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.

¶ Of the takyng of Charles Mōmo∣rency / and dyuers other frenchemen at the bridge of Cressyn. Cap. lxi. (Book 61)

THis siege before Tourney was long and great: and the kyng of England supposed euer to wyn it / for he knewe well ther were mo∣che people within and but scant of vytayle. Wherefore he thought to famyssh them and some sayde they founde fomme courtesy in theym of Brabaunt / in sufferynge vytayles to passe through their hoost into the cyte: and they of Brussels and Louane wer sore wery with ta¦ryeng ther so long / & they desyred the marshall of thost that they might haue leaue to retourne into Brabāt. The marshall sayd he was well cō¦tent: but than they must leue all their harnes be hynde them / with the which answere they were

so a shamed that they neuer spake therof more. ¶ Nowe I shall shewe you of a iourney that y^e almayns made at the same bridge of Cressyne: wher as sir Robert Bayllule dysconfited y^e hey¦nowes / as the lorde of Rauderōdēce & sir John̄ his son / John̄ Raudebourg esquyer {ser} Arnold of Baquehen / sir Raynolde Descouuenort / sir Rorrant / Dasto / sir Bastyen de Bastes / & Can¦ drelyer his brother / sir Strauren de Leurne: & dyuerse other of the duchy of Jullers & of guer∣les. All these rode forthe on a day / and also they had with them certayne bachellers of Heynalt: as sir Floren of Beauryon / sir Latas de la Hey marshall of thoost / sir John̄ of Heynalt / {ser} Oul¦phart of Guystels / sir Robert Gleuues of therl¦dome of Loz / and dyuers other: they wer a thre C. they came to the bridge of Cressyn / & passed without danger. Than they toke counsell what they shulde do / & it was thought moste for their honour to go and a wake the french host. Ther it was ordayned that the lorde Rauderondence and his son / sir Henry of Keukren / sir Tylman of Sausey {ser} Olphart of Guystels {ser} Lalemāt bastarde of Heynalt Robert of Gleuues / & Ja¦quelat of Tyaulx / shulde ryde & sodenly dasshe into the frenche host. And the other knyghtes & squyers / to the nombre of thre. C. shulde abyde styll at the brige to kepe y^e passage. Thus these currours rode forthe to the nōbre of a .xl. speres tyll they came to thoost: and so dassht in and o∣uerthrue tentes & pauilyons / and skirmysshed with the frenchmen. The same night two great barons of France had kept the wache that is to say the lorde of Mōmorency / & the lorde of Sa¦lieu: and whan they harde the noyse / they came with their baners to y^t part. Than the almaynz retourned towarde the brige / and the frēchmen after them feersly: and in the chase sir Olphart of Guystels was taken / for he was purblynde: and also two bretherne Mondrope and Jaque¦let Tyaulx they wer so nere togyder that ech of them vnderstode others language. And the fren∣men sayd to the almayns: sirs ye shall nat scape thus / than one sayd to the lorde of Rauderōdēce sir take good hede for me thynke the frenchmen wyll be at the bridge or we / well sayd he though they knowe one way / I knowe an other. Thā he tourned on the right hande: & toke a way nat moche vsed / the which brought hym and his cō∣pany to y^e foresayd ryuer / the which was so depe and enuyroned with maresshes / that they coud nat passe ther / so that they were fayne to repasse by the bridge / and the frenchemen euer rode a great galoppe towarde the bridge / and whaūe they came nere to the brige / and sawe that great busshment ther / they sayd among themselfe / I trowe we chase folysshly / we might lightly lese rather than wyn. Than dyuers of them retour¦ned: and specially the lorde of saynt Saulie•••• with his baner and his company / and the lorde Charles of Mōmorency with his baner rode e∣uer forwarde and wold nat recule. And so with great courage sette on the almayns / at the first brunt ther was a feerse encounter / and dyuerse ouer throwen on bothe parties. Than cāe in on thother syde / thother almayns / and so enclosed in the frenchmen: the lorde Renolde of Dyscou¦uenort knewe well the baner of the lorde Mom¦morency / who was vnder his banner with his swerde in his hand fightyng on euery syde / and so came sodenly on his right hande / & with his lyfthande he toke the bridell of the lorde Mom¦morencies horse / and spurred forthe his owne horse / and so drewe hym out of the batayle. And euer the lorde Mommorency strake and gaue hym many great strokes / which some he re∣ceyued / and some he defended. But finally ther he was taken prisoner: so the almayns dyde so∣moche that they obtayned the place / and toke a fourscore prisoners of gentylmen: than they re passed the bridge without any danger. And so came agayne to the siege before Tourney.