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 therle of Heynault toke and distroyed Aubenton / and Thyerach. Ca. xlv. (Book 45)

THey of Aubenton dou¦ted greatly therle of Heynalt & sir John̄ his vncle. And so they sent for some ayde to the great bayly of Uermādoys / and he sent to thē the vydam of Chalons / the lorde Beau∣mont / the lorde de la Bone / the lorde of Lore: & dyuers other to the nombre of. CCC. men of ar¦mes. And so they repayred y^e towne in certayne places / and determyned to abyde the heynowes and to defende the towne: the which was a gret towne and full of drapery. The heynowes cam on a friday and lodged nere to Aubenton / & ad∣uysed the towne / to se on what quarter it were moost best to be taken: and in the mornyng they aproched in thre wardes their baners before thē right ordynatly: and also their crosbowes. The erle of Heynalt ledde the first batayle and with hym great nombre of the knyghtes and squiers of his countrey. His vncle sir John of Heynalt had the seconde batayle / wher as he had plenty of men a warr. The thyrde had the lorde Faul∣quemont with a good nōbre of almaynes. And so thus euery lorde was vnder his owne baner / and there began̄e a sore assaut: and the bowes began to shote both within and without / wher∣by dyuers were sore hurt. Therle and his com∣pany came to the gate / ther was a great assaut and a sore skirmysshe: ther the Uydame of Ca∣lons dyd marueyles / & he made at the gate thre of his sonnes knyghtes. But finally therle and his company cōquered the baylies / and byforce made their ennemies to withdrawe into y^t gate And also at the gate towarde Symay was sir John̄ de la Bone / and sir John̄ Beamōt / ther was also a cruell assaut: they within wer fayne to withdrawe in at their gates and to leaue the barrers / and the heynowes wan it / and y^• brige also. Ther was a sore assaut: for suche as were fledde and entred within / went vp on the gate and cast downe barres of yron / stones / pott{is} full of quycke lyme: wherby many were sore hurt / a squyer of Henalt receyued suche a stroke with a stone on his targe that it was clouyn clene a son¦der with the stroke / and his arme broken so that it was long after or he was hole. The saturday in the mornyng ther was a great assaut / & they within dyd their deuer to defende themselfe: but finally the towne was wonne byforce / and their pales and defences broken. And first entred in∣to the towne: sir John̄ of Heynalt with his ba∣ner / with great cryeng and showtyng. Than y^u Uydame of Chalons withdrewe hym and his

company into the place before the mynster / and there made semblant to defende hymselfe as lōg as he myght endure. But the lorde of Bremus departed without order for he knewe well that sir John̄ of Heynalt was lore dyspleased with him so that he thought if he had ben taken / y^t no raūsome shulde haue saued his lyfe. And whan sir John̄ of Heynalt knewe that he was depar∣ted: that had done somoche dyspleasure in his lande of Symay / he pursued after hym. But the lorde of Bremus sledde falt / and founde the gate of his towne opyn / and so entred in: and {ser} Johanne of Heynault pursued hym iuste to the gate with his swerde in his hande. But whan̄e he sawe that he was escaped / he retourned aga∣yne to Aubenton: and his men mette certayne of y^• lorde Bremus men as they folowed their mai¦ster / and ther they were stayne without mercy. The erle and his company sought sore with thē that were by the mynster / and ther the Uydam of Chalons dyd marueyls in armes / and so dyd two of his sonnes: but finally they wer all stayn there scaped none / but suche as fledde with the lorde of Bremus / but all were slayne or taken: and a .ii. M. men of the towne and all the town robbed / and pylled: and all the goodes sent to Symay / and the towne brent. And after y^• but∣nyng of Aubenton / the heynowes wēt to Mau∣ber Fountaynes: and incontynent they wan it / and robbed and brent the towne. And also the towne of Daube••ueyll / and Segny the great & Segny the lytell / and all the hamelettes ther a∣bout the which were mo than .xl. Than the erle went to Mouns / and gaue leaue to his men of warr to depart / and thanked them in such wyse that they were all well content. Than anone af∣ter therle went to make asure alyance with the kyng of England / to be the more strōger in his warre agaynst the frēchmen. But first he made his vncle sir John̄ of Heynalt chefe maister and gouernour of Holande & zelande: and sir John̄ lay styll at Mons and prouyded for the contrey and sent to Ualencēnes to confort and ayde thē: the lorde Autoyng / the lorde of Uerguy / y^• lord of Gomegynes / and sir Henry of Huspharyce: and the stewarde of Heynault / with a hundred speares / to the towne of Landrechyes. And to Bouhayne thre brethern almayns / called Cour¦tars: and to ••scaudyme•• / sir Gararde Sasses gynes / and into the towne of Dauesnes / y^e lord of Faulquemount. And thus he dyde into euery fortresse on the fronters of Fraunce.