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

¶Howe the chrysten lordes and the geno wayes beyng in the ysle of Co∣nymbres at ancre / departed thens to go and laye siege to the stronge cytie of Aufryke in Barbary / and howe they maynteyned the siege. Cap. C.lxxi. (Book 171)

WHere as I haue spoken at length of the lyfe of Ay∣mergot Mercell / it was to furnysshe this hystorie. for the condycions bothe of y∣uell and good / ought to be alwayes treated in a hysto¦ry / and specially whan it toucheth any great feate / for ensample of other / and to gyue ma∣ter and occasyon to do well: For if Aymer∣gotte had ledde his lyfe in good vertues / he had ben a man of great valure / and bycause he dyde the cōtrary he came to an yuell ende. ¶ Nowe let vs leaue spekyng of hym / & let vs retourne to the hyghe enterprice that the Christen knyghtes of Fraunce and other na¦cyous dyd in that season in the realme of Au∣fryke / & I wyll begyn there as I lefte. The sayd lordes assembled in the ysle of Conym∣bres. after they had passed the tempestes and paryls in the Goulfe of Lyon: there they ta∣ryed

eche for other / for there were in the cytie of Aufryke a .xxx. thousande. In this ysle of Conymbres they were a nyne dayes & refres¦shed them: and there the patrons of the ga∣lees sayde to the lordes. Sirs / we be in the lande next aprochyng to the marchesse of Au¦fryke / whider by the grace of god ye are pur¦posed to go and laye liege. Wherfore it is be¦houable to take co••sayle eche of other / howe we maye entre in to the hauen / & to take lāde To saue our selfe it is best we senoe formast our lytell shyppes / called Brigandyns / and let vs tary in the mouthe of the hauyn / y^e first day that we aproche and all the nyght after / and the nexte mornynge to take lande / by the grace of god at our leysar / & than lodge our selfes as nere the cytie as we maye / without the shotte of their artyllary / and let vs sette our crosbowes genouois in order / who shal be redy to defende all scirmysshes. And we suppose well that whan we shall take ladyn¦ge / ye haue here ī your cōpanyes many yong squyers / who to enhaūce their honours wyll requyre to haue the order of knighthode. In structe them wisely and swetely / howe they shall mentayne themselfes. And my lordes / knowe for trouthe / that all we see men shall acquyte vs vnto you well and truely / and al¦wayes shewe you by what maner of order / we shall moost greue our enemyes. And we shall take payne and study howe the cytie of Aufryke may be won / for ofte tymes they ha∣ue done vs great dōmage. For on that coste it is the chiefe key of Barbary / and of the re∣almes that foloweth. First the realme of Au¦frike / of Mallorques / and of Bougy. And if god of his grace wyll consent that we maye wyn this cytie of Aufrike / all the Sarazyns wyll trymble to the realme of Liby & Sury / so that all the worlde shall speke therof. And by the ayde of other christen realmes & ysles marchyng nere to Aufrike / we shall always be refreshed with vitayls and newe men / for this is a cōmon vo••age / For euery man wyll desyre dayly to do dedes of armes / and speci¦ally on goddes enemyes: and thus in the cō∣clusion of their processe the patrons said. lor¦des / we say nat this by no presūpcion / nor by maner as to teche you what ye shuld do. but this that we haue sayd is all onely for loue & by humilyte / for ye be all noble men sage and valyant / & can better order euery thyng than we can deuyse and speke. Than the lorde of Coucy said. sirs / your good counsayle & ad∣uyse ought gretly to content vs / for we se no thyng therin but good. And sirs / be ye sure that we shall do nothyng without your coū¦sayle / for ye haue brought vs hyder to do de∣des of armes.

THus in the presence of the duke of Burbone / the lordes and other coū∣sayled toguyder in the ysle of Co∣nymbres / how they myght aproche y^e strong towne of Aufryke. Whan euery thyng was well aduysed and sette in good order by the admyrall and patrons of the galees / & that wynde and wether serued them / euery lorde entred in to his galee amōg their owne men hauyng great desyre to encoūtre with their enemyes the sarazyns. Than the trūpettes blewe vp at their departyng. It was great pleasure to beholde their ores / howe they ro¦wed abrode in the see / whiche was peasable / calme and fayre / so that in maner the see she∣wed her selfe that she had great desyre y^t the christen men shulde come before the stronge towne of Aufryke. The christen nauy was goodly to regarde & well ordred / and it was great beautie to se the baners and penons of silke / with the armes and badges of y^e lordes and other wauyng with the wynde / and shy¦nyng agaynst the son̄e. And within an hour of noone / the christen men perceyued y^e hygh towres of the towne of Aufrike / & the farder they sayled the nerer it shewed to their sygh¦tes / wherfore euery man reioysed and good cause why / seyng all they desyred to cōe thy∣der. They thought thā in a maner their pay¦nes released & their voyage accomplysshed. Thus as they aproched to thentre of the re∣alme of Aufryke / they cōmuned & deuysed a¦mong themselfe. and in lyke maner the sara¦zyns that were within the towne of Aufryke spake and deuysed and were sore abasshed / whan they sawe their enemies aproche with suche a nombre of sayles & sayde / that surely they were lykely to be besieged / Howe be it they thought their towne so strōg with tow∣res and walles / & with artyllary / that ther∣with they reconforted and toke corage. And to gyue warnyng to the countrey (as soone as they sawe their enemyes on the See / on the hyghe towres) They sowned Tymbres

