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 they of Monsac & of Moūt∣pellyer yelded thē to the duke of An∣iou. And of the duke of Berry / who lay at siege before the cytie of Lymo∣ges. Cap. CC .lxxvii. (Book 277)

THan the duke of Aniou de{per}ted fro the cyte of Tholou / in great aray & in good order: and with hi there was therle of Armynake the lorde Dalbret / therle of Piergourt / the erle of Comynges / the vycont of Carmayne / y^• erle of Lyle / the vycont of Brune Kyell / the vy∣cont of Narbon / the vycont of Talar / the lorde de la barde / the lorde of Pyncornet / sir Bertrā Tande / the seneshalles of Tholous / Carcas∣sone / & of Beauchair and dyuers other. They were a .ii. M. speares knightes and squyers / & vi. M. a fote with laūces and pauesses. And sir Bertram of Clesquy was chefe capitayne of all that company / and so tooke the way to Dage∣noise. And by the way they founde in the feldes mo than a. M. of the cōpanyons / who all that season had ben in Quercy / and as than were ry¦dinge to warde Agen. The first forteresse that they came to was Monsacke / and the countre was in suche feare / by reason of the commynge

of the duke of Iniou with suche a great nōbre / that dyuers townes and forteresses trymbled for feare / and were nat in wyll to holde warre a¦gaynst him. And so assoone as they were come before Moysac / they yelded them and became frenche: and than they wente to Thounyns on the ryuer of Garon. And so the frenchmen rode at their ease folowynge the ryuer / and so came to the porte saynt Mary / the which incōtynent tourned frenche. And in euery place the french¦men put in people and made garisons / & bothe the towne and castell of Thounyns yelded thē vp and became french and ther they set a newe capitayne / and .xx. speares with hym. Than af¦ter they toke they way to Moūtpellyer / and to Iguyllon / brennyng and distroyeng the coun∣tre. And whan they were come to the good tow¦ne of Mountpellyer / they within were sore a∣frayed of the duke of Aniou / and so yelded thē selfe vp to the frenche kyng. Than they went to the stronge castell of Aguyllon / and there they were four dayes / for within was sir Gaultyer of Manny and his cōpany: and so yelded hym selfe and the castell to the duke of Aniou / wher∣of they of Bergerath had great marueyle / that they yelded thē selfe so soone. Capitayne with∣in Bergerath was the captall of Beufz / and sir Thomas Phelton / with a hundred speares en∣glysshe and gascoyns. And in lyke maner as y^• duke of Aniowe and his company were entred in to the princes lande / in the countre of Agen and Tholousen. Lyke wise the duke of Berry / the same tyme and his company rode in Lymo¦syn / with a .xii. hundred speares a horsebacke / and a thre thousande a fote: conquerynge tow∣nes and castels / brennyng and exilyng the coū¦trey. And with hym was the duke of Burbon / the erle of Alenson / sir Guy of Bloyes / sir Ro∣bert of Alenson erle of Perche / sir John̄ Dar∣mynake sir Hugh Dolphyn sir John̄ of Uyl∣lemore, the lorde of Beauieu the lorde of Uyl∣lers / the lorde of Senar / sir Geffray Mōtagu / sir Loyes of Malleuall / sir Rayman of Mar∣nell / sir John̄ of Boloyne / sir Godfray his vn∣cle / the vycont Duzes / the lorde of Sully / the lorde of Talenton / the lorde of Cōfant / y^• lorde Dappecher / the lorde Dacon sir John̄ Dame∣nue / ymbault of Peschyn & dyuers other good barons / knightes and squyers. These men of armes entred in to Lymosyn / & dyd ther great 〈…〉〈…〉uries / and so came and layed siege to Lymo¦ges. Within y^• towne ther were a fewe englysh¦men{is} the whiche sir Hugh Caurell had left ther¦in garison / for he was seneshalll in the countre.

