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 Noyon toke the en∣glisshmen that had set fyre in the bys¦shops bridge / and howe the frenche kyng sent for sir Bertrā of Clesquy. Cap. CC .lxxix. (Book 279)

SIr Robert Canoll or he dep∣ted fro y^• siege of Noyon / his people brent the towne of bys¦shoppes bridge / on the ryuer of Dyse / wheri ther were ma¦ny fayre houses. The knigh∣tes and squyers that were w^t in the towne of Noyon / had great dyspleasure of the fyre. And so they vuderstove that sir Ro∣bert and his cōpany were departed: and a .lx. speres of thē went out of Noyon and cāe to the fyre / and founde ther styllparte of thē that had set the fyre in the towne / and dyuers other that were ther to pylle and robbe / and so the moost parte of them were slayne. And ther the french¦men wonne mo than .xl. good horses / & rescued dyuers prisoners / and saued fro brennyng ma∣ny fayre houses. And so they returned agayne to Noyon / with mo than .xv. prisoners / and so strake of all their heedes. ¶ And the englyssh∣men rode forthe in good order to come to Lar∣royse / & to passe at their ease the ryuer of Dyse and the ryuer of Ewe / and they dyde no hurte in the countie of Soyssons / bycause it partey∣ned to the lorde of Coucy. And trewe it was: they were coosted euer with certayne lordes of France: as the vycont of Meaulx / the lorde of Chauny / y^• lorde Raoll of Coucy / the lorde wyl¦lyam of Mehung / sonne to the erle of Tanker∣nell and by their folkes. Wherby the englyssh∣men durst nat breke their order / but euer kepte them selfe close togyder. And also the frēchmen wolde nat medyll with thē / but euery night lod¦ged within stronge holdes and good townes: and the englysshmen abrode in the playne coū∣tre / wher as they founde plentie of vitayls and newe wynes / wherof they made great larges. And so thus they rode through the countre / brē¦nyng and wastynge all before them / and at last passed the ryuer of Marne / and so entred in to Champayne / and passed the ryuer of Aube / & tourned to the marches of Prouynce / and pas∣sed dyuers tymes the ryuer of Saync / & drewe towarde the cyte of Parys. For it had benshe∣wed thē howe the frēche kyng had made ther a great assemble of men of warr: of whome the erle of saynt Poule / and the lorde of Clyssone shuld be chefe gouernours / wherfore they tho∣ught to drawe thider / wylling to fight with thē for by semyng thēnglisshmen desyred nothyng els but batayle. And therfore the frenche kyn∣ge wrotte to sir Bertram of Clesquy / who as than was in Acquytayne with the duke of An∣iou. Commaundyng and desyring him on the sight of his letters / that he shulde drawe incon¦tynent in to France / shewyng him how he wol¦de set him a warke in other places. In the same season pope Urbane the fyft / came in to the cyte of Amou: he had ben before a foure yere togy∣der at Rome / and there about. He came thyder in trust to make a peace bitwene the two kyng{is} for the warr was renewed agayne / the whiche was sore displesant to the pope. Of whose co∣myng to Aniou / y^• cardynals in those marches were greatly reioysed / for they thought to fare the better by him.

NOwe let vs speke of the prince of Wales howe he parceyuered in his warres. ye haue herde here before recorded / howe the price of Wales had made his assemble at Congnac / to thentent to ryde agaynst the duke of Aniou / who brent and wasted his coūtre. and so at his cōmaūdement thyder auaūsed barons / knigh∣tes and squyers of Poictou of Xaynton / and of other landes that helde of the prince. The erle of Penbroke departed fro his garyson and cāe to the prince. The same season the duke of Lā∣castre arryued at Burdeux / wherof the prince was right ioyouse. And so he taryed nat longe ther but de{per}ted / for he vnderstode that the pri∣ce wold encoūtre his enemyes. And so a dayes iourney fro Congnac / he encountred the erle of Penbroke / who was in lyke wise goyng to the prince. And so they made great chere eche to o∣ther whan they met / and so rode to gyder to Cō¦gnac. Wher they foūde the prince / the princesse

and the erle of Cābridge / who were right glad of their comyng. And dayly there came men of warr to thê out of Poictou / Xaynton Rochell / Bygore Goute / Gascoyne / and the marchesse nert adioynyng vnder the obeysance of the pri¦ce. And on the frenche partie the duke of Aniou the erle of Armynake the lorde Dalbret the er¦les / vycontes / knightes / and squyers / who had conquered: cyties / castels / townes / and fortres¦ses in their comynge / mo than .xl. And were a∣proched within fyue leages to Burdeux & had wasted all the countrey. And about Bergerath and Lynde they vnderstode well howe the pri∣ce had made his assemble at Congnac. And al¦so howe the duke of Lancastre was arryued w^t a great nōbre of men of warr / speares and ar∣chers. Than they drue to counsayle / to take ad¦uyse howe they shuld perceyuer in their warr. And so newly to them was sent ser Bertram of Clesquy by the frenche kyng / who came fro the duke of Berry / kepyng siege before the cytie of Lymoges / and had in suche wyse constrayned them within / that they were at a poynt to yelde them / on certayne meanes and cōdicyons. And so to this counsayle of the duke of Aniou and of the lordes about hym / sir Bertram of Clesquy was called as it was reason. Ther were many reasōs alleged and layd / but finally all thing{is} cōsydred / they counsayled the duke of Aniou to breke vp his iourney for that tyme / and to send all his people in to garysons / and to warr ga∣ryable: sayeng howe they had done sufficyētly for that tyme. Also it was nedefull to the lordes or Gascone / as the erle of Armynake / therle of Piergourt / the lorde Dalbret & dyuers other / to drawe into their owne coūtreis to kepe & de∣fende them / and to make fronter warr for they knewe nat what was the prices entent: sayeng that he had assembled toguyder so great an ar∣my. So by a comon acorde they departed eche fro other / and the duke of Aniou went to the cy¦tie of Caours / and spredde abrode his people in the coūtre / & put in to garysons. The erle of Armynake / and the lorde Dalbre / and y^• other retourned in to their countreis / and prouyded to furnisshe their townes and castels / thynking surely to haue warre / and made their people to be on a redynesse to kepe and defende their coū¦treis if nede were. ¶ Nowe let vs speke of sir Bertram of Clesquy / who departed fro the duke of Aniou / and dyde somoche that he came with his cōpany to the cyte of Lymoges / wher the duke of Berrey / and the duke of Burbone / and other lordes of Fraunce were at siege.