Froissard.
The duke of Lancaster.
Braie assaulted.
The king meaning to passe ouer himselfe in person into France, caused a mightie armie to be mustered and put in a readinesse, and sent before him the duke of Lancaster ouer to Calis with foure hundred speares, and two thousand archers, where the said duke ioined with such strangers as were alreadie come to Calis in great numbers, and togither with them entered into the French dominions, and passing by saint Omers & Bethune, came to Mount saint Eloie, a goodlie abbeie and a rich, two leagues distant from Arras, and there the host tarried foure daies, and when they had robbed and wasted all the countrie thereabout, they rode to Braie, and there made a great assault, at the which a baronet of England was slaine with diuerse other. When the Englishmen saw they could win nothing there, they departed, and following the water of Some, came to a towne called Chersie, where they passed the riuer, and there tarried Alhallowen daie, & the night following.
The kings arriuall at Calis.
Froissard.
Polydor.
Froissard.
On the same daie the duke of Lancaster was aduertised, that the king was arriued at Calis the seuentéenth daie of October, commanding him by letters to draw towards him with all his companie. The duke according to the kings commandement obeied, and so returned toward Calis. The king being there arriued with all his power, tooke counsell which way he should take. Some aduised him first to inuade Flanders, and to reuenge the iniurious dealing of the earle and the Flemings: but he would not agrée to that motion, for he purposed fullie either by plaine force to make a conquest of France, or else vtterlie to destroie and wast the countrie throughout with fier and sword. Herevpon he set forwards the fourth of Nouember, and passing through the countries of Arthois, and Vermendois, he came before the citie of Reimes. There went ouer with him in this iournie, & with the duke of Lancaster, his foure sonnes, Edward prince of Wales, Lionell earle of Vlster, Iohn earle of Richmond, and the lord Edmund his yoongest sonne. Also there was Henrie the said duke of Lancaster, with the earles of March, Warwike, Suffolke, Hereford (who also was earle of Northampton) Salisburie, Stafford, and Oxford, the bishops of Lincolne, and Durham, and the lords Percie, Neuill, Spenser, Kirdiston, Rosse, Mannie, Cobham, Mowbray, de la Ware, Willoughbie, Felton, Basset, Fitz Water, Charleton, Audelie, Burwasch, and others, beside knights and esquiers, as sir Iohn Chandois, sir Stephan Goussanton, sir Nowell Loring, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Iohn Lisle, sir Richard Pembruge, and others.
Reimes besieged.