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 kyng John̄ was taken priso¦ner at the batayle of Poy∣cters. Cap. C .lxiiii. (Book 164)

OFten tymes the aduen¦tures of amours and of ear are more fortunate and ma•• uelous / than any man canne thynke or wysshe: truly this batayle the which was nere to Poycters / in the feldes of Beaumont and Malpertnes: was right great and peryllous / and many dedes of armes there was done / the which all came nat to knowlege. The fyghters on bothe parties endured moche payne: kyng John̄ with his owne handes hyd that day maruels in armes / he had an axe in his hādes wherwith he defended hymselfe & fought in the brekynge of the prease / nere to the kynge ther was taken the erle of Tankernyll / sir Ja∣ques of Burbon erle of Ponthieu / and the lorde Johan of Arthoyes erle of Ewe. And a lytell a∣boue that vnder the baner of the Captall of bu•• was taken sir Charles of Arthoys / and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers: the chase endured to the gates of Poiters / ther were many slayne and beaten downe horse & man / for they of Poy¦ters closed their gates and wolde sussre noue to entre. wherfore in the stretebefore the gate was horrible murdre / men hurt & beaten downe / the frenchemen yelded themselfe as farre of as they might know an englysshmā: ther were byuers ••glysshe archers y^• had .iiii. v. or. vi prisoners / y^• lorde of Pous a gret baron of Poiton was ther slayne / and many other knyghtes and squyers. And ther was taken therle of Rochuart / y^• lorde of Dānauemēt / the lorde of Pertney: & of Xayn¦ton the lorde of Montendre & the lorde John̄ of Sayntre / but he was so sore hurt that he had ne¦uer helth after: he was repured for one of y^• best knight{is} in France. And ther was left for deed a¦mong other deed men: the lorde Rychard Dan¦gle / who fought y^t day by the kyng right valyāt ly / & so dyd the lorde of Charny on whom was great prease bycause he bare y^• souerayne baner of the kyng{is} / his owne bauer was also in y^• felde the which was of goules / thre scochyns syluer. So many englysshmen & gascons came to that part y^• perforce they opyned the kynges batell: so that the frenchmen were so mengled amonge their ennemyes / that somtyme there was fyue men vpon one gētylman: ther was taken y^• lord of Pōpadour / & the lorde Bartylmewe de Bru∣nes: and ther was slayne sir Gestray of Char∣ny with the kynges baner in his handes. Also y^• lorde Reynold Cobhm̄ slewe therle of Dāmar¦tyn: than ther was a great prease to take y^• kyn∣ge & such as knewe hym cryed {ser} yelde you or els ye ar but deed. Ther was a knyght of saynt O¦mers retayned in wages with the kyng of En∣gland called {ser} Denyce Morbecke / who had ser¦ued the englysshmen .v. yere before / bycause in his youth he had forfayted the realme of France for a murdre y^t he dyd at saynt Omers. It hap∣penyd so well for hym: y^• he was next to the kyn∣ge whan they were about to take hym / he stepte forthe into the prease / and by strength of his bo¦dy and armes / he came to the frenche kyng and sayd in gode frenche (sir yelde you) the kyng be helde the knyght & sayde to whom shall I yelde me. Where is my cosyn the prince of Wales: yf I myght se hym I wolde speke with hym / De∣nyce auswered (and sayd) sir he is nat here / but yelde you to me and I shall bringe you to hym: who be you {quod} the kynge: sir {quod}he I am Denyce of Morbecke a knyght of Arthops / but I serue the kyng of Englande bycause I am banysshed the realme of Fraunce / and I haue forfaytedde all that I had there. Than the kynge gaue hym his ryght gauntlet (sayeng I yelde me to you) there was a great prease about the kynge: fore∣uery man entorsed hym to say I haue taken him so that the kyng coude nat go forward with his yonge sonne the lorde Philyppe with hym / by∣cause of y^• prease. The price of Wales who was coragious & cruell as a lyon toke that day great pleasure to fight and to chase his ennemyes / the lorde John̄ Chandos who was with hym / of all that day neuer left hym nor neuer toke hede of ta¦kynge of any prisoner. Than at the ende of the batayle (he sayde to the prince) sir it were good that you rested her and sette your baner a high in this busshe that your people may drawe hy∣der / for they be sore spredde a brode / nor I canse no mo baners nor penons of the frenche partie: wherfore sir rest and refresshe you / for ye be sore chafed. Than the princes baner was sette vpp̄ a hygh ou a busshe: and trumpettes and clarions began to sowne / than the prince dyd of his base∣net: and the knyghtes for his body / and they of his chambre were redy aboute hym and a reed pauilyou pyght vpp̄: and than drinke was bro∣ught forthe to the prince / and for suche lordes as were aboute hym / the which styll encreased as they came fro the chase ther they taryed / & their prisoners with theym. And whan the two mar∣shalles were come to the prince: he demaunded of them if they knewe any tidynges of the fren∣che kyng (they answered and sayde) sir we here none of certenty / but we thike verily he is other deed or taken / for he is nat gone out of y^• batels. Than the prince sayd to therle of warwyke / & to

sir Reynolde Cobham: sirs I requyre you god forthe and se what ye can knowe / that at your re¦tourne ye may shewe me the trauth. These two lordes toke their horses and departed fro y^• prin¦ce: and rode vp a lytell hyll to loke about them / than they parceyued a flocke of men of armes cōmynge togyder right werely. There was the frenche kyng a fote in great parell for englyssh∣men and gascoyns were his maisters / they had taken hym fro {ser} Denyce Morbecke {per}fore / and suche as were moost of force sayd I haue taken hym: nay {quod} another I haue taken hym / so they straue which shulde haue him. Than the french kyng to eschue that peryll sayd: sirs stryue nat lede me courtesly / and my sonne to my cosyn the prince and stryue nat for my takynge / for I am so great a lorde to make you all riche: the kyng{is} wordes somwhat a peased them / howe beit euer as they went they made ryot and brauled for the takyng of the kyng. Whan the two foresayd lor∣des sawe and herde that noyse and stryfe amōg them: they came to them and sayd / sirs what is the mater that ye stryue for / sirs sayd one of thē it is for the frenche kyng who is here taken pri∣soner: and there be mo than .x. knyghtes & squy¦ers that chalengeth the takynge of hym and of his sonne: than̄e the two lordes entred into the prease and caused euery man to drawe a backe / and commaunded them in the princes name on peyne of their heedes to make no more noise nor to aproche the kyng no nerer without they were cōmaunded. Than̄e euery man gaue rowme to the lordes: and they a lyghted and dyd their re∣uerēte to the kyng / and so brought hym and his son in peace and rest to the prince of Wales.