Here begynneth the thirde and fourthe boke of sir Iohn̄ Froissart of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spaygne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretayne, Flaunders, and other places adioynyng, translated out of Frenche in to englysshe by Iohan Bourchier knyght lorde Berners, deputie generall of ye kynges towne of Calais and marchesse of the same, at the co[m]maundement of our most highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the eyght, kynge of Englande and of Fraüce [sic] [and] highe defender of the Christen faithe. [et]c

¶Of a capytayne a robber and a pyl¦ler of the countrey / called Aymergot Marcell / who helde a stronge castell in the marches of Rouergne called the Roche of Vandois / and howe it was besieged by the vicount of Me∣aulx / and of the takynge therof / and howe Aymerygotte was taken and brought to Parys. Cap. C.lxx. (Book 170)

IN this season whyle this assēble was a making to go in to Barbary for a good entente / as to exalte the cristen faythe / certayne robbers and pyllers in Au¦uergne / & Rouergne / and in Lymosyn / were of contrary myndes / for though the coūtreis thought themselfe in sure¦tie / by reason of the chartre of the treuce that was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce / whiche had ben {pro}claymed and publysshed in all fortresses / and before all the capitayns that made any warre / or helde any fortresses of the englissh parte. And an artycle there was / that who so euer brake or violated any poynt or ar¦tycle comprised in the treaty shuld receyue pu¦nyssyon of dethe / without hope of any remys∣sion / & specially Perot le Bernoys capytayne of Caluset / Amergot Marcell / Olyue Barbe capytayne of Dousac / in the marches of Au∣uergne / were enclosed by name in the charter of the treuse / to the entent that if they or any of theirs dyd or consented to do any thynge con∣trary / y^t they shulde nat ercuse them selfe. some of the capytayns that feared to dye a shamfull dethe / or to rynne in to the indygnacion of the frenche kynge / helde surely all the poyntes of the charter. But some dyd nat so whiche they derely bought / as ye shall here after.

ye shall knowe as it hath ben here before re∣hersed / howe Iohan erle of Armynake & Ber¦narde dolphyn of Auuergne / and therle Cler∣mounte / were in treatie with certayne capy∣tayns that helde fortresses in the said coūtreys agaynst the frenche kynge. These sayd lordes made suche dylygence that they brought dy∣uers of these capytayns to composycion / and to the sellyng of their fortresses. Their treaty and composicyon was y^t they shulde renounce the warre bytwene Englande & Fraunce / and durynge the treuce they to go with the erle of Armynake in to Lombardy / or whyder as he wolde leade them / to ayde hym in his warre a gaynst the lorde Galeas erle of Vertues / who had disheryted his cosyn germayns / chyldren to his vncle the lorde Barnabo / as it hath ben shewed here before / and so what to haue their ayde and to auoyde the countrey of these rob∣bers & pyllers (who had done so moche hurte in the countrey / bothe to men and women) the sayd erle of Armynake / and the erle Dolphyn his cosyn / toke gret payne in that mater. And at the instant requestes & prayers of the good menne of the cyties and townes of the playne countreys aforesayd / so that there was a tayle gadred in Auuergne / Guynaldan / Rouergne Carnosyn / and in Lymosyn / to y^e sōme of two hundred thousande frankes / so that poore and riche payed somoch / that dyuers solde & layde to pledge their herytages / and were glad so to do to lyue at reste in their countreys. And the good men thought by reson of payeng of this money / and aduoydyng of the sayd fyue rob∣bers & pyllers / that they shulde than haue ben quyte for euer of them / but it proued nat so in dyuers places / & specially of Aymergot Mar¦cell and of his men. For after that the castell of Aloys was yelden vp and solde by Aymergot Marcell to the erle of Armynake / whiche for∣tresse stode in the herte of all Auuergne / this Aymergot was well worthe in redy money a hūdred thousande frankes / whiche he had go¦ten by robory & pyllage / and by raunsominge of men / and patesynge of the countrey / and he had kept y^e rule more than ten yere. Therle of Armynake desyred gretly to haue in his com¦pany the sayd Aymergot Mercell & thought nat to leaue him behynd him for two reasons. One was / bycause he wolde gladly haue the counsayle & aduyse of hym / for he was experte and subtyle in all feates of armes / both in sau∣tynge / sealynge / and stealynge of fortresses. The seconde reason was / the erle feared that if this Aymergot shulde a byde behynde in the countrey / thoughe he hadde solde to hym the fortresse of Aloyse and other fortresses / yet he might do moche domage in the coūtrey of Au¦uergne and Rouergne / wherfore therle made great labour to haue hym. But alwayes Ay∣mergot dissymuled the mater and said. Whan I se the certayne of the erle of Armynakes de∣partyng / than I knowe myne owne wyll is so good y^t I wyll nat byde behynde. Other aun¦swere the erle coulde nat get of hym. The erle of Armynake laye at Commynge and aboute Tholousyn / in his countrey / and there made his assemble / whiche voyage had been more hasted / and the voyage in to Auffryke hadde nat been / that letted hym a season / for dyuers knyghtes and squyers that went in that voy∣age had promysed hym / and this voyage in to Barbary came so sodenly that it hyndred

his voyage. Whan tydynges was knowen in Fraunce of the treaties that the erle of Army∣nake had made with the sayde capytayns in Auuergne / there was made as moche haste as myght be to pay the money to the capytayns.

Aymergot Marsell was sore dysplea∣sed with hym selfe in that he had solde and deliuered the stronge castell of Aloyse / for he sawe his owne auctorite therby greatly a∣bated / and parceyued well howe he was the lesse feared / for all the season that he kept it he was doubted and feared / and honoured with all men of warre of his parte / and had kept a great astate alwayes in the castell of Aloyse. The patesynge of countreys that he helde vn¦der subiection / was well worth yerely twenty thousande florayns. Whan he remembred all this he was soroufull / his tresour he thought he wolde nat mynysshe / he was wonte dayly to serche for newe pyllages / wherby encresed his profyte / and than he sawe that all was clo∣sed fro hym. Than he sayde and imagyned / that to pyll and to robbe (all thynge consyde∣red) was a good lyfe / and so repented hym of his good doing. On a tyme he said to his olde companyons. Sirs / there is no sporte nor glo¦ry in this worlde amonge men of warre / but to vse suche lyfe as we haue done in tyme past. What a ioy was it to vs whan we rode forthe at aduenture / and somtyme foūde by the way a ryche priour or marchaunt / or a route of mu¦lettes of Mountpellyer / of Narbone / of Ly∣mons / of Fongans / of Besyers / of Tholous / or of Carcassone / laden with clothe of Brusel∣les / or peltre ware comynge fro the fayres / or laden with spycery fro Bruges / fro Damas / or fro Alysaūder / what so euer we met all was ours / or els raunsomed at our pleasures / day∣ly we gate newe money / and the vyllaynes of Auuergne and of Lymosyn dayly prouyded and brought to our castell whete mele / breed redy baken / otes for our horses / & lytter / good wynes / beffes / and fatte mottons / pullayne / and wyldefoule / we were euer furnysshed as though we had ben king{is}. whan we rode forth all y^e coūtrey trymbled for feare / all was ours goynge or comynge? Howe toke we Carlaste / I and the Bourge of Compayne / and I and Perot of Bernoys tooke Caluset? Howe dyd we scale with lytell ayde the stronge castell of Marquell / pertayninge to the erle Dolphyn / I kepte it nat past fyue dayes but I receyued for it on a fayre table fyue thousande frankes / and forgaue one thousande for the loue of the erle Dolphyns chyldren? By my faythe this was a fayre and a good lyfe / wherfore I re∣pute my self sore disceyued in that I haue ren¦dred vp the fortres of Aloys / for it wolde haue ben kepte fro all the worlde / and the / daye that I gaue it vp / it was fournysshed with vytay∣les to haue been kepte seuen yere without any reuytaylynge. This erle of Armynake hathe dysceyued me / Olyue Barbe & Perotle Ber∣noys shewed me howe I shulde repente my selfe. certayne I sore repent me of that I haue done. And whan suche of his companyons as had serued hym longe herde hym speke those wordes / they parceyued well howe he spake them with all his herte vnfayned. Than they sayd to hym. Aymergot we are all redy yet to serue you / lette vs renewe agayne our warre / and lette vs gette some stronge holde in Au∣uergne or in Lymosyn / and let vs fortifye it / and than syr we shall soone recouer our do∣mages. we shall make a goodly flyght in Au∣uergne and in Lymosyn / for as nowe the erle Dolphyn and Hugh his brother are out of the countrey / & dyuers other knightes and squy∣ers in their company in to the voyage of Bar¦bary / and specyally the lorde of Coucy / who hath the souerayne regarde vnder the kynge of all those marches / therfore we shall nat nede to feare hym / nor the duke of Berrey / for he is at Parys / so thus we shall haue nowe a good season. Well quod Aymergot / I haue good wyll thus to do / sauynge I ame by name ex∣pressed in the chartre of the treuce. What for that syr quod his company / ye nede nat care therfore if ye lyste. ye are nat subiecte to the frenche kynge / ye owe hym nother faythe nor obeysayunce / ye are the kynge of Englandes manne / for your herytage (whiche is all dy∣stroyd and lost) lyeth in Lymosyn / and syr we must lyue. and though we make warre to lyue the englysshmen wyll nat be myscontent with vs / and suche as be in our case wyll drawe to vs. And syr we haue nowe good tytle to make warre / for we be nat now in Auuergne where the couenaunte was made that we be bounde vnto. lette vs sende to the vyllayns of the vyl∣lages whanne we be ones in a stronge holde / and commaunde them to paye vs a truage / or els to make theym sore warre. Well syrs quod