and tabours / accordynge to their vsage / in suche wyse / that the men abrode in the coun∣trey drewe toguyder. Suche men of Bar∣bary as had ben sente thyder by the kynge of Aufryke / and by the kynge of Thunes and Bougy. Whan they knewe of the Christen mennes cōmynge / by reason of the noyse of the Tymbres and tabours / to thentent that they shulde nat entre to farre in to their coū∣treis. Euery man tooke hede to his charge & sente certayne of their capitayns to the See syde / to se the aprochyng of y^e Christen men / and to beholde their dealyng that nyght. Al∣so they prouyded to defende the towres and gates about the hauyn of Aufryke / to the en∣tent that by their negligēce the towne of Au∣fryke shulde take no dōmage / whiche towne was so strong / that it was nat lykely to take great hurte without longe siege. And I Io∣han Froyssart auctour of this cronycle / by∣cause I was neuer in Aufryke / and bycause I myght truely write the maner and fascion of this enterprice. Alwayes I desyred suche knyghtes and squyers as had ben at y^e same voyage / to enforme me of euery thyng. And bycause I had been oftentymes in my dayes at Calays / I demaunded also of suche there as had ben at the sayde voyage. And it was shewed me of a suretie / that the sarazyns a∣monge them selfes sayde / howe the Christen men that were there were expert and subtyle men of armes. Whervpon an auncyent sara∣zyn sayd to all his company. Sirs / all thyn∣ges cōsydred / it is best that the Christen men at the begynnyng se nat our strength and pu¦issaunce / nor also we haue nat men suffyciēt to fyght with them / but daylye men wyll cōe to vs. Wherfore I thynke it best to suf••re thē to take lāde: they haue no horses to ouer ron the countrey: they wyll nat sprede abrode / but kepe togyder for feare of vs. The towne is stronge ynoughe and well prouyded / we nede nat feare any assaut{is}. The ayre is hote and wyll be hotter. They are lodged in the sonne and we in the shadowe: and they shall dayly wast their vitaylles / and shalbe with∣••ute hope to recouer any newe / and they lye here any long season. And we shall haue plē¦tie for we be in our owne countrey. and they shall oftētymes be awaked and scrimysshed withall / to their dōmage and to our aduaun¦tage. Lette vs nat fight with them / for other wyse they can nat disconfyte vs. They haue nat ben vsed with the ayre of this countrey / whiche is contrary to their nature. I thynke this the best waye.

TO the saieng of this aūcient knight sarazyn all other agreed. Than̄e it was cōmaunded on payne of dethe that no man shulde go to the see syde to scry∣mysshe with the Christen men without they were cōmaunded / but to kepe them selfe close in their lodgynges / & suffre the christen men to take lande. This determynacion was vp holde none durst breke it. And they sent a cer¦tayne of their archers in to the towne of Au∣fryke / to ayde to defende it. The Sarazyns shewed theme selfes nothyng / as though ther had been no men in the countrey. The Chri∣sten men lodged all that night in the mouthe of the hauyn of Aufryke / and the nexte mor∣nynge the wether was fayre and clere / and the ayre in good temper / and the sonne rose / that it was pleasure to beholde. Than̄e the Christen men began to styrre / and made thē redy / hauynge great desyre to approche the towne of Aufryke and to take lande. Than trumpettes and claryons began to sowne in the Gallees and vesselles / and made great noise: and about nyne of the clocke whan the christen men had taken a lytell refress hynge with drinke: than were they reioysed & ligh∣ted. And accordyng as they had apoynted be¦fore / they sent in fyrst their lyght vesselles cal¦led Brigandyns / well furnisshed with artyl¦lary. They entred in to the hauyn / and after them came the armed Galees / and the other shyppes of the flete in good order. and tour∣nyng towardes the lande by the see syde / ther was a strong castell with hyghe towres / and specially one towre whiche defended the see syde / and the lande also. And in this towre was a bricoll or an engyn whiche was nat y∣dell / but styll dyde cast great stones amonge the Christen mens shyppes. In lyke wise in euery towre of the towne agaynst the See syde / there were engyns to caste stones. the sarazyns had well prouyded for their towne for they loked euer longe before whane they shulde be besieged. Whan the Christen men entred in to the hauen of Aufryke to take lan¦de / it was a plesaunt syght to beholde their order / and to here the claryons and trumpet∣tes

sounde so hyghe and clere / dyuers knigh¦tes and valyaunt men of the realme of Fraū¦ce / sprede abrode that day their baners / with dyuers other newe made knyghtes. The lor¦de Iohan of Lignye was there firste made knight. He was of the countrey of Chauny. He was made by the handes of a cosyn of his named sir Henry Dantoygne / and there he sprede abrode first his baner: The felde gol∣de / a bende of goules. And in his companye was his cosyn germayne the lorde of Hauret in Chauny. Thus the lordes knyghtes and squyers with great desyre auaunced them / & toke lande and lodged on the lande of their enemyes in the sight of the false sarazyns. on a wednisdaye in the euenyng of Mary Ma∣gdaleyne / in the yere of our lorde god a thou¦sande thre hundred & fourscore. And as they toke lāde they were lodged by their marshal¦les. The sarazyns that were within y^e towne praysed moche the christen mēnes order: and bycause that the great Galees coulde nat a∣proche nere to the lande / the men yssued out in bottes / and toke lande and folowed the ba¦ner of our lady.

