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 cytie of Renes. Cap. lxvi. (Book 66)

WHan the erle of Mountfort was retourned to his felde / & had stably s••hed his captayns in the ca¦stell of Brest. Than̄e he drewe to∣warde the cite of Renes the which was nat farr thens: & euery where as he wēt he made euery man to do him homage and feaulte as to their ryght lorde / and dayly encreased his hoost. So he came before Renes and pyght vp his tentes / and lodged his peple rounde aboute the cyte / and in the subbarbes. They w^tin made great semblant of defence: capytaine ther was sir Henry Pennefort / who was well beloued for his treweth and valyantnesse / on a mornyng he yssned out with a two hūdred men / and dasshed into the hoost / and bete downe tentes and slewe dyuers suche of the host as had kept watche the same night drue to the noyse. Than they of the fortresse withdrewe and fledde agayne to their castell: but they taryed so longe / that dyuers of theym were taken and slayne. And sir H〈…〉〈…〉y of Pēfort was taken and brought to the erle / than the erle caused hym to be brought before the cy∣tie / and to be shewed to the burgesses / y^t if they wolde saue his lyfe to yelde vp the towne / or els he shuld be hanged before the gates. Than they of Renes toke counsayle the whiche enduredde longe / for the commons had great pyte of their captayne / and he was welbelored among them Also they consydred howe they hadde but small store of vytayle / long to defende the siege: wher¦fore they sayde they wolde haue peace. But the great burgesses•• who hadde ynough for theym¦selfe / wolde nat agre to yelde vp the towne. So that their dyscorde multiplyed so farre / that the great burgesses / who were all of one lynnage drewe a parte and sayde: sirs all that woll take our parte drawe to vs. So that there drewe to∣gyther of one affinyte and lynnage to the nom∣bre of a two thousande. And whan the other cō∣mons sawe that / they began to sterre and sayde to the burgesses many euyll and vylanous wor¦des / and finally ran togyder and slewe dyuers of them. Than whan the burgesses sawe what myschefe they were in they agreed to them / and sayd they wolde do as they desyred. Thā ceased the fray: and all the cōmons ranne and opyned the gates / and yelded the cytie to therle Moun∣fort and dyde homage and feaultie to hym / and toke hym as their lorde: & so dyd sir Henry Pē∣fort who was made of therles counsayle.