supped and some layde downe to their rest and were wery of trauaylynge and sautynge of the castell all that day and thought to ryse erly in the mornyng in cole of the day to gyue a newe assaute Therwith sodenly the englysshmen came on them and entred in to the lodginges wenyng it had ben the maisters lodgynges and therin were but varlettes and seruauntes Than the englysshmen cryed Percy Percy and entred into the lodgynges and ye knowe well where suche affray is noyse is sone reysed and it fortuned well for the scottes for whan they sawe the englysshmen came to wake them than the lordes sente a certayne of their seruauntes of fotemen to skrymysshe with the englysshmen at the entre of the lodgynges and in the meane tyme they armed and aparelled them euery man vnder his baner vnder his capytaynes penon The night was farre on but the mone shone so bryght as and it had ben in a maner daye it was in the moneth of August and the wether fayre and temperate THus the scottes were drawen to gyder and without any noyse departed fro their lodgynges went aboute a lytell mountayne whiche was greatly for their aduauntage for all the day before they had well aduysed the place and sayd amonge them selfe If the englysshemen come on vs sodaynly than we wyll do thus thus for it is a ioperdous thyng in the nyght if men of warre entre into our lodgynges if they do than we wyll drawe to suche a place therby outher we shall wyn or lese Whan the englysshmen entred in to the felde at the first they soone ouercame the varlettes and as they entred further in alwayes they fouÌ„de newe men to besy them and to skrymysshe with them Than sodaynly came the scottes fro aboute the mountayne and sette on the englysshmen or they were ware and cryed their cryes wherof the englysshe menne were sore astonyed Than they cryed Percy and the other partye cryed Duglas There began a cruell batayle and at the fyrst encountre many were ouerthrowen of bothe partyes And bycause the englisshmen were a great nombre and greatly desyred to vanquysshe their enemyes and rested at their pas and greatly dyd put a backe the scottes so that the scottes were nere dyscomfyted Than the erle Iames Duglas who was yonge stronge and of great desyre to gette prayse and grace and was wyllynge to deserue to haue it and cared for no payne nor trauayle came forthe with his baner and cryed Duglas Duglas And sir Henry Percy and syr Rafe his brother who had great indygnacion agaynst the erle Duglas bycause he had wonne the penon of their armes at the barryers before Newcastell came to that parte and cryed Percy their two baners mette and their menne there was a sore fyght The englysshmen were so stronge and fought so valyauntly that they reculed the scottes backe There were two valiaunt knightes of scottes vnder the baner of the erle Duglas called syr Patryke of Helborne and syr Patryke his sonne they acquyted them selfe that day valy auntly the erles baner had ben won and they had nat ben they defended it so valyauntly and in the rescuynge therof dyd suche feates of armes that it was greatly to their recommendacyon and to their heyres for euer after IT was shewed me by suche as had been at the same batayle as well by knyghtes and squyers of Englande as of Scotlande at the house of the erle of Foiz for anone after this batayle was done I met at Ortays two squyers of Englande called Iohan of Newecastell and Iohan of Cauteron also whan I retourned fro Auignon I founde also there a knyght and a squyer of Scotlande I knewe them and they knewe me bysuche tokens as I shewed them of their countrey for I auctor of this boke in my youthe had rydden nygh ouer all the realme of Scotland and I was as than a fyftene dayes in the house of erle wyllyam Duglas father to the same erle Iames of whome I spake of nowe In a castell a fyue leages fro Edenboro win the countrey of Alquest the same tyme I sawe there this Erle Iames a fayre yonge chylde and a suster of his called the lady Blaunche and I was enfourmed by bothe these parties how this batayle was as sore a batayle fought as lyghtly hath been harde of before of suche a nombre and I beleue it well for englysshmen on the one partye and scottes on the other party are good men of warre for whan they mete there is a harde sight without sparynge there is no hoo bytwene them as longe as speares swordes ares or dagers wyll endure but lay on eche vpon other and whan they be well beaten and that the one parte hath optaygned the victory they than glorifye so in their dedes of armeâ— and are so ioyfull that suche as be taken they shall be raunsomed or they go out of the â—elde so that shortely eche of them is so contente with other that at their deparrynge curtoysly they wyll saye god thanke you But in fyghtynge one with another there is no playe nor sparynge and this is trewe and that shall well apere by this sayd rencountec for it was as valyauntly foughten as coulde be deuysed as ye shall here ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle Iames Duglas by his valyaÌ„tnesse incouraged his men who were reculed and in a maner discomfyted and in his so doynge he was wounded to dethe Cap. C.xliii KNyghtes and Squyers were of good corage on bothe parties to fyght valyauntly cowardes there had no place but hardynes rayned with goodly feates of armes for knyghtes and squiers were so ioyned to gyder at hande strokes that archers had no place of nother party There the scottes shewed great hardynesse and feught meryly with great desyre of honour the englysshmen were thre to one howe be it I say nat but englysshmen dyd nobly acquyte them selfe for euer the englysshmen had rather ben slayne or taken in the place than to flye Thus as I haue sayd the baners of Duglas and Percy and their men were met eche against other enuyous who shulde wynne the honoure of that iourney At the begynnynge the englysshemen were so stronge that they â—eculed backe their enemyes Than the Erle Duglas who was of great harte and hygh of enterprise seynge his men recule backe than to recouer the place and to shewe knightly valure he toke his are in bothe his handes and entred so in to the prease that he made hym selfe waye in suche wyse that none durste aproche nere hym and he was so well armed that he bare well of suche strokes as he receyued thus he wente euer forwarde lyke a hardy Hector wyllynge a lone to conquere the felde and to dyscomfyte his enemyes But at laste he was encountred with thre speares all at ones the one strake hym on the shulder the other on the breste and the stroke glented downe to his bely and the thyrde strake hym in the thye and sore
ensample So the capitayne retourned and incontynent strake of all their heedes This was the conclusion of that busynesse Than the duke of Burgoyne cast in his aduyse to fynde some meanes to entreat his cosyn sir William of Namure to haue of hym the towne of Sluse by exchaunge for other landes and to ioyne that towne to the countie of Flaunders And this was moche by thaduyse of sir Guy de la Tremoyle who had the sormer before soiourned in Sluse with a certayne nombre of men of warre _wHanÌ„e sir Wylliam of Namure herde first spekynge of that matter he was marueylously displeased for the towne of Sluse with the apendauntes and profytes of the see was a fayre and a profitable herytage it was fallen to him by his auncestours wherfore he loued it the better Howe be it the duke of Burgoyne lay so sore on hym therfore that there was no remedy but to make the exchaunge For the dukes entensyon was to make there a stronge castell to subdue all comes and goers by the see entryng in to the hauen of Sluse and to kepe it with meÌ„ of warre so that none shulde entre by the see in those marchesse without their daunger and to make a towre so highe to se troeÌ„tie leages in to the see So thus breuely this sir wylliam of Namure was so sore desyred by the duke of Burgoyne and his counsayle that he was contente to exchaunge Sluse for the landes of Bethune whiche is a fayre and a great herytage in that countrey he to haue that to hym and to his heyres for euer And so than incontynent the duke of Burgoyn sette worke men a worke to make the Castell of Sluse ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the siege of Danne THere was nere euery daye an assaute dyuers scrimysshes at the gates barriers so that dyuers were hurt and slayne day lye The frenchmen coude nat well come to the walles bycause of the dykes were full of myre for if it had ben rayny wether the hoost shulde haue had moche a do and shulde haue ben fayne to haue dislodged wheder they wolde or nat But by the space of a moneth that the siege endured it neuer rayned and they had vitayle ynoughe Howe be it bycause of the yuell ayre the stynkynge of deed beestes horses the ayre was so corrupte that dyuers knightes squyers were therby sore sicke so that dyuers went to refresshe them at Bruges and other places to forsake the yuell ayre _tHe kynge hym selfe went and laye at Marles howe be it his tentes were styll pight vp in the felde The entent of FrauÌ„ces Atreman was to holde styll the towne tyll socours came out of Englande to reyse the siege and surely they of Gaunte had sende in to Englande for rescue and surely the kyng of Englandes vncles had come ouer the see sufficiently garnysshed with men of warre and at tillarye to haue reysed the siege but that they were lette bycause of the admyralles beyng in Scotlande with acertayne nombre of men of armes And also it was sayde in the realme of Englande that the constable of FrauÌ„ce shulde come after in to Scotlande with a great puissanÌ„ce for to make warre into Englande wherby the gauntoyse were nat resrued Wher fore it behoued them within the towne of Dan to make an yuell bargayne ⸪ ¶ Nowe the gauntoyse fledde out of Dan by night and howe the frenche men toke the towne and distroyed it And also howe the kynge distroyed the countre of the foure craftes Cap. viii THe .xxvii. day of August the towne of Dan was won For whan Fraunces Atreman parceyued that he had no socour and that his artillary began to fayle than he was som what disconforted in hymselfe and sayd to them of his couÌ„sayle Sirs I wyll that we of Gaunt go our wayes and lette vs shewe this one to another secretely for if they of the towne knewe of our deê‘tyng to saue them selfe their wyues and chyldren Paraduenture they wyll make a shrewdemar chaundyse for vs. yea and delyuer vs to oure enemyes so that they may be in rest and peace and that shulde coste vs oure lyues but I shall kepe theym well therfro Wherfore let vs kepe vs all toguyder and let vs go about the towne to vysite the watche and lette vs cause the men and women of the towne to go in to the mynster makynge theym to beleue that to morowe next we shall haue a great assaute and bicause we would that they shulde haue no domage therfore we wyll haue them in suretie in the churche out of the waye And we shall saye to the watchemen that we wyll go out and make a scrymysshe with the hoost And whan we be in the feldes lette vs ryde on the spurres to Gaunte They of his counsayle sayd Sir ye haue well sayd so lette it be And so euery man ordayned them selfe as they had purposed and in the euenyng they trussed redy all their goodes suche as they might cary awaye and put all women and children and other prisoners in to the mynster and specially all ladyes and geÌ„tyl women Sayeng to them Fayre ladyes we shall haue to morowe in the mornyng a great assaute and we wolde nat that ye shulde be abasshed or take any domage So thus they lefte them in the churche and at the first hour of the night the gauntoise went and dyde visyte the watche and on the walles there were none but they of the towne Than Fraunces Atreman sayde to them Sirs make this night good watche depart nat fro the walles for any thyng ye here orse for in the mornyng we shall haue an assaut but yet first this night I wyll awake the hoost his wordes were well beleued euery man went he had sayd trouthe Whan he had ordayned euery thynge accordynge to his mynde than he caused a gate to be opyned and so he all his company issued out he was nat halfe a leage fro the towne but it was day light Than they of the towne parceyued well that Fraunces Atremen and all his company were gone Than they thought them selfe desceyued than the thefe of the towne began to entreate with the men of the kynges that were there as prisoners sayeng to theym howe they had slayne Fraunces Atreman the same night _wHan dyuers of the towne of Dan vnderstode howe FrauÌ„ces Atreman and his coÌ„pany were gone and howe the gate was opyn they ran out of the towne that best might whan this was knowen in thoost the bretons and burgonyons desyring to wyn mounted on their horses and fell in the chase pursued the gauntoise tyll they caÌ„e within two leages of Gaunte So in the chase there were many slayne and taken mo than fyue hundred but of them were but fewe gauÌ„toise but moost of Danne that fledde out of the towne In the meane season the towne was assayled where was made no defence So the frenche men entred on euery syde by ladders