Aymergot / fyrst lette vs prouyde for a stronge place to abyde in and to drawe vnto whan we nede. Some of theym sayde / syr we knowe where there is a stronge holde / with a lytell newe fortifyenge / pertaynynge to the hery∣tage of the lorde of the Towre / no man kepeth it / lette vs drawe thyder and fortifye it / than may we at our ease rynne in to Auuergne and Lymosyn. Where lyeth this place quod Ay∣mergot? Syr quod they within a leage of the Towre / and it is called the Roche of Van∣doys. It is trewe quod Aymergot / I knowe it well / it is a mete place for vs / lette vs go thy¦der and fortify it. Thus on this purpose they concluded / and on a day assembled togyther and wente to the Roche of Vandoys. Than Aymergote auewed the place to se if it were worthe the fortifyenge therof. And whan he had well auewed the sytuacion therof / and the defences that myght be made there / it pleased hym ryght well. Thus they toke it and forti∣fyed it lytell and lytell or they began to do any dyspleasure in the countrey. And whan they sawe the place stronge sufficyently to resyst a gaynste syege or assaute / and that they were well horsed and well prouyded of all thynges necessary for their defence / than they beganne to ryde abrode in the countrey and tooke pri∣soners and raunsomed them / and prouyded their holde with flesshe / meale / waxe / wyne / salte / yron / and stele / and of all other necessa∣ryes. There came nothynge amysse to theym without it hadde ben to heuy or to hote. The countrey all aboute and the people / wenynge to haue ben in reste and peace by reason of the truce made bytwene the two kinges and their realmes / they began than to be sore abasshed / for these robbers & pyllers toke them in their houses / and where so euer they founde them / in the feldes laborynge. and they called them selfes aduenturers. Whanne the lorde of the towre knewe that he had suche neyghbours so nere hym / he was nat well assured of hym selfe but fortifyed and made good watche in all his townes and castelles. The countesse of Dolphyn a ryght valyaunt lady and of great prudence / beinge with her chyldren in a good towne and stronge castell of hers called Sar¦des / she was nat well assured of her selfe whan she herde that Aymergotte and his company had fortifyed y^t Roche of Vandoys. She sent incontynente to all her castell and furnysshed them with men of warre / as Marquell / Ou¦dable / Chyllac / and Blere / and in to other pla¦ces / to the entente they shulde nat be surpry∣sed / for she greatly douted this Aymergot by∣cause he hadde of her before at one paymente fyue thousande florayns. Surely all the coun¦trey of Auuergne and Lymosyn began great∣lye to be a frayde. Thanne the knyghtes and squyers / and men of the good townes / as of Cleremount / of Mounte Ferante / and of Ry¦on / determyned to sende to the frenche kinge / and so they dyd.

IN the meane season whyle the sayde countesse and the other good men of the countrey dyd sende to the frenche kinge and to the duke of Berrey / who as than were at Parys / Aymergot and his company fortifyed greatly the Roche of Vandoys. first they made a lodgynge for their horses. Whan all other aduētures who were discharged out of wages herde howe Aymergot made warre agayne / they were ryght ioyfull therof / and many came to hym. Anone he had mo of these robbers and pyllers than he wolde haue / they demaunded no wages of hym / but all onely that they myght be of his bande / for all suche as myght be of his company they knewe well they shulde lyghtly wynne somewhat / for they were habandoned to robbe and to pyll. Thus they rode vp and downe and made them selfe to be knowen in dyuers places. There was no spekynge in Auuergne and Lymosyn but of them of Roche Vandoys / the coūtrey was sore afrayde. They of Caluset (wherof Pe∣rotte le Bernoys was capytayne) helde and kepte fermely the treuce that was made / and whan he sawe that Aymergot Marcell ouer ranne so the countrey / he was sore dyspleased with hym / and sayde howe he dyd yuell / and sent hym worde that he nor none of his shulde come in to Caluset / nor in to none other place where he had any rewle. Aymergot cared no∣thynge for that / for he hadde places ynowe to drawe vnto. besyde that he had menne ynowe / and dayly encreased / for suche as were myn∣ded to do yuell drewe to hym dayly. Perot of Bernoys charged suche as were vnder his reule on payne of their lyues that none shulde ryde out to do any domage to his neighbours for he sayde he wolde surely kepe the trewce.

Olyue Barbe captayne of Ousac dyssymu∣led the mater / sayeng howe he wolde kepe the treuce / howe be it as it was shewed me some of his men somtyme wolde ryde forthe secret∣lye / and what they wanne he wolde haue the profyte therof. The men of the countreys of Cleremount / of Mount Ferant / and of Ryon who were goynge in message to the frenche kynge / and to the duke of Berrey. They sped so in their iourneys that they came to Parys / and there founde the kynge / the duke of Ber∣rey / the duke of Thourayne / and the consta∣ble of Fraunce sir Olyuer of Clysson. They came fyrste to the duke of Berrey and to his counsayle / and shewed the cause of their com∣myng / howe Aymergot Marcell made warre and dystroyed the countrey of Auuergne / and howe the yuell people daily multyplyed / wher¦fore they desyred for goddessake to haue some remedy. sayenge if these yuell people shulde longe contyne we / they wolde distroy the coun¦trey of Auuergne / and the fronters of Lymo∣syn. Whan these tydynges came to the kynge and to the duke of Berrey / they were sore dys∣pleased / for they had thought all had been in peace / by reason of the treuce. Than the kyng demaunded if they of the garyson of Caluset and Ousac dyd any yuell or nat. They aun∣swered and sayd / they complayned of no man but al onely of Aymergot Marcell and of his company / who hathe fortifyed the Roche of Vandoys. Thanne the kynge and the duke of Berrey aunswered and sayd. Syrs ye good people take good herde to your selfes and we shall prouyde shortely a remedy / that ye shall well perceyue▪ retourne to your places and shewe this aunswere to theym that sente you hyther. These good men of Auuergne were well content with their aunswere / and taryed there two dayes / and thanne retourned and toke their leaue specyally of the duke of Ber∣rey and so departed.

THe frenche kynge and his counsayle forgate nat these tydynges / nor the duke of Berrey / whome the matter touched greatly / bycause he helde great hery∣tages in Auuergne / therfore he auaunced the busynesse. ye haue herde here before howe the lorde of Coucy was ordayned by the kynge and his coūsayle to be capitayne / and to haue the soueraygne rewle of all the countrey / fro the see by Rochell / vnto the ryuer of Dordone and to Burdeaux on the ryuer of Geron. As than the lorde of Coucy was nat in the coun∣trey: He was goynge in the voyage to Bar∣bary / with other lordes of Fraunce / and of other countreis. Howe be it at his departyn∣ge he ordayned his cosyn sir Robert of Be∣thune Vycount of Meaulx to be his lyeute∣naunt in the sayde countrey. Than the kyng sayde / howe it was moost metest that the vy∣count of Meaulx shulde haue the charge of that voyage to go in to Lāguedocke / rather than̄e any other persone. He was at Coude on the ryuer of Marne. The kynge wrote to hym. The messangere founde hym with his wyfe at Counde / and there he delyuered his letters fro the Frenche kynge. The vycount receyued theym / and whane he knewe what they mente / he sayde he wolde obey the kyn∣ges commaūdement. He prepared hym selfe as soone as he myght / & departed fro Coūde and rode so long that he cae to Parys where he founde the kynge and his counsayle / who sayd vnto hym. Vycount make you redy / as∣semble the men of warre of your retynue / for ye must go in to Auuergne. There be of thes pyllers and robbers / of whome Aymergotte Mercell is chiefe / as we be enfourmed / who distroyech and sore traueyleth the good peo∣ple there. Do ye so moche as to driue theym out of that countrey: And if ye maye attrap the sayde Aymergotte bring hym to vs / and we shall haue great ioye therof. It is orday∣ned that there shalbe delyuered to you / suche sommes of money at Cleremount / that shall suffyce for your men of warre. And to go fro hens thider speke to oure treasourers / & they shall delyuer you for your expenses. Make haste / for it requyreth dyligence. The Vy∣count aunswered howe he was redy / and so went to his lodging. And there he wrote let∣ters to knyghtes and squyers in Fraūce and Picardy of his acquayntaunce & retynewe / that they in all hast shulde mete with hym at Charters / and there to make their musters. such as he wrote vnto obeyed / they loued the Vycount / for they helde hym for a good capi¦tayne. So they came to the cytie of Char∣ters at their day prefyxed. There assembled a two hūdred speares of good men of warre. Whan̄e they were assembled / they departed

fro Charters and tooke the waye towardes Auuergne / and so came in to Burbonoys. ti∣dynges came in to Auuergne howe socours was cōmyng to them out of Fraunce / wher∣of all the countrey was reioysed.

