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 dealynge of a br••gant of Languedocke / called Ba∣con. Cap. C .xlviii.

ALl this yere these two kynges helde well the trewse taken bytwene them: but sir Wyllm̄ Duglas and the scot¦tes beyng in the forest of Ge∣deours / made warre dayly on the englysshmen. Also su∣che as were in Gascoyne / Poyctou / and Xayn∣tone: aswell frenche as englysshe kept nothyng the trewse taken bytwene the two kynges / but conquered often tymes townes and castels one vpon the other byforce / by purchase / or by stelth nyght & day: and often tymes ther fell bytwene thē many fayre auētures / somtyme to the french¦men / and somtyme to thenglysshmen / & alway∣es the poore brigantes wanne in robyng of tow¦nes and castels. And some therby came riche: so that they were made capitayns of other brigan¦tes / there were some well worthe .xl. thousande crownes / often tymes they wold spy wher was a good towne a dayes iourney or two fro them / than they wolde assemble .xx. or .xxx. of them to∣gyder: and go by couert wayes day and nyght / and so entre into the towne vnknowen in y^e mor¦nynge / and sette fyre on some house. Than they of the towne wolde thynke that it was done by some men of warre / and so flye away out of the towne: and thanne these brigantes wolde breke vp cofers and houses / and robbe and take what they lyste: and slye away whan they had done. Among other there was a brigant in Langue∣docke: he spyed the stronge castell of Couborne in Lymosyn / he rode in the nyght with .xxx. cō∣panyons and toke the castell by stell he / and the lorde of the same castell prisoner: who was cal∣led Coubourne / and putte hym in prison in his owne castell. And there kept hym so longe: that at last they raunsomed hym at .xxiiii. thousande crownes / and they kept styll y^e castell and made sore warr in the contrey. And after by fayre pro∣myses the frenche kyng bought hym and his ca¦stell: and gaue hym. x••. thousand crownes / and made hym vssher of armes about him: and this Brigant Bacon was euer well horsed / ap〈…〉〈…〉∣led / and armed lyke an erle. And so he contynu∣ed as longe as he lyued.