and had passed the dykes with moche payne And whan they were within they had wende to haue won gret riches but they fouÌ„de there nothyng but poore people men women chyldren and great plentie of good wynes and so for dispyte and displeasure they sette fyre in the towne so that it was nighe all brent wherof the kynge and the duke of Burgone was sore displeased but they coude nat amende it Howe be it the ladyes gentyl women with moche payne were saued fro hurt of their bodyes or losse of their goods AFter the takyng of Dan the kyng was counsayled to dissodge and so the king went and lodged a two leages fro Gaunte at a towne called Artulle and whyles the kyng lay there his men of armes rode in the countrey of the four craftes distroyed all the countre bycause in tyme past the gauntoysehad chiefe coÌ„fort euer fro them Therefore they brent downe towres churches and houses and chased the men women and chyldren in to the woodes Whan the FreÌ„chmen had done that distruction than it was ordayned to go and lay siege to the castell of Gaure and than after to Gaunte but all that tourned to nothyng for tidynges came to the kynge beyng at Artuelle fro the quene of Hungry by the bysshop of Wasselure the sayd quenes ambassadour with dyuers knightes squyers in his company and they brought letters of credence certifyeng how the said quene was comyng in to Fraunce to fetche Lewes of Fraunce erle of Valoys to haue hym in to HuÌ„gry to her doughter Whom sir Iohan la Parson had wedded by procuracion in the name of the erle of Valoyes These tidynges pleased greatly the kynge and his counsayle and so it was thought that for the honoure of the yonge Lewes erle of Valois that they shulde returne in to Fraunce and thought they hadde done ynoughe for that season in the countre of FlauÌ„ders ¶ Nowe the frenche kyng departed out of Flaunders and gaue leaue to his men to departe and howe he caÌ„e to Parys to treate with the ambassadours of Hungry howe the Marques of Blanquefort toke by streÌ„gth to his wyfe the same lady enherytoure of Hungry Cap. ix THan the frenche kyng departed fro Artuell the. xii day of Septembre gaue leaue to all men of warre to retourne to their owne houses of the whiche deê‘tynge the Gauntoyse were ryght gladde Than the kyng went to Craye where the quene his wyfe was for whan he went fro Amyens to FlauÌ„ders he sent her thyder to kepe her estate and so he taried they certen dayes and so the kyng wente to Parys and the quene to Boyse de Vyncens And they the kyng his counsayle entended for the ordring of the yong erle of Valoyes for he wolde that he shulde go nobly in to HuÌ„gry where as they toke hym for kyng But the mater chaunged otherwyse mashorte season after in the realme of Hungry as ye shall here after It is of trouthe that the quene of HuÌ„gry mother to the yonge lady whome the erle of Valoys had wedded by ê“euracion as ye haue herde before had all her enteÌ„t to make that if god be pleased they wolde make suche a voyage that shulde be to their honour and ê“fyte The kyng than sent out his coÌ„maundement to assemble his power and so at the day assigned he had redy a .xxx. thousande men all on horse backe and as they came they lodged accordynge to the vsage of their countrey I thynke nat all at their ease SIr Iohan de Vyen who had great desyre to ryde and to enploye his tyme in to Englande to do some great enterprise Whan he sawe the scottes were come he sayd Sirs nowe it is tyme to ryde we haue lyen to long styll so than the settyng for warde was publysshed to euery man thaÌ„ they toke their waye to Rosebourcke In this iourney the kyng was nat he abode styll at EdeÌ„borow but all his sonnes were in the army The thou sande complete harnesse that the Frenche men brought with theÌ„ was delyuered to the knightes of Scotlande and of Norwiche who were before but yuell harnessed of the whiche harnesse they had great ioye And so they rode towarde Northumberlande And so longe they rode that they came to the abbey of Mauues there they lodged all about the ryuer of Tymbre and the nexte day they caÌ„e to Morlane and than before Roseboucke The kepar of Roseboure vnder the lorde MoÌ„tagu was a knight called sir Edwarde Clyfforde The admyrall of Fraunce and the scottes taryed and behelde well the castell and all thynges considred they sawe well to assayle it shulde lytell aucyle them for the castell was stronge and well furnysshed with artillary And so than they passed by and drewe a long the ryuer syde aprochyng to Berwyke And so long they rode that they came to two towres right strong whiche were kept by two knightes the Father and the sonne bothe were called sir Iohan Strande Aboute these towres were fayre landes and a fayre place the whiche incontynent were brent the two towres assayled Ther was many feates of armes shewed and dyuers scottes hurte with shotte and cast of stones Finally the towres were wonne and the knightes within by playne assaut yet they defended theÌ„ as longe as they might endure ⸪ ¶ Howe the frenchemen and scottes wanne the castell of Varley and distroyed diuers other townes in Nor thumberlande and howe they with drewe agayne in to ScotlaÌ„de whan they knewe that the kyng of EnglaÌ„de came on them with a great puyssaunce Cap. xi AFter the conquest of thes two towres than they went to another castel called Varley parteyning to the herytage of sir Iohn Montagu and Capitayne there vnder hym was sir Iohan of Lussenborne who had there with hym his wyfe his chyldren and all his good He knewe well before that the scottes wolde come thyder therfore he had purneyed the castel to the best of his power to abyde the assaute So about this castell taryed all the armye This castell stode in a fayre countre by a fayre ryuer whiche cometh out of Tymbre and ronneth in to the see So on a day there was a great assaut and the frenche men bare theÌ„ well the same day moche better than the scottes dyd for they entred in to the dykes and passed through with moche payne There was many feates of armes done what by them aboue and them beneth The frenche men mouÌ„ted vp by ladders and fought hande to hande with daggars on the walles Sir Iohan LusseÌ„borne dyd quyte hym selfe lyke a valyant knight and fought with the frenche men hande to hande on the ladders At this assaute there was slayne a knight of Almaygne called sir Bleres Gastelayne whiche was great domage There were many hurt that day but finally there was so moche people and thassaute so well contynued that the castell was wonne and the knight his wyfe and chyldren taken a .xl. other prisoners And than the castell was
I rode nat farre fro theym Thus the cytie of Tarbe was in great doute so that they were fayne to make couynaunt with theÌ„ And bytwene Tarbe and Lourde there was a great vyllage and a good abbey called Gynors who in lykewise were fayne to agre with them Also on the other parte on the ryuer of Lysse there was a great towne called Bagueres they of that towne had a harde season for they were so haryed by the garyson of Maluoysen standynge on a hylle and the ryuer of Lysse rynnyng vnderneth vnto a walled towne called Turney in to the whiche towne they of Lourde and of Maluoysen hadde euer their recourse to the whiche towne they dyde no hurte bycause they had their resorte thyder And they of the towne had euer a good market of their pyllage and so dissymuled euer with them whiche they were fayne to do or elles they coulde nat haue lyued for they had no ayde nor socoure of any persone the capitayne of Maluoysen was a gascoyne his name was Remonet de Lespe an experte man of armes He and his company they of Lourde rauÌ„somed as well the marchauntes of Aragon and Catheloyne as of Fraunce without they agreed with them In the season that I enterprised to go se the erle of Foiz and to se the dyuersities of the couÌ„treys where as I had neuer ben before Whan I departed fro Carcassene I lefte the waye to Tholous and wente to Monterorall and so to Fonges than to Bell and than to the first towne of therle of Foiz and than to Masters and so to the castell of Sanredyn And than I caÌ„e to the good cytie of Pauyers ê‘teyning to the erle of foiz and there I taryed abydinge for some company goyng in to the countre of Byerne where the erle was And whan I had taryed there a thre dayes in great pleasure for that cytie was deleetable staÌ„dyng among the fayre vynes and enuyroned with a fayre ryuer large clere called Liege And on a day it so fortuned that thyder came a knyght of the erle of Foiz fro Auignon warde called sir Espaenge de Lion a valyant an experte man of armes about the age of .l. yeres And so I gate me in to his company and he was greatly desyrous to here of the maters of Fraunce so we were a sixe dayes in our iourney or we came to Ortayse And this knyght euery day after he had sayd his prayers moost parte all the day after he toke his pastyme with me in demaundyng of tidynges and also whan I demauÌ„ded any thyng of hym he wolde answere me to my purpose And whan we departed fro Pauyers we past by the mouÌ„t of Cesse whiche was an yuell passage and so we came to the towne castell of Ortayse whiche was frenche but we passed by it and so came to dyner to a castell of theâ—le of Foiz halfe a leage thens called Carlat standynge highe on a mountayne and after dyner the knight sayd to me sir let vs ryde toguyder fayre easely we haue but two leages to ryde to our lodgyng so I was content to do than the knight said we haue this day passed by the castell of Ortayse which dothe moche domage in this countre Peter Danchyn kepeth it and bath taken and stollen out of the realme of FraÌ„ce more than threscore thousande fraÌ„kes than I demauÌ„ded how that might be I shall shewe you quod the knight On our lady day in August there is euer a great fayre and all the couÌ„tre resorteth thyder for there is moche marchaÌ„dise That day Pier Danchyn and his coÌ„panions of Lourde had taken their aduyse were determyned to get this towne and castell And so they sent two simple varlettê by semyng to the sayd towne in the moneth of Maye to get them selfe some seruyce in the towne so they dyde and were reteyned with two maisters they dyde right dilygent seruyce to their maysters And so went in and out on their maisters busynesseâ— without any suspeciousnes of theÌ„ so on our lady day in August ther were many marchantes strangers of Foiz of Bierne of FrauÌ„ce And as ye knowe well whan machantes do mete that sawe nat togyder long before they wyll make good chere togyder so in the same houses where as these two varlettê were iÌ„ seruice were many marchantes drinkyng and makyng good chere their ostes with them by apoyntment about midnight Pier DaÌ„chin and his coÌ„pany caÌ„e to Ortaise enbusshed theÌ„selfe in a wode whiche passed throughe And so they sent sixe varlettê to the towne with .ii. ladders they passed the dykes came to the walles and reared vp their ladders the other .ii. varlettes that were in seruice in the towne dyd ayde theÌ„ while their maysts sat makyng good chere so these sayd varlettes dyde put theÌ„ selfe in aduenture and one of the said two varlettes brought the other sixe to the gate within wher there was two men kepyng the keys than this varlet said to the other sixe sirs â–ª kepe your selfe here priuy close and styrre nat tyll ye here me whistle I trust to make the porters to open the gate of their warde they haue the keyes of the great gate therfore assone as they haue opyned their warde I wyll whystle Than steppe forthe slee the porters I knowe well ynoughe the keyes of the gate for I haue oft tymes helped to kepe the gate with my maister as they deuysed so they dyd so the varlet went to the gate and sawe herde howe the porters were driÌ„kyng within their warde than he called theÌ„ by their names said sirs open yor dore I haue brought you of the best wyne that euer you dranke which my maister hath sent you to the entent you shulde kepe your watche the better And they who knewe right well the varlet beleued that he had said trouthe opyned the dore and than he whistled thother sixe stept forthe and entred in at the dore there they slewe the porters so priuely that none knewe therof thaÌ„ they toke the keyes went and opyned the gate and let downe the bridge easely that none knewe therof Than they blewe a blast in a horne so that they that were enbusshed mouÌ„ted on their horses came on the spurres entred on the bridge come in to the towne so toke all the men of the towne syttyng driÌ„kyng orâ—ls in their beddes Thus was Ortayse taken by Pier Danchin of Bigore by his coÌ„panyons of Lourde than I demauÌ„ded of the knight howe they gat the castell I shall shewe you ê™ he The same tyme that Ortaise was thus taken the capiten of the castell by his yuell aduenture was in the towne supped with certayne marchauntes of Carcassen and was there taken among other and in the next mornyng Pier DaÌ„chyn brought him before the castell wher as his wyfe chyldren were made theÌ„ beleue that he wolde
