Here begynneth the first volum of sir Iohan Froyssart of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spayne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretayne, Flau[n]ders: and other places adioynynge. Tra[n]slated out of frenche into our maternall englysshe tonge, by Iohan Bourchier knight lorde Berners: at the co[m]maundement of oure moost highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the. viii. kyng of Englande and of Fraunce, [and] highe defender of the christen faythe. [et]c.

¶ Howe the kynge of Englande sent therle of Derby to make warre into Gascoyne. Cap. C .ii. (Book 102)

THe day of saynt Ge∣orge approched that this gret feest shuld be at Wyn∣sore / ther was a noble com¦pany of erles / barownes / ladyes / and damoselles / knyghtes / and squyers: & great tryumphe / iustynge / and tournayes / the which endured fyftene dayes: and thyder came many knyght{is} of dyuerse contreis / as of Flan∣ders / Heynalt / and Brabant / but out of Fran∣ce 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 messan∣gers 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 / wher∣fore they desyred hym to sende thyder suche a ca¦ptayne 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 thy∣der & he to be as chiefe captayne / and with hym to go therle of Penbroke / therle of Quenforde / the baron of Stafforde / sir Gaultier of Man∣ny / 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 Ry∣charde Rocklefe / sir Robert of Quenton / and dyuers other / they were a fyue hundred knygh∣tes 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 fa¦uoure. 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 orday∣ned therle of Salisbury / and therle Dulnestre into the northe ••ties with a hundred men of ar∣mes / and sixe hundred archers for the scott{is} 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 Bay∣on 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 tary¦ed ther a seuyn dayes / and the eyght day depar¦ted and went to Burdeaux / wher they were re∣ceyued with solempne processyon. And the erle

of Derby was lodged in thabbay of saynt An∣drewe 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 de∣maunded 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.