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.

¶ Of the batell of Cassell in Flaū∣ders. Cap. xxii. (Book 22)

ANd on a day / they of the garyson of Cassell departed out. To thentent to haue dy∣sconfyted y^e kyng and all his hoost. And they came priuely without any noyse in thre ba¦tels well ordred. Wherof the first batayle toke the way to the kynges tentes / and it was a fayre grace that the kynge had nat¦ben taken / for he was at souper and all his com¦pany / and thought nothyng of them. And the o∣ther batayle toke the streyght way to the tentes of the kynge of Behaygne / and in maner they founde hym in lyke case. And the thirde batayle went to the tentes of therle of Heynault / and in likrwyse had nere take hym. These hoostes cāe so peasably to the tentes / that with moch payne they of thoost coude arme them. Wherby all the lordes and their people had ben slayne / and the more grace of god had nat ben / but in maner by myracle of god / these lordes dysconfyted all .iii. batayls / eche batayle by it selfe all in one hour. In such wyse that of. ••vi. thousande flemmyn∣ges ther ascaped neuer a person / captayns and all were slayne. And the kyng & lordes of Frāce knewe nat one of an other / nor what they hadde done tyll all was finyss / edd and atchyued. For they lay in thre sondrie parties one fro an other but as for the flēmynges there was nat one left a lyue / but all lay deed on hepes one vpon an o∣ther in the sayed thre sondrie places. And this was done on saynt Bartylmewes day / the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxviii. Than the french men entred into the towne of Cassell and set vp the baners of Fraūce / and the towne yelded thē to the kyng. And also the towne Pyepigne / and of Ipre / & all they of the Castlayne of Bergues / and than the receyued therle Loys their lorde / and sware to hym faythe and loyaltie foreuer. Than after the kynge and his people departed and went to Parys / and he was moche honou∣red and praysed for this enterprise and ayd that he had done to his cosyn Lois erle of Flaūders. And thus the kyng was in great prosperite and euery day encresed his ryall estat / for as it was sayd ther was neuer kyng in Fraūce that helde like estat / as dyd this kyng Philyp of Ualoys.