you but nat as nowe for the mater is ouer longe and we are nere the towne as ye se Therwith I left the knight in peace and so we came to Tarbe and toke oure lodgynge at the Starre and there taryed all that day for it was a towne of great easement bothe for man and horse with good hay otes and a fayre ryuer THe nexte day after masse we mounted a horsbacke and departed fro Tarbe came to a towne called Iorre whiche valyantlye alwayes helde agaynst them of Lourde so we passed by the towne withoute and than entred in to the countrey of Bierne Than the knight stode styll and sayd Sir beholde here is Bierne and we stode in a crosse waye The knight aduysed bym whiche waye to take outher to Morlens or to Panne At laste we toke the way to Morlens ridynge ouer the lauÌ„des of Bierne whiche were right playne Thafie I demaunded of hym if the towne of Panne were nere vs and he sayde yes and so he shewed me the steple Howe be it the distauÌ„ce was farther of than it semed for it was anyuel way to ryde bycause of the myres to theÌ„ that knewe nat the countre and nat farre thens was the castell of Lourde and I demaunded who was as than capitayne there He sayd that as than the seneschall of Bigore was capitayne there admytted by the kynge of Englande brother to ser Peter of Bierne as ye haue herde before That is trewe sir quod I But dyde he neuer after go to se the erle of Foiz He answered and sayd Sithe the dethe of his brother he neuer came there but other of his company hath ben often with the erle as Peter Dauchyn Erualton of Restue Erualton of saynt Colome and other Sir quod I hath the erle of Foiz made any amendes for the dethe of that knight or sorie for his dethe yes truely sir quod he he was right sorie for his dethe but as for amendes I knowe of none without it be by secrete penauÌ„ce masses or prayers He hathe with hym the same knightes sonne called Iohan of Byerne a gracyous squyer the erle loueth hym right well Ah sir quod I the duke of Aniowe who that wolde so fayne haue the castell of Lourde ought to be well content with the erle of Foyz whan he slewe suche a knight his owne cosyn for to accomplysshe his desyre By my faythe sir quod he so he was For anone after that the duke came to the Frenche kyng the kynge sent in to this countre sir Roger of Spaygne and a presydent of the parlyament chambre of Parys and letters sealed makyng mencion howe the kynge dyde gyue to the erle of Foiz the couÌ„tie of Bygore duryng his lyfe to holde the same of the crowne of Fraunce The Erle thanked greatly the kyng for the great loue that he shewed him and for that great gyfte without any request makynge But for all that the sayd sir Roger of Spaygne coude doâ— saye or shewe the erle in no wyse wolde take the gyfte but he toke the castell of Maluoysin bycause it was a fre lande For that castell and the purteynauÌ„ce holdeth of no man but of God and also auncyently it parteyneth to his enherytaunce The frenche kyng by the meanes of the duke of Aniowe dyd gyue it hym And the erle sware and ê“mysed to take it on a condycion that he shuld neuer sette man there that shulde do any yuell to the realme of Fraunce and so he dyde For suche as were ther feared as moche thenglisshe men as any other Frenche garysons in Gascoyne but the Bernoyse durst nat tonne in to the countre of Foyz ⸪ Howe the peace was made bitwene the duke of Berry and therle of Foiz and of the begynninge of the warre that was bitwene therle of Foiz and the erle of Armynake Cap. xxv ALl these maters that sir Espayne de Leon shewed me right well coÌ„tented me euery nyght assoone as we were at our lodgynges I wrote euer alâ—â—hat I herde in the day the better therby to haue theÌ„ in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce for writyng is the best remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that may beâ— so we rode the sayd mornyng to Morlens but are we came there I said sir I haue forget to demauÌ„de of you whan ye shewed me the aduentures of Foiz dyde dissymule with the duke of Berrey who had to wyues the doughter and suster of therle of Armynake and wheder that the duke of Berry made him any warre howe he dyd Howe he dyd quod the knight I shall shewe you In tyme past the duke of Berrey wolde him as moche yuell as he coude ymagyn but as nowe by meanes whiche ye shall hereof whan ye come to Ortaise they be accorded Why sir ê™ I was there any cause why the duke shulde be displeased with hym As helpe me god ê™ the knight non but I shal shewe you the cause Whan Charles the frenche kyng father to kyng Charles that nowe is was dyssessed the realme of FrauÌ„ce was deuyded in two partes as in the gouernyng therof For the duke of Aniou who entended to go in to Italy as he dyd he gaue vs the rule than his two bretherne the duke of Berry and the duke of Burgoyne had the rule The duke of Berry had the gouernynge of Languedocke and the duke of Burgoyne ruled Languedoyle and Picardy Whan they of Languedocke vnderstode that the duke of Berry had the gouernyng ouer them they were sore abasshed and specially they of Tholous for they knewe well that the duke was a sore taker of golde and syluer and a sore oppressar of the people Also ther was in Carcassone and in Rouergue bretons and tholousins whiche the duke of Aniou had left in the couÌ„tre and they robbed pylled the brute ran that the duke of Berry maynteyned them to th eÌ„tent to ouer maister the good townes but in this season that I speke of the duke of Berrey was nat in the couÌ„tre there he was with the kyng in FlauÌ„ders They of Tholous who be great and puissant parceyued howe the frenche kyng was yonge and was greatly busyed in Flaunders for the ayde of his vncle the duke of Burgoyn And they sawe well howe they were dayly robbed and pilled by the britons and other so that they wyste nat what to do Than they sent and treated with the erle of Foiz desyring hym for a certayne soÌ„me of money that they offred hym euery moneth to be payed that he wolde take on him the gouernynge of Tholous and of the couÌ„tre of Tholousin and also he was desyred of other townes in lykewise they desyred hym bycause they knewe hym for a iuste man and a rightwyse in iustyce redouted of his enemyes and fortunate in all his businesse and also they of Tholous loued hym for he had been euer to them a good neyghbour Thus he toke on him the charge and the gouernynge and sware to maynteyne and kepe the countre in their ryght agaynst
before and she remembred well howe kynge dan Peter strake of her fathers heed without any cause in lykewise she feared her husbande And yet she say the and maynteyneth that he shall dye of an yuell dethe and that he dothe nothyng as yet to that he shall do herafter NOwe sir I haue shewed you of sir Peter of Byerue as ye haue demanÌ„ded of me and this is a true tale for thus it is thus it be fell Howe thynke you quod he therby I who mused on the great marueyle sayd sir I beleue it well that it is as ye haue sayde sir we synde in olde writyng that auÌ„ciently suche as were called goddes and goddesses at their pleasure wolde chaunge and transforme men in to beestes and in to foules and in lykewyse women And it might be so that this â—ere was before some knight chasyng in the forest of Bisquay and paraduenture displeased in that tyme some god or goddes wherby he was transformed vnto a beare to do there his penaunce as aunciently Acteon was chauÌ„ged vnto an hart Acteon quod the squyer I pray you shewe me that storie I wolde fayne here it Sir quod I accordyng to the auncyent writynges we fynde howe Acteon was a iolye an expert knight and loued the sporte of huntynge aboue all games And on a day he chased in the wodes and an Harte arose before hym marueylous great and fayre he hunted hym all the daye and lost all his company seruauntes and houÌ„des and he was right desyrous to folowe his pray And folowed the fewe of the Harttyll he came in to a lytell medowe closed rounde about with wodes and highe trees And in the medowe there was a fayre fountayne in the whiche Dyana goddesse of Chastyte was bayninge her selfe and her damoselles about her The knight caÌ„e sodaynly on them or he was ware and he was so farre forwarde that he coulde nat go backe And the damoselles were abasshad to se a straÌ„ger and ran to their lady and shewed her who was a shamed bycause she was naked whan she sawe the Knyght she sayde Acteon they that sente the hyder loued the but lytell I wyll nat that whan thou arte gone hens in other places that thou shuldest reporte that thou haste sene me naked and my damoselles and for the outrage that thou hast done thou mayst haue penaunce Therfore I wyll that thou be tranformed in the lykenesse of the Iame Harte that thou haste chased all this daye and incoÌ„tynent Acteon was tourned vnto an Harte who naturally loueth the water In lykewise it might be of the beare of Bisquay and howe that the lady knewe paraduenture more than she wolde speke of at that tyme therfore she ought the better to be excused The squier answered sayd Sir it maye well be Than we lefte oure talkynge for that tyme. ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great solemynetie that the erle of Foyz made at the feest of faint Nycholas and the tale that the Mastot of Banlyon shewed to sir IohnÌ„ Froyssart Cap. xxviii AMonge other solemynities that the erle of Foyz kepte on the hyghe feestes of the yere he kept euer the fest of saynt Nycholas in great solemynytie he and all his lande as great as at the fest of Ester And this was shewed me by a squier of his house the thirde day that I came hyder and I sawe it my selfe right well apparent for I was there on the same day First all the clergie of the towne of Ortayse and all the people men women chyldren with processyon came to the castell to fetche the erle who all a fote departed fro his castell and went with the clergy a processyon to the churche of saynt Nycholas and there the clergy sange a psalme of the psalter Benedictus dominus deus meus qui docet manus meas ad praelium et digitos meos ad bel lum c. And whan this psalme was songe than they began to syng as they dyde on Christmas day or Eester daye in the popes chapell or in the Frenche kynges for he had with hym many syngars the bysshoppe of Pauyers sange the masse and there I herde as good playeng at organs as euer I herde in any place to speke breuely and accordyng to reason the erle of Foiz than was right parfyte in all thynges and as sage and as parceyuing as any hyghe prince in his dayes There was none coude coÌ„pare with hym in wytte honour nor in larges At the feestê of Christmas whiche he kept euer right solemyne came to his house many knightes and squyers of Gascone and to euery man he made good there There I sawe the Burge of Spayne who layde the wodde and the Asse on the fyre toguyder of whom sir Espayne de Lion shewed of his force and I was gladde to se hym and therle of Foiz made hym good seÌ„blant There I sawe also knightes of Aragon of Englande of the duke of LaÌ„castres house who as than laye at Burdeux The erle made them good chere and gaue them great gyftes I acquaynted my selfe with those knyghtes by them I was enformed of many thyngê that fell in Castell in Nauar in Portyngale of the whiche I shall speke of whan tyme reâ—reth herafter And on a day I sawe asquyer of Gascone called the Bastot of Manlyon a man of a fyftie yere of age an expert man of armes and a hardy be semynge He a lighted at my lodgynge in Ortaise at the signe of the Moone at Erualton de Pyns He brought with hym his somers and caryages as thoughe he had ben a great barone was serued bothe he his seruauÌ„tes in syluer vessell and whan I herde his name and sawe therle of Foiz and euery maÌ„ do hym so moche honour than I demauÌ„ded of sir Espaygne de Lion and sayd Sir is nat this the squyer that departed fro the castell of Trygalet whan the duke of Aniou laye at siege before Maluoysin yes truely quod he it is the same and he is a good man of armes a good capitayne and so than I fell in aquayntaunce with hym for he was lodged there as I was a cosyn of his called Erualton capitayn of Carlate in Auuergne with whome I was well acquaynted helped me to be aquainted with him and in lykewise so dyd the Burge of Compare and at a tyme as we were talkyng deuysinge of armes sytting by the fyre abyding for mydnight that therle shulde go to supper than this squiers cosyn began to reken vp his life and of the dedes of armes that he had ben at sayeng howe he had endured as moche losse as profite Than he demaunded of me and sayd sir IohnÌ„ haue ye in your hystorie any thyng of this maters that I speke of and I answered said I coude nat tell tyll I here theÌ„ shewe forthe your mater and I wyll gladly here you For paradueÌ„ture I haue herde som what but nat all that is true quod the