IT was nedefull that these men of warre came thyder so soone as they dyde / for and they hadde taryed but sixe dayes lengar / ay¦mergot Marcell and his bande had thought to haue ouer ronne the playne countrey / bytwene Cleremount and Moūt∣ferante / and about Ryon to Ganape. And if they had made that voyage they hadde done great dommage to the countrey / more to the valewe than a hundred thousande frankes / for in those marchesse laye the rychesse of Au¦uergne / and no man shulde haue resysted thē for the countrey as than̄e was voyde of any man of warre. And also the brute was / that Aymergotte Mercelles company was farre mo in nombre than̄e they were in dede. Ay∣mergotte was redy to haue made this iour∣ney / but tidynges came to hym howe soeuer it was by pylgrimes or by espyes that the vy¦coūt of Meaulx with a great company was comynge agaynst hym to make hym warre / and to putte hym out of his fortresse of the Roche of Vandoys. These newes letted his enterprice / and kepte hym selfe within his holde / and thought they shulde be besieged. Than Aymergot Marcell began to dought and repented hym of that he hadde done / for he knewe well if that he were takenne / there shulde no raunsome go for hym. Thanne he sayd to some of his company. I am shamed: I haue beleued yuell counsayle: Couytous∣nesse shall distroye me / without I haue con∣forte. Than̄e they sayde to hym. Sir / why dought ye thus? We haue sene you the har∣dyest man of armes of all these marchesse. We haue a good garyson and well prouyded and we are men of defence / and loue as well to defende oure bodyes / as ye do to defende yours / ye can lese nothynge but we must lese also. If by aduenture ye be taken / ye shall make your fynaunce accordynge to reason. ye haue good ynoughe and we haue nothyn∣ge. If we be taken it lyeth on our heedes / we gette none other remission. We shall sell ou•• lyues dere. Lette vs defende our selfe aswell as we can / be nat abasshed with any thynge that we here or se. We thynke we shall natte nede to care for any siege. Lette vs warre wi¦sely. Thus these companyons conforted Ay∣mergot Marcell.

THe Vycounte of Meaulx with his company came forward tyll they came to Moleyns in Bur∣bonoys. There the duchesse of Burbone / doughter to the Erle Dolphyn receyued the Vycount and his kni¦ghtes ryght honorably / and made theym to dyne. Than they passed forthe and laye that nyght at saynt Pursant / and fro thens to Ga¦nape and so to Argre Prose / and than to Ry∣on / and fro thens to Cleremount where they were well receyued with the bysshoppe and with theym of the towne. There the men of warre had money / for there was a tayle ga∣dered and delyuered at Cleremont. Thanne they passed forthe and came to oure lady of Dorinall a four leages fro the Roche of Vā¦doyes. There the Vycount rested and sente for the knyghtes and squyers of Auuergne and of Lymosyn. There they assembled. They were than to the nombre of foure hun∣dred speares one and other / and about a hun¦dred cros bowes of genowayes. There was with the Vycounte of Meaulxe the lorde of Montague / Vermendisyens / and his bro∣ther the lorde of Dommart / and sir Bernard de la Ryuer / sir Guyllyam Butler / the lorde of the Domme / the lorde de la Roche / the lorde of the Towre / sir Loys Dambyer / the lorde of saynt Ampysse / and sir Robert Dalphyn / and dyuers other. And capitayns of the ge∣nowayes were two valyaunt squyers / The one named Aubert of Nespynolle and Calle¦nace. And as than chefe Stewarde with the Vycount of Meaulx was a gentyll squyer called Loyes of Lesglynell. These ge¦nowayes and cros bowes were armed at all peces / elles they shulde nat ha∣ue past wa¦ges with the Vy∣count. ∵

WHan̄e Aymergot Marcell and Guyotdu Sall his vncle / vn∣derstode that these men of war of Fraunce / of Picardy / of Au∣uergne / & of Gene were come to our Lady of Dornall / and were mynded to come & laye siege to their holde of Roche vā∣doys. Than they aduysed what was best for them to do to make defence. Firste they con∣sydred well / that it was ••at for them to kepe any horse / seyng they shulde be besieged. nat farre of fro the Roche of Vandois there was another stronge holde called saynt Soupe∣rye / vnder the rule of Aymergotte Mercell / and there was his wyfe / and thyder he sente all his pages and horses and the moost parte of all his rychesse. This roche of Vandoys was well fortifyed / and it stode in a stronge grounde. The lorde of the Towre was sore blamed of them of the countrey / that he had lefte that place vnfortifyed and vnprouyded It was cōmonly sayde in Auuergne / y^t they myght thanke the lorde of the Towre for all the dōmage they had taken / bicause he might well haue kepte the Roche of Vandoys / or if he wolde nat haue kepte it for cost / he myght haue delyuered it to the men of the countre / y^t they myght haue rased it / in suche wyse / that it shulde nat haue ben tenable / but he left the walles hole and entyer / as he founde them. This Roche of Vandoys is sette amonge highe mountayns / and that rocke standeth a parte / and on the one syde the walles be of a rocke. They had so fortifyed it / that it coude nat be assayled but on the fore parte by scry∣mysshynge. The Vycount of Meaulx de{per}∣ted fro our lady of Dorcynall / and knightes and squyers / and genouoys cros bowes / and so came before the Roche of Vandoys. there lyke good men of warre they layde their sie∣ge / and lytell and lytell amended their lod∣gynges. Whan̄e the countesse of Alfyne be∣inge at Sardes / knewe the trewe tidynges that the Roche of Vādoys was besieged she was right ioyfull. And bycause that she tho∣ught that the Vicount of Meaulx was come so farre (as out of Fraūce and Picardy) that he had brought with hym no tentes nor paui¦lyons. She ordayned for hym two fayre and good tentes / parteyning to therle Dolphyn / and sente them to the Vycount / by maner of lendynge of them to hym durynge the siege. The vycount toke the present in good gree / and recōmaunded hym hertely to the coun∣tesse / thākyng her for the tentes that she had sente hym / for they shulde do hym good ser∣uyce. The lorde of the Towre was in his owne countrey / and was within a myle of a castell of his owne / so y^t he lacked nothyng: other knyghtes and squiers made prouision as well as they myght. They had vitaylles plentie fro all partes at a resonable price. the season was fayre / drie / and hote / as in y^e mo∣neth of August. The knyghtes and other cō¦panyons refresshed theym selfes vnder the grene bowes. Than tidynges came in to the hoost that dyde put the lordes and their com¦panyons in dout. It was shewed them that the garisons of their ennemyes / as of Calu∣set and of Dousacke assembled toguyder / & were determyned in a morenynge to awake the hoost or they were ware / and to reyse the siege. Than the vycount of Meaulx and his knyghtes toke counsayle togyder and deter∣myned to sende a heraude to Perot of Ber∣noys capitayne of Calusette and to Olyue Barbe capitayne of Dousac to knowe their myndes / to the entent that they were nat sur∣prised / but that they myght be assured of the Englysshe garysōs. And accordyng as they had aunswere agayne / therafter to prouyde for them selfe. They sente an heraude and en¦structed hym what he shulde do and saye. the heraulde departed fro the hoost and rode to Caluset / and thereby aduenture founde Pe¦rotte at the barryers with many of his com∣pany / who were there sportyng and castyng the stone. Than the messanger lyghted from his horse and demaunded for the capitayne. He was brought to hym / and whan he came before hym he dyde his message fro poynt to poynt. Than Perot le Bernoys sayde. He∣raude / saye to youre maysters that we wyll holde and kepe as affermely and trewly / the truece that is taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce / in lyke maner / as we wolde they shulde kepe with vs. And if we knowe any of ours that wyll breke or vyolate the peace by any maner of incydent. If we maye take them / we shall do suche correctyon as apar∣teyneth to be doone / as we haue promysed. And we wyll that ye saye to youre maysters / that loke what Aymergotte hath done / was

without our counsayle / for he neuer shewed vs of his purpose. We dyde charge hym and all his / that he shulde nat medyll in our sei∣gnorie / if he dyde / he shulde haue an yuell ende. The heraulde was hadde in to the for∣tresse and there dyned. Than he tooke leaue and there was gyuen hym ten frankes. than he departed and demaūded the way to Dou∣sacke / and founde there Olyue Barbe / capi∣tayne of that fortresse. The heraulde spake to hym in lyke maner / as he hadde doone to Perot le Bernoys. Olyue Barbe answered that in no wyse he wolde breke the treuse / by¦cause he wolde nat be dishonored / and there he gaue hym ten frankes / and than departed and retourned to his mayster / before y^e roche of Vandoys. Than the knyghtes were sore desyrous to here tidynges / they drewe about the vycoūt. There the heraude shewed how he had ben at Calyset and at Dousacke / and what answere he had of the capitayns. than the Vicount praysed moche Perotte le Ber∣noyes and Olyue Barbe / and was as than out of doute / and so contynued their siege.

