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 kyng of Englande was sore displeased of the takyng of therle of Penbroke / and how sir Bertram of Clesquy toke the castell of Mount morillon. Cap. CCC .i. (Book 301)

THe kyng of England was sore displeased whā he herde how the army that he had sent in to Poictou was ouerthrowen by the spany∣erdes on the see / and so wer all suche as loued hym / how be it they coude nat am••de it for that tyme. thā the sages of therealme thought surely that the countre of Poictou and of Xaynton was likely to be lost / by reason of the sayd mysse happe: & this they shewed to the kyng and to the duke of Lancastre. So they were long in counsayle on the mater / and so determyned as than: that the erle of Salysbury with fyue hundred men of armes shulde go thyder. But what s••••uer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 s••yle or aduyse was taken / ther was nothyng done / for there came other busynesses in hande out of Bretayne / that letted that iourney / wher of the kyng repented him after / whan he coude nat remedy it. So it was / that the spanyerdes who had taken the erle of Penbroke (as ye ha∣ue herd before) they taryed a certayne space on the see / bycause the wynde was contrary to thē Howbeit at last they arryued at the porte saynt Andrewe in Galyce / and so entred into the tow¦ne about noone. And so brought all their priso∣ners in to the Castell / all bounde in cheanes of yron acordyng to their custome / for other cour¦tesy they can nat shewe. They are like vnto the almaynes.

THe same day / yuan of Wales was arry∣ued with his shyppe in the same porte / & so toke lande and entred in to the same house / wher as Domferant of Pyon / and Cabesse of Wakadent had brought the erle of Penbroke and his knightes. And so it was shewed yuan as he was in his chambre / howe the englysshe∣men were in the same house as prisoners. And this yuan had great desyre to se them / to knowe what they were. and so he went forthe in to the hall / and as he went thyder he encountred with the erle of Penbroke / whome he knewe ryght well / yet he had nat often sene him before. Thā he sayd to him as in reproch / a erle of Pēbroke / are ye come in to this countre to do homage to me / for suche landes as ye holde in the principa¦lyte of Wales / wherof I am rightfull heyre / the whiche your kynge hath taken fro me / by yuell counsayle and aduyse. The erle of Penbroke was abasshed / whan he sawe that he was a pri∣soner and in a strange land / and knowyng nat the man that so spake to hym in his language. And so answered shortely / and sayd. What are you that gyue me this langage? I am {quod} he / y∣uan / sonne to prince Aymon of Wales / whome your kyng of Englande put to dethe wrongful¦ly / and hath disheryted me. But whan I may by the helpe of my right dere lorde the frenche kyng / I shall shape therfore a remedy. And I wyll ye knowe: that if I may fynde you in any place conuenyent / that I may fyght with you / I shall do it. and she we you the right y^• ye haue done to me: and also to the erle of Herforde / & to Edward Spēser. For by your fathers with other counsaylours / my lorde my father was be trayed / wherof I ought to be displeased / and to amende it whan I maye. Than stepte forthe a knight of the erles / called sir Thomas of sait

〈…〉〈…〉 to speke and sayd. yuan / 〈…〉〈…〉 and maynteyne that there is any 〈…〉〈…〉 or hath ben in my lorde / or that he o∣weth or shulde owe any homage to you / or any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. cast downe your gage in that quarell and ye shall fynde hun that shall take it vp. Thanyuan answered and sayd. ye are a prisoner. I can haue none honour to apele you for ye haue nat the rule of yourselfe: for ye are vnder the rule of them that haue taken you. but whan ye be quyte / than I shall speke with you more of the mater for it shall nat rest thus. And so with tho words / certayne knight{is} of Spay∣gne came bytwene them: and so departed them a sondre. And so w^tin a whyle after the sayd. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 capItēs ledde for the their prisoners toward the cytie of Burg{is} in Spayn / to yelde them to kyng Henry / who as than was there a byding. And whan kyng Henry knewe of their comyng and that they aproched nere to the cy∣tie: He sent his eldest sonne called Johan / who was called as than / the chylde of Castell with great nombre of knight{is} and squyers / to mete with these englysshmen / to do theym honoure: for the king knewe tight well what aparteyned to noblenesse. And whā they were come to him he dyde them moche honour / bothe with word{is} and dedes. And than anone after the kyng sent them into dyuers {per}tes of his realme to be kept.

HOwe let vs retourne to the busynesse of Poitou / y^e which was nat lytell: and let vs speke of the gascoyns and englysshe knigh∣tes / who on saynt John̄s day at nyght came to the towne of Rochell (as ye haue herd before) & they weresore displeased / in y^t they cāe nat the day before to haue bene at the batayle / to haue ••ought with the spanyerdes. So thā they toke counsayle what thyng was best for them to do / for they had great dout of thē of Rochell. Than they ordayned sir Johan Deureux to be sene∣shall of Rochell with thre hūdred men of warr to kepe y^e towne / for they thought that as longe as they were strong ynough in the towne / they durst nat rebell. This order was taken by the Captall of Beufz / who was chefe gouernoure of that company: and sir Thomas Percy / sir Dangoses sir Richarde of Pontchardon / the Souldyche / sir Bereas de la La••de and other with their companyes / departed fro Rochell / to the nombre of foure hundred speares / & toke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 way to Subyze for ther were certayne bre 〈…〉〈…〉 helde churches and small forteresses / and had fortifyed them. But as soone as these lordes came thyder they draue them away and wanne their holdes / and rydde clene those mar¦chesse of them. And the same season there kepte the feldes in the marchesse of Aniou / Auuerne / and Berrey / the constable of Fraunce / the duke of Berrey / the duke of Burbone / the erle of Alē¦son the Dolphyn of Auuergne / {ser} Loys of Sā¦xere / the lorde Clysson / the lorde de la Uale / the vycount of Rohan / and the lorde of Beauma∣noyre / with a great nōbre of the barony of Frā∣ce / to the nombre of thre thousande speres. And they rode so long / tyll they assembled all togy∣der with the constable in Poyctou / and so layd siege to a castell / called Mountmorillon: and with assaut wan it / and slewe all that euer wer within / and newe manned it with frenchmen. And than they went to Chauigny / stādynge by the ryuer of Cruse and beseged it / and ther lay two dayes / and on the thirde day the place was yelded vp & they within taken to mercy. Than they rode further and came to Luzat / wher ther was a towne and a castell: and so they also yel∣ded them vp / without abyding of any assaute. Than they went to the cytie of Poicters / & lay one night without amonge the vynes / wherof they of the cytie were sore abasshed and douted of a siege / howe beit they hadde none as at that tyme. For the next mornyng the frenchmen de∣parted and went to the castell of Moncoūtour / wherof John̄ Cresuell and Dauyd Holegraue were capitayns / and had vnder them threscore hardy and valyant men of warre / who greatly had constrayned the marches of Aniou and of Thourayne / and other frēche garysons: wher∣fore the cōstable sayd he wolde nat de{per}te thens / tyll he had it at his pleasure.