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.

¶ How the prince cōmaūded his peo¦ple to be redy to fight. and how kyng Henry ordayned his batayls / & howe they fought fiersly togyder: & of the confort that kyng Henry dyde to his people. Cap. CC .xxxvii. (Book 237)

THus as ye haue harde kyng Henry and sir Bertrā of Clesquy deuised togyder of dyuers maters / and lefte talkyng of the princes letter for it was kyng Hēries entē¦cion to haue batayle / & so en¦tended to ordre his felde and people. Therle of Anxell and his brother sir Sanxes / were gret¦ly renomed in their hoost / for the iourney that

they had made before / as ye haue herde. The prince the friday / the seconde day of Aprell••dil loged fro Groyng / and auaunced forwarde a∣raynged in batayle redy to fight / for he knewe well that kyng Henry was nat farr thens. And so that day he auaūced two leages / and at thre of the day he cāe before Nauaret and ther toke his logyng. Than the prince sent forthe his cur¦rours to auiewe his ennemyes / and to knowe wher they were lodged: and than they depar∣ted fro the hoost and rode so forward that they sawe all their enemyes hoost / who were also lo¦ged before Nauaret. So they brought report therof to the prīce / and in the euenyng the prin∣ce caused secretely to be shewed through all the hoost / that at the first so wnyng of the trumpet∣tes euery man to aparell hymselfe / and at the se¦conde to be armed / & at the thirde to lepe a hors backe and to folowe y^e marshals baners / with the penon of saynt George. And that none on payne of dethe auaunce before them / without he be commaunded so to do.

IN lyke maner as the prince had done the same friday insendyng out his currours So dyde kynge Henry on his parte to knowe wher the prince was lodged / and whan he had true report therof / than the kyng called {ser} Ber∣tram of Clesquy / and toke counsayle and aduy¦ce howe to perseuer. Than they caused their pe¦ple to suppe / and after to go to rest to be y^e more fressher / and at the hour of mydnight to be re∣dy apparelled and to drawe to the felde / and to ordayne their bataylles: for he knewe well the next day he shuld haue batayle. So that night the spanyardes toke their ease and rest / for they had well wherwith so to do / as plenty of vytels and other thynges. And the englysshmen had great defaut / therfore they had great desyre to fight / outher to wynne or to lese all. After myd∣night the trumpettes sounded in kyng Hēryes hoost than euery man made hym redy: at the se¦conde blast they drewe out of their lodgynges / and ordred thre batayls. The first had sir Ber¦tram of Clesquy / lorde Robert of Rosebertyne and therle Dune erle of Aragon / and ther wer all the strangers aswell of Fraunce as of other coūtrees / & ther were two barones of Heynalt the lorde Dautoyng / and sir Alars lord of Bri∣suell. Ther was also the Begue of Uillayns / the begue of Uylliers / sir John̄ of Bergutes / sir Gawen of Baylleull / the almayne of saynt Uenant / who was ther made knight & dyuers other / of Fraūce / Aragron / and Prouens / and of the marchesse ther about. Ther was well in that batayle four thousande knightes and squi¦ers well armed and dressed after the vsage of Fraūce. The seconde batayle had therle of Au∣xell / and his brother therle of Saures: and in that batayle with the genetours ther were .xv. thousand a fote and a hors backe / and they drue them a lytell a backe on the lyft hande of y^e first batayle. The third batayle and the grettest of all / gouerned kyng Henry himselfe: and in his company ther were a seuyn thousand horsmen and threscore thousande a fote with the crosbo∣wes. So in all thre batayls he was a fourscore and sixe. M. a horsebacke and a fote. Thā kyn¦ge Henry lepte on a stronge mule after y^e vsage of the countrey / and rode fro batayle to batayle ryght swetely / prayeng euery man that day to employ themselfe to defende and kepe their ho∣nour / and so he shewed himselfe so cherefully y^• euery man was ioyfull to beholde hym. Than he went agayne to his owne batayle / and by y^t tyme it was day light. And than about y^e son̄e¦risyng / he auaunced forthe towarde Nauaret to fynde his enemyes in good order of batayle redy to fight.

