There were taken foure of their barges with a ballenger, and one and
twentie English vessels recouered, which they had robbed and taken
awaie from their owners. There scaped yet foure of their notable
capteins frō the hands of our men, Martin Grantz, Iohn Peris Mantago,
Iohn Husce Gitario, and one Garcias of S. Sebastiano, so that the
malice of those robbers ceased not. For they with the French gallies,
still lieng on the seas, when they espied anie aduantage, would land
their people, and doo what mischeefe they could, in taking preies, and
burning townes and villages, although now and then they came short to
their vessels againe, losing sometimes an hundred, sometimes fourescore
that were ouertaken by the Englishmen that came foorth against them.
But among other inuasions which they made this summer on the coasts,
we find that they burnt the towne of Winchelsie, & put the abbat of
Battell to flight with his people, comming to succor that towne and
tooke one of his moonks that was there in armor with the abbat. ¶ Some
write also, that they burnt Rie, Hastings, and Portsmouth. Finallie,
their boldnesse so farre increased, that in August they entring with
their gallies into the riuer of Thames, came vp to Grauesend, where
they burnt the most part of the towne, and on the other |732| side of
the riuer, as well in Essex as Kent, they burnt and spoiled diuerse
places, and with their prisoners and booties returned without receiuing
anie hurt, bringing with them to France, both rich spoiles and good
prisoners.
[Sidenote: The English host entreth into Britaine.