The number of ye Spanish armie.
On the second day of Aprill, the prince with his battell thus ordered, remoued from Groigne, and marching that day two leagues forward, came before Nauarret, and there tooke his lodging, within a small distance from his enemies, so that both parties prepared to giue battell the next day in the morning, commanding that euerie man at the sounding of the first trumpet, should apparell themselues, that they might be readie vpon the next sound to be set in order of battell, and to go against their enemies. The Spaniards very earlie in the morning drew into the field, and ordeined thrée battels in this wise. The first was led by sir Berthram de Cleaquin, wherein were all the Frenchmen and other strangers, to the number of foure thousand knights and esquires, well armed and appointed, after the manner of France. In the second battell was the earle Dom Tielle, with his brother the lord Sanches, hauing with them fiftéene thousand men on foot, and on horssebacke. The third battell and the greatest of all was gouerned by king Henrie himselfe, hauing in that battell seuen thousand horssemen, and thréescore thousand footmen, with crossebowes, darts, speares, lances, and other abillements of war: so in all thrée battels he had fourescore and six thousand men on horssebacke and on foot.
The duke of Lancaster.
The capitall of Beuf.
The prince of Wales, at the breaking of the daie was readie in the field with his people arranged in order of battell, and aduanced forward with them toward his enimies, an hosting pace; and as they passed a little hill, they might sée as they were descending downe the same, their enemies comming likewise towards them, in good order of battell. When they were approached néere togither, and readie to ioine, the duke of Lancasters battell incountered with the battell of sir Berthram de Cleaquin, which two battels verie eagerlie assailed each other so that there was betwixt them a sore conflict, and well continued. The erle Dom Teille, and his brother the lord Sanches, upon the first approach of the princes battell towards them, fled out of the field, and with them two thousand speares, so that the residue of their battell were shortlie after discomfited, for the capitall of Buz otherwise Beuf, and the lord Clisson, came vpon them on foot, and slue and hurt manie of them, so that they brake their arraie, and fled to saue themselues.
The archers.
King Peter.
This chance discomforted the hearts of the Spaniards right sore, but yet king Henrie like a valiant gentleman came forward, and incouraged his men all that he might, so that there was a cruell battell, and well foughten a long time. For the Spaniards with slings cast stones in such fierce manner, that they claue therewith manie an helmet and bassenet, hurt manie, and ouerthrew them to the earth. On the other part, the English archers shot freshlie at their enemies, galled and slue the Spaniards, and brought them to great confusion: yet king Henrie nothing abashed herewith, wheresoeuer he perceiued his men to shrinke, thither he resorted, calling upon them, and exhorting them to remember their estimations and duties, so that by his diligence and manfull incouragement, thrise that daie did he staie his people, being at point to giue ouer; and set them in the faces of his enemies againe. Neither did the souldiers alone manfullie behaue themselues, but the capteins also stoutlie laid about them. King Peter like a lion pressed forward, coueting to méet with his brother Henrie, that he might séeke his reuenge on him with his owne hands. Cruell was the fight, and tried throughlie with most eger and fierce minds.
The Spaniards put to flight.
At length, when the Spaniards were no longer able to susteine the force and violence of the Englishmen, Gascoignes, & other which were there against them, they brake their arraie, and fled; so that neither the authoritie nor bold exhortation of king Henrie, could cause them to tarrie anie longer: wherevpon, when he saw himselfe forsaken of his people, and that few abode with him to resist his enemies, he also to saue himselfe fled out of the field, being fullie persuaded, that if he had béene taken, no ransome should haue saued his life. The battell that was best fought, and longest held togither, was that of the strangers, which sir Berthram de Cleuquin led. For if the Spaniards had doone halfe their parts as well as the Frenchmen, & other in this battell, the matter had gone harder against the Englishmen than it did: yet finally, by the noble courage of the duke of Lancaster, and the valiant prowesse of sir John Chandois, sir Hugh Caluerlie, & others, the Frenchmen were put to flight, and their battell quite discomfited. The slaughter in this battell was great, both of them that were slaine in the field, and of those that were drowned in the riuer that runneth by the towne of Nauarret.