In this meane time the warre was prosecuted in Gascoine. ¶ The thursdaie before the Purification of our ladie, Henrie earle of Lincolne, and the lord Iohn saint Iohn departing from Baion towards Bellegard, a place besieged as then by the earle of Arthois, to succour them within the same with vittels, (whereof they stood in néed) as they approched to a wood distant from the fortresse thrée miles, they diuided themselues into two seuerall battels, the lord Iohn saint Iohn leading the first, and the earle of Lincolne the second. The lord saint Iohn therefore hauing passed the wood with his battell, and entring into the plaine fields, was incountred by the earle of Arthois, who tarried there for him with a great power, where immediatlie at the first ioining of the battels, the earle of Lincolne retired backe: so that the lord Iohn saint Iohn and his companie ouerset with preasse of enimies were vanquished: and the said lord saint Iohn with sir William de Mortimer, sir William Burmengham and other to the number of eight knights, and diuerse esquires were taken, the which were sent to Paris as prisoners. Other write somewhat otherwise of this battell, as that vpon the first incounter the Englishmen droue backe one regiment of the earle of Arthois his men of armes, whom he diuided into foure parts; but when they once ioined with the second regiment, to the which they were beaten backe, forward they came againe, and so charging the Englishmen, with helpe of their third squadron, which was now come to them also, they easilie put the Englishmen oppressed with multitude vnto flight, & followed them in chase. After this came the Englishmen which were in the rereward, and incountring with the fourth squadron or regiment of the Frenchmen, streightwaies brake the same. Herewith was the night come vpon them, so that one could not know an other, a fréend from an enimie, and so both the Englishmen and Frenchmen were dispersed till the moone rose, and the Frenchmen withdrew to their fortresses, and amongst them certeine Englishmen were mingled, which being discouered were taken prisoners, as the lord Iohn saint Iohn, and others. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._] [Sidenote: _Abington._]