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 batayle at Meaulx in Bry / where the companyons of the Jaque¦ry were disconfyted by therle of Fo•••• and the captall of B••z. Ca. Clxxxiiii. (Book 184)

IN the season whyle these vngracious people raygned there came out of Pruce / the erle of Foyz and the Captall of B••z his cosyn. And ī ther way they herde as they shul∣de haue entred into Fraunce of the great myschefe that fell among the noble men by these vnhappy people. And in the cytie of Meaulx was the duches of Normandy / and the duches of Orleaunce / and a thre hundred o∣ther ladyes and damosels: and the duke of Or∣leance also. Than the two sayd knyghtes agre∣ed to go and se these ladyes and to confort them to their powers: howe be it the Captall was en∣glysshe but as than it was truse bytwene y^e two kynges: they had in their company a threscore speares. And whan they were come to Meaulx in Bry they were welcome to the ladyes and da¦mosels ther: and whan those of the Jaquery vn¦derstode that ther was at Meaulx suche a nom¦bre of ladyes / yong damoselles and noble chyl∣dren. Than they assembled togyder: and with them they of Ualoys and so came to Meaulx: and also certayne of Parys y^t herd therof went to them / so that they were in all a nyne thousand and dayly mo resorted to them. So they came to the gates of the towne of Meaulx / and the pe¦ple of the towne opyned the gates / and suffred them to entre / so that all the streates were full of theym to the market place / where as these noble ladyes were lodged in a stronge place / closed a∣bout with the ryuer of Marne: there came such a nombre agaynst them that y^e ladyes were sore afrayed. Than these two knightes and their cō¦pany came to the gate of the markette place and yssued out and sette on those bilayns: who were but yuell armed. Therle of Foyz baner and the duke of Orleance / and the Captals penon: and whan these bilayns saw these men of warr well aparelled yssued out to defende the place the for mast of them began to recule backe / and the gen¦tylmen pursued them with their speares & swer¦des. And whan thei felde the great strokes they reculed all a tones / and fell for hast ech on other than all the noble men yssued out of the baryers and anone wan the place / and entred in among their ennemyes and beate them downe by hea∣pes / and slewe them lyke beestes / and chased thē all out of the towne / and slewe so many that thei were wery / and made many of them by heapes to flye into the ryuer. Briefely: y^t day they slewe of them mo than seuyn thousand and none had scaped if they wolde a folowed the chase any far¦ther. And whan these men of armes retourned a gayne to the towne: they sette fyre there on / and brende it clene / and all the bilayns of the towne that they coude close therin: bycause they tooke part with the Jaquery. After this disconsyture thus done at Meaulx: they neuer assembled a / gayne togyder after / for the yong Ingram lord of Coucy had about hym certayne men of warr̄ and they euer slewe theym as they myght mete with theym without any mercy.