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 these two kynges departed fro Uironfosse / without ba∣tayle. Cap. xlii. (Book 42)

IT might well be mar¦ueyledde: howe so goodly a sight of men of warr so nere togyder shulde depart with¦out batayle. But the french men were nat all of one acor¦de / they were of dyuers opy∣nyons. Some sayed it were a great shame and they fought nat seyng their ennemys so nere thē in their owne countre / raynged in the felde. and also had promysed to fyght with thē: and some other sayd it shulde be a great folly to fyght / for it was harde to knowe euery mannes mynde / & ieo{per}dy of treason. For they sayd if fortune were cōtrary to their kyng as to lese the selde / he than shuld put all his hole realme in a ieopardy to be lost. And though he dyd dysconfet his ennemes yet for all that he shuld be neuer the nerer of the realme of Englande: nor of such landes partey¦nyng to any of those lordes that be with hym a∣lyed. Thus in striuyng of dyuers opynions / y^e day past tyll it was past noone: and than soden¦ly ther started an Hare among the frenchmen / and suche as sawe her cryed and made gret brūt wherby suche as were behynde thought they be¦fore had ben fightynge. And so put on their hel∣mes / and toke their speres in their handes / and so ther were made dyuers newe knyghtes / and specially therle of Heynalt made .xiiii. who wer euer after called knyghts of the hare. Thus that batell stode styll all that friday / and besyde this stryfe bytwene the counsellours of France / ther was brought in letters to the hoost of recōmen∣dacion to the frenche kyng and to his counsell. Fro kyng Robert of Cicyle / the which kyng as it was sayd was a great astronomyer: and full of great science. He had often tymes sought his bok{is} on thestate of the kyngs of England and of frāce: & he founde by his astrology / & by thēflu∣ens of y^e heuēs / y^t if the french kyng euer fought with kyng Edwarde of england / he shuld be di∣scōfited. wherfore he lyke a king of gret wysdōe

and as he that douted the peryll of the frenche kyng his cosyn sent often tymes letters to king Philyppe and to his counsayle: that in no wyse he shulde make any batayle agaynst thenglyss men / where as kyng Edwarde was personally present. So that what for dout and for such wri¦tyng fro the kyng of Cecyle dyuers of the great lordes of Fraunce were sore a basshed: and also kynge Philyppe was enfourmed therof. He we beit yet he had great wyll to gyue batayle: but he was so counselled to the cōtrary / that the day passed without batell and euery man withdrue to their lodgynges. And whan the erle of Hey∣nalt same that they shulde nat fight he departed withall his hole company / and went backe the same nyght to Quesnoy. And the kyng of En∣glande / the duke of Brabant: and all the other lordes retourned and trussed all their bagagis / and went the same nyght to Dauesnes in Hey∣nalt. And the next day they toke leaue eche of o∣ther: and the Almayns / and brabances depar∣ted / and the kynge went into Brabant with the duke his cosyn. The same friday that the batell shulde haue ben the french kynge whan he came to his lodgyng he was sore dyspleased / bycause he departed without batayle. But they of his counsayle: sayd howe right nobly he had borne hymselfe / for he had halyantly pursued his en∣nemies / and had done somoche that he had put thē out of his realme: and how that the kyng of Englande shuld make many such vyages or he conquered the realme of Fraūce. The next day kyng Philypp̄ gaue lycēce to all maner of men to dept / and he thanked right courtesly the gret lordes of their ayde & socour. Thus ended this great iourney and euery mā went to their owne The frenche kynge went to saynt Omers / and sent men of warre to his garysons: and special∣ly to Tourney / to Lysse / and to Doway: and to the other townes marchyng on thēpyre. He sent to Tourney: syr Godmart Dufay / and made hym captayne there / and regent of that coūtrey ther about. And he sent syr Edwarde of Beau∣gewe to Mortayne: and whan he had ordred {per}t of his besynes / than he drewe towarde Parys.