to pertaygne to the kynge and realme of Englande They hadde alleged to the kynge and his counsayle that his gyfte myght nat passe so bycause it was vnprofytable and mutyle For they sayd all those landes helde of right and of the demayne of the crowne of Englande Wherfore they sayde they wolde nat disioyne nor disceuer theÌ„ fro the crowne They alleged furthermore many other reasonable causes as ye shall here after in this processe But thus to haue coâ—sayle of those two great matters the kynge had sente for the moost parte of the prelates and lordes of Englande to be at the feest of Maudelyntyde at a manner of the kynges called Eltham a seuyn Englysshe myles fro London And whan they had taryed at Ledes a four dayes the kyng retourned to Rochester and so to Elthame so I rode forthe in the kynges company ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the refuce of them of Acquytayne made to the duke of Lancastre and howe they sent in to Englande to the kynge and his counsayle shewyng hym the wyll of the hole couÌ„trey of Acquytayne Cap. CC.i. IN rydynge the waye bytwene Leades and Eltham I demaunded of syr Willyam Lysle and of syr IohnÌ„ of Graily capitayne of Bouteuyll the cause why the king drewe to London warde and why that great counsayle shulde assemble at Eltham They tolde me and specially syr Iohan Graily rehersed to me playnly why the lordes of Gascon were come thyder and the counsaylours of the good townes and cyties thus I was enfourmed by this knight who knewe the trouth for he was often tymes amonge theym they and he were in a maner all of one countrey and fronter he sayde thus Surely whan the Duke of Lancastre came fyrst in to Acquytayne suffycyently fournysshed with charters and wrytinges engrosed and sealed with the great seale of Englande and enrolled and fermely decreed with full accorde of all prelates and lordes of Englande and also by consente of the duke Edmonde of yorke and Erle of Cambridge and of Thomas duke of Gloucestre though the sayd herytages might by succession haue come to them for Kynge Rycharde of Englande their nephue had as than no chyldren and these sayd two dukes were brethern germayns of father and mother to the duke of Lancastre whiche duke anone after he was come in to Acquytayne sente some of his counsayle to the cytie of Burdeaux to shewe to the Mayre counsaylours of the towne the fourme and tenoure of his request and for what cause he was come in to the countrey Whan they herde this they greatly marueyled howe be it they ioyfully receyued the kynges and dukes coÌ„myssioners for the honoure of the kynge to whome they ought their seruyce and obeysaunce Than they desyred to take couÌ„sayle and so they dyd Than after they aunswered and said that the duke of Lancastre sonne to kynge Edwarde who had ben their lorde was welcome amoÌ„ge them and none otherwyse for they sayde they had nat so farre forthe taken counsayle as to receyue hym to their souerayne lorde for they sayd that to kyng Rycharde their soueraygne lorde they had done feaultie and homage and as than he had made them no quytaÌ„ce Than aunswered the coÌ„myssioners and sayd Syrs feare nat but that ye shall haue suffycient dyscharge in that behalfe so ye take the duke to your souerayne lorde for ye shall se by the content of the kinges charters that there shall neuer questyon be made therof in tyme to come WhanÌ„e they of Burdeaux sawe they were so nere touched they founde theym another socoure and sayd Fayre lordes your coÌ„myssion extendeth nat all onely vpon vs but in lykewyse to them of the cytie of Bayon and to the prelates and barones of Gascoyne and to all that be vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande ye shall drawe you towardes them and as they do and ordre theÌ„ we shall folowe the same Other aunswere the coÌ„myssioners coulde nat haue at that tyme of them of Burdeauâ— Than they departed and rode to Lyborne where the duke of Lancastre laye WHan the duke herde their aunswers he imagyned in hymselfe that the â—â—synesse that he was come thyder for shulde nat be so sone atcheued as he trusted it shulde haue ben Than he sent his couÌ„sayle to the cytie of Bayon and as they sped in Burdeaux so they dyd there other answere coude they haue none And fynally all the prelates and noble men counsaylours of cytes good townes in Gascoyne vnder the obeysaunce of the kyng of Englande conioyned them togyder and concluded in the forme and manner as I shall shewe you They sayde they wolde gladly receyue the duke of Lancastre in to their cytâ—es townes and castelles as the sonne of kyng Edwarde and vncle to kinge Rycharde of EnglaÌ„de so that at his entringes he shulde solemply swere that pesably and in good maner he and his shulde entreat the people with out enforsynge of any thynge and to pay reasonably for euery thynge that they shulde dispende and also to swere that he shulde nat oppresse nor cause to be oppressed the iurysdictyon of the Crowne of Englande by no maner of waye nor accyon The duke aunswered to this and sayd that he was nat come in to the countrey to greue or oppresse the people but wolde rather kepe and defende them agaynst all men as his herytage and desyred and requyred theym that the coÌ„maundement of the kynge of Englande myght be obserued and acomplisshed Than the hole countrey by a comune voyce sayd that in no wyse they wolde departe fro the crowne of Englande and that it was nat in the kynge of Englandes power to gyue them away to another lorde nor to put them fro the crowne of Englande These demaundes and denyenges were longe a debatyng bytwene the duke of Lancastre and the lordes and townes of Gascon And whan the duke sawe none other remedy than he made request to the countrey that the prelates and noble men and couÌ„saylours of the good townes shulde sende suffycient personages to the kynge of Englande and to his counsayle and howe he wolde sende in lykewyse notable persones of his counsayle and loke what so euer the kyng and his counsayle shulde determyne in that cause he promysed surely to abyde ther by whether it were with hym or agaynst him Than they of Gascon consydred well that his request was reasonable and agreed to do as the duke had desyred Than the duke rode to Burdeaur and was lodged in the abbey of saint Andrewes where he had ben lodged before tyme. Than they of the cytie of Bayon and Dar apoynted suffycient personages to sende in to Englande and the barons of Gascon vnder the kinges obeysaunce sent in lyke wyse Also ye shall knowe that whan the frenche kyng and his vncles vnderstode that the duke of Laucastre was peasably entred in to the cytie of Burdeaux and knewe nat for what entent nor whether he wolde kepe or breake the trewce Than he and his counsayle
the erle of Derby his sonne and also the duke of yorke and his sonne Iohan erle of Rutlande The kyng loued the erle of Rutlande beyonde measure who dissymuled the dethe of his vncle the duke of Gloucestre shewed howe he wolde gladly se a good peace bytwene the parties said howe he knew well that his vncle dyde wronge oftentymes agaynst the kynge The londoners in lykewyse consydred the great myschiefe that myght fall in Englande by the discencyon bytwene the kynges vncles the kyng and their alyaunces Also they consydred syth the myschefe was fallen of the duke of Gloucestres dethe that there was no recouery therin they knewe well it was bycause the duke of Gloucestre had been to lauesse of his tonge and wolde haue styrred the realme to haue broken the trewce bytwene Englande and Fraunce Wherfore suche as were wyse men in the cytie dissymuled the mater and thought it was no tyme to a mende it as than they feared the puyssaūce of Fraunce and lesynge of their marchaundyse Than beganne to treate and went as a meane bytwene the king and the duke of Lancastre who was in many imagynacions for the dethe of his brother troubled him sore Also he sawe howe his nephue kynge Rycharde was alyed by mariage with the frenche kyng Also the duke of Lancastre had .ii. of his doughters out of the lande one quene of Spayne a nother quene of Portugale by whome he thought he shulde haue great ayde if he made warre agaynst his nephue kynge Rycharde All thynges consydred the duke chaunged his courage at the desyre of the londoners and of other prelates of Englande who were meane bytwene the kyng and hym and by their meanes the kynge was agreed with the duke and peace made with that the kinge promysed fro thens forwarde to be gouerned by the duke of Lancastre and to do nothyng but by his counsayle and aduyse whiche promesse the kynge nothynge fulfylled but was counsayled by yonge and wylde coūsayle whiche was to his hurte and great dōmage as ye shall here after in this hystory THus the kyng of Englande had peace with his vncles bycause of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre Than he beganne to reygne more fiersly than he dyd before The kynge went and lay in Essex where as the duke of Gloucestre had the chiefe rule whiche ought to haue pertaygned to Affcen his sonne and heyre but the kynge toke all for the ordynaunce in Englande was the kynge to haue the warde of all herytours chyldren orphelyns vnder the age of .xxi. yeres and than they to haue their herytages Thus the kinge tooke the wardeshyppe of his cosyn the duke of Gloucestres herytour and the kynge toke the possession profyte of all the dukes lande and kepte the chylde with hym And the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters were with the quene The duke of Gloucestr◠by enherytaunce was constable of Englande the kynge toke that offyce fro the right heyre and gaue it to his cosyn the erle of Rutlande The kynge than kept greate state than euer he dyd nor there had nat ben no kynge before in Englande that spente so moche yerely by a hundred thousande nobles as he dyd In lyke wyse the kynge had with hym the heyre of the erle of Arundell who was beheeded at London And bycause a knyght that was belongyng to the duke of Gloucestre called Cerbe spake at a tyme certayne wordes agaynst the kynge and his counsayle he was taken and beheeded Syr Iohan of Quynghay was in great parell but whan he sawe that the maters went so dyuersely as they dyd he dyssymuled as moch as he might and departed fro the duchesse of Gloucestres house and wente and dwelt in other places ¶ In those dayes there was none so great in Englande that durst speake agaynst any thynge that the kyng dyd or wolde do He had counsayle mete for his appetyte who exhorted hym to do what he lyst The kynge kept styll in his wages ten thousande archers night and day that wayted on him for he reputed himselfe nat parfytely sure of his vncles nor of the lygnage of Arundell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns as well by the emperour as of the realme of Fraūce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great assēble of gret lordes in the cytie of Reynes what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce to the entent to bring the churche to a peace and reste for the frenche kynge dyd so moche that at his request his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by twent the popes the one at Rome and the other at Auygnon they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of the marques of Blācquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne The frenche kyng lay at the archebysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of Orlyaūce Berrey and Burbon therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie all the lordes and prelates and kynge Charles of Nauer who was in lykewyse there went to mete with hym and receyued hym honourably Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Remy there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kynges cost The almayns had euery day delyuered theym ten tonne of herynge for it was in Lent tyme and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes whiche was a great charge WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy and so brought him to the kynges palays Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other and great reuerence and specyally the frenche kynge for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered without it be to take their profyte therto they be experte and redy ynough All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with other with louyng wordes and countinaunce and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Almayne and his company a great dyner at one table there sate fyrst the patryarke of Iherusalem than the king of Almayne the frenche kynge and the kynge of Nauer there sate no mo at that table At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne No lorde of Fraūce sate that day but sarued To the kynges borde the meate was brought by the dukes of Berrey of Burbone the erle of saynt Powle and by other great lordes of Fraūce The duke of Orlyaūce set euery man
eche of them knewe other they sawe well they shuld haue batayle Than the frenchmen valiantly set fote to the erthe and approched their ennemyes and the gauntoyse in lykewise set on them There they beganne to shole and to fight eche with other they were on suche a place that the gauntoyse coude nat passe at their aduauÌ„tage there was a sore batayle and many feates of armes done on bothe partes and dyuers caste to the grounde Sir Riflart of Flaunders was theâ— a good knight and dyd valiantly The knightes and squyers fought valiantly with the gauÌ„toyse so it behoued them to do for there was no raunsome But finally the gauntoyse were of suche nombre that they obteyned the place and the frenchmen were constrayned to lepe on their horses or els they had been all lost for the gauntoyse surmounted them And there was slayne sir IohnÌ„ Varlet sir Peter of Bailleule Bell Forrier Philyppe of Gancy Raolen dela Foley and dyuers other whiche was great domage And the other were fayne to flye and to entre in to ArdcÌ„bourcke or els they had ben deed without recouerie And after this aduenture the vycount of Meaulx was sent in garyson to Ardenbourcke with a certayne nombre of men of armes and they newly repayred the towne and he had with hym a huÌ„dred soeares of good men of armes And as than sir Iohan of Ieumont was great baylye of Flaunders so he had ben two yere before He was greatly douted in all the countre of Flaunders bycause of his valyantnesse And whan he might get any of the gauntoyse there went no raunsome for them For he outher putte them to dethe or els cutte of their handes and fete or putte oute their eyen and sende them home to gyue ensaÌ„ple to the other gauntoyse He was so renoumed in Flaunders to do iustyce without pytie in correctyng the gauntoyse that there was no spekyng in all Flaunders but of hym THus in euery Realme the worlde was in trouble as well bitwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande as Castell and Portyngale for theâ— the warre was newly renewed and the lady of Auiowe who wrote her selfe quene af Naples and of Hierusalem was come to Iuygnon to the pope and there kepte her house and her son Loyes with her who was called kynge of Cecyle the whiche his father hadde conquered The quenes entencyon was to make warre in Prouence without they of that countre wolde take her for their lady and become vnder her obeysauÌ„ce And sir Bernarde de la Salle was entred in to Pronence and made warre there in her quarell The same season the lorde of Coucy was also at Auygnon and had layen a .xv. wekes in his bedde of a hurte that he hadde on his legge with rennyng of a horse And whan he was hole than