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 Loyes of Sanxere cāe on therle of Penbroke and slewe diuers of his people / and besieged the erle in a house. Cap. CC .lxv. (Book 265)

NOwe let vs shewe sō what of therle John̄ of Pē∣broke / what he dyde assone as he knewe that sir Johan Chandos was gone backe agayne to Poycters / & had gyuen leue to his men to de¦parte. Than the erle prepared to ryde forthe / & with hym a thre hūdred speares englysshe / and po••ctenyns / and so departed fro Mortaygne. Ther were certayne knightes and squyers of Poictou / & of Xaynton / and some of England / who had ben with sir Johan Chandos. Than they came to the erle of Penbroke & went forth in his company. So they rode forthe and pas∣sed through Poyctou / and toke the same waye that sir Johan Chandos had taken before / and so entred into Aniou / and brent and exyled the countre / and toke all that was lefte / and so they taryed a certayne space in the countre of Lōdo noyse. And than tooke their way into the lande of the vycont of Roche choart / wher they dyde great domage and hurt. Than whan y^• french∣men / who were in the garysons in the marches of Tourayne / Aniou / and Poyctou / herde of these two iourneys / thus made in the countrey of Aniou. And herde howe that for pride therle of Pēbroke / who was but a yonge man / disday¦ned to go forthe in the cōpany of sir John̄ chan¦dos. Than they determyned to encountre him if they might / thinkyng more easely to discon∣fyte him than sir Johan Chandos. Than they assembled togyder secretely a certayne nombre out of euery garyson ther aboute / & they made their capitayne / sir Loys of Sanxer marshall of France. And so secretely in a night they went forthe by Roche Poizay in Poictou / the which was frenche / and in that company was sir Ro∣bert of Sanxere / cosyn to the marshall: {ser} Jo∣han of Uyen / sir Johan of Bulle / sir Wyllyam of Bordes / sir Loys of saynt Julyan / and Car¦net the breton: they were to the nombre of .vii. hundred. Than the erle of Penbroke had done his iourney / and was retournynge and entred agayne in to Poyctou / and had made an ende of the brennyng of the vycont of Roch••hoartes landes. And in his company was sir Bauden of Fanuyll seneshall of Xaynton / sir Thomas Percy / sir Thomas Spenser / sir Dangoses / sir Johan Ornych / sir John̄ Herpedan / sir Ja¦mes Surgeres / sir Johan Couson sir Tho∣mas of saynt Albyn / sir Robert Twyforde / sir Symon Ausagre / sir John̄ of Mortayne / sir John̄ Couchet / and dyuers other. Thus these englysshmen and poyctenyns rode forthe with out dismay / and herde no maner of tidynges of any men of warr / and so with great pyllage & praye entred agayne in to Poyctou. And on a day they came about hye noone to a village cal¦led Puiernon / & toke their lodgynge / wenyng to them to be in surety: and there varlett{is} we•••• settyng vp of their horses and dressing of their supper. Than sodenly the frēchmen who were

well aduysed of that they shulde do / came in to the towne their speares in the reest / and cryed their cryes / our lady of Sanxere for the mar∣shall of Fraunce. And so they beate downe on euery syde the englysshmen in the st••etes / and in the houses / and so the noyse was so gret that it reysed men vp in great affray / for they were sodenly taken. The noyse came to therle of Pē¦broke / to sir Thom̄s Percy / sir Thomas Frā¦uyll / and to the other knightes: howe y^• french∣men wer come and assayled them. Than these lordes went out of their lodgynges and assem∣bled their companyes togyder / but they coulde nat drawe all togyder / for the frenchmen were so stronge / that the englysshmen coulde nat en∣dure them. So at the first brunt / ther were ta∣ken and slayne mo than sixscore: so that the erle hadde no remedy but to withdrawe him assone as he might / in to a place of the templers closed with stone walles. And so there the erle and su∣che as were with him entred into the place / and the resydue were taken and slayne / and moost parte of their harnesse and horses were loste. And ther the erle of Penbroke lost