THe siege beyng before the Roche of Vandoys / euery day there was scri¦mysshing & often tymes some hurte with shotte of the genouoys cros bowes / for the genouoys were good shoters. Thus the siege cōtynued a nyne wekes. Thenterprice of the garyson was greatlye to the aduaun∣tage of them within / I shall shewe you the maner howe. At certayne places they might issue out at their pleasure / in dispyght of all their ennemyes / for & they shulde haue kepte them fro their issues / they had nede to haue had mo than sixe .M. men. Thus durynge the siege Aymergot was ryght ymaginatife and consydred all thynges / and sawe well howe he had nat done well / but to tourne his dede in good maner / and to thentent that the Roche of Vandoys shulde styll remayne w^t hym. He sent in to Englande a varlet of his with letters of credence / to the kynge of En∣glande and to the duke of Lancastre. And of this purpose he brake his mynde to an vncle of his called Guyot du Sall / a man of a thre score yere of age / who had greatlye vsed de∣des of armes / and knewe moche of y^e worlde Whan Aymergote had shewed hym the ma∣ner howe he wolde sende in to Englāde / this Guyotte was well agreed therto / and sayde howe to sende a wyse man thyder coulde do no hurte. Than they sente a varlet / who had ben brought vp among them. Aymergot en¦structed hym and sayde. We shall sette the out of this house in saue garde out of all pe∣ryll / and thou shalte haue golde and syluer ynoughe. Thou shalte go in to Englande with these letters / one to the kynge / another to the duke of Lācastre / and the thirde to the kynges counsayle / and all these letters are of credence. Than they wyll demaunde of the the occasyon of thy cōmynge thyder. And af∣ter thou hast made thy recōmendacion / thou shalte saye y^t Aymergot Mercell their poore soudyour and subiecte / and redy with good wyll to do them seruyce / is enclosed and bese¦ged in a lytell fortresse parteyning to the fe∣aultie of Lymosyn / belongyng to the kynge of Englandes herytage. And they that lye at the siege / traueyleth & taketh great payne daylye to wyn vs that dothe defende the for∣tresse. And the capitayne of them without is a lorde / cosyn to the lorde of Coucy called sir Robert vycount of Meaulx / set there by the Frenche kyng. Therfore desyre the kynge & his counsayle / and specially the duke of Lan¦castre who hath the souerayne gouernaunce in Burdeloys / and of the kyng of Englādes heritage in these {per}ties. That it wolde please them to write and to cōmaunde the vycount of Meaulx to de{per}te fro the siege and to reyse his army. And to write to the Vycount that he is about to breke the peace that was taken at Balyngham / bytwene Boloygne and Ca¦lays. And bycause I am in doute what aun∣swere the vicount wyll make to these letters (for he is somwhat stronge and fro warde) Therfore desyre that I maye haue in lyke∣wyse letters fro the kyng and his counsayle / and fro the duke of Lancastre to the duke of Berrey. For if the duke of Berrey wyll / in∣contynent the siege shall be raysed. And for the more suretie / desyre to haue with y^e some knight of honoure of the kynges house or of the duke of Lancasters / suche one as the du∣ke of Berrey knoweth / and the other lordes of Fraunce. And shewe hym fro me that I shall gyue hym a .C. frankes. Remembre all these wordes and do thy message acordingly and shewe thē that thou spekest withall that this lytell fortresse that I haue fortified / if it

maye abyde styll Englysshe. It shall come well to poynte / and specially to thē that wyll make warre in these parties for the kynge of Englande / for the fortresse stādeth on the frō¦ters of the countrey / for therby maye be won at a season in Auuergne and Lymosyn / two thousande frankes.

WHan Aymergot Marcell & Guyot¦du Sall his vncle had well enstru∣cted this varlet / and that the letters of credence were written and sealed / and de∣lyuerd. The varlet departed by nyght and was well accompanyed and conueyed a fote to another fortresse {per}teynynge to Aymergot called saint Soupery. There he toke a horse suche as he wolde chose / for he hadde a great iourney to ryde. He rode forthe through the realme of Fraūce lyke a Frenche man of Au∣uergne / and so came to Calais and acquayn¦ted hym selfe with the Capitayne sir Iohan Beauchampe / and shewed hym parte of his busynesse / to the entent to haue the soner pas∣sage / as he had. So he came to Douer and than toke his iourney to Lōdon. And it was his fortune that the kynge of Englande and his two vncles / and the duke of Lancastre and the kynges coūsayle were the same tyme at the palais of Westmynster in counsayling for maters of Northumberlande / for the scot¦tes helde nat well the truese / as complayntes were made. The same tyme Aymergottes varlet came to Lōdon and there toke his lod¦gynge / and shewed his host parte of y^e cause of his commynge. His host brought hym to Westmynster / and caused hym firste to speke with the duke of Lancastre who was in his chambre. it was or he went to the counsayle. there y^e varlet delyuered hym his letters. the duke toke & reed them. Than he drewe hym a parte / & demaunded what credence he had. Than the varlet shewed hym all the hole ma¦ter / as ye haue herde here before. The duke herde hym well / and demaunded if he had a∣ny mo letters / and he sayd that he had letters to the kyng and to his counsayle / that is well quod the duke / I shall cause the to haue au∣dyence. than the duke went to the counsayle. And whan he sawe the hour and tyme he mo¦ued the varlettes mater / and by the dukes ad¦uauncement the varlet was sente for. Than he delyuered to the kyng and to his coūsayle the letters / they were opyned and reed: and than he was demaunded what was his cre∣dēce / and the varlet who was hardy and nat abasshed / shewed the businesse of Aymergot Marcell right sagely / and the better assured bycause euery man gaue hym good audiēce. Whan he had said as moche as he wolde / thā he was answered / that the kyng wolde take coūsayle in the mater and make an answere. Than he went out of the counsayle chambre and taryed tyll he had an answere.

THe aunswere was / that the kynge wolde write to the vycount of Me∣aulx and also to the duke of Berrey accordyng as Aymergot had requyred / and in lykewise so promysed the duke of Lanca∣stre. and whan the letters were writen / there was a gentylman of the duke of Lancastres apoynted to bere these letters. So they pas∣sed the see / and with them went Derby an he¦ralde the better to forther the mater / bycause he was aquaynted with the lordes of Auuer¦gne / and specially with the duke of Berrey. The gentylman of the duke of Lancasters named Herbery / went with the better wyll / bycause the varlette promysed hym in the be∣halfe of Aymergot a hundred frākes. Thus they thre departed and came to Douer / and fro thens at a tyde to Calis. And whan their horses were vnshypped / they toke the waye to Boloygne and so throughe Picardy / and went to Parys / & fro thens in to Auuergne. And whan they approched nere to Lymogi∣nes / and to the coūtre where the roche of Vā¦doyes was sette. They rode about the more secretely to come thyder.

THus as I haue shewed you thes messangers dyde so moche that they came nere to the roche of vā¦doyes. Whanne they were nere where the siege laye / the squyer and the heraulde thought it for the best / nat to entre in to the towne at that present tyme. But they sent the varlet in to the towne / say∣eng they wolde do well ynough without his company. For they sayd if he shulde be sene with them / they at the siege wolde suppose / that he had ben sente in to Englande for thē. the varlet obeyed / & in the night he entred in to y^e towne without daūger. than Aymergot