THe Sarazins that were within the towne / and suche as were abrode in the countrey / suffered the Christen men pesably to take lande / for they sawe well it shulde nat be for their aduauntage to haue fought with them at their landyng. The du¦ke of Burbone who was as chefe of the chri∣sten armye there / was lodged in the myddes of his company ryght honorably / his baner displayed poudred full of Floure du Lyces / with an ymage of our Lady in the myddes / and a scochynne with the armes of Burbone vnder the fete of the ymage. ¶ Fyrste on the ryght hande of the duke / there was lodged his brother sir Guylliam of Tremoyle with his penon / and the lorde of Bordenay with his baner / and sir Helyon of Lygnacke with his penon / the lorde of Tourse with a penon And than the Henowers with the standerde of the lorde Wyllyam of Heynaulte / as than erle of Ostrenaunt / eldest sonne to the duke Aubert of Bauyere / erle of Heynaulte. Of Hollande and of zelande / the deuyse in y^e stan¦derde was a Herse golde / standyng on a bell goules. There was the lorde of Haureth w^t his baner / the lorde of Ligny with his baner and than sir Philyppe Dartoys erle of Ewe with baner / the lorde of Mateselon with ba∣ner / the lorde of Calam with penon / the Se∣neschall of Ewe with penon / the lorde of Ly∣nyers with baner / the lorde of Thune with baner / the lorde of Ameuall with baner / sir Water of Champenon with penon / sir Ioh•• of the Castell Morant with baner / the mar∣shall of Sanxeres brother with penon / the lorde of Coucy with baner / beste apoynted nexte the duke of Burbone / sir Stephyne of Sanxere with penon. Than the Frēche kyn¦ges penon with his deuyce / and therby was sir Iohan of Barroys / with the penon of his armes. Than sir Guylliam Morles with ba¦ner / and the lorde of Lōgueuall with penon / sir Iohan of Roye with baner / the lorde of Bourse with penon / the Vycount Dausney with baner / the lorde admyrall with baner / called Iohan of Vyen. ¶ Nowe here after foloweth they on the dukes lyfte hande.

ON the lyfte hande of Loyes duke of Burbone were lodged as foloweth. First the lorde of Ausemont of Ba∣uyere / and sir Iohan of Beauforde bastarde sonne to the duke of Lancastre / with his ba∣ner displayed / sir Iohan Butler Englysshe with a penon / sir Iohan of Crama with a ba¦ner / the Souldyche of Lestrade with penon sir Iohan Harcourt with baner / and y^e lorde Beraulte erle of Cleremount / and the Dol∣phin of Auuergne with baner / and sir Hugh Dolphyn his brother with penon / the lorde of Bertencourt with penon / the lorde Pyer Buffyer with baner / the lorde of saynt Se¦mere with baner / the lorde of Lauuart mar∣shall of the hoost with baner / the lorde Ber∣gue of Beausse with penon / the lorde of Lou¦uy with baner / sir Gerarde of Lymo••yn his brother with penon / the lorde of saynt Ger∣mayne with baner / And than the penon and stāderde with the deuyce of the duke of Bur¦goyn / sir Philyppe of Barre with baner / sir Geffray of Charney with baner / sir Loyes of Poicters with penon / sir Robert of Cala∣bre with penon / the vycount of Ses with ba¦ner / the lorde Montague with baner / the lor¦de of Vyle Neufe with penon / sir Wyllyam of Molyne with penon / the lorde of Lōgny with penon / sir Angorget Damboyse with penon / sir Aleyne of Chāpayne with penon:

all these baners and penons were sette in the front before y^e towne of Aufryke / and besyde that a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers ryght valyaunt men and ••fhighe co¦rage / were lodged abrode in the felde / I can¦nat name them all / also it wolde be to long a writyng. There were a fourtene thousande all gentylmen. It was a companye to do a great feate / and to susteyne a great batyle / if the sarazyns had come forthe to haue gyuen them batayle / whiche they dyd nat / for as on y^t day they shewed no maner of defence / but castyng out of their towres great stones.

WHan the Christen men were lodged as well as they myght / & refresshed them selfes with suche as they had brought with them / for they myght nat ryn abrode in the countrey to gather bowes of trees to make with all their lodgynges / ••or it had ben to their domage if they had aduen¦tured themselfe abrode. The lordes had ten¦tes and pauiliōs that they had brought with them fro Geane. Thus they lodged in good order. the crosbowes of the genouoys were lodged on the wynges / and closed in the lor∣des. They occupyed a great space of groūde for they were a great nombre / all their proui¦syons were in the galees / and all the day the maryners conueyed their stuffe to ••ande by bottes. And whan the christen ysles adioy∣nyng / as Naples•• Cicyll / and also the mayne landes / as Puylle and Calabre. Whan they knewe howe the Christen men had besieged the strong castell of Aufryke / they dyd what they coude to vitayle the christen army. some to haue aduaūtage therby / and some for loue and affection that they had to the genouoys / fro the ysle of Caude came to them the good malueysies in great plenty / without whiche conforte they coude nat longe haue endured / for they were a great nombre / and good drin¦kers and good caters / Howe be it their pro∣uis••ons came nat alwayes to thē in lyke ma∣ner / for somtyme they had plentie and some season they wanted. ¶ Nowe I shall som∣what speke of the sarazyns aswell as I haue done of the christen men / as it is reason to cō¦clude all thynges.

Trewe it was that they of Aufrike and of Barbary knewe longe before howe the geno¦wayes hadde thretned them / and they loked for none other thyng / but the same yere to be besieged / as they were in dede. They hadde made prouisyon to resyst agaynst it. & whan the tidynges were sprede abrode in the coun¦trey howe that the christenmen were come to Aufryke they were in dout / for he is nat wise that feareth nat his ennemyes thoughe they be neuer so fewe. Howe be it the sarazyns re¦puted the christen men right valyant & good men of warre / wherfore they greatly douted them: and to the entent to resyst & to defende the fronters of their countreys / they assem∣bled toguyder of dyuers parties / as they of the lande and seignorie of Aufrike and of the realme of Maroche / and of y^e realme of Bou¦gye / the best men of warre in all those coun∣treis / and suche as leest feared dethe. Thus they came and lodged on the sandes agaynst the christen men / and they had behynde them an highe wode / to thentent that they shulde receyue on that syde no dōmage by meanes of busshmentes or scrimysshes. These sara∣zins lodged them selfes right sagely & surely they were of men of warre a .xxx. thousande good archers / and ten thousande horsemen and mo. Howe be it the Christen men coude neuer knowe surely what nombre they were for they supposed they had a greater nombre lodged in the woodes / whiche myght ryght well be. For they were in their owne coūtre and might go and come in to their host at all houres without paryll or dommage at their owne lybertie. They were often tymes re∣fresshed with newe vitayls brought to them on somers and camelles. And the secōde day that the Englysshe men had been a lande / in the mornyng at the breke of the day / and that the same nyght the lorde Henry Dautoygne had kepte the watche with two hundred men of armes and a thousande crosbowes geno∣wayes. The sarazyns came to awake and to scrimysshe with theym / whiche endured the space of tow houres. There were many de∣des of armes atchyued / but y^e sarazins wolde nat ioyne to fyght hande to hande / but they scrimysshed with castyng of dartes and sho¦tynge / and wolde nat folysshely aduenture thēselfes / but wisely and sagely reculed. the christen hoost than apparelled them to go to the scrimysshe / and some of the great lordes of Fraunce came thyder to se the deme anour

