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 therle of Derby the same se∣son toke in Poycton dyuers tow∣nes and castels / and also the cyte of Poycters. Cap. C .xxxvi.

LE haue harde here before / howe the erle of Derby was in the cytie of Burduex / duryng the sea∣son of the siege before Aguyllone. And assone as he knewe that y^e du∣ke 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 Mu¦sydent / the lorde of Punyers / the lorde of Tor∣ton / the lorde of Bouq̄ton / sir Amery of Trast / and dyuers other: so that therle had a .xii. hun∣dred 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 My∣rabell / 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 Ma∣rant 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 a∣frayed that euery man fledde into stronge hol∣des and townes and forsoke their owne houses they made none other aparance of defence: but all knyght{is} 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 mor¦nynge 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 fren¦chmen. Ther therle refresshed hym in that tow¦ne thre dayes and toke homage of the burgesses there: than the erle went to the stronge towne of Nyort / wherin was captayne the lorde Guys∣sharde 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 ma¦kers 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 as∣saut 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 logyn∣ge. 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 de∣fende assautes / so in the wekyst place thenglyssh¦men 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 distroy∣ed and many yuelldedes done and mo had ben doue and therle had nat ben / for he cōmaunded

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 de∣des wereseased / but for all that there was robe¦ryes 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 depar∣ted 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 Jo∣han Dangle / there therle rested hym a certayne space / and thenglysshmen gaue many good iu∣els 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 horse∣backe. 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.