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.

¶How sir water of Manny after the defyances declared / made the first iourney into Frāce. Ca. xxxvi. (Book 36)

IN the firste weke that the frenche kyng was thus defyed: sir water Manny assone as he knewe it / he gate to hym a .xl. speres and rode through Brabant nyght and day tyll he came into Heynalt / and entred into the wode of Blaton. As than nat knowig what he shulde do: but he had shewed to some of them that were moost priuyest aboute hym. Howe he had promysed before ladyes and damoselles or he came out of Englande / that he wolde be the first that shulde entre into Fraunce / and to gete other towne or castell / and to do some dedes of armes. And than his entēt was to ryde to Mor¦taigne and to gete it if he might: the which par¦tayned than̄e to the realme of Fraunce. And soo rode and passed the wode of Blaton / and came in a mornynge before the sonne risyng to Mor∣taygne and by aduenture he founde the wycket of the gate opynne. Than he alyghtedde with his company and entred in / and dyd sette cer∣tayne of his company to kepe the gate. And so went into the hygh strete with his penon before hym / and came to the great towre: but the gate and wycket was fast closed. And whan y^e watch of the castell harde the brunt / and sawe them he blewe his horne & cryed treason treason. Than euery man a woke and made them redy / & kept them selfe styll within the castell: than sir water of Manny went backe agayne and dyd set fyre in the strete ioyninge to the castell / so that there were a threscore houses brent / and y^e people sore a frayed: for they wende all to haue been taken. Than sir water and his company rode backe / streight to Conde: and ther passed the ryuer of Hayne. Than they rode the way to Ualencen∣nes / and coosted on the ryght hande and came to Deuayne and so went to the abbay: and soo passed forth towarde Bouhaigne. And dyd so∣moche

that the captayne dyd let them passe tho∣rough by the ryuer. Than thei came to astrong castell parteyning to the bysshopp̄ of Cambray called the castell of Thyne / y^e which sodēly they toke / and the captayne and his wyfe win. And the lorde Manny made a good garyson: and set therm a brother of his called sir Gyles Mā∣ny / who afterwarde dyd moche trouble to the cy¦tie of Cābray: for the castell was within a leage of the towne. Than sir Water Manny retour∣ned into Brabant / to the kynge his soueraygne lorde: whom he founde at Machlyne / and ther shewed hym all that he had done.