That right manie students skilful in the profoundest sciences and learned toongs, manie venerable clerks, who in most weightie causes with singular wisedome, successe and faith, haue serued their prince and countrie this college hath brought foorth: hereto that manie toward wits it still to haue, hath had the good hap (which happilie yet to it dooth reteine) may here with modestie a litle be touched, neither to comparison that were contentious folie, nor yet to séeke glorie that cannot be but vaine, but onlie in storie to mind, how vnto purposes vértuouslie deuised and wiselie pursued, Gods goodnesse alwaies giveth chéeuing and thrift according.] [Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Fabian._ 447.] [Sidenote: A combat vpon triall of manhood betwéen a French and an Englishman.] ¶ In this seuen and twentith yeare of king Henries reigne, as witnesse the English chronicles, a knight of France called sir Lewes de Bueill challenged an esquier of England, named Rafe Chalons, to triall of certeine feats of warre. Herevpon (as was thought conuenient) a day was appointed them to make proofe thereof; the place also was assigned of their méeting, to wit, at a towne in France called Maunt or Maunce, where the French king at the same time was personallie present. But fortune (saith mine auther) was to Chalons so fauourable, and leaned so much to his side, that he ran the French knight through with the point of his fatall speare. Hunc illi finem lingua superba dedit. [Sidenote: The compassion of the Englishman to his enimie.] The English esquier séeing the infortunate euent of this triall to fall to the shame of the challenger, was so far from reioising at his ouerthrow, that he was touched with christian compassion, and moorned for his enimie, for whome also he kept an obsequie as if he had béene his own naturall brother, and descended of the same parents. For which merciful motions of mind inwardlie working, and outwardlie appearing, he was of the king greatlie commended. But doubtfull it is, whether the other, if he had suruiued, and got the vpper hand, would haue had the like reuerend care of the Englishmans dead bodie, as to haue vouchsafed it a solemne interrement. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 27.] [Sidenote: Sir Francis Suriennes.] [Sidenote: Fougiers.] As the affaires in France now were neither well looked to, nor the gouernours there well aduised, an English capteine called sir Francis Suriennes, surnamed the Aragonois, of the countrie where he was borne, a man for his wit and actiuitie admitted into the order of the garter, tooke by scaling suddenlie in the night of the euen of our ladie day in Lent, a towne on the frontiers of Normandie, belonging to the duke of Britaine called Fougiers, spoiling the same, and killing the inhabitants. The duke of Britaine, being hereof aduertised, sent word by the bishop of Reimes to the French king, beséeching him of his aid and counsell in the matter.