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 that kyng Henry alyed him to the kyng of Aragon / and of the mē that the prince sent for / and howe the prince was counsayled to pursue his warre / & of the lorde Dalbreth who discōfyted the seneshall of Tholous. Cap. CC .xxxii. (Book 232)

WHā the tydyng{is} was spred abrode in Spayne / in Aragon / & in Fraunce that the prince of Wa¦les wolde bring agayne kyng dā peter in to the realme of Castell. Ther were many had therof great marueyle / and moche comunyng was therof. Some said that y^e prince toke on hym y^e enterprice for pride and presūpcyon / and was in a maner angry of the honour y^e sir Bertrā of Clesquy had gotten him / in conqueryng of the realme of Castell / in the name of kyng Henry who was by him ma∣de kyng. Some other sayd y^e pyte and reason moued the prince to be in wyll to ayde the king Dampeter. and to bring hym agayne into his herytage: for it is nat a thyng due nor resona∣ble for a bastarde to kepe a realme / nor to haue the name of a king. Thus in dyuers plac{is} ther were dyuers knightes and squyers of sondrie opynions / howbeit incontynent kynge Henry wrote letters to the kyng of Aragon and sende to hym great messangers / desyringe hym that he shulde in no wyse acorde nor make no cōposi¦cion with the price / nor with none of his alyes: promysing him euer to be his good neighbour and frende. Than the kyng of Aragon who lo∣ued hym entierly / and also often tymes he had founde kynge Dampeter ryght fell and cruell / said and made a full assuraunce that for to lese a great parte of his realme / he wolde make no maner of agremēt with the prince / nor accorde with kyng Dāpeter. Promysinge also to open his countrey / and to suffre to passe through all maner of men of warr suche as wolde go in to Spayne / or into any other place to his confort and ayde / and to lette theym to his power that wolde greue or trouble hym. This kyng of A∣ragon kept well & truely his {pro}myse y^t he made to this kyng Henry / for assone as he knewe the trouthe that kyng Dampeter was ayded by y^e prince / and that the cōpanyons were drawyng to that partie. Incōtynent he closed all the pas∣sages in Aragon and straitly kept them / he set men of warre on the mountayns to watche the passages and straytes of Catholon / so y^• none coude passe but in great parell. Howbeit the cō¦panyons founde another way / but they suffred moche yuell and great traueyle or they coulde passe and escape the dangers of Aragon / how∣beit they came to the marchesse of the countie of Foyz / and founde the coūtre closed agaynst them: for therle wolde in no wyse that suche pe¦ple shulde entre into his countre. These tidyn∣ges came to the prince to Burdeux who thoght and ymagined nyght and day howe with his honour he might furnysshe that vyage / and to fynde the meanes howe the sayd companyons might come into Acquitayne / for he herde how the passages of Aragon were closed / and howe they were at the entre of the countie of Foyz / in