he oftentymes dyde vyset the quene and recoÌ„forted her the whiche he coulde do rightwell The quene taryed therefor to abyde for the duke of Berrey who was also comynge to Auignon to speke with the pope and to ayde his suster the quene The frenche kyng and his vncles hadde sente in to Prouence sir Loyes of Sanxere marshall of Fraunce with fyue huÌ„dred men of armes to warre in that couÌ„tre without they wolde come to obeysaunce vnder the quene Some submytted themselfe but nat all howe be it the cytie of Marcell and the grettest parte of the countre yelded them to the quene but the cytie of Ayes in Prouence and Tarraston and dyuers knyghtes of the countre wolde nat yelde them to the quene sayeng howe she had no ryght to demaunde the countie of Prouence tyll she were peasably receyued for lady and her sonne as kynge of Pulle and Calabre in Naples and Cecile and whan she hath possession of these than ProueÌ„ce shall obeye her as reason requyreth In those matchesse there made warre for the erle Sir Charles dela Paâ—â—e the erle Conuersaunt and sir Iohan of Luzenbourge his sonne And with me quene at Auignon as chefe of her counsayle was sir Iohan of Baylleule IN the same season there fell in Lombardye a marueylous insydence which was moche spoken of throughe out all the worlde and that was of the Erle of Vertus called sir Galeas and of his brother sir Barnabo the grettest in all Lombardy They had raygned longe and gouerned all LoÌ„bardy lyke two bretherne The one of them ruled nyne cyties and the otehr tenne the cyte of Millayne was gouerned one yet by the one thother yere by the other Whan sir Galeas dyed he left behynde hym a sonne who was than erle of Vertus named like his father sir Galeas but than swaged the loue bitwene him and sir Barnabo his vncle for than sir Galeas doughted hym of sir Barnabo his vncle leest that he wolde take away his laÌ„des fro him lyke as he dyde fro his father For his vncle of olde tyme toke awaye the lande fro their brother sir Mauffe and caused him to dye So thus therle of Vertus douted hym greatly of his vncle howe be it he wrought subtelly to bringe hym selfe insuretie I shall shewe you howe Sir Barnabo had in vsage that all suche landes as he had rule of he raunsomed theÌ„ so greuously and wolde taxe the men two or thre tymes in a yere to paye the halfe or thirde parte of their goodes and none durst saye agaynst hym for feare And sir Galeas erle of Vertus dyde otherwyse for the entent to gete loue he toke none ayde of his men but lyued all onely by his reuenewes And that rule he kept a fyue yere after the dethe of his father so that he had the loue of all Lombardy and euery man said they wolde be gladde to lyue vnder hym And euery man spake yuell of ser Barnabo priuely as they durst bycause he toke so excessyuely of them So finally the Erle of Vertus thought to execute his entent as he that doughted greatly his vncle and as it was sayde he sawe some lykelyhode On a day he sente secretely for suche as he trusted best And to some he shewed his entent but nat to all for feare that his purpose shulde be knowen And so it fortuned that sir Barnabo on a daye rode forthe fro one Castell to another to sporte hym The erle of Vertus his nephewe knewe therof and layde for hym thre busshemeutes to the entent that his vncle shulde nat scape for he must nedes at least passe by one of them The erle coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take hym but nat to slee him without he made great defeÌ„ce So as sir Barnabo roode forthe and thought none yuell nor was in no feare of his nephewe So he fell in the daunger of one of the busshmentes the whiche opyned and approched hym with their speres couched in the rest sir Barnabo had with hym a squyer of Almaygne who came to hym and sayd Sir saue your selfe for yonder company maketh but yuell countenaunce agaynst you they are parteyning to youre nephewe sir Galeas Sir Barnabo aunswered I
other countreis The yonge kynge enclyned lightely to his wordes for he loued him with all his hart bicause they had been norisshed vp toguyder And this erle had great alyaunces with dyuers lordes and knightes of Englande for he dyde all his maters by the counsayle of sir Symon Burle sir Robert Treuelyen ser Nicholas Brambre sir Iohan Beauchampe sir Iohan Salisbury and sir Mychaell de la pole And also sir Thomas Tryuet and sir Wylliam Helmon were named to be of the same ê‘te so that by the dyffernes and discorde bitwene the kynge and his vncles and the nobles and commons of the realme many yuels came therby in EnglaÌ„de as ye shall here hereafter in this hystorie IT was nat longe after that the erle of Cambridge departed out of Portyngale but that the kynge Feraunt felle sicke and so contynued a hole yere and dyed than he had no mo chyldren but the Quene of Spayne Than kynge Iohan of Castell was enformed of his deth and howe that the realm of Portyngale was fallen in to his haÌ„des and howe that he was ryghtfull heyre thervnto by reason of the dethe of the kynge Sother was dyuers couÌ„sayls kept on that mater and some sayd howe that the Portingales were so harde harted people that they wold nat be had without it were by conquest And in dede whan the portyngales sawe howe they were without a kyng than they determyned by counsayle to sende to a bastarde brother of the kynges a sage and a valyant man called Deuyse but he was a man of relygton and was mayster of the hospytals in all the realme They sayd they had rather be vnder the rule of this maister Denyse than vnder the rule of the kynge of Castell for they reputed hym no bastarde that hath good corage to do well Whan this mayster Denyse vnderstode the coÌ„mens wyll of foure chiefe cyties of Portyngale for they hadde great affectyon to crowne hym kyng wherof he had great ioye and so wrote secretely to his frendes and came to Lurbone whiche is the kay of the realme The people of the towne receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym if they crowned him kyng wheder he wolde be good to theÌ„ or nat and kepe the lande in their fraunchese And he aunswered and sayd he wolde be to theÌ„ as they desyred and that they had neuer a better kynge than he wolde be Than they of Luxbone wrote to Connubres to Pount de portugale and to them of Dourke These were the kayes of the Realme and so they determyned to crowne to their kyng this mayster Denyse who was a sage a valyant man and of good gouernauÌ„ce and was brother to kyng Ferant for they sawe well the realme coude nat be longe without a kyng as well for feare of the spay mardes as of the myscreaÌ„tes of Granado and of Bongie who marched on them So these sayde townes and certayne of the lordes of the lande enclined to him but some of the lordê sayd that it was nat mete a bastarde to be crowned kyng And the people of the good townes said that it shulde be so for of necessyte they must so do sithe they had none other and seyng that he was a valyant and a sage man bothe in wyâ—te and in dedes of armes And they toke ensample by kynge Henry who was crowned kyng of Castell by electyon of the countrey and for the coÌ„mon profyte and that was done kynge Peter beynge a lyue So thus the electyon abode on this maister Denyse and solemynely he was crowned in the Cathedrall churche of Connubres by the accorde and puyssaunce of the coÌ„mons of the realme And there he sware to kepe iustyce to do ryght to his people and to kepe and maynteyne their frauncheses and to lyue and dye with them wherof they hadde great ioye Whan these tidynges came to the hearyng of don Iohan kyng of Castell he was sore displeased therwith and for two causes The one was bycause his wyfe was enheryter there the other bycause the people by election hadde crowned maister Denyse kynge there Wherfore this kyng Iohan toke tytell to make warr and to demauÌ„de of them of Luxbone the soÌ„me of two hundred thousande florens whiche Ferant promysed hym whan he toke his doughter to his wyfe So than he sende the Erle of Terme therle of Ribydea and the bysshoppe of Burges in to Portyngale as his ambassadours to them of Luxbone whan they were at saynt prayne the laste towne of Castell towarde Luxbone Than they sent an haraulde to the kyng and to them of Luxbone to haue a saue conducte to go and come and to furnysshe their voyage whiche was graunted lightly so they came to Luxbone and so the towne assembled their counsayle toguyder and the ambassadours shewed why they were come thyder and finally sayde ye sirs of Luxbone ye ought iustely nat to marueyle if the kyng our souerayne lorde demaundeth of you the soÌ„me of money that ye are bounde for And is nat coÌ„tent that ye haue gyuen the noble crowne of Portyngale to a clerke a man of relygion and a bastarde It is a thynge nat to be suffred for by rightfull election there is non nerer to the crowne thaÌ„ he And also ye haue done this without the assent of the nobles of the realme Wherfore the kyng our maister saythe that ye haue done yuell And without that ye shortely do remedy the make he wyll make you sharpe warâ— To the whiche wordes don Feraunt Gallopes de vyle fois a notable burgesse of the cyte answered and sayd Sirs ye reproche vs greatly for our electyon but your owne election is as moche reprouable for ye crowned in Spaygne a bastarde sonne to a iewe And it is clerely knowen that to the ryghtfull election your kynge hath no right to the realem of Portyngale for the right resteth in the doughters of kyng Peter who be in Englande maryed bothe ConstauÌ„ce and Isabell maryed to the duke of I an castre to therle of Cambridge Wherfore sers ye may departe whan ye wyll and retourne to them that sent you hyder and say that our electyon is good whiche we wyll kepe and other kyng we wyll haue none as long as he lyste to be our kyng And as for the soÌ„me of money that ye demauÌ„de of vs we say we are nothyng bouÌ„de therto take it of them that were bouÌ„de therfore and of suche as had the profyte therof At this answere the kynge of Portyngall was nat presentâ— howbeit he knewe well what shulde be sayd And whaÌ„ these ambassadours sawe they coude haue non other answere they toke their leaue and departed and retourned to Cyuell where they lafte the kyng and his couÌ„sayle to whom they shewed all the said answere Than the kyng of Spayne toke couÌ„sayle what was best to do in this mater Than it was determyned that the kyng of Portyngale shulde be desied and howe that the kyng of Spayne had a good
of the kynge to go to Mantuell the kyng sent with her of the greatest men of the courte to a company her Thus she came to Mantuell and dyd so moche that she knewe the trouth where her father was buryed Than he was dygged vp and his bones wasshed and bawmed and wrapped in leade and brought to the cytie of Ciuyll and there receyued with processyon without the cytie and the bones brought in to the cathedrall churche and there reuerently and solēply his obsequy was done and there at was king Iohan and his yonge sonne the prince of Galyce and the most parte of prelates and barons of the realme After the obsequy doone euery man retourned to their owne places The kynge of Castyle wente to the vale of Sory and his son̄e and his yonge wyfe with hym and the duchesse of Lancastre to Medena de Campo a good towne wherof she was lady by reason of the confyrmacyon of the peace there she lay a season ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of them and of Castyle tyll a nother tyme and let vs speke of the maryage of the duke of Berrey and also of other insydentes that folowed THe duke of Berrey who had maryed the lady Iane of Armynake to his first wyfe after she was dysseased he hadde great imagynacyon to be maryed agayne and that he well shewed for whan he sawe howe he had myssed of the duke of Lancastres doughter he than set clerkes to write and sent messangers to therle Gascon of Foiz who had the kepyng of the erle of Boulonges doughter more than the space of nyne yeres And bycause the duke of Berrey coulde nat come to this maryage but by the daunger of the erle of Foize for nother for pope father mother nor frende that the damosell had the erle wolde do nothynge without it were his owne pleasure Than the duke of Berrey desyred effectuously the frēch kynge his nephue and the duke of Burgoyne his brother to helpe and assyst hym in this maryage THe frenche kyng laught and had good sporte at the duke of Berrey his vncle bycause he was olde and so hote in loue and said to him Fayre vncle what shall ye do with a yonge mayde she is nat twelue yere of age and ye be .xl. by my faythe it is great foly for you to thynke therof speke for my cosyn Iohan your sonne he is yonge the mater is more mete for hym than for you syr quod the duke I haue speken all redy for my sonne but the erle of Foize wyll in no wyse agree therto bycause my sonne is of the blode of them of Armynake who be at warre togyder and haue ben longe If the lady be yonge I shall spare her a thre or four yere tyll she be a parfyte woman Well fayre vncle quod the kyng I feare me she wyll nat spare you so longe but seynge ye haue so great affection therto I shall ayde you as moche as I may It was nat longe after but that the kynge ordayned the lorde de la Ryuer and syr Bureau his souerayne chamberlayne to go in that voyage to the erle of Foiz and with them the erle of Dassy And the duke of Burgoyne ordeyned to go thyder on his be halfe the bysshop of Anthune and sir Gylliam of Tremoyle and the duke of Berrey desyred Iohan erle of Sanxer a sage and a valyaunt knyght to go with the other These fyue lordes were apoynted to go to the erle of Foize and to desyre to haue the yonge lady in maryage for the duke of Berrey These lordes departed and apoynted to mete togyder at Auignon with pope Clement about Candelmas they departed and toke the waye to Nysmes and so to Auignon They passed by Mounte pellyer and rode by small iourneys and great exspence and passed by Besyers and came to Carcassone and there they founde sir Loys of Xancere marshall of Fraunce who receyued them with good there and he shewed theym moche of the erle of Foiz estate for he had ben there within two monthes before Than they departed fro Carcassone and wente to Tholous and there rested and than sente messangers to the erle of Foiz to Ortays in Byerne And there began to treate for this maryage but it was farre of for at the begynnynge the Erle of Foyze was colde bycause the duke of Lancastre had sente to hym to haue the same lady for his sonne the lorde Henry erle of Derby By reason of this longe taryenge and delayeng of this treatye it was said and noysed that the maryage shulde nat be And all their aunsweres that they had fro the erle of Foize wickely they sente worde therof to the duke of Berrey who was at Nonnecte in Auuergne And the duke who had none other desyre but to bringe the mater aboute wrote often tymes agayne to them with fresshe messangers desyrynge them nat to cease tyll they had brought the mater to passe And the erle of Foyze who was sage and subtyle sawe well the ardent desyre that the duke of Berrey had and the hoter that he was the colder was he and he handeled the matter so wysely that by the full agrement of all partyes and yet sore desyred therto he hadde thyrty thousande frankes for the charges of the ladyes expenses for suche yeres as she had been with hym if he had more demaūded more he shulde haue had but he dyd it so to haue thanke of the duke of Berrey and that he shulde perceyue that he had done some what for hym WHan this mater was concluded and all partyes agreed thanne the erle of Foiz sente his cosyn the lady to Morleaus accompanyed with fyue hundred speares of whome were capytayns syr Espaigne du Lynn syr Raynolde Guyllam syr Peter Calestan sir Adam of Cacasse sir Manalte of Nonnables and sir Pier of Kees and in the feldes the lady was delyuered to the frenche ambassadours on the behalfe of the duke of Berrey There was syr Loys of Xancere with a fyue hundred speares and other company who receyued the lady and there tooke their leaues and departed They of Foize retourned and the frenche men ledde forthe the lady The duke of Berrey had sente to her chares and chareottes rychely garnysshed and horse hackeneys and aparell for her body and for her heed as fresshe and as ryche as though it had been for the frenche quene Thus they rode forthe and I sir Iohan Froysart auctor of this boke rode in their company for often tymes whan I wolde haue taken leaue of the erle of Foiz he wolde saye to me howe I had no dede to make so great haste and badde me whan I wolde retourne to go in good company so I retourned in this sayde company This yonge duchesse of Berrey for so I wyll name her fro hence forthe and all her company rode so longe that they came nere to Auignon There she rested at a towne called Vile Neufe without the towne of Auignon in a house