Philyppe of Roe Peter of Corthue the Pesat of Palyuiers the bourge of Darusen all our capitaynsâ— and I my selfe and we were brought to the castell of SaÌ„xere Neuer before in the realme of Fraunce the companyons lost so moche as they dyde at that iourney howe be it Guysshart Albygon loste his prisoner by neglygence he bledde so sore that he dyedâ— for defaute of lokyng vnto Thus ended Iohan Aymery by this iourney that was thus done besyde Sanxere Charyte was delyuered all the garysons therabout by composycion that we shulde be quyte out of prison and so we had saue conducte to departe out of the countre whider we lyst And it fortuned as than for vs that the same season sir Bertram of Clesquy the lorde of Beayne sir Arnolde Dandrehen and the erle of Marche they toke their voiage to go in to Spaygne to ayde the kyng Dampeter but first I was in Bretayne at the bataile of Alroy vnder sir Hughe Caurell and there I recouered my losse for the iourney was ours and I had to my ê‘te good prisoners by whom I had two M. frankes Than I went with ten speares with sir Hugh Caurell in to Spayne and there helped to put kyng Dampeter out of his realme And than whan the alyances were made bytwene the kyng Dampeter and the prince of Wales and that he wolde abyde in Castell I was there in the company of sir Hugh Caurell and I retourned with hym in to Acquitayne Than the warre renewed bytwene the frenche kyng and the prince than we had moche a do for we had sore warre and many capitayns englysshe and Gascoyns were slayne and yet I thaÌ„ke god I am a lyue Ther dyed sir Robert Briquet bytwene the lande of the duke of Orliance and the countre of Bloyse in a place called Oliuet and there he all his company were ouerthrowen by asquyer of Heynalt a valyant man of armes a good capitayne called Alars Doustienes surnamed Barbason for he was of that lynage He was as than gouernoure of Bloys and kepar of all the countre sette there by the lordes therof as Loys IohnÌ„ and Guy So it was his fortune to encouÌ„tre with sir Robert Briquet sir Robert Cheney they and all their coÌ„pany were slayne for ther were non taken to raunsome and at the batayle of Nyorthe in Xayntaine Carsnell was slayne by sir Bertram of Clesquy and a seuyn C. englyssh men were slayne there at saint Seuere were slayne other englysshe capitayns as Rychard Elys and Richarde Helyn I knewe but fewe expert my selfe but that were slayne I haue hold fronter made warre for the kyng of EnglaÌ„de for myne herytage lyeth in Burdelois Somtyme I haue been so ouerthrowen and pulled downe that I had nat wherwith to lepe a hors backe And another tyme I haue been riche ynough whan good fortunes came in a season I and Raymonet de la Pee were companions togyder and we had in Tholousyn on the froÌ„ters of Bygore The castell of Maluoysin the castell of Trygalet and the castell of VaÌ„teulx whiche as than dyde vs great profyte ThanÌ„e the duke of Anion toke them fro vs byforce of puyssaunce but than Raymonet de Pee tourned Frenche and I abyde styll good englisshe and shall do whyle I lyue True it was whan I had loste the castell of Trygalet and was coÌ„ducted to the castell Cuyllet and that the duke was gone backe agayne in to Fraunce I determyned to do somwhat outher to gette some profyte or els to lose all or to dye in the payne I caused by spyall the towne castell of Thury in Albygo is to be well a viewed whiche castell after aueyled to me what by good fortunes and â—atesfyeng of the countrey a hundred thousande frankes I shall shewe you howe I wanne it WIthout the towne there is a fayre fouÌ„tayne and of vsage euery mornynge the women of the towne wolde come thyder with pottes and other vesselles on their heedes to fetche of the clere water ther Than I toke fyftie coÌ„panyons of the garyson of Cuillet and we rode all a daye throughe wodes busshes and the nexte night about mydnight I sette a busshment nere to Thury and I and a sixe other all onely dyde on vs womens aray and with pottes in our handes And so we caÌ„e to a medowe right nere to the towne and hydde ourselfe behynde great cockes of hay that were there standyng for it was about the feest of saiÌ„t Iohan whan they make hay whan the hour came that the gate was opyned to lette the women go out for water we seuyn toke our pottê and fylled them at the fountayne and wente towarde the towne oure faces wrapped in kerchers so that we coude nat be knowen the women that we mette goyng for water said to vs. Ah saynt Mary gosseppes ye were vp be tymes We aunswered in their lauguage with a faynt voyce that is true And so paste by them and came to the gate and we founde no body there but a souter dressynge forthe of his baggage Than one of vs blewe a horne to drawe thyder out coÌ„pany out of the busshment The souter toke no hede but whan he harde the horne blowe he demauÌ„ded of theÌ„ What is this Who was that blewe the horne One answered and sayd It was a preest wente into the feldes Ah that is true quod the souter it was sir FrauÌ„ces our preest gladly he gothe a mornyngê to seke for an Hare Than our company came and we entred in to the towne where we fouÌ„de no man to drawe his swerde to make any defence thus I toke the towne and castell of Thury wherby I haue had great profite yerely more than the castell of Trygalet with the appurtenauÌ„ce is worthe But as nowe I wote nat what to do for I am in a treatie with therle of Armynake and with the dolphyn of Auuergne who hath expresse authoritie by the Frenche kyng to bye all townes and fortresses of the companyons such as they holde in their handes whersoeuer they be outher in Auuergne Rouergâ—e Lymosyn Quercy Pyergourt Albegois Agen of all suche as hath or dothe make any warre in the kyng of Englandes tytell and many are departed and haue rendred their fortresses I can nat tell if I wyll rendre myne or nat With that worde sayd the Burge of Compayne Cosyn it is true For of Carlat whiche I holde in Auuergne I am coÌ„e hyder to here some tidynges For sir Loys of Sanxere marshall of FraÌ„ce wyll be here shortely he is as nowe at Tarbe as I haue herde of suche as come thens with these wordes they called for wyne and dranke Than the Bastot sayd to me sir Iohan are ye well enformed of my lyfe yet I haue had other adueÌ„tures whiche I haue nat shewed nor wyll nat speke of all sir ê™ I I haue well herde you ¶ Howe a squyer called Limosin turned frenche howe he caused Loys Rambalt his companyon in
sente forthe two squyers one a Burgonion and the other a Gascone the burgonyon was called Wylliam of MoÌ„tigny and he was there with sir Iohan of Rey and they of Gascoyne and Bierne sent forthe Bertrande of Barge and they were bothe the same day made knightes And with them rode forth a Chatellayne of Castell a good man of armes called Peter Ferant of Medyne He was on a marueylous light Genet and whyle these thre rode forthe to aduyse their enemyes the resydue of the hoost rode a softe pase and they were in nombre two thousande speares knyghtes and squiers Gascoyns Burgonyons Frenchmen Picardes and Bretons as well apoynted and armed as any men might be and a tweÌ„tie thousande spanyardes all a horsbacke they had nat rydden forthe a vowe shotte but they stode styll On the other syde the kynge of Portyngale in lykewise had sent forthe thre scurrers to a vieu iustely the demeanyng of the spaniardes wherof two of them were Englysshe squyers expert men of armes one called Iaquyne Dartebery and the other Philippe Barqueston and with them Ferrant de la Grosse of Portingale they were all well horsed rode forthe tyll they came to a lytell hyll and there they might well se the behauynge of the spanyardes Than they retourned to the kynge of Portyngale and to his counsayle and ther made relacyon of that they had done and sayd Sir we haue ben so farre forwarde that we haue sene your enemyes sir surely they be a great nombre they are welle a thyrtie thousaÌ„de horse Therfore sir take your aduyse than the kyng demaunded if they rode all in one batayle or nat Sir quod they sutelye they be in two batayls Than the kyng turned hym towarde his people and sayd a loude Sirs nowe aduyse you well for there nedeth nowe no cowardnesse for we shall fight shortelye for our enemyes be comyng and hath gret desyre to fynde vs. and so they shall for we can nat flye nor retourne We are issued out of Lixbone a great nombre of people Thynke sirs to do well and lette vs selle our lyues dere ye haue made me kyng This daye shall I se yf the crowne of Portyngale wyll abyde with me peasably or nat And sirs of one thyng be yesure I shall nat flye but abyde the aduenture with you than they all answered with a good wyll so be it and we shall all abyde with you Than the Englysshe capitayns were called forthe as Northbery and Hartefell and other of theÌ„ that were moost experte in armes The kynge demaunded of them what counsayle they wolde gyue hym howe to abyde the aduenture of the batayle for he sayd he knewe well they must nedes fyght for his enemyes aproched faste and they be in nombre four agaynst one of vs. than the Englysshmen sayd Sir sithe we shall haue bataile and that they be greatter in nombre than we be wherfore it is a harde ê‘tie we can nat coÌ„quere without we take some aduauÌ„tage of some hedges or busshes Lette vs take suche a grouÌ„de as we may fortify and that they shall nat entre vpon vs so lightely as they shulde do on the playne felde Sirs quod the kynge ye speke wysely and it shal be as ye haue deuysed On this counsayle of the Englysshmen the kyng rested and ther toke aduyse what grouÌ„de they might take and nat farre of fro them was the towne of Iuberothe a great vyllage Thyder the Lixbonoyes had sent all their prouision somers and caryages For it was their entension that night to lodge there wheder they had batayle or no if they might scape with honour And without the towne a quarter of a leage or therabout ther was a great abbey of monkes whyder they of Iuberothe and of other vyllages were wonte to come to here masse And the churche standeth a lytell oute of the waye in a moote enuyroned about with great trees hedges and busshes it was a stronge place with a lytell helpe Than the Englysshmen were called to counsayle to the kynge for thoughe they were but fewe yet the kynge wolde folowe moche their aduyse ThanÌ„e they sayde Sir we knowe hereby a place the mynster without Iuberoth among the trees it standeth in a stronge place with a lytell amendement and helpe and suche as knewe the countre sayd sir it is true Than the kyng sayd let vs drawe thyder and let vs order there our selfe as men of warr ought to do so that whan oure enemyes come let theÌ„ nat fynde vs vn ê“uided incoÌ„tyneÌ„t it was done so they came wher as the churche was Than whan the Englysshe men and sir Monges of Naueret and dyuers other valyaÌ„t men of Portugale and of Lixbone had well aduysed the place rouÌ„de about they sayd This place is stronge ynough with a lytell helpe so that we maye here abyde the aduenture Than on the syde nexte the feldes they cutte downe the trees and layde them one ouer another to thentente that horsemen shulde nat come with full course on them They lafte one waye open nat very large and suche archers and cros bowes as they had they sette them on euery syde of the waye their men of armes all a fote in a playne within the way and the churche on their one syde and ther was the kyngê baners pight vp And whan they had thus ordered euery thynge they were in great ioye sayd That if it pleased god they were well and in suche a place to kepe longe and to make a good iourney than the kynge sayd Fayre sirs this day euery man do his parte and thynke nat to flye for that can nat aueyle vs. We are farr of fro Lixbone and also in the chase ther is no recoueryng for thre wyll slee and beate downe .xii. that be flyenge Therfore shewe this daye that ye be men of prowes and selle derely your lyues and ymagyn in your selfe howe the iourney shal be ours as it shal be if god be pleased and than shall we be moche honoured and spoken of in strauÌ„ge countreis where as the tidynges shall come for alwayes the victours be exalted and they that be disconfyted dispraysed sirs thynke howe ye haue made me kynge wherfore ye ought to be the more hardy coragyous And of one thyng be ye sure that as long as this axe endureth in my haÌ„des I shall fight and if it fayle orbreke I shall get another shewe my selfe that I wyll mentayne defende the crowne of Portyngale for my selfe and for the right that I haue by successyon of my brother the whiche I take on my soule that myne enemyes traueyleth me wrong fully and that the quarell is myne Than all suche as harde the kynge sayd sir of your grace and mercy ye admonest vs wyselye And sir we shall helpe to ayde and maynteyne that we haue gyuen you whiche is your owne Sir we shall all abyde with you here in this same place and shall nat departe without god departe vs. Sir
kynge loked vp and by semynge was gladde with those wordes the spanyardê were abasshed and feared they had done gretter trespace than they dyd for though the marshall reproued them and spake agaynst them yet they had well spoken and truely couÌ„sayled the kyng but what for valyantnesse to please the strangers who desyred batayle the marshall spake as he dyde Than euery man was styll and the kynge sayd I wyll in the name of god and saynt Iames that our enemyes be fought with all and all suche as wyll be made knyghtes to coÌ„e forth before me for I wyll gyue theÌ„ thordre of knight hode in the honour of god and saynt George Than ther came forthe many squyers of FraÌ„ce and of Byerne there they were made knightes of the kyngê hande as sir Roger of spayne EdmoÌ„de son to sir Roger of the couÌ„tie of foiz ser Bertrand of Barroge sir Peter of Salebere sir Peter of Valentyne sir Wylliam of Quere sir Anger 's of Sollenayre sir Peter of Vande sir Wyllyam of Montigny and of one other to the noÌ„bre of a hundred and .xl. and ther were certayne barons of Bierne that raysed vp ther first their baners and also dyuers of Castell also sir Iohan of Rey. There might haue ben sene amonge these newe knightes great noblenesse and they maynteyned them selfe so goodly that it was pleasure to beholde theÌ„ for they were a fayre batayle Than the lorde of Loyngiache came before the kyng and all other that were strangers what soeuer nacyon they were of so they were no spanyardê they were all named in the name of strangers Than they said to the kynge Sir we become fro farre partes to serue you Sir we requyre you do vs that grace to let vs haue the first batayle I am content quod the kyng in the name of god and saiÌ„t Iames saynt George be in your ayde than the spanyardes sayd one to another softely beholde for goddessake beholde howe our kynge putteth all his truste in these freÌ„chmen He hath no parfyte trust in none other they shall haue the first batayle they prayse vs nat so moche that they wyll take vs with them they wyll do their dede by them selfe and than lette vs do ours be our selfe let vs let them alone with their enterprise they haue made their auaunt howe they be stronge ynough to discomfyte the Portugaloys Lette it be so we are content but it were good we demaunded of the kynge wheder he wyll abyde with vs or els go with the frenchemen So thervpon they were