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 almaygnes that abode the kyng of Englande at Calays to ryde with hym into the realme of France / kynge Johān beynge styll prisoner in Englande. Cap. CC .v. (Book 205)

ALl this season the kyn∣ge of Englande made great prouisyon to come into Frā∣ce: suche as had nat been sene the lyke before. Certayne lor¦des and knyghtes of the em∣pyre / suche as had serued the kyng before / prouyded the same yer greatly for horse and harneys / and other thynges necessa∣ry for their degrees. And assoone as they might they came by Flaunders to Calays / and ther a bode for the kynges cōmyng: so it was that the kyng of Englande came nat so soone to Calays as it was sayde he shulde haue done / wherfore moche people resorted thyder / so that they wyst nat wher to lodge nor to haue stablyng for their horses. Also bredde / wyne / hay / and otes: and o∣ther {pro}uisyons were very dere and scant / so that ther was none to gette for golde nor syluer: and euer it was said the kyng cōmeth the next weke. Thus taryed there the lordes of Almaygne / of Behayne / of Brabant / of Flanders / and of Hey¦nault: fro the begynnyng of August / to the feest of saynt Luke / so that ther were many that wer fayne to sell the beste part of their iewelles. And if the kyng had been there than / lodgyng wolde haue ben strayter: the towne was so full. And al¦so it was dout of these lordes / who had spende all that they had / that they wolde nat depart fro Calays / tyll they were contented agayne of all their expēses. The kyng sende nat for the fourth part of them / many of them were come of their owne good wylles / trustynge to haue some ad∣uauntage: and some thought to robbe and pyll in the realme of France. Than the kyng of En∣glande sende ouer before the duke of Lancastre with foure hundred speares / and two thousand archers. And whan̄e the duke came to Calays: these lordes straungers made great ioye of hym and demaūded tidynges of the kyng and of his commynge. The duke excused the kynge of his taryeng so longe (and sayde) howe that all his prouisyon was natte fully redy: and sayd fayre lord•• / the taryeng here is no profyte. I woll go ryde for the into Fraunce / and to se what I can fynde ther: wherfore sirs I requyre you to ryde for the with me / and Ishall delyuer you a cer∣tayne somme of money to pay withall your co∣stes in your lodgynges / that ye haue spent here in this towne of Calays / and ye shall haue pro∣uision of vitayle to cary on your somers. These lordes thought great shame to refuse the dukes offre / & so graunted hym: than euery man newe shodde their horses and trussed and de{per}ted no∣bly fro Calays with the duke and went to saynt Omers / they were a two thousande speares he / syde the archers / and other fotemen. They pas∣sed for by saynt Omers without any assaut and so rode to Bethwyne and passed by / and came to Mount saynt Eloy a good abbey and a riche a two leages fro Arras: and ther taryed a four dayes to refresshe theym and their horses / for they founde in that abbey well wherwith. And whan they had robbed and wasted the countrey there about / they rode to Cambrey & ther made a great assaut. And there was slayne a baneret of Englande and dyuers other / for they within defended themselfe valyantly / by the ayde & con∣forte of the erle of saynt Poule / and the lorde of

Lamenall and other / who with a two hundred speares / came into the towne at a backe gate. And whan thenglysshmen sawe that they coude gette nothyng there: they departed and folow∣ed the ryuer of Sōe with great scarsnes of bred and wyne. And so came to a towne called Che∣resy where they founde plentie of bredde and wyne: and there they passed the ryuer for that bridge was nat broken and ther they taryed Al¦halowen day and all nyght. The same day ty∣dynges came to the duke howe the kyng was a∣ryued at Calays: commaundynge hym incon∣tynent to drawe towardes hym and all his com¦pany. Than he retourned towarde Calays / w^t hym was also sir Henry of Flaunders with two hundred speares: and of Brabant there was sir Henry of Beautresen lorde of Bergues / and the lorde Gerarde de la Herde / the lorde Frāque de Halle. O•• Heynault / the lorde Gaultyer of Mā¦ny / and the lorde John̄ of Gomegynes. And of Behayne / sir Gaultyer de la Haultpon / sir Rey¦nolde de Boulaunt / the lorde Godfray of Hard¦namont / and the lord John̄ his sonne / the lorde of Duras / Thyrey of Ferram / the lorde Ruse of Junepe / the lorde Gyles Sorles / the lorde John̄ of Bermont / the lorde Reynolde of Ber∣g••hes and dyuers other. The Almaygnes and mercenaryes of strange countreis / I canne nat name at this present tyme.