all his bag∣gage and richesse. And whan̄e the frenchemen knewe that they were in that place / they were therof right ioyouse. Sayeng amonge theym selfe ▪ they can nat scape vs / they are all oures. They shall nowe derely abye the domag{is} / that they haue done in Aniou and Towrayne. So the frenchmen drewe to the place in good order redy to assayle it / for they sawe well that y^• pla∣ce was p̄ignable. Than they assayled the place right fiersly / and there was shewed many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no¦ble feate of armes. The frenchmen were good men of warr / and assayled the place rounde a∣bout right valyantly. The erle and thenglyssh∣men payned themself as moche as they might to defende theymselfe / as it stode them well in hande. The frenchmen hadde certayne scalyn∣ge ladders / and some of theym aduentured thē¦selfe to mount vpon the walles / with pauesses before theym / for feare of shotte and castyng of stones / but whan they were vp they were fierse lye receyued / with knightes and squyers / with speares and swerdes in their handes. And soo fought with the frenchmen hand to hande / and caused them to discende downe faster than they came vp: & suche archers as were within shotte so fiersly / that the frenchmen drue abacke. So this assaut endured tyll it was night / than the frenchmen right wery and sore traueyled 〈◊〉〈◊〉 retrayt and reculed backe / sayeng that 〈…〉〈…〉 ••hat day / tyll y^• nexte mornyng that they purposed to come agayn to thassaut. But all thynges cōsydred / the french∣men sayde surely they be all ours / they can nat long endure ayenst vs / we shall rather famyshe them. And so they lodged them that night / and kept good watch before y^e place. ye may knowe for trouhe / therle of Penbroke and his cōpany were natte well at their ease / for they sawe well they were in great ieopardy. For they parcey∣ned well howe the 〈…〉〈…〉 was nat stronge y∣nough to endure 〈…〉〈…〉 so many good knightes / as were there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thē. Also they 〈…〉〈…〉 and artyllary / 〈…〉〈…〉 the place lon〈…〉〈…〉 they made no sembl〈…〉〈…〉 thought to 〈…〉〈…〉 and a night yf nede were. And whan it wa〈…〉〈…〉 night / than they de••••∣red a squyer on who〈…〉〈…〉ey had great trust / to depart out at a backe p••••terne and so to ryde to Poicters / and to speke with sir John̄ Chādos / and to shewe him what case they were in. She wynge him also / howe that yf he lyst / he might come tyme ynough to rescue them: for they tru∣sted to defende the place / tyll the nexte day past noone. The squyer who sawe the great dāger that they were in / said he wolde gladly do their message. And also he sayde / he knewe well 〈◊〉〈◊〉 way thider. And so about mydnight 〈…〉〈…〉 by a backe posterne & toke the way to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whiche as he thought shulde haue ben the ••••xt way. Howbeit for all his knowledge / he went all night out of the way / so y^t it was faire day or he coude get in to the right waye. And in the mor∣nynge the frenchmen armed thē and sowned to thassaut / sayeng how they wolde assaut y^• place in y^• cole of the mornyng / rather than in y^• heate of the day. And the erle of Penbroke / who had slept but lytell / for all the night he & his cōpany were fortifyenge of the walles with stones & o∣ther thynges / for they sawe well howe the fren∣chemen ordeyned to assayle them agayne. So within a while the frenchemen drewe to y^• place & in good ordre made assaute & had skalyng lad¦ders & some moūted vp y^• walles with pauesses to defend their heedes. they thought a great ho¦nour / who soeuer coude mount fyrst howe be it thēnglisshmen were nat idle / but redy to defēd thēselfe / or els they had ben taken / & so they defē¦ded thē selfe merueylously and cast downe sto∣nes on the pauesses & bassenett{is} / and ouerthrue slewe & hurt dyuers / & dyde suche dedes of ar∣mes y^t ye neuer herde of so feble a place / so well defēded with so fewe people / agaynst so many good knightes & squyers as were ther▪ so this assaut endured fro mornyng tyll it was noone.