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 flemynges were discō∣fyted at the batayle of Rose∣beque. Cap. iiii. C .xxii. (Book 422)

IWas as than enfour∣med of the lorde of Deste∣nort / who shewed me / howe that he was there and sawe it / and so dyde dyuers other That whan the Oriflambe was displayed and the myst gone away. There came a doue and made dy∣uers flyghtes ouer the kynges batayle. and a lytell before they fought / she sat downe on one of the kynges baners / the whiche euery manne toke for a good token. so thus aproched the fle∣mynges and began to shote gōnes and arowes fethered with steele. Thus the batayle began the whiche was right sharpe & feirse at the first encoūtryng. for y^e flemyng{is} set on proudly thru¦styng W^t their speares & shulders lyke wylde ••o

res / and they helde themselfe so close toguyder that they coulde nat be opyned. ther was with the shot of the gonnes at the fyrst thrust slayne / of the french parte / the lorde Del••••rwyn bane∣ret / Morlette of Harwyn / and James Dorre / and so therwith the kynges batayle was recu∣led / but the vowarde and y^e arerewarde passed on forth / and enclosed about the flemynges / and helde theym strayte / I shall shewe you howe. On these two wynges the men of armes fersly assawted / with their stronge speares well hee∣ded with heed{is} of fyne stele / wherwith they per∣sed the flemynges cotes of mayle in to y^e harde bones / so that the flemynges were glad to es∣che we the strokes. So thus these men of armes kept the flemynges so short / that they coude nat well helpe them selfe / nor put downe their ar∣mes to gyue any strokes. So there were many that lost their strength and brethe / and fell one vpon a ••other / & so dyed for lacke of breth with out strikyng of any stroke. And ther was Phi∣lyppe Dartuell wounded and beaten downe a¦monge his men of Gaunt / and whan his page with his horse / sawe the discōfyture of his may∣ster / he departed and lefte his mayster / for he coulde nat helpe hym / and so rode to Courtray towardes Gaunt.

THus these batayls assembled to gyder. So the ••lemynges batayle was inclo∣sed on bothe sydes / so that they coulde passe no way / than y^e kynges batayle came forth agayne the whiche was before a lytell drawen a backe. The men of armes beate downe the flemynges on euery syd•• / some had good axes of stele / wher with they brake a sonder bassenetes / and some had malles of leade. wherwith they gaue suche strokes / that they beat all downe to the erthe be fore them / and as the flemynges were beaten downe / there were pages redy to cut their thro∣tes / with great knyues / and so slewe them with out pytie / as though they had bene but dogges / the strokes on the bassenetes were so great y^t no man coulde here other speke for noyse. I harde reported y^t though all the armorers of Bareys / and Brusels hadde bene workynge toguyder / coulde nat haue made so great a noyse. There were some that aduaūced so sore in to the prease that they were s••ayn / and ouercome for lacke of brethe. as sir Loys of Gousalles a gētle knight of Berrey / and sir Fleton of Renyell & dyuers other / whiche was great domage. but so great a batayle as the flemynges were / coulde nat be ouercome without great losse / for yong knigh∣tes and squiers wyll lightly auaunce them selfe to get honour. and the prease was so great and the besynesse so parylous / that whan they were in the thicke of the prease / they coude nat releue them selfe / but were troden vnder fote to dethe. and so by that meanes there were dyuers of the frēchmen slayne / but to no great nombre. The ••lemyng{is} were slayne by hepes / one vpon a no∣ther. And whan̄e they that were behynde sawe the discomfyture of their company / they were abasshed / and cast downe their pauesses / and armures / and tourned and fled away towarde Courtrey / and other places / and had mynde of nothynge but to saue them selfe. And y^e bretons and frenchmen chased thē through dykes / gro∣ues / and busshes / and euer foughte and slewe them downe ryght. there were many fledde by∣twene Courtrey & the batayle / to go to Gaunt. This batayle was on the moūt dorre / bytwene Courtrey / and Rosebeque. In the yere of our lorde god / a thousande thre hundred sourscore and two / the thursday next before aduēt in No¦uember / the .xxvii. day. the french kyng Char∣les than beyng of .xiiii. yere of age.