¶ Howe the englisshmen conquered all the countre of Flaunders / fro Dō∣kyrke to Scluse: and howe they be se¦ged the towne of Ipre. Cap. CCCC .xxxiii. (Book 433)
THe same season capy∣tayne of Ayre was sir Ro∣bert of Bethune vycount of Mealr / and with hym ther was sir Johan Roy / the lor¦de of Clary / sir Johan of be¦thune his brother / the lorde of Montigny / sir Perducas of Pount saynt / sir Johan of Chauny / and sir Floreyns his son and dyuers other / So that they were a sixscore speares of good men of armes knightes & squy¦ers. Whan the bysshoppe of Norwiche / and sir Hugh Caurell / sir Henry Beaumont / sir Tho¦mas Tryuet / sir Wyllyam Helmon / sir Ma∣thewe Reedman / and the other englysshemen. Whan they dyde aproche nere to Ayre / at a pla∣ce called the Newe dike. They putte them selfe in order of batayle / & so passed forthe with ba∣ners and penons wauyng withthe wynde / for they knewe nat what the vycount of Meaulxe was mynded to do. The vycont and his com∣pany beyng as thanne there in garysone / were rainged in good order on the causey / before the barryers of the towne. And there they might se clerely the englysshemen passe by / takynge the way to saynt Uenaunt: but they were nat men ynowe to stoppe theym their way. Thus they stode styll kepynge watche and warde / redy at their defence. And the Englysshmen passed by and so wēte the same night a two myles fro sait Uenaunt / wherof a knyght of Picardy was ca¦pitayne / called sir Wyllyam de Melle: Who had fortifyed the mynster for hym and his com¦pany / to drawe in to if nede requyred / and so he dyde. For the towne was closed but with small palys and dykes / wherfore it coulde nat longe endure agaynst the englysshmen. So the fren∣che men withdrewe them selfe / some in to the ca¦stell and some into the churche / the whiche was right stronge. They of the castell were nat as∣sayled / for it was marueylous stronge. There coude no manne aproche nere therto / the dykes rounde about were so large and depe. But the mynster was incontynent assayled by the En∣glisshmen / whan they had entred the towne / by cause they had knowledge that the men of ar∣mes were withdrawen in to it.
sIr Wyllyam of Melle Was a good knyght and a valyant / and nobly defē¦ded the churche of saynt Uenant. the Englysshe archers were rounde about it / and they shotte vp arowes so thycke and so rudely / that they within durst scant apere at any defēce Howe be it they aboue had stones and artylla∣rye great plentie / and dyde caste downe stones and other thynges / & hurt many beneth. howe be it the assaut was so sore contynued by the en¦glysshmen / that the mynster was won byforce: And sir Wyllyam de Melle within / who valy∣antly fought at his defence / and so dyde all his company. And if they had parceyued any con∣fort of rescue / they wolde lēgar haue cōtynued: but there was no conforte that they coulde par∣ceyue / and therfore they were the easier to wyn. Thus sir Wyllyam of melle was prisoner with the englysshmen / and so sette to his fynaunce. And so went in to Fraunce by his bonde of ob∣lygacion: as all gentylmen englisshe and fren∣che were wont to do eche with other. but so dyd nat the Almayns / for whan an almayne hath ta¦ken a prisonere he putteth hym in to yrons and in to harde prisone without any pytie / to make hym pay the greatter fynaunce and raunsome.
THus whan the bysshoppe of Norwyche and thenglysshmen departed fro saynt Uenant / they wente and lodged in the wode of Mepce whiche was nat farr thens / and about