of the sarazyns / therby to know a n••ther tyme their maner in skrymysshynge. Thus the sa∣razyns drewe to their lodgynge and the cry∣sten men to theirs. And durynge the siege the crysten men were neuer in suretie nor rest / for outher euenynge or mornynge the sarazyns wolde awake them and skrymysshe. Amonge the sarazyns there was a yonge knight called Agadingor Dolyferne / he was alwayes well mounted on a redy and a lyght horse / it semed whan the horse ranne / that he dyd flye in the ayre. The knyght semed to be a good man of armes by his dedes / he bare always of vsage thre fedred dartes / and ryght well he coulde handle them / and acordynge to their custome he was clene armed with a long whyte to well aboute his heed. His aparell was blacke / and his owne coloure browne / and a good horse∣man. The crysten men sayde they thought he dyd suche dedes for the loue of some yonge la¦dy of his countrey. And trewe it was that he loued entyrely the kynge of Thunes dough∣ter / named the lady Azala / she was enhery∣tour to the realme of Thunes / after y^e discease of the kyng her father. This Agadingor was sonne to the duke of Olyferne. I can nat tell if they were maryed togyther after or nat / but it was shewed me that this knyght for loue of the sayd lady durynge the siege dyd many fea¦tes of armes. The knyghtes of Faunce wolde fayne haue taken hym / but they coulde neuer atrape nor enclose him / his horse was so swyft and so redy to his hande y^t alwaies he skaped.

THe crysten men wolde gladly haue taken some sarazyn to the entente to haue knowen the state of the towne and countrey / but for all their skrymysshynge they coulde neuer gette none. The sarasyns toke good hede to themselfe / and dyd pauesse themselfe agaynst the crosebowes genouoys / they werenat so well armed as the cristen men it was nat their vsage / nor they had no armo∣rers nor metall to forge harnesse withall / for most comenly they lacke yron and steele / they be euer armed in lether / and beare targettes a¦boute their neckes couered and made of Cure boley of Capadoce / no wepen can perce it and the lether be nat hote. so that whan they come nere to their enemyes they cast their dartes all at ones. And whan the genouoys do shote at theym / than they couche them selfe lowe and couer them with their targes / and whan the shotte is paste / than they caste agayne their fe¦dred dartes. Thus the space of nyne wekes durynge the siege they often tymes skrymys∣shed / so that dyuers were hurte on bothe par∣ties / and specially suche as lyghtly without a uysement aduentured them selfe. thus the cry¦sten men toke good hede to themselfe / and so dyd the sarazyns on their parte / and the lor∣des of Fraunce and suche other as were com•• thyder to their ayde / gladly regarded the dea¦lynge of the sarazyns. To saye the trouthe to lordes of astate and to gret men / all newelties are dylectable. And if the crysten men hadde pleasure to beholde them / the sarazyns had as great pleasure to regarde the maner of the cry¦sten men / amonge them there were yonge lu∣sty knyghtes / who had great pleasure to be∣holde the armure baners / standardes / and pe¦nons / with rychesse and noblenesse that was amonge the crysten men / and at nyght whan they were at their lodgynges they spake and deuysed. But as it was shewed me there was one thynge amonge them to be marueyled at / I shall shewe you what.

THe sarazyns within the towne of Au¦fryke had great marueyle by what tytell or instaunce y^t the crysten men came thyder so strongly to make them warre. It was shewed me howe they toke aduyse a∣monge them howe to knowe the trouth therof / and determyned to sende to the crysten men to knowe their myndes / and so toke a truchman that coulde speke Italyan / and commaunded hym to go to the crysten host / and to demaūde of them in what tytle and instaunce they are come to make vs warre / and why they be come so strongly in to the empyre of Barbary / and in to the lande of Auffryke / and saye howe we haue in nothynge trespased them. of a trouth afore this tyme there hath ben warre bytwene vs and the genouoys / but as for that warre by reason ought nat to touche the crysten men of farre countreys of. as for the genouoys are our neyghbours / they take of vs and we of them / we haue been auncyente enemyes and shall be / excepte whan treuce is bytwene vs. with this message the trucheman departed / and rode to the crysten army / and mette fyrst with a genoway / and shewed hym howe he was a messanger sent fro y^e sarazyns to speke

