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 castell of Alroy in Bre∣tayne was yelded vp frenche / and of the frenche garyson that was layd at Mountbourge / agaynst the garyson of Chierbourc. Cap. CCC .xvii. (Book 317)

ALl this tyme the castel of Alroy was in the posses∣sion of the duke of Bretayn who lay styll in Englande. The frenche kynge sent dy∣uers lordes of Fraunce and of Bretayne / with a great nombre to ley siege to the castell of Alroy / and they in Alroy knewe no socour comyng to thē fro any parte / wherfore they fell in treatie / so y^• if they were nat socoured by the duke of Bre∣tayne or by the kyng of England by a certayn day lymytted / than they to yelde vp the place: whiche treaty was agreed. So the day came and the frenchmen kept their iourney & none a pered / nother fro the duke of Bretayne nor fro the kyng of Englande. So the castell was gy¦uen vp & put vnder the obeysaūce of the frēche kyng as the other castels and good townes of Bretayne were. And so they de{per}ted fro Alroy suche as were ••in for the duke of Bretayne.

¶ The yere of our lorde / a thousande thre hū∣dred .lxxviii. Anone after Easter kyng Char∣les of Fraunce / sawe well howe they of Chier∣bourc made sore warre in the countie of Con∣stantyne. he than ordeyned sir Wyll•••• of Bor∣des a valiant knight and a good capitayne to be keper and souerayne capityne of Constan∣tyne / and of all the fortresses ther about Chier¦bourc and so the sayd sir Wyllim̄ with a fayre company of men of armes and cros bowes ge¦nowayes / wente and laye at Mountbourge /

where he made counter garyson agaynst Chi∣erbourc / for he desired nothyng so moche / as to fight with the englysshmen in Chierbourc / cō∣sydering: howe he had with hym the floure of men of armes / with them of the garysons there about. The same season there was sent to be ca¦pitayne at Chierbourc an englisshe knight / cal¦led sir John̄ Harlston / of whome I haue often spoken here before / he had ben a long space ca∣pitayne of Guyens / he toke shippyng at Hām∣pton with .iii. hūdred men of armes & as many archers / and so arryued at Chierbourc. & with him was sir Othes of Grantson / & of englissh∣men ther were / sir Johan Aubourge / sir John̄ Orsell / and dyuers other knyghtes and squy∣ers / and assoone as they were arryued / they di∣scharged all their horses and baggages / and ta¦ryed ther certayne dayes / and made them redy to ryde abrode in the coūtre and to make warr. Also sir Wylliam Brodes of the frenche partie / imagyned nyght and day / howe he myght do any domage to the englysshmen. The same sea¦son these two knightes layd many busshemen∣tis eche for other / but it aueyled nothyng: for it was nat their fortunes to mete / but somtyme / some of their companyes met togyder / as they rode about sekyng for aduentures / and as they mette often tymes they ouerthrewe eche other / somtyme the frenchmen wanne / and somtyme they lost.

