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 prince of wales lefte the duchy of Acquitayne / in the kepyng of the duke of Lancastre / and howe four breton knightes / toke the castell of Mount Paon. Cap. C C .lxxxvii. (Book 287)

THe same season in the cyte of Burdeaux / dyed the eldest son̄e of the prince and princesse / wherof they were right sorie as reasone was. Than the prince was coun∣sayled / y^• he shulde retourne in to Englande into his owne countre / to then∣tent the rather therby to recouer his helth: this counsayle was gyuen hym by his phisycions & surgyons / that knewe his disease. The prince agreed well therto / and sayd: he was well con∣tent so to do / and thervpon made his prouision And as I vnderstode / the erle of Cābridge his brother / and the erle Johan of Penbroke: were ordayned to retourne with him to kepe him cō¦pany. And whan the prince shulde departe out of Acquitayne / and that his shippes were redy in the tyuer of Garon / and in the hauen of Bur¦deaur. The prince and pricesse / and their yong sonne Richarde beyng ther: Than he made a speciall somons at Burdeaux / of all barownes and knightes / of Gascoyne and Poictou: and in all other places where as he was lorde. And they vnder his obeysaunce / whan they were all come toguyder / in a chambre before the prince. Than he shewed to them / how he had ben their lorde / and had kepte them in peace as moche as lay in his power / and had maynteyned them in great prosperyte & puysance / agaynst all their enemyes. Shewyng them / that to recouer his helthe / wherof he had gret nede: he was in pur¦pose to retourne in to Englande. Desyring thē to beleue / serue / and obey his brother / the duke of Lancastre: in lyke maner as they had done hymselfe. Trustynge they shulde fynde hym a good lorde & curtesse / requyringe thē to coūsell & assyst hym in all his busynesse. The barones of Acqtayne / Gascoyne / Poictou / and of Xain∣ton / promysed and sware on their faythes / that there shulde neuer defaute be founde in any of thē. And so there they dyde fealtie & homage to the duke / and promysed him their loues seruy∣ce / and obeysance & that they sware to vpholde and kepe / in the presence of the prince / and so kyst his mouthe. And after this order taken / y^• prince taryed nat long in the cytie of Burdeux / but entred into his shyppe / and the pricesse and their chyldren / & the erle of Cambridge and the erle of Penbroke with thē. And with him there was a fyue hundred fightynge men / besyde ar∣chers. So long they sayled without danger or domage / that they aryued at Nampton. Ther they toke lande and refresshed them two dayes than they tooke their horses and the prince in a lytter / and so came to wyndsore wher the kyn∣ge was / who receyued swetely his chyldrē▪ and so ther he was enformed by thē / of al the state of Guyen. And whan the prince had ben with the king as long as it pleased them / than the prince tooke his leaue and went to his owne house of Camestades. ¶ Nowe let vs leaue to speke of the prince / and shewe somwhat of the besy∣nesse of Acquitayne.

ANone after that the prince was depar∣ted fro Burdeux / the duke of Lancastre made the obsequy of his cosyn Edwarde / sofie to the prince his brother / the whiche was nobly done in the cytie of Burdeux. And therat were all the barons of Gascoyne / and Poictou / such as had sworne obeysance to him. In the meane season of this obsequy / and that all these lordes were at Burdeux / ther yssued out of the forte∣tesse of Pyergourt a two hundred speares bre∣tons / the whiche were sente thyder by the duke of Aniowe. Of the whiche company ther were four knightes capitayns / right hardy and va∣lyant knightes / called sir Wyllyam of Lōuall / sir Alayne of Aussay / sir Loyes of Mally / and the lorde Darcy. These lordes rode with their companyes to a stronge castell / called Mount paon / perteyning to a knight. And whan these bretons were cōethyder / and had ronne to the barryers / they made semblant to assayle the ca¦stell. Than the capitayn within called sir Wyl∣lyam of Mount paon / who shewed himselfe to haue rather a frēche hert than an englysshe. He tourned and yelded vp the place / and receyued the bretons in to his castell / who sayd they wol∣de kepe that place agaynst all the worlde / than they newe repayred and fortifyed it. These ty∣dynges anone was knowen at Burdeux: than the duke of Lancastre sayd to the lordes about

hym. sirs / we do nat our beuoyre as we shulve do / for the bretons are a brode / and haue taken the fortresse of Mountpaon marchyng nere to them. Of the whiche takynge / the duke and all the lordes about hym had great shame / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 than they ordayned all to go thyder. And so depar∣ted fro Burdeaur on a wedntsday / and with y^• duke of Lancastre was the lorde of Pons / the lorde of Parteney / sir Loys Harcourt sir guys sharde Dangle / sir Percyuall of Culoyue / sir Godfray Dargēton / sir Jaques of Surgeres sir Maubrune of Linyers / sir Wyllm̄ of Mon¦tendre / sir Hugh of Uinoy / the lorde of Crupe∣nacke / and dyuers other barons and knightes of Poictou / and Xaynton. And of gascon there was the captall of Befz / the lorde of Pomyers the lorde of Chamount / the lorde of Mountse∣rant / the lorde of Langueron / the souldyche of Lestrade / sir Bernard Dalbret / the lorde of ge¦tonde / sir Amery of Charse and dyuers other And of Englande / ther was sir Thom̄s Phel∣ton sir Thom̄s Percy / the lorde Rose / sir My¦chell de la Poule / the lorde Wyloughhy / {ser} Wyl¦lyam Beauchāpe / sir Richarde Pontchardon sir Bandras of Franuyll / sir Dāgoses and dy¦uers other. They were aseuyn hundred spea∣res / and fyue hūdred archers. And so they rode right ordinatly towarde Mountpaon / and so came thyder. And whan sir Wylliam of Moūt paon knewe of the comyng thyder of the duke of Lancastre and of his cōpany / and sawe how he was by them besieged. He thought him selfe than in no surety / for he knewe well that yf he were takenne by force / heshulde nat escape fro dethe / thinkynge surely he shulde nat be taken to mercy / bycause of the forfet that he had done in gyueng vp the place before to the bretons. Than he dyscouered his entent to the forsayde four knightes / and sayd to them. Sirs / I wyll leaue this castell to you / and I wyll depart and go to Pyergourt / and kepe that. And so he de∣parted and wente to Pyergourt / and lefte his owne castell / in the kepyng of the foresayd four knyghtes.