great payne and dysease. So the prince dow∣ted that this kyng Henry and the kyng of Ara¦gon wolde so deale with these cōpanyons / who were in nombre a .xii. thousande / that other for feare or for gyftes cause thē to take their part a gaynst hym. Thasie the prince determyned to sende to them sir John̄ Chandos to treat with them and to retayne them and do hym seruyce / and also to the erle of Foyz / desyringe hym for loue and amyte to do no displeasure to these cō∣panyons / promysing hym y^• what soeuer yuell or domage they do to hym or to any part of his countrey / that he wolde make amendes therof to the double. This message to do for his lorde sir Johan Chandos toke on him / and so depar¦ted fro the cyte of Burdeux and rode to the cyte of Aste in Gascoyne. and rode so longe that he came to therle of Foyz / and dyd somoche with him that he was of his acorde and suffred him to passe throughout his countre peasably. and he founde the companyons in a countre called Basell and ther he treated with them and sped so well that they made all couenaunt with hym to serue and ayde the prince in his viage / vpon a certayne som̄e of money that they shulde ha∣ue in prest / the which sir John̄ Chandos sware and promysed them that they shud haue. And than he came agayne to therle of Foyz / desyrin¦ge hym right swetely y^• these people who were reteyned w^t the prince might be suffred to passe by one of the sydes of his countre. and the erle of Foyz who was right agreable to the prince / and in a maner was his subgette to please hym was agreed / so that they shulde do no hurte to hym nor to his countre. Sir Johan Chandos made couenaunt with hym that they shulde do no maner of domage / and than sent a squyer & a haralde to these companyons with the treaty that was made bit wene him and therle of Foiz and than he retorned to the prince and recoun∣ted to him howe he had spedde. The price who byleued and loued hym right well was well cō¦tent with y^• he had done in his voyage. In this season the prince was in the lusty floure of his youthe / and he was neuer wety nor full satys∣fyed of warr / sythe the first begynning that he bare armes: but euer entended to achyue hygh dedes of armes. And as to this enterprice and ••••age into Spayne / and to set agayne y^• kyng that was chased out therof byforce of armes in¦to his owne realme / honoure and pytie moued hym therto. and often tymes he spake to sir Jo¦han Chandos & to sir Thomas Phelton / who were moost speciall of his counsayle / demaun∣dyng of thē what they thought. These knight{is} answered that they thought nothyng but well / and sayd. Sir certaynly this, is a gretter enter price without comparyson / than it was to put out of his realme this kyng Dampeter / for he was hated of all his men. and euery man for / soke hym whan he had thought they wolde ha∣ue ayded him. Nowe is possessed at this presēt tyme of all the realme the bastarde kynge / and entierly he hath the loue of all the nobles / prela¦tes ▪ and all other in the realme / and they haue made hym kyng / and haue promysed to mayn¦teyne hym in y^• estate what soeuer befall. Ther¦for sir it wyll be behouable for you / to haue in your company great foysson of men of armes and archers: for ye shall fynde well with whōe to fight if ye come into Spayne. Sir I coun∣sayle you to breke the greattest parte of plate & treasure wherof ye haue great plenty / & make therof money to de{per}te therof largely to the cō∣panyons / suche as wyll serue you this voyage for the loue of you they are contente to go / but as for the loue of kynge Dampeter they wolde nat serue him. and also sirsend into Englande to the kyng your father / desyring hym to ayde you with a hundred thousande frankes / y^• whi∣che the frenche kynge ought to sende into En¦glande in short space. Sir gather asmoche mo¦ney as ye can / for it shall greatly stande you in hande so to do / without taxyng or talagyng a∣ny of your subgettes or countre: ye shall y^• bet∣ter be serued and be loued. To this counsayle and to dyuers other good and true counsayles gyuen to the prince by these knight{is} he was con¦tent ther with / and caused two {per}tes of his pla∣te to be broken̄e and to make money therof / to gyue therof largely to the sayde companyons. and also he sent into Englande to the kyng his father / for the forsayd hundred thousande fran¦kes. The kynge of Englande who parceyued well the busynesse and nede of y^• prince his son acorded lightly to his request. And sent letters to the frenche kyng to pay the sayd som̄e to the bringer therof. and send him aquytaūce for the same somme. So these hundred thousande frā¦kes were delyuered and brought to the prince / who departed it amonge all his men of warre.

ON a day the prince was in his chambre a sportynge in the cyte of Angolesme / and with hym dyuers other knightes of Gascoyne / Poyctou / and of Englande. And ther he bour¦ded with them and they with hym: and talked of this vyage into Spayne / in the meane sea∣son

that sir Johan Chandos was for the cōpa∣nyons. The prince tourned his heed to warde the lorde Dalbreth and sayde to hym: sir Dal∣breth with what nombre of men of warre may ye well serue me in this viage / sir 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he yf I de∣syre my frēdes I may well make you a thousād speares and my lande kept. A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the prince that is a fayre thyng / and tourned hym to sir Tho∣mas Phelton and towarde other knyghtes of Englande / and sayd to theym in englysshe: by my faythe one ought well to loue y^• lande wher ther is suche a baron that canne serue his lorde with a thousand speares. Than he torned hym agayne to the lorde Dalbreth and sayd / sir I re¦tayne them all to do me seruyce this vyage / sir 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he in the name of god I am content. Of this retayning fell after great myschiefe / as ye shall here in this hystorie.

NOwe lette vs retourne to the company∣ons that were alyed and retayned with the prince. They suffred moche yuell and trou¦ble or they entred into y^• principalyte of Catho∣lon and Aragon / and were fayne to departe in¦to thre companyes. The grettest part went co∣styng Foiz and Borne: the seconde Cathelone and Armynake: and the thyrde went by Ara∣gon / by the acorde of therle Dalbreth / therle of Armynake / and therle of Foyz / and in that cō∣pany were moost parte gascoyns. And that cō∣pany who were about a thre thousand went de¦uyded into dyuers companyes / a thre hundred or four hūdred togyder / and drewe toward the bysshopriche of Tholouse and Mountanbon. Than ther was a knight of Fraunce seneshall of Tholous called Guy Dazay / who whan he knewe that the companyōs aproched and rode a sondre in companyes / and that all they togy∣der passed nat the nōbre of thre thousande / and herde howe they were sore wery with traueyle / and but yuell armed and horsed / and worse a∣rayed. Than he sayde that he wolde nat suffre that any suche people shulde aproche Tholous nor the realme of Fraunce / wherfore he sayd by the pleasure of god he wolde go and fight with them. Than he sent his mynde and purpose to the lorde Amorry erle of Narbon / the seneshall of Carcasson / and to him of Beaucayre / and to all knightes / squyers / and officers therabout: sendyng and requiryng them of ayde / to kepe and defende the fronters agaynst these yuell cō¦panyons. And all suche as he sent vnto obeyed and hasted to cōe to him assoone as they might into the cyte of Tholous. And whan they were come togyder they were in nombre a fyue hun¦dred speares / knightes and squyers / and a four thousande of other men of the coūtre. And they all toke the feldes towarde Montaubon a .vii. leages fro Tholous / they that came first pas∣sed forthe abyding for their company.