in to the realme of Arragone and to be about him tyll he were maryed The lorde of Coucye wolde nat refuce it but ordayned hym selfe so to do and sayde Ma dame there was no vyage this seuyn yere that I wolde be more gladder to accomplisshe than to go in to the marches of Cicyll Naples wich my lorde your sonne if I had lycence of the kyng my souerayne lorde Sir quod the lady I thaÌ„ke you I se well your good wyll I doute nat but the kyng wyll be content that ye go with my sonne in to Aragon And the quene of Arragon wyll be glad to se you for your doughter hath maryed her brother sir HeÌ„ry of bare The lorde of Coucy agreed to go this voyage Thus the younge kynge of Cicyll tooke his iourney well accompanied whan he had taken his leaue of the Pope and of his mother all wepynge For at the departynge of the mother and the sonne caused their hertes to relente For they shulde departe farre a soÌ„der knewe nat whan to se togyder agayne For it was ordayned that whan the maryage was accomplysshed that the yonge kynge and the yonge Quene shulde take the see at the porte of Barcelone and so to go and arryue at the porte of Naples or as nere as they myght SO longe this yonge kynge Loyes iourneyed that he passed Mountpellyer and Besyers and so came to Narbone where he was receyued ioyfullye of euery man There they refresshed theÌ„ and their horses one day and than departed and wente to Parpygnen the fyrst towne of the realme of Arragon The coÌ„myng of this yonge kynge was well knowen in the court of the kynge of Arragon He sente menne to mete with hym and to conuey him as the vycount of Roâ—uebertyn and sir Raymonde of Baighes So long they rode that they caÌ„e to the cytie of Barcelone where the kynge the Quene and their doughter was There the yonge kyng was noblâ— receyued and specially the quene of Arragon was ryght ioyouse of the coÌ„mynge of the lorde of Coucy and thanked the yonge kynge her sonne that shulde be for bringynge of hym in his company and sayd that all other maters shulde do and atcheue the better This Maryage was confyrmed bytwene these two chyldren but bycause wynter approched they delayed their voyage goyng to the See For in wynter the great Sees are perillous They said they wolde make their prouisyon that wynter to go in to Naples the nexte Marche after The lorde of Coucy beyng in Arragon receyued letters fro the Frenche kynge commaundynge hym to retourne Than he toke his leaue of the kynge of Arragon and of the quene and of the yonge kyng and his wyfe and of all other lordes suche as were there and departed And if he myght haue had leysar he wolde haue retourned by Auignon to haue sene the pope and the olde quene af Naples But he sente to them his excuse and retourned by Auuergne in to Fraunce WHanÌ„e this maryage was made bytwene the yonge kyng Loyes of Cycyll and the doughter of the kynge of Arragon wherby there was great alyaâ—ces bytwene the parties and they of Arragon were bounde to ayde to serue the yong kynge to bringe hym in to the realme of Naples and nat to leaue hym tyll he had the realme pesably of Naples and of Cicyll with the appendauÌ„tes as Paule and Calabre and the cytie of Gaiet the whiche Margarete of Duras helde The aragonoys shulde serue hym as longe as his warre endured with .ii. hundred speares at their coste and charge a thousande crosbowes and a thousande bregandiers Whan the swete tyme of Marche was come and that the wyndes were apealed and the waters swaged of their rages and the wodes reuerduced and that their prouysions were made redy at Barcelone and the galees redy suche as shulde go with the yong kynge Than he and his yonge quene tooke their leaues of the kynge of Aragone and of the quene who wept at their departyng than the quene recoÌ„maunded the yonge quene her doughter to the erle of Roodes a valyaunt knight to sir Raymon of Baighes These two toke the speciall charge natwithstaÌ„dinge that the erle of Vrgell and the erle of Lyne were there in a great company In these galees were a fyftene huÌ„dred speares two thousande crosbowes two thousande of other men of warre with dartes pauesses They wente thus fortifyed and well acompanyed to resyst the better if nede were agaynst their ennemyes And also to resyst all rencouÌ„ters vpon the see for it is a longe waye by the see fro Barcelone to Naples And Margarete of Duras their aduersary myght trouble theÌ„ by the way therfore they thought to go surelye ¶ Nowe we wyll leaue to speke of this yonge kyng of Cicyll and speke of other busynesse of the realme of Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the Frenche kynge had desyre to go and visyte the farre partes of his realme howe he went fyrst in to Burgoyne and to Auygnon to se pope Clement Cap. C.lx. AFter this great Feest was accomplisshed that euery lorde and lady were gone home to their owne houses as ye haue herde here before that the FreÌ„che kyng sawe that he had truce with Englande for thre yere he hadde than ymaginacion to go visite his realme specially the vtwarde marchesse of Languedocke For the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan Mercier who were as than chefe of his preuy couÌ„sayle They exhorted hym to go to Auygnon to se pope Clement and the cardynalles who desyred to se hym and also to go to Tholous for they sayd to the kyng Sir a kyng in his youthe ought to visyte his realme and to knowe his people and to lerne how they be gouerned the whiche shulde be greatly to his profyte and the better to be beloued with his subiectes The kyng lyghtly enclyned to their counsayle for he had desyre to traueyle and se newe thynges And the lord de la Ryuer who was but newly come out of those marchesse herde great complayntes of the people of Tholous of Carcassone of Beaucayre and they desired greatly to se the kyng for they had ben sore charged with tayles and aydes by the duke of Berrey by the informacion of a seruaunt of his called Betysache who had pytie of no man He so pylled the people that nothynge was lefte therfore he counsayled the kynge to go thyder to prouyde some remedy And also that the kynge shulde sende for the erle of Foize to come to hym to Tholous The kyng made him redy to go thyder and sente afore all the way that prouisyon shulde be made for his coÌ„myng sente worde therof to his vncle the Duke of Burgoyne and to his auÌ„te the duchesse how he wolde come a longe throughe their countrey and wolde se his cosyns their chyldren and to bring in his company his brother the duke of Thourayne and his vncle of Burbone whiche pleased greatly the
of bowgery and howe the kynge had sayde howe he shulde be brynte and hanged wherof moche people were right ioyouse for he was sore hated the two knyghtes that were come thyder fro the duke of Berrey were greatly abasshed and wyst nat what to suppose Than syr Peter Mesquyn sayde to the lorde of Nantonelet Syr I feare me Betysache is betrayed peraduenture some persone hath ben with hym secretly in the prisone and hathe borne hym in hande that if he holde that horryble erroure that the churche than shall chalenge hym and so be sente to Auignon to the pope and therby be delyuered Ah fole that he is he is dysceyued for the kyng sayeth he wyll haue hym bothe brente and hanged Lette vs go to the prisone to hym and reforme hym and bringe hym to a nother state for he is farre out of the waye and yuell counsayled They wente strayte to the prisone and desyred the gayler that they might speke with Betysache The gayler excused hymselfe and sayde Syrs ye muste pardone me for I am straytely charged to suffer no manne to speke with hym and also here be four sargeauntes of armes sente by the kynge to kepe hym and we dare nat breke the kinges coÌ„maundement Than the two knyghtes sawe well howe they labored in vayne and howe there was no remedy by all lykelyhode but that Betysache shulde dye than they retourned to their lodgynge and rekened and payed and toke their horses and returned to their lorde the duke of Berrey and shewed hym all the case THe coÌ„clusion of Betysach was suche that the nexte daye 〈◊〉 tenne of the clocke he was taken out of prysone and brought to the bysshoppes palays and there were redy the iudges and offycers spyrituall and the bayly of Besyers brought forthe the prisoner and sayde Beholde syrs here is Betisache whome I delyuer to you for an herytyke and a synnet in boâ—gery and if he had nat ben a clerke he had been iudged or this acordynge to his desertes Than the offycyall demauÌ„ded of Betysach if it were with hym acordynge as he was acused and to confesse the frouth there openly before all the people And Betysache who thought to haue said well and to haue scaped by reason of his confessyon he aunswered and sayde that all was trewe He was demaunded this thre tymes and at euery tyme he confessed it to be trewe before all the people Thus ye maye knowe whether he was dysceyued or nat for iâ— he had made no suche confessyon he had been delyuered for the duke of Berrey had fully auowed all his dedes the whiche he had doone at his commaundemente in the countrey of Langue doc But it was to be supposed that fortune played her tourne with hym for whanne he thought to haue been moste assuredest on the heyght of fortunes whele he was tourned vp so downe fro her whele as she hathe doone a hundred thousande mo sythe the worlde began Than Betysach was delyuered agayne by the spirytuall iudge to the bayly of Besyers who vnder the kinge ruled the temperalte the whiche Betysache without delaye was brought to a place before the palays He was so hasted forwarde that he had no leysure to aunswere nor to saye nay For whan he sawe a fyre redy prepared in the place and sawe that he was in the handes of the hangman he was sore abasshed and sawe well than that he was dysceyued and betrayed Than he cryed out a loude requirynge to be herde but than was no hede taken to his sayenge but the hangeman sayde It is ordeyned that ye shall dye for your yuell warkes hathe brought you to an yuell ende He was hasted forwarde to his dethe and the fyre made redy there was also reysed a payre of galowes and therto tyed a chayne of yron and at the ende therof a coler of yron the whiche was put aboute his necke and than the chaine drawen vp a hye and tyed rounde aboute the galowes Than he cryed and sayde Duke of Berrey they cause me to dye without reason they do me wronge As sone as he was tyed to the galows there was setre rounde aboute drye segge rede and â—agoâ—â—es and fyre put therto and incontynente the faggortes were a fyre Thus Betysache was hanged and brente and the frenche kyng out of his chaumbre myght well se hym if he wolde To this poore ende came Betysache and so the people were reuenged of hym And for to saye the trouthe he had doone many extorcions and domages to the people whyle he had the gouernynge of the countrey of Languedoc ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the frenche kynge beynge at Tholouse sente for the erle of Foiz who came thyder and dyd homage to the kynge for the conntie of Foiz Cap. C.lxiiii AFter this cruell iustyce the french kyng taryed nat longe after at Besiers but departed and toke the way to Carcassone and always sythe his departure fro Auygnon his marshall syr Loys of Xancere rode in his company The kynge rode so longe by his iourneys that he vysited the countreys and kepte nat the right hyghe wayes He was at Cabestan at Narbone at Lymons at Mounte Royall and at Fongaur and than he retourned to Carcassone and there taryed foure dayes Than he rode and passed Vyle Franca Auygnollet and Mongistarte and so came to Tholouse and the burgesses there who greatly desyred to se the kynge receyued hym ioyfully and mette the kyng without the towne all in a lyuery and so with greate solempnyte he was brought to the castell of Thoulouse They of the cytie gaue the kinge many fayre presentes wherwith the kynge was greatly reioysed Whan the kynge had been there thre dayes than he was counsayled to sende for the erle of Foiz who was come out of Byerne in to the countie of Foiz and was in the towne of Nasiers four leages fro Thoulouse for he knew of the kinges state and ordynauÌ„ce The marshall of FrauÌ„ce and the lorde de la Ryuer were apoynted to go for the erle of Foize They departed on a wednysday and laye at a cytie in Tholousyn called Iordayn and the next day they came to Nasyers The erle of Foiz who knewe well of their comynge receyued theym nobly for the loue of the Kynge and also he knewe the lordes well he had sene them before Syr Loys of Xancere had the wordes and said Syr my lorde of Foiz the kynge our soueraygne lorde hath sente vs to you coÌ„maundyng you to come to se hym at Thoulouse or els he wyll traueyle so farre that he wyll come and se you in your owne countrey for he greatly desyreth to se you The erle of Foyze aunswered and sayd Syr Loys I wolde nat the kynge had so great traueyle to me it is more mete I haue it for hym wherfore if it please you ye shall shewe hym that I shall be at Tholouse within foure dayes That is well sayde syr quod they we shall returne and shewe him these tydynges fro you So be it
