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 englysshmen rode and pylled the countre of gastenoyse and of Beause. And howe a french squy∣er right valyaunt requyredde an en∣glisshe squier to iust with hym. Cap. CCC .lxv. (Book 365)

WHan the erle of Buckyng¦ham and his hoost had well rested them at Maylleroyes the vicount. Than they toke counsayle to drawe in to Ga¦stenoyes. Than they passed the ryuer of Dyone / & theyr ••oreryders went to the faubories of Sēce. and the next day they lodged at saynt John̄s of Ne¦mour and therabout and than at Beause in ga¦stenoyes. And ther the hoost taryed thre dayes bycause of the good plētyfull countre that they founde there. Than they toke counsayle / why∣der they shulde holde and kepe the playne way of Beause / or els by the ryuer of Loyre. Than they determyned to take the way of Beause / & to go towardes Tourey in Beause. In the ca∣stell of Tourey was the lorde of saynt Pye / sir Olyuer of Manny / sir Guy of Baueux / and a great nombre of men of warre. And at yenuyll in Beause was the lorde of Uylames / the Bar∣royse of barres and dyuers other / about .iii. C. speares. So thus in all the castels and fortres∣ses 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Beause / there were men of warr set / to re syst agaynst thenglisshmen. The englysshe vo¦warde came and scrimysshed with thē of Tou∣rey / and dyuers hurt on bothe partes. There the erle of Buckyngham and all his hoost was lodged about / and founde ther great plenty o•• vitayls. At the scrimysshe before Tourey / ther was a squyer of Beause auaunsed him selfe w^t∣out any settyng on by any other person / & came to the barryers scrimysshynge / and sayd to the englysshmen. Sirs / is there any gentylman a¦mong you / that for the loue of his lady wyll do any dede of armes. If there be any / here I am redy to issue out armed at all peces a hors backe to ren thre courses with a speare / to stryke thre strokes with an axe / & thre strokes with a dag∣ger. Nowe let vs se if there be any amorous a∣monge you. This squyer was called Gawen Mychaell. This worde and request was anon spredde among the englysshmen. Than an en∣glysshe squyer / called Joachym Cathore: stept forthe / and sayd. I am here / redy to delyuer his request: let hym come out of the castell. Than the lorde Fitz water marshall of the hoost / came to the barryers / and sayd to sir Guy le Baueux Cause your squyer to cōe forthe / he shall fynde one wyll be gladd to delyuer him / and we shall assure hym in all thynges. Gawen Mychaell was right ioyouse of those wordes / and armed hym incontynent / and the lordes dyde helpe to arme hym / and sette hym a hors backe. So he yssued out of the castell and thre with him / and the varlettes bare: thre speares / thre axes / and thre daggers. He was greatly regarded by the englysshmen / for they beleued afore / that there was no frenche man that wolde fyght body for body. And in the same chalenge / they shulde ha¦ue thre strokes with the swerde: so he had also thre swerdes borne after hym.

THe erle of Buckingham was enformed of this chalenge / & sayd. Howe he wolde go and se it hym selfe. And so he moūted on his horse / and the erle Stafforde and the erle Dy∣mestre with hym / and for this cause seased the assaut at Tourey▪ the englysshmen drewe thy∣der to se these iustes: than the englysshman cāe forthe armed at all peces moūted on a good hor¦se. Whan they were come in to the place / there speares were delyuered them / and so ran eche at other / and myssed by reason of stryuinge of their horses. The seconde course they met and ataynted. Than therle of Buckyngham sayd / hola: cease for it is late. And than he sayd to the constable / cause thē to cease / for they haue done ynough for this day. They shall ende their en∣terprise another season at more leysar / than we haue as nowe. and take good hede / y^• the french

squyer lacke nothyng / but lette hym be as well kept as oure owne squyer. And shewe or cause to be shewed to thē of the castell / that they take no care for their squyer / for he shall go with vs to {per}forme his enterprise / nat as a prisoner / for if he scape a lyue / he shall returne agayne with out parell. The erles wordes were acomplysh∣shed / and it was shewed to the squier / by y^e mar¦shall / howe he shulde ryde with them without any daunger / and whan the erle is content / ye shall be delyuered. sir quod the squyer / as god wyll so be it. And a haraude was sent to the ca∣stell / to shewe all the mater to them within.

¶ The next day they rode to yēuyll in Beause alwayes beyng in hope to fyght with their ene∣myes / for well they knewe / howe they were pur¦sued and costed on all parties by the frenchmen who were as great a nombre as they were / or greatter. And to say the trouthe / the frenche lor¦des / knightes and squiers / had great wyll and desyre to fight with the englysshmen / and sayd among them selfe. Howe it was a great shame to suffre them so longe vnfought withall. And whan they spake to the kynge therof / he sayd e∣uer to them. Sirs / let thē alone to kepe on their waye / they shall at lengthe lese them selfe. So thus the englysshmen kept forthe their waye / to thentent to entre in to Bretayne. And as ye ha∣ue harde / in yenuyll in Beause / there were mo than thre hundred speres / and all the hoost pas∣sed by before the barryers / ther was a lytell scri¦mysshe and so passed forthe / for they lost their payne / and without yenuylle there was a fayre wyndmyll / the whiche was beaten downe. So the erle of Buckyngham came to yt••ruyll / and alighted at the house of the tēplers / and the vo∣uarde went to Puyset. And they were aduerty∣sed / howe that there was a stronge towre and a xl. companyons within. Thenglysshmen went and assayled it ▪ it stode on the playne grounde with lytell defence. So there was a great as∣saut / but it endured nat longe / for the englysshe archers shotte so holly toguyder / that ther was none durst apere at any defence: So the towre was taken / and all they within slayne or taken. And than thenglysshmen sette fyre in the towre and so passed forthe / for they coulde fynde no good waters / whiche was a great myschefe for them. Than they came to Ermoyne and loged ther and fro thens wente and lodged in the fo∣rest of Marcheaunoy.