long in murmuryng wheder they shulde demauÌ„de it or els be styll for they douted greatly the wordes of sir Raynolde Lymosin how be it all thynges consydred they thought it none yuell to demaunde hym the questyon Than sixe of the moost notablest of them wente to the kynge and enclyned them selfe and sayd RIght noble kyng we se vnderstand well by aparent signes that this day ye shall haue batayle with youre enemyes god sende grace it be to your honoure vyctorie as we greatly desyre Sir we wolde knowe wheder your pleasure lyeth to be amonge the feneÌ„chmen or els with vs. Fayre sirs ê™ the kyng though I haue graunted the first batayle to these knightes and squyers strauÌ„gers who are come farre of to serue me and are valyant and expert men in warres yet for all that I renounce you nat for I wyll be and abyde amonge you therfore sirs helpe to defende me Of this answere the spanyerdes had great ioy and were well contented and sayd sir so shall we do and nat to fayle to dye in the quarell for sir we are sworne to you and so haue promised by the faithe of our bodyes whan ye were crowned For sir we loued so well the kyng your father that we can nat sayle you in any wise that is our trust quod the kyng So thus the kyng of Spayne abode among his owne men who were well a twentie thousande horsmen all couered in stele Sir Raynolde Lymosin was in the first batayle for it was his right so to be by cause he was marshall The same saturday was a fayre daye the sonne was tourned towarde euynsong Than the first batayle came before Iuberoth where the kyng of Portugale and his men were redy to receyue theÌ„ Of these frenche knightes there were a two thousaÌ„de speares as fresshe and as well ordred men as coulde be deuysed And as soone as they sawe their enemyes they ioyned toguyder lyke men of warre and aproched in good order tyll they came within a bowe shotte And at their first comyng ther was a harde reÌ„countre for suche as desyred to assayle to wyn grace and prayse entred in to the strayte way where the Englysshmen by their policy had fortyfied theÌ„ And bycause thentre was so narowe there was great prease and great mischefe to the assaylaÌ„tes for suche englysshe archers as were there shot so holly toguyder that their arowes pearsed men horse and whan the horses were full of arowes they fell one vpon another than the Englysshmen of armes the portugaloys Lyxbonoyes came on them cryeng their cryes our lady of Portugale with good speares and sharpe heedes wherwith they strake and hurte many knightes and squyers There was the lorde of Lanache of Bierne beaten downe and his baner won and he taken prisoner and many of his men taken and slayne also sir Iohan of Ree sir Geffray Richon sir Geffray of parteney and all their coÌ„panyes that were entred within the strayte There horses were so hurte with tharchers that they fell on their maysters and one vpon another There these frenchmen were in great danger for they coulde nat helpe one another for they had no roume to enlarge them selfe nor to fight at their wyll And whan the portugaloys sawe that myschefe fall on the first assaylers they were gladde and as fresshe and coragyous to fyght as any men might be There was the kynge of Portugale with his baners before hym mounted on a good horse trapped with the armes of Portugale and he had great ioye to se that myschefe fall on his enemyes and to conforte his people he laughed sayd a highe On forthe good men defeÌ„de you and fight with good wyll for if ther be no mo but these we nede nat to feare and if I knewe euer any thynge in batayle all these be ours Thus the kyng of Portugale reconforted his people who fought valiaÌ„tly and had enclosed in the streight all the first assaylers of whome ther were many slayne True it was that this first batayle whiche these knightes of FrauÌ„ce and of Bierne ledde had thought to haue ben quickelyer ayded of the spaynerdes than they were For if the kyng of Castyle and his company who were a twentie thousande men had come by another parte and assayled the portugaloys it had been lykely the iourney to haue ben theirs but they dyde nothynge wherfore they were to blame and receyued
of Englande or out of Hungry or some other place and yesterdaye I came thens and suche thynges are fallen or suche other So thus the lorde of Corasse knewe by Orthon euery thynge that was done in any parte of the worlde And in this case he contynued a fyue yere and coude nat kepe his owne counsayle but at laste discouered it to the erle of Foiz I shall shewe you howe THe firste yere the lorde of Corasse came on a daye to Orthayse to the erle of Foiz and sayd to hym sir suche thynges are done in EnglaÌ„de or in Scotlande or in Almaygne or in any other countrey and euer the erle of Foiz founde his sayeng true and had great marueyle howe he shulde knowe suche thyngê so shortly And on a tyme therle of Foiz examyned hym so straitly that the lorde of Corase shewed hym all toguyder howe he knewe it and howe he came to hym firste Whan the Erle of Foiz herde that he was ioyfull and sayd Sir of Corasse kepe hym well in your loue I wolde I hadd suche a messangere He costeth you nothynge and ye knowe by hym euery thynge that is done in the worlde The knight answered and sayd sir that is true Thus the lorde of Corasse was serued with Orthon a long season I can nat saye if this Orthone hadde any mo maysters or nat But euery weke twyse or thrise he wolde come and vysite the lorde of Corasse and wolde shewe hym suche tidynges of any thyng that was fallen fro whens he came And euer the lorde of Corasse whan he knewe any thynge he wrote therof euer to the Erle of Foiz who had great ioy therof for he was the lorde of the worlde that moost desyred to here newes out of straunge places And on a tyme the lorde of Corasse was with the erle of Foiz and the erle demaunded of hym and said Sir of Corasse dyd ye euer as yet se your messangere Naye surely sir quod the knyght nor I neuer desyred it That is marueyle quod the Erle if I were as well acquaynted with hym as ye be I wolde haue desyred to haue sene hi wherfore I praye you desyre it of hym than to tell me whet forme and facyon he is of I haue herde you say howe he speketh as good gascone as outher you or I. Truely sir quod the knight so it is he speketh as well and as fayre as any of vs bothe do And surely sir sithe ye counsayle me I shall do my payne to se hym I can And so on a night as he lay in his bedde with the lady his wyfe who was so enured to here Orthon that she was no more afrayde of hym Than came Orthon and pulled the lord by the eare who was fast a slepe and therwith he awoke and asked who was theâ— I am here quod Orthon Than he demauÌ„ded fro whens comest thou nowe I come ê™ Orthon fro Prage in Boesme Howe farre is that hens quod the knyght A threscore dayes iourney quod Orthone and arte thou come thens so soone quod the knight ye truely quod Orthon I came as fast as the wynde or faster hast thou than wynges quod the knight Nay truely ê™ he Howe canste thou than flye so faste quod the knyght ye haue nothyng to do to knowe that quod Orthone No quod the knight I wolde gladly se the to knowe what forme thou arte of Well ê™ Orthon ye haue nothing to do to knowe it sufficeth you to here me I to shewe you tidyngê In faythe ê™ the knyght I wolde loue the moche better and I myght se the ones Well ê™ Orthone sir sithe ye haue so great desyre to seme the firste thynge that ye se to morowe whan yt ryse out of your bedde the same shal be I. that is sufficient quod the lorde Go thy way I gyue the leaue to departe for this nyght And the next mornynge the lorde rose and the lady his wyfe was so afrayd that she durst nat ryse but fayned her selfe sicke sayd she wolde nat ryse Her husbande wolde haue had her to haue rysen sir quod she than I shall se Orthone I wolde nat se him by my good wyll Well ê™ the knight I wolde gladly se hym and so he arose fayre and easely out of his bedde sat downe on his bedde syde wenyng to haue sene orthon in his owne ê“performe but he sawe nothyng wherby he might saye Loyonder is Orthon So that daye passed and the nexte night came and whan the knyght was in his bedde orthon came and began to speke as he was accustomed Go thy waye quod the knight thou arte but alyer Thou promysest that I shulde haue sene the and it was nat so No quod he I shewed my selfe to the. that is nat so ê™ the lorde why ê™ Orthon whaÌ„ ye rose out of your bedde sawe you nothynge Than the lorde studyed a lytell and aduysed hymselfe well yes truely quod the knyght nowe I remembre me as I satte on my beddes syde thynkynge on the I sawe two strawes on the pauement tumblyng one vpon another That same was I ê™ Orthone in to that fourme I dyde put my selfe as than That is nat ynoughe to me quod the lorde I praye the putte thy selfe in to some other fourme that I maye better se and knowe the. Well ê™ Orthon ye wyll do so moche that ye wyll lese me and I go fro you for ye desyre to moch of me Naye quod the knyght thou shalte nat go fro me let me se the ones and I wyll desyre no more Well quod Orthone ye shall se me to morowe take hede the firste thynge that ye se after ye be out of your chaÌ„bre it shal be I. Well quod the knight I am than coÌ„tent go thy way lette me slepe And so Orthone departed and the nexte mornynge the lorde a rose and yssued out of his chambre and went to a wyndowe loked downe in to the courte of the castell and caste about his eyen And the firste thynge he sawe was a Sowe the greattest that euer he sawe and she semed to be so leane and yuell fauoured that there was nothyng on her but the skynne the bones with long eares and a longe leane snout The lorde of Corasse had marueyle of that leane Sowe and was wery of the sight of her and coÌ„maunded his men to fetche his houndes and sayd Lette the dogges hunt her to dethe and deuoure her His seruauntes opyned the kenelles and lette out his houndes and dyde sette them on this sowe And at the laste the sowe made a great crye and loked vp to the lorde of Corasse as he loked out at a wyndowe and so sodaynely vanysshed awaye no man wyste howe Than the lorde of Corasse entred in to his chambre right pensyue than he remembred hym of Orthon his messangere and sayd I repent me that I sette my houÌ„des on hym It is an aduenture and euer I here any more of hym for he sayd
speares and a hundred pauesses and the seneschall of Rouergue and sir Hugh Frodeuyll came with as many or mo So whan they were all togyder they were a four C. speares a M. pauesses And also there was the sonne of therle of Tereache with a fayre coÌ„pany the lorde of barbason sir Benedic of Faguell WillmÌ„ Caudron bretoâ— their coÌ„panyes so one day they departed fro Tholous and came before saynt Forgette and there rested there was capitayne a man of Bierne a great robber called the bourge of Taylsacke Whan these lordes and their companyes were come before Forget they incontynent went to the assaut and the genowayes began sore to shote so that scant they within durste apere at their defence but the frenchmen myst of their purpose at this first assaute â–ª so there they lodged all night toke their ease for they had ynoughe wherwith In the mornyng betymes they armed them throughe the host and sowned their trumpettes to the assaute and so they came in good ordre to the fote of the dyke he that had sene than the men of armes entre in to the dykes with their targettes ouer their heedes and tasted the dyke with their speares and passed ouer to the fote of the wall wolde haue taken great pleasur Whan the first were passed ouer the dyke and had shewed the way to other than other folowed with great wyll for it had ben great blame to them if they had than taryed behynde and their coÌ„pany before and suche as folowed them had matockes and pykes in their haÌ„des to pearse withall the walles and couered their heedes with targettes to receyue the stones that were caste downe whiche were no great plentie for the genowayes shotte so surely with their crosbowes that non durste put out their heedes to their defence for the genoways crosbowes shotte so surely that lightly they myst nat of their leuell so that ther were many within sore hurte with their quarelles in so moche that they doughted sore the shotte This saute was so sore contynued that the mynours ouerthrewe a pane of the walle Than they within were sore abasshed wolde than haue yelded them their lyues saued but their enemyes had no luste therto for they felle in to so good handes that they were all slayne for sir Galtier their capitayne coÌ„mauÌ„ded that it shulde so be so there were none taken to mercye but all slayne nat one that scaped Thus these lordes of Fraunce at their first comynge had the castell of Forget and sir Gaultier delyuered it to the owner therof who loste it the same yere before for lacke of good kepyng as dyuers other castelles had bene before in Fraunce ⸪ AFter the takyng of the castell of Forgeâ— and that sir Gaultier had delyuered it to the owner the knight newe repayred it where as nede was for the frenche men had sore dystroyed it in the assayling therof or it were won Than they went to the castell of Basse of whiche Erualton of Batefoyle was capitayn and had greatly fortifyed it for he thought the frenche men wolde visyte hym as they dyde And whan the frenche men came thyder they layde siege therto and than aduysed on whiche ê‘te they might best for their aduauntage gyue assaute and determyned on a place and so on a day they came to the saut on that parte as they thought