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 James of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and his company were discom〈…〉〈…〉 by the companyōs: and howe the 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣pe made to be cried a crosse after these companyons had taken the Brydge saynt Esperyte: and of the answere that they made. Cap. CC .xv. (Book 215)

THe men of warr thus assem¦bled with the lorde of Bour¦bon beyng at Ly••s / vnder∣stode that the route of the cō¦panyous aproched faste to∣ward them / and had wōne the towne & castell of Bru∣nay and dyuerse other holdes: and howe they sore wasted and eriled the countrey. These ty∣dynges greatly displeased the lorde of Bour∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 bicause he had the gouernynge of the erle of 〈…〉〈…〉stes landes & of his sōnes his nephewes Than they went into the felde / and sawe well howe they were a great nombre of men of ar∣mes knyghtes and squiers: and so they sent out theyr courrours to know what theyr ennemies dyd / and where they were / & where they shulde be founde. Nowe shall I shewe you the great malice of these companyons / who were lodged on a moūtayne / and there they had suche a pla∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they coude nat be diseryed nor auewed and specially the chief of them / who were beste harneysed: for the residewe (who were worste harneysed) arenged alonge on the hylle syde / 〈…〉〈…〉red the frenche currours to aproche nere to them and to retourne agayne withoute / any ••••mage to the lorde James of Bourbon / the erle Duzes / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Raynalt of Forestes / and to the other frenche company / to whom they reported as they had seen / and sayd: Syrs we haue seen yonder company your ennemies / and to our powers wel aduysed them. and all thynges sen and cōsydered to our estimacion they passe nat a. 〈…〉〈…〉 M. persones / and meruailously euil harneysed. And whan the lorde of Bourbon herd that report he sayd to the archeprest: Sir ye haue tolde me or this / that they were to the nombre of. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. M. fyghtyng men / and now ye here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 contrary. Sir quod he I thought them neuer vnder y^e sayd some and if they be nat god be thanked / it is the better for vs / therfore nowe take hede what ye wyl do. In the name of god quod the lorde of Bourbon / we wyll go & fight with them / and there he ordered his batayles / and set them in good araye redy to fyght for he myght se his ennemies before hym / and there he made certayn newe knyghtes first his owne ••••dest sonne Peter / and he raysed his Baner / and also his nephewe the yonge erle of Forest{is} the lorde of Tournon / the lorde of Mo〈…〉〈…〉er & the lorde Groslee of Daulph••••e / and there were also the lorde Loys sir Robert of Beau∣〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 ••ewes of Chaalon / syr Hewe of Uien / the erle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and dyuerse other good knygh¦tes and squiers / all desyrynge to auaunce their honours and to ouerthrowe these companyōs that thus pylled the countrey without any title of reason / and there it was ordeyned that the ar¦cheprest / and sir Reynolde of Carnoll shuld go¦uerne the first bataile / for he was a good and an expert knyght and he had in that bataile .xvi. hundred fyghtynge men. These routes of com∣panyons that were on the moūtayne saw right well the orderynge of the frenche men / but they coude nat so well se them nor theyr gydyng / nor aproche well to them / but to theyr great daun∣ger or damage / for these companyons hadde in this mountayne a thousande cart lode of great stones / whiche was greatly to their aduaūtage and profitte / these frenche men that so sore desi∣red to fyght with their ennemies / howe so euer they dyd they coude nat come to them the nexte waye / therfore they were dreuen of necessite to cost aboute the mountayne / where there enne∣mies were. And whan they came on that syde / than they who had great prouision of stones be¦gan to caste so sore downe the hyll on them that dyd aproche that they bette downe / hurte and maymed a great nōbre in suche wyse that they myght nor durste nat passe nor aproche any ne∣rer to theym. And so that fyrst bataylle was so sore beaten and defoyled / that of all daye after they dyd but litell ayde. Than to theyr succour approched the other bataylles / with sir James of Bourbon his sonne / and his nephewes with theyr baners / & a great nombre of good men of warre / and all went to be loste / the whiche was great damage & pite / y^• they hadnat wrought by better aduice and counsayle than they dyd. The archepreste and dyuerse other knyghtes / that were there had sayde before / that it hadde been beste to haue suffered theyr ennemyes to haue dislodged oute of the holde that they were in and than to haue fought with them at more case / but they coulde nat be herde. ¶ Thus as the lorde James of Bourbon / and the other lordes with theyr Baners and Penons before them approched and costedde the sayde moun∣tayne. The worste armed of the company∣ous caste styll contynewally stones at theym / In suche wyse that the hardyest of them was dryuen abacke. And thus as they helde them in that estate a great space / The great fresshe bataylle of these companyons founde awaye / and came aboute the mountayne well raynged and hadde cutre theyr speares of syxe foote of lengthe and so came ••ryenge with one voyce / and brake in amonge the frenche men. So at

