the prince of Wales house at saynt Andrewes in Burdeaux Another demauÌ„ded what mater was that I shall shewe you quod the other knyght for I was there present There was wyne brought on a day into the princes Chambre where as there were many lordes of Englande with hym whan the prince had dronke bicause sir IohnÌ„ Chandos was constable of Acquitayne the prince sente hym his cuppe first to drinke and he toke the cuppe and dranke and made therof none offre firste to the Erle of Oxenforde who was father to this duke of IrelaÌ„de and after that sir Iohan Chandos had dronke a squyer bare the cuppe to the Erle who hadde suche dispyte that sir Iohan Chandos hadde droÌ„ke before hym that he refused the cuppe wolde nat drinke and sayde to the squyer in maner of a mocke Go to thy mayster Chandos and bydde hym drinke Shall I go said the squyer he hath dronke all redy Therfore drinke you sythe he hath offred it to you if ye wyll nat drinke by saynt George I shall cast the drinke in your face Th erle whan he herd that douted that the Squyer wolde do as he sayde and so toke the cuppe and sette it to his mouthe and dranke or at leest made semblant to drinke And sir Iohan Chandos who was nat farre thens sawe well all the mater and helde hym styll tyll the prince was gone from them Than he came to the Erle and sayde Sir Aubery are ye displeased in that I dranke before you I am Constable of this countrey I maye well drinke before you sythe my lorde the Prince and other lordes here are coÌ„tente therwith It is of trouthe ye were at the batayle of Poycters but suche as were there knoweth nat so well as I what ye dyd theâ— I shall declare it ¶ Whanne that my lorde the Prince hadde made his voyage in Languedocke and Carcassone to Narbone and was retourned hyther to this towne of Bourdeaux ye toke on you to go in to Englande What the Kynge sayde to you at your coÌ„mynge I knowe right well yet I was nat there He demaunded of you if ye hadde furnysshed your voyage and what ye had done with his sonne the Prince ye aunswered howe ye had lefte hym in good helth at Bourdeaux Than the kynge sayde What and howe durste ye be so bolde to retourne without hym I commauÌ„ded you and all other whan ye departed that ye shulde nat retourne without hym on payne of all that ye myght forfayte And you this to retourne I straitly commaunde you that within four dayes ye auoyde my realme and retourne agayne to hym For and I fynde you within this my realme the fifth day ye shall lese your lyfe and all your herytage for euer And ye feared the kynges wordes as it was reason and so auoyded the realme and so your adueÌ„ture and fortune was good for truely ye were with my lorde the prince a foure dayes before the batayle of Poicters And so ye hadde the day of the batayle fourtie speares vnder your charge and I had threfore Nowe ye mayese wheder I ought to drinke before you or nat syth I am constable of â— equytaygne The erle of Orenforde was a shamed and wolde gladlye he hadde ben thens at that tyme but he was fayne to suffre and to here those wordes This sir Iohan Chandos sayde to hym in opyn presence Therfore it is nat to be marueyled thoughe this duke of Irelande who is sonne to the sayd erle of Oxenforde be disdaynfull in folowynge the steppes of his father For he taketh vpon hym to rule all Englande aboue the kynges vncles Well quod some other why shulde he nat sythe the kyng wyll haue it so THus the people in the Realme murmured in dyuers places agaynst the duke of Irelande And he dyde one thyng that greatly abated his honour that was he had firste to his wyfe the doughter of the lorde of Coucy the lady Isabell who was a fayre Lady and a good and of more noble blode than he is of But he fell in loue with another damosell of the quenes of Englande an Almaygne borne and dyde so moche with pope Vrbayne at Rome that he was deuorsed fro the doughter of the lorde Coucy without any tytell of reason but by presumpcion and for his synguler appetyte and than wedded the quenes mayde and kynge Rycharde conseÌ„ted there to he was so blynded with this duke of Irelande that if he had sayd sir this is whyte tho it had ben blacke the kyng wolde nat haue sayd the contrarye This dukes mother was greatly displeased with him for that dede and toke in to her coÌ„pany his first wyfe the lady of Coucy The duke dyde yuell and therfore at length yuell came to hym and this was the first princypall cause that he was behated for in Englande euery thyng that turneth to yuell must haue a begynning of yuell This duke of Irelande trusted so moche in the grace and fauour of the kyng that he beleued that no man shulde trouble hym And it was a coÌ„mon renome through EnglaÌ„de that theâ— shulde be a newe taxe raysed through the realme that euery fyre shulde paye a noble and the riche to beare out the poore The kynges vncles knewe well it wolde be a harde mater to bringe about And they had caused certayne wordes to be sowen abrode in the cyties and good townes of Englande as to saye howe the people of Englande were sore greued with tares and talenges and howe there was great rychesse raysed and that the common people wolde haue accomptes of the gouernours therof as the archebysshop of yorke the duke of Irelande sir Symon Burle sir Mychaell de la Pole sir Nycholas BraÌ„ble sir Robert Tryâ—â—lyen ser Peter Golouser sir Iohan Salisbury sir Iohan Beauchampe and the maisters of the Staple of the wolles The commons sayd that if they wolde make a trewe accoÌ„pte there shulde be founde golde and syluer suffycient without raysing of any newe subsydies It is a common vsage none is gladde to pay money nor to opyn their purses if they may lette it THis brute and noyse spredde so a brode in Englande and specially in the cytie of London whiche is chyefe cytie in the realme that all the coÌ„mons rose and sayde howe they wolde knowe howe the realme was gouerned sayenge howe it was longe syth any accompte was made Firste these londoners drewe theym to syr Thomas of Woodstocke duke of Gloucestre thoughe he were yonger brother than sir Edmonde duke of yorke The common people reputed the duke of Glocestre for a valyant and a sage discrete parson And whan they came before hym they sayde Syr the good cytie of London recoÌ„maundeth them to you and all the people ingenerall requireth you to take vpon you the gouernynge of the realme For they knowe well it is nat vnknowen to you howe the kynge and the realme is gouerned The coÌ„mon people complayneth them sore for the kynges counsayle demaundeth tayles
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
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
vpon tayles aydes vpon aydes so that the realme hath ben more greued with tayles and other subsydies nat accustomed sythe the kynges Coronacyon than in fyftie yere before and it is nat knowen where the richesse is become Wherfore sir maye it please you to prouyde some remedy or elles the mater wyll go yuell for the commons cryeth out theron Than the duke answered and sayde fayre sirs I haue herde you well speke but I alone can nat remedy this mater howe be it I se well ye haue cause to coÌ„playne and so hathe all other people But though I be vncle to the kynge and sonne to a kyng though I shulde speke therof yet nothynge shal be done for all that For the kyng my nephue hath suche couÌ„sayle as nowe about hym whome he beleueth better than hym selfe whiche couÌ„sayle ledeth hym as they lyste But if ye wyll come to the effecte of your desyres it must behoue you to haue of youre accorde and agrement all the cyties and good townes of Englande And also some prelates and noble ê‘sonages of the realme and so come toguyder in to the kynges presens and I my brother shal be there And than ye maye saye to the kynge Ryght dere sir ye were crowned very yonge and yuell ye haue ben counsayled as yet hyther vnto Nor ye haue nat takenne good regarde to the busynesse of this your Realme by reason of the poore and yonge counsayle that ye haue aboute you Wherby the matters of your realme hath hadde but small and yuell effectes as ye haue sene and knowen ryght well For if God haddenat shewed his grace this realme had been loste and distroyed Therfore sir here in the prensens of your vncles we requyre youre grace as humble subiectes ought to desyre their prince that your grace wyll fynde some remedy that this noble Realme of Englande and the noble crowne therof whiche is discended to you from the noble kyng Edwarde the thirde who was the moost nobles kynge that euer was sythe Englande was firste enhabyted that it maye be susteyned in sprosperyte and honour and your people that complayneth to be kepte and maynteyned in their ryght the whiche to do your grace dyde swere the daye of youre Coronacion And that it maye please you to call togyther the thre estates of your Realme prelates and barownes and wysemen of your cyties and good townes and that they may regarde if the gouernyng of your realme that is past be well or nat And sir if they parceyue that it hath been well thanne suche as be in offyce to remaygne styll as longe as it shall please your grace and if they be founde contrarye thauÌ„e they in courtesse maner to be auoyded fro your persone and other notable and dyscrete persones to be sette in to offyce First by your noble aduyse by the consent of my lordes your vncles and noble prelates and barones of your realme And sirs quod the duke of Gloucester whan ye haue made this supplycacion to the kynge he wyll thanne make you some maner of answere If he saye that he wyll take counsayle in the mater than desyre to haue ashorte day And peyse so the mater before hande to putte the kynge and suche marmosettes as be about hym to some feare Saye to hym boldely that the Realme wyll no lengar suffre it and that it is marueyle howe they haue suffred it so longe and I and my brother and the bysshoppe of Caunterburye and the Erle of Salisbury the Erle of Arundell and the erle of NorthumberlaÌ„de wyll be by for without we be present speke no worde therof We are the greatest ê‘sonages of Englande and we shall ayde to susteyne your wordes For all we shall say howe your desyre is but reasonable And whan he hereth vs speke he wyll agre there to or els he dothe amysse and thervpon apoynt a tyme This is the best counsayle I can gyue you Than the Londoners answered and sayde Sir ye counsayle vs nobly But sir it wyll be harde for vs to fynde the kyng and you and all these lordes toguyder in one place Nay nay quod the duke it maye well be done saynt Georges daye is nowe within this syre dayes The kynge wyll be than at wyndsore ye knowe well the duke of Irelande wyll be there and sir Symon Burle and many other and my brother and I and therle of Salisbury shall be there therfore prouyde for yâ— mater ayenst that tyme. Sir quod they it shal be done and so they departed ryght well contente with the duke of Gloucester Than whan saynt Georges daye came the kyng and the quene were at Wyndsore and made there a great feest as his predecessours hadde done before the next daye after the feest of saynt George Thyder came the londoners to the nombre of threscore horse and of yorke as many and many othes of dyuers good townes of Englande they lodged in the towne of Wyndsore The kyng was determyned to departe to place a thre leages thens and whan he knewe of the commyng of the people to speke with hym he wolde the sooner haue ben gone He sayde he wolde in no wyse speke with them But than his vncles and therle of Salisbury sayd sir ye may nat with your honour thus departe The people of youre good townes of Englande are come hyder to speke with you Sir it is necessary that ye here them and to knowe what they demaunde and there after ye maye aunswere them or els take counsayle to aunswere them So thus full sore agaynst the kynges mynde he was fayne to tarye than they came into his presâ—ns in the great hall alowe there was the kynge and bothe his vncles and the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury the bysshop of Wynchester and the Chaunceler and the erle of Salisbury the erle of Northumber lande and dyuers other There this people made their request to the kyng and a burges of London spake for them all named sir Simeon of Subery a sage man and well langaged and there declared well and boldely the effecte of thinformacyon that the duke of Glocester had shewed theÌ„ before as ye haue herde Whan the kyng had herde hym well he sayd Amonge you coÌ„mons of my realme your requestes are great and long they are nat ouer soone to be spedde we shall nat be toguyder agayne a long season and also great parte of my counsayle is nat here present Therfore I saye vnto you gette you home agayne sytte in reste and come nat agayne tyll the feest of Myghelmas without ye be sente for at whiche tyme our parlyament shal be at Westmynster Than come bringe your requestes and we shall shewe it to our counsayle and that is good we shall accepte it and that ought to be refused we shall condempne But sirs thinke nat that we wyll be rewled by our coÌ„mon people that shall neuer be sene as for our gouernynge nor in the gouernaunce of them that rule vnder vs we se nothynge