THe prince of Wales who was in y^• tow∣ne of Angoleme / was well enformed of those two great armyes / aswell of the duke of Aniou / as of the duke of Berry: and howe they were entred with great strength into his coun∣tre / in two {per}ties. And also it was shewed hym how by all likelyhod / they wolde drawe towar¦de Angoleme / and to besiege him and the prin∣cesse within the towne. The prince who was a valyant man and ymaginatyfe / answered and sayd: howe his enemyes shulde nat fynde hym closed / nother within towne nor yet castell / but said howe he wolde mete thē in the playne felde Than he caused letters to be written / and sente forthe to all his true frendes and subgettes: in Poictou in Xaynton / in Rochell / in Rouergue in Quercy / in Gore / in Bygore / & in Agenoise. Desyring and commaundyng them to come to hym in all hast / with as moche power of men of warre as they coude make: & to mete with hym at the towne of Cougnac / for ther he hadde sta¦blysshed his assemble. And so anone after he de¦parted fro the good lady pricesse his wyfe / and had with hym Richarde his yonge sonne. And in the meane season that the prince made thus his assemble / the frenchmen rode on forthe / wa¦styng and distroyeng the coūtre before them / & so came to Lynde a good towne / standyng on the Ryuer of Dordone / a leage fro Bergerath. And capitayne therof was sir Thomas of Ba¦tefoyle a knight of Gascoyne / who was within the towne / set ther to defende it. And so the du∣ke of Aniowe / the erle of Armynake / the lorde Dalbret / the erle of Pyergourt / the vy count of Carmayn / and all the other barons and knygh¦tes came thyder: and so layed siege to the forte resse. Sayeng howe they wolde neuer depart thens / tyll they had the forteresse at their com∣maundement. The towne was good & strong and well furnysshed with artillary / for the cap∣tall of Beufz and sir Thom̄s Phelton had ben ther nat past a .xv. dayes before / and had so re∣fresshed y^• garyson / that they thought well that they within might kepe well y^• fortresse yf they lyst. Consydering the ayde and helpe that they might haue shortely fro Bergerath / if nede re∣quyred. Howbe it the people of the towne were sore enclyned to become frenche / and had great desyre to harken on the promysses that the du∣ke of Aniou made vnto thē. So that finally the capitayn sir Thom̄s of Batefoyle / was fayne to agre to them. And also by a certayne somme of money that he shulde haue: and great {pro}fyte yerely of the duke of Aniowe / and ther vpon to

become good frenche / and so it was ordayned that in a mornynge he shulde let the frenchmen entre into the towne. This treaty and couenāt was nat so close kepte / but that it was knowen in Bergerath / the nyght before that the towne shulde be delyuered in the mornynge. And the same tyme in to the towne of Bergerath there was come / the erle of Cābridge with two hun∣dred speares / and he was present whan reporte was made of those tidynges. The Captall of Beufz / and sir Thomas Phelton hadde great marueyle therof / and sayd: how he wolde be at the delyuere of the towne. And so after myd∣night they departed fro Bergerath / and rode towarde Lynde / and at the brekyng of the day they came thyder / and caused the gate to be op▪∣ned & so rode through the towne / tyll they came to the other gate / where as the frēchmen shulde entre. At whiche tyme they were a entrynge / & sir Thomas Batefole redy to make them way to entre. Than the Captall of Befz stept forthe his swerde in his hande and lighted a fote nere to the gate / and sayd. A / sir Thomas Batefole false traytour: thou shalt dye first / thou shalte neuer do trayson more / and therwith stroke at hym with his swerde in suche wyse / that he fell downe deed to the erthe. Whan the frenchmen parceyued the Captall and his baner / and sir Thom̄s Phelton / they knewe well they fayled of their entent / wherfore they reculed togyder and turned their backes and fledde away. So the towne abode styll englysshe / & was in gret parell to haue ben robbed and brent by the en∣glysshmen / and all the men within slayne: by∣cause they consented to the trayson. Howe be it they excused them selfe & sayd: howe they dyde nothyng / nor consented to do nothynge but for very feare / and prīcipally for feare of their capi¦tayne. So this passed ouer / and these two lor∣des abode styll ther a long season / tyll the duke of Aniou and his cōpany departed thens / and toke another way. ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the state and ordynaunce of Englande / and of the army that sir Robert Canoll made in the re¦alme of Fraunce.