of the clocke in the forenoone The two Kynges departed oute of their tentes the which were pyght nat farre asondre and came a foote the one to the other and met at a certayne place that was apoynted And on the one syde there was araynged four hundred knyghtes of Fraunce armed with their swerdes in their hādes And on the other parte foure hundred Englysshe knyghtes in lyke maner So the two kynges passed through them The dukes of Lācastre and of Gloucestre ledde the Frenche kynge and the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne ledde the kynge of Englande Thus they came foreby the sayd eight hundred knightes And whan the two kynges came iust toguyder all the eyght hundred knyghtes kneled downe to the grounde and many of them wepte for ioye Thus the two kynges mette toguyder bareheeded and a lytell enclyned and tooke eche other by the handes Than the Frenche kynge ledde the kynge of Englande in to his tente whiche was noble and ryche and the four dukes tooke eche other by the handes and folowed the two kynges And other knyghtes after the Frenche men on the one syde and the Englysshe men on the other syde And so they stode regardyng eche other in good and humble maner tyll all was done Than̄e it was ordayned that on the same place where as the two kynges tooke eche other by the hande that there shulde be made and founded a chapell in the honoure of our Lady and shulde be called our lady of Grace I can nat tell whether it were made or nat SO the two kynges hande in hāde entred in to the Frenche kynges tente Than the foure dukes kneled downe before the kynges and they reysed them vp so talked toguyder Than the two kynges wente a lytell a parte and talked a certayne space In the meane tyme wyne and spyces were brought The duke of Berrey serued the Frenche kynge of spyce and the duke of Burgoyne of wyne And the dukes of Lācastre Glocester serued the kyng of Englād thā other knightes squiers serued all other prelates lordes so that euery man wtin the tent hadde parte and in the meane tyme the two kynges cōmuned toguyder This busynesse done and paste the two kynges tooke leaue eche of other and so retourned to their tentes and tooke their horses and rode towardes Calais The kyng to Guysnes the dukes of Lancastre and Gloucester to Hāmes and the other to Calais The Frenche kyng rode to Cordre and the duke of Orlyaunce with hym the duke of Berrey to Dornam and the duke of Burgoyne to Mountoyre So there was no more done that daye all their tentes stode styll in the feldes THan on the Saturdaye on the feest of saynt Symon and Iude aboute a .xi. of the clocke the kynge of Englande and his vncles and other lordes cāe to the Frenche kyng in to his tent they were receyued right honorably and euery manne talked with his felowe merily Than tables were sette vp and the two kynges sat at one table alone the Frenche kynge on the ryght hande The dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone serued the two kynges thā the duke of Burbone caste forthe many iestyng wordes to make the kynges to laughe and suche as were before the table For this duke was a mery man and sayd openly addressynge his wordes to the kynge of Englāde Sir quod he ye ought to make good chere for ye haue all that ye desyre ye haue your wife or shall haue her deliuered to you Than the Frenche kyng sayd Burbonoys We wolde that our doughter were of the age that our cosyn of saynt Poule is on the condicyon that it cost me a great good than she shulde take my sonne with the better good wyll The kynge of Englande herde well those wordes and answered spekyng to the duke of Burbone bycause the Frēche kyng hadde compared his doughter to the erle of saynt Poules doughter and sayd Sir the age that my wyfe that shall be is of pleaseth you right well we loue nat so moche her herytage than I do the loue of you of our realmes For we two beyng of one accorde there is no kynge christen nor other that are able to anoye vs. This dyner thus done in the Frenche kynges tent and after wyne and spyces taken than the yonge quene was brought forthe a companyed with a great nombre of ladyes and damoselles and there she was delyuered to the kyng of Englande Whan that was done euery man toke their leaue to departe The yonge quene was sette in a ryche lytter and there wente no mo frenche ladyes with her but the lady of Coucy There were the ladyes of Englande the duchesses of Lancastre of yorke and of Gloucestre of Irelande the lady of Namure the lady Poynynges and a great nombre of other ladies who receyued the quene with great ioye Thus the kyng of Englande and the yonge quene and his company rode to Calais the same nyght and the frenche kyng and his cōpany to saynt Omers Than the Tuesdaye after whiche was Alhalowen day the kyng of Englande maryed the sayd lady Isabell of Fraūce in the churche of saynt Nicholas in Calais the archebysshop of Caūterbury wedded theym at whiche tyme there was a great feest and great largesse The Thursdaye after there came to Calais the dukes of Orlyaunce and of Burbone to se the kynge and the quene And on the friday they tooke their leaue and departed and rode to saynt Omers to the Frenche kyng And the same day in the mornyng the kyng and the quene toke their shyppe and hadde fayre passage they were ouer within thre houres the kynge laye in the castell of Douer and the nexte daye to Rochestre than to Dartforde and so to Eltham Than̄e all lordes and ladyes toke their leaue and a fiftene dayes after the quene was brought to the cytie of London accompanyed with many lordes ladyes and damosels laye the fyrst night at the towre of London and the nexte day cōueyed along throughe the cytie with great solempnyte to the kynges palais of Westmynster and ther the kyng was before redy to receyue her the same daye the londoners gaue to the quene great presentes Than was there ordayned a great iustes to be holden in the cytie of Lōdon of .xl. knyghtes and squyers chalēgers to be holden at Candelmas nexte after whiche was delyuered to the Herauldes to publysshe on bothe sydes of the realme to Scotlande And whan the Frenche kyng was cōe to Parys after the maryage of his doughter and euery lorde departed home there ranne than a great brute through the realme howe the frenche kyng was in purpose at the begynnynge of Marche to go with a great army in to Lombardy to dystroye the lorde Galeas duke of Mylayne the kyng had suche displeasure agaynst hym that no man coulde tourne hym but that he wolde make that voyage and the kyng of Englande had promysed to sende hym syxe thousande archers
And the duke of Bretaygne had offered to go with hym with two thousande speares bretons Great prouysyon was made for this iourney in the Dolphenry of Vyen and in the countie of Sauoy Whan the duke of Bretayne departed fro the frenche kynge to retourne in to his countrey syr Peter of Craon who was condempned to paye to the quene of Iherusalem a hundred thousande frankes and was in prison in the castell of Loure in Parys At the request of the duke of Bretaygne the duke of Burgoyne dyd so moche to the kynge that by his good meanes the duke of Bretaygne had syr Peter of Craon with hym I thynke he promysed to pay the sayd soÌ„me at certayne dayes to the foresayd quene I wyll nowe leaue this mater and speke of the adueÌ„tures of Turkey ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the siege before Nycopoly in Turkey was reysed by Lamorabaquy and howe the Frenche men were dyscomfyted howe the hungaryons fled Cap. CC .xvii. YE haue herde here before howe the kynge of Hungery and the lordes of Fraunce were passed the ryuer of Dunce and were entred in to Turkey and all the soÌ„mer after the moneth of Iuly they had done many enterprises and had brought dyuers townes to their subiection for there was none that resysted them and had besieged the towne of Nycopoly and hadde nere brought it to a small estate nigh redy to yelde for they coude here no newes of Lamorabaquy Than the kyng of Hungery said to the lordes of FrauÌ„ce and to other Syrs thanked be god we haue had a fayre seasone we haue dystroyed parte of Turkey I reken this towne of Nycopolyours whan we lyst it is so sore ouerlayde that it canne nat longe holde wherfore all thynges consydred I couÌ„sayle this towne ones won that we go no further at this season we shall drawe agayn ouer the Dunce in to the realme of Hungery where I haue many cyties townes and castelles redy furnysshed to receyue you as reason is seyng ye be come so farre to ayde me to make warre agaynst the turkes whome I haue founde herde and cruell enemyes and this wynter we shall make newe prouysion agaynst the next somer and sende worde to the frenche kyng what case we be in so that this nexte soÌ„mer he maye refresshe vs with newe men and I beleue whan he knoweth what we haue done howe euery thyng standeth he wyll haue great affection to come hyther in his owne person for he is yonge and couragyous and loueth dedes of armes and whether he cometh or nat by the grace of god this next soÌ„mer we shall wynne the realme of Armony and passe the brase of saynt George and so in to Surrey and wynne the portes of Iaphes and Baruth and conquere Iherusalem and all the holy lande and if the sowdan come forewarde we shall fyght with hym for he shall nat departe without batayle THese or lyke wordes sayd the kynge of Hungery to the lordes of Fraunce rekened Nycopoly as their owne howe be it fortune fell otherwyse All that season the kynge Basaach called Lamorabaquy had reysed an army of sarazyns some out of farre countreys as out of Perce many great men of the sarazyns came to ayde Lamorabaquy to dystroy crystendome They were passed the Brase saynt George to the nombre of two huÌ„dred thousande men To say the trouth the chrysten men were nat a certayned what nombre they were of This kynge Basaache and his men aproched nere to Nycopoly by couerte wayes they knewe in feates of warre as moche as myght be and this kynge was a valyaunt man whiche shewed well by reason of his polycy he ordered his bataylles thus All his hoost was in a maner as wynges his men comprised well a great myle of grounde and before the hoost to shewe a face redye in a bande an eyght thousande turkes the two wynges of the batayle were open a forefronte and narowe behynde and Lamorabaquy was in the herte of the batayle thus they rode all in couerte These eyght thousande Turkes were ordeyned to make a face and that as sone as they shulde se the crysten men a ê“che than they to recule lytell and lytell in to the herte of the batayle and than the two wynges whiche were open before the crysten men beyng ones entred bytwene theym to close togyther and ioyne in to one company and than to fyght with their enemyes This was the ordre of their batayle THus in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and syxtene the monday before the feest of saynt mychell about ten of the clocke as the kyng of Hungery sate at dyner at the siege of Nycopoly tydynges came to the hoost howe the turkes were comyng and the scoutes that came in shewed howe they had sene the turkes but their reporte was nat trewe for they had nat tydden so forwarde that they had auewed the two wynges nor the batayle behynde they had sene no mo but the fore ryders and bowarde for as soone as they had sene theym they retourned The same seasone the greatest parte of the host were at dyner Than tydynges was brought to the erle of Neuers and to all other ingenerall by their scurers who said Syrs arme you quyckly that ye be nat surprised for the turkes are comynge on you These tydynges greatly reioysed the crysten men suche as desyred to do dedes of armes Than euery man rose fro their dynners and put the tables fro them and demaunded for their harnesse and horses and they were well chafed before with drynkynge of wyne Than euery man drewe in to the felde baners and standerdes dysplayed euery man to his owne baner Than the baner of our lady was dysplayed therwith the valyaunt knyght sir Iohan of Vien admyrall of Fraunce and the frenche men were the fyrst that drewe in to the felde fresshely aparelled makynge small accompte of the turkes but they knewe nat that they were so great a nombre as they were nor that Lamorabaquy was there in his owne persone As these lordes of Fraunce were into the felde there came vnto theym the kynge of Hungeryes marshall in great hast who was a valyaunte knyght called Henry of Ostenlenyhall vpon a good horse with a penon of his armes of syluer a crosse sable ancored called in armure the yron of a mylstone Whan he came before the baner of our lady he stode styll and to the moste parte of the barones of Fraunce he sayd openly Syrs I am sent hyther to you fro the kynge of Hungery and he desireth you by me that ye sat nat on your enemyes vntyll suche tyme as ye haue worde agayne fro him for it ought to be doughted lest our scoutes haue nat brought the certaynte of the nombre of the turkes but within these two houres ye shall here other tydynges for we haue sent other foreryders forth to auewe our enemyes more substancially than the first dyd and syrs ye maye be sure the turkes shall
eâ—pedycionê he wrote letters to this sayde marchaunt of the isle of Sio for they knewe eche other to the entent to please the frenche kynge the duke of Burgoyne and the duches and other ladies in FrauÌ„ce suche as had their husbandes and frendes in prison in Turkey and in trust to be well rewarded for his good wyllâ— be wrote that what so euer ende was made for their redempcyon that he wolde be come â—ettour for the somme of money and that as soone as they were delyuered and come in to the power of the venyciens and that he might be certifyed therof that incontynent he wolde come hym selfe to Venyce and se the raunsomes payed and delyuered By these wordes written by syr Dyne of Responde the sayde marchaunt genouoye enclyned to his desyre and on the truste to be well rewarded of the frenche kynge for he thought to suche a kyng it was good to â—ay â—are And also as I was enfourmed the kynge of Cyper at the desyre of the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne he sente men of his specyciall counsayle in to Turkey And in lykewyse syr Mathelyn and the lorde of Damyne two great barones in Grece and in good fauoure with Lamorabaquy traueyled greatly to auaunce this treatie to th entent to do pleasure to the frenche kynge for without suche meanes the mater shulde neuer haue been brought aboute bycause Turkey is a great couÌ„trey and yuell for men to traueyle in that hath nat ben accustomed therto Whan Lamorabaquy was ones condyscended to entre in to this treatie than it was ordeyned by his counsayle that all the chrysten prisoners shulde be brought togyder in to the cytie of Burse and there to coÌ„clude their treatie So the prisoners were brought thyder who were in nombre a .xxv. but in their commynge thyder the turkes that brought them dyd yuell entreate theym and bete them forwarde for they were but casely horsed they coulde nat go but a pace the turkes â—ete them bycause they sawe they shulde de delyuered wherwith they were sore dyspleased WHan these knightê were thus brought in to the cytie of Burse in Turkey Than they that were sent thyder fro the Frenche kynge and fro the duke of Burgoyne fro the kynge of Cypers and fro the genouoys and venycyens receyued these prisoners geÌ„tylly so that they were more at their case than in the prisone that they were in before howe be it they were kept euer so strayte that they coulde nat haue the thyrde parte of their wylles Lamorabaquy moste specyally herde euer the soueraygne of Flaunders for syr Iaques of Helley hadde enfourmed hym howe he was one of the chyefe of counsayle with the duke of Burgoyne Lamorabaquy was in a Castell besyde Burse and thyther came the sayde messangers As laste it was a greed that these .xxv. prisoners shulde pay the soÌ„me of two hundred thousande ducates for the whiche soÌ„me the lordes of Mathelyn and Damyne in Grece and the marchaunt genouoy of Sio became dettours for the same and taryed in pledge with Lamorabaquy And the erle of Neuers sware and bouÌ„de him selfe to the sayd marchauntes that as sone as he came to Venyce nat to departe thens tyll the money were payed Thus concluded this treatie but or it was all concluded the erle of Ewe was so speke and feble by the alteracyon of the ayre and course meates that he dyed at Loge in Grece where he was kept prisoner wherof all his company were ryght sory but they coulde nat amende it Thus syr Phylyppe of Arthois erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce after he was deed was enbawmed and so brought in to Fraunce and buryed in the churche of saynt Laurence of Ewe Whan Lamorabaquy was contented with the marchaundes bondes