THe prince of Wales at the brekyng of y^e day was redy in y^e felde a ranged in ba∣tayle / and auaūced forwarde in good order / for he knewe well he shulde encountre his enemys So there were none y^• went before y^e marshals batayls / but suche currours as were apoynted so thus the lordes of bothe hostes knewe by the report of their currours y^t they shulde shortely mete. So they went forward an hostyng pase eche toward other / & whan the son was risyng vp / it was a great beauty to beholde y^e batayls and the armurs shinynge agaynst the son. So thus they went forward tyll they aproched nere togyder / than the prince and his cōpany went ouer a lytell hyll / & in the discēdyng therof they {per}ceyued clerely their enemyes comyng towar∣de thē. And whan they were all discēded down this moūtayne than euery man drue to their ba¦tayls & kept thē styll and so rested thē / and eue∣ry man dressed and aparelled hymselfe redy to fight. Than sir John̄ Chādos brought his ba¦ner rolled vp togyder to the prince & sayd. Sir beholde here is my baner / I requyre you dys∣play it abrode / and gyue me leaue this day to rayse it / for sir I thanke god and you / I haue lande and herytage suffycient to maynteyne it withall. Than the prince and kynge Dampe∣ter tooke the baner bytwene their handes and spred it abrode / y^e which was of syluer a sharpe pyle goules / and delyuered it to him and sayd

sir Johan beholde here your baner / god sende you ioye and honoure therof. Than sir Johan Chandos bare his baner to his owne cōpany / and sayd. Sirs behold here my baner & yours kepe it as your owne. And they toke it & were right toyfull therof / and sayd that by the plea∣sure of god and saynt George they wolde kepe and defende it to the best of their powers. And so the baner abode in the handes of a good en∣glysshe squyer / called Wyllm̄ Alery: who bare it that day and aquaynted himself right nobly. Than anon after thenglysshmen and gascoins a lighted of their horses / and euery man drewe vnder their owne baner and standerd in array of barayle redy to fight / it was great ioye to se and consyder the baners and penons: and y^e no¦ble armery that was ther. Than the bataylles began a lytell to auaunce / and than the prince of Wales opened his eyen and regarded towar¦de heuen / and ioyned his handes togyder and sayd. Uary god Jesu Christ who hath formed and created me / cōsent by your benygne grace that I may haue this day victory of myne ene∣myes / as that I do is in a ryghtfull quarell / to sustayne and to ayde this kynge chased out of his owne herytage the whiche gyueth me cou∣rage to auaunce my selfe to restablysshe hym a gayne into his realme. And than he layed his right hande on kyng Dampeter / who was by hym and sayd. Sir kynge ye shall knowe this day if euer ye shall haue any part of the realme of Castell or nat. Therfore auaunce baners in the name of god and saynt George / with those wordes the duke of Lancastre and sir Johan Chandos aproched / and the duke sayde to sir Wylliam Beauchamp. Sir Wylliam beholde yonder our enemyes / this day ye shall se me a good knyght: or els to dye in the quarell. And therwith they aproched their enemyes / & first the duke of Lancastre and sir Johan Chandos batayle assembled with the batayle of sir Ber∣tram of Clesquy / and of y^e marshall sir Arnold Dandrehen / who were a foure thousande men of armes. So at the first brunt ther was a sore encountre with speares and sheldes / and they were a certayne space or any of them coude get within other. ther was many a dede of armes done / and many a man reuersed and cast to the erthe / that neuer after was relyued. And whan these two first barayls were thus assembled / y^e other batayls wolde nat longe tary behynde / but aproched and assembled togyder quickely. And so the prince and his batayle / came on the erle of Anxes batayle: and with the prince was kyng Dampeter of Castell and sir Marten de¦la Care / who represented the kynge of Nauer. And at the first metynge that the prince mette with the erle of Anxes batayle: therle and his brother fledde away without order or good ar¦ray and wyst nat why / and a two thousand spe∣res with hym. So this seconde batayle was o∣pened and anone disconfyted / for the captall of Beufz and the lorde Clysson and their compa∣ny came on them a fote / and slewe and hurt ma¦ny of thē. Than the princes batayle with kyng Dampeter came and ioyned with the batayle of kynge Henry / wher as there were threscore thousande men a fote and a horsebacke. There the batayle began to be fierse and cruell on all partes / for the spanyardes and castillyans had slynges wher with they cast stones in such wise that ther with they claue and brake many a bas¦senet and helme / and hurt many a man and o∣uerthrue them to the erthe: and the archers of Englande shotte fiersly and hurtespanyardes greuously / and brought them to great mischefe The one parte cryed Castell for kynge Henry / and the other parte saynt George guyen. And the first batayle / as the duke of Lancastre and sir Johan Chandos / and the two marshals sir Guyss harde Dangle and sir Stephyne Con∣senton / fought with sir Bertram of Clesquy & with the other knightes of Fraūce and of Ara∣gon: ther was done many a dede of armes. so it was harde for any of them to open others ba¦tayle / dyuers of thē helde their speares in both their handes foyning and presing eche at other and some fought with shorte swerdes and dag¦gers. Thus at the beginnynge the frenchmen and they of Aragon fought valiantly: so that the good knight{is} of Englande endured moche payne. That daye sir Johan Chandos was a good knight / and dyde vnder his baner many a noble feate of armes: he aduentured himselfe so farre that he was closed in amonge his ene∣myes / and so sore ouerpressed that he was fel∣led downe to the erthe: and on hym there fell a great and a bygge man of Castell called Mar¦tyne Ferrant / who was gretly renomed of har¦dynesse amonge the spanyardes / and hedyde his entent to haue slayne sir Johan Chandos / who lay vnder hym in great danger. Than sir Johan Chandos remembred of a knyfe that he had in his bosome / and drewe it out and strake this Martyne so in the backe and in the sydes / that he wounded him to dethe as he lay on him Than sir Johan Chandos tourned hym ouer and rose quickely on his fete and his men were