Marcell & Guyot du Sall made hym good chere / and had marueyle that he had spedde his iourney in so short a space. There be she¦wed howe he had spedde / and howe a squier of the duke of Lācasters and a heraude was come with him with letters fro the kyng and fro the duke of Lancastre / bothe to the Vy∣count of Meaulr and to the duke of Berrey if nede were. And why quod Aymergot mer¦cell / are they nat come hyder into this castell Sir {quod} the varlet / they sayd they two wolde do their message well inough / nor they wold haue no man sene in their cōpany that shulde come fro you. They are the wyser {quod} Guyot du Sall / therby it shall seme that the mater toucheth the kyng of Englāde and the duke of Lancastre. Sir it is trewe quod the bar∣let. Of those tidynges Aymergot was ioy∣full and sayde to the varlet. Thou hast well and dilygently spedde thy maters / and that in a shorte season / I shall well rewarde the for thy labour. Thus the squyer and the he∣raude came streight to the siege and demaū∣ded for the Vycoūtes lodgynge. They were brought thyder and there they founde the vy¦count beholding men castyng the stone. than they kneled and saluted hym and he them a∣gayne / and demaūded fro whens they came. They answered and said / howe they cāe out of Englande / sent thyder by their kyng and by the duke of Lancaster. ye are welcome {quod} the Vycount / what mater hath brought you in to this wylde countrey. Sir quod the he∣raude beholde here this squier of the duke of Lācasters / who hath brought to you letters fro the kynge of Englande and fro the duke of Lancastre / if it please you to rede thē. and bycause I sōwhat knewe the countrey I am come in his company. Than the squyer dely¦uered his letters / and the vycount receyued them and behelde the seales / and knewe well they came out of Englande. Than he tooke one aparte that coude rede / and there he reed the letters fro poynt to poynt two or thre ty∣mes tyll he knewe well what they ment. thā he studyed & regarded well the kyng of En∣glandes writyng / who sayd in his writynge that he had marueyle that he wolde lodge / slepe / and reste hym with an army of men of warre on his herytage. & that he dothe day∣lye all that he can to breke the peace / whiche he ought in no wyse to do / for it is greatly ••iudiciall to them that haue sette to their sea∣les to the confyrmacion of the peace. and the conclusyon of the letter was / howe the kyng cōmaunded them incontynent after the sight of his letts that he and his company shulde departe and reyse their siege / and suffre Ay∣mergot Mercell pesably to enioye the house parteyning to his heritage / whiche hath cost hym great goodes the fortifieng. These wor¦des and suche other were enclosed in these let¦ters all to the ayde of Aymergot Marcell. in lyke maner as the kynges letters spake / the duke of Lancaster sange the same note / com∣maundyng lyke the excellent duke of Acqui∣tayne and of all that duchy. And whan the vi¦count of Meaulx had well aduysed hym selfe he sayde. Fayre sirs / these tidynges that ye haue brought requyreth counsayle and ad∣uyse / I shall take coūsayle and than ye shall be answered. Than they were made to drīke of the vycountes wyne. In the meane tyme the vycount toke counsayle / for he sent for the lorde of the Towre & for sir Guyllyam But∣ler / sir Robert Dolphyn / sir Loyes Dābyer / and also for the lorde Montaguy / and for sir Berat de la Ryuer / who was of his house. And whan they were all toguyder / he rene∣wed the wordes / and shewed them the cause why he had sent for them / and there caused y^e letters to be reed before them. Whan these lor¦des herde that / they had great marueile how these letters coude be brought out of Englā∣de / for as than they had nat layne at the siege past a moneth. I shall shewe you quod the vycount what I suppose. Aymergot Mar∣cell is a subtell man / as soone as he sawe that he shulde be besieged / I thynke he sent incō∣tynent some messanger in to Englande to at∣tayne these letters / the whiche I maye obey if I lyste / but I shall answere them shortely But as in that the kyng of England and the duke of Lancastre cōmaundeth me to do / I wyll nothynge obey their cōmaundementes / for I am nat bounde to obey thē / but all one∣lye the Frenche kynge / by whose cōmaunde∣ment I am sent hyder. Call forthe the squier and the heraude I shall make them their an∣swere / they were brought forthe. Than the vycount began to speke as foloweth.

you Derby and Tomelyn Herbery / thus ye be named accordyng to the tenour of your

letters / and as it apereth ye be sent hyther fro¦the kynge of Englande / & fro the duke of Lan¦castre / they are enfourmed I can nat tell howe outher by Aymergot Marcell or by some o∣ther that wolde ayde him / and hath ben in En¦gland in his name / howe I am at this present tyme with an army of men of warre lodged on the herytage of the kynge of Englandes / and he commaundeth me to departe and reyse my siege / and to suffre Aymergot Marcell peasa¦bly to enioy this lytell fortresse / whiche hathe coste so moche the fortefyenge / and also they sende me worde howe I do put my selfe in pa¦rell of dyshonorynge / in that I shulde consent to breke the peace / sealed and conf••rmed to en¦dure thre yeres bytwene the two kynges and their alyes. Fayre sirs I say vnto you that I wyll do nothyng that shall be against the char¦ter of peace / I wyll kepe the treuce / and do no¦thynge agaynst it / and though I am lodged here it breketh no peace nor treuce. I am sub∣get to the frenche kynge who hath sent me hy∣ther / and hath admytted me as his marshall of this small armye / for it came to the know∣ledge of the kynge my mayster and his coun∣sayle / by greuous complayntes of the noble men & other of the countrey of Auuergne and Lymosyn / howe they had taken great doma∣ges and losses / by the meanes that Aymergot aduysed a strong place bytwene the coūtr••••s / which was voyde and nat inhabyted / he toke and fortefyed it / and hath nat made it a house of peace or solace / but a stronge fortresse and a resortynge place for theues / robbers / and mur¦derers / whervpon I am cōmaūded to be here to defende the countrey / and to the entent that suche as be assembled in this forttesse shulde nat multyply in their wickednesse / but to pu∣nysshe them by suche sentence as apartayneth to their trespace / and for that entente I do put to my payne to take them if I can / the whiche cōmaundemente of my mayster I wyll obey / and shall do my deuoyre to acquyte me truly. and fro hence I wyll nat departe what so euer cōmaundemente I haue / tyll I haue the for∣tresse / and them that be within. And if Aymer¦got Marcell wyll say that I am auaunced to breke the peace / lette hym come forthe and he shall be fought withall with one that is better than he / and shal cause to be proued by dyuers poyntes and artycles / that he hym selfe brea∣keth the peace. Sirs all thynges consydred I make you this aunswere / ye maye retourne whan it pleace you / and whan ye come there as ye wold be / say none otherwyse nor no lesse than I haue sayde to you / for often tymes re∣portes nat truely set / enfourmeth lordes often tymes otherwyse than the trouthe is in dede. Syr quod the squyer we are come hyther for none other purpose but to reporte the trouth of that we here and se / and sythe ye wyll none otherwyse do / we nede no lenger to abyde here and so toke their leaue. And there was gyuen to the haraulde ten frankes / for the honour of the kynge of Englande and the duke of Lan∣castre.

WHan they were departed they toke the hyghe way to Cleremount / and sayd they wolde agayne to Parys / & whan they were halfe a leage on their way than they began to entre in to their mater and sayd. As yet we haue done nothynge / it behoueth vs to go to the duke of Berrey in to Auuergne / who is lorde of this countrey / for he writeth hym selfe duke of Berrey and of Auuergne / the by counte of Meaulx dare nat displease the duke if he cōmaunde hym to departe / and we haue letters fro the kynge our mayster and fro the duke of Lancastre to hym / wherfore it is rea∣son that we delyuer them / and that we maye knowe his entente. They concluded on that purpose / and so rode to Cleremounte / thyde•• they were welcome / for the haraulde knewe the countrey / and whan they were demaūded what they were / they answered that they were messangers sent fro the kynge of Englande / and than they demaunded where the duke of Berrey was / and it was shewed them that the duke and the duches was in a castell of theirs named the Nonec••e. The haraulde knewe it well / he had been there before. Than they de∣parted fro Cleremount / and rode to Vyore / and fro thens to Nonect. There is a hyghe mountayne to passe or one come to the castell. Whan they came there y^e duke of Berrey with many other was sportynge without the gate / the harauld was knowen with dyuers. Than they were brought to y^e duke / who for the loue of the kynge of Englande and of the duke of Lancastre / made them good chere. the squyer delyuered his letters to the duke / who recey∣ued them / and opened and red them at length two tymes ouer. Than he studyed a lytell and

