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 frenche kyng assembled a great hoost to rayse the kyng of England fro the siege be fore Calys. Ca. C .xliiii. (Book 144)

KInge Philyppe who knewe well howe his men were sore constrayned in Calays ▪ com¦maunded euery manne to be with hym at the feest of Pen∣tecost / in the cyte of Amyense or ther about: ther was non durst say nay. The kyng kept there a great feest thyder came duke Odes of Burgoyne / and the duke of Normandy his eldyst sonne / & the duke of Orlya••se his yongest sonne: the duke of Bur¦bon / therle of Fo••tz / the lorde Loyes of Sau••y sir John̄ of Heynalt / the erle of Armynake / the erle of Forestes / therle of Ualentenoys / and dy∣uers other erles / barons / and knyghtes. Whan they were all at Amyense they toke counsayle / y^• frenche kyng wolde gladly that the passages of Flaunders myght haue ben opyned to hym: for than he thought he might sende part of his men to Grauelyng / and by that way to refresshe the towne of Calys / and on that syde to fyght ease∣ly with thenglysshmen. He sende great messan∣gers into Flanders to treat for that mater / but the kynge of Englande had there suche frendes that they wolde neuer acorde to y^t curtesy / than the frenche kyng said howe he wolde go thyder on the syde towarde Burgoyne. The kynge of Englande sawe well howe he coude nat g••t Ca¦lays b••t by famyne / than he made a stronge ca∣stell and a hygh to close vp the passage by the see and this castell was set bytwene the towne and the see / and was well fortyfied with springalles bombardes / bowes / and other artillary. And in this castell were threscore men of armes / and two hundred archers they kept the hauyn in su∣che wyse that nothyng coude come in nor out / it was thought that therby they within shulde the soner be famysshed. In that season the kynge of Englande so exhorted them of Flaunders that there yssued out of Flaunders a hundred thou∣sande / and went and layde ••iege to the towne of Ayre ▪ and brent the con••rey all about / as M••ny¦uell la gorge / Estelles le Uentre / and a marche called la Loe: and to the gates of saynt Omer / and Turwyne. Than the kyng went to the tow¦ne of Arras / and sette many men of warr to the garysons of Arthoys / and specially he sent his constable sir Charles of S••aygne to saynt O∣mers / for the erle of Ewe and of Guynes / who was constable of Fraunce was prisoner in En∣glande as it hath ben shewed before. The flem∣mynges dyd the frēchmen great trouble or they departed: and whan the flēmynges were retur∣ned than the french kyng and his company de{per}¦ted fro Arras and went to Hedyn / his host with y^e caryage held well in length a thre l••ag{is} of that contrey and ther he taryed a day / & the next day to Blangy. Ther he rested to take aduyse what way to go forthe: than he was counsayled to go through the contrey called la Belme / and y^t way he toke and with hym a. CC. M. one and other and so passed by the countie of Franqueberg / & so came streyght to the hyll of Sangattes / by∣twene Calys and Wyssant. They came thyder in goodly order with baners displayed / that ••it was great beautie to beholde their puyssaut ar∣ray / they of Calys whan they sawe them lodge it semed to them a newe siege.