Sir Robert Knols came from such lands as he had in Britaine, to serue the prince now in these warres of Gascoigne, and was by him made chéefe gouernor of all his men of warre, who bare himselfe right worthilie in that charge. The first iournie which he made at that time, was into Quercie, hauing with him beside his owne bands, certeine knights of the princes retinue, as sir Richard Ponchardon, sir Stephan Gousenton, sir Noell Loring, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Iohn Triuet, sir Thomas Spenser, sir Thomas Balaster, sir Nicholas Bond, sir William le Moine seneschall of Aigenois, sir Baldwin de Freuille, and others. At their comming into Quercie, they besieged a strong fortresse called Durmell, within the which were diuerse capteins of the companions, as Aimon d'Ortigo, the little Mechin, Iaques de Bray, Perot de Sauoie, and Arnaudon de Pons, the which so valiantlie defended the place, that although the lord Chandois, accompanied with sir Thomas Felton, the capitall of Beuf, sir Iohn de Pommiers, sir Thomas Percie, sir Eustace Daubreticourt, and others came with their retinues from Montaubon, to réenforce that siege, yet could they not obteine their purpose, but raising from thence after fiue wéekes siege (constreined thereto through want of vittels) they marched streight to a towne called Domme, which they besieged, hauing in their armie fiftéene hundred men at armes, beside two thousand archers and brigands, so called in those daies, of an armor which they ware named brigandines, vsed then by footmen, that bare also targets, or pauoises, and certeine darts or iauelines to throw at their enimies.
Aquitaine full of warre.
The towne and castell of Domme were so strong of themselues, and so well prouided of men of warre that were appointed to the gard of the same, with the lord thereof called sir Robert de Domme, that after the English capteins perceiued they should but lose time to linger about the winning of that towne, they raised their siege, and marching further into the countrie, wan Gauaches Freins, Rochmador, and Ville Franche, vpon the marches of Toulouzain, greatlie to the displeasure of the duke of Aniou that lay at the same time in the citie of Toulouze, & could not remedie the matter. ¶ But to recite euerie particular enterprise, as the same was atchiued by the English capteins and men of warre in that season, it should be more than the purpose of this volume might permit, and therefore I passe ouer diuerse things, which I find registred by Froissard and other writers, onelie aduertising you, that as the Englishmen thus made sore warres against their aduersaries abroad in those quarters: so the Frenchmen on the other part had assembled great numbers of men of warre, not onelie to defend their frontiers, but also by inuasions to win from the Englishmen towns and castels, and to wast such countries as would not turne to their side. Thus were all those countries in troubles of warre.
The duke of Bauier.
The two kings also of England and France, signified to their neighbours the causes of this warre, laieng the fault either to other, and excusing themselues as cleare and innocent therein. Edward duke of Gelderland, nephue to the king of England, as sonne to his sister, and the duke of Gulike cousine to the kings children by their mother that was daughter to the earle of Heinault, tooke great despite that the French king had broken the peace, as they were throughlie persuaded, and that he had defied king Edward (as before yée haue heard.) Wherevpon they sent their defiance vnto the French king, threatning to be reuenged on him to the vttermost of their powers. Duke Albert of Bauier, was once minded also to haue aided king Edward in this warre: but afterwards such persuasions were vsed on the French kings part, that he chose to remaine as neuter betwixt them both, refusing to take anie part.
The duke of Burbons mother taken.
Among the soldiers also called companions, which serued the prince in this season, there were thrée capteins, right hardie and verie expert men of warre, Ortigo, Bernard de Wiske, & Bernard de la Sale. These thrée remaining as then in Limosin, hearing that the duke of Burbons mother, which was also mother to the French quéene, laie within the castell of Belleperch in Burbonnois, with a small companie about hir, rode thither in one daie and a night, so that in the morning they approched the castell, scaled it, and tooke it, with the ladie within it. And though they were after besieged in the same castell by the duke of Burbon and other Frenchmen, yet they defended it, till the earls of Cambridge and Penbroke, with fiftéene hundred speares, and thrée thousand of other men of warre, came and offered the Frenchmen battell, lodging afore them fiftéene daies. And when they perceiued that the Frenchmen would not issue out of the bastide (in which they laie) to giue battell, the earles of Cambridge and Penbroke caused all them within the castell to come foorth, and to bring with them the duches of Burbon, whome they led awaie in sight of hir sonne, leauing the castell void and frée for him to enioy.
The French king prepareth a nauie.
The duke of Lancaster set into France with an armie.