moost feble There the Genowayes crosbowes were ordayned to shote and the assauters behynde theÌ„ and they acquyted them selfe truely in doyng of their feate for they shot so rudely at them within that non durst shewe theÌ„selfe Erualton of Batefoyle was at the gate where there was a great assaute and there he dyde marueylous in armes so moche that his enemyes sayd among them selfe Beholde yonder is a squyer of great herte on whome his harnesse is well enployed for he valyantly defended hym selfe It were well done some bodye to shewe hym that it were best for hym to yelde vp the castell and to departe some where elles And to shewe hym that if sir Gaultier of Paschac wynne hym parforce ther is no man can saue hym fro the dethe for he hath sworne as many as he wynneth parforce shall all dye or be hanged Than the seneschall of Tholous coÌ„maunded a squyer of Gascoyne called Wyllyam Alyedell who knewe ryght well Erualton for he had ben dyuers tymes with hym in armes as his companyon and he was gladde to go for he was lothe that Erualton shulde haue hadd any domage if he myght do hym any good And so he came to the assaute and made token that he wolde speke with Erualton for his great profyte and he answered he was content Than the saut rested on that syde but nat on the other parte Than this Wylliam sayd Erualton ye are happy for certayne of yonder lordes haue sende me to you for they haue pyte on you for if ye be taken parforce there is no remedy but dethe Oure soueraygne capitayne hath so ordayned that you nor none of yours shall scape dethe but to be serued as they were of saynt Forget therfore they I also wolde couÌ„sayle you to yelde vp the fortresse rather than to abyde thadueÌ„ture for of one thyng ye may be sure we shall nat departe hens tyll ye be taken Than Erualton sayd William I knowe well thoughe at this tyme ye be agaynst me that ye wolde nat couÌ„sayle me to any thyng to my dishonour Knowe for trouthe that if I rendre vp the holde it shal be so that I and all myne may safely departe and carye with vs as moche as we maye and to be safely conducted to the castell of Lourde On this condycion I wyll her ken to you or elles nat Sir quod Wylliam I haue nat so farre charge to commen with you but gladly I shal speke for you to my maisters And so he retourned to the seneschall of Tholous and shewed hym all these wordes Than sir Hughe of Frodeuyll sayd Lette vs go and speke with sir Gaultier for I can nat tell what he wyll do sithe I haue gone so farr in the mater I wyll se what he will do Than they came to sir Gaultier who was styll at the saute and sir Hughe of Frodeuyll sayd Sir Gaultier I haue treated with the capitayne of the castel and he is well wyllynge to yelde vp the castell to vs as it is so that he all his maye go quite with all that they maye cary with them and to be safely conducted to the castell of Lourde Therfore nowe sir loke what ye wyll do if we shulde lese one of our knightes or squyers outher by shotte or cast of stones or by any perylous accident it shulde be gretter domage than we can haue any profyte by puttyng of them to dethe whan we haue won them whiche is nat yet for or they be won it wyll coste vs some of our people sir that is true quod the seneschall of Carcassone suche assautes can
freer Iohn̄ the Cardynalles that were in his presence Syrs thus shall it fall on you of the chyrche for the Emperour of Rome and of Almayne and the other kynges crystened hyghe prynces of the worlde haue gyuen you the goodes possessyons ryches to the entente to serue god and ye spende it in pryde and superfluyte ¶ ye rede not the lyfe of saynt Syluester pope of Rome after saynt Peter ymagyne and consyder howe the Emperour Cōstantyne gaue hym fyrst the dysmes of the chyrche and on what condycyon Saynt Syluester rode nother with CC. nor CCC horse abrode in the worlde but he helde hymselfe symply closed in Rome and lyued soberly with them of the chyrche when the aungell of god shewed hym how the Emperour Coustātyne who was as then but an infydell sholde fende for hym in lykewyse the Emperour had it by reuelacyon of an aungell that Syluester sholde shewe hym the way of helthe for he was syke of the lypper so that his fless he fell in peces whē Syluester came before hym he shewed hym the way of baptyme so crystened hym and incontynent he was hole for the whiche the Emperoure Constantyne byleued in god and all his Empyre and gaue to Syluester to the chyrche all the dysmes for before the Emperoure of Rome helde them and besyde that gaue hym many fayre gyftes grete sygnyoryes augmentynge out fayth and the chyrche but it was his entencyon that the goodes and syguyoryes that he had gyuē hym that he sholde gouerne it humbly and truely and not to spēde it in pompe and pryde but nowe a dayes they of the chyrche do the contrary wherwith god is dyspleased and hereafter wyll be more dyspleased so that the grete lordes of the erthe wyll ware colde in theyr deuocyons and not be so lyberall in gyuynge ony thynge to the chirche But rather to be redy to take fro it that was gyuen before and I thynke it wyll not be longe or this besene ¶ Thus this freer Iohn̄ of Roche tayllayd whome the cardynalles helde in pryson in Auignyon shewed to them these wordes and dyuers other wherof the cardynalles were abasshed and wolde gladly haue put hym to dethe yf they myght haue founde ony iust cause agaynst hym But they coulde fynde none so suffred hym to lyue but they durst not let hym out of pryson for he shewed his matters so parfyte and layde for hym hyghe scryptures that peraduenture he myght haue made many in the worlde to haue arred Howbeit suche as toke more hede to his sayenge then I dyde sawe many thynges fall after accordynge as he sayd and wrote in pryson all that he sayd he wolde proue by the apocalyps the true prowes wherwith he armed hymselfe who saued hym fro brennynge and also some of the Cardynalles had pyte on hym and wolde not do theyr vttermoost to hym NOwe let vs leue to speke of these narracyons and retourne to our pryncypall matter hystory of Spayne of Portyngale of Fraunce and of Englonde and recorde the fortunes that fell in that season whiche be not to be forgotten ¶ ye haue herde here before howe kynge Iohn otherwyse called mayster denyce of portyngale bastarde broder to kyng Don Ferant was in possessyon of the royalme of Portyngale by the helpe all onely of .iiii. Cytees in Portyngale But as for the nobles and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale at the begynnynge acquyted them truely to kynge Don Peter to kynge Iohn̄ of Castell and to his wyfe the lady Beatryce yet thoughe some helde the opynyon of that lady neuerthelesse other named her a bastarde for she was doughter to a lady in Portyngale called Elynoure who had as then her fyrst husbande on lyue a knyght of that countre syr Iohn̄ Laurence of Coygne and the kynge of Portyngale had taken her fro hym and the kynge maryed her and put her husbande out of Portyngale who wente and dwelled with the kynge of Castell for he durst not dwell in Portyngale for fere of the kynge who helde his wyse yet he was of hyghe lygnage These thynges are to be meruaylled at For kynge Ferant of Portyngale reputed his doughter as lawfully begotten for he had a dyspensacyon of pope Vrban the .vi. And then the peas was made bytwene the .ii. kynges of Castell Portyngale that a knyght of the royalme of Portyngale called syr Iohn̄ Ferant Andere who was chefe of counsayle with the kynge of Portyngale treated of peas and made the mariage bytwene kynge Ferant of Portyngalles doughter and kynge Iohn̄ of Castell who was as thē a wyddower and had maryed before the doughter of Don Peter kynge of Aragon thoughe the kynge of Castell his counsayle dyd cast all these doubtes and howe they fered lest the kynge of Portingales doughter sholde not be taken as heyre of Portyngale after her faders dysseas but to put in suretye therof the kynge of Castell the kynge of Portyngale caused dyuers of the chefe lordes of Portyngale to swere that after the kynges dysseas to take her as theyr lady to tourne the royalme of Portyngale to the kynge of Castel Also the kynge of Portyngale had bounde certayne good townes to the kynge of Castel to take hym as theyr kynge on the payne of forfayture of .ii. thousande frankes thoughe this knyght Iohan Ferant Andere dyde his busynes for a good entente to make peas concorde bytwene Castell and Portyngale at the instaunce of his lorde yet the comons of Lyrbone slewe hym and chase to theyr kynge this mayster Deuyce for they sayd they wolde not be vnder the subiectyon of them of Castell they hated them so moche for they coulde neuer loue togyder also they sayd that the crowne of Portyngale myght not go to a woman and that the quene of Castell was not true herytour but a bastarde worse then a bastarde for kynge Ferantes lyuynges and after his dethe Iohan Ferant of Coygne lyued who was husbande to that ladyes moder and therfore they chase this mayster Denyce and was crowned by these .iiii. Cytees Lyrbone Vyc Eure and the porte of Portyngale they sayd they wolde haue a kynge amonge them one of the chefe incydentes that moued the comons to be agaynst the kynge of Castell was as I shall shewe you The Spanyardes whom I call Castellyans when the maryage was made bytwene them and Portyngale and that the kynge of Portyngale had graunted that after his dysseas the royalme sholde go to the kyng of Castell euer when the Spanyardes mette ony of the Portyngales they wolde mocke thē and say syrs whether ye wyll or not nowe ye shall come to our daunger we shall holde you vnder subiectyon and seruage and kepe you lyke slaues and Iues and do with you as we lyst they wolde answere saye they trusted that sholde neuer be neuer to be vnder subiectyon of ony other man lyuyng excepte god and for suche causes
Fraunce So when the duke herde of the grete desyre that his men had to fynde some dedes of armes then he sayd to his admyrall syr Thomas Percy and to the constable of his armye syr Iohn̄ Holande commaundynge them to addresse theyr nauey towarde Bretayne sayenge howe he wolde goo and se the castell of Brest to vysyte comforte the companyons therin to loke on thē that be without in the bastyde of these tydynges the Englysshe men were ioyful Then Alphons Vietat chefe patron of the nauey of Portyngale who knew ryght well the way and the entrees in to Bretayne whiche were ryght peryllous daungerous he made his Galey to lede the trace shewed the way to other The season was sayre pleasaunt the see peasyble soo they sayled towarde the hauen of Brest then taryed for the tyde for they knewe well with the fludde they sholde in to the hauen of Brest grete pleasure it was to here the trompettes claryons The same season syr Iohn̄ of Malestroyt the vycount of Combor Morfonac were syttynge at dyner whē tydynges came to them how the Englysshe armye was come then they rose and armed them for they knewe wel that whē the duke of Lancastre had taken lande he wolde fyght with them and rayse theyr bastydes soo they were all well armed and of good mynde to defende them yf they were assaylled They were a CCC knyghtes and squyers the Englysshe men were ryght ioyful whē they were in the hauen of Brest and vnderstode howe the Bretons helde theyr bastydes and sayd howe they wolde go and se them and fyght with thē for they had grete desyre to doo some dedes of armes ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre assayled the lordes knyghtes squyers that were in the bastydes before brest in Bretayne and howe they defended themselfe Ca. lxvii THus the duke of Lancastre and his company toke lande a lytell besyde the castell of Brest and lefte all theyr horses prouysyō styl in theyr shyppes but all the ladyes damoyselles toke lande to refresshe them the fyrst day they dyd no thynge but apparelled themselfe to lodge on the erthe for .ii. or .iii. dayes in pauylyons along the see syde so there they lay all that day and that nyght the nexte mornyng the constable marshall of the army sowned theyr trompettes to cause euery mā to be armed so they dyd in good ordre wente towarde the castell to the bastydes whiche were strongely made in maner to haue endured a .ix. or .x. yeres aboute the bastides there were dykes gates towres good walles all made of grete tymbre then the knyghtes squyers of Englonde suche as desyred dedes of armes came to the barryers of the bastides there begā to skyrmysshe with feruent wyl to wyn the bastydes the Bretons knyghtes squyers that were within the bastydes were redy to defende them and to the entente to fyght more at large hande to hande they dyd put away the barryers of theyr defences wherin they dyd grete foly but they trusted to moche in theyr owne chyualry there was doone many a goodly feate of armes and herde rencountrynges and sore foynynge with speres and they dyd best that had best breth howbeit there were many of the Englysshmen therfore they gaue the Bretons moche a do and so by clene force of armes the Englysshmen wanne the baylles so that within the closure of the towne there were mo then C. men of armes so that the Bretons were at the poynte to haue lost all when syr Iohn̄ of Malestroyte the vycount of Combor sawe the maner then he cryed his crye and sayd what how syrs shall we lose all thus on forwarde in fyghtynge we sholde not faynte but outher dethe or honoure Then the bretons closed togyder with grete courage pytched theyr speres and glayues in the erthe and helde strongly theyr place and fought couragyously there were