for the det of the sayd soÌ„me the soueraygne of Flaunders and sir Iaques of Helley tooke their leaue to retourne in to Fraunce and Lamorabaquy was well contente therwith and ordeyned that these two knightes shuld haue of the soÌ„me that he shuld receyue twenty thousande ducates to be rebated of the hole some For this kyng Basaache consydered the payne and traueyle that they had endured and specyally the soueraygne of Flaunders was greatly in his fauour These two knyghtes thanked the kynge of his gyft than they toke their leaue of hym and afterwarde of the Frenche knyghtes and lordes Whan they were departed fro the kynge they came to the cytie of Burse and than departed and lefte the erle of Neuers and the lordes of Fraunce styll in the cytie of Burse for they taryed for the lordes of Mathelyn and Damine who shuld come thyder by see to receyue them in to their galees And these two knyghtes toke a galee passenger to sayle to Mathelyn At their departynge fro the porte the wether was fayre and temperate but whanne they were abrode in the see the wynde chaunged and had a marueylous great tempest so that the soueraigne of Flaunders by reason of sore traueyle in that tempest he fell sore sycke on the see and dyed or they came to Mathelyn wherof syr Iaques of Helley was â—ight sory but there was no remedy and so sayled forthe in a galee of Venyce and passed by Rodes and alwayes as he went he publysshed the redempcyon of the lordes of Fraunce wherof they of Rodes were ryght ioyfull At last this knyght came in to Fraunce and shewed the kynge and the other lordes and ladyes howe he had spedde wherof the kynge and other were right ioyfull and thanked the knyght of his traueyle and payne he had taken in that iourney WHan the redempcyon of these lordes and knyghtes of Fraunce was at apoynt than Lamorabaquy thought or they departed to haue them in his company and that they shulde be more at large and better entreated than they were before as it was reason sythe they were no lenger prisoners he thought they shulde se parte of his puyssaunce and state whiche was as it was shewed me marueylous great and sumptuous and kepte moche people dayly aboute hym Thus he sent of the noble men of his house to bring them to his presence to whom he made good chere and had euery thynge delyuered them of the ordinary of his courte acordynge to the vsage of the countrey and euery daye the kynge talked with the erle of Neuers by a truchman and greatly he honoured the erle of Neuers for he sawe well he was lyke to be a great man in Fraunce and sonne to a great lord wherof he was well enfourmed the whiche he founde true by reason of the great sute that was made for their redempcyon and by the great soÌ„me of money that they agreed to paye The erle of Neuers and his company had great marueyle of the great state that he kept he and his people laye euer in the felde for no towne coulde suffyce them The spence of his howseholde and charge of meate and drinke was marueyle to consydre fro whence it shulde come but that
Erle to abyde at Parys and to kepe there his house to pay for euery thyng that he or his men shulde take To this request the Frenche kynge and his vncles lightly agreed and shewed that they were right ioyfull of his cōmynge and said howe they were ryght sorie of the erles trouble These messangers returned to Calais and fouude the erle redy there The frēche kynge sent sir Charles of Hangers to open all the cyties and townes bytwene Calais and Paris to receyue therle and his cōpany Thus the erle of Derby departed fro Calays and toke the waye to Amyence and in euery place he was well receyued ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the lorde Guillyam erle of Ostrenaunt sente to his cosyn therle of Derby certayne messangers and howe therle came to Paris howe he was receyued Capi. CC.xxxi THe erle of Ostrenaūt beyng at Quesnoy assone as he knewe that his Cosyn the erle of Derby was passed the See and was come to Calais He ordayned sir Auncell of Trassagetes and sir Fierebras of Vertayne to ride to Calais and to desyre the erle of Derby to come in to Heynaulte to sporte hym and to abyde there a season promysynge hym to haue good chere These two knyghtes departed fro Quesnoy and rode to Cambrey and to Bapames for they herde newes that the erle was departed fro Calais and hadde taken the waye to Amayēce and so to go to Parys These two knyghtes mette hym by the waye They spake with hym and dyde their message so that the Erle thanked them and also his cosyn that had sent them to him and than he excused hym selfe and sayd howe he had made his prouisyon to go in to Fraunce as at that tyme to the Frenche kynge and to his cosyns of Fraunce but he wolde nat renounce the curtesy that his cosyn of Heynalt had shewed hym Than these two knightes departed and retourned and shewed therle of Ostrenaunt what they had sene and done And therle of Derby and his company rode so long that he aproched nere to Parys Whā the kyng and the duke of Orlyaunce and his vncles knewe that the erle of Derby came to Paris he prepared his chābers in his place of saynt Poule richely to receyue therle and caused all lordes to issue out of the cytie to receyue hym and the kyng taryed at the house of saynt Poule First mette hym the duke of Berrey and the duke of Orlyaūce and than the duke of Burgoyne and the duke of Burbon and other noble prelates lordes knightes At the metyng there was frendly chere and so in good order they entred in to Paris with great ioye The same daye one great mysfortune fell there was a squyer named Boniface mounted on a great coursar whiche horse rose vpright vpon his hynder fete and fell backewarde and the squyers hedde lyght vpon the stones that his hedde cloue a sonder and so dyed of whose dethe the duke of Orlyaunce was ryght sorie for he loued hym entierly and so dyde the lorde of Coucy in his dayes for he brought hym in to Frūce out of Lombardy THus they came to the house ofsaynt Poule where the kynge was who receyued the erle nobly and therle was sage and wyse and knewe moch of that parteyned to honour He made his reuerēce and acquaynted hym with the kynge after good maner so moche that he greatly pleased the kynge and for good loue he gaue the erle his deuyse to weare the whiche the erle receyued ioyfully The wordes that were bitwene them I can nat tell but all was well And after takyng of spyce and wyne the erle toke leaue of the kyng and than went to the quene in the same house and she made hym ioyouse chere Than after the erle departed and toke his horse to go to his lodgyng and so was conueyed thyder Thus passed the tyme and the lordes of Fraunce dyde often tymes kepe hym company and caused hym to passe the tyme with sportes and otherwyse to the entent he shulde thynke the season the shorter bycause he was out of his owne nacion ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of the erle of Derby and somwhat speke of the ordynaunce of the Churche of the two popes Benedic beyng at Auignon and Bonyface at Rome ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the treatie that had been at Reynes bitwene the Frenche kyng and the kyng of Almaygne concernyng the vnyte of the churche was folowed And howe the bysshoppe of Cābrey was sent by the sayd kynge to Rome and to Auygnon to thē that wrote them selfe popes to th ētent that they shulde depose thēselfe fro their papalytes and submyt thē to the order of these two kynges Capi. CC .xxxii. YE haue herde here before howe that kyng of Almaȳne and the kyng of Fraunce the lordes of thempire and their coūsails had ben at the cytie of Reynes and there they had dyuers secrete counsayls and their entencion was to bring the churche in to a parfyte vnite for to folowe the way that the churche helde as than The errour was to great And also ye haue herde howe mayster Peter de Ailly bysshoppe of Cambrey was sent in legacion to Rome to speke with pope Boniface he spedde hym so in his iourney that he came to Foūdes and there foūde pope Boniface and to hym he delyuered his letters of credence dyrected fro the kynges of Almaygne and of Fraunce The pope receyued them and the bysshoppe right mekelye The pope knewe well parte of his message Than the bysshoppe declared the cause of his cōmynge Whan the pope hadde well herde hym he sayde Howe the answere laye nat all onely in hym but also in all the cardy nalles that had chosen hym pope but he said whan he hadde spoken with them by delyberate counsayle than he wolde make suche answere that he trusted to content them This aunswere was suffycient for that tyme. The bysshoppe dyned that daye in the popes palyce and certayne Cardynalles with hym Than after the pope departed fro Foundes and went to Rome and there the pope assembled a conuocacion of the cardynalles in his palyce besyde saynt Peters churche In this consistorie there were none but the pope and his cardynalles And there the pope shewed the request that the kynge of Almaygne and the Frenche kyng had made hym by the bysshoppe of Cambrey there he demaunded coūsaile what answere he shuld make there were than̄e many reasons alleged for it semed right contrary to the cardinalles to put downe that they hadde made they sayde it shulde be greatly to their shame and rebuke Than they said to the pope Holy father to cause these kynges to be in a good hope that ye wyll obey to the ye must sōwhat dissymule y◠mater and saye howe ye wyll gladly obey to all thynge that the kynge of Almaygne the kyng of Hungry and the kyng of Englande wyll counsayle you vnto So that he that is in Auignon who writeth hym selfe pope Benedic whom the Frenche kyng
for kynge Rycharde was norysshed amonge them therfore they loued hym and whyle he was kynge if any of Burdeloys came to hym they were well receyued and alwayes the kinge was redy to fulfyll their desyres wherfore they sayd whan they knewe the trouth Ah Richarde gentle kyng ye were as noble a man as euer reigned in any realme this trouble that londoners haue caused for they coulde neuer loue you specyall sythe ye were alyed by maryage with the frenche kyng this myschiefe is so great that we can nat suffre it They haue holden you kynge this .xxii. yere and nowe to condempe you to the dethe for sythe ye be in prison haue crowned the duke of Lancastre they wyll surely put you to deth So they of Burdeloys made great lamentacyons in so moche that the seneschall of Burdeaux a ryght valyaunt knyght of Englande wrote letters therin conteynynge the wordes and lamentacyons of them of the cytie of Burdeaulx of Bayon and of Dax Also he wrote howe they were nere at the poynte to yelde vp their townes to the frenche kyng He sent this lettre by a trusty seruauÌ„t of his by the see who had good wynde and aryued at Cornewayle in EnglaÌ„de and than he rode so longe that he came to London there he fouÌ„de kynge Henry and delyuered his letters whiche were dyrected to the kynge and to the londoners They were opened and reed and the kynge and the londoners tooke counsayle vpon that mater They of London aunswered lyke theym that were nothyng abasshed of that tydynges but sayde as for these townes wyll neuer tourne frenche for they can nat lyue in their daunger nor they canne nat suffre the extorcion and pollinge of the frenchmen for vnder vs they lyue franke and free and if the frenche men shulde be lordes ouer them they shulde be taxed and tayled retayled two or thre tymes in a yere the whiche they are nat nowe acustomed vnto whiche shulde be a harde thyng nowe for them to begynne Also these thre cyties are closed in rouÌ„de about with great lordes who are good englysshe and longe haue been as the lorde Pyuiers the lorde Musydent the lorde Duras the lorde Landuras the lorde Copane the lorde Rosem the lorde Logeren and dyuers other barones and knyghtes by whome they shulde haue warre at their handes for they shulde nat issue out of their cities but they shulde be taken For all the seneschalles wrytynge we haue no doute that they shulde become frenche howe be it good it is to sende thyder some valyaunt wyse man that is beloued amonge theym some suche as hath gouerned there or this and that is the lorde Thomas Percy Thus as it was deuysed it was acomplysshed he was desyred to go thyder and to take hede of that couÌ„trey He fulfylled the kynges coÌ„maundement and made hym redy to departe it was about Christmasse at whiche tyme the wyndes be sore and ieoperdous he toke shyppynge in Cornewayle He had with him two hundred men of armes and four hundred archers And with hym was his nephue Hugh Hastynges Thomas Colleuyll Gyllyam Lysle Iohan Graily bastarde sonne to the Captall of Beufz Guillyam Traicton Iohan Danbreticourt and diuers other and also the bysshop of London and mayster Rycharde Doall They taryed tyll it was mydde Marche or they toke the see and or they came to Burdeaux the duke of Burbon was come to the cytie of Dagen to treate with theym of Burdeloys and he dyd so moche by his fayre wordes and good assuraunce that the counsayles of Burdeaux of Bayon and of Dax were sent to the cytie of Dagen The duke receyued them frendly and gaue them fayre wordes and many promyses and shewed them that if they wolde turne frenche and be vnder the obeysaunce of the frenche kynge what so euer they wolde demaunde shulde be graunted them and sealed perpetually to endure Many thynges they promysed and sware to seale and to kepe for euer They aunswered whan they were retourned agayne in to their cyties they wolde shewe all this to the people and so take counsayle and than gyue answere Thus they departed fro Dagen and fro the duke of Burbon and retourned to their townes and shewed all this to the people but all tourned to nothynge for the comynaltyes of the sayde cyties consydred the busynesse and knewe well howe the realme of Fraunce was vexed and troubled with tayles and fowages and shamfull exaccions all to get money than they sayd if the frenche men gouerne ouer vs they wyll bringe vs to the same vsage yet it is better for vs to be englysshe for they kepe vs franke and free If the londoners haue deposed kynge Rycharde crowned kinge Henry what is that to vs we haue and shall haue alwayes a kynge and we vnderstande that the bysshop of London and syr Thomas Percy shortely wyll be here they shall enfourme vs of the trouthe we haue also more marchaundyse of woll wyne and clothe with the Englysshe men than with the frenchmen let vs be ware we make no treatie wherby we shulde repent vs after Thus the treatie with the frenche men was broken and lefte of Than anone after the bysshop of London and the lorde Percy with their charge of men of warre aryued at Burdeaux wherof moche people were greatly reioysed and some displeased suche as had rather haue been frenche than englysshe All these englysshe lordes were lodged togyther in the abbey of saint Andrewe and whan they sawe their tyme they shewed to the people the state of Englande and the cause why they were sent thyder and they dyd so moche that euery thynge was apeased bothe there and in all other places For harde it was to haue caused them to haue tourned frenche THan it was determyned by the counsayle of Fraunce sithe the kyng was in sycknesse by reason of the displeasure that he toke for the deposyng of his sonne in lawe kynge Rycharde that they shulde sende some notable wyse personage in to Englande to knowe the state of the quene to do this message was apoynted syr Charles de la Brethe and Charles of Hangers who as they were coÌ„maunded departed fro Parys and came to Boloygne and there taryed for they had sent an haraulde to kynge Henry for without assurauÌ„ce they durst nat go for all the truce that was bytwene bothe realmes Kynge Henry who thought hym selfe moche bounde to the Frenche kynge for the chere that he hadde in Fraunce toke counsayle and concluded and so the haraulde was answered that it was the kynges pleasure that they and their company shulde come in to Englande and to come the streyght way to the kyng and nat to ryde out of the way without lycence The haraulde retourned to Boloyne and shewed what he had done wherwith they were content and so shypped their horses and toke the see and aryued at Douer where they founde redy a knyght of the kynges howse â—oho receyued theym they had sene hym before with kyng