the firste metyng they ouerthrewe many to the erthe / there were sore strokes on bothe partess: and these companyons fought so ardētly that it was marueyle / and caused the frenchemen to recule backe. And there the archpreest lyke a good knight fought valyantly / but he was ta¦ken prisoner by force of armes and sore hurte / and dyuers other knightes and ••••uyers of his company. Wherto shulde I make lengar re∣hersall of this mater: in effecte the frenchmen had the worse. And the lorde James of Bour∣bone was soore hurte and sir Peter his sonne / and ther was slayne the yong erle of Forestes / and taken sir Reynolde of Forestes his vncle / therle Duzes / sir Robert of Beauieu / {ser} Loys of Chalon / and mo than a hundred knyghtess: and with moche payne the lorde of Bourbone and his sonne Peter / were borne in to the cytie of Lyons. This batayle was about the yere of our lorde god: a thousande / thre hundred thre∣score and one / the friday after Easter day.

¶ Greatly were they of the countre aba••••hed / whan they herde that their people were dyscon¦fyted / and ther was none so hardy nor so stron¦ge a castell but trymbled for feare. For the wise and discrete men supposed and ymagined that great myschefe shulde multiply therby / with∣out god put to som remedy. and they of Lyons were gretly abasshed / whā they knewe that the companyons had the vyctorie / howe beit they receyued swetely all them that retourned & sca∣ped fro the batayle / and were sore dysplesed for the hurtes of the lorde of Bourbon / and of sir Peter his sonne. And they of the towne ladyes and damoselles right goodly dyde visyte hym / but this lorde James of Bourbon dyed a thre dayes after the felde / and sir Peter his sonne ly¦ued nat longe after: and they were sore be way led of euery creature. And for the dethe of thiss lorde of Bourbon the frenche kyng was ryght sore displeased but he coude nat amende it / so it behoued hym to passe ouer his sorowe as well as he might.