SO long they rode forthe and layd wayte eche for other / that in a mornyng sir Wyl¦liam of Bordes and all his garyson of Mont∣bourge thought to ryde forthe towarde Chier∣bourc / and to fyght with sir Johan Harlstone / yf he myght encounter with hym / or to drawe him in to the felde. and so he rode forth withall his company and puyssaūce / aswell men of ar∣mes and crosbowes as mē a fote. On the other parte sir John̄ Harlston / who knewe nothyng that the frenchmen wer abrode / had also great desire to ryde forthe the same mornyng / and so sowned his trumpettes / and caused all his cō∣pany to be armed / aswell a horsebacke as a fote And so went all out in to the feldes / and orday∣ned them that shulde byde in the forteresse / and so rode forthe in great array / and ordayned sir Orsell to be capitayne of the fotemen / and than ordeyned his currours. in likewise so had done sir Wylliam of Bordes / and so long bothe par∣ties rode forthe / that at last their currours cā•• so nere toguyder / that eche of thē aduysed well other & so eche of them retourned to their owne hoost / and reported the certayntie of their ene∣myes. Than these two capitaynes were right ioyouse for than they had founde that they had longe sought. And whan these two capitayne had herde the reporte of their courrours / they drue their companyes togyder / and displayed their baners and standerd{is} / and aproched eche other. And as soone as they were nere togyder within the shotte of a bowe / than the frēchmen a lighted / and in lykewise dyde the englysshe∣men / and the archers and cros bowes began to shote: and men of armes aproched with spea∣res in their handes / rainged and well closed to gyder. Than they assembled togyder in all {per}∣tes / and began to foyne with speares & stryke with axes and swexdes. There was a sore and a harde bataile and well fought: men of armes proued well there / their valyātise and prowes. Sir Wylliam of Bordes was there armed at all peses / with an axe in his hande strikyng on the right syde and on the lyft / whome soeuer he gaue a full stroke went to the erthe. ther he dyd suche dedes of armes with his owne body ••hat it ought to be praysed foreuer. On the other / syde sir Johan Harlstone capitayne of Chier∣bourc / fought valiantly with an axe in his hād a fote amonge other with the formast / he had ynough to do: for he was matched with a hard parte. There was many a valyant dede done that day / and many a man slayne and hurte. & there sir Johan Harlston was borne downe to the erthe / and in great aduēture of his lyfe / but by force of armes he was rescued. The batayle endured a long space and well fought and well contynued on bothe {per}ties / ther was none that had any great aduauntage / for there were dy∣uers slayne and hurte on bothe parties / but fy∣nally the englysshmen fought so long and with so good hertes / that they obtayned the place / & the frenchmen disconfyted / slayne / and taken / and but fewe noble men sayed. For they were so sore fought withall / that they had no power to departe / thinkyng outher all to dye or els to vāquesshe their enemyes. There was taken {ser} Wylliam of Bordes by a squyer of Heynault / called Wylliam de Beaulyau / a man of armes who had long lyen among the englysshmen at the garyson in Calais / to whome the sayde sir Wylliam yelded him selfe / right soroufull that the iourney had nat ben his. Ther thenglissh∣men brought the frenchmen to great myschefe / and many were taken prisoners at thende of y^e batayle / but it was great pytie of thē that were deed. And whan thenglysshmen had dispoyled

the deed men. than sir John̄ Harlston and his cōpany departed fro the place / and leyde with them their prisoners and spoyle: and so went a¦gayne to Chierbourc. ye may well knowe that the englisshmen made great toye / for thiss iour¦ney y^e god had sent them. sir Wylliam of Bor∣des des was greatly feested / for his {per}son was well worthy to be made moche of. This discomfy∣ture was bytwene Mountbourge and Chier∣bourc on saynt Martyns day: the yere of our lorde a thousande threhundred .lxxir.

WHan the frenche kynge knewe that ty∣dinges: howe the garison of Mount∣bourge and his capitayne were taken and slayne / and howe that the countrey was in a great afray for y^t discōfyture. The kyng who was sage and well abuysed in all his dedes / he purueyed incontynent for remedy / & sent with out delay to Moūtbourge newe men of warre to kepe the fronters / fortresses / and countre / a∣gaynst the garyson of Chierbourc. And cheife of those men of warre was sir Johan of Uyen / and sir Hugh of Bremalles. & so they helde the marches agaynst thenglysshmen / but after by the ordynance of the frenche kyng / they aban∣doned and forsoke Mountbourge / and all the countre of Constantyne / whiche was a good∣ly plentyfull countre: and caused men / women / and chyldren to issue out / and forsake the coun¦trey of Constantyne / and lefte vp fayre houses and possessions / and all the people went out of the coūtre of Constantyne. and than the french¦men kepe frōter at Dune / at Carēton / at saynt Malo / and on all the marches ioyning to Con¦stantyne.