refused by vs. For surely sir all suche wordes as ye haue said we dyde speke them A goddes name quod the admyrall let me ones se theÌ„ And so anon after therle Dugles and other barons of ScotlaÌ„de brought thadmyrall vnto a highe mountayne and vnder the hyll there was a passage wherby theÌ„glysshe host must passe on this hyll was thadmyrall with diuers knightê of FrauÌ„ce in his company And there clerely they sawe the Englysshe men and all their puissaunce and ther they nombred them as nere as they coude to be a sire thousande men of armes threscore thousande archers and other Than all thynges coÌ„sydred they sayd howe they were nat of puyssaunce suffycient to fight with the Englysshemen for they passed nat a thousande speares a .xxx. thousande of all other men and but yuell armed Than the admyrall sayd to the etle Duglas and to therle Morette Sirs ye saye but good reason thoughe ye haue no wyll to fight with the Englisshe men Therfore aduyse you what ye wyll do they are stronge ynoughe to ouer ryde all your countrey and to distroy it And sithe ye maye nat fight with them I pray you bring me throughe your countre by some priuye waye in to Englande if it maye be and we shall make them warre in some other parte as they do to vs here Sir ê™ the barones that shall we well do for we knowe dyuers wayes TO thus the admyrall and the barones of Scotlande determyned to forsake Scotlande and to lette the Englyssh men alone and to go entre into Wales and to go to the cytie of Carlyle and there to reuenge them So they lefte the Englysshe men and toke the forestes and mountayns and as they rode throughe out Scotlande they distroyed all as they wente and brent townes vyllages and maners and caused all the men women chyldren of the couÌ„tre to driue all their catayle and to go into that wylde forestes for they knewe well the Englisshe men wolde nat folowe them thyder And the kynge of Scottes wente in to the wylde scottysshe bicause he wes nat iÌ„ good poynt to ryde a warfare and they he taryed all the warre durynge and lette his men alone So the Frenche men and Scottes passed the highe mountayns bytwene NorthumberlaÌ„de and Scotlande and entred in to the lande of Wales and began to brenne villages and dyd moche hurte in the Mombrayes landes And the erle of Notyngham the erle of Stafforde and the barone of Grasoppe and the Mosgrâ—ues landes and so they toke the waye to the cytie of Carlyle ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande toke EdeÌ„borowe the chefe cytie of Scotlande and howe the duke of Lancastre was in purpose to retourne in to wales to close in the frenchmen and scottes and what the frenche men the scottes dyde in the sayd countre Cap. xiiii THe admyrall of FrauÌ„ce was the erle of Graunt Pre and the lorde of saynt Croix sir Geffray of Charney ser Wyl lyam de Brume sir Iames of Boesme the lorde of Pegny the lorde of Hee s the lorde of Marnell sir Valeran of Rauenall the barone Dâ—â—ery the barone of Fountayns the lorde of Croye sir Brake of Braquemont the lorde of Landury and well a thousande speres of barons knightes of Fraunce And so they and the lordes of Scotlande rode in NorthuÌ„berlande bytwene the mountayns on the fronters of Wales brennyng townes maners and countrees And the kyng of Englande and his vncles with barons and knightes of EnglaÌ„de and their companyes entred in to Scotlande and brent and exyled on their parte And so the kyng came and lodged in Edenborowe the chefe towne in all Scotlande and there taryed fyue dayes and at his departyng it was set a fyre brent vp clene but the castell had no hurt for it was stronge ynough and well kept Whyle the kyng lay at Edenborowe thenglysshmen rode abrode in the countre and dyd moche hurt but they fouÌ„de nother man nor beest abrode for all was withdrawen in to the forestes In the Englysshe hoost were mo than a huÌ„dred thousaÌ„de men and well as many horse wherof they had nede of great prouisyon and they fouÌ„de none in Scotlande but out of Englande there caÌ„e to theÌ„ great plentie bothe by lande and by see Than the kyng departed fro EdeÌ„borowe and rode towarde Estruleyn a good towne wherin there was a great abbey of blacke monkes and moost coÌ„menly the kynges of Scotlande are there buryed The kyng lay in the abbey at their deê‘tyng abbey all was brent Than they passed the ryuer of Taxe whiche ronneth to saint IohnÌ„s towne at the castell of Strulyn there was a great assaute but it wolde nat be wonne yet the towne and all the landes of the lorde Vercy they brent THe entent of the duke of Lancastre and of his bretherne was to passe through Scotlande and to pursue the scottes and frenche men for they knew well they were gone the waye to Wales to go to Carlyle And so they thought to enclose theÌ„ bytwene Englande and Scotlande and to fight with them at their aduauntage This purpose they thought veryly to holde Thenglysshe men spredde abrode in ScotlaÌ„de there was no resystence agaynst theÌ„ for the countre was voyde of all men of warre they were gone in to Englande with the admyrall of Fraunce And so there the Englysshmen brent the towne of saynt IohnÌ„s where as the ryuer of Taxe rynneth and there is a good hauen to sayle thens ouer all the worlde and after they brent the towne of Donde The Englyssh men spared nother abbeys nor minsters but set all on fyre And so they of the vowarde ran to Bredan whiche is a cytie on the see syde It is on thentre of the wylde scottysshe but they dyd no hurte therto howe be it they of the countrey were right sore afrayed They of that cytie thought to haue assaute for they feared leest the kynge of Englande wolde haue come thyder and haue ouer ron all that countre THus in lykewise as the Englysshemen dyde in Scotlande so dyd the frenche men and scottes in Englande in the marchesse of Northumberlande and Wales they brent a great countre as they went out of Northumberlande and entred in to Wales whiche was otherwise called Wynslande and passed by the landes of the lordes of Graystocke and Clyfforde and brent in their voyage dyuers great villages for they were no men of warre in that couÌ„tre as than for they were all with the kyng So they came to the cyte of Catlyle in Wales whiche was well closed with gatê walles dykes It was a place that of auncyent tyme kynge Arthure loued rightwell bycause that there were great woodes and many dedes of armes there was done There laye in Carlyle in garison sir Lewes Clyfforde brother to sir WyllmÌ„ Neuell and with hym sir ThomÌ„s Mosgraue and Dauy Holgraue his sonne and sir Dongorsse and dyuers other of the marchesse and fronters of Wales for the
henedeth nat to tary here for any warre that is apatente for as for Galice the recouery therof shall be but a small mater for vs. Thus they of the kynges counsayle comuned eche with other and further they said If we ones receyue these people they must be payed of their wages if nat they will pyll and robbe all the realme for the comon people all redy begynneth to complayne therfore we thynke it were best to gyue theÌ„ an honest congy to departe This counsayle was vpholden and the kynge well consented there to for he sawe well it was the most proftye for his people and realme for they coulde take no hurte but it shulde be to his domage and preiudice So that one daye in the kynges presence the archebysshop of Burgus to the duke of Burbon before many of the knightes of Fraunce shewed and declared to theym their ententes as ye haue herde before And the duke of Burbon and dyuers other knyghtes of Fraunce who had rather retourne than to a byde there for the countrey was nat mete for their complerions were well contente to retourne and prepared themselfe thervpon and bycause the duke of Burbone was laste that came he retourned first and toke his leaue of the kynge and said howe he wolde returne by the realme of Nauerre There were great gyftes gyuen him or he departed and might haue had more if he wolde haue taken it but he refused euery thynge except mules and mulâ—tteâ— and dogges of Spayne Than it was publisshed that all frenchmen might at their pleasure departe out of Spayne and retourne in to Fraunce but there taryed styll sir Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Spayne and the marshals and a thre hundred speares of bretons poicteuyns and xayngtons Thus the duke of Burbone returned Whan he had taken his congy of the kynge and the quene and of other lordes of Castyle he was conueyed to Groyne and so in to Nauarre And where so euer he came he was welcome and well receyued for the duke of Burbone was gracyous curteyse honorable and well renomed And the kynge of Nauer receyued him louyngly and neuer shewed any maner of yuell wyll towardes the frenche kynge in that he had taken a way fro him his enherytauÌ„ce of the countye of Eureur in Normandy for he sawe well the frenche kyng that was as than nephewe to the duke of Burbon was in no defaute therof for whaÌ„ it was done he was but yonge But swetely he shewed the duke all his busynesse desyringe hym to be a good meane bytwene hym and his cosyn the frenche kynge The duke promysed hym so to be Than the duke departed and passed thorough the realme of Nauer peasably and all other suche as wolde passe and thus they passed the mountayns of Rouseaulx all alonge the countrey of Bastelles and so entred in to Bierne and in to Saluaterra ¶ Howe therle of Foize receyued honourably the duke of Burbon and of the great giftes that he gaue him and how sir willyam of Lygnac and sir Gaultier of Passackes coÌ„pany departed out of Spayne and of the incydent that fortuned in the towne of saynt Phagon Cap. C.viii. WHan the Erle of Foyz beynge at Ortays vnderstode that the duke of Burbon was at Saluaterra he was glad therof and sente for his knightê to be aboute him And on a day in great araye he rode with a fyue hundred knyghtes and squyers two leages out of Ortays and mette with the duke of Burbon who in lykewyse rode with a great rout of knyghtes and squiers and there they met amyably as great prynces ought to do And whan they had comuned togyther a certayne space as it was shewed me whan I was at Ortays The erle of Foize drewe hym a parte in the felde with all his company and the duke abode styll in a nother parte Than the Erle sente to the duke thre knyghtes named syr Espayne de Lyon sir Peter Capestan and sir Menaunt of Nowalles And whan they came before the duke they sayd Sir here is a present that my lorde the erle of Foiz hath sent to you at your returnynge out of Spayne for he knoweth well ye haue been at great dyspence Therfore syr he dothe gyue you at your entring in to his countrey of Bierne eyght thousande frankes and this mulette and two coursers and two palfreys Syrs quod the duke I thanke the erle of Foyze But as for the floreyns I wyll take none as for the other presente I wyll receyue them with a good wyll thus the florens were refused and the Mules and horses receyued Than the erle of Foyz came to the duke and brought hym in to the towne of Ortays and lodged him in his owne place all other were lodged in the towne the duke was thre dayes in Ortays and had great there with dyners and suppers And there the Erle of Foize shewed the duke a great parte of his estate On the fourthe daye the duke departed and the erle gaue to the knightes and squiers great gyftes As it was shewed me the comynge thyder of the duke of Burbon coste the erle of Foize ten thousande frankes Thus the duke departed and went in to Fraunce and rode by Mountpelyer by the cytie of Puy and by the countye of Forestes wherof he was lorde by the lady his wyfe FOr all the departyng of the duke of Burben as ye haue herde out of Spayne sir Willyam Lignac and sir Gaultier of Passac departed nat so soone nor the companyes to the nombre of a thre thousande speares and syre thousande of other men of warre and lytell and lytell euer they departed They were many out of wages and wery of the warres and so retourned yuell horsed and yuell aparelled all to torne and ragged The metynge with suche people was nothynge profytable for they vnhorsed whome soeuer they met and made warre to all marchauÌ„tes and to men of the churche and to poore people of the countre where any thinge was to gette These rutters sayde howe the warre had vndone them and howe the kynge of Castyle hadde yuell payed theym their wages wherfore they sayde they wolde pay themselfe And surely suche cyties castels and good townes as were nat stronge in Castyle douted them greatly and agaynst them townes and cyties closed their gates for feare of parels for all was hauocke with them without it were well defended Suche knightes and squyers as came by the erle of Foyze to se hym were well receyued and had gyftes and rewardes gyuen them ryght largely As it was shewed the comyng and retournynge of men of warre that passed by therle of Foize for the sayd iourney coste hym the some of .xl. thousande frankes THis season there fell an incydent in the towne of saynt Phagon in Spaygne after the departynge of the duke of Burbone the whiche coste fyue hundred mennes lyues So it was that whan sir Gaultier of Passar and sir Willyam of Lignac entred firste in to Spayne
