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.

¶Of the order of the englysshmen at Cressy / and howe they made thre batayls a fote. Cap. C .xxviii. (Book 128)

ON the friday as I sayd before: the kyng of Englan∣de lay in y^e feldes / for the con¦trey was plētyfull of wynes and other vytayle / & if nede had ben they had prouisyon folowyng in cart{is} 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 pray¦eng 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 confes∣sed 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 knygh∣tes and squyers that I can nat name: they wer an .viii. hundred men of armes / and two thou∣sande archers / and a thousande of other with y^e walsshmen: euery lorde drue to the felde apoyn∣ted / 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 o∣ther 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 de¦syringe 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 su∣che as were dysconfited toke courage in the say¦eng 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 af∣terwarde they ordred agayne their bataylles / than euery man lay downe on the yerth and by

hym his salet and bowe / to be the more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he•• whan their ennemyes shulde come.