Ambassadors from the good townes in Flanders vnto king Edward.
There were slaine also ten other persons that were of his councell, and diuerse of the Welshmen in like manner; but the other escaped, and got awaie vnto king Edward, as yet remaining at Sluse, vnto whome those of Bruges, Cassell, Curtrike, Ypres, Aldenard, and other townes, did afterwards sent their orators to excuse themselues, as nothing guiltie nor priuie to the death of his fréend, and their worthie gouernor Iaques van Arteueld, requiring him not to impute the fault vnto the whole countrie, which the rash and vnaduised Gantiners had committed, sith the countrie of Flanders was as readie now to doo him seruice and pleasure as before, sauing that to the disheriting of their earle they could not be agréeable, but they doubted not to persuade him to doo his homage vnto the king of England, and till then they promised not to receiue him. They put the king also in hope of a mariage to be had, betwixt the sonne of their earle, and some one of the kings daughters. Herewith the king of England (who was departed from Sluse, in great displeasure with the Flemings) became somewhat pacified in his mood, and so renewed the league eftsoons with the countrie of Flanders: but the earle would neuer consent to doo homage vnto the king of England, but still sticked to the French kings part, which purchased him much trouble, and in the end cost him his life, as after shall appeare.
Froissard.
Auberoch besieged.
The French armie distressed, and the earle of Lisle taken.
But now to returne vnto the earle of Derbie, whome we left in Gascoigne. Ye shall vnderstand, that shortlie after he was come backe to Burdeaux, from the conquest which he had made of Bergerat, and other townes thereabouts; the earle of Lisle, who (as ye haue heard) was the French kings lieutenant in that countrie, assembled an armie of twelue thousand men, & comming before Auberoch, (a towne in Gascoigne) besieged it, sore pressing them within, in somuch that they were in great danger to haue béene taken, if the earle of Derbie, hauing knowlege in what case they stood, had not come to their rescue, who with thrée hundred speares or men of armes, as we maie call them, and six hundred archers, approching néere to the siege, laid himselfe closelie within a wood, till the Frenchmen in the euening were at supper, & then suddenlie set vpon them in their campe, and discomfited them, so that the earle of Lisle was taken in his owne tent, and sore hurt. There were also taken the earle of Valentinois, and other earles, vicounts, and lords of great accompt, to the number of nine, besides those that were slaine. The residue were put to flight and chased, so that the Englishmen had a faire iournie, and wan great riches by prisoners and spoile of the enimies campe.
Towns woon by the earle of Derbie.
Angolesme.
After this, the earle of Derbie, being returned to Burdeaux, and hauing put the captiues in safe kéeping, assembled his power, and marching foorth into the countrie, towards the Rioll (a towne in those parts which he meant to besiege) he wan diuerse towns and castels by the way, as saint Basill, Roch, Million, Montsegure, Aguillon, & Segart. At length he came to the towne of the Rioll, which he besieged, and laie about it nine wéekes yer he could win it, and then was the same towne surrendered into his hands, but the castell was still defended against him for the space of eleuen wéekes, at which time being sore oppressed & vndermined, it was yéelded by them within conditionallie, that they should depart onelie with their armour. After this, the earle of Derbie wan Montpesance, Mauleon, Ville-Franche in Agenois, Miremont, Thomines, the castell of Damassen, and at length came before the citie of Angolesme the which made appointment with the earle, that if no succors came from the French king within the space of a moneth, that then the citie should be surrendered to the king of Englands vse: and to assure this appointment, they deliuered to the earle foure and twentie of their chéefe citizens as hostages.