many fayre dedes of armes done so that by force the Englysshe men were fayne to recule backe for they were soo wel resysted that they coulde gete no grounde on them so that they were clene beten out of the baylles and so as on that day they coulde not wyn it agayne And at another corner of theyr bastydes they had a towre of stone descendynge downe from a rocke whiche the Bretons helde to theyr aduaūtage for kepynge of theyr bastydes Therat was made a grete assaulte with archers and other in the meane season whyle the other men of armes were fyghtyng at the barryers and there the Englysshe men passed ouer a lytell dyke that was there and so came to the foote of the towre with pycke axes and mattockes in theyr handes and so began to myne sore the towre and suche as were with in defended themselfe theyr towre valyauntly but the Englysshe archers shotte soo hooly togyder that none durst appere at theyr defence without they were sore pauessed and the Englysshe men vndermyned so sore the foundacyon of the towre that it raue clene in sondre the one parte fel downe and they that were with in when they sawe it wolde fall they drewe them all in to the parte that stode Then the Englysshe men made a grete showte and by that tyme it was late then they sowned the retrayte for they sayd they had done ynoughe for that daye So then the Englysshe men departed sayd to the Bretons syrs abyde there al nyght and make good watche for to morow we wyll come and loke on you agayne ye se well ynoughe what case ye be in there is nothyng before you to shadowe you from vs. THe entente of the Englysshe men was the nexte daye to retourne agayne to assayle the bastydes and to conquere them all suche as were within them whiche was ryght well in theyr puyssaunce soo to haue done So thus the Englysshe men passed the nyght it is often tymes sayd moche thynges sholde fall of mennes thoughtes yf there were no coūtre thoughtes there agaynst I say it bycause thoughe there were in the Englysshe oost subtyll and wyse men of warre yet the Bretons that were within the bastydes were suffycyently prouyded with wysdome and welconsydered what thynge myght auayle them what thynge was for theyr domage they sawe well they must nedes departe thens or elles to be taken or slayne then they determyned to truise that they myght and to departe and leue theyr bastyde as they ordeyned so they dyd and lepte on theyr horses and lefte theyr bastydes toke the feldes and so toke the way to Hambont a .iiii. myle thens they dyd wysely therin for they feared no pursute of the Englysshe men bycause theyr horses were not a lande Thus syr Iohn̄ Malestroyte and his company rode the same nyght to Hānybout they founde it opē then they feared but lytell the Englysshe men The nexte day the trompettes blewe and euery man in the oost armed hym and
the pynet Then they of the busshment brake out on them and cryed Barroys of barres Then the foragers were abasshed for the moost parte of them were vnarmed they had a syxe socore archers who dyd put themselfe in good ordre of defence and began to shote and dyd hurte and wounde men and horses and when theyr shot was past they cast away theyr bowes and fell to other defence with suche wepons as they had some hyd them to saue themselfe what sholde I make longe tale of these Englysshe foragers there were slayne a C C. and the other saued themselfe as wel as they myght in busshes hedges where as horsmen coulde not come to them suche as fled came to Coulongne there shewed how the barroys of barres had ouerthrowen them then they of the oost began to styre and to arme them syr Thomas Moreaux marshal of the oost with a CCCCC mounted on theyr horses with the penon of saynt George set forth with grete desyre to fynde the frensshe men and rode soo longe that they came to the Espynet and there they founde theyr men lyenge deed and no thynge elles for the frensshe men were departed soo they retourned without doynge of ony thyng elles and when they were wtin halfe a myle of theyr oost they sawe where the frensshmen entred in to theyr garyson of Coulongne Wherwith they were sore dyspleased but they coulde not amende it and that day the marshal was sore blamed of some of the oost in that he sente forthe or suffered to go forth ony foragers without sure conduyte consyderynge theyr enemyes beynge lodged so nere them in a sure holde and of suche nombre able to ouerthrowe .v. or a .vi. C. foragers the duke of Lancastre the Constable so blamed hym that he was sore ashamed therof but he excused hymselfe sayd howe they had ben forth more then .x. tymes before had no hurte Well sayd the duke take better hede another tyme for a case may fall in an houre or in a daye that peraduenture shall not fall agayne in an hundreth dayes ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre his oost when they had soiourned a momoneth at Coulongne then they departed rode towarde saynt Iames in Galyce Ca. xlviii ANd when the duke of LaÌ„castre had soiourned at Coulongne the space of a moneth and more then he was couÌ„sayled to dyslodge theÌ„s to drawe towardes saynt Iames in Galyce where was a better countrey and a more plentyfull for men and horses so he departed and rode in thre batayles Fyrst the marshal with CCC speres .vi. C. archers Then the duke with CCCC spere and all the ladyes and damoyselles in his company and in the arrere garde the constable syr IohnÌ„ Hollande with a CCCC speres .vii. C. archers Thus they rode fayre easely in .iii. batayles and were rydynge thre dayes bytwene Coulongne and saynt Iames The countrey of Galyce was sore afrayde of the dukes comynge thyder for they fered gretely his puyssauÌ„ce The marshall with his vowarde came to Compostelia where the body of saynt Iames lyeth and the towne was closed agaynst hym howbeit there were no men of warre there in garyson but men of the towne that kepte it for there were no frensshmen wolde vndertake to kepe it to the vtteraunce for it was not stronge ynoughe to be kepte agaynst suche men of warre as the duke had brought thyder The marshall of the oost sente thyder an heraulde of armes to knowe theyr ententes what they wolde do the heraulde came to the barryers there fouÌ„de the capytayne of ytwarde called Alphons of sene then the heraulde sayd syr capytayne here a lytel besyde is the duke of Lancastres marshall who hath sent me hyder he wolde gladly speke with you Wel sayd that capytayne it pleseth me wel let hym come hyder we shal speke with hym the heraulde retourned shewed the marshall as they sayd then the marshall with .xx. speres with hym wente thyder fouÌ„de at the barryers the capytayne certayne of the chefe heedes of the towne then the marshal lyghted on fote .iii. with hym the lorde Basset syr WyllyaÌ„ Fremyton then the marshall sayd ye capytayne your men My lorde the duke of LaÌ„castre my lady your lady of Lancastre doughter to kynge Don Peter your lorde kynge hath sent me hyder to speke with you to know what ye wyll do or say outher to receyue them as ye showe do your souerayne lorde lady or elles they to assayle you take you perforce surely knowe for trouth if ye be taken perforce al ye within the towne shall suffre dethe with the swerde to gyue ensample to all other syr sayd the capytayne we wyl not vse vs but by reason we wolde gladly acquyte vs to them that we belonge we know ryght well that my lady CoÌ„stauÌ„ce or Lancastre was doughter to kynge Don Petero of Castelâ—s that if kynge Don Peter had abyden peasybly styl kyng she had ben then ryghtfull enherytoure of Castell but the matter chauÌ„ged otherwyse for al the royalme of Castel abode peasybly to kyngeÌ„ Henry his broder by reason of the batayle that was at NaÌ„tuel so that we al of the countrey sware to holde kynge Henry for our kyng he kepte it as longe as he lyued also we haue sworne to holde kyng IohnÌ„ his sone for our kyng but syr shewe vs what haue they of Coulongne done or sayd to you for it maye be so syth ye haue lyne there more then a moneth that they haue made some maner of treaty with you that is true sayd the marshal we are at a treaty with them or elles they had not scaped as they dyd yet the towne of Coulongne is twyse so stronge as is this towne I shall shew you what treaty they haue made with vs the meÌ„ of the towne haue pryuely made a composycyon withâ— vs saynge how they wyll do euery thyng accordynge as ye do but though ye wyl suffre yourselfe to be assayled and dystroyed yet soo wyll not they do for yf the countrey of Galyce do yelde them to my lorde the duke and to my lady they wyll do in lyke wyse and in this we haue good pledges and suffycyent that is wel sayd sayd the capytayne we in lykewyse wyll holde the same treatye there be in the royalme many mo good cytees townes ryde on forth leue vs in pease we wyll do as they do in that we wyl delyuer you good pledges ostages Nay syr not so sayd the marshall My lorde the duke nor my lady wyl not suffre that for they wyl come lodge here in this towne kepe theyr estates as they sholde do in theyr owne herytage therfore answere vs shortely what ye wyll do outher to yelde or to be assayled taken by force destroyed syr sayd the capytayne gyue vs lytell leysure that we may speke togyder
as nowe ynoughe to doo to kepe theÌ„selfe agaynst theyr enemyes as wel frensshmen as Skottes therfore make as good war as ye caÌ„ with suche people as ye haue for trust not of no comforte nor ayde out of Englande outher of men of armes or archers for surely ye are not lyke to haue ony ye were two yeres aboute to gete that ye haue the kynge your nephewe seeth not all thynges he is yonge and byleueth yong counsayle wherby the royalme of Englande lyeth is in peryll grete aduenture wherfore syr approche as soone as ye can to the kynge of Portyngale speke with hym your worde shall do you more profyte then all the letters ye can wryte in .iiii. monethes the duke of Lancastre noted well these wordes knew wel that it was true and that it was truely counsayled then the duke sayd to them that gaue hym that counsayle what wyll you that I sholde do they answered and sayd syr sende to the kynge of Portyngale .v. or .vi. of your knyghtes and at the leest a baron and let them shewe the kynge howe ye haue grete desyre to se hym let them be wyse that ye sende and let theÌ„ fynde the meanes that ye maye speke togyder shortly I am content sayd the duke Then there was sente in to Portyngale fro the duke the lorde poynynges a grete baron of englande and syr IohnÌ„ Abruell syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte and syr IohnÌ„ Souster bastarde bretheren to syr IohnÌ„ Holande constable of the oost these departed fro saynt Iames with a C. speres CC. archers ANd on a day when al these letters were made and sealed there came to the duke fro the kynge of Portyngale a knyght and a squyer with .xii. speres called syr Vase Martyne of Cougne and the squyer Ferrant Martyne of Merle they were of the kynges hous nere to his persone they were lodged at theyr ease in the towne of saynt Iames then they were brought to the duke to the duches so presented theyr letters and also they presented to the duke and to the duches and to theyr doughters fayre whyte mules well aumblynge wherof they were glad howbeit for all that the iourney of the englysshmen to the kynge of Portyngale was nor brokeÌ„ but they were stopped for a .iiii. dayes and on the .v. daye departed and this knyght and squyer all togyder in company and the duke sente to the kynge of Portyngale in token of loue .ii. fawcons pelegrynes as good as coulde be deuysed .vi. englysshe greyhoundes good for all maner of beeâ—tes â—o the Portyngales and the Englysshmen rode togyder ouer al the lande of Galyce they were in no fere of the Castellyans for they were ferre ynoughe ofrro them and on the waye as they rode syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourre and Martyn Ferrant of Merle fell in talkynge togyder for before that season the squyer had ben in armes with syr Eustase Dambrychcourte who was vncle to the sayd syr Iohn and was with hym when he dyed at Quarencyne and as they talked togyder they rode behynde theyr company they met an heraulde and a varlet comyng fro Connymbres where the kynge laye was rydynge towarde saynt Iames to the duke of Lancastre this heraulte perceyned to the kynge of Portyngale and was called Connymbres The heraulte had spoken with the lordes and shewed them suche tydynges as he knewe and when Ferrant Martyn of Merle saw hym comynge he sayd to syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte beholde yonder cometh an heraulte of the kynge of Portyngales it is longe syth he was in this countrey I wyl demaunde of hym some tydynges and when they met togyder the squyer sayd a Connymbres where haue you ben so longe it is more then a yere syth I saw you or that ye were in this countrey syr sayd he I haue ben in Englande haue sene the kynge and lordes there and they haue made me ryche with grete gyftes that I haue had of them and fro thens I retourned by the see in to Bretayne was at the maryage of the duke of Bretayne and at the grete feest that he kepte at the cyte of Nauntes aboute a .ii. monethes past he hath wedded the lady Iahan of Nauare and fro thens by the see I went in to Irelande fro thens to the porte in Portyngale and as they talked togyder the squyer behelde a scochyn that the heraulte bare on his brest wherin were graued inamyled the kynge of Portyngales armes and the armes of dyuers other lordes then the squyer set his fynger on one of the armes perteynynge