there aboute hym / who had with moche payne broken the prease to come to hym wher as they sawe hym felled.

THe saturday in the mornynge bytwene Nauer and Nauaret was the batayle right fell and cruell / and many a man brought to great myschefe. Ther was done many a no∣ble dede of armes by y^e prince / and by the duke of Lācastre his brother / and by sir John̄ Chā∣dos / sir Guysshard Dāgle / the captall of Befz / the lorde of Clisson / the lorde of Raix / sir Hugh Caurell / sir Mathue Gourney / sir Loys Har∣court / the lorde of Pons / the lorde of Partney. And of gascoyns fought valyantly: the erle of Armynake / the lorde Dalbret / the lorde of Po∣myers and his brethern / the lorde of Musedēt / the lorde of Rosen / therle of Pyergourt / therle of Gomegynes / therle of Carmayne / the lorde of Condons / the lorde Parr / the lorde of Cha∣mont / sir Bertylmewe of Cande / the lorde of Pyncornet / sir Bertram Dalbreth / the lorde of Garonde / sir Aymery of Tast / the Souldiche of Strade / sir Peteton of Corton / and dyuers other knightes and squyers aquyted themselfe right nobly in armes to their powers. And vn¦der the penon of saynt George and the baner of sir Johan Chandos were all the companyons to the nombre of .xii. hundred pensels / and they were right hardy and valyant knightes: as sir Robert Ceney / sir Perducas Dalbreth / Robr̄t Briquet / sir Garses of the Castell / sir Gaillard Uiger / Johan Cresnell / Nandon of Bergerāt Aymon Dortyng / Perrot of Sauoy / y^e bourg Camus / the bourge Lespyne / the bourge Ber∣tuell / Esperry and dyuers other. On the frēche partie sir Bertram of Clesquy / sir Arnold Dā¦drehen / Xances / sir Gomes Garybz / and other knightes of Fraunce and of Arragone fought right nobly to their powers / howbeit they had none aduauntage: for these companyons were hardy and strong knightes / and well vsed and expert in armes. And also ther were great plen¦ty of knightes and squiers of Englande vnder the baner of the duke of Lācastre and of sir Jo¦han Chandos. Ther was the lorde Wyllyam Beauchamp sonne to the erle of Warwyke / sir Rafe Camoys / sir Water Ursewyke / sir Tho∣mas Emery sir John̄ Grandon / sir John̄ Dy¦per / sir Johan du Pre / sir Amery of Rochecho¦art / sir Gayllarde de la Motte and mo than .ii. hundred knightes / the whiche I can nat name. And to speke truely the sayd sir Bertram Cles∣quy / and the marshall Dandrechen / the Begue of Uillaynes / the lorde Dantuell / the lorde of Brisuell / sir Gawen of Baylleull / sir Johan of bergeretes / the begue of Uillers / y^e almayne of saynt Uenant / and the good knightes and squi¦ers of Fraunce that were ther / acquyted them∣selfe nobly. For of trouthe if the spanyard{is} had done their parte as well as the frenchmen dyde / thenglysshmen and gascoyns shulde haue had moche more to do: and haue suffred more payn than they dyde. The faute was nat in kyng Hē¦ry that they dyde no better: for he had well ad∣monysshed and desyred thē to haue done their deuoyre valiantly / and so they had promysed him to haue done. The kynge bare hym selfe ryght valiantly and dyde marueyls in armes: and with good courage cōforted his people / as whan they were flyenge and openyng / he came in among theym and sayd. Lordes I am your kyng: ye haue made me kyng of Castell & haue sworne and promysed / that to dye ye wyll nat fayle me. For goddessake kepe your promyse y^t ye haue sworne & acquyte you agaynst me / and I shall acquyte me agaynst you: for I shall nat flye one fote as longe as I may se you do your deuoyre. By these wordes and suche other full of confort: kyng Henry brought his men togy∣der agayne thre tymes the same day / and with his owne hādes he fought valiantly: so that he ought greatly to be honoured and renowmed. This was a marueylous dangerous batayle / and many a man slayne and sore hurte: the co∣mons of Spayne acordyng to y^e vsage of their countre with their slynges they dyd cast stones with great vyolence and dyde moche hurt / the whiche at the beginnynge troubled greatly the englysshmen. But whan their cast was past: & that they felt the sharpe arrowes lyght amonge thē / they coude no lengar kepe their aray. with kynge Henry in his batayle / were many noble mē of armes: as well of Spayne as of Lysbone of Aragon / and of Portyngale: who acquyted them right nobly. And gaue it nat vp so lyght∣ly for valiantly they fought / with speares / ia∣uelyns / archegayes / and swerdes. And on the wyng of kynge Henries batayle ther were cer∣tayne well moūted / who always kept the batell in good order / for if the bataile opened or brake array in any syde / than they were euer redy to helpe to bringe them agayne in to good order. So these englisshmen and gascons or they had the aduauntage they bought it derely / & wan it by noble chiualry / and great prowes of armes. And for to say trouthe the prince hym selfe was the chefe flour of chiualry of all the worlde and