the kyng and there shewe hym what case the busynesse of his realme is in recoÌ„maunde vs to hym shewe hym in our behalfe that he gyue no credence of lyght enformacion agaynst vs He hath beleued some to moche for his owne honour and for the ê“fyte of his realme And saye also to hym that we requyre hym and so do all the good people of London that he wolde come hyder he shal be welcome receyued with gret ioye we shall set such couÌ„saile about hym that he shal be well pleased And we charge you retourne nat agayne withoute hym and desyre hym nat to be displeased thoughe we haue chased awaye a meny of traytours that were about hym for by them his realme was in great paryll of lesynge The bysshop sayd he shulde do ryght well his message and so departed and rodde forthe lyke a great prelate and so came to Bristowe and the kynge was there but with a priuye coÌ„pany For suche as were wont to haue ben of his counsayle were deed and fledde awaye as ye haue herde before The bysshop was in the towne two nightes and a day or the kyng wolde speke with hym He was so soore dyspleased with his vncles for driuynge awaye of the duke of Irelande whome he loued aboue all men and for sleeynge of his knyghtes Finally he was so entysed that he consented that the archbysshop shulde come in to his presens Whan he came before hym he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the kynge and there shewed the kyng euery worde as the kynges vncles had gyuen hym in charge And shewed hym that if it were his pleasure to come to Londou to his palys of Westmynster his vncles and the mooste parte of all his realme wolde be ryght ioyeouse elles they wyll be ryght sorte and yuell displeased And sayde sir Without the comforte ayde and accorde of your vncles and of your lordes knyghtes and prelates and of your good cyties and townes of EnglaÌ„de ye canne nat come to any of youre ententes He spake these wordes boldelye and sayde moreouer Sir ye canne nat reioyse so moche youre ennemyes as to make warre with youre frendes and to kepe youre Realme in warre and myschiefe The yonge kynge by reasone of the bysshoppes wordes beganne to enclyne howe be it the beheedynge of his knyghtes and counsaylours came sore in to his courage So he was in dyuers ymaginacions but finally he refrayned his displeasure by the good meanes of the quene the lady of Boesme and of some other wise knightes that were about hym as sir Rycharde Stoner and other Thanne the kyng sayd to the bysshoppe Well I am content to go to LoÌ„don with you wherof the bisshop was right ioyous and also it was to hym a great honoure that he hadde spedde his iourney so well WIthin a shorte space after the kyng departed lefce the quene styll at Bristowe and so came towardes London with the archbysshoppe in his company and so came to Wyndsore and there the kyng taryed a thre dayes Tidynges came to London howe the kynge was commynge euery manne was gladde Than it was ordayned to mete hym honourablye The daye that he departed fro Wyndsore the way fro Braynforde to London was full of people on horse backe and a foote to mete the kynge And his two vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Gloucester and Iohan sonne to the duke of yorke the erle of Arundell the erle of Salisbury the erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes and prelates departed out of London mette with the kyng a two myle fro Braynforde There they receyued hym swetely as they ought to do their soueraygne lorde The kynge who bare yet some displeasure in his herte passed by and made but small countenaunce to theÌ„ and all the waye he talked moost with the bisshop of LoÌ„don at last they came to WestmiÌ„ster The kyng alyghted at his palis whiche was redy apparelled for him There the kyng dranke and toke spyces and his vncles also and other Prelates lordes and knyghtes Than some tooke their leaues The kynges vncles and the archebysshoppe of Caunterburye with the counsayle taryed styll there with the kyng some in the Palais and some in the abbey and in the towne of westminster to kepe the kynge company and to be nere toguyder co commune of their busynesse there they determyned what shulde be done ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe by the kynge and his vncles all the lordes of Englande were sente for to come to westmynster to a generall counsayle there to be holden Cap. C.i. A Generall Parlyament was ordeyned to be holden at Westmynstre and all prelates Erles Barons and knyghtes and the counsayles of all the good townes and cytees of EnglaÌ„de were sent for to be there and all suche as helde of the kyng The archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury shewed to the kynges vncles counsayle that when kynge Rycharde was crowned kynge of Englande and that euery man was sworne and made theyr releues to hym and that whaÌ„ he receyued theyr faythes and homages he was within age and a knyge ought nat to gouerne a royalme tyll he be xxi yeres of age and in the meane season to be gouerned by his vncles or by his nexte kynne and by wyse men The bysshop sayd this bycause the kynge as then was but newlye come to the age of .xxi. yeres wherfore he counsayled that euery man shulde be newe sworne and renewe their releues and euery manne newe to knowledge hym for their soueraygne lorde This counsayle was excepted of the kynges vncles and of all other of the couÌ„sayle And for that entent all prelates and lordes and counsayles of good cyties townes were sent for to come to Westminster at a daye assigned Euery man came thyder none disobeyed so that there was moche people in London and at Westmister And kyng Richarde was in his chapell in the palys rychely apareyled with his crowne on his heed and the archebysshoppe of CauÌ„terbury sang the masse And after masse the bisshoppe made a collasyon And after that the kyngê vncles dyde their homage to the kyng kyssed hym and there they sware and ê“mysed hym faithe and homage for euer And than all other lordes sware and prelates and with their handes ioyned togyder they dyde their homage as it aparteyned and kyst the kynges cheke Some the kyng kyst with good wyll some nat for all were nat in his in warde loue but it behoued hym so to do for he wolde nat go fro the counsayle of his vncles But surely if he might haue had his entent he wolde nat haue done as he dyde but rather haue taken crewell vengeaunce for the deche of sir Symon Burle and other knyghtê that they had putte fro hym and slayne without desert as he thought Than it was ordayned by the couÌ„sayle that the archebysshop of yorke shulde come and pourge hym selfe for he hadde alwayes been of the duke of Irelandes parte agaynst the kynges vncles
they were chased tyll they mette with the fote men who in lykewise than fledde and kepte none order and lepte into the Vynes and in to the dykes to saue themselfe The crosbowes that came out of Cleremount kepte better array than their company dyde For they close toguyder toke a vyne yarde and bent their bowes and made vysage of defence and kepte them selfe there tyll all the Englysshe menne were withdrawen backe agayne to Mountferant They of Cleremont lost tweÌ„tie of their men sixe slayne and fourtene taken Thus it fell of that enterprice and all that day euery maÌ„ trussed and made redy to departe the same nyght after and by sixe of the Clocke euery man hadde trussed vp their baggage and laded their horses and sette them selte a foote They past nat a threscore on horsebacke and so sette forwarde in the stretes their somers and caryages they hadde well a foure hundred horse charged with clothes naprie and furres and other thynges necessary They founde in the towne cofes and presses full of stuffe but they lafte them clene voyde They bounde their prisoners two and two toguyder And whan they were all redy and that it was nyght they opyned the gate and issued out They had taryed in Mount feraunt no more but eyghtene houres They sette their cariage before them and thaÌ„ their prisoners and foote men and the capitayns on horsebacke came after them The nyght was darke and the countrey nat aduysed of their departynge wherfore they were nat pursued and about mydnight they came to Ousacke fro whens they came the seconde day before there they rested them It was shewed me that they wanne by the same voyage a hundred thousande frankes besyde their prisoners Sir Peter of Gyache chauncelloure of Fraunce loste for his parte in redy money thyrtie thousande frankes or aboue THe companyons were well counsayled to leaue Mount feraunt in Auuergne so soone as they dyde For if they had taryed there two dayes lengar than they dyde they hadde nat departed without great daunger and paraduenture with losse of their lyues For all the knyghtes and squiers of the countrey gathered toguyder and came thyder with puyssaunce to haue layde siege to the towne and the lordes of the couÌ„trey as ye haue herde before named none taryed behynde And the erle Dolphyn was come within two dayes iourney but than he herde tidynges howe the Englysshmen and gascoyns were departed to their owne forteresses and there the trouthe of the hole mater was shewed hym WhanÌ„e he knewe the trouthe he rode than more at his ease came to saynt Pursayne and fro thens to Moulyns in Burbonoyes And there he fouÌ„de the duches of Burbone his doughter who was sore a frayde of that aduenture Howe be it whan she knewe that the aduentures were gone she was gladde therof for thanne she thought her countrey more surer than it was before By my faythe quod the erle I wolde it had coste me greatly that they had taryed styll at Mount Ferant tyll I had come thyder For if they were there nowe they shulde haue an yuell ende We coulde nat haue had a better enterprise in all Auuergne wherby to haue recouered all the fortresses that they holde It semeth well they are skylfull men of warre that they taryed there no lengar they are gone to their owne holdes with all their pyllage and prisoners Thus the Erle and the duchesse his doughter coÌ„muned toguyder And Perot le Bernoys and Olyue Barbe the Bourge of CoÌ„payne the Bourg angloys Apthon Seguyn and the other capitayns of the fortresses whan they were coÌ„e to Ousacke they departed their botye pyllage and prisoners And some they raunsomed and the other they ledde to their fortresses Some to Carlat and some to Gaslucet All the countre of Auuergne toke better hede to they holdes than they hadde done before Howe be it the erle of Armynake and the erle Dolphyn sente to Perotte le Bernoys sayeng howe falsely and traytourously he had taken and stollen the towne of Mountferant and robbed it and ledde away the prisoners counsaylynge hym to make therof amendes Consydringe howe they were in treatie toguyder â—or a peace Perotte aunswered and sayde Sauyng their graces as for my selfe and seuyn other Capitayns that were with me at the takynge of Mountferant were neuer at no maner of treatie with these Erles nor we toke nat this towne fraudulently nor stale it But I entred in at the gate whiche was opyned redy to receyue me If I and my company hadde been sworne to any treatie we wolde haue kepte it surely But we were neuer of that entencyon nor wyll be In this case the mater stoode and the lordes coude haue none other answere Sir Peter of Gyache was sore displeased for the losse that he hadde And as for them of Mounte ferant recouered them selfe as well as they myght Thus this aduentures fell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey maryed the lady Mary his doughter to the erle of Bloys sonne And howe the same yere the sonne of the duke of Berrey marryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yong kyng Charles of Fraunce Cap. C.xxiii IN the yere of our lorde God a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and sixe in the moneth of August Guye the erle of Bloyes and the Lady Mary his wyfe departed fro the towne of Bloyes well acompanyed with knightes and squyes ladyes and damoselles to go in to Berrey and they had with theym their yonge sonne who hadde fyaunced the yere before Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey and the entencyon of the erle of Bloyes and of the couÌ„tesse his wyfe was that whan they shulde come to Burgus in Berrey to ê“cede to the sayd maryage In lykewise it was the entencyon of the duke of Berrey of the duches his wyfe Thus whaÌ„ all these ê‘ties were come togyder than these two chyldren were ioyned togider in mariage in the churche of saynt Stephyn in Burgus by a Cardynall the chauncellour of Berrey and the bysshoppe of Poyters had the yere before ensured theym toguyder It this maryage of Loyes of Bloyes and of the lady Mary of Berrey in the cytie of Burgus was made great feest and tryumphes with iustes turneyes This feest endured eight dayes whaÌ„ this was accomplysshed the erle of Bloyes and the countesse tooke leaue of the duke of Berrey and of the duchesse and so returned to Bloyes and hadde with them their yonge doughter Also in the same yere IohnÌ„ of Berrey sonne to the duke of Berrey called Erle of Mountpensier maryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yonge kynge of FrauÌ„ce In the same yere that these Maryages were thus made In the tyme of lente the duchesse of Berrey and Mary of Fraunce her doughter and her sonne rode to the towne of Bloyes to se the Erle Bloyes and the countesse and their chyldren They were receyued in to the Castell of Bloyes with great ioye At all these maters I sir
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
