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 of the coūtre and they of the lande of Cassell were disconfyted by the englysshmen / and Donkyrke taken: with dyuers other castelles in the countrey. Cap. CCCC .xxxii. (Book 432)

THus the heraude de{per}∣ted fro the lordes / and had on his cote of armes / and so went to warde the flemyng{is} and thought non yuell / they were all toguyder in a gret batayle. And so the heraude wolde haue goone to some knyghtes that were there / but he might nat. For assoone as he apro¦ched nere to the flemynges / they toke and slewe hym without any demaundynge fro whens he cāe / or wheder he wolde. Thus they slewe hym lyke people of small knowledge. The gentyl∣men that were there coude nat saue hym / whan the englysshmen sawe their dealyng / they were sore displeased. So were the burgesses of gaūt suche as were there / who were right gladde to moue for the the mater / so that there might be a newe brewlynge in Flaunders. Than the En∣glysshe men sayde. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yonder rybaudes haue slayne our heraude / but he shall be dere solde to them / or els we wyll all dye in the place. Than they commaūded their archers to steppe for the towarde the flemynges. And there was a bur∣gesse of Gaunt made knight / and incontynent the batayle began sore and sharpe. For to saye trouthe / the flemynges marueylously defēded them selfe / but the archers shotte so thicke / that they ouerthrue many and greued thē sore. And the men of armes entred in amonge them with sharpe speares / and at the first front ouerthrue many. Finally the englysshmen wan the place / and the flemynges discōfited and fledde a way / thynkinge to entre in to Donkyrke. But the en¦glysshmen chased them so sore / that they entred in to the towne with them. So that in the stre∣tes and on the sandes / there was many a flem∣myng slayne. Howe be it ther were many En∣glysshmen flayne / to the nombre of foure hun∣dred or mo▪ they were foūde after in the towne here and there / by tenne atones / twentie .xxx. ye and by fourtie. For as they dyde chase the flem minges in the stretes they were fought withall howe be it finally / the flemynges were nere all slayne or taken. Thus fell of this rēcountre at Donkyrke / where ther were slayne of the flem mynges a nyne thousande.

tHe same day of the batayle / there re∣tourned to Lysle to the erle of Flaun∣ders sir Johan Uyllayns and sir Jo¦han de Molayne / and shewed hym all y^• report that they had sene and herde of thenglysshmen / wher with the erle was right pensyue to thynke howe he shulde deale in the mater. And also he was more pensyue / and so he had cause: whan he herde the tidynges that his men were slayne and discōfyted at Donkyrke. So he bare it pa∣ciently / and dyde reconfort hym selfe and sayd. Well / if we haue lost at one tyme / we shall wyn agayne at another tyme and it please god. So incōtynent he wrote therof to the duke of Bur∣goyne / to the entent that some resystence might be made. For he ymagined well / that the En∣glysshmen hauynge ones that entre in to Flaū¦ders / that they wolde do more hurt in the coun¦trey / or they departed agayne. And whan̄e the duke of Burgoyne vnderstode therof / he sende knightes and squiers in to the garysons on the fronters of Flaunders. As to saynt Omers / to Ayre / to saynt Uenaunt / to Baylleule / to Ber∣gues / to Cassell / and to all the bayliwykes / to kepe thentre of Arthoyse. ¶ Nowe let vs speke of thenglysshmen and howe they {per}ceyuered.

aFter y^• disconfyture at Donkyrke and the towne taken. The Englysshe men entred in to great pride / for it semed to them / that all Flaunders had ben theirs. And to say the trouthe / if they hadde as than gone to Bruges (as they sayd that knewe the dealyng of thē of the towne) the towne had bene gyuen vp to them. But the Englysshmen wrought o∣therwyse / for they tooke ad••yse to go to Bour∣burcke and to gette that towne / and so to go to Ayre and to Cassell / and to conquere all y^• coū∣trey. And to leaue nothyng behynde them that shulde be contrarie to theym / and than to go to Ipre. They thought verily / that the towne of Ipre wolde soone yelde vp / if they sawe all the countre yelden before. So thus the englysshe∣men departed fro Donkyrke and went to Bur¦bourcke / and whan they of the towne sawe thē aprochenere to their towne / they yelded vp the towne / sauyng their lyues and goodes. And so they were receyued / and the Englysshmen en∣tred with great ioye. sayeng / howe they wolde make ther a good garyson for to kepe warre a∣gaynst

them of saynt Omers / and the fronters nere adioyning. And so than after they wanne the castell of Driceham / & they were thre dayes before it or they wan it. And than they conque∣red it byforce / and therin were slayne a two hū∣dred men that were there in garyson. And than the englysshemen repayred agayne the castell and sayde. Howe they wolde kepe it to the best of their powers / and so sette therin newe men. And thanne they wente forth and came to Cas∣sell and tooke the towne / and had therin great pyllage. Than they departed▪ and sayde they wolde go and se the towne of Ayre. Howe be it there was many of them that knewe right well that the towne was nat easy to be wonne / with¦out great losse of their men. Howe be it the bys¦shoppe of Norwiche sayde / he wolde go nere it and loke theron.