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 erle of Cambrydge and the erle of Pēbroke toke by great ad∣uyse the garyson of Bourdeill. Cap. C C .lix. (Book 259)

IN the meane season while y^t the barones and knightes of Englande made their iour∣neys aswell in Rouergue & Quercy / as in Agenoyse. the siege al that season endu¦red styll before the garyson of Bourdeill / the whiche was the space of a .xi. wekes. In the whiche season there were many ••autes / skrymysshes / and feates of armes done and acheued nygh euery day. For most comōly daily they w^tin wold come with al theyr power to the barriers of theyr to wne without the gate and valiauntly skrymysshe there with all com∣mers. And bare them selfe so proprely that they were praysed of all the ooste without. Thus in this estate they endured a great season / and by likelyhod longer had done if pryde and pre∣sumpcion hadde nat been. For they were men ••••owe / and ryght hardy and well fournysshed with vitailes and artillary: and they of the oste without beganne to ware werie / and sawe wel howe they laye there at theyr great cooste and charge / and wanne but lytell. And so on a day they toke theyr counsayle howe to maynteyne theyr siege / and to aproche the towne. And ther they cōcluded / that the next day in the mornyng they shulde be all armed / and so kepe them selfe in their lodgynges secretly / and to sende a cer∣tayne nombre to skrymysshe with them within for they thought welle / that they within wolde issue out on them as they Were accustomed to do. And so whan they had fought a while than to returne agayne / and to make semblaunt as though they fledde / to the entent to drawe their ennemyes out of the fortresse. And than they ordeyned to haue a nombre of horsemen redye to come in bitwene them and the towne to stop them whan they wolde returne. And so on this appoyntment they concluded / sayenge / that yf they had it nat by that meanes / they shulde nat geat the towne easely none other wayes. And so in the nexte mornynge yerly / they caused all theyr people to be armed / and sente a. CC. to the towne to skrymysshe. And whan the capi∣taynes within / as Erualdon and Bernardya / sawe them come / they were ryght ioyous / and armed them and al theyr company. They were a .vii. score yonge and lusty companyons / and so opened theyr gate and came to their barriers and there encountred theyr ennemies right fy∣ersly. And so at laste the englysshemen reculed back for the nones. And whan they within saw that / they issued out with theyr standard{is} / and said. Let vs auaunce after them / for surely they are all oures. And so they folowed after so fier∣sly / and the fleers fledde so fayntely / that some were ouerthrowen and taken prisoners. and bi¦cause they wolde haue all / they had but lytel. for it is an olde sayenge / He that all coueteth / al le∣seth. So these companyōs folowed so farre fro theyr fortresse / that whan they Wolde haue re∣turned / they coude nat. For than {ser} John̄ Mō∣tague (who kept the busshment with a .v. hun∣dred fyghtyng men / and was made knight the same tyme by the erle of Cambridge) Ther he encoūtred his enemies. And whā they of Bour deill sawe that: than they knewe well that they had foolysshely aduentured them selfe. How be it they drewe to gether lyke valiaunt men / and fought / and dyd ther feates of armes meruaile to record. and so helde them selfe vndiscomfit∣ted the space of .ii. houres styll fyghtynge with theyr enemies / doynge suche dedes of armes y^t the englysshemen toke great pleasaūce at theyr valiant dedes. And syr John̄ Montague was that day a good knyght and a valiant. Final∣ly they of Bourdeill were all discomfited slayn or taken / so that none skaped / and the englisshe prisoners reskewed agayn / and Erualdon and Bernardyn of Batefoll Capitaynes were ta∣ken. And in the meane season while this skry∣mysshe was / the erle of Cambridge and therle of Penbroke were auaūced to the barriers and conquered them / and the gate also. And so the erle of Cābridge baner entred into the forttes. Thus y^e englissemen had the garison of Bour∣deill / & caused all the men of the towne to swere fayth and trouth to kepe the towne for y^e prince. And ther they made a newe capitayne the lord of Mucydent & his companye / and .lx. archers within. And than they brake vp theyr armye / & concluded to go to Angolesme to the prince / to knowe his pleasure what he wolde commaund them. Thus the siege brake vp at Bourdeill and euery mā returned. Nowe let vs returne

to the knyghtes of England and of Gascoyne / that rode in Quercy / and let vs speke of Chan∣dos the herauld / & of the newes that he brought fro the prince of Wales.