answered them curtesly and sayde. Syrs for the loue of our cosyns in Englande we shall gladly do our power. Of the which aunswere the squyer and the haraulde were ryght ioy∣ouse and thought than howe they had sped all their mater / but it was nat so as ye shall here after. howe be it the duke of Berrey at the be∣gynnynge dyd his deuoyre to haue raysed the siege to please therby the kynge of Englande and the duke of Lancastre / who desyred that the siege myght be reysed before the Roche of Vandoys / and that the lytell fortresse myght abyde styll to Aymergot Marcell & if he haue done any thyng to dysplease the frenche kyng or his coūsayle the kynge of Englande wolde se that there shulde be amendes made. And the duke of Berrey bycause he wold acquyte him truely to the englysshe mennes desyres / suche as were in his house / he wrote incontynente letters well endyghted to the vycount of Me∣aul•• / and these letters were red or they were sealed before the englysshe men / who thought them well ordayned. These letters were sente by a notable squyer of the duke of Berreys to the vycount of Meaulx / who receyued them and opened them. Than the vycount caused them to be redde before suche lordes as were there with hym / whyle the messanger was a drinkynge. for they made hym good chere / for the loue of the duke of Berrey / as it was rea∣son. Sirs quod the vycounte / we shall nat be in rest syth the duke of Berrey wyll beare Ay∣mergot who is the man of the world that this twelue yere hath moste gr••ued and traueyled the coūtrey of Auuergne. I had thought that the duke had hated hym greatly / but it semeth nay / sythe he hath ••rpresly cōmaunded that I shulde departe fro hence. But by my faythe at this tyme I wyll nat obey this letter / but I wyll make excuse by reason of the kynge and his coūsayle / who sent me hyder and at my de¦partynge fro Parys he straytly cōmaunded me that for any cōmaundemente fro any per∣sone / and if it were nat fro the kynge kymselfe / that I shulde nat departe fro hence tyll I had taken the stronge holde of the Roche of Van∣doys / and Aymergot therin / whiche I wyll do if I canne / and nowe the duke of Berrey cōmaundeth me the contrary / for he chargeth me incontynent his letters sene / that I shulde reyse the syege. By my faythe I wyll nat do it. Syr quod they that were aboute hym / ye speke royally and truely / and we shall abyde with you / but we suppose the occasion that the duke of Berrey writeth thus for Aymergot / is that the englyssh squier and the haraulde hath thus desyred him to write. we thinke also they haue brought letters to hym fro the kynge of Englande / and fro the duke of Lancastre / as they brought to you this other day. ye say well quod the vicounte / and I shall knowe it if I came. Than the duke of Berreys squier was sent for to haue his answere / and the vycount sayd to him. Pyer / I wyll well that ye knowe that I owe obeysaunce to the duke of Ber∣rey / for he is so nere a kynne to the kynge that I dare nat dysplease hym / but I and my com¦panyons who haue ben here these fyue wekes at this siege to wyn this fortresse / and to take the theues that be within it / by the strayte cō∣maundement of the kynge and his counsayle / and we haue great marueyle (and good cause why) howe my lorde of Berrey dothe com∣maunde vs and maketh requeste for his ene∣myes / that we shulde reyse our siege / by rea∣son of that we say generally that we shal gyue ensample to all theues and robbers / suche as wyll ouer ron the realme to do the worst they canne. Wherfore Pyer ye shall say to the duke of Berrey fro vs all / that we are and shall be redy inclyned to do any thynge that he com∣maundeth vs to do / but as in this case I am so straytely enioyned and cōmaunded by the kyng and his coūsayle to kepe this siege / and to contynewe it tyll I haue the fortresse and them within at my pleasure / whiche cōmaun∣demente I dare nat brake. and say that surely I wyll obey to no cōmaundement / but alone∣ly to the kynges whose subget Iame / and by whome I am sente hyther. But sir I requyre you shewe me one thynge if ye can / who hath made this request for Aymergotte Marcell / who hath done so moche yuell and anoyaunce to the countrey of Auuergne and Lymosyn / and nowe he is atrapped lyke as a traytoure shulde be / and is nere come to an yuell ende / whiche he hathe well deserued / for he hath er∣red and done contrary to his othe. Syr quod the squyer / there came to my lorde the duke of Berrey two men of Englande / an haraulde and another / who brought letters to my lorde fro the kynge of Englande and fro the duke of Lancastre / and they made greate request for Aymergotte. I beleue you well quod the

vycounte / it was Derby the haraulde and a squyer called Herbery / they brought me this other daye lyke letters / wherfore I suppose that the kynge of Englande and the duke of Lancastre wrote to the duke of Berrey in this mater. wherfore shewe to my lorde of Berrey that I desyre him to consydre all thinges well / for all these requestes that are come fro the o∣ther syde of the see / are but desyres purchased by our enemyes / to the which no lorde on this syde the see (if he loue the honoure and pro∣fyte of the realme of Fraunce) shulde enclyne nor condyscende. Sir quod the squyer I shall forget nothynge of that ye haue shewed me / for I loue nat Aymergot / I had rather se his punysshmente thanne his delyueraunce. So the Squyer departed and rode to Nonecte where he founde the duke of Berrey / and dyd his message ryght sagely / the conclusyon was that the vycounte of Meaulx sayde / surely he wold nat departe fro the siege before y^e Roche of Vandoys / without the kynge sente hym strayte commaundemente so to do. With this aunswere the duke of Berrey was nat well contente / he had thought that as well his com¦maundement shulde haue been obeyed / spe∣cyally in Auuergne.

WHan the englysshe squyer and Der∣by the haraulde herde of the answere that was made to the duke of Ber∣rey / and howe that the siege was nat raysed / they were sory / and sawe well they traueyled in vayne / than they sayde to the duke. Syr what wyll ye counsayle vs to do / shall we thus departe frome you without spedynge of any thynge to purpose. The kynge of Englande and the duke of Lancastre haue great truste and affyaunce in you / that ye shuld cause this siege to be reysed / bycause the Roche of Van∣doys is vnder our signoury. Syrs quod the duke suffre a season / Aymergot Marcell is in a stronge place / he nedeth nat to feare takyng / without a great vnhappe / and shortely I pur¦pose to goo in to Fraunce to the kynge / and thanne I wyll speke with the Kynge and his counsayle / and for the loue of my cosyns of En¦glande / I shall do the beste I canne to bringe the matter to passe / and ye shall go with me and se howe I shall spede. With those wordes the Squyer and the haraulde were contente. Than the fourth day after the duke departed fro Nonecte / and lefte there the duchesse his wyfe with a gret parte of his householde / and so the duke rode to Ryon in Auuergne / and there he taryed more thanne eyght dayes / for the erle of Sanxere and the lorde Rule / who were gone to Auignon aboute the dukes bu∣synesse. and whan they were come they depar¦ted fro Ryon all togyther / and toke the waye throughe Burbonoys / and at laste came to Bourges in Berrey / and there the duke ta∣ryed two dayes. Than he rode to Mehun on the ryuer of yeure to a castell / one of y^e fayrest houses of the worlde / as thanne the duke had newly bylte it / and it had coste hym thre hun∣dred thousande frankes. There the duke ta∣ryed fyftene dayes / wherwith the Englysshe messangers were sore troubled / howbeit they coude fynde none other remedy. The duke as than made lytell force for the delyueraunce of Aymergot / I shall shewe you howe and by what meanes. So it was the erle of Sanxere and the lorde of Rule who were chefe of the du¦kes counsayle / with syr Peter Mespyn / they in fayre maner blamed the duke / and sayde howe he hadde nothinge to do to medell with the busynesse of Aymergot / sayenge that his lyfe hathe been alwayes dyshonourable / and howe that he was but a false palyarte / and al∣wayes agaynste the crowne of Fraunce / and had doone many vyllayne dedes and robo∣ryes in Auuergne and in Lymosyn / and how that he was no mete parsone to be entreated for / wherfore syr quod they / suffre the kynge and his counsayle to deale with hym as they lyste. These wordes and suche other refray∣ned the duke of Berrey to speke any further in the mater. Howe be it the two englysshe men dyd their best to remembre the duke. And the duke dissymulynge aunswered them curtessy and sayde. Syrs suffre a season / we shall be shortely at Parys. but for all his wordes he ta¦ryed styll at Mehun more thanne thre wekes deuysynge with his mayster workeman: as keruers and paynters / for therin he had great fantasy. He had a mayster workeman called maister Andrewe / as than one of y^e best worke men of the worlde / an Englysshe man borne / but he dwelte in Fraunce and in Haynalte a longe season.

Nowe shall I shewe you what fortuned of Aymergot Marcell / and of the roche of Van∣doys

This Aymergot was a farre castynge man / and whan he sawe that y^t siege was nat reysed / he thought well that the kyng of En∣glandes messangers coude nat spede of their sute. than he thought on another turne as to departe thens and to ryde nyght and daye to speke with the capitaynes of Piergourt / and Pyerguyse / and with Guyot of saint Fayth / and Ernalton of saynt Calombe / & Ernalton of Rostem / Iohn̄ of Morsen / Pier Danchin / and Remonet of Cōpayne / and with dyuers other gascoyns and bernoyse in the englysshe garysons / and he thought that with his fayre wordes he shuld cause them to assemble togy¦ther / and to come in to Auuergne on truste to wynne great botyes / and so on a mornyng or in the night to come and reyse the siege before Vandoys / and to take there the frenche men prisoners / whiche shulde be worthe to them a hundred thousande frankes / besyde other bo∣tyes. Thanne he shewed his vncle Guyot du Sall all his purpose / who answered him and sayd. Sir I se in this nothynge but good / for otherwyse we can nat be delyuered fro these frenche men. Well vncle {quod} Aymergot I shall do this message my selfe syth ye counsayle me therto / but I shall desyre you of one thynge or I departe. What is that quod he. It is so quod Aymergot / that what so euer skrymysshe that the frenche men do make / issue you in no wyse out of the gates / nor open nat your barryers / for and ye do / ye may rather lese than wynne. Sir quod Guyot I shalbe ware ynough ther of / we shall kepe our selfes close here within tyll your retourne / or that we here tydynges fro you. Well fayre vncle I requyre you so to do / for they canne nat displease vs none / other∣wayes / as for their assautes or skrymysshes / ye nede nat feare / so ye kepe your selfes close within. Thus within thre dayes after Aymer gote departed fro the Roche of Vandoys all onely acōpanyed with a page / he passed forth without daunger of the frenche men. his en∣tensyon was to brynge thyder companyons aduenturers to rayse the siege. many of them that were within the house knewe nothyng of his departure / for he myght departe whan he lost without knowlege. Euery day there was skrymysshynge and assautes at the barryers / and within a fyue or sixe dayes after y^e depar∣ture of Aymergot / there was a great assaute made by the frenche men in thre partes. This Guyot du Sall was a good man of armes / and longe tyme had vsed the exercisyng ther∣of / howe be it as on that day he fortuned yuell by reason of a lytell pryde / for he brake the or∣dynaunce that his cosyn Aymergot had set or he departed / for he had charged hym that for any maner of assaute he shulde nat issue out of the barryers. At this assaute there were thre squyers of the french party / two of Auuergne and one of Bretayne / who were skrimysshing valyauntly vpon a pane of a wall nere to the fortresse. These thre squyers aboue all other that daye dyd moste valyauntly / they of Au∣uergne were called Rycharde de la Violecte / and Lubinet of Rochfort / and the breton was named Monadyke / who was taken before in Lymosyn in the castell of Vanchador / & was parteynynge to sir Willyam Butler. The as∣saute endured tyll nyght. These thre squyers atcheued there great laude and prayse / but for all their traueyle & payne they wan nothyng. Than at another assaute the vicount of Me∣aulx made a busshment of twelue men of ar∣mes and their companyes / and layde them in an olde house without the fortresse / and com∣maūded another sorte to go and skrymysshe at the barryers / sayenge I thynke surely we shall se them within issue out / for they are co∣uetouse to wyn. if they do so / than withdrawe your selfe lyt••ll and lytell tyll they be past our busshment / than they shall breke out / and also retourne you agayne / thus they shall be enclo∣sed and taken or slayne. This is the best way that I can se for our aduauntage. thus as the vicount had deuysed & ordeyned it was done / they were named that shulde lye in the bussh∣ment / as Loys of Lesglynell / Robert of Ber¦tencourte / Guylliam de Saulsoy / Pyer du saynt Vydall / Guyonet Villeracque / Pier of Colle / and Iohn̄ Salmage / with other to the nombre of twelue. They layde themselfe in an olde house without the fortresse / and another sorte went and skrimysshed at y^e barryers / as Belynot of Rochfort / Rycharde of Violecte / and the Monadyke with other. They were fresshly armed and aparelled / to thentent that they within shulde haue the more corage to is∣sue out to them / they were also twelue alonly. Whan they came to the bartyers they began to skrymysshe but fayntly / and lyke suche per¦sones as coulde but lytell skyll of feates of ar∣mes. Wherfore Guyot du Sall made lytell