nexte day to Besyers where he was goodly receyued for the good men of the towne greatly desyred to se hym and so dyd all the countreys bothe of Pesenas of Cabestan and of Narbone for they were redy to make complayntes to the kynge of the duke of Berreys offycer called Betisache who had pylled the countreys This Betysach fro that tyme the kynge came fro Auignon he rode alwayes in his company but no man shewed hym as they thought for they myght haue gyuen hym warnynge if they had lyste but they draue hym forthe with fayre wordes and suthe promysed hym nothynge but honoure as thought the contrary The kynge entred into Besyers bytwene thre foure at after noone he was met with processyon without the towne with all the clergy and burgesses and ladyes and damoselles as the kynge came rydynge they were a bothe sydes of the waye and dyd their reuerence So he came to the cathedrall churche and there alyghted at the dore where there was an auter made rychely garnysshed with iewelles and relykes There the kynge kneled downe and dyd his prayers and than entred in to the churche with the bysshoppe of Besyers and his vncle the duke of Burbone and other lordes folowed after Thanne the kynge wente to his lodgynge to the Palyce whiche was nat farre thence and his brother the duke of Thourayne and the duke of Burbone with him and the other lordes were lodged abrode in the towne where as they were well and easely lodged for Besyers is a good cytie ⸪ ¶ Of the complayntes made to the kyng by the people of Languedoc in the towne of Besyers agaynst Betysach treasourer to the duke of Berrey of the great extorsyons that he had made and of the confession that he made and of the cruell dethe that he had in the sayde towne Cap. C.lxiii THre dayes the kynge was at Besyets in greate ioye and reuell amonge ladyes and damosels and all that tyme Betysache was nothynge spoken vnto but the enquisirours who weâ— ordeyned by the kynge dyd secretly enquyre of his dedes and they founde by enquest dyuers cases horryble nat to be pardoned The fourth day that the kynge had ben there this Betysache was called before the kynges counsayle in a chambre and there straytely examyned and it was sayd to hym Betysache aunswer wysely to these writynges that ye se here There was shewed hym a greate nombre of bylles of complayntes that were put vp to the kynge agaynst hym makyng mensyon of the errorcyons that he had done to the people All these bylles of complayntes were redde before hym one after another To some he aunswered wysely makynge his excuse and to some he playnly denyed them and sayde I knowe nothynge of those maters laye them to the seneschalles of Beaucayr and of Carcassone and to the chauncellour of Berry it partayneth to theym to aunswere to those matters Howe be it fynally it was shewed him that he muste kepe prysone for a tyme tyll the mater were better examyned He obeyed bycause he myght nat chuse As sone as he was in prison the inquysitours wente to his lodgynge and toke into their handes all suche writyngê and acomptes as they founde there whiche partayned to such maters as he had intermedled with all before and they auewed them at leysure and founde in theym the rekenynges of great soÌ„mes of money suche as had ben raysed and leuyed of the people Than he was demaunded where all that money was become and whether the sommes were trewe or nat he aunswered and sayde as for the soÌ„mes are trewe and the money delyuered to the duke of Berrey and so paste throughe his handes and his treasourers whereof I haue good quyttaunces in my lodgynge in suche a place the whiche quitauÌ„ces were sente for before the counsayle and there they were redde and they agreed with the soÌ„mes of his receyte Than the counsayle and the enquysytours were apeased and Betysache sente agayne to a curtesse prysone Than the counsayle coÌ„muned togyther on that matter and sayd It semeth that Betysache is clere of suche causes as are layde to his charge for the money that hathe been reysed the duke of Berrey hathe had it howe so euer it hath ben spente ALl thinges consydred Betysache excusacyons were lawfull for the duke of Berrey was the moste couetouse man in all the worlde so he myght gette good he cared nat where nor howe he hadde it and whan he had it he wolde bestowe it but symply as many lordes do and haue doone in tymes paste Thus the kynges counsayle sawe no faute in Betysache wherby he shulde lese his lyfe some were of that opynyon and some contrary said Betysach hath done so many cruell dedes and hathe so sore inpouerysshed the people for to acomplysshe the desyre of his lorde the duke of Berrey that the blode of the poore people cryeth out and sayeth howe he hathe deserued dethe For he that is a manne borne of these partyes and counsayler with his maister and seynge the pouerty of the people he ought in good maner to haue shewed the trouth to the duke his mayster and if the duke wolde nat haue herde hym than he shulde haue come to the kynge and to his counsayle and haue shewed theym the pouertie of the people and howe the duke of Berrey had daulte with them than he had ben well excused So Betysache was sente for agayne to the counsayle and straytely examyned where the money that hadde been gathered was become for they founde the soÌ„me of thyrty hundred thousande frankes receyued He answered therto and sayd My lordes it were herde for me to tell where my lorde the duke of Berrey hathe bestowed it Moche he hath layde out on byldynges and reparacyons of castels and houses also he hath bought certayne landes in the countye of Boloygne and in the Countye of Estampes Also he hathe spente moche in byenge of precyous stones and iewelles the whiche ye knowe well he hathe alwayes been desyrous to bye Also he is well stuffed to mayntayne the astate that he hathe alwayes kepte Also he hath gyuen suche gyftes and rewardes to Thybaulte and Morynot and to his seruauÌ„tes aboute him in suche wyse that they be ryche men Well Betysache quod they of the counsayle and ye haue had for your parte to your synguler profyte a hundred thousande frankes My lordes quod he that I haue hadde was by the consente of my lorde the Duke of Berrey for he wolde that his seruauntes shulde become ryche Than the counsayle sayde all with one voyce A Betysach that worde is folysshly spoken that rychesse is nat good nor resonable that is yuell gotten ye shall retourne agayne in to prison and we shall take further aduyse on that ye haue sayd and spoken ye must abyde the pleasure of the kynge to whome we shall shewe all your excusacions My lordes quod he all shall be as god wyll Than he was agayne sette in prisone and there remayned four dayes or he
and other two hundred crownes of golde And to the heraudes and offycers of armes other two hundred crownes so that euery man praysed the larges of the erle of Foiz The fourthe daye after the erle came to the kynges palais well acompanyed with lordes and knyghtes of Byerne and of Foiz to se the kynge and to do as he was requyred that is to saye to do his homage for the countie of Foiz with the appendauntes reseruyng the lande of Bierne Before that secretely there had been great treaties bytwene the kynge and the erle of Foiz by meanes of the lorde de la Ryuer sir Iohan Mercier and the bysshoppe of Noyon who was newly come thyder fro Auygnon It was sayd that the erle desyred of the kyng that his sonne Iobbayne of Foiz myght after the erles discease enheryte the countie of Foiz By that the erle whan soeuer he dyed shulde leaue to the kyng a huÌ„dred thousande frankes in money And sir Gasyon his brother to haue the land of Ayre in Bierne with the Cytie and the Mounte of Marcen and all other landes that the Erle of Foiz hadde bought in Bierne shulde retourne to the herytauÌ„ce of the vycount of Castyllon These assygnementes were in debate and in dyfference bytwene the erle and the barones and knightes of his countrey Some sayde he coude nat do thus with a generall consent of all Byerne and Foize And bycause that the meane homage of the countie of Foize was dewe to the Frenche kyng therfore the kyng sayde to the Erle and to the barons of Foiz Sirs I holde in my handes the homage of the lande of Foiz and if it be so in our dayes that the lande of Foiz be vacant by the dethe of our cosyn the erle of Foiz than we shall so determyne and apoynt by the aduise of good counsayle that Iobbayns of Foiz and all other men of the couÌ„tie of Foiz shall holde theÌ„ content Those wordes well coÌ„tented therle of Foiz and the other lordes and knyghtes of Foiz that were there present These ordynaunces written and sealed the erle toke his leaue of the kynge and of all other great lordes but that daye he dyned with the kyng than went to his lodgyng The nexte day he departed fro Tholous and lefte his furriers behynde hym to paye for euery thyng The erle passed the ryuer of Gyronde by the bridge of Tholous and retourned in to his countrey by the mount of Marsen and so to Ortayes Than he gaue leaue to euery man to departe sauyng his ordynarye It was shewed me and I beleue it well that the coÌ„mynge of the frenche kyng in to LaÌ„guedocke in to Tholous in to those marchesse cost the erle of Foize more than threscore thousande frankes The erle was so lyberall that whatsoeuer it cost hym he payde it wyllyngly ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the feate and couenaunt that was don bytwene the kyng and the duke of Thourayn his brother whiche of them shulde sonest come to parys fro MonÌ„tpellyer whiche is a huÌ„dred and fyftie leages a sondre eche of them but with one knyght Cap. C.lxv. THe Frenche kynge being at Tholous he ordred all his businesse and remoued renewed seneschales and officers and reformed the countrey in to good estate so that euery maÌ„ was well contented And on a day the kyng present his brother his vncle of Burbone the lordes of FrauÌ„ce and Gascoyne to th entent to haue a perpetuall memorie gaue to his cosyn germayne sir Charles de la Brethe for the augmentacion of his honour two quarters of armes of FrauÌ„ce with floure delyces for a fore the lordes de la Brethe bare alwayes in their armes a felde of goules playne without any other thyng nowe they be quartred with the armes of FrauÌ„ce whiche thyng the lorde de la Brethe toke for a great gyfte whiche lorde made the same daye a great dyner whiche cost hym more than a thousande frankes and he gaue to heraudes mynstrels .ii. hundred frankes Anone after it was ordayned that the kyng shulde departe fro Thoulous to retourne in to Fraunce euery man made hym redy and toke leaue of the kynge the bysshop of Tholous the seneschall the burgesses and lordes and damoselles of the towne The kynge deê‘ted rode that nyght to the newe castell of Alroy and so forwarde euery daye so that he came to MouÌ„tpellyer where he was ioyfully receyued there taryed thre dayes for the ladyes and damosels there pleased hym moche Than he had gret defyre to returne to Paris to se the quene on a daye as he coÌ„muned in sporte with his brother of Thourayne he sayd Fayre brother I wolde that you and I were at Paris and all our estate here styll as it is for I haue great desyre to se the quene and your fayre suster of Thourayne than the duke sayde Sir we can nat be there with wysshing it is a farre iourney hens that is true ê™ the kyng yet I thynke I might besoone there I wolde ye ê™ the duke with helpe of good horses for so coude I be but my horse must beare me well quod the kyng laye a wager you and I who shall be there sonest I am content ê™ the duke for he was euer redy to wyn money of the kyng The wager was layde bitwene the kynge the duke that who soeuer of theÌ„ twayne came sonest to Paris shulde wyn fyue thousande fraÌ„kes of other to departe the nexte day all at one hour eche of them to take but one knight or seruauÌ„t with them there was no man that durst breke their wager the nexte day they departed as it was ordayned The lorde of GaraÌ„ciers rode with the kyng and the lorde of Viefuyll was with the duke of Thourayn thus these four rode night day lyke yong lusty galaÌ„tes they chauÌ„ged many horses thus they rode in post the duke of burbone retourned by Puy in Auuergne rode to se his grauÌ„tfather by the way therle Dolphyn of Auergne the countesse their chyldren of whoÌ„ there were to the noÌ„bre of eight what soÌ„nes what doughters all bretherne susters to the duches of Burbone his wife but that was by reason of two maryages Thus the frenche kyng and his brother the duke of Thourayne rode in great hast eche of theÌ„ to wyn the wager CoÌ„syder well the great payne of these two great riche lordes youthe lybertie of corage made theÌ„ to do that enterprice their estates abode behynde The frenche kynge made it foure dayes a halfe or he came to Paris and the duke of Thourayne no more but four dayes a quarter of a day they folowed eche other so nere the duke wan the wager by reason that the frenche kynge rested himself about .viii. of the clocke at Trois in ChaÌ„payne and the duke toke a barge in the ryuer of Seyne and went a longe the ryuer to Melyn and there toke his horse rode so tyll he
lordes knewe well but I coude neuer haue knowlege therof Thus he was executed His heed stryken of and his body quartred and the quarters sette at euery gate of Parys To this ende came Aymergotte Marcell As of his wyfe and of his goodes I knewe nat what becaÌ„e further of them ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the chrysten lordes and the geno wayes beyng in the ysle of Conymbres at ancre departed thens to go and laye siege to the stronge cytie of Aufryke in Barbary and howe they maynteyned the siege Cap. C.lxxi WHere as I haue spoken at length of the lyfe of Aymergot Mercell it was to furnysshe this hystorie for the condycions bothe of yuell and good ought to be alwayes treated in a hystory and specially whan it toucheth any great feate for ensample of other and to gyue mater and occasyon to do well For if Aymergotte had ledde his lyfe in good vertues he had ben a man of great valure and bycause he dyde the coÌ„trary he came to an yuell ende ¶ Nowe let vs leaue spekyng of hym let vs retourne to the hyghe enterprice that the Christen knyghtes of Fraunce and other nacyous dyd in that season in the realme of Aufryke I wyll begyn there as I lefte The sayd lordes assembled in the ysle of Conymbres after they had passed the tempestes and paryls in the Goulfe of Lyon there they taryed eche for other for there were in the cytie of Aufryke a .xxx. thousande In this ysle of Conymbres they were a nyne dayes refresshed them and there the patrons of the galees sayde to the lordes Sirs we be in the lande next aprochyng to the marchesse of Aufryke whider by the grace of god ye are purposed to go and laye liege Wherfore it is behouable to take coâ—sayle eche of other howe we maye entre in to the hauen to take laÌ„de To saue our selfe it is best we senoe formast our lytell shyppes called Brigandyns and let vs tary in the mouthe of the hauyn the first day that we aproche and all the nyght after and the nexte mornynge to take lande by the grace of god at our leysar than lodge our selfes as nere the cytie as we maye without the shotte of their artyllary and let vs sette our crosbowes genouois in order who shal be redy to defende all scirmysshes And we suppose well that whan we shall take ladynge ye haue here iÌ„ your coÌ„panyes many yong squyers who to enhauÌ„ce their honours wyll requyre to haue the order of knighthode In structe them wisely and swetely howe