Caxton.
The earle of Penbroke sēt into Guien.
Froissard.
Sir Guichard Dangle a knight of Poictou, that was come ouer with the duke of Lancaster, to procure the king to send some new aid into Aquitaine, was for his approoued valiancie and tried truth to the king of England, made knight of the garter. And moreouer at his instance the king rigged a nauie of ships, and appointed the earle of Penbroke as generall, to saile with the same into Aquitaine, and there to remooue the siege which the Frenchmen had laid to Rochell. The earle according to his commission tooke the sea with a fléet of fortie ships prepared for him: but yer he could enter the hauen of Rochell, he was assailed by an huge fléet of Spaniards, and there vanquished, taken prisoner, & led into Spaine. The Spaniards had for capteins foure skilfull warriours, Ambrose Bouquenegre, Cabesse de Vake or Vakadent, Dom Ferand du Pion, and Rodigo de la Rochell, who had vnder their gouernement fortie great carrauels, and thirtéene trim barkes throughlie furnished and appointed with good mariners and men of warre.
These foure last remembered came forth of Rochell to aid the earle.
The earle of Penbroke had with him nothing the like number of ships, nor men: for (as Froissard writeth) he had not past two and twentie knights with him, or (as other haue) not past twelue, being for the more part of his owne retinue or houshold: and yet those few Englishmen and Poictouins that were there with him, bare themselues right valiantlie, and fought it out to the vttermost. There were slaine sir Simon Houssagre, sir Iohn de Mortague, and sir Iohn Tuchet; and there were taken prisoners, besides the earle himselfe, sir Robert Buffort, sir Iohn Curson, sir Othes de Grandson, sir Guichard Dangle, the lord of Pinane, sir Iohn de Griueres, sir Iaques de Surgieres, the lord of Tannaibouton, sir Iohn de Hardane, and others. This battell was fought on Midsummer euen, in this six and fortith yeare of king Edwards reigne. The earle had (as Froissard writeth) treasure with him, to haue waged thrée thousand men of warre, which neuer did anie man good, for (as he was informed) the ship wherein he was aboord, perished with diuerse other being burnt or sunke. ¶ The English writers saie, that it was no maruell though this mishap chanced vnto him, bicause he had in parlement spoken against men of the church, in giuing counsell that they might be constreined to paie gréeuous subsidies, towards the maintenance of the kings warre, and that no lesse heauie paiments and subsidies, should be imposed vpon them, than vpon the secular sort. Wherein he séemed to bewraie a malicious mind against the clergie, who as in no age they haue wanted foes, so in his time they found few fréends, being a generation appointed and ordeined in their cradels to be contemned of the world, speciallie of great men, of whose fauour and goodwill it is truelie & rightlie said,
Gratia magnatum nescit habere statum.
By reason of this misfortune thus happened to the English fléet, the Frenchmen recouered manie townes and castels out of the Englishmens hands, in the countries of Poictou, Xaintonge, Limosin, and other the marches of Aquitaine.
Froissard.
Yuans a Welsh gentleman. Sir Edmund Rous.