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 the lorde of Roy dyscomfet∣ted the lord of Gōmegines: and how the castell of Commercy was taken by the englisshemen. Cap. CC .ix. (Book 209)

WWhan the knyghtes and squyers that had taken the lorde of Gōme∣gines / and suche as had issued out of the village with hym. Than they toke theyr horses with y^• spo∣••••s / and ••anne into the village c••yenge Roy in the name of the lorde of Roy / wherof they with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the towne wer sore abasshed / whan they saw theyr ennemyes so nere them. The most parte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them were vnarmed and spred abrode in the village / so that they ••oude nat drawe together But there the frenchemen toke theym in theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The cha••o••ne Robersart had ma∣〈…〉〈…〉 prisonners bycause he was knowen by his baner. Some there were that fledde into a lit∣tell stronge howse enuyroned with water stan∣dynge at the townes ende. And some of theym sayd / howe it was best for them to kepe it / affir∣mynge howe the house was strenge ynough to kepe tyl they might send worde what case they wer in to the kynge of Englande / beyng at the siege of Reinnes / nat doubtynge / but that he woll than incontinent sende them some ayde.

Than some other sayd / that so doynge was no suerte for theym / seynge howe theyr ennemyes were rounde about them. Thus they were in stryfe among them selfe what they myght do.

In the mean space theder came the lorde of roy and sayd to them / s••rs yelde vp your selfe / for and we assaile you / ye are all but deed / for incō∣••ynent we shall take you per force. So that by those workes and other / the moost hardyest of them were abasshed: and so they yelded theym¦selfe prysoners / theyr lyues saued allouly / they were all sent as prisoners to the castell of Coucy and to other frenche garysons. This aduen∣ture fell in the yere of our lorde. M. CCC: lix. Wherof the kyng of Englande (whan he knew it) was sore displeased / but he coude nat amend it as at that tyme. Nowe let vs returne to the siege of Re••nnes / and speke of an aduenture y^• fell to syr Bertilmewe of Brennes / who had be∣sieged the towne and castell of Comercy & with¦in was Capitayne a knyght of Champaygne called syr Henry Denoyr.

THe siege durynge before Reyns the lor∣des of the ost were lodged abrode in the coūtrey to lie the more at theyr ease / and to kepe the wayes that no prouysion shulde entre into the citie. And amonge other syr Bertilmewe de Bonnes with his Company of speares and archers were lodged nere to Comercy a strong castell / parteynynge to the ar••hebysshoppe of Reynes. The whiche bysshop had made there a stronge garyson / so that this castell doubted none assaute / for ther•• was a square tou••e thick walled / and fensably fournisshed for the warre Syr Bartilmewe de Bonnes layde siege ther¦to / and sawe well howe he coulde nat wynne it by assaute / he set a warke a certayne numbre of miners & gaue them good wages / they begā to werk night & day / & dyd so moche that they my∣ned farre vnder the great towre / and as they went they sette vp proppes / so that they within knewe nothyng therof. And whan the myners had made an ende / so that the towre was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to fall whā they ••yst ▪ they came to {ser} Bar〈…〉〈…〉

and sayd. Syr we haue so 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 that the great towte shall fall / whan it pleaseth you. Well quo•• the knyght ye haue well done / ••o no more tyll I commaun••e you. Than he toke Johsi de Guyltell with hym / and went to castell / and madesigne that he wold speke with some of them within. Than syr Henry Denoyr capitayne there came¦to the bat••••mentes of the y^• walles / & demaunded what he wolde haue. I woll (sayd syr Bartilmewe) that ye ye•••• york and all yours / orels ye are all deed without re∣medy. Howe so quod syr Henry / and began to smyle / we are prouyded of all thynges / and ye wolde haue vs to yelde symply / the whiche We woll nat do. Well quod for Bartilmewe / and ye knewe what case ye stande in / ye wolde ••••conti∣nent yelde vp withoute any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wordes. Why quod syr Henry / what case be we in? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out quod the englysshe knyght / and I shall shewe you / and ye shall haue assurance to entre agayn if ye lyste. Than syr Henry and .iiii. with hy•••• issued out and came to syr Bar〈…〉〈…〉 / and to Johsi ••e Guyltelles / and they brought hym to the myne / and there shewed hym how the great toure stode but on stages of tymbre. Whan the knyght sawe the parell that he was in and hys company / he sayd. Syr it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and this that ye haue done to me is of your great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 We yelde vs to your pleasure. There syr Bar∣tilme we toke them as his prisoners / and made euery mā to come out of the castell / and al theyr goodes / and than he set ••yer into the myne and brent the stages / and than the toure claue a sou∣der and fell to the erthe. Lo•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 syr 〈…〉〈…〉∣mewe to {ser} Henry / beholde nowe yf I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 truth or nat. Syr it is truesayd {ser} Hery / we are your prisoners at your pleasure / and thanke you of your courtesye / for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other than vs in this case we shulde nat haue been so delte with all. Thus they of the garison of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 ta∣ken prisoners / and the ca••tell 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

THe kynge of Englande la••e at the siege of Reinnes more than .vii. weekes / but he made none assaute. for he knew well he shuld but haue lost his payne. And whan he ha•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there so longe that he was wer•• / and that hys men coulde fynde no more forage abrode / and lost their horses / and beganne to la••ke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 They on a bay departed in good 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and t••∣••e the waye to Chalo••s in Champaygne / and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by Chalons 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so went to 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ••••nged at Mery on the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 all his 〈…〉〈…〉 the whiche is called .viii. leages. And while the kynge laye at Mery his Counstable / with the ••awarde went to saynt Florentyne / Where sy•• Edwarde of Rency was capitayne. Ther was a great assaute / but no good they dyd. Than the kynge came thither / and lodged ther about the ••yuer of Mouson. And than they departed and came to Tonnerre / and toke the towne by assaute / but nat y^• castell. In the whiche towne the englysshemen founde beyonde. in. M. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of myne / the whiche was necessary for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And within the Castell was the lorde Fyennes Constable of Fraunce / with a great nombre of men of warre.