Auesburie.
Ad. Merimuth.
Polychron.
Fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand archers saith Froissard.
Bergerat woone.
Froissard.
About Midsummer, or (as other haue) Michaelmas, the earle of Derbie, with the earle of Penbroke, the lord Rafe Stafford, the lord Walter de Mannie, the lord Iohn Graie of Codnore, and diuerse other lords, knights, and esquires, to the number of fiue or six hundred men of armes, and as manie archers, sailed ouer into Gascoine, to assist the kings subiects there against the Frenchmen. This earle of Derbie, being generall of the armie, after his arriuall in Gascoine, about the beginning of December, wan the towne of Bergerat by force, hauing put to flight the earle of Lisle, as then the French kings lieutenant in Gascoine, who laie there with a great power, to defend the passage: but being driuen into the towne, and hauing lost the suburbes to the Englishmen, he fled out in the night, and so left the towne, without anie souldiers to defend it, so that the townesmen yéelded it vnto the earle of Derbie, and sware themselues to be true liege men vnto the king of England. After this, the earle of Derbie passed further into the countrie, and wan diuerse castels and towns, as Lango, le Lake, Moundurant, Monguise, Punach, Laliew, Forsath, Pondair, Beaumont in Laillois, Bounall, Auberoch and Liborne, part of them by assault, and the residue by surrender. This doone, he returned to Burdeaux, hauing left capteins and souldiers in such places as he had woone.
This yeare, the king sent foorth a commission vnto certeine persons in euerie countie within the realme, to inquire what lands and tenements euerie man, aboue fiue pounds of yéerelie reuenues, being of the laie fée, might dispend; bicause he had giuen order, that euerie man which might dispend fiue pounds and aboue, vnto ten pounds of such yéerelie reuenues in land of the laie fée, should furnish himselfe, or find an archer on horssebacke, furnished with armour and weapon accordinglie. He that might dispend ten pounds, should furnish himselfe, or find a demilance or light horsseman (if I shall so terme him) being then called a hobler with a lance. And he that might dispend fiue and twentie pounds, should furnish himselfe or find a man at armes. And he that might dispend fiftie pounds, should furnish two men at arms. And he that might dispend an hundred pounds should find thrée men at armes, that is, himselfe, or one in his stéed, with two other. And such as might dispend aboue an hundred pounds, were appointed to find more in number of men at armes, accordinglie as they should be assessed, after the rate of their lands, which they might yearelie dispend, being of the laie fée, and not belonging to the church.
Additions to Nic. Triuet.
The duke of Britaine departed this life.