NOw lette vs speke of these companyons who parseuered styll in their yuell deds / as people reioysed and cōforted of their dedes as well for wynnynge of that iourney / as for the raunsomyng of many good prisoners. So thus these cōpanyons ledde their tyme at the•••• pleasure in that countrey / for there were none that came agaynst theym / for incontynent af∣ter the discōfyture of Brunay / they entred and spredde abrode in the countie of Forestes / and pylled and wasted all the countre•• except y^e foressess. and bycause they were so great a com∣pany almoost nothynge helde agaynst theym. And so they deuyded thē into two partes / and sir Seguyn of Batefoyle had the lesse parte•• howe beit he had in his company a thre thousā∣de fightyng men / and he went and lay at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a myle fro Lyons / and fortefyed the place mar¦uelously. and so his company were ther about in the marchesse / the whiche was one of y^e plen¦tyfull countrees of the worlde the whiche they ouer ranne / and raunsomed the people at their pleasure: that is to say all the countres on this syde / and beyond the ryuer of Some / the coū∣tie of Mascon / the archebysshoprike of Lyons and the lande of the lorde of Beauieu / & all the countrey to Marcylly to Nonnes / and to the countie of Neuers. The other parte of the sa∣me company: as Nandos of Beaugeraunt / Espyot Carnell / Robert Briquet / Ortyngo / Bernarde of the Salle / Lamyt / the Bourge Camas / the Bourge of Bretuell / the Bourge of Lespare / and dyuers other of one sorte and affinyte: drewe them towarde Auygnone and sayd howe they wolde se the pope and cardy∣nalles and to haue some of their money / orels to hare and to pyll the countre. And so they ta∣ryed here and there abydynge for the raūsome of suche prisoners as they had taken / and also to se if the truce helde bytwene Fraūce and En¦glande. And as they went towarde Auygnon / they toke by the way townes and fortresses / so that none helde agaynst them / for all the coun∣tre was afrayed. And also in that countre they had vsed no warre: so y^• suche as were in these small holdes wyst nat howe to defende thēselfe fro suche men of warr. and these companyons herde howe there was at the bridge saynt Es∣peryte a seuyn leages fro Auygnon great trea¦sure and richesse of the countre assembled ther togyder / on trust of the stronge fortresse: and so the companyons aduysed among them that if they might wynne that holde it shuld be gret¦ly to their aduauntage and profyte / for thanne they thought to be maysters of Roane / and of theym in Auygnon. And on this purpose they stubyed tyll at last they had caste their aduyce as I haue herd reported in this maner. G••yot d•• Pyn / and y^e lytell Methyn rode with their company in one nyght a fyftene leages / and in the mornynge at the brekynge of the day / they came to the towne of the bridge saynt Spyryt and sodenly toke it and all that were within / y^e whiche was great pyte: for ther they slewe ma¦ny an honest person / and defoyled many a da∣〈…〉〈…〉

and wan suche tychesse that it coude 〈…〉〈…〉 / and great puruyaunces to lyue 〈…〉〈…〉 And so by that meanes they might r••nne at their ••ase without daūger / one ••••••son in to the realme of Fraūce / and another tyme into the empyre. So there assembled to∣gyder all the companyons and euery day ran to the ••a••es of Auygnon wher of the pope and 〈…〉〈…〉 were in great affray and drede. & to these companyons made there a soueraygne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 amonge them who was euer moost ••omonly enemy to god and to the worlde.

BEsyde these there were in Fraūce great nombre of pyliers and robbers / what of englysshmen gascoyns and almaygnes / who sayd they must nedes lyue. And they helde styll certayne garysons and fortresses / for all that the kyng of Englandes deputies had cōmaū∣ded them to auoyde and to departe. How be it they wolde nat all obey wherwith the frenche kynge was sore displeased and all his counsell but whan these companyons in dyuers places herde howe these other companyons had ouer throwen the lorde of Bourbon and a two thou¦sande knyghtes and squyers and taken many a good prisoner. And also had taken in y^e tow∣ne saynt E••pyrite so great rychesse that it was a thyuge mcomparable: and thynkynge howe they were lykely to wynne Auygnon / or els to putte to mercy the pope and cardynalles and all the coutre of Prouynce. Thā they thought all to departe and to go thyder / for couetyse to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 more / and to do more yuell dedes. So that was the cause that dyuers of them left vp their fortresses and wente to their cōpanyous / in hope to gette more ••yllage. And whan that p••pe 〈…〉〈…〉 and the colledge of Ro¦〈…〉〈…〉 were ••ered by these cursed p••opl•• the•• were greatly abasshed. And than 〈…〉〈…〉 agaynst these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 christen people who dyde their payne to distroy chr••∣s••••ndom•• as other bandes had done before w^t∣out tytell of any reason / for they was••ed all the countrey without any cause / and robbed with∣out spa••yng all that euer they coude gette and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and de••oyled women olde and yong without pytie and slewe men women & chyl∣dren without mercy doyng to them no trespa∣ce. And suche as dyde moost shamefullyst ded{is} were reputed with them moost valyaunt. So than the pope and the cardynalles preached o∣penly 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 and assoyled (a pena ••t cul 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all those that wolde take on them this croy 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And that wolde abandon their bodyes wil lyngly to distroy these yuell peple and their cō¦panyons / and ther was chosen among the car∣dynals sir Peter of Monstier cardynall of Ar¦ras called Dste to be chefe capitayne of y^• croy∣sey. And mcontynent he departed out of Auy∣gnon and wente and taryed at Carpentrase a s••uyn myle fro Auygnon and ther he retayned all maner of soudyers suche as wold saue their soules matteynyng to these sayd perdous / but they shulde haue none other wages / wherfore that tourney brake for euery man de{per}ted▪ some into Lombardy / some to their owne coūtrees / and some went to the sayd yuell company: so y^• dayly they encreased. So thus they haryed the pope / the cardynals / & the marchauntes about Auygnon and dyd moche yuell tyll it was ferr into the somer season. In the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hudred threscore and one.