with some lorde of Fraunce. The genoway had to name Anthony Marthy / he was a cen¦turyon of the crosbowes / he brought this mes∣sanger to the duke of Burbon and to the lorde of Coucy / who gladly herde hym speke / and the wordes that he spake in his owne langage the centuryon genoway expowned theym in frenche. Whan this messanger had declared his message / he desyred to haue an anuswere. The lordes of Fraunce sayde he shulde haue / but first they wolde take aduyse in the mater. Than a .xii. of the greatest lordes drewe togy¦der to counsayle in the duke of Burbons tent / and concluded / and so sent for the messanger / and the genouoy made him his answere in al their names. Sayeng howe the tytle and qua¦rell that they made warre in was / bycause the sonne of god called Iesu chryst and trewe pro¦fyte / by their lyne and generacyon was put to deth and crucyfyed / and bycause they had iud¦ged their god to deth without tytell or reason / therfore they wolde haue a mendes / and pu∣nysshe that trespace and false iudgement that they of their lawe had made / and also bycause they beleued nat in the holy baptyme / and are euer contrary to their faythe & lawe. nor also bycause they beleued nat in the virgyn Mary m••ther to Ihesu Cryst. F••r these causes and other they sayd they toke the sarazyns and all their secte for their enemyes / and sayd howe they wolde reuenge the dispytes that they had doone and dayly do to their god and crysten faythe. With this answere the treuchman re∣tourned without parell or domage / and she∣wed to his maysters all as ye haue herde. At this aunswere the sarazyns dyd nothinge but laugh / and sayd howe that aunswere was no¦thynge reasonable / for it was the iewes that put Chryst to dethe / and nat they. Thus the siege styll endured euery party making good watche.

ANone after the sarazyns toke coun∣sayle togyder / and determyned that a seuen or eight dayes togyther they shulde suffre the crysten men in reste / and nat to make any maner of skrymysshe with them / and than sodaynly on a nyght about the hour of mydnyght to sette on the hoost / trustynge therby to do a great feate. As they ordayned so they dyd / and an eyght dayes togyther they made no skrymysshe / and on the .ix. day about mydnight they secretly armed them with such armure as they were accustomed to / and so came close togyder without any noyse nere to the lodgynges of the crysten men / and had en¦terprysed to haue done a great feate / & to haue entred / nat on that side that their watche was on / but on the other parte of the felde / where there was no watche kept. They had come to their ententes / and god properly had nat ben agaynst them / in shewynge of apparante my∣racles / I shall shewe you howe.

As the sarazyns aproched they sawe sodenly before them a great company of ladyes and damosels / all in whyte colour / and one in espe¦cyall who in beauty without comparison exce¦ded all the other / and there was borne before her a baner all of whyte and reed within. with this syght the sarazyns were so abasshed that they lacked spyrite and force to go any further and so stode styll / and the ladyes before them. Also it was shewed me that the Genouoys had a great dogge in their company that they brought with theym / but they knewe nat fro whence he came / there was none that chalen∣ged the dogge to be his / whiche dogge dyd theym great seruyce / for the sarazyns coulde neuer come so pryuely to skrymysshe / but the dogge wolde bay and make suche brewte that he wold nat rest tyll such as were a slepe were awaked / euery man knewe whan they herde the dogge baye / that the sarazyns were com∣myng to skrymysshe with them / wherby euer they aparelled them selfe to resyst them. The genouoys called the dogge our ladies dogge. The same season that the sarazyns stode styll in a traunce / and the ladyes before them this dogge was n••t ydell / but he made gret brute and ranne bayeng fyrst to the stande watche / the lorde of Coucy and sir Henry Dantoigne kept the watche that night. Whan euery man herde this dogge make suche brute they rose and armed them redy / for they knew well that the sarazyns dyd aproche to awake them. and trewe it was that the vyrgyn Mary and her company was before them / to defende the cry¦sten men fro all parelles / so that they toke that nyght no maner of domage / for the sarazyns durst nat aproche / but retourned to their lod∣gynges. And after that the crysten men toke better hede to their watche.

THe sarazyns knyghtes and squyers suche as were in y^e towne of Aufryke and specially suche as had sene these ladyes / were so abasshed that they wyste nat what to thynke. and the crysten knightes and squyers that lay at the siege / studyed day and nyght / howe they myght wyn the towne / and they within studyed agayne howe to defende their towne. The season was hote and drye / for the sonne was in his moste strength / as in the moneth of August / and the marches of Au¦fryke are ryght hoote / by reason of the sande / and also they be nerer to the sonne than we be. And the wynes that the crysten men had came fro Pulle and Calabre / and they be hote and drye / farre fro the nature of the french wynes / wherby many fell in to hoote feuers. And to consydre acordynge to reason / I can nat tell howe the frenche men and other of lowe coun¦treys coulde endure the payne of the hote and grose ayre that they founde there / without re∣fresshynge of good / swete / and fresshe water / whiche they lacked there. yet they made foun∣taynes and welles in the sande / whiche dyde theym great pleasure / for there they found•• fressh water / how be it often tymes the water was sore chafed by reason of the heate. And also often tymes they had great defaute of vy¦taylles / and some season they had ynough co∣mynge fro Cicyll / and fro other isles adioy∣nynge. Suche as werehole comforted them that were dysseased / and suche as had vytay∣les / departed with theym that lacked / other wyse they coulde nat haue endured. they dalte eche with other lyke bretherne and frendes. The lorde of Coucy specyally had the chyefe resorte of gentlemen / he coulde behaue hym selfe swetely amonge them / moche better than the duke of Burbone / for the duke was some what of an high corage / proude and presump∣tuous / nor spake nat so swetely nor so humbly to knyghtes / squyers / and straungers / as the lorde of Coucy dyd. Moste comenly the duke of Burbone wolde sytte all daye without his tente with his legges acrosse / and who so euer wold speke with hym / it behoued him to haue a procurer / and to make great reuerence. He consydred nat the state of poore men so well as the lorde coucy dyd / wherfore he was more in the grace and loue of the people thanne the duke of Burbon was. And as it was shewed ••e by dyuers knyghtes and squyers straun∣gers / that in their opynyons if the lorde Cou∣cy had ben soueraygne capytayne alone / they had sped otherwyse than they dyd / for by rea∣son of the pride of the duke of Burbon / many feates and enterprises were lefte vndone. It was the opynyon of many that he kepte hym selfe sure ynough fro takynge.

