I requyre you forbere for this day tyll to morowe the son rysinge. The kynge was lothe to agree therto forsome of his counsayle wolde nat cōsent to it / but finally the cardynall the wed such reasons that the kyng acorded that respyt: and in the same place there was pyght vp a [...]yon of reed sylke fresshe and rych and gaue leaue for that day euery man to drawe to their lodgynges / except the constables and marshalle [...] batayls. That sonday all the day the car [...] [...]yled in ridynge fro the one hoost to the other gladly to agree them: but the frenche kynge wolde nat agree without he myght haue foure of the princy [...]llest of the englysshmen at his pleasure / and the prince and all the other to yelde themselfe simply howe beit ther were many great offers made. The prince offred to ren­dre into the kynges handes all that euer he had wonne in that voyage townes and castels: and to quyte all prisoners that he or any of his men had taken in that season. And also to swere nat to be armed agaynst the frenche kyng in seuyn yere after / but the kyng and his counsayle wold none therof / the vttermast that he wold do was that the prince and a. C. of his knyghtes shulde yelde theym selfe into the kynges prison / other­wyse he wolde nat: the whiche the prince wolde [...] wyse agre vnto. In the meane season that the cardynall rode thus bytwene the hoostes: in trust to do some good certayne knightꝭ of Frā ­ce and of Englande bothe / rode forthe the same sonday bycause it was truse for that day / to cost the hoostes and to beholde the dealyng of their enemyes: so it fortuned that the lorde John̄ Cā dos rode the same day coostyng the french host / and in like maner the lorde of Cleremont one of the trenche marshalles had ryden for the and a­uiewed the state of the englysshe hoost / and as these two knyghtes retourned towardes their hoostes they mette togyder, eche of theym bare ou [...] maner of deuyee: a blewe lady enbraudred [...] a [...] beame aboue on their apayrell. Than the lorde Cleremont sayd: Chandos howe long haue ye taken on yo ^u to bere my deuyce / nay ye bere my [...] sayd Chandos / for it is aswell myne as pours: I deny that sayd Cleremont but and [...] were nat for the truse this day bytwene vs / I shulde make it good on you incontynent that ye haue no right to bere my deuyce. I sir sayd Cā ­dos ye shall fynde me to morowe redy to defend you: and to proue by feate of armes that it is as well myne as yours / than Cleremont sayd Cā ­dos these be well the wordꝭ of you englysshmen / forye can deuyce nothyng of newe / but all that yese is good and fayre. So they departed with out any more doyng and eche of them returned to their hoost: the cardynall of Pyergort coude in no wyse that sonday make any agrement by­twene the parties / and whan it was nere nyght he returned to Poicters. That night the frenchmen toke their ease they had prouision ynough / and the englysshmen had great defaut: they coude get no forage nor they coude nat depart these without danger of their ennemyes. That son­day thenglysshmen made great dykes and hed­ges about their archers to be the more stronger / and on the monday in the mornynge the prince and his company were redy apayrelled as they were before: and about the sonne rysing in lyke maner were the frenchmen. The same morning be tymes the cardynall came agayne to the frenche hoost / and thought by his preachyng to pa­cify the parties / but than the frenchmen sayd to hym retourne whyderye woll / bringe hyder no mo wordes of treaty nor peace (and ye loue yo ^r selfe depart shortely) Whan the cardynall sawe that he traueyled in vayne: he toke leaue of the kyng and than he went to the prince (and sayd) sir do what ye canne their is no remedy but to a byde the batayle / for I can fynde none acorde in the frenche kyng. Than the prince sayd: y ^e same is our entent and all our people (god helpe the right) so the cardynall retourned to Poycters. In his company there were certayne knyghtes and squyers men of armes: who were more fa­uourable to the frenche kyng than to the prince / and whan they sawe that y ^e parties shulde fight they stale fro their maisters and went to the frē ­che hoost and they made their captayne the Ca­telayne of Impastre / who was as thā ther with the cardynall who knewe nothynge