¶ Whan the erle of Narbone and sir Guy Da¦zay / who were souerayne leaders of the frenche army / were departed fro the cyte of Tholous / they went and lodged nere to Montanbon / the whiche as than was vnder the obeysaunce of y^• prince / and therin was a captayne a knight na¦med sir Johan Comes. Than these lordes of Fraunce sent their currours before Montau∣bon to thentent to drawe out of the fortresse the companyons that were ther within. And whā the capitayne knewe that the frenchemen were come thyder with an army he had great mar∣ueyle ▪ bycause the lande parteyned to the price. Than he spake with his company / and dyde so moche that by assuraunce he spake with y^• fren∣che currours / and demaūded who had sent thē thyder / and why they auaunced theym to ouer¦ron the princes lande / the which was their ney¦bour / and seyng that the prince was frende to y^• kynge and realme of Fraunce. Sir 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they we are nat commaūded of our lordes to make you any answere. But to content your mynde if ye wyll go or send to them they wyll make you an answere. Well sir sayd the capitayne / and than I desyre you to go to them / and desyre them to sende me a saue cōduct / wherby I may go and come to them / or els to sende me worde playnly by what tytell they wyll make warre agaynste me / for if I knewe the certayntie I wolde send worde therof to my lorde the prince / who wyll shortly prouyde for remedy. Sirsayd they we shall go and shewe ••our desyre. And so they re¦tourned and shewed their lordes all those wor∣des / and than ther was a saue conduct gette in the name of sir Johan Comes and brought to Montabon. Than he departed and fyue with hym / and went to the frenche lodgynges / and there founde the frenche lordes who were redy to receyue hym / and were redy aduysed how to answere hym. He saluted them / and they him a¦gayn. Than he demaūded for what cause they had sent their currours with an army of men a warr before the fortresse of Mountaubon / the whiche parteyned to y^• prince. They answered hym and sayd: sir we wyll inuade no {per}sone nor make warre / but we wyll chase our ennemyes where soeuer we knowe that they be. Sir said

the knight who be they that be your enemyes / and wher be they. In the name of god sayd the erle of Narbon: they are within Montaubon / and are robbers and pyllers of the countrey / & suche as hath sore ouerron the realme of Fraū∣ce. And to you sir Johan if you were curtesse to your neyghbours / ye wolde nat suffre them to pyll and robbe the poore people without cause as they do for by suche tytell and meanes ther moueth often tymes great hatred and discorde bytwene lordes and princes. Therfore put thē out of your forteresse / or els ye be no frende to the frenche kyng / nor to his realme. Lordes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the capitayne: it is of a trouthe ther be men of warre within my garyson sente thyder fro my lorde y^e prince / and retayned to serue hym / ther¦fore I am nat in mynde to cause them to depart so sodenly. If they haue done you any displea∣sure / yet I can nat se that ye do them right / for they are men of warre / they must lyue as they haue ben acustomed on the realme of Fraunce and on the princes lande. Than therle of Nar∣bone and sir Guy Dazay sayd: yea they be men of warr suche as can nat lyue / but by pyllage & robbery: and haue vncurtesly ouer ryden oure countrees / the whiche they shall derely abye / if we may gette them in the felde / for they haue ta¦ken / brent / pylled and done many an yuell dede ••n the bandes of Tholous. Wher of y^e greuous complayntes ar come to our heryng / and if we shulde suffre them thus to contynue / we shulde he false traytours to the kyng our soueraygne lorde / who hath set vs here to kepe and defende this his countre. Also shewe them fro vs / sythe we knowe where they be we shall fynde thē: for they shall make vs amendes / or els it shall cost vs more. Other answere the capitayne of Mō¦taubon coude nat haue of them / but so departed right yuell content with them in his mynde: & sayd for all their threttes he wold nat breke his entencyon. And so retourned to his forteresse / and shewed all these wordes to his company.

