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 Mountfort toke the towne and castell of Brest. Cap. lxv. (Book 65)

WHan therle of Mountfort / sawe howe he had peple ynough: than he was coū¦sayled to go and conquere all the cōtre outher by loue or by force / and to subdue all his rebels. Than he yssued out of the cytie of Naū∣tes with a great hoost / and went to a strong ca∣stell standynge on the see syde called Brest: and captayne therin was sir Garnyer of Clysson / a noble knyght and one of the grettest barownes in Bretayne. Therle Mountfort or he came to Brest / he constrayned so all the countrey except the fortresses / y^t euery man folowed hym a hors∣backe or a fote / none durste do none otherwyse, whan therle cāe to the castell of Brest he caused {ser} Hēry de Leon to sende to the captayn to speke with hym / mouyng hym to obey to therle / as to the duke of Bretayne. The knight answered he wold do nothyng after that mocyon tyll he had otherwyse in cōmaundement / fro hym y^t ought to be lorde ther by right: and the next day therle dyd assaut the castell. Within the castell were a .iii. C. men of armes. and euery man was set to his part of defence: and than the captayn toke a xl. good men of armes & came to the barryers: & so ther was a sore assaut / and dyuers sore hurt. But finally ther came so many assaylātes / that the bayles were wonne byfore / and the defēdan¦tes fayne to retourne into the castell / at a harde

aduenture for ther were dyuers slayne / but the captayne dyd so valyantly that he brought his company into the chyefe gate. They that kepte the warde of the gate / whan they sawe that my∣schyefe / feared lesyng of the castell: and sodenly they lette downe the portcolyse / and closed their owne capteyne and certayne with him without who right nobly defēded themselfe. They were sore hurt and in great daunger of deth / and the captayne wold neuer yelde hymselfe: they with in cast out stones / tymber / yron / and pott{is} with quycke lyme: so that the assaylantes were fayne to drawe backe / than they drue vp a lytell of the portcolyse: and the captayne entred and his cō∣pany such as wer left a lyue with him sore woū¦ded. The next day therle caused certayne ingēs to be raysed: and sayde howe that he wolde nat depart thens / tyll he had the castell at his plea∣sure. The thyrde day he vnderstode: howe the captayne within was deed of such hurtes as he receyued before at entrynge into the castell / and trewe it was. Than the duke Mountfort cau∣sed a great assaut to be made: and had certayne instrumentes made of tymber / to caste ouer the dykes to come to the harde walles / they within defended themselfe aswell as they myght tyll it was noone. Than the duke desyred thē to yelde and to take hym for their duke / and he wold fre∣ly pardon them. Whervpon they toke counsell: and the duke caused the assaut to cease / and fy∣nally they yelded them / their lyues and goodes saued: than therle of Mountfort entred into the castell with certayne nombre / and receyued the feaultie of all the men of that Chatelayne. And ther he sette to be captayne: a knyght whom he trusted moche / and than he retourned to his fel∣de right ioyouse.