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 sir Johan Chādos brought the countre of Aniou in great trybu∣lacion / and howe he wasted and dy∣stroyed the landes of the bycount of Rochchoart / excepte the forteresses. Cap. CC .lxiiii. (Book 264)

IN the meane seasone while this iorney was thus made about Tornehē / ther fell dyuers aduētures in po¦ictou / the whiche ought nat to be forgotten. For sir Jo∣han Chandos who was se∣neshall ther: lyke a hardy and a valyāt knight euer desyringe to fynde the frenchmen to fyght with them. He assembled togyder at Poicters a certayne nombre of men of armes: sayenge howe he wolde ryde in to Aniou / and retourne agayne by Towrayne / and se the frenchemen in the marchesse and fronters there. The whi∣che purpose he signifyed to therle of Penbroke who lay at Mortaygne in garyson / with two hundred speares. Of the whiche tidynges the erle was ioyfull / and was well content to haue rydden forthe / but some of the knightes of his counsayle brake his purpose / and sayde. Sir: ye be as yet but yong / your noblenesse is yet to come: and sir / if you put your selfe in to the cō∣pany of sir John̄ Chandos / whatsoeuer ye do he shall haue the brute and voyce therof / for ye shall be reputed but as his companyon. Ther∣fore sir / it is better for you sythe ye be so great a lorde as ye be / that ye do your enterprises by your selfe a parte. And let sir Johan Chandos do his by him selfe / sythe he is but a bacheler as to the regarde of your estate. So these wordes and other abated the erles desyre / so that ther∣by he had no more wyll to go forthe with {ser} Jo∣han Chandos / and so made an excuse to hym. Howebeit sir John̄ Chandos wolde nat breke his purpose in goyng forth to do his enterprice but made his assemble at Poicters / and so de{per}¦ted with thre hundred speares of knyghtes and squyers / and two hundred archers. With hym was sir Thomas Percy / sir Stephyn Gosen∣ton / sir Richarde Pountchardon / sir Eustace Dābretycourt / sir Richard Tēcon / {ser} Thom̄s Spens / sir Nowell Lornysshe / sir Dangoses sir Thomas Balastre / sir Johan Tryuell / sir Wyllm̄ Mountendre / sir Wyllm̄ Manbrius of Lymers / sir Geffray Dargēton and dyuers o∣ther. These men of armes and archers / rode forthe in good ordynaunce / and passed Poitou and entred into Aniou. Than they sent forthe their currours before them / to bren and exyle y^e playne countrey. So they dyde many yuels in that good plentyfull countrey of Aniowe / and none came to fight with them / and taryed ther the space of .xv. dayes / and specially in the plen¦tyfull

co••••re called Londonoys. And than they cetourned agayne bytwene Aniou & Tourayn a long by the ryuer of Creuse. And so entred in to the lande of the vycont of Roche choart / and brent and wasted the countre all about / for they left nothyng abrode without the fortresse. And so came to the towne of Roch choart and assay ••ed it right valyantly: howbeit they wanne no¦thyng ther / for the towne was well fortifyed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good men of warr. Thybault of pont / and He lyons of Talay were capitayns within y^e tow∣ne so than thēnglysshmen passed forthe. Than sir Johan Chandos had knowledge howe the marshall of Frāce / sir Loyes of Sanxere with a great nombre of men of warr was at Hay in Tourayne. Thā he had great desyre to go thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & sent worde therof to therle of Pēbroke de syringe him to go with hym to y^• Hay in Tou∣rayne / and to mete with hym at Casteleraulte. And Chandos the heraude wente on this mes∣sage / and he founde therle at Mortayne / who had redy assembled a certayne nombre / to then tent to make a iourney on his enemyes. And y^• erle made his excuse by counsayle of his knigh¦tes / sayeng he might nat cōe to sir John̄ Chan¦dos as at that tyme. Than the heraude retour∣ned and foūde his maister at Casteleraut / and there shewed hym his answere fro therle of Pē¦broke. And whan sir John̄ Chādos herde that he was nat well content in his mynde / for he {per}∣ceyued well howe therle left that enterprice / by presumpcion and pride. Than he sayde / well a goddes name so be it. And so than gaue leaue to the moost parte of his company to departe / and he went agayne to the cytie of Poicters.