force of them / but issued out and sayde to his companyons▪ by saynt Marcell we wyll issue out / for at the barryers be a sorte of yonge cō∣panyons / for by that they shewe / they knowe but lytell of dedes of armes / but we shall teche them to knowe it / they shalbe all our prisoners they can nat escape vs. Therwith they opened the barryers and issued out / fyrste Guyot du Sall / and remembred nochynge the charge that Aymergot had gyuen hym at his depar∣tynge / for the great desyre that he had to do de¦des of armes / and to wynne somwhat / made him to begyn the skrymysshe. whan the french men sawe that Guyot du Sall and his com∣pany were come out of their barryers / they were ryght ioyfull / than they began to drawe backe lytell and lytell / and they of the fortresse pursewed them / and they wente so farre that they passed the busshment / & whan they sawe their tyme they brake out of their busshment / bytwene them and the fortres / cryeng Coucy the vycount. Thus they of the fortresse were inclosed both before and behynd. whan Guy¦ot sawe that / he knewe well he had doone a mysse / and sawe well it was harde for hym to scape / than he reculed to get agayne to his ga¦ryson / but the frenchemen were in his waye. Whervnto shulde I make longe processe / they were all taken / nat one escaped. They were brought to the vycountes lodginge before the knyghtes / who hadde great ioye of their ta∣kynge.

THus by the counsayle of the bycount of Meaulx / Guyot du Sall and his company were atrapped & taken and brought before the lordes of Fraunce and Auuergne. Whan the vycount sawe Guyot du Sall / he demaunded where Aymergot Marcell was / and charged hym to saye the trouthe / for he thought he had ben still in the fortresse. Guyot du Sall aunswered / howe he coulde nat tell where he was / for he was departed a twelue dayes paste. Than the lordes thought surely that he was gone to purchace some ayde. than the prisoners were cōmaunded a parte / and the vicount demaūded of the knightes of Au∣uergne what were beste to do with Guyot du Sall and with his company / sayenge howe he wolde vse hymselfe acordyng to their coun¦sayle. Than syr Willyam Butler aunswered and sayde. Syr quod he / I suppose that Ay∣mergot is gone for socour and to rayse by the companyons in the garysons of Pyergourt & Pierguyse / for he shall fynde some alwayes there to come vpon vs earely or late / or we be¦ware of theym / wherby they maye do vs do∣mage / for any peace or trewce that is taken. This Aymergot is a subtyle man. syr let vs do one thyng / shew vnto Guyot du Sall and his company / that without they cause they for∣tresse to be rendred in to your handes / that ye wyll stryke of all their heedes incontynente / and without they do thus let it nat be spared. This counsayle is good quod the vycounte / for in dede the chefe occasyon that we become hyder for is to haue this fortresse / and though we can nat haue at this tyme Aymergot Mar¦cell / another season shall fortune ryght well. Than the vycount and the lorde of the towre / syr Roberte Dolphyn and other came before the fortresse as nere as they myght aporche / and thyder was brought Guyot du Sall and his company. Than the vycount spake and sayd to Guyot du Sall. Guyot and all other of your company / knowe we for trouthe that in∣contynent all your heedes shall be stryken of / without ye yelde vp the fortresse of the Roche of Vandoys / and if ye wyll rendre it vp we shall suffre you to go quyte. Nowe aduyse ye well what way ye wyll take / other lyfe or deth. Of those wordes Guyot & his company were sore abasshed / at last they thought it was best for them to saue their lyues. Than Guyot an∣swered and sayde. Syr I shall do the best I canne that the fortresse may be yelden to you. Than he came to the barryer and spake with them that were within / who rekened themsel∣fes clene dyscomfyted / seynge they hadde lost their two maysters / and the best of their com∣pany. As soone as Guyot hadde spoken with theym / and declared what case they stode in / they agreed to yelde vp the fortresse condicio∣nally / y^t they myght departe with bagge and baggage as moch as they coulde cary / and to haue respyte for a moneth to withdrawe them whyther they lyste. All this was graunted to them / and a sute saueconducte made and sea∣led. Thus the frenche men had the Roche of Vandoys delyuered / by reason of their good fortune of their last skrimysshe / wherfore it is comenly sayde / that all fortunes good and y∣uell falleth often tymes in armes / to them that foloweth warre.

WHan the Roche of Vandois was yel¦ded vp to the lordes of Fraunce and Auuergn•• they of the countrey were ryght ioyous therof and the lordes helde well and truely the promesse that they had made to Guyot du Sall▪ whan they had caryed away as moche as they coulde do / than they depar∣ted with good assuraunce for a moneth to go whyder it pleased them. Than the vycount of Meaul•• abandoned the Roche of Vandoys to the men of the countrey / who incontynente dyd rase it downe in suche wyse that they lefte no wall hele nor house / nor stone vpon stone / but all was reuersed to the erthe. The frenche men that were they in the kinges seruice with the vycount / toke their leues of the knyghtes and squyers of Auuergne / so they departed / and they of Auuergne and Lymosyn went to their owne houses. The vycount of Meaul•• gaue leaue to parte of his company / & he went to Rochell and lodged at saint Iohans Dan∣gle / to kepe there the fronter / for in the coūtrey there were some pyllers and robbers that ran sometyme in to Xantoigne / whan they sawe their aduauntage. In the maner and fourme as I haue shewed you y^e fortresse of the roche of Vandoys was cōquered / and rased downe wherof all the countrey was ioyfull / for than they were in better suretie than they were be∣fore. For to say the trouth if it had cōtynued / it wolde haue done them many displeasurs. Ty¦dynges of this dede came to the knowledge of the duke of Berrey to Cautelon / a place of his owne / standynge bytwene Charters and Mount le Herrey / a nyne leages fro Parys / he cared nothing for it / for he was as than but colde to are any grace of the kynge for Aymer¦got. Whan Derby the haraulde was infour∣med by some of the dukes knyghtes howe the Roche of Vandois was taken & beten downe / than he sayde to the squyer that came thyder with hym. syr ye haue lost a hundred frankes that Aymergot had promysed to you. Howe so quod the squier. Surely quod the harauld the Roche of Vandoys is gyuen vp and ren∣dred / the frenche men haue wonne it / therfore lette vs take our leaue of the duke of Berrey / and retourne in to Englande / we haue no∣thynge here to do. Well quod the squyer sythe it is so I accorde therto. Than they toke their leaue of the duke. Than the duke wrote to the kynge of Englande and to the duke of Lan∣castre / and gaue to the haraulde at his depar∣tynge .xl. frankes / and to the squyer a horse. Thus they departed and toke the next waye to Calays / and so in to Englande. Than ty∣dinges came to Aymergot Marcell where he was purchasyng of frendes to haue reysed the siege before the fortresse of Vandoys / that it was gyuen vp. Whan he herde therof / he de∣maunded howe it fortuned. It was shewed hym howe it was by reason of a skrymysshe / and by the issuyng out of his vncle Guyot du Sall vnaduysedly. Ah that olde traytour {quod} Aymergot / by saynte Marcell if I had hym here nowe / I shulde sle hym myne owne han∣des / he hath dyshonoured me and all my com¦panyons. At my departynge I straytely en∣ioyned hym that for no maner of assaute or skrymysshe made by the frenchmen / he shulde in no wyse open y^e barryers / and he hath done the contrary. this domage is nat to be recoue¦red / nor I wote nat whether to go / they of Ca∣luset and they of Dousac wyll kepe the peace / and my companyons be spredde abrode lyke men dyscomfyted / they dare neuer assemble a¦gayne togyther / and though I had them to¦gyther / yet I wote nat whyder to bring them. Thus all thynge consydred I am in a harde parte / for I haue gretly dyspleased the french kynge / the duke of Berrey / and the lordes of Auuergne / & all the people of the countrey / for I haue made them warre the peace durynge / I had trusted to haue won / but I am nowe in a great aduenture to lese / nor I wotte nat to whom to resorte to are counsayle. I wolde nowe that I and my goodes / with my wyfe were in Englande / there I shulde be in sure∣ty. but howe shulde I get thyder and cary all my stufe with me / I shulde be robbed twenty tymes or I coulde gette to the see / for all the passages in Poictou / in Rochell / in Fraunce / in Normandy / and in Pycardy are straytely kept / it wyll be harde to scape fro takyng / and if I be taken I shall be sente to the Frenche kynge / and so I shall be loste and all myne. I thynke the surest waye for me were to drawe to Burdeaulr / and lytell and lytell to get my good thyder / and to abyd there tyll the warre renewe agayne / for I haue good hoope that after this treuce / warre shall be open agayne bytwene Englande and Fraunce. Thus Ay∣mergot Marcell debated the matter in hym selfe / he was heuy and sorowfull / and wys••e