THis siege enduringe before the towne of Aufryke / whiche contynewed a .lx. dayes and one / there was many skrymysshes made on bothe parties ••abrode and at the bar¦ryers of the towne. It was nedefull for them within to make good defēce / for against them was the floure of chyualry and squyry. The knyghtes aduenturers sayd one to another. If we maye get this towne with assaute or o∣therwyse / than we may refresshe our selfes in it all the wynter / and at somer some great ar∣mye of crysten men wyll come byther / for ther by we and they shall haue a goodly entre into the realmes of Barbary / Aufryke / and Thu∣nes. than other dyd say / wolde to god it were so / for thanne suche as shulde be lodged here shulde lye honorably / for dayly they shulde be redy to do dedes of armes. They that were within the towne doubted greatly the mater / wherfore they tooke great payne to defende them selfes. The great heate and brinnynge of the sonne dyd put the crysten men to great payne and traueyle / for whan they were in harnesse by reason of the heate / it brente them within their armure. Marueyle it was that any skaped the dethe / by reason of the heate / for about the myddes of August the ayre was sore corrupted. Besyde that there fell another marueylous incydente / whiche if it had longe endured / they had ben all deed without stroke So it was that by reason of the great heate and corrupcyon of the ayre / there fell amonge them suche a sorte of great flyes / that they co∣uered all the hoost / for no man wyste howe to defende hym selfe / and euery daye a weke to∣gyder they encreased / wherof euery man was abasshed / howe be it by the grace of god and the vyrgyn Mary / to whome euery man a∣uowed them selfe / on a day dyd sende a reme∣dy. There fell suche an hayle and lyghtenyng fro heuen that it slewe all the sayde flyes / And by reason of this hayle / the ayre was brought in to a good temperatenesse / wherby y^e knygh¦tes and squyers were in a better astate than

they were before.

WHo so euer had been in the case that these crysten men were in at y^t tyme / it must haue behoued them to take e∣uery thynge in gree / they coulde nat haue had euery thynge with wysshynge / nor at their de∣maunde. Whan any fell sicke it behoued them to be well kepte / or els they shulde haue dyed / but they were come thyder with so good wyl∣les and affection / that they purposed honou∣rably to accomplysshe their voyage / whiche mynde greatly supported thē to endure payne and traueyle. All thynges that was mete for their complexions they wanted / for nothynge came to them out of the realme of Fraunce / ty¦dynges nor other. nor in Fraunce they knewe no more of them. somtyme there came to the army fro the cytie of Barcelone in the realme of Aragon in a galey prouysion / wherin was mo orenges and pomegarnettes than any o∣ther thynge. These frutes yet refresshed great¦ly the appetytes of the crysten men / but whan so euer any galey came to them / it retourned nat agayne / what for doute of the encoūtryng of the sarazyns on the see / as for to abyde there to se the conclusyon of the siege. The yonge kynge of Cicyll often tymes sente to the hoost vytaylles / for he was the nerte crysten prince adioynynge. If the sarazyns had ben of that strength to haue stopped the passage of the see fro them / and to haue kepte fro them suche vy¦tayls and prouysions as came to the armye / fro Pule / Calabre / Naples / and Cicyll / the crysten men had ben deed without any stroke stryking / but they made no warre but by lan∣de / nor also they be nat of suche puyssaunce on the see / nother in gales nor in other vessels / as the genouoys and venysians be. For if the sarazyns be on the see it is but by stelthe / for they dare nat abyde the crysten men / without they haue farre the aduaūtage. A galey with crysten men well armed / wyll discomfyte four galees of sarazyns. Trewe it is the turkes are of greater force and better men of armes / ou∣ther by lande or by see / than any other secte of the myscreantes contrary to our beleue / but they dwell farre of fro the lande of Aufryke / the affrikans can nat be ayded by thē. The tur¦kes had certayne knowledge howe the towne of Aufryke was besyeged by the crysten men / they wysshed them often tymes there.

THe crysten men studyed howe to do domage to the sarazyns / and in lyke wyse so dyd the sarazyns agaynst the chrysten men / studyed howe to delyuer their coūtrey of them. and on a day Agadingor Do¦liferne / Madefer de Thunes / Belyns Mada¦ges / and Brahadyn of Bougy with dyuers other sarazyns / deuysed amonge them selfes and sayd. Beholde here the crysten men our e∣nemyes / who lye here before our faces in our owne countrey / and yet we can nat discomfyte them / and they are but a handefull of men / as to the regarde of vs / howe be it we thinke ve∣ryly they haue some great confort of some va∣lyaunt men out of their owne countreys / for at no maner of skrymyssh that we can make / and for all that euer we can do / we can take neuer a prisoner / for if we myght take one or two of their valyaūt men / it shulde be greatly to our honour / and by them to knowe their demea∣nour and puyssaunce / and what they purpose to do. Syrs {quod} Agadingor / let se what coun∣sayle is best in this case / as for me I am one of the yongest / yet I speke fyrst. we are contente therwith quod all the other / say what ye wyll. Syrs quod he I desyre greatly to do some dede of armes with some crysten man / and I thynke veryly if I were matched with one to dyscomfyte hym in playne batayle. And syrs / if ye wyll do so that we myght fynde a .xx. or .xxx. valyaunt men a monge vs / I shall cause and I canne the crysten men to sette forthe as many: our quarell is good / for they haue no cause of reason to make warre against vs. and I thynke what by reason of our iuste quarell and the good corage that we be of shall gyue vs victory. Than Madyfer of Thunes aun∣swered and sayd. Syr in your wordes is no∣thyng but honour / to morowe if ye wyll ryde and be in the former fronte of the batayle with a trucheman with you / and make some token that ye wolde speke with some crysten man / and than do you so moche as to offre the ba∣tayle of .x. of yours agaynst ten of theirs / than shall ye here and se what they wyll aunswere / and yet howe so euer they answere we may be aduysed what we wyll do / at leste the crysten men shall repute vs the more valyaunt. They all agreed to that apoyntmente / and so passed that nyght. the next mornyng they rode forth to skrymysshe with their enemyes / and Aga∣dingor formest / mounted on his good horse /

