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.

¶How therle of Derby toke the tow¦ne of Mauleon / and after the towne of Franch in Gascoyne. Cap. C .xii. (Book 112)

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 scalyn∣ge / but there were many of thenglysshe archers slayne / and au englysshe gentylman slayne cal∣led 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 Mau¦leon 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 Cha¦mont sayd to therle / sir make as though ye wol∣de 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 be∣hynde: and let vs lye vnder the olyues in a bus∣shement / and whan they be past vs lette part of vs folowe them and some retourne toward{is} 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 a∣bydinge behynde their maister / we shall soone dysconfet them / the whiche shall be a great ho∣noure 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 frenche∣men 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 ano¦ther 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 recey∣ued

them to mercy / and of his gentylnes respy∣ted 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.