they shall mentayne themselfes And my lordes knowe for trouthe that all we see men shall acquyte vs vnto you well and truely and alwayes shewe you by what maner of order we shall moost greue our enemyes And we shall take payne and study howe the cytie of Aufryke may be won for ofte tymes they haue done vs great doÌ„mage For on that coste it is the chiefe key of Barbary and of the realmes that foloweth First the realme of Aufrike of Mallorques and of Bougy And if god of his grace wyll consent that we maye wyn this cytie of Aufrike all the Sarazyns wyll trymble to the realme of Liby Sury so that all the worlde shall speke therof And by the ayde of other christen realmes ysles marchyng nere to Aufrike we shall always be refreshed with vitayls and newe men for this is a coÌ„mon voâ—age For euery man wyll desyre dayly to do dedes of armes and specially on goddes enemyes and thus in the coÌ„clusion of their processe the patrons said lordes we say nat this by no presuÌ„pcion nor by maner as to teche you what ye shuld do but this that we haue sayd is all onely for loue by humilyte for ye be all noble men sage and valyant can better order euery thyng than we can deuyse and speke Than the lorde of Coucy said sirs your good counsayle aduyse ought gretly to content vs for we se no thyng therin but good And sirs be ye sure that we shall do nothyng without your couÌ„sayle for ye haue brought vs hyder to do dedes of armes THus in the presence of the duke of Burbone the lordes and other couÌ„sayled toguyder in the ysle of Conymbres how they myght aproche the strong towne of Aufryke Whan euery thyng was well aduysed and sette in good order by the admyrall and patrons of the galees that wynde and wether serued them euery lorde entred in to his galee amoÌ„g their owne men hauyng great desyre to encouÌ„tre with their enemyes the sarazyns Than the truÌ„pettes blewe vp at their departyng It was great pleasure to beholde their ores howe they rowed abrode in the see whiche was peasable calme and fayre so that in maner the see shewed her selfe that she had great desyre that the christen men shulde come before the stronge towne of Aufryke The christen nauy was goodly to regarde well ordred and it was great beautie to se the baners and penons of silke with the armes and badges of the lordes and other wauyng with the wynde and shynyng agaynst the sonÌ„e And within an hour of noone the christen men perceyued the hygh towres of the towne of Aufrike the farder they sayled the nerer it shewed to their syghtes wherfore euery man reioysed and good cause why seyng all they desyred to coÌ„e thyder They thought thaÌ„ in a maner their paynes released their voyage accomplysshed Thus as they aproched to thentre of the realme of Aufryke they coÌ„muned deuysed among themselfe and in lyke maner the sarazyns that were within the towne of Aufryke spake and deuysed and were sore abasshed whan they sawe their enemies aproche with suche a nombre of sayles sayde that surely they were lykely to be besieged Howe be it they thought their towne so stroÌ„g with towres and walles with artyllary that therwith they reconforted and toke corage And to gyue warnyng to the countrey as soone as they sawe their enemyes on the See on the hyghe towres They sowned Tymbres and tabours accordynge to their vsage in suche wyse that the men abrode in the countrey drewe toguyder Suche men of Barbary as had ben sente thyder by the kynge of Aufryke and by the kynge of Thunes and Bougy Whan they knewe of the Christen mennes coÌ„mynge by reason of the noyse of the Tymbres and tabours to th entent that they shulde nat entre to farre in to their couÌ„treis Euery man tooke hede to his charge sente certayne of their capitayns to the See syde to se the aprochyng of the Christen men and to beholde their dealyng that nyght Also they prouyded to defende the towres and gates about the hauyn of Aufryke to the entent that by their negligeÌ„ce the towne of Aufryke shulde take no doÌ„mage whiche towne was so strong that it was nat lykely to take great hurte without longe siege And I Iohan Froyssart auctour of this cronycle bycause I was neuer in
a voyage for you thanne to go to Rome with a great puyssaunce of men of armes and pull downe and dystroy that antepaye whome the romayns by force hath created and set in the seate cathedrall of saynt Peter if ye wyll ye maye well accomplysshe this voyage and we suppose ye can nat passe your tyme more honorably And syr ye maye well know that if this antepape and his cardynals knowe ones that ye be mynded to come on them with an army they wyll yelde them self aske mercy The kynge remēbred hym selfe a lytell and sayd howe he wolde do as they had deuysed for surely he said he was moche bounde to pope Clement for the yere past he had ben at Auygnon where as the pope and his cardynals made hym ryght honourable chere and had gyuen more than was demaunded bothe to hym selfe to his brother and to his vncles wherfore the kynge sayd it hadde deserued to haue some recompence and also at his departure fro Auignon he had promysed the pope to helpe to assyst hym in his quarell At that season there was at Parys with the kyng the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne than it was agreed and concluded that the nexte Marche after the kynge shuld departe fro Parys and take the way towardes Sauoy and Lombardy and the erle of Sauoy to sende his cosyn Germayne with hym and the kynge to haue vnder his charge the duke of Tourayne his brother with four thousande speares and the duke of Burgoyne with two thousande speares and the duke of Berrey two thousāde the constable of Fraunce two thousande speares with the bretons raintoners and lowe marches the duke of Burbon a thousāde speares the lorde of saynt Poll and the lorde of Coucy a thousande speares all these men of armes to be payed in hande for thre monethes and so fro terme to terme And whan those tydynges were knowen in Auignon pope Clement and his cardynals were greatly reioysed and thought in a maner their enterprise atcheued Also the kinge was coūsayled nat to leaue the duke of Bretayne behynde hym but to sende and to desyre hym to prepare hym selfe to go with him in this voyage The kyng wrote notably to hym and sent his letters by a man of honour an offycer of armes signyfyenge the duke in his letters the state of this voyage Whan the duke had red these letters he turned hym selfe smyled and called to hym the lorde of Mountboucher and sayd Syr harke and regarde well what the frenche kyng hath written to me he hath enterprised to departe this next Marche with a great puissaunce to go to Rome and to distroy suche as take parte with pope Bonyface As god helpe me his iourney shall tourne to nothynge for in shorte space he shall haue more flax to his dystaffe than he can well spynne I thynke he wyll leaue soone his folyssh thought And also he desyreth me to go with hym with two thousande speares howebeit I wyll honour him as I ought to do and I wyll write to him ioyously bycause he shall be contente and shewe hym howe if he go in this voyage he shall nat go without me seyng it pleaseth him to haue my company howe be it sir of Moūtboucher I say vnto you I wyll nat traueyle a man of myne for all that the kyng hath purposed and sayd nothynge shall there be done in that behalfe The duke of Bretayne wrote goodly letters and swete to the frenche kynge and the officer of armes returned with theym to Parys and delyuered them to the kynge who redde them and was well contented with the aunswere ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the Englysshe knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the frenche kynge fro the kynge of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Cap. C .lxxv. THe wyll and purpose of the frenche kynge none wolde breke for it pleased greatly all the knyghtes squyers of Fraunce bycause they wyst nat where better to enploy their season and euery man prepared towardes that voyage and namely the clergy of all the prouynces of the realme ordayned and graunted a tayle to sende at their costes and charges men of warre with the kynge Howe be it this voyage tourned to nothynge as the duke of Bretayne had sayd before and I shall shewe you by what incidence About the feest of Candelmas came other tydynges to the Frenche kyng and to his counsayle whiche they loked nothynge for Certayne of the kynge of Englandes coūsayle and suche as were of his priuy chambre were sent nobly to Parys to the frenche kyng and they that were chefe of this legacyon was syr Thomas Percy syr Loys Clyfforde and sir Robert Briquet with dyuers other knyghtes in their company but I herde as than no mo named Whan these thre knyghtes were come to Parys to hym than the french kyng was desyrous to knowe what it myght meane that the kynge of Englande dyd sende so hastely of his counsayle to hym These knyghtes of Englande syr Thomas Percy and other alyghted in Parys in the streate called the Crosse at the signe of the castell The frenche kynge as than lay in the castell of Lowere his brother the duke of Tourayne with hym and his other thre vncles in other lodgynges in the cytie and the cōstable syr Olyuer Clysson It was nere hāde noone whan the englysshe men came to Parys and they kept their lodgynge all that day nyght after and the next day aboute nyue of the clocke they lept on their horses ryght honorably and rode to the castell of Loure to the kyng where he with his brother and vncles the Erle of saint Poll the lorde of Coucy the constable of Fraūce sir Iohan of Vien sir Guy de la tremoyle with dyuers other barons of Fraunce were redy to receyue the englysshe ambassadours who alyghted at the gate and entred in and there receyued them the lord de la Ryuer syr Iohan Mercyer sir Lyon of Lignach sir Peter Villers sir Willyam of Tremoyle and syr Marcell there they receyued them honourably and brought theym in to the chambre where the kynge taryed for them Than they dyd of their bonettes and kneled downe syr Thomas Percy hadde the letters of credence that the kynge of Englande had sente to the frenche kynge he delyuered them to the kyng who tooke them and caused the knyghtes to stande vp than they stepe some what backe The kynge opyned the letters and red them and sawe well that they had credence than he called to hym his brother and his vncles and shewed them the letters than his vncles sayd Syr call forthe the knyghtes and here what they wyll say Than they aproched and were cōmaunded to declare their credence than si◠Thomas Percy spake and sayd Dere sir the entencyon of our souerayne lorde the kinge of Englande is that he wolde gladly that suche of his specyall counsayle as his vncles dukes of Lancastre yorke and Glocestre and other prelates of
by their good wylles howe be it they hadde made their assemble and to saue their honour they obeyed and folowed WHan the Frenche kyng hadde rested hym a fyftene dayes at saynt Germayns and that his armye was assembled than he departed and passed the ryuer of Seyne and toke the waye to Charters and so to Annens a good towne and a castell parteyning to the lorde de la Ryuer as herytage of his wyues With the kynge was his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and the duke of Burbone The lorde de la Ryreceyued the kynge honorably and there taryed thre dayes and than rode to Charters where as Montague was bysshoppe The kynge was lodged in the bysshoppe palais and the two dukes And the seconde day after thyder came the duke of Berrey and the erle of Marche in his coÌ„pany And the fourh daye thider caÌ„e the duke of Burgoyne wher of the kynge was ryght ioyfull and people came dayle and the kyng sayd he wolde nat retourne to Parys tyll he hadde brought the duke of Bretayne to reason who so often tymes had put hym to payne and trouble The kynges counsayle hadde so sette hym on that warre that the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne wolde gladly haue modered the mater but they coulde nat be herde wherwith they were sore displeased so were suche as were of their couÌ„sayls and they said eche to other that surely the mater coude nat long endure in that state for it is full lykely that the kynge and the realme shall haue some busynesse to do sithe the kyng refuseth the counsaile of his vncles and leaneth to other at his pleasure who be nothyng lyke to theÌ„ Whan the kyng had taried at Charters a seuyn dayes than he departed and toke the waye to Mans and his men folowed some fro farre partes as out of Arthois Beamoys Vermandois and Picardy and some said one to another Ah this duke of Bretayne maketh vs to haue moche to do putteth vs to great payne and traueyle He hath been alwayes harde highe herted agaynst the crowne of FrauÌ„ce nor he neuer loued nor honored it And his cosyn the erle of Flaunders and the duchesse of Burgone who haue alwayes borne hym and as yet do had nat ben he had ben distroyed long a go for euersyth the lorde Clysson tourned Frenche he neuer loued him Surelye by an likelyâ— â—de he is â—â—â—yable of this dede for he hath alwayes 〈◊〉 sir Peter of Craon agaynst the kyng and agaynst the Constable Than other sayde Lette the kyng alone for as at this tyme he hath the mater so at his hert that he wyll bring the duke to reason or he retourne That is trewe ê™ other if there be no trayson But we feare that all suche as go with the kyng be nat enemies to the duke as it may be well 〈◊〉 if we durst speke it by some tokens For there be some that nyght and daye do what they can to couÌ„sayle the kynge to breke his voyage whiche so troubleth the kyng that he can scant gette hym selfe any helthe or recouery of his laste sickenesse Thus knightes and squiers deuised among theÌ„ selfe as they rode in their couÌ„treys Styll the kyng aproched to the cytie of Mans and there the kynge lodged in the castell and his lordes in the cytie and his men of warre abrode in the countrey There the kyng taried a thre wickes for he was sore vexed with the feuer and his phisicions sayde to his brother and to his vncles My lordes we ensure you