and his trucheman with him. The daye was clere and bright / and a lytell before the sonne rysynge / the sarazyns set them selfe in ordre of batayle. The same nyght sir Willyam of Tre¦moyle had kept the watch on y^e crysten parte / and with hym sir Guy his brother. Than the sarazins apered before the cristen men within a thre crosbowe shot / and Agadingor had his truchman by him / he rode on before all his cō∣pany / and made token to speke with some cry∣sten man / on the one wynge of the felde. And a gentle squyer called Affrenall / seyng the sara¦zyn and the sygnes that he made / rode fro his company & sayd. Syrs stande styll here / and I wyll go and speke with yōder sarazyn / and torne agayne to you / he hath a truchman with hym / he cometh to speke with some man. this squier came to y^e sarazyn / who taryed for him. Than the truchman said / ye crysten man. are a noble man and a man of armes / and redy to gyue aunswere to our demaunde? I am suche a one quod Affrenall / say what it pleace you / ye shalbe harde and receyued. Than quod the trucheman / syr beholde here a gentleman and a noble man of ours / who demaundeth the ba¦tayle to fyght with you hande to hande / and if ye wyll haue mo / we shall fynde to the nombre of sixe of ours redy to fight with .vi. of yours / and the quarell of our men shalbe this. They say and wyll iustifye that our faythe is better and more of valure than yours / for our faythe and lawe hath ben written syth the begynning of the worlde / and as for your lawe was foūde out by one man / whome the iewes hanged on a crosse. Ahsyr quod Affrenall / speke no fur∣ther of that mater / it appertaygneth nat to the to speke or dispute our fayth and lawe. but say to this sarazyn / that he swere by his fayth and beleue to afferme the batayle / & let hym bringe to the nombre of .x. all gentlemen of name and armes / and within this thre houres I shall bringe as many to try the mater. The truth∣man resyted those wordes to the sarazyn / who be semyng had gret ioy to accept and afferme the batayle. Thus they toke this enterprise by¦twene them twayne and departed / and retur∣ned to their owne companyes. tydinges herof came to sir Guy of Tremoyle and to syr Wil∣lyam his brother / and whan they met with Af¦frenall they demaunded fro whence he came / and what he had done with the sarazyn. Than Affrenall shewed hym all the hole mater / and how that he had taken the batayle / wherof the sayd two knightes were ioyfull and sayd. Af∣frenall speke to other / for we two shall be of the nombre of the ten. syr quod Affrenall / as god wyll so be it / I trust I shall fynde ynowe that wolde be glad to fyght with the sarazyns. A∣none after Affrenall mette with the lorde of Thune / and shewed hym the aduenture / and demaūded if he wolde be one of the company. The lord of Thune wolde nat refuse but glad¦lye graunted to be one of their company. For euery one that Affrenall dyd gette / he myght haue goten a .C. if he had wolde. Sir Bou∣cyquant the yonger / syr Helyons of Lingnac / syr Iohan Russell englysshe / sir Iohan Har∣pedon / Aleys Bodet / and Bochet / all these ac∣cepted the batayle. Whan the nombre of ten were accomplisshed euery man drewe to their lodgynge to arme them incontynent to do ba¦tayle. Whan this was knowen in y^e hoost / and the knyghtes named that had taken on them that enterprise. Than all other knyghtes and squyers sayd. a these ten knightes were borne in a good houre / that haue founde this day so happy an aduenture. wolde to god quod dy∣uers that we were of y^t nombre. Euery knight and squyer was ioyfull of this enterprise / and greatly praysed the aduenture / sauynge the gentle lorde of Coucy / who was nat cotente therwith.

THe lorde of Thune was of the compa∣ny of the lorde of coucy / he shewed him the couenante he had made with Affrenall / to be one of the ten to fight with ten sarazyns. as many as herde therof praysed greatly that ad¦uenture / but the lorde of Coucy spake against it and sayd. Ah sirs ye yonge people y^t knowe but lytell of the worlde / but rather exalte a fo∣lysshe ded than a wyse dede. In this enter∣prise I can se no reason for dyuers causes. one is that ten knyghtes and squyers of our men / all gentlemen of name and blode / must fyght agaynste as many sarazyns. Howe shall our men knowe whether they be gentlemen or no? if they lyst they may set agaynst our men ten rybauldes or varlettes / and if they hap to be dyscomfyted / we shall wyn nothynge but ten varlettes / and yet we shall be neuer the nerer to wyn y^e towne of Aufryke / but we shall thus put our good men in aduēture. peraduenture they wyll set a busshment / and whan our ten