nat what waye to take / outher to recouersōe fortresse in Auuergne / or els to go to Burde¦aux & to sende ••or his wire thider / and for his goodes lytell and lytell secretely. if he hadde done so he had taken the surest waye / But he dyde contrary / and therby lost all: lyfe & go∣des. Thus ••ortune payeth the people whan she hath sette thē on the highest parte of her whele / for sodainly she reuerseth them to the lowest parte / ensample by this Aymergotte. It was sayd he was well worthe a hundred thousande frakes / and all was lost on a daye Wherfore I may well saye that fortune hath played her pagiaunt with hym / as she hath done with many mo / and shall do. This Ay¦mergot in all his trybulaci••s remēbred hym selfe / howe he had a cosyn germayne in Au∣uergne / a squyer named Tourne myne / and determyned to go to hym and to shewe hym all his trouble / and to take counsayle of him as he deuysed so he dyd. He and his page all onely came to y^e castell where Tourne myne was / thynkyng to haue ben there in suretie / bicause of lynage / but it proued contrary / for this squyer was nat in the duke of Berryes grace nor fauor. Whan he sawe his cosyn Ay¦mergot in his house / he aduysed to take hym prisoner & to aduertyse the duke of Berey / y^t if he wolde forgyue hym his displeasure & y∣uell wyll / he wolde send hym Aymergot mer∣cell / to do with hym his pleasure. And as he had deuysed so he dyde / for whan Aymergot was within his cosyns Castell and brought to a chābre / than he layde by his swerde and chaunged his aparyll: than he demaūded of the seruauntes and sayd. Where is my cosyn Tourne myne / as yet I haue nat sene hym? Sir quod they he is in his chambre please it you to come and se hym: with ryght a good wyll quod Aymergotte / and the seruauntes knewe ryght well their maysters pleasure. Whan Aymergot had chaunged his aparell and doone of a Cote of defence / that he was wo••t vsualy to weare / and layde awaye his swerde. Than he sayd. Sirs / lette vs go / I wolde se my cosyn Tourne myne / it is long sithe I sawe hym. they brought him streight to Tourne myne / and whan he came to hym Aymergot dyde salute hym / as he that tho∣ught none yuell. Than Tourne myne aun∣swered and saide. Howe is it Aymergotte▪ Who sente for you to come hyder? ye wolde dishonour me / wherfore I take & arest you as my prisoner: otherwyse I shulde nat ac∣quyte my selfe truely to the crowne of Fraū∣ce / nor to my lorde the duke of Berrey / for ye are a false traytour. ye haue broken the truce wherto ye must answere. And for your cause my lorde of Berrey hateth me deedly / But nowe I shall make my peace by you / for I shall delyuer you to hym / outher quycke or deed: with the whiche wordes Aymergotte was sore aba••shed / and saide. Howe so sir? I am youre cosyn. Is this for certaynte ye shewe me / or do you speke it to a••saye me. I am come hyder on the great trust that I ha∣ue in you / to shewe you my businesse / & you to make me such cruell chere and to gyue me so harde word / I haue great marueyle that of. I can nat tell quod Tourne myne wha•• ye wyll say / but this that I haue said I shall fulfyll / and so layde hades on hym. And his seruauntes knowynge their maisters plea∣sure / toke Aymergot without any de••••••e ma¦kyng / for he was without weapen or arm••r•• and also enclosed in the castell. For any wor∣des that he coulde saye / there he was taken & yrons putte vpon his legges and layde in a towre / and sure kepars about hym.

WHan this was done he caused the ca¦stell gate to be shytte / and toke the keyes hym selfe. And commaunded all his seruauntes on payne of their lyues / none of them to be so hardy to go to the gate without he sent them thyder. His comaan∣dement was vpholde. Than he wrote letts at his pleasure / dyrected to the duke of Ber∣rey: Certifyeng hym howe he hadde Aymer¦got Marcell in prisone / and that ••••he he wolde {per}done hym his yuell wyll / he wolde delyuer Aymergot in to his hanoes. Whan this let∣ter was written and sealed / he commaunded one of his seruauntes / suche as he trusted / to go in to Fraunce to the duke of Berrey / & to delyuer hym his letter / and to recōmende hym lowly to hym / and nat to retourne with out an answere. The varlet toke the letter / and moūted on a good horse and so de{per}ted / & rode so longe that he came to Parys / where the duke of Berey was / and there delyuered to hym his maisters letter. The duke toke y^e letter and reed it and smyled there at / & sayd to suche knyghtes as were about hym. s••rs /

wyll ye here newe tidynges? Aymergot mar¦cell is taken prisoner his owne cosyn germa¦yne Tourne myne hath taken hym: y^e knigh¦tes answered and sayd. sir / it is good tidyn∣ges for the countrey of Auuergne & of Lymo¦syn / for they haue had of hym a longe season an yuell neyghbour. He hath done so moche yuell / that if it please you he were worthy to peyse the gybet: he ought to haue none other raunsome nor pardon. I can nat saye {quod} the duke what the kyng and his counsayle wyll saye therto / I wyll speke with them therin. It was nat longe after but that the duke of Berrey toke a barge on the ryuer of Seyne and so came to the castell of Lour where the kyng and his coūsaile was: he shewed there these newes / he caused the letter that Turne myne had sent hym to be reed / of the whiche tidynges euery man was ioyfull / and the lor¦des saide. it is well sene that suche maner of robbers and pillers can neuer cōe to a good ende. Than the duke of Berey was desyred to sende for hym by the seneschall of Auuer∣gne / and to be brought to Paris / & to be put in y^e castell of saynt Antonies. Furthermore it was ordayned / that Tourne myne / for the good seruice he hadde done to the crowne of Fraūce / that all displeasures shulde be clene for gyuen hym: and thervpon letters paten∣tes were made & sent to hym by his seruaunt wherof he was well content / and trusted on those letters. Than with in a shorte space af¦ter / the seneschall of Auergne by a cōmission fro the duke of Berrey came to the castell of Tourne myne / & there Aymergot Marcell was delyuered to hym / wherof Aymergotte was sore abasshed / whan he sawe hym selfe in the cōpany of his enemies. Wherto shul∣de I make lōge processe / the seneshall caried hym with men of armes a long through the countrey / and passed the ryuers of Seyne and Marewe / by the bridge of Charenton / and so fro thens to the castell of saynt Anto∣nies. There the Vicount Darchy was char¦ged with hym who as than̄e was capitayne of that castell. He kepte hym nat long but y^t he was delyuered to the prouost of the Cha∣telet of Parys. And trewe it was / Aymer∣got offred for his raunsome threscore thou∣sande frankes / but it wolde nat be taken / He was answered the kyng was riche ynough. After that he was sente to the Chatelette / he was nat long kepte there but that he was iu¦ged to dye shamefully lyke a traytour to the Crowne of Fraunce. And soo on a daye he was caryed in a chariot to a place called the Halles / and there sette on the pyllary. Than all his trespasses were reed before hym / and by hym was sir Wylliam of Trune who spa¦ke moche to hym. It was thought / y^t it was to knowe the state of certayne capitayns in Auuergne / and whether they were consen∣tyng to his dedes or nat. The lordes knewe well / but I coude neuer haue knowlege ther¦of. Thus he was executed. His heed stryken of and his body quartred / and the quarters sette at euery gate of Parys. To this ende came Aymergotte Marcell. As of his wyfe and of his goodes / I knewe nat what becāe further of them. ∴ ∴