ye do yuell to traueyle the kyng for he is in no good state to ryde rest were farre better for hym for sythe he came fro the cytie of Amyens he hath nat ben in so good helthe as he was before They shewed this to the kynge but he had so great affection to go in this iourney that he wolde nother beleue them nor yet his phisycions but sayde howe he founde more ease in trauelyng than in restyng Therfore who so euer counsayle me the contrary shall nat please me nor he loueth me nat Other answere they coulde nat haue of the kyng Euery day the kyng wolde sytte in the myddes of his counsayle tyll it was noon to th entent that none shulde laye any lette of his iourney Thus the kyng being at Mans and somwhat to acomplysshe the desyers of his vncles He sent four notable knightes to the duke of Bretayne as sir Raynolde du Roy the lorde of Varensiers the lorde of Castell morant and sir TaÌ„pyne of Cautenâ—l chateleyne of Gysors and they were charged to shewe the duke howe the kyng and his counsaile reputed that he dyde great offence to susteyne the kynges enemy and the realmes and to make amendes that he shulde seÌ„de sir Peter of Craon to Mans to the kyng wherby meanes shulde be fouÌ„de that he shulde take no doÌ„mage nor his countrey for all the kynges voyage Thus they deê‘ted fro Man 's with a .xl. speres passed through the cyte of Angiers and at last came before the cytie of Nauntes and entred and there sounde the duke who made them good chere and on a daye made them a dyner and than they dyde their message and declared the kynges entent and his counsayls whervnto the duke answered wisely and sagely said Howe it shulde be harde for hym to delyuer sir Peter of Craon and sayd as god myght helpe hym in all his busynesse he knewe nat where he was Wherfore he desyred them in that case to holde hym excused But he sayde he had well herde of hym a yere past that he loued nat sir Olyuer of Clysson but wolde make him mortall warre to his power what soeuer ende came therof And at that tyme I demaunded of hym if he had gyuen sir Olyuer knowledge therof and he sayd he had vtterly defyed and wolde slee hym if he coude outher by daye or by nyght where soeuer he coude fynde hym Of his dedes I knowe no further wherfore I haue marueyle that the kynge wyll make warre agaynst me for his cause for as to the couynauntes of maryage bytwene our chyldren by the grace of God shall nat be broken on my parte wherfore I haue done nothynge to hym nor to his counsaile that he shulde make warre agaynst me This was the aunswere that the duke made to the Frenche kynges messangers and so whan they hadde taryed a daye at Nauntes than they toke their leaue and departed and retourned to Mans to the kyng who thought longe tyll he herde their aunswere and as ye haue herde before they declared it to the kyng and his couÌ„sayle The dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne were well coÌ„tent with the answere and sayd it was reasonable but the kyng by reason of suche enformacion as he had sayde the contrary and sayd sithe he was so forewarde in his iourney he wolde nat returne agayne in to Fraunce nor to Parys tyll he had brought the duke of Bretayne to reason Gladly
squyer hym selfe had on the syxte And whan they where thus arayed in these sayd cotes and sowed fast in them they semed lyke wylde wode houses full of beare fro the toppe of the heed to the sowle of the foote This deuyse pleased well the frenche kynge and was well content with the squyer for it They were aparelled in these cotes secretly in a chamre that no man knewe therof but such as holpe them Whan syr yuan of Foiz had well aduysed these cores he sayd to the kynge Syr coÌ„maunde straytely that no man aproche nere vs with any torches or fyre for if the fyre fasten in any of these cotes we shall all be brent without remedy the king aunswered and sayd yuan ye speke well and wysely it shall be doone as ye haue deuysed and incontynent sent for an vssher of his chambre coÌ„maundyng him to go in to the chambre where the ladyes dauÌ„sed and to coÌ„maunde all the varlettes holdinge torches to stande vp by the walles and none of them to aproche nere to the wovehouses that shulde come thyder to daunce The vssher dyd the kynges coÌ„maundement whiche was fulfylled Sone after the duke of Orlyance entred in to the hall acompanyed with four knyghtes and syxe torches and knewe nothynge of the kynges coÌ„maundement for the torches nor of the mummery that was coÌ„mynge thyder but thought to be holde the daunsynge and began hym selfe to daunce Therwith the kynge with the fyue other came in they were so dysguysed in flaxe that no man knewe them Fyue of them were fastened one to another The kynge was lose and went before and led the deuyse WHan they entred in to the hall euery man teke so great hede to them that they forgate the torches The kynge departed fro his company and went to the ladyes to sporte with them as youth requyred and so passed by the quene and came to the duchesse of Berrey who toke and helde hym by the arme to knowe what he was but the kyng wolde nat shewe his name Than the duches sayd ye shall nat escape me tyll I knowe your name In this meane season great myschyefe fell on the other and by reason of the duke of Orlyance howe be it it was by ignoraunce and agaynst his wyll for if he had consydred before the mischefe that â—ell he wolde nat haue done as he dyd for all the good in the worlde but he was so desyrous to knowe what personages the fyue were that daunced he put one of the torches that his seruauÌ„tes helde so nere that the heate of the fyre entred in to the flaxe wherin if fyre take there is no remedy and sodaynly was on a bright flame and so eche of them set fyre on other the pytche was so fastened to the lynen clothe and their shyrtes so drye and fyne and so ioynynge to their flesshe that they began to brenne and to cry for helpe None durste come nere theym they that dyd brente their handes by reason of the heate of the pytche One of them called Nanthorillet aduysed hym howe the botry was therby he fled thyder and cast himselfe in to a vessell full of water wherin they rynsed pottes whiche saued hym or els he had ben deed as the other were yet he was sore hurt with the fyre whan the quene herde the crye that they made she douted her of the Kynge for she knewe well that he shulde be one of the syxe wherwith she fell in a sowne and knightes and ladyes came and comforted her a pyteous noyse there was in the hall The duchesse of Berrey delyuered the kynge fro that parell for she dyd caste ouer him the trayne of her gowne and couered him fro the fyre The kynge wolde haue gone fro her Whyder wyll ye go quod she ye se well howe your company brennes What are ye I am the kyng quod he Haste you quod she and gette you in to other apparell that the quene maye se you for she is in great feare of you Therwith the kynge departed out of the hall and in all haste chaunged his apparell and came to the quene And the duchesse of Berrey had somwhat comforted her and had shewed her howe she shulde se the kynge shortely Therwith the kynge came to the quene and as soone as she sawe hym for ioy she enbrased hym and fell in a sowne Than she was borne in to her chambre and the kynge wente with her And the bastarde of Foiz who was all on a fyre cryed euer with a loude voyce saue the kynge saue the kynge Thus was the kynge saued It was happy for hym that he went fro his company for els he had ben deed without remedy This great myscheife fell thus about mydnyght in the hall of saynt Powle in Parys where there was two brente to dethe in the place and other two the bastarde of Foiz and the erle of Iouy borne to their lodgynges and dyed within two dayes after in gret mysery and payne Thus the feest of this maryage brake vp in beuynesse howe be it there was no remedy The faulte was onely in the duke of Orlyaunce and yet he thought none yuell whanne he put downe the torche Than the duke sayde Syrs lette euery man knowe there is no man to blame for this cause but all onely my selfe I ame sory therof If I had thought as moche before it shulde nat haue happened Than the duke of Orlyaunce went to the kynge to excuse hym and the kyng toke his excuse This case fell in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and twelue the tuesday before the feest of Candelmas of whiche fortune great brute spredde abrode in the realme of FrauÌ„ce and in other countreys The dukes of Burgoyne and of Berrey were nat there present at that season They hadde taken their leaue before of the kyng and were gone to their lodginges THe next daye these newes spredde abrode in the cytie and euery manne had merueyle therof and some sayd howe God had sente that token for an ensample and that it was wysedome for the kynge to regarde it and to withdrawe hym selfe fro suche yonge ydell wantonnesse whiche he had vsed ouermoche beynge a kyng The coÌ„mons of the cytie of Parys murmured sayd Beholde the great myshappe and myschiefe that was lykely to haue fallen on the kynge He myght as well haue been brent as other were What shulde haue fallen than of the kynges vncles and of his brother They myght haue ben sure none of them shulde haue scaped the dethe yea and all the knyghtes that myght haue been founde in Parys As soone as the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne herde of that aduenture they were abasshed and marueyled greatly They lepte on their horses and rode to the kyng and coÌ„forted and counsayled hym whiche was necessary for he was sore troubled and the paryll that he was in was styll in his ymaginacion he shewed his vncles howe his aunt of Berrey had saued hym
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
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
had had greatier puissaunce than he had And whan the lorde of Coucy came first vpon the fronters of the ryuer of Geane where the entrees are stronge to conquere if there be made any defence Some lordes of the genowayes suche as fauoured the lorde Coucy and had enformed the duke of Orlyaunce wherby he sente thyder the lorde of Coucy They entreated him amiably and brought hym to their coūtreis and offred to hym their castels The lorde of Coucy who was sage subtyle and ymaginatyfe and knewe right well the nature of the lombardes and genowayes wolde nat trust them ouermoche nor haue to great confydence in their offers and promyses but alwayes wysely he helde them in loue and amyte as longe as he was amonge them and ledde them forthe with fayre wordes and treaties They had many cōmunycacyons in the felde toguyder but neuer in no fortresse and euer the more he comuned with theym the lesse he conquered or gate the genouoys made to him sygne of loue and promysed hym many thynges and wolde haue had hym to haue gone in to the cytie of Gennes or to Porte Vender but the lorde of Coucy durst neuer assure hym in their offers The conclusyon of his voyage was suche that he gate nothynge and whan he sawe that he coulde nat atcheue his busynesse he signyfied his estate to the duke of Orlyance whervpon he was remaunded and so he retourned to Parys and came thyder the same season that all the busynesse was for the iourney goynge in to Hungery The duke of Burgoyne reioysed greatly of his retourne and he and duchesse sente for hym to their house of Arthoyse in sygne of great loue than they sayd to him Syr we trust moche in you we haue caused Iohan our sonne and heyre to take on hym an enterprise in the honour of god and of all christendome and we knowe well that aboue all other knyghtes of Fraunce ye are the moste vsed and expert in all thynges wherfore derely we requyre you that ye wolde be companion with our sonne in this voyage and his chyefe counsaylour wherof we shall thanke you and deserue it to you and yours Than the lorde of Coucy said my lorde you madame your wordes and requestes ought to be to me a cōmaundement in this voyage I shall go if it please god for two causes First for deuocyon to defende the faythe of Ihesu Christ Secondly in that ye do to me somoche honour as to gyue me charge of my lorde Iohan your sonne and I shall acquyte me truely to him to my power howe be it of this dede ye may well dyscharge me and to charge specyally his cosyn and nere kynesman my lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce and his other cosyn the erle of Marche bothe two ought to go with hym in this voyage for they be both nere of his blode Than the duke sayd My lorde of Coucy ye haue moche more sene than these other twayn haue and knowe better the orderynge of an army in straunge countreys than outher our cosyn of Ewe or of March therfore we charge you and praye you to execute our requestes Than he aunswered and sayd my lorde your prayer is to me a cōmaundement and I shall do it sythe it pleaseth you with the ayde and helpe of my lorde Guye of Tremoyle and of my lorde Guillyam his brother and of the admyrall of Fraunce Of this answere the duke and duchesse had great ioye THese lordes prepared them selues to go in this iourney into Hūgery and lordes knyghtes and squyers were desyred to go in their company and many desyred themselfe to go Some were retaygned and some went without maysters and some consyderynge the voyage in to Hungery and fro thence in to Turkey to be ouer longe and chargeable for them beynge nat retaygned waxed colde in their enterpryse For the settynge forwarde of this yonge Iohan of Burgoyne nothynge was spared horse harnesse fresshe clothes riche vessell and plate of golde and syluer and offycers apoynted to do their atendaūce and money delyuered and werke men payed Than all barones knightes and squiers for the honour of Iohn̄ of Burgoyne and also for the auauncement of their bodies enforced them to make them redy The lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys ordeyned hym so puyssauntly that nothynge was spared and wolde go in that voyage as Constable of Fraunce And the frenche kynge who loued him entierlye helped hym moche towarde his charges and so he dyd to the lorde Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce The duke of Burgoyne consydered that this voyage of his sonnes shulde coste ouermoche fynaunce and he thought it conuenyent that the state of his sonne shulde be mayntayned and to fynde syluer to mayntayne it withall he foūde out subtelly a backe tayle for by a former tayle all the countreys cyties and fortresses had ben tayled And the said backe tayle mounted in Burgoyne of the chyuallry syxe hundred thousande crownes of golde And agayne the duke made it to be tolde to all knyghtes and ladyes that helde of him in fee yonge and olde that they shulde go in to Hungery in their owne propre persones with his sonne or els to paye a taxe of syluer so they were taxed some at a thousande poūde the other at fyue hundred frankes eche man after his goodes and valure of his landes Ladyes and auncyent knyghtes remembringe the traueyle of their bodyes and were nat shapen nor made to endure suche payne conpoūded and payed at the wyll of the Duke The yonge knyghtes and squyers were forborne payeng of any money but it was said to them that they shulde go with the lorde Iohan at their owne coste and charge and otherwyse nat Of this backe tayle the duke reysed .lx. thousāde crownes and so none was forborne THe tydynges of this voyage spredde abrode and whan it came in to the countrey of Haynalt knyghtes and squyers suche as desyred auauncement spake togyther and sayde A this were a mete voyage for my lorde of Ostrenant who is yonge and for his brother the erle of Neuers and if any of them wente we myght well go in their company The erle of Ostrenant beynge at that tyme at Quesnoy vnderstode what the knyghtes and squyers of his countrey sayde and he thought no lesse thā they dyd and had great affectyon to go in this voyage whan he herde any spekyng of that mater he wolde answere but lytell but dyssymuled the mater but he was in good entencyon to speke with duke Aubert of Bauyer erle of Haynalt and to do as he wolde counsayle hym Within a whyle after the Erle of Ostrenant came in to Hay in Holande where his father was with the duchesse his wyfe Than he sayd to his father my lorde suche tydinges rynneth abrode that my fayre brother of Neuers hathe enterprised this sōmer to go into Hungery and fro thens in to Turkey whereby all lykelyhode great dedes of armes shall be atchyued and syr as at
Neuers was made knight and reysed his banner and with hym were made mo than thre hundred knyghtes all they their companies went before Brehap and besieged it and wan the towne perforce within four dayes but nat the castell it was so strong The lorde of Brehap saued moche of his people byforce of the castell who was called Corbodas a right valyant knyght he had other thre bretherne one named Maladius another Balachius the thirde Rufyn After this towne was won the christen men were before the castell seuyn dayes and made dyuers assautes but they loste more than they wanne The foure knyghtes bretherne that were within shewed well by their defence that they were valyant men Whan the Frenche men hadde consydred well the force of the castell and the valyaunt ordrâ—â—ge of the turkes within and the defence that they made They sawe well thanÌ„e they loste their payne and so dislodged for they had knowledge howe the kyng of Hungry wolde go and laye siege to the stronge towne of Nicopolye Thus the siege before Brehap brake vp and they within the Castell were in peace but the towne was clene brent than the erle of Neuers and all the lordes of FraÌ„ce resorted to the kynges armye ordring theÌ„ selfe to go to Nicopoly WHanÌ„e Corbodas of Brehappe sawe the siege brokenne vp he was right ioyfull and sayde to his coÌ„pany We nede no more to fere this season though my towne be brent and exiled I shall right well recouer it agayne but of one thynge I maruâ—yle greatly and that is â— that I can here no newes fro my lorde the kyng Besant called Lamorabaquy for the last tyme that I sawe hym in the cytie of Nicopoly he sayde vnto me that this May tyme he wolde be in this countrey and had entencyon to passe with a great puyssaunce the brase of saynt George and to go in to HuÌ„gry to fight with the christen men and so he â—ent worde to the kyng of Hungry and yet he hath done nothyng and thervpon they of HuÌ„gry be fortifyed and haue as nowe great socour out of FrauÌ„ce and haue passed the ryuer of Dunce and are entred in to Turkey and haue and do distroye the countre for there is no resistence made against theÌ„ they thinke surely to go and lay siege before Nicopoly The cytie is stronge ynoughe to resyst the siege a longe season if it be well defended kepte We are here â—our bretherne and knyghtes of the lynage of kynge Besant We ought and are bounde to defende his ryght therfore lette vs order oure selfe as I shall shewe you I and my brother Maladyus we shall go to the Cytie of Nicopoly to ayde to helpe and defende it my brother Balachyus shall abyde here to kepe this castell of Brehap and my brother Rufyne shall passe the brase of saynt George and go seke out Lamorabaquy shewe him euery thynge that is past done and aduyse hym for his honoure to enteÌ„de to defende his herytage to come with suche puyssaunce that maye resyst the christen men and to breke their purpose or els he shall lese the realme of Armony whiche he hath conquered and his owne countrey also For by all ymagynacyon the kynge of Hungry and the Christen men are gadered to th entent to do some great enterprice His thre bretherne agreed to his sayeng On this apoyntment they prepared them selfe to departe SO in this season siege was laid before Nicopolye and Corbodas of Brehappe Maladyus his brother came and entred in to Nicopoly wherof they of the cytie were ryght ioyfull and Balachyus abode styll at Brehappe to kepe the castell Rufyn whan he sawe tyme be nyght he passed the Christen army for he knewe well the countre and passed ouer the brase saynt George and â—erched for Lamorabaquy and the same season he was at Quayre with the soudane of Babylone to haue ayde of men of hym Rufyn fouÌ„de this turke there whan kynge Besant sawe hym he had marueyle and thought surely he shulde here some newes out of Turkey ThanÌ„e he demaunded what tidynges sir quod Rufyn all the couÌ„trey desyreth sore to se you there for the kyng of Hungry with puissaunce hath passed the ryuer of Dunce and is entred in to Turkey and hath done great doÌ„mage and hath brent and assayled a fyue or sixe of your closed townes And whan I departed fro Brehappe he was in purpose to go and leye siege to Nicopoly Corbodas and Maladyus my brother with suche men of warre as they haue are enâ—red in to Nicopoly to helpe to defeÌ„de the towne my brother Balachyus is styll at Brehappe to kepe the castell there And sir of suretie there is in the company with the kynge of Hungry the goodlyest armye and best apoynted come out of Fraunce that euer was sene Wherfore sir it behoueth you to assemble your hoost and frendes and retourne in to Turkey to cause your enemyes to retourne agayne ouer the ryuer of DuÌ„ce and ye do it nat with gret puyssauÌ„ce it wyll be harde to bring it about What nombre be they quod Lamorabaquy sir quod he they be mo than a hundred thousande the good lyest men oâ— the worlde and best armed and all on hors backe Lamorabaquy gaue none answere but entred in to the Soudans chaÌ„bre and shewed the Soudane all the hole mater as his knyght had shewed hym than the soudane sayd We must prouyde for it ye shall haue men ynowe to resyst theÌ„ Nedes we must defeÌ„de our lawe and our herytage That is true sir quod Lamorabaquy NOwe my desyres arre come to passe for I haue alwayes desyred none other thynge but that the kynge of Hungry with his puissaunce myght ones come ouer the ryuer of Dunce and entre in to Turkey In the begynnynge I wyll suffre a season but at the ende they shall paye for the scotte Of all this I hadde knowledge four monethes paste by my great Frende the lorde of Myllayne who sente me Go. haukes Gerfaucons and faucons to the nombre of .xii. whiche were the best and fayrest that euer I sawe And with this present he wrote to me by name all the heedes and chiefe capitayns of the barones of Fraunce suche as shulde come to make me warre In the whiche letters was also conteyned that if I might get them in my daunger they shulde be worthe to me a myllyon of floreyns And also howe there shulde be in their company of the lymytees of Fraunce mo than fyue huÌ„dred knightes valyaunt men of armes Also the Duke of Myllaygne wrote that surely they wyll gyue me batayle wherfore I wyll prepare to mete with them by arte aduise and good ordynaunce for they are men of great feate and so valiaunt in armes that they wyll nat flye nor recule they are worthy oâ— thanke to issue out of their owne nacyon by valyauntnesse to fynde dedes of armes And I truste to accoÌ„plysshe their desyres within thre monethes so
that they shall haue ynoughe to do TO coÌ„sydre these wordes one ought greatly to marueyle that the Lorde Galeas erle of Vertues and Duke of Myllayne who was reputed to be a christen man baptysed and regenerate after the Christen Lawe wolde seke or requyre loue or alyaunce with a kynge myscreant out of our lawe and faythe or to sende hym gyftes and presentes as he dyde euery yere As dogges haukes and fyne lynen clothes whiche are ryght plesaunt to the Sarazins for they haue none but that cometh fro our parties Also the great Turke sent to hym agayne other presentes of ryche clothe of golde and precyous stones wherof the Sarazins haue great plentie But in those dayes the erle of Vertues duke of Myllayne and sir Galeas his father reygned as tyrantes and so helde their signories It is marueyle to thynke of their dedes and fyrste howe they entred and opteygned the signorie of Myllayne So it was there were thre bretherne the lorde Manfres the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo They hadde an vncle who was archebysshoppe of Myllayne And so it fortuned that whan the lorde Charles of Lusenbourge kyng of Boesme and of Almayne emperour of Rome who reigned after kyng Loyes of Bauyer who opteygned to the Empyre byforce for he was neuer taken as Emperour by the churche but excoÌ„munycate and a cursed by pope Innocent who reygned as thanÌ„e For this Loyes of Bauyer went to Rome and made hymselfe to be crowned emperour by a pope and .xii. cardynalles that he made And as soone as he was crowned he made the Almayns to be payed their wages to ouer ryn Rome and to robbe and to pyll it this was the rewarde that the romayns had for receyuyng of hym wherfore he dyed excoÌ„municat and in that sentence The pope and cardynalles that he made without any constreynâ— came after to Auignon and submytted them selfes to pope Innocent who reigned before Vrbayne the fyfthe and there were assoyled of their errours ¶ Nowe to purpose howe the lordes of Myllayne came fyrst to that signorie I shall shewe you howe SO it was the archebysshoppe of Myllayne at a tyme receyued kynge Charles of Boesme emperour in to the cytie of Myllayne nobly and tryumphantlye after the Emperour had been before Axe the Chapell and had accomplysshed there his .xl. dayes accordyng to the vsage in the case parteyning and for the great chere that he made to the Emperour and for a hundred thousande ducates that he lent to the Emperour He made the bysshop vycouÌ„t of Myllayne and his nephewes after hym for euer to holde the lande and signorie of Mylayne free at his wyll vnto the tyme that the Emperour hadde payde agayne at one tyme the sayd soÌ„me of a hundred thousande ducates And so after the bysshoppe dyed and the lorde Manfres his nephue by the accorde of the Emperour and for loue of his vncle was receyued in to the signorie of Myllayne than his two bretherne who as than were nat very riche the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo counsayled toguyder determyned to reigne and to holde the landes of LoÌ„bardy bytwene theÌ„ and to coÌ„ioyne theÌ„ by mariage to some great lordes to maynteyne their estates and to cause men to feare their displeasures And so they caused their brother MaÌ„frese to be slayne by venyme or otherwyse after whose dethe they reygned puissauntly byforce and polycy All their dayes they lyued in good accorde toguyder and departed the cyties of Lombardy bytwene them The lorde Galeas hadde tenne bycause he was the eldest and the lorde Bernabo nyne And the cytie of Myllayne was gouerned one yere by the one brother and another yere by the other brother And to the entent to reigne puissauntly they sought the wayes to gader great rychesse by raysinge vp in possyons subsydies and gabelles and many other yuell customes wherby they gadered great store of golde and syluer and they caused their townes and cyties to be kepte with soudyours straungers as Almaygnes FreÌ„che men Bretons Englysshmen and of all other nacyons excepte their owne countrey men for they hadde no trust nor affiaunce in them for feare of rebellyon agaynst theÌ„ and these soudyours were payed fro moneth to moneth wherby they were so douted and fered of the people that none durste displease them For if any dyd ryse or dyde any thyng agaynst them there was cruell vengeaunce taken vpon them They distroyed many a one in their dayes to gyue ensaÌ„ple to other IN all their signories no man hadde any thynge but atte their pleasure They wolde tayle a ryche man thre or foure tymes in a yere They sayd that loÌ„bardes were ouer proude and presuÌ„ptuous in their richesse wherfore it was behouable to kepe them vnder subiection no man durst saye nay to any thyng that they coÌ„maunded These two bretherne maryed them hyghlye and bought their wyues with the goodê and substaunce of their people The lorde Galeas hadde to wyfe the suster of the good erle of Sauoye named Blaunche payde to the erle for her a hundred thousande ducates The lorde Barnabo maryed hym in Almaygne to the suster of the duke of Bresnyche and payde no lesse money than his brother dyd These two bretherne hadde many chyldren and maryed them highly and richelye to atteyne therby great alyaunces The lorde Galeas had a sone called Galleas and as than the father vnderstode that whaÌ„ kynge Iohan of Fraunce was come out of Englande and put to rauÌ„some to .xxx. C. thousand frankes and they of Fraunce wyst nat howe to reyse the fyrste payment ThanÌ„e he treated with the Frenche kynge and his couÌ„sayle to haue one of his doughters for Galeas his sonne The kynge and his couÌ„sayle entended to this treatie bycause they knewe well this lorde Galeas was grounded in richesse and thus he bought the kyngê doughter for sixe hundred thousande frankes whiche were tourned in payment to the Kynge of Englande And so his sonne maryed kynge Iohans doughter and to hym was gyuen the countie and erldome of Vertues in Champaygne Of that sonne and doughter issued a doughter whiche byforce of golde and syluer was maryed to the seconde sonne of kynge Charles of Fraunce called Loyes duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and Valoyes The maryage cost the erle of Vertus father to the sayde lady tenne hundred thousaunde frankes And the countie of Bloyes was bought of the erle Guye of Bloyes as it hath ben conteyned here before in this hystorie Thus these lordes Galeas and Barnabo acorded right well toguyder all their lyue dayes they neuer varyed nor their people toguyder therfore they reigned in great puissaunce No man coude haue reason nor right of them Pope cardynalles nor other that made any warre agaynst them sauyng alonely the marques of MouÌ„tferant that was by the meanes of the lorde Iohan Hacon and the Englysshe men with the routes of the companyons whiche Iohan Hacon brought them out of Prouynce in to Lombardy and made there great warre