therof tyll he was come to Poycters. The certentie of the order of the englysshmen was shewed to the frē ­che kyng / except they had ordayned threhūdred men a horsebacke and as many archers a horsebacke: to coost vnder couert of the mountayne / and to strike into the batayle of the duke of Normandy / who was vnder the mountayne a fote. This ordynaunce they had made of newe that the frēchmen knewe nat of: the prince was with his batayle downe amonge the vynes / and had closed in the wekyst parte with their caryages. No we wyll I name some of the princypall lor­des and knyghtes that were ther with the prin­ce: the erle of Warwyke / therle of Suffolke / the erle of Salisbury / therle of Stafford / the lorde John̄ Chandos the lorde Richarde Stafford / the lorde Reynold Cobham / the lorde Spencer [Page lxxxi] the lorde James Audeley / y ^e lorde Peter his brother / the lorde Bercley / the lorde Basser / the lord waren / the lorde Dalawar / the lorde Maulyne the lorde Wylly / the lorde Bartylme we be Brunes / the lord of Felton / the lorde Rychard of Pē bruge / the lorde Stephyne of Constracyon / the lorde Brasfeton and other englysshmen. And of gascon ther was y ^e lorde of Prunes / the lorde of Buger / the Captall of Buz / the lorde Johan of Chamont / the lorde Delaspare / the lorde of Rosen / the lorde of Conseu the lorde of Montferāt the lorde of Landuras / the lorde Soulech of Lestrade / and other that I can nat name. And of Heynowers: the lorde Eustace Dābretycourt / the lorde John̄ of Guystels / and two other strā gers / the lorde Dauyell Phasell / & the lorde Denyce of Moerbertre. All the princes company past nat an .viii. M. men one and other / and y ^e frenchmen were a .lx. M. fightyng men / wher­of ther were mo than thre thousande knightes.

WHan̄e the prince same that he shuld haue batell and that the cardynall was gone without any peace or trewse makynge / and sawe that the frenche kyng dyd sette but lytell store by him: he said than to his men. Now sirs though we be but a small company / as in regarde to the puyssance of our ennemyes: let vs nat be a basshed therfore, for y ^e vyctorie lyeth nat in the multitude of people but wher as god wyll sende it / yf it fortune that the iourney be ours / we shalbe the moost honoured people of all the worlde: & if we dye in our right quarell / I haue the kyng my father & bretherne / and also ye haue good frendes & kynsmen / these shall reuenge vs. Therfore sirs for goddessake I requyre you do your deuoyers thin day: for if god be pleased & saynt George / this day ye shall se me a good knyght. These wordes and suche other that the prince spake conforted all his peo­ple / the lorde sir John̄ Chandos that day neuer went fro y ^e prince / nor also the lorde James Au­deley of a great season / [...] whan̄e he sawe that they shulde nedes fight (he sayd to the prince) (ser) I haue serued alwayes truely my lorde your father & you also / and shall do as long as I lyue / I say this bicause I made ones a vowe that the first batayle that other the kynge your father or any of his chyldren shulde be at: howe that I wolde be one of the first setters on / or els to dye in the payne. Therfore I requyre yo ^r grace as in rewarde for any seruyce that euer I dyde to the king yo ^r father or to you that you woll gyue me sycence to depart fro you / and to sette my sel­fe there as I may acomplysshe my vowe. The prince acorded to his desyre (and sayde) sir Ja­mes god gyue you this day that grace to be the best knyght of all other / and so toke hym by the hande. Than the knyght departed fro the prin­ce and went to the formast front of all the batay­les all onely acompanyed with foure squyers / who promysed nat to fayle hym: this lorde Ja­mes was a right sage and a valyāt knight / and by hym was moche of the hoost ordayned and gouerned the day before. Thus sir James was in the front of the batayle / redy to fight with the batayle of the marshalles of Fraunce: In lyke­wyse the lorde Eustace Dambreticourt dyd his payne to be one of the formast to sette on. Whan sir James Audeley began t [...]tte forwarde to his ennemyes: it fortuned to sir Eustace Dam­bretycourt as ye shall here after. ye haue herde before howe the almayns in the french host were apoynted to be styll a horsebacke: sir Eustace beyng a horseback