¶Whan these companyons herde these tidyn∣ges / they were than nat well assured: for they were nat able to make party agaynst the frēche¦men. So they helde themselfe euer redy & toke good wache: and so it fortuned that a .v. dayes after these wordes / sir Perducas Dalbreth w^t a great route of companyons shulde passe by Moutaubon / forther was their passage to en¦tre into the principalyte. Than he gaue know∣lege therof to them of the towne: and whan sir Robert Cem / and the other companyons who were ther in the towne closed and be sieged by the frenchmen / knewe of y^• tidynges they were right gladde. Than they sent worde secretly to sir Perducas and to his company howe y^e fren¦chemen had be sieged them / and thretned them greatly: and also sent them worde what capy∣tayns they were and what nombre. And whan sir Perducas herd that / he was nothing abas∣shed: but drewe togyder his company and cāe and entred into Montaubon / wher they were receyued with great ioye. Than they all togy∣der deuysed howe they shulde maynteyn them¦selfe / and agreed: that the next mornynge they shulde be armed and yssue out of the towne / & drawe them towarde the frenchmen, and to de∣syre them that they might passe by them peasa∣bly / and if they wolde nat suffre them to passe: than to fight with them / and aduenture theym¦selfe to the best of their power. And as they had determyned so they dyde / for in the mornynge they armed theym and sowned their trumpett{is} and mounted on their horses: and than yssued out of Montaubon. The frēchmen were redy raunged in the felde whan they harde the brute and noyse before Montaubon / so that these cō∣panyons coude nat passe but through thē. Thā sir Perducas Dalbreth / and sir Robert Cem rode out afore / and by assuraūce went & spake with the frenche lordes / desyring them to suffre that they might passe by them peasably / but y^• frēchmen sayd howe they had no lust to comen with thē. Sayeng howe they shulde nat passe that way / without it were with the poyntes of their speares and swerdes. and than the french¦men cryed their cryes / and sayde auaunce ba∣ners toward yonder pyllers and robbers / who robbeth all the worlde / and lyueth on euery mā without cause or reason. And whan the compa∣nyons sawe surely howe it behoued theym to fight / or els to dye ther with shame. Than they alyghted of their horses and raūged them selfe a fore to abyde for their enemyes / who were fy∣ersly comynge towarde them: and in lykewise they a lyghted and came a fote. Ther they be∣gan to shote & to chase eche other / and to gyue great strokes / so that there were many beaten downe on bothe parties. Ther was a sore and fierse batayle / well fought and many a feate of armes done and achyued / many a knight and squyers layed a long on the erthe / how beit the frenchemen were two agaynst one. Wherfore at the beginnynge they dyde driue the compa∣nyons backe into the barrers of the towne: at whiche entryng ther was many a man slayne.

And the companyons had ben in a harde case & the capitayne of the towne had nat ben: for he caused to be armed all maner of people / and cō∣maūded straytly that euery man to his power shulde ayde and helpe the companyons / who were retayned with the prince. Than they of y^• towne armed them and put them in array / and entred into y^e skirmysshe: the women of y^e tow∣ne entred into the houses / and went vp into the batylmentes and solers / and cast downe on the frēchmen stones and hote chalke / so thycke that they had nioche a do to couer theym with their targes. And dyuers of them were so sore hurte that they were fayne to recule backe / wherby y^• companyons toke courage / who were a fore in great parell. Than they inuaded the frēchmen fresshly agayne / at wiche tyme ther were suche feates of armes done / prisoners taken and res∣cued agayn / that lyke case had nat bensene lon¦ge tyme before. The companyons were but a fewe in regarde to the frenchmen / howbeit eue¦ry man dyde his payne to do the best he coude: and so biforce of armes they droue out of y^e tow¦ne the frenchmen. And it fortuned that in y^e sa∣me season whyle this batayle was thus fough∣ten / y^• another rout of the cōpanyons who were ledde by the bourge of Bertuell / and Nandon of Bergerant / to the nombre of foure. C. they entred on the backesyde into the towne of Mō¦taubon. They had ryden all night in gret hast to come to that batayle / for they had knowlege howe the frenchmen had besieged their compa¦nyons of Montaubon. Than they entred into the fray / so that the frenchmen were sore assay∣led / by reason of y^e comyng of those newe fressh people. This batayle endured fro .ix. of y^e bell tyll it was past hye none / but finally the french∣men were discoufyted and put to the chase / for he was happy that coude get a horse and de{per}te out of that iourney. Ther was takenen therle of Narbon / and sir Guy Dayzay / therle Du∣ses / the lorde of Montmorelon / the seneshall of Carcasson / the Seneshall of Beaucayre / and mo than a hundred knyghtes of Fraunce / and of Prouynce / & of the marches ther about. and many a squier and riche man of Tholous and of Mountpellyer. And ther had ben mo taken if they had ben chased / howbeit the company∣ous were but a fewe and yuell horsed / therfore they durst nat aduenture ouerfarr / and so held thē content with that they had done. This skyz mysshe was at Mōtaubon the vigyll of our la∣dy in August. the yere of our lorde god / a thou∣sande thre hundred threscore and sixe.