men be in the felde to tary for their men / they wyll close them roūde about / wherby we shall lese them and be somoche the febler. There I say quod the lorde of Coucy y^t Affrenall hath nat wrought wysely in this mater / for at the first whan the sarazyn dyd defye him he shuld than haue made a nother maner of aunswere than he dyd. he shuld haue sayd howe he was nat the chefe heed of that army / but rather one of the poorest / & where as ye blame our faythe and byleue / ye are nat mete to haue an answer made to you therof by me / but if ye lyst I shall brynge you to the great lordes of our armye / and I shall take you vnder my saueconducte / that ye shall go and returne in sauegarde and suretie / and the•• ye shall here the lordes speke. Thus Affrenall shuld haue ledde the sarazyn to the duke of Burbone and to the counsayle / and there he shulde haue been herde at leyser / and answered by good aduyse / suche defyaūce in armes for suche quarell ought nat to passe without great deliberacion of good coūsayle. And than if the batayle had ben agreed vnto by vs / yet it wolde haue ben knowen of them what men by name and surname shulde acom¦plyssh the batayle. Thervpon we to haue cho¦sen other of our men for our honour and pro∣fite / and thervpon to hane had of the sarazyns suretie and hostage / and they of vs. This had ben a more metely maner to haue vsed / wher∣fore if this treatie might be withdrawen with reason / it shulde be well doone / and I wyll go and speke with the duke of Burbone / and to take counsayle with the lordes of the armye / and to knowe what they wyll say therto. thus the lorde of Coucy departed fro the lorde of Thune / and wente to the Duke of Burbons tent / where all the barons assembled togyder to take coūsayle in that mater. For all that the lorde of Coucy had sayde these wordes to the lorde of Thune / by maner of good counsayle and aduyse / yet for all that he lefte nat / but ar∣med hymselfe / and so came forth with other of his company redy to fight with the sarazyns / and sir Guy of Tremoyle the formest knight. Thus the lordes of Fraunce were in coūsayle in the duke of Burbons tent. Some thought this defiaunce to be reasonable / and susteyned greatly the wordes and opinyon of the lorde Coucy / sayeng howe it were better to make a nother maner of treatie. And some other / as specyall the lorde Loys erle of Arthoys / and sir Philyp of Bare sayd. Syth the armes be taken and accepted on our parte / it shulde be great blame to let it / wherfore in the name of god and our lady let our knyghtes and squy∣ers furnysshe their enterprise. This purpose was holden and susteyned / but than all thyn∣ges consydred / it was thought for the best that all the hole host shulde be armed / and be in or∣dre of batayle / to thentent that if the sarazyns wolde do any falsnesse they shulde be redy to resyst them. This was accomplysshed and e∣uery man well armed / and drewe in to y^e felde in good ordre of batayle redy to fyght / the ge∣nouoys crosebowes on the one syde / and the knyghtes and squiers on the other syde / euery lord vnder his baner or penon of their armes / it was a goodly syght to beholde them. The crysten men shewed well howe they had great desyre that the sarazyns shuld haue come and fought with them. And the ten crysten knigh∣tes and squiers were redy in the felde aloue of fro their company / abydynge for the ten sara∣zins that shulde haue fought with them / but it semed well they had no wyll therto / for whan they sawe howe the crysten men ordred them selfe & were redy in batayle / they douted them and durst nat come forwarde / for all that they were thre tymes as many men as the crysten men were. The sarasyns wolde often tymes come well mounted / and skrymyssh before the crysten mennes batayle / and than returne a∣gaine. and this they dyd of pure malice to put the crysten men to payne and traueyle. This day was so hote with the sonne / that before nor after there had been no suche sene / so that they that were moste lusty and fresshe were so sore chafed in their harnesse that they were nere o∣uercome for faute of ayre and wynde. And al∣ways the .x. crysten men taryed a parte for the ten sarazyns / but they nother sawe nor herde tydynges of any. Than they aduysed to apro¦che the towne of Aufryke and to assayle it / se∣ynge they were all redy armed and redy in ba¦tayle. And all day to kepe their honour the ten knightes kept the felde tyll it was night. there went to the assaute knyghtes and squyers / de¦syringe to do dedes of armes / they were hote and sore chafed / and yet they traueyled them selfe more and more. And if the sarasyns had well knowen what case y^e crysten men were in / they might haue done thē great domage / and a reysed the siege / and by lykelyhode to haue

had the victory / for y^e crysten men were so we∣ry and so sore traueyled that they had but ly∣tell strenght / howe be it they conquered by as∣saute the first wall of the towne where no man dwelte. Than the sarazyns retrayed in to the seconde fortresse / skrymysshynge without ta∣kynge of any great domage / but the crysten men had domage ynough / for in skrimisshyng and assautynge they were in the heate of the sonne and in the duste of the sandes tyll it was myght / wherby dyuers knyghtes and squiers toke their dethe / whiche was great pytie and domage. By the said occasion there dyed / first syr Willyam of Gacill / and sir Guyssharde de la Garde / syr Lyon Scalet / sir Guy de la sal∣uest / syr Willm̄ of Staple / syr Wilyam Guy∣ret / syr Geffrey of y^e chapell / the lorde of Pier∣buffier / the lorde of Bonet / sir Robert of Han¦ges / sir Stephyn Sanxere / sir Aubert de la mote / sir Alaine of Champayn / {ser} Geffrey Fre¦siers / {ser} Rafe of Couffan / the lorde of Bourke artysion / sir Iohan of Crey bastarde / sir Ber¦tram de Sanache / syr Pyncharde of Mor∣layne sir Trystram his brother / syr Ayme of Cousay / {ser} Ayme of Tourmay / sir Foukes of Stanfours / sir Iohan of Chateuas / all these were knight{is}. And there dyed of squiers / Fou¦cans of Liege / Iohan of Isles / Blondelet of Areton / Iohn̄ de la Mote / Boūberis floridas of Roque / y^e lorde of Belles / brother to Willy∣am Fondragay / Water of Cauforus / Iohan Morillen / Pier of Malnes / Gyllot Villaine / Iohn̄ of Lound / Iohn̄ Perier / Iohan menne Iohan of Lauay / and Willyam of Parke. There dyed mo than a .lx. knightes and squy¦ers / whiche wysely to consyder was a great losse. And if y^e lorde of Coucy had ben beleued this had nat fortuned / for and they had kepte their lodgynges as they dyd before / they had receyued no suche domage.