The Englishmen after the taking and spoiling of Dunkirke, returned to Grauelin and Bruckburge, which places they fortified, and then leauing garrisons in them, they went to Mardike, and tooke it, for it was not closed. In the meane time, the countriemen of west Flanders rose in armour, and came, to Dunkirke, meaning to resist the Englishmen: whereof when the bishop was certified, with all speed he marched thither, and comming to the place where the Flemings, to the number of more than twelue thousand were ranged without the towne, he sent an herald vnto them to know the truth, of whether pope they held; but the rude people, not vnderstanding what apperteined to the law of armes, ran vpon the herald at his approching to them, and slue him before he could begin to tell his tale.
Thom. Wals. The order of the bishop of Norwich his battell against the Flemings.
The Englishmen herewith inflamed, determined either to reuenge the death of their herald, or to die for it, and therewith ordered their battels readie to fight, and being not aboue five thousand fighting men in all, the bishop placed himselfe amongst the horssemen, and set the footmen in a battell marshalled wedgewise, broad behind and sharpe before, hauing with them a banner wherein the crosse was beaten. The archers were |759| ranged on either side: the standard of the church went before, the field gules, and two keies siluer, signifieng that they were souldiors of pope Vrbane. Moreouer, the bishop had his penon there siluer and azure quarterlie, a freat gold on the azure, a bend gules on the siluer; and bicause he was yoongest of the Spensers, he bare a border gules for a difference. At the approching of the battels togither the trumpets blew vp, and the archers began to shoot against the battell of the Flemings, the which valiantlie defended themselues, & fought egerlie a long time, but at length they were so galled with arrowes which the archers shot at them a flanke, that they were not able to indure, but were compelled to giue backe.
The Flemings discomfited by ye Englishmen.
Iac. Meir.
Froissard.
Tho. Walsi. Préests and religious men hardy soldiers.
They were diuided into two battels, a vaward, and a rereward. When the vaward began to shrinke, the rereward also brake order, and fled, but the Englishmen pursued them so fast, that they could not escape, but were ouertaken and slaine in great numbers. Some saie, there died of them in the battell and chase fiue thousand, some six thousand; and others write, that there were nine thousand of them slaine: and Thomas Walsingham affirmeth twelue thousand. Manie of them fled into the towne of Dunkirke for succour, but the Englishmen pursued them so egerlie, that they entered the towne with them, and slue them downe in the streets. The Flemings in diuerse places gathered themselues togither againe as they fled, and shewed countenance of defense, but still they were driuen out of order, and brought to confusion. The préests and religious men that were with the bishop fought most egerlie, some one of them slaieng sixtéene of the enimies.
Iacob. Meir.
The Englishmē subdue diuerse towns in Flanders, and spoile the countrie.