had with him as than right noble and valyant k••••ghtes and squyers. And a lytell besyde the princes batayle was the kynge of Mallorques and his company / fightynge and acquitynge them selfe right valiantly. And also there was the lorde Martyn de la karr representyng the kynge of Nauer / who dyde right well his de∣••oyre / I can nat speke of all them that dyd that day right nobly. But aboute the prince in his ••••tayle there were dyuers good knyghtes / as well of Englande as of Gascoyne: as sir Ry∣charde Pount Chardon sir Thomas Spen∣ser / sir Thomas Hollande sir Nowell Lor∣nyche / sir Hugh and sir Philyppe Courtnay / sir Johan Comette / sir Nycholas Bonde / sir Thomas Comette and dyuers other: as the se¦••••shall of ••ayntonge / sir Baudwyn of Fran∣••yil / the seneshall of Burdeaux / of Rochell / of Poictou / of Angoleme / of Rouerne / of Lym••∣••y•• / and of Pyergourt: and sir Loyes Mar∣nell sir Raymon Danduell / and dyuers other. Ther was none that fayned to fight valiantly and also they hadde good cause why: for there were of spaygniardes and of Castyle mo than a hundred thousande men in harnesse / so that by reason of their great nombre / it was longe or they coude be ouercom. Kyng Dāpeter was greatly chafed and moche desyred to mete with the bastarde his brother / and sayd: where is y^t horeson that calleth hymselfe kynge of Castell. And the same kynge Henry fought ryght valy¦antly where as he was / & helde his people togy¦der right marueylously / and sayde. Aye good people ye haue crowned me kyng / therfore hel∣pe and ayde me / to kepe the herytage that you haue gyue me. So that by these wordes & suche other as he spake that day / he caused many to be right hardy and valyaunt / wherby they a∣bode on the felde: so that bycause of their hono^r they wolde nat flye fro the place.