[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] About the same time Rog. Houed. Robert earle of Leicester is|suing foorth of Rouen in hope to worke some feat to the damage of the Frenchmen, as he rode somewhat vnaduisedlie in the lands of Hugh Gourney,The earle of Leicester ta|ken prisoner. fell within danger of his enimies, who tooke him priso|ner, and a few other that were in his companie. The French king after this came with his armie into the coasts of Touraine, and marched neere Uandosine, and there incamped, whereof king Richard being ad|uertised, drew néere to Uandosme, meaning to as|saile the French king in his campe, who hauing knowledge thereof dislodged with his armie earlie in the morning, and fled awaie (to his great disho|nour) in all hast possible. The king of England with his people following in chase of the French men slue manie, and tooke a great number of prisoners, a|mongst whom was the French kings chéefe treasu|rer. Also the Englishmen tooke manie wagons and sumpters laden with crossebowes, armour, plate, ap|parell, and the furniture of the French kings chapell. This chanced about 37 daies after his fléeing in the night from Uernueil, of which two flights of the French king (in maner as ye haue heard) we find these verses written:

Gallia fugisti bis, & hoc sub rege Philippo,

Nec sunt sub modio facta pudenda tuo.

Vernolium sumit testem fuga prima, secunda

Vindocinum, noctem prima, secunda diem.

Nocte fugam primam rapuisti manè secundam,

Prima metus vitio, ví secunda fuit.

France, twice thou fledst, while Philip reignd,

the world dooth know thy shame,

For Vernueil witnesse beares of th'one,

next Vandosme knowes the same.

[page 145] The first by night, the next by day,

thy heart and force doo showe,

That first through feare, and next by force,

was wrought thine ouerthrowe.