be nat delyuered fro the companyons There is as yet the garyson of Lourde where as Peter Arnaulte kepeth vnder the kynge of Englande And also the garyson of Bounteuyll whiche is kepte by sir Iohan of Granley sonne to the Captall of Buse And thoughe it be so that as nowe we haue peace with the erle of Foiz yet it is good to doubte hym for he is cruell and hastye his thought is vnknowen therfore it is good that our landes be nat dyspurueyed Wherfore Brother for these causes other ye shall retourne home and ye shalle here often fro me and I fro you Sir Bernarde lightlye agreed to this purpose The deuyse semed good to hym Nor also he had no great affeccyon to go forthe in that iournay Than at his departynge the erle his brother sayde to hym Brother in youre retournyng ye shall go to our cosyn Raymonde of Thourayne who holdeth lande of the pope in the countie of Venus and maketh warre agaynst hym and my cosyn hath maryed his doughter to the prince of Orenge and shewe hym howe I am desyred of the pope to requyre hym to go with me in this voyage and I shall make hym my companyon in euery thynge and I shall tary for hym at the cytie of Gappe bytwene the mountayns Sir quod Bernarde I shall do your message Thus the two bretherne departed a sondre in the felde and neuer mette to guyder agayne after The erle of Armynake toke the waye to the cytie of Gappe in the lande of Ganos And Bernarde his brother went to the castell of Bolongne where sir Raymonde of Thouraygne was who receyued his cosyn ioyously Than sir Bernarde shewed hym the message that he had to saye fro his brother the erle of Armynacke with as fayre wordes as he coulde deuyse the rather therby to enclyne hym therto Than sir Raymonde aunswered and layd Fayre cosyn or your brother the erle of Armynake be entred farre in to LoÌ„bardy and hath besieged any towne I shall folowe hym but as yet it is to soone for me and my men to go forwarde Write vnto your brother my cosyn that aboute the moneth of Maye I shall folowe hym by the tyme I trust to haue an ende of the war betwene myne vncle pope Clement and the cardinals at Auignon me who as yet wyll do me no ryght and kepeth awaye fro me ê‘force that myne vncle pope Gregorie gaue me they wene to wery me but they shall nat They desyre knyghtes and squyers and gyueth theym pardons to make warre agaynst me but they haue no lyst therto For I canne haue mo men of warre for a thousande Floreyns in one daye than they can haue for all their absolucions in seuyn yere Fayre cosyn quod sir Bernarde that is trewe Kepe on your purpose I wolde nat counsayle you otherwyse And as ye haue aunswered me so shall I write to my brother therle of Armynake So be it quod sir Raymonde Thus they were toguyder all a hole daye ThanÌ„e sir Bernarde departed and passed the ryuer of Rosne at the bridge Saynt Espyrite and so retourned in to Query and in to Rouergue by the mountayns and so came thyder as he wolde be and lefte the erle of Armynake his brother alone with his warre against the duke of Myllayne erle of Vertues Or he departed fro Bolonge he wrote to his brother all the newes that he knewe and the answere of sir Raymonde of Thourayne The erle of Armynake receyued the letters in the waye goyng to the cytie of Gappe He redde the letters and so passed forthe and made no great force of the matter WE wyll contynue to speke of the yonge erle of Armynacke and shewe his feate or I speke of any other mater And thus I say The good loue and great affection that he had to conforte his suster brother in lawe her husbande whom the erle of Vertues who called hym selfe lorde of Myllaygne falsely disheryted withoute cause or tytellâ— caused the erle ioyously to passe in his iourney as farre as Pyemount in Lombardy There was two great reasons that caused the erle of Armynake to assemble and to make that iourney at that tyme. The fyrste was that the realme of Fraunce therby was clene rydde of the routes of these companyons that hadde done moche hurte in the reaime and therby the countreys better assured than they were before The seconde reason was to ayde his suster for he had great pytie that she and her husbande shulde lese their herytage wherby they shulde lyue and maynteyne their estate and for these consyderacions he toke on hym this enterprice The capitayns of the companyons sayde one to another Lette vs ryde forthe merily agaynst these lombardê we haue a good quarell and a inste tytell and we haue a good capitayne wherby our warre shal be moche the better And also we shall go in to the best countrey of all the worlde for Lombardy receyueth fro all costes the fatnesse of the worlde and the e lombardes be naturally euer riche and cowardes We shall attayne agaynst theym moche profyte There is none of vs that be capitayns but that shall retourne so ryche that we shall neuer nede to make warre more agaynst any man Thus the companyons de used one with another and whan they came in to a plentuous countrey there they wolde tary a season to refresshe them and their horses In the same season the good abueÌ„turous fought of Englande sir Iohan Hacton was in the marchesse of FloreÌ„ce and made warre agaynst the floreÌ„tyns in the quarell of pope Bonyface of Rome for they were rebell agaynst the popes coÌ„maundement and so were also the Perusyns The erle of Armynake thought that if he might get this Englysshe knyght to take parte with hym he shulde haue a great treasure of hym bycause of his wysedome valyauntnesse The erle wrote to hym signyfieng hym all the hole mater of his enterprice desyringe hym of his ayde Whiche letter was sente by a discrete person to sir Iohan Hacton beyng in the marchesse of Florence and had a two thousande fyghtynge men He receyued the letter and redde it And whan he hadde well vnderstande all the substaunce therof he was ryght ioyfull and aunswered and sayde That his owne warre ones atchyued he wolde do nothyng after tyll he were in the company of the erle of Armynake The messanger sayde Sir ye saye well I requyre you write your mynde to my lorde the erle of Armynake he wyll the better beleue it With ryght a good wyll sir quod the knight it is reason that I so do Than the Englysshe knyght wrote and delyuered the letter to the messangere who retourned and came agayne to his lorde and founde hym as than in the marchesse of Pyneroll where was gret treatie bitwene hym and the Marques of Salues who shulde be alyed with hym to ayde him in his warre agaynst the duke of Myllayne erle of Vertues THe tidynges that the erle of
at Colbridge and at Bruselles in the house of duke Wyncelante of Brabant and of the duchesse Iahan of Brabant this knyght sir Rycharde Sury made me good chere and demaunded of me many thynges and I aunswered hym as I knewe And as I walked vp and downe with hym in a galery before the kynges chambre I demauÌ„ded hym questyons of that counsayle and desyred hym to tell me if he myght what conclusion was taken He herde me well and paused a lytell and afterwarde sayd syr Iohan I shall shewe you for it is no mater to be hydden and kept secrete for shortly ye shall here theym publysshed all openly ye knowe well quod he and Iame sure ye haue herde rehersed howe the duke of Lancastre is gone in to Acquytayne to reioyce the gyftâ— that the kynge my soueraygne lorde hath gyuen hym for the loue that he hathe to hym for he hath doone the kynge ryght good seruyce and the crowne of Englande therfore in rewarde the kynge hathe clerely gyuen to hym and to his heyres for euer the hole duchy of Acquitayne so as it eâ—tendeth in metes and lymytacyons seneschalles baylyages sygnories and wasselages and clene quyteth all them that holde of hym by faythe or othe and in all homage the resorte reserued more the kynge hath reserued to the crowne of Englande in tyme to come And this gyfte is so sufficyently confermed that all the kynges other vncles and all the counsayle of Englande hath acorded ther to and the kynge hathe gyuen specyall commaundement to all his subgiettes in the sayd lymytacyons of Acquytayne to obey in all poyntes without any othermeane his dere and well beloued vncle duke Iohan of Lancastre and after the syght of his letters to holde and to take hym to their souerayne lorde and to swere to hym faythe and homage and to holde of hym truely as they haue auncyently done and helde at the date of those letters gyuen by the kyng of Englande or his deputies or coÌ„myssioners And who soeuer that rebelleth or speketh agaynst this the kynges grauÌ„t of what condycyon so euer he be to aunswere therto within thre dayes The kynge gaue to his vncle of Lancastre and to his commyssioners full power and puyssaunce to correcte them and to put them out of all hope to haue any other retourne or resorte yet nat withstandynge all these letters and strayte coÌ„maundement of the kynge the good townes and cyties of Gascoyne vnder the kynge of Englandes obeysauÌ„ce and all other lordes knyghtes and gentlemen of the countrey are conioyned togyther to kepe their townes close agaynste the duke and wyll nat nor are nat in mynde to obey the duke in this case for they say and haue sayd and yet susteyne at this houre that the gyfte that the kynge hath gyuen to his vncle of Lancastre is nat suffycient nor profytable and out of the ordre of reason And that duke who wolde nat wynne theym but by gentylnesse herde pacyently their defences and that no further inconuenyentes shulde ensue therfore his counsayle and their counsayles are come hyther to debate and to declare the cause why they do nat obey the kynges coÌ„maundement And surely as this day they haue right wysely shewed their answere and layde forth certayne artycles of reason and they haue ben well herde And they haue layde suche reasons that in a maner the kynge and his counsayle thynke they haue cause to abyde by their quarell I shall shewe you howe but I wolde ye kept it secrete tyll it be knowen further abrod And I aunswered I wolde so do Well quod the knyght one as me thought was offyciall of Burdeaux spake for all his partie and first shewed forthe his procutacyon and auctorite to the entent he myght the better be beleued and than beganne and sayde that the cytie of Burdeaux and the cyties of Bayon and Dax and all the sygnories and lorshyppes that be appendaunt to the lymyttes of the sayd countreys and cyties are of so noble condycyon that no kyng of Englande by no maner of accyon or dede may put awaye or dysceuer them fro the demayns of the crowne of Englande nor to gyue or alyenate them to chylde vncle nor brother by reasone of maryage or otherwise and to veryfie this we say that the aboue named townes cyties and sygnories are suffyciently priueleged by kynges of Englande who haue sworne faythfully to holde and to kepe vs so without reuocasyon For as soone as any Kynge of Englande entreth in to the possessyon of the herytage of the Crowne of Englande he swereth sufficiently on the euangelystes to holde this ferme and stable without breakynge and ye ryght dere syr as kyng of Englande haue made lyke othe And syr to veryfie this to be of trouth beholde here these writynges And ther with he shewed forth letters and charters vnder the sygnes of notaryes imperyalles and sealed with the great seale of Englande gyuen by the same kynge Rycharde there beynge present and there openly he redde it frome clause to clause The charter was well herde and vnderstande for it was bothe in laten and in Frenche and it named in the ende many wytnesses of prelates and great lordes of Englande who were for the more suretie testes of that dede at the leste to the nombre of .xi. Whanne the kynges counsayle herde this they behelde eche other and loked on the kynge There was no man spake a worde nor made no replycacion whan he had redde it ouer he folded it and put it vp and spake further addressynge his wordes to the kynge and sayde Ryght dere syr and redouted soueraygne lorde and you my ryght dere lordes and other at my departynge out of the countrey I was charged to shewe you by the counsaylours of the good Cyties and townes of Gascoyne beynge vnder the obeysaunce of the crowne of Englande hath well ouer sene the fourme and maner of your commauÌ„dement sent vnto them vnder your seale whiche they knewe right well yet they thinke and say that this coÌ„maundement may nat be obeyed for if so were that the cyties and good townes of Guyen wolde enclyne to receyue the duke of Lancastre to their lorde and acquyte for euer the homage and obeysaunce that they owe to you it shulde be greatly to the preiudyce of the crowne of Englande for thoughe it were so that at this tyme presente the duke of Lancastre is the kynges vncle and subgiet and well beloued and wolde holde and kepe all poyntes and artycles belongyng to the crowne of Englande yet it maye so hap that suche loue and tenure may lyghtly be lost by chaunge of heyres by reason of maryages that are made bytwene lordes and ladyes in chaungynge fro one to another though they be nere of lygnage by dyspensacyon of the pope for sometyme it is of necessyte that maryages be made of hyghe Princes or of their chyldren one with another to holde their landes and sygnories in loue and amyte And so it myght fall that suche
season with hym The erle acorded to their counsayle and whan he was redy he wente to Parys to the kynge as he was acustomed to do for euer whan he came there was no dore closed agaynst him At this last tyme he spake wysely to the kynge and shewed hym howe he wolde go and sporte hym a season in Bretayne and to se the duke whome he called his vncle for he had had to his wyfe his fathers suster doughter to Kynge Edwarde The frenche kynge thought nothyng but well and so gaue hym lyghtly leaue Than the erle desyred to haue conducte to bringe hym thyder He graunted his desyre So to make shorte the Erle ordeyned all his busynesse by great wysdome and toke his leaue of all the lordes of Fraunce suche as were there as than and he gaue great gyftes to the kynges offycers and to offycers of armes and to mynstrelles and in the howse of Clysson he made a supper to all suche as wolde come to hym And the nexte daye he toke his horse and departed fro Parys and issued out at the gate of saynt Iaques and toke the way to Estampes A knight of Beawsey dyd guyde hym called syr Guy of Baygneux So longe they rode that they came to Blois and there they taryed an .viii. dayes for the erle had sente a knyght and his haraulde in to Bretayne to sygnyfie the duke of his cōmynge as reason was WHan duke Iohan of Bretaygne knewe that his nephewe the erle of Derby was cōmynge thyder he was therof ryght ioyfull for he loued alwayes the Duke of Lancastre and all his bretherne and sayde to the knight that brought him worde who was called Gillyam de la Pierre Sir why dothe our nephewe tary by the way that he cometh nat hyther streyght The knyght excused the erle as well as he myght Well quod the duke I sawe no man this seuen yere that I wolde be gladder to se than my nephewe the erle of Derby retourne to hym cause hym to come for he shall fynde my countrey redy open to receyue hym Of that aunswere the knyght was gladde and retourned as shortely as he coulde and came to Bloys and shewed the erle and his counsayle the dukes aunswere The next day they rode forthe and had payed for euery thynge and in the erle of Derbyes company was syr Peter of Craon who was banysshed out of the realme of Fraunce and all his castelles rentes and reuenues seased for the sōme of a hundred thousande frankes iudged to the duchesse of Aniou quene of Napoles by proces of the lawe Thus the erle of Derby came to Nauntes and there founde the duke who receyued him nobly and all his company Than syr Guy le Bayneux retourned in to Fraunce and the erle taryed with the Duke of Bretaygne who made hym as good chere as coulde be deuysed And all this seasone the bysshoppe of Caunterbury was styll with the erle and his coūsayle The duke spared nothynge vpon the erle nor vpon his men but shewed them all the loue of the worlde and yet the duke knewe well the dyspleasure that kynge Rycharde had agaynste the erle wherof he had pytie Whan the erle consydred the dukes good wyll and fauoure he dyscouered to hym parte of his busynesse as touchynge the duchy of Lancastre and suche herytages as the duke his father had in possessyon whan he dyed and desyringe therin to haue the dukes counsayle sayenge that he was nat repealed agayne by the kynge but gyueth dayly away parte of his enherytaunces wherby he shewed the duke that many noble men and prelates in Englande were nat well contente with the kynge and the realme therby in great dyfference In so moche that dyuers noble men and the londoners had sent to hym to haue hym to come in to Englande promysynge that they wolde make his peace with the kynge and set hym in his herytage Whan the duke herde that he sayd Fayre nephue where as be many wayes the best ought to be chosen By the kynge ye are in a harde case ye demaunde counsayle and I wyll counsayle you to gyue credence to your frendes in Englande the londoners are myghty and puyssaunt they and by the ayde of other prelates lordes and knyghtes of the realme shall bringe the kynge to agre to their desyres and nephewe I shall ayde you with spyppes and with men of warre to resyste