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.

¶ Of the men of warr̄ that the duke of Aniou retayned agaynst thēglissh¦men / and of the siege that the spany∣erdes helde before Bayone. Cap. CCC .xxxi. (Book 331)

BIcause of this / the frē¦che kyng thought to {pro}uyde for remedy to resyst his ene¦mies / for it was shewed him by the normayns / that the englysshmen were on the se with a great puyssance / but he coude nat tell whyder they wolde go. Than be sent a specyall commaūdement through out his realme / that euery man knightes and squy¦ers shulde be redy apparelled for the warre / to go and to come where he commaunded them. In lykewise the duke of Aniou had all that sea¦son retayned men of warre on all sydes / to the entent to haue layde siege to Burdeux. And in his company was his brother the duke of Ber¦rey and the Constable of Fraunce: and all the flour of chiualry of Gascone / Auuergne / Poi∣ctou / and Limosyn. And the better to come to his entent / and to haue y^• more nombre of men of warre by the consent of the kyng his brother he had gathered in Languedoc / to the somme of two hūdred. M. frankes. Howbeit he coude nat do his enterprice in that season / for y^• kyng sent for the duke of Berrey his brother / and for the constable of Fraūce / and for all other baro∣nes / suche as he thought shulde do hym seruyce

For well he knewe / that the englysshmen were on the see / but he wyst nat whyder they wolde drawe. And though this enterprice in Laquen doc were broken / yet the poore men that hadde payed great sommes of money for that entent / had nat their money agayne.

THe same season y^• kyng of Castell with xx. thousāde spanyerdes and catelayns helde siege before Bayone / and ther lay all the wynter. And many a feate of armes was there done / bothe by lande and by water / for Radig•• de Rour and Dampe Ferrant of Castell / Am∣brose Bouchenoyr and Peter Bascle lay at an¦cre before Bayone with two hundred vessels / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dyde moche trouble to them of Bayone. Of the whiche towne there was capitayne / a valyant knight of Englande / called sir Mathewe Gor¦ney. His wytte and prowes / conforted them of the towne greatly / how be it some sayd of them that were within / that the spanyerdes had had their entent at length / yf a dethe had nat fallen among them. For ther fell suche a mortalyte in the hoost / that of fyue ther dyed thre. and kyng Henry of Castell had there with hym a ••ygr•• mācer of Tollet / who sayd y^• the ayre ther was so enuenomed & corrupted / that ther was no re¦medy / but that they were all in great danger & parell of dethe. And bycause of that doubt / the kynge dyslodged and brake vp y^• siege / but the spanyerdes & the bretons the same season had wonne a brode in the countrey / dyuers castels and small holdes / and so entred in to them. And the kyng of Castell wēt to Colongne / and sent hys constable to laye siege before Paupylone / with .x. thousande spanyerdes / in the whiche cytie the vicounte of Chastellon / and the lorde of Lescute and the Bascle / were with two hun∣dred speares / who greatly toke hede for the cy∣tie. And the kyng of Nauer who was newly re¦uirned out of Englande / was at Tudela aby∣dynge dayly for suche socours / as shulde haue come to him thens / as it was ordeyned. for the kyng of Englande and his counsayll / had or∣deyned to haue come thyder / the lorde Neuyll / and sir Thomas de Termes / and they were at Plommouthe / & there about with a thousande men of armes / and two thousande archers / to thentent to haue come to Burdeaul•• / how beit they coulde haue no passage at their desire / but the great army of Englande / with the duke of Lancastre toke landyng at saynt Malo in the Is••e / the whiche was anone knowen. Than de¦parted for their houses / the vicount of Bellyer / sir Henry of Malatrayt / and the lorde of Co••••¦bre / and so they came & entred in to saynt Ma∣lo with two hūdred men of armes / wherof the capitayne Morsonae was greatly reioysed / for els they had been in great daunger.