¶ Howe the kyng of Englande besie∣ged the cite of Reynes / and of the ca∣stell of Chargny taken by thenglyssh¦men. And of the warre that began a∣gayne bytwene the duke of Normā∣dy and the kyng of Nauer. Cap. C C .viii. (Book 208)
THe englysshmen dyde somoche that they passed At¦thoyes / where they founde a poore contrey: and so entred into Cambresis where they founde a better market / for there was nothyng put into the fortresses bycause they thought thēselfe well assured of the kyng of Englande and his cōpa∣ny / bycause they helde of thempyre: but y• kyng of Englande thought nat so. The kyng went & lodged at Beauuoyes in Cambresis: and ther he abode a foure dayes to refresshe them & their horses and ouer ranne the moost part of Cābre¦sis the bysshopp̄ Pyer of Cambray and the coū¦saylles of the lordes of the countrey & good tow∣nes by saue conduct: send certayne messangers so the kyng of Englande to knowe by what ty∣tell he made warre to them. They were answe∣red it was bycause in tyme paste they had made alyance and conforted the frenchmen / and mayn¦tened them in their townes and forteresses: and in maner made warre as their enemyes. Wher∣fore the englysshmen sayd they might well by y• reason make warre agayne to them. Other an∣swere coude they haue non: wherfore they of Cā¦bresys were fayne to bere their damages aswell as they might. Thus the kyng of England pas¦sed through Cambresis and so went into Thie∣rache / his men ranne ouer the countrey on both sydes / and toke forage wher they might gette it On a day sir Bartylme we de Bonnes ranne be¦fore saynt Quintyne / and by aduēture he mette with the capitayne therof called sir Baudewyn Danekyn. Ther was a great fray bytwene thē and many ouerthrowen on bothe partes: final∣ly the englysshmen obtayned the vyctorie / and sir Baudwyn taken prisoner by y• Bartylmew of Bonnes. Than thenglysshmen retourned to the kyng / who was lodged at the abbey of Fen∣ney / where they had vitaylles ynought for them and for their horses. And than rode forthe with∣out any lette tyll they came into the marches of Reynes: the kynge tooke his lodgynge at saynt Wall beyonde Reynes / and the prynce of Wa∣les at saynt Thierry. Than the duke of Lanca∣stre and other erles / barownes / and knyghtes / were lodged in other vyllages aboute Reynes: they had nat all their case / for they were there in the hert of wynter: about saynt Andrewes tyde with great wyndes and rayne / and their horses yuell lodged and entreated / for all the countrey a two or thre yere before the yerth had nat benla boured. Wherfore there was no forage to gette abrode / vnder .x. or .xii. leages of / wherby there were many frayes / somtyme thēglisshmen wan and somtyme lost. In the good cytie of Reynes at that tyme was capitayne sir John̄ of Craon archbysshoppe of the same place / and the erle of Porcyen / and sir He we of Porcyen his brother / the lorde de la Bonne / the lorde of Canency / the lorde of Annore / the lorde of Lore / and dyuerse other lordes / knyghtes / and squyers of the mar¦ches of Reyns. They defended the cytie so well that it tooke no damage the siege duryng: they cytie was stronge and well kept. The kynge of England also wolde nat suffre any assaut to be made: bycause he wolde nat traueyle nor hurte his people. The kynge abode there at this siege fro the feest of saynt Andre we to the beginnyng of lent: they of the host rode often tymes abrode to fynde some aduēture / some into the coūtie of Rethell / to Warke / to Maysey / to Douchery / & Moyson: and wolde lodge out of the host a thre