the daungers vpon the see Of that offre the erle thanked the duke of Bretayne ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby aryued in Englande and howe he was receyued of the londoners Cap. CC.xl. THus the duke of Bretaygne and the erle of Derby were louyngely concluded togyder and the erle taryed there a certayne space made as though he wold haue taryed styll there and in the meane seasone the erle made his prouysyon at Wannes And whan all thynge was redy the duke and the erle came thyder and whan the wynd serued the erle of Derby and his company tooke the see he had with hym thre shyppes of warre to conducte hym in to Englande and the further they sayled the better wynde they had so that within two dayes and two nyghtes they aryed at Plūmouth in Englande and issued out of their shyppes and entred in to the towne lytell and lytell the bayly of Plūmouthe who had charge of the towne vnder the kynge had great marueyle whanne he sawe so moche people and men of warre entre in to the towne But the bysshop of Caunterbury apeased him and sayd howe they were menne of warre that wolde do no harme in the realme of Englande sent thyder by the duke of Bretaygne to serue the kynge and the realme Therwith the bayly was contente and the erle of Derby kept hym selfe so priuy in a chaumbre that none of the towne knewe hym Than the bysshoppe of Caunterbury wrote letters sygned with his hande to London sygnyfienge the cōmynge of the erle of Derby and sente them by a suffycyent man in post who tooke fresshe horses by the waye and came to London the same daye at night and passed ouer the bridge and so came to the mayres lodgynge who as than was a bedde and as sone as the mayre knewe that a messāger was come fro the bysshop of Caunterbury he rose out of his bedde and made the messanger to entre in to his chambre who delyuered hym a lettre fro the bysshoppe of Caunterbury The mayre redde it and reioysed greatly of those newes and incontynent he sente of his seruauntes fro house to howse princypally to suche as were of counsayle of sendynge for the Erle of Derby They were all gladde of that tydynges and in contynent there assembled togyther of the moste notablest men of the cytie to the nombre of two hundred they spake togyder and helde no longe counsayle for the case required it nat but they sayd lette vs apparell our selfe and go and receyue the duke of Lancastre saythe we agreed to sende for hym the
archebysshoppe of Caunterbury hathe well doone his deuoyre seynge he hath brought hym in to Englande Than they dyd chose certayne men to go abrode to publysshe the erles cōmynge to lordes knyghtes and squyers suche as were of their party and mo than fyue hundred of the londoners tooke their horses and they had so great desyre to go forthe that they were lothe to tarye one for a nother The erle of Derby taryed nat longe at Plummouth but the nexte daye as soone as their horses were vnshypped they rode towardes London And all that season sir Peter of Craon and the bretons were styll with the erle The mayre of London they that hadde the gouernyng of the cytie were the fyrst that mette the erle in the feldes and humbly receyued him and euer as they rode forwarde they mette more people The fyrst daye they cāe and laye at Guyldforde a fyue and twentie myle fro Lōdon The next day a great nombre of the men women and chyldren of London and the clergy came to mete with the erle they had suche desyre to se hym And whan they cāe in to his sight they cried welcome noble erle of Derby duke of Lancastre God sende you ioye welthe and prosperyte Sithe ye wente out of Englande the realme hath ben in no prosperyte Nowe we truste ye shall bringe vs in to a reasonable estate for we haue lyued in great displeasaunce and desolacyon by the meanes of Richarde of Burdeaux and his counsayle and specially he ought moost chefe to be blamed For a kyng that shulde gouerne a Realme and people ought to haue suche discrecyon to knowe gode and yuell asondre otherwise he is nat worthy to gouerne a Realme And this Rycharde of Burdeaux hath done contrary whiche shal be well knowen and proued vpon him with suche wordes and other the people brought the erle to London The mayre rode cheke and cheke by hym whiche was great pleasure for the people to se and the mayre sometyme sayde to the erle Sir beholde howe the people reioyse of your cōmyng That is trewe quod the erle And alwayes as he rode he enclyned his heed to the people on euery syde Thus the Erle was brought on his lodgynge and euery man departed tyll after dyner Than the mayre and the notable men of the cite and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes prelates bysshoppes and abbottes suche as were in London cam to se the the erle Also the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters came to se therle who were his cosyn germayns Affren their brother was with kynge Richarde more for feare than̄e for loue With these ladyes was the countesse of Arundell and her chyldren and also the countesse of Warwyke with dyuers other ladyes suche as were at London The people of London were so ioyfull of the erles cōmyng that there was no more workynge in London that daye than and it had ben Easter daye TO come to a conclusyon of this busynesse The people toke coūsayle and aduyse to ryde agaynst the kynge whom the Londoners named Richard of Burdeaux kynge without tytell or honour for the vyllaynes of London hadde the kyng in suche hate that it was payne for them to here spekynge of hym but to his cōdempnacion and distruction for they hadde treated the erle of Derby to be their kynge and he was moche ordred by their counsayle The erle of Derby toke on hym to be kyng and so to endure for euer he and his heyres and therto the Londoners dyde swere and seale And promysed that all the resydue of the realme shulde do the same so solempnely that there shulde neuer questyon be made therof after Also they promysed hym to aide and to assyste hym alwayes These promyses and boundes ones taken and concluded than it was ordayned that .xii. hundred men of London well armed shulde ryde with the erle towardes Bristowe and to do so moche that Richarde of Burdeaux myght be taken and brought to London and than to take aduyse what shulde be done with hym and to be iudged by the lawe and by the thre estates of the realme Also it was ordayned to make the lesse brute and sclaundre that the men of warre of Bretaygne suche as were come thyder with the erle shulde be retourned home agayne For it was sayde howe they hadde men ynoughe to do their dedes without them so that the erle had all the bretons before hym and thanked them of their seruyce that they hadde done hym and gaue them great rewardes so that they were well content and so retourned to Plūmouthe to the shyppes and so in to Bretayne ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the erle of Derby who ordayned to ryde to Bristowe THe erle of Derby was cheife of that armye as reason was for it touched hym most nerest Thus he departed fro London and as he rode the countrey fell in to hym Tidynges cāe in to the kynges host of the cōmyng of the erle of Derby and of the Londoners many knyghtes squyers and other knewe it or the kynge hadde knowledge therof but they durst nat speke therof Whan the tidynges spredde more abrode suche as were next the kyng were in great feare for they knewe well the kynge and they bothe were lykely to fall in paryll bycause they hadde so many ennemyes in the realme and suche were thā their ennemyes that hadde made good face before For many knightes squyers and other suche as hadde serued the kyng before departed fro the courte without any lycence Some wente home to their owne houses some toke the nexte waye they coude streight to the erle of Derby to serue hym As soone as Affren of Gloucestre and Rycharde son̄e to the erle of Arundell knewe that the Erle of Derby and the Londoners were cōmynge they gote their men toguyder and departed and rode streyght to the erle of Derby whome they founde beyonde Oxenforde at a towne called Soucetour Th erle of Derby hadde great ioye whan̄e he sawe his cosyns and demaunded of the state of the kynge and howe they were departed fro hym They aunswered and sayde Sir at our departynge we spake nat with hym For as soone as we knewe of your commynge we lepte on our horses and departed to come to serue you and to ayde to reuenge the dethe of our fathers whome Richarde of Burdeaulx hathe caused to be slayne Sirs quod the erle ye be ryght welcome ye shall ayde me and I shall helpe you For it is behouable that oure cosyn Rycharde of Burdeaux be brought to London so haue I promysed to the Londoners and I wyll kepe my promyse for therto they wyll ayde me And we haue men ynowe to fyght with hym if nede be And if he wyll haue batayle he shall haue it ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe tidynges came to kyng Richarde of the cōmynge of the erle of Derby with great puyssaunce Cap. CC.xli IT was sayd to the kynge whan the mater coude no lengar be hydde Sir aduyse you well ye
the prince holdynge the sworde of the churche and on the other syde the Constable with the sworde of iustyce and a lytell aboue the marshall with the ceptour and at that kynges borde sate two archbysshops and .xvii. bysshoppes And in the myddes of the dyner there came in a knight who was called Dinereth all armed vpon a good horse rychely aparelled and had a knyght before hym bearyng his speare and his sworde by his syde and his dagger The knyght toke the kyng a lybell the whiche was red Therin was conteyned that there were outher knight squyer or any other geÌ„tylman that wold say that kyng Henry was nat right full kyng he was there redy to fyght with him in that quarell before the kynge or where as it shulde please hym to apoynte that byll was cryed by an haraulde in syxe places of the hall and in the towne There was none that wolde chalenge hym Whan the kynge had dyned he toke wyne spyces in the hall and than went in to his chambre Than euery man departed and went to their lodginges thus the day passed of kynge Henryes coronacyon with great ioy and feest whiche endured all the next day The erle of Salysbury was nat at this soleÌ„pnyte for he was in sure prison and the kinges couÌ„sayle and dyuers other noble men and the londoners wolde that his heed shulde haue ben stryken of openly in chepe for said he had well deserued it for bearynge of letters and credeÌ„ce fro Rycharde of Burdeaux to the frenche kyng and there to reporte openly that kyng Henry was a false traytoure whiche faute they sayd ought nat to be ê‘doned Kyng Henry was more gentyll than so for he had some pytie on hym for therle excused hym and sayd that he dyd was by the kynges coÌ„maundement by the settyng on of the four knyghtes that were beheeded Kinge Henry beleued well the erles wordes but his couÌ„sayle wolde nat beleue it but said and so dyd the londoners that he shulde dye bycause he had deserued deth Thus the erle of Salysbury was in prison in great daunger of his lyfe And syr Iohan Holande erle of Huntyngdon capytayne of Calais was well enfourmed of the hole mater and howe his brother kyng Rychard was taken and in prisone in the towre of London and had resygned his crowne and all howe Henry of Lancastre was kinge of Englande This erle of Huntyngdon what so euer dyspleasure he had for the trouble of his brother yet wysely he consydred the tyme and aduentures and sawe well that he was nat able to with stande all the power and puyssaunce of the realme Also the countesse his wyfe who was cosyn germayne to kynge Henry sayd Syr it must behoue you to passe your displeasure pacyently wysely and do nat that thynge wherby ye shall haue doÌ„mage for the kyng may do you moche good and ye se that all the realme enclyneth to hym if ye shewe any dyspleasure to hym warde ye are but lost wherfore syr I requyre you and I couÌ„sayle you to dyssimule the matter for as well kynge Henry nowe is your brother as kyng Richarde was therfore syr stycke and leane to him and ye shall fynde hym your good louer for there was neuer a rycher kynge in Englande than he is he may do to you to your chyldren great good The erle herde well the wordes of his wyfe and beleued her and enclyned hym to kynge Henry and offred hym humble obeysaunce and promysed hym faythe and trouthe The kyng receyued hym and had great ioy therof and he dyd so moche with meanes of his freÌ„des that therle of Salysbury was taken to grace and his excusacyons accepted and was clene pardoned ¶ How newes of the taking of kyng Rycharde was knowen in Fraunce by the coÌ„myng thyder of the lady of Coucy and howe the frenche kynge was dyspleased Cap. CC.xlvi WHan the lady of Coucy was aryued at Bouloyne she hasted her to go to Parys Great murmurynge there was in Fraunce of the sodayne incidentes that were fall in EnglaÌ„de they knewe somwhat by marchauÌ„tes of Bruges but whan the lady of Coucy aryued than the trouth was knowen She went firste to her husbandes house as it was reason Anon the frenche kynge herde worde howe the lady of Coucy was come to Parys Than the kynge sent for the lorde of Coucy who had ben all nyght with his wyfe Whan he was come the kynge demauÌ„ded of the state of kynge Rycharde of Englande and of the quene his doughter The lorde durst nat hyde the trouth fro hym but shewed hym playnely euery thynge as his wyfe had shewed hym whiche newes were sore dyspleasaunt to the frenche kynge for he knewe well the englysshmen were sore harde men to apease and so with dyspleasure the frenche kynge retourned agayne in to his olde sicknes of fransey wherof the nobles of that realme were sore displeased but they coude nat amende it Than the duke of Burgoyn said I thought neuer otherwyse for it was a maryage without good reasone the whiche I sayd playnly ynough whan the mater was fyrst spokeÌ„ of but as than I coulde nat be herde for I knewe well the londoners neuer loued parfytely kynge Rycharde All this myschefe is engendred by the duke of Gloucestre it is tyme nowe to take hede what the englisshmen wyll do sythe they haue taken their kyng and put him in prison by all lykelyhode they wyll put hym to dethe for they neuer loued him bycause be loued no warre but peace they wyll crowne to their kynge the duke of Lancastre he shall so bynde hym selfe to them that whether he wyll or nat he shall do all that they wyll sayd moreouer nowe shall be sene what they of Burdeaux wyll do for there he was borne and was well be loued with them and also with them of Bayon of Dax and in all the lymytes of Burdeloys it were good that that constable of FrauÌ„ce sir Loys of Sanxere were signyfyed of this mater and that he drewe hym to that fronters there with him syr Raynolde of Barroys of Barreys and other barones and prelates and to treate with them and my brother the duke of Berrey to go in to Poictou to drawe to the fronters of Xaintes of Blaues and of mirebell wherby if they of Burdeaux wyll any thynge entende to our treaties that they may be receyued for nowe shall we haue them or neuer As he deuysed it was ordeyned the whiche was a substanciall deuyce for whan they of Burdeaux of Bayon and of Dax vnderstode that their kynge Rycharde was taken and sette in the towre of London and duke Henry of Lancastre crowned kyng they had gret marueyle therof and in the begynnyng wolde nat beleue it but lytle lytle they knewe the trouth therof Than the sayd thre townes were closed and no man suffred to issue out nor to entre in they were sore troubled and sorowfull and specyally the cytie of Burdeaux