the see and entred in to the realme of Fraunce fro Calayesê and so wente a longe in to the realme and fouÌ„de none to with stande me nor none that durst fyght with me in lyke wyse so dyd syr Robert Canoll and sir Hugh Caurell and Thomas of GrauÌ„tsome and syr Phylyppe Gyssarde and yet they had nat the nombre that I had with me and yet they were before Parys and demaunded batayle of the frenche kynge but they coulde neuer be aunswered nor founde any person that sayd any thyng to them and so they rode into Bretayne and so a longe through the realme of Fraunce fro Calais to Burdeaux without hauynge of any batayle or rencountre but I thynke surely who so wolde nowe make any suche iourney they shulde be fought with all for he that calleth hym selfe kynge in Fraunce is yonge hote and of great corage and enterprise he wolde surely fight what ende so euer fell therof and that is the thynge we desyre for we loue nothynge so well as to haue batayle for without it be by batayle and victory vpon the frenche men who be ryche els we shall haue no recouery but suffre with the losse as we haue done euer sythe my nephewe was kyng of Englande This thyng can nat longe endure in this estate but at laste the realme of Englande shall perceyue the mater repente it for the kyng taketh and shall take and reyse great tayles of the marchauntes wherwith they be nat content and yet they can nat tell where the good becometh Thus the kynge enpouereth the realme of Englande and gyueth to one and other largely and there as it is but yuell bestowed and his people vyeth the bargayne whiche shortely wyll growe to a rebellyon within the realme for the people begyn to clater and to murmure therat sayeng howe they wyll no leÌ„ger suffre nor beare it he sayeth to stoppe the peoples rumure that the trewce ones concluded bytwene him Fraunce that than he wyll make a voyage in to Irelande and enploye there his men of armes and archers and there he hath ben but with a small conquest for IrelaÌ„de is no lande of great conquest nor profyte the people they are but rude and yuell and a right poore countrey and inhabytable and looke what is wonne there in one yere is loste in another Laquynay Laquynay quod the duke all that I haue sayde is of trouth THus the duke of Gloucestre deuysed with his knyght with suche wordes and other as it was well knowen after He hated the kynge and coulde speke no good worde of him and though he were with his brother the duke of LaÌ„castre as one of the greatest rulers of the Realme he toke no care therof And whan the kyng dyd sende for him he wolde come at his pleasure and sometyme nat a whyt And whan he came to the kynge he wolde be the laste shulde come and the first that wolde departe and in counsayle what he had ones sayd of his opynion he wolde haue it taken and accepted els he wolde be displeased and somtyme take his leaue and departe to his maner in Essex called Plasshey there was his chiefe abydynge This duke was a great prince and might well spende by yere a threscore thousande ducates he was duke of Gloucestre erle of Essex and of Buckingham and constable of Englande He was of so marueylous condycyons that the kynge douted hym more than any other of his vncles for in his wordes he wolde nat spare nor forbeare the kynge The kynge alwayes was humble and meke to hym and whatsoeuer he wolde demaunde the kynge wolde graunte it hym This duke had caused in EnglaÌ„de to be done many cruell and hasty iugementes for he had caused to be beheeded withoute tytell of any good reasone that noble knyght syr Symon Burle and dyuers other of the kynges counsayle and chased out of Englande the archebysshop of yorke and the duke of Irelande bycause they were so nygh of the kinges counsayle and layde to their charge that they had counsayled the kynge wronge and ledde hym as they lyst and had spente the reuenewes of Englande at their pleasures This duke had two bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke These two were euer about the kynge wherat this duke of Gloucestre hadde great enuy wolde say to dyuers as to suche as he trusted as Robert bysshop of London and to other whan they came to him to Plasshey Frendes my two bretherne ouerchargeth greatly the kynges house it were better they were at home at their owne houses this duke by subtyle couerte wayes drewe to his acorde the londoners for he thought if he might be sure of them he shulde sone haue all the rest of the realme to his acorde This duke had a nephue sonne to the doughter of his elder brother called Lyonell duke of Clarence whiche doughter was maryed into Lombardy to the sonne of syr Galeas duke of Myllayne This duke Lyonell dyed in the cytie of Aste in Piemounte So this duke of Gloucestre wolde gladly haue sene his nephue sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence called Iohan erle of Marche to haue ben kynge of Englande and to haue had his nephue kynge Rycharde deposed for he sayd howe the kynge was nat worthy to holde nor to gouerne the realme of Englande This he wolde say to them that he trusted and he dyd so moch that he caused the erle of Marche to come to his house and than and there he dyscouered to hym all his entent and secretnesse and sayde howe he had determyned to make hym kynge of Englande and kyng Richarde to be put downe and his wyfe also and to be kept in prison dutynge their lyues and so he desyred effectuously the erle to accept his offre and good wyll sayenge howe he wolde do the beste he coulde to bringe it aboute and that he had of his acorde and alyaunce the erle of Arundell and therle of Warwyke and dyuers other prelates and lordes of Englande The erle of Marche was sore abasshed whan he herde the duke his vncle speke suche wordes howe be it lyke a yonge man he dissymuled the mater and aunswered wysely to th entent to please the duke and said howe he wold be glad to be ruled as he wolde haue hym but he sayd he wolde be well aduysed or he accepted suche promisse to sone and wolde take therin aduyse and delyberacyon And whan the duke of Gloucestre sawe the maner of the erle than he desyred him to kepe the mater secrete The erle answered so he wolde do Than therle departed as sone as he coude and so wente in to Irelande to his herytage and after he wolde neuer entende to the dukes treatie but alwayes excused him selfe wysely yet euer he kept the mater secrete for he sawe well the conclusyon shulde nat be good IT was sayd howe the duke of Gloucestre sought all the wayes he coude to set a trouble in Englande and to styrre the
knightes This shyppe was so goodlye fayre that it was great ioye to beholde it the whiche gyfte the soudan toke in gree and sente agayne to the kynge of Cypre the double in value therof All this was anone knowen in FrauÌ„ce by marchauntes that wrote therof to Dyne of Responde to the entente that he shulde shewe it to the Frenche kyng and to the duke of Burgoyn to haue a thanke of the kynge THis kyng of Cypre had good cause thus to do for he was in doute of the frenche kynges displeasure bicause he caused to be slayne murdered by night his brother the valyaunt kynge Peter who dyde moche trouble to the Sarazins toke Saptalye and Alexandre The Sarazins douted hym more than any other kyng or emperour christened bicause of his valyaÌ„tnesse of the whiche dede this sayde kynge Iames sore repented hym selfe and knewe well he had done yuell And after the same dede he fledde out of Cypre or els the Christen men wolde haue slayne hym So he entred in to a galley of Gene beyng at the porte of Nicopossie and so wente to Genes and the genowayes receyued hym And some said that he dyde that foule murdre by the entysement of the genoways for anone after the genouois came with puissaunce of men of warre and galyes and toke the cytie of Famagous and the porte and kepte it with puyssaunce This kynge of Cypre had a fayre yonge sonne The Cyprience crowned this chylde kynge and after his crownyng he lyued nat long but dyed soone after And aft his dethe the genouois with great puyssauÌ„ce brought this Iaques in to Cypre and crowned hym kyng and so he reigned kyng of Cypre And the genowayes alwayes susteyned hym agaynst all men but they wolde neuer rendre vp the Cytie of Famagous nor the porte but helde it styll at the tyme that the auctour wrot this hystorie And to saye the trouthe if the genowayes had nat had it the Turkes had wonne it longe before and all the realme of Cipre had brought it in to their obeysauÌ„ce and by all lykelyhode had subdued the ysles of Rodes and all other ysles enclosed in the See to Venyce but alwayes the genoways and venisyaÌ„s resysted them And whan they sawe that the turkes had wonne the Realme of Armony than they toke the strong towne of Corque in Hermyne on the See syde and so helde it so that and it had nat ben for dout of the passage and straytes of Corque and of Xere before CoÌ„stantyne the noble the turkes had sore entred in to Christendome and vpon the border of the see the whiche shulde haue been great preiudyce to the ysle of Rodes and to the ysles adioynyng Thus by these meanes the fronters of Christen dome were kepte and defended ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to our purpose THis kyng Iaques of Cyper who knewe hym selfe gylcy of the deth of the kynge his brother wherby he had the hatred of all other crysten kynges therfore he dyd as moche as he coude do to get agayne their loue and fauour and tooke it for a great honoure that the frenche kynge wrote fyrst to hym for he douted him most of all and so he had cause for the duke of Burbone by ryght successyon of the lynage of Lusygnan ought to be kynge there and his heyres for thoughe this kynge Iaques was brother to the kyng Peter of Cyper yet he had no ryght to the crowne for he was but a bastarde and all this knewe ryght well the genouoys so that whan he was made kynge there was made a great alyaunce bytwene them confermed nat to be broken and the genouoys to defeÌ„de and kepe him and his heyres agaynst all other and therby they atteygned great sygnories and fraunchesses in the realme of Ciper and all that euer they dyd to the exaltynge of this Iaques kynge of Cyper was alwayes for their owne chiefe auauntage and to be stronge against the venycians and to haunte and erercyse their feate of marchaundyse in to the Sarazyns landes This kinge Iaques as longe as he lyued dyd what he coulde to please the Frenche kynge by the meanes of the genouoys for they wolde in no wyse dysplease hym and therfore the same season this kynge Iaques ordeyned this shyppe of golde to presente Lamorabaquy to haue loue and acquayntauÌ„ce with him whiche gyft was ioyfully receyued and moch praysed with the turkes and it was thought that the lorde Dyne of Rresponde was meanes therof and wrote therin to the genouoys for in this maner and otherwayes he laboured all that he myght for the delyueraunce of the erle of Neuers and of the other lordes of Fraunce WHan the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse his wyfe sawe that Lamorabaquy began to fall to treatie for the crysten prisoners the newes therof was greatly to their pleasure and apoynted a sage valyaunt knyght of the countie of Flaunders called syr Gylberte of Linrenghen who was souerayne of Flaunders vnder the duke and duchesse And than they sent for syr Iaques of Helley bycause he knewe the wayes and passages and desyred hym to acompany syr Gylberte to treate with Lamorabaquy for the delyueraunce of the crysten prisoners and promysed hym that his payne shulde be well consydred and rewarded Syr Iaques promysed them so to do So these two knyghtes departed and rode so longe that they came in to the realme of Hungery and so drewe to the kynge for they had letters to hym The kyng receyued them ioyously for loue of the frenche kynge and also he knewe well syr Iaques of Helley There they shewed the kyng the cause of their coÌ„mynge out of Fraunce and howe they were sente in to Turkey to treate for the delyueraunce of the erle of Neuers and the other lordes of FrauÌ„ce if Lamorabaquy wolde gyue them the herynge The kynge sayde it was well done to redeme them if they myght be put to raunsome and sayd in the assayenge therof they coulde lese nothynge besydes that the kinge offred them his body and goodes to ayde theym in all maners Wherof these two knyghtes thanked hym To entre in to this treatye with Lamorabaquy or they coulde come therto these knightes had moche payne and made great dâ—â—ygeÌ„ce for fyrst syr Iaques of Helley was fayne to go to Lamorabaquy to requyre a safe conducte for his companyon syr Gylbert to come in to Turkey And whan he had ateyned it than he returned in to Hungery and so they rode than into Turkey The souerayne of Flaunders was receyued of Lamorabaquy and of his men ryght nobly and was herde speke and so lytell and lytell they entred in to their treatie the same tyme there haunted in to Turkey a marchaunt genouoy of the isle of Sio vnder the obeysaunce of the genouoys This marchauÌ„t was named Bartylmew Pologrine and he was well be loued in Turkey and namely with Lamorabaquy Syr Dyne of Responde beynge at Parys to th entent that this treatie myght haue the better