to a knyght of Portyngale and sayd ase here the armes mes of the gentyll knyght syr IohnÌ„ Partelere by my fayth I am glad to se them for they perteyne to a gentyll knyght who on a tyme dyd me grete profyte I ought well to remembre it therwith he toke .iiii. floreyns of golde out of his purse and gaue them to the heraulte who thanked hym and syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte behelde well the armes the felde syluer an endenture gooles with .ii. chanders fables and so the heraulte departed then the squyer sayd syr IohnÌ„ saw you neuer this knyght that bare the sayd armes whom I prayse so moche I can not tell sayd syr IohnÌ„ but at the leest I praye you shewe me what was that courtesy that ones he dyd to you I wolde be glad to here it we haue nothynge elles to talke of I am contente sayd the squyer to shewe you for the knyght is well worthy to be spoken of then he began his tale thus SO it fortuned a lytell before the batayle of Iuberoth when the kynge of Portyngale wente fro Connymbres thyderwarde the kynge sente me in to the countrey to warne certayne knyghtes to come to hym to be with hyÌ„ at that iourney so I rode forth but one page with me and as I rode I happened to mete a xxv speres gascoynes and I was not ware tyl I was amonge them then they toke me demaunded whether I wente and I shewed theÌ„ I was rydynge to the castell of Ronte they demaunded what to do and I sayd to go seke syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Partelere to come to the kyng of Portyngale of Iuberoth why sayd they is syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Parteler capytayne of the castel of Ronte is he not all redy with the kyng of Portyngale no surely syrs sayd I but shortely he wyll be there yf he ones knowe the kynges pleasure well sayd they he shall knowe it for we wyll ryde thyder so they toke the waye to the castell of Ronte when they were within the syght of the castell the watche of the castell sayd he saw men of armes approchyng towarde the castell then syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant demaunded fro what parte they were comynge the watche sayd they were comyng towarde the porte A sayd he they be then Castellyans and rydeth at aduenture towarde saynt Irayne I wyl go and loke on them they shall tell me tydynges where the kynge is
appere in Castell as hathe ben sene there this C. yere past well sayd the auncyent man let it be as it wyll be and let the ryght go to the ryght we in this countrey of Galyce dare well abyde the aduenture then the rebelles were brought forth they of the towne sware to gouerne theyr towne well truely as subiectes sholde do to theyr souerayne lorde and lady and to knowledge the duke of Lancastre and his wyfe for theyr lorde and lady as other townes in Galyce had done and the marshall in theyr names receyued theyr othes and sware agayne to kepe and maynteyne them in peas and good iustyce ANd whē al this matter was done sworne and promyse then they opened theyr gates barryers euery man entred who wolde lodged all abrode in the towne were the re a .iiii. dayes to refresshe them theyr horses to abyde for a fayre season for in .iiii. dayes before in neuer seased raynynge wherfore they were loth to departe for the ryuers were waxed so grete that no man coulde passe without grete daunger also in that season they aduysed thēselfe whyder they wolde go to Bezanses or to Rybadane another stronge towne wherin were the moost prowdest people and moost traytours of al the countrey of Galyce on the fyrst day the marshal departed fro the towne of Bayon in Marol when they were in the feldes they founde the ryuers withdrawen wherof they were ryght ioyful then they rode forth towardes Rybadane had with them grete caryage and moche prouysyon rode all in peas there were none that stopped them of theyr way for there were no lordes of Galyce that styred so they rode tyll they came nereto the towne then lodged them vnder the olyues in a fayre playne within halfe a legge of the towne there determyned to sende theyr heraulte to speke with them of Rybadane the marshall had well herde howe they were the falsest people of the merueylest condycyons that were in all the royalme as grete a royalme as it was for they dyd neuer set by the kynge nor no mā elles but helde alonely of thē selfe for theyr towne was strong so the heraulte was sent to them to knowe theyr entencyons And when he came thyder the barryers were closed and the gate also then he began to call and to knocke but noo man wolde answere hym yet he sawe men go vp and downe on the garettes of the gate walles but for nothyng that he coulde do there was no creature wolde speke one worde to hym so there he stode callynge makynge of sygnes more then an houre then he sayd to hymselfe when he sawe he coulde haue there nothynge elles I trowe these men of Rybadane haue spoken with them of Bayon and are dyspleased that they gaue me xx floreynes and dyd so lytell therfore nowe they wyll make me bye it dere I fere they wolde haue me tary here tyll it were late and then take and hange me and so therwith retourned to the marshall who demaunded what tydynges whyder they wolde be assayled or yelde as other townes had done syr sayd the heraulte surely I can not tell they be so prowde that for ony cryenge callynge that I coulde make there was none that wolde gyue me ony answere then syr Iohn̄ Abaurell sayd sawest thou no persone there peraduenture they be fled awaye for fere of vs fled away sayd the heraulte syr sauynge your grace they thynke scorne therof for or ye haue that towne they wyll put you to more payne then all the other townes in Galyce syr knowe for trouthe therin be men ynowe for I sawe grete nombre of thē called to thē on hyghe sayd syrs I am an heraulte sent to speke with you therfore here me but they helde theyr peas and loked on me and laughed A sayd the marshall the false vyllaynes shall well be chastysed for I wyll not departe thens tyll I haue brought them to obeysaunce with out my lorde the duke of Lancastre communde me the contrary let vs ete and drynke and then go to the assaulte for I wyll se them a lytell nerer syth the vyllaynes be so prowde and it was done as the marshall ordeyned ANd when they had eten dronken they lepte on theyr horses and sown̄ted theyr trompettes makynge grete noyes and within a whyle they came before the towne and some knyghtes and squyers ran before the barryers but there they founde no body but ouer the gate there were many crosse bowes and they began to shote and dyd hurte dyuers horses then the englysshe archers araynged them before the barryers and on the dykes began to shote agaynst the crosse bowes so there was a sore assaulte whiche longe endured true it is the towne of Rybadane is ryght stronge it coulde not be wonne on the one syde for it standeth on a rocke so that no man can mounte therto on the other syde where the saulte cōtynued was playne groūde but there were grete dykes drye without ony water but they were euyll to mounte vpō knyghtes and squyers auayled downe then began to mounte agayne with targes and pauaises ouer theyr heedes for defence of stones that were cast downe the archers were raynged alonge on the dykes who shot so hooly togyder that the defendauntes durst not appere abrode that daye there was a grete assaulte dyuers hurte bothe within and without and at nyght they sowned the retrayte Then the saulte seased the englysshmen drewe to theyr lodgynges and toke theyr case dressed them that were hurte and the same daye Thyrty of Sonnayne was stryken with a quarell in the arme so that in a moneth after he coulde not ayde hymselfe with that arme but bare it in a towell ¶ Hoowe the duke of Lancastre the Duches helde them at saynt Iames in Galyce and of the comforte that the frensshe knyghtes gaue vnto the kynge of Castell Ca. lii THe same season that the duke of Laucastres marshal rode abrode in the coūtrey of Galyce made the coūtrey to tourne to the obeysaunce of the duke duches who lay at the towne of compostella otherwyse called saynt Iames in galyce oftē tymes they herde tydynges fro the kynge of Portyngale the kynge fro them for they sente wrote eche to other wekely on the other party kyng Iohn̄ of Castell lay that season at Valeolyue and the knyghtes of fraunce with hym with whom he spake often tymes of his busynes demaūded of them counsayle and somtyme he sayd to thē Syrs I haue grete meruayle that there cometh no more ayde to me out of fraūce for I lese my countrey and am lyke to lose without I fynde some other remedy the englysshmen kepeth the feldes I knowe well that the duke of Lancastre and the kynge of Portyngale haue ben togyder and myne aduersary the kynge of Portyngale shall haue in maryage one of the dukes
loke for grete comforte to come to them out of fraunce and suche as desyre dedes of armes and aduauncement of honoure wyl come as soone as they can wherfore it behoueth me alwaye to be redy and to abyde batayle this ye may shewe to the kynge of Portyngale and to his counsayle and yf I se that I shall haue ony thynge to do I shall shortely sende the kynge worde therof Wherfore saye that I desyre hym to be redy to ayde and to defende our ryght and his in lyke maner as we haue promysed and sworne togyder and madame when ye retourne agayne to me leue our doughter katheryne there styll with the quene her syster she can not be in better kepynge syr sayd the lady all this shall be doone Then the duches and her doughter and all other ladyes and damoyselles toke theyr leue and departed syr Thomas Percy the admyral accompanyed them and syr non Fythwaren and the lorde Talbot and the lorde IohnÌ„ Dambretycourte and syr Namburyne of Lyuyers and a hundred speres and two hundred archers and soo came to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale ¶ Howe the duches and her doughter wente to se the kynge of Portyngale and the quene And howe the towne of Besances submytted them vnder the obeysaunce of the duke of Lancastre Ca. lxxvi WHenne the kynge of Portyngale vnderstode that the duches of Lancastre and her doughter were comynge to hym warde he was therof ryght ioyfull and sente to receyue them of the grettest meÌ„ of his courte The erle of Angoses and the erle of Nouayre syr IohnÌ„ Radyghos de Sar syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Perteke syr Vas Martyne of Marlo syr Egeas Colle and a .xx. other knyghtes who mette with the duches a two grete legges of and ioyfully receyued them and the duches made frendly chere to al the lordes and knyghtes bothe with wordes countenaunce Thus they came to the cyte of Porte and all the ladyes and damoyselles were lodged in the palays and the kynge came and met with the ladyes kyssed them all then after came the quene who receyued the duches her mooer and her syster ryght honourably as she that coulde ryght wel do it all the kynges courte were ryght ioyfull of the comynge of these ladyes and damoyselles I wyll not speke of all theyr acquayntauÌ„ces and good chere for I was not there present I knowe nothynge but by the reporte of that gently knyght syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Perteke who was there present and he enfourmed me of all that I know in that matter and of many other There the duches deuysed with the kynge of Portyngale when she sawe her tyme shewed hym all the wordes that the duke her husbande had gyuen her in charge to shewe The kynge answered her ryght sagely and sayd Fayre lady and cosyn I am all redy yf the kynge of Castell come forth in to the feldes within .iii. dayes I shal haue râ—dy iil M. speres they be redy in the felde on the fronters of Castell and also I haue redy .xx. M. of the comons of my royal me who be not to be refused for they dydde me good seruyce on a day at the batayle of Iuberoth Syr sayd the lady ye speke well I thanke you therof And syr yf ony thyngs happen to fall to my lorde and husbande he wyll incontynente sygnyfye you therof with these wordes other the kynge the duches deuysed togyder ¶ Nowe let vs tourne to them of Besances shewe howe they sped WHen these .vi. men of Besances were before the kynge of Castel they kneled downe and sayd Ryght redoubted lorde may it please you to vnderstande that we be sent hyder fro your towne of Besances who are by force in composycyon with the duke of Lancastre and with the duches hath obteyned a sufferaunce of warre for .ix. dayes soo that yf ye come or sende suche a strength able to resyst the duches puyssaunce then the towne to abyde styll vnder your obeysaunce elles they are bouÌ„de haue layde hostage to delyuer vp the towne to the duke of Lancastre wherfore maye it please your grace to gyue vs answere what we shall do in this case The kynge answered and sayd syrs we shall take aduyse and then gyue you answere therwith the kynge departed fro them and entred in to his secret chambre I cannot tell what counsayle he toke nor howe the matter wente but these .vi. men were there .viii. dayes and had no maner of answere nor sawe no more the kynge Soo the day came that the towne sholde be gyuen vp as theÌ„ theyr messagers were not retourned agayne Then the duke of Lancastre sent to Besances his marshall the .x. day to speke with them and to coÌ„maunde them to rendre vp theyr towne or elles to stryke of the heedes of the hostages the marshall came to Besances to the barryers and there spake with them of the towne and sayd ye syrs of Besances take hede what I saye My lorde the duke of Lancastre hath sente me to you to demaunde why ye