THan the pope and the cardynals aduy∣sed them of a noble gentyll knyght and a good warryoure the marques of Mounfer∣rant who kept warr and had done a long spa∣ce agaynst the lordes of Myllayne / y^• pope sent forhym. And so he came to Auygnon and was honorably receyued of the pope and cardynals and so atreaty was made with hym by reason of a somme of money that he shuld haue / to the entent that he shulde get out of that ceuntre the sayd yuell cōpanyons / and to retayne thē with him in his warres of Lombardy. So than the marques treated with the captayns of the com¦panyons / and by reason of threscore thousand florens that they shulde haue among them / and great wages that y^e marques shulde gyue thē / they agreed to depart & go with hym into Lo∣bardy / so they might be assoyled (a pena ct cul∣pa) all this was agreed / acomblysshed / and the florēs payed. And than they rendred vp y^e tow¦ne saynt Espyrite and lefte the marche of Auy∣gnon & passed forthe with the marques / wher∣of kyng John̄ of France & all the realme were right toyouse / whan they sawe howe they were delyuered of these yuell people / howbeit there were many that retorned to Burgoyn. And sir Seguyne of Batefoyle departed nat out of y^e garyl on of Ence / for he wold nat leaue it for no maner of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nor promyse, but the realme of France was in ferr better rest & peace than it was before. So whan the moost parte of the companyous were thus passed forthe with the marques into the lande of Pyemōt. Ther the marques dyde well his deuoyre agaynst y^e lor∣des of Myllayne: & conquered dyuers townes castes / fortresses and countrees agaynst them

and had dyuers encountrynges & skyrmisshes with them to his honour & profyte. So that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in a yere by y^• helpe of these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he had the better hande / and in part had all his entent agaynst the two lords of Myllayne of sir Ga¦leas. & sir Bernabe / who after raygned in gre•• prosperite.

SO it fortuned that sir Seguyn of Bate∣foyle / who was all that season in the ga∣ryson of Ence on they ryuer of So••••ie / toke by scalyng a good cyte in Auuergne called B••od and therin he taryed more than a yere and for∣tifyed it in suche wyse that he douted nothyng / and ouer ran the coūtre to Cler〈…〉〈…〉 to Ty••∣lacke / to Puy / to Case dieu / to Moūtferant 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ryon / to Nonnet / to Ussoyre and to ••udalle / and the lande of the countie Dalphyn the lor∣de wherof was the same tyme in hostage in En¦glande: and in these countrees he and his com¦pany dyde moche yuell. And whan he had sore enpouerysshed the countre ther about than by treaty he de{per}ted and toke with hym great pyl∣lage and treasure / and so went to Gascoyne fro whēs he came first. Of this sir Seguyn I can write no more / but that as Iherde recoūted he dyed maruelusly / god forgyue hym all his tre∣spaces. AMEN.