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 erle of Derby wanne the castell of the Ryoll. Cap. C .xi. (Book 111)

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 dan∣ger 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 composy∣cion 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 spe¦ke 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 A∣gous sawe theym he toke of his cappe and salu∣ted 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 goo∣des saued / and we shall yelde vnto you the for∣tresse. 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

vpon stayes: yelde you simply and we wyll re∣ceyue 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 togy∣der / they spake long togyder of dyuers thynges finally they regarded the trouthe of sir Agons / and consydred howe he was a stranger: and al∣so 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 com∣pany 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 compa∣ny 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 en∣glysshemen / and sir Agons and his company wente to Tholous.