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
the kyng and oftentymes talked togider and men of warre before behynde in great nombre and all suche as were of the kynges courte rode toguyder in a company That night they laye about Oxenforde The duke of Lancastre ledde kyng Richarde by no castelles nor good townes for feare of styring of the people but alwayes kepte the feldes Than the duke gaue lycence to a great nombre of his people to departe and sayd Sirs ye maye departe for we haue that we desyre the kynge can nat flye nor scape fro vs we our owne company shall bring hym to London and putte hym in sauegarde in the towre he and all his are my prisoners I may bringe them whider I wyll Therfore sirs go your wayes home tyll ye here other newes They dyde as the duke coÌ„maunded theÌ„ who toke the way to Wyndsore and came thyder and moost parte of the LoÌ„doners retourned to London other to their owne places the duke of LaÌ„castre deê‘ted fro wynsore wolde nat ride by Colbroke but toke the way by Shene so caÌ„e to dyner to Chersay the king had desyred the duke that he shulde nat bringe hym London waye nor through the cytie and therfore they tooke that waye As soone as they had the kynge thus in their handes they sente notable ê‘sones to the yong quene who was at Ledes in Kent And they caÌ„e to the lady Coucy who was seconde persone there next to the quene and sayd to her Madame make you redy for ye must deê‘te hens and at your departyng make no semblant of displeasure before the quene but saye howe your husbande hath sent for you for your doughter also This that we saye loke that you do accomplysshe on payne of your lyfe nor axe ye no questyons no further And ye shal be conueyed to Douer and there haue a shyppe that shall bring you to Boloyne the lady who douted those wordê for she knewe well Englysshemen were cruell and hasty said sirs as god wyll I am redy to do as ye wyll haue me Anone she made her redy and horses were prouyded for her and for her coÌ„pany So all Frenche men and women departed and they were conueyed to Douer at the next tyde they toke shippyng and had good wynde and so arryued at Boloyne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the state of quene Isabell of englande and howe she had all newe ê‘sones apoynted to wayte vpon her and howe kyng Richarde was sette in the towre of London Capi. CC.xlii AS for the state of the quene was so tourned and broken for there was lefte nouther man womon nor chylde of the nacion of FraÌ„ce nor yet of Englande suche as were in any fauour with the kyng Her house was newly furnisshed with ladyes and damoselles and other offycers and seruauntes They were charged all that in no wyse they shuld nat speke of the kynge nat one to another Thus the duke of LaÌ„castre departed fro Cherisay and rode to Shene and fro thens in the nyght tyme they conueyed the kyng to the towre of London and suche other knightes and squyers as the kyng wolde The nexte mornyng whan the Londoners knewe that the kynge was in the towre they were gretly reioysed but there was great murmuring among theÌ„ bycause the kyng was conueyed thyder so secretely They were angry that the duke had nat brought hym throughe London openly nat to haue done him honor but shame they hated hym so sore Beholde the opinyon of coÌ„mon people whaÌ„ they be vp agaynst their prince or lorde and specially in Englande amonge them there is no remedy for they are the peryloust people of the worlde and most outragyoust if they be vp and specially the Londoners and in dede they be riche and of a great nombre There was well in LoÌ„don a. xxiiii thousaÌ„de men in harnesse complete and a.xxx. thousande archers and they were hardy hygh of corage the more blode they sawe shedde the lesse they were abasshed ¶ Nowe lette vs somwhat speke of the erle of Rutlande constable of Englande sonne to the duke of yorke who was taryed at Bristowe and the lorde SpeÌ„ser with hym who had his suster to wyfe Whan they knewe that the castell of Flynte was gyuen vp and the kynge taken and brought to London thanÌ„e they thought surely the matters wente nat well for the kynge Therfore they thought no lengar to tary there and gaue leaue to al their men of warre to departe and the erle of Rutlande and the lorde Spenser rode toguyder with their owne seruauntes to Hull in the marchesse of Wales a fayre maÌ„ner of the lorde Spensers there they taryed tyll they herde other tidynges And the duke of yorke laye styll in his castell medled with nothynge of the busynesse of Englande no more he dyde before he toke euer the tyme aworthe as it came howbeit he was sore displeased in his mynde to se suche difference within the realme and bytwene his nephues and blode ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to speke of kynge Richarde WHan the duke of Lancastre had set his cosyn kyng Richard in the towre of London and certayne of his couÌ„saylours and had sette sure kepynge on theÌ„ The fyrst thyng than that the duke he sent for the erle of Warwyke who was banysshed and coÌ„maunded to lye in the ysle of Wyght and discharged hym clene therof secondly the duke of Lancastre sent to therle of Northumberlande and to the lorde Percy his sonne that they shulde come to hym and so they dyde After he enquered and sought out to haue the foure companyons that had strangled his vncle the duke of Gloucestre in the castell of Calais They were so well sought out that they were all taken They were sette in prisone aparte in LoÌ„don than the duke of Lancastre and his couÌ„sayle toke aduyse what shulde be done with kyng Richarde beyng in the towre of LoÌ„don where as kyng Iohan of Fraunce was kept whyle kynge Edwarde wente in to the Realme of FrauÌ„ce Than it was thought that king Rycharde shuld be put fro all his royalte and ioy that he hath lyued in for they sayd the newes of his takynge shulde sprede abrode in to all realmes crystened He had been kynge .xxii. yere and as than they determined to kepe him in prisone Than they regarded what case the realme stode in and dyd put all his dedes in artycles to the nombre of .xxviii. Than the duke of Lancastre and his counsayle went to the towre of London and entred in to the chambre where kynge Rycharde was and without any reuerence makynge to hym there was openly redde all the said artycles to the whiche the kynge made none aunswere for he sawe well all was true that was layde to his charge sauynge he sayd all that I haue doone passed by my counsayle Than he was demaunded what they were that had gyuen couÌ„sayle and by whome he was most ruled he named them in trust therby to haue ben delyuered himselfe in
shotte on bothe partes so that many were hurte Than the bayly with his great nombre came vpon them without sparynge for he had speciall coÌ„maundement fro kynge Henry that he shulde outher take theÌ„ quicke or deed if he myght ouercome them So finally the Erles menne were fayne to withdrawe in to the houses Than the bayly and his men enuyroned their lodgynges on all partes and specially where the two Erles were made there suche assautes that they entred ê‘force There were many hurte and slayne Th erle of HuÌ„tyngton defended him selfe valyauntly as longe as he myght But there were so many agaynst hym that there he was slayne and with hym the yonge erle of Kente for whom great sorowe was made in dyuers partes of Englande for he was a fayre yonge man and was there in maner agaynst his wyll but his vncle and the erle of Salisbury brought hym therto The men of Suscettour who were fierse agaynst theÌ„ strake of their heedes and sent them by a messanger to the mayre of London therwith to reioyce the kyng and the londoners Th erle of Salisbury and the lorde Spensar came to a lyke conclusyon for certayne knightes squiers of the kynges toke them where they were and strake of their heedes sente them to London many suche as were with them alyed were putte to execucion bothe knyghtes and squyers After that the realme was in good rest and peace ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the frenche kyng reysed vp an army to sende vpon the fronters of Englande Cap. CC .xlviii. WHan easter was come the yere of our lorde god M. four hundred The freÌ„che kyng his brother his vncles his counsaile vnderstode howe certayne Englysshmen of armes and archers shulde passe the see and come to Calais and to Guynes to HaÌ„mes and to those fronters Than there was a coÌ„maundement made throughe Fraunce that euery knight and squyer shulde be redy to leape a hors backe and to go thider as they shulde be sente specially Bolonois and the see syde was well prouyded for The same tyme duke Iohan of Bretayne died behynde hym he lefte two sonnes a doughter The eldest sonÌ„e shulde haue maried the frenche kynges secoÌ„de doughter for he might nat haue theldest bycause she was maryed in to Englande to kynge Richarde This treatie of maryage fyrst for the eldest doughter of Fraunce with the heyre of Bretayne was coÌ„cluded at Tourse in Tourayn but afterwarde by the kinges coÌ„sent and his couÌ„saile to th entent to marry her the more richely that mariage was broken with Bretayne she maried in to Englande And dyuers lordes in Fraunce said feared that no good shulde come therof but than they concluded for the secoÌ„de doughter Than after the dethe of the duke of Bretaine it was aduised that the duke of OrlyauÌ„ce with a certayne noÌ„bre of men of warre shulde drawe to the marches of Bretayne to speke with the bretons with the couÌ„saylours of good townes to know what they wolde do with their heyre to desyre theÌ„ to delyuer him to be kept in the house of FrauÌ„ce The duke of OrlyauÌ„ce dyde acording to this deuyse with a certayne noÌ„bre came to Ponthorson there rested and sente worde of his coÌ„myng to the lordes of Bretaigne Than prelates lordes couÌ„saylours of the good townes in the name of the thre estates of the countre assembled togider were determyned what aunswere to make and so they came to Pounthorson to the duke of Orlyaunce and there they made their answere all after one sorte and that was They said howe that their yonge lorde heyre of Bretayne they wolde kepe hym theÌ„selfes in his owne countre Than the duke of OrlyauÌ„ce seyng it wolde none otherwise be he toke boÌ„des of the grettest lordes in Bretayne suche as had chefe charge of the countre that they shulde delyuer hym to the freÌ„che kyng whaÌ„ the childe shulde come to his age These writynges made and sealed than the duke deê‘ted and returned in to Fraunce and shewed the kyng his brother howe he had spedde IT was well knowen in Englande howe the Frenche kyng hadde furnysshed his garysons cyties good townes castels on the fronters of Picardy and Bolonois and howe the frenchmen had closed so the passagê ouer the water of SoÌ„me that no marchandyse corne nor other thyng shulde nat passe Abuyle nor the marchauÌ„tes of EnglaÌ„de who were wont to go in to FraÌ„ce with their marchauÌ„dise durst no more coÌ„e there nor the frenche marchauÌ„tes durste nat come in to Englande so that the fronters on bothe ê‘ties were in gret ruyne desolacion and yet they made no warrÌ„ togyder for they had no coÌ„mauÌ„dement so to do Than it was said to kyng HeÌ„ry sir aduyse you well it semeth by the Frenchmen they wyll make you warre they make great prouisyon for shyppes at Harflewe and capitayns of their armye is the erle of saynt Poule and sir Charles de la Breth And it were to suppose that if the erles of Huntyngton and of Salysbury were a lyue and all suche as be dedde the Frenchmen than wolde soone passe ouer the see on trust to haue great alyaunce and ayde in Englande But sir as longe as Richarde of Burdeaux is a lyue you nor your realme shal be at no suretie I beleue that ye saye is trewe quod the kyng but as for me I wyll nat cause hym to be slayne for I haue so promysed hym and I wyll kepe my promyse without I ê‘ceyue that he worke trayson agaynst me Well sir â—abqod they of his counsaill it were better for you that he were deed rather than a lyue For as longe as the frenche men knowe that he is lyueng they wyll enforce them to make you warre and wyll hope alwayes to bring him agayne in to his former estate bycause of his wyfe the Frenche kynges doughter The kyng gaue none answere but departed fro them as than and lefte his couÌ„sayle coÌ„munyng togyder the kynge wente and toke a faucon on his haÌ„de and passed ouer that mater ¶ Of the dethe of kyng Richarde of Englande and howe the truse bytwene Englande and Fraunce was reuewed And also of the deposicion of pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC .xlix. IT was nat longe after that true tidynges ran thoroughe London howe Richarde of Burdeaulx was deed but howe he dyed by what meanes I coulde nat tell whan I wrote this cronycle But this kynge Rycharde deed was layde in a lytter and sette in a chayre couered with blacke Baudkynne and foure horses all blacke in the chayre and two men in blacke leadyng the chayre and four kynghtes all in blacke folowyng Thus the chare departed fro the towre of London and was brought a long throughe London fayre and softely tyll they caÌ„e into chepesyde where as the chefe assembly of LoÌ„don was and there the chare rested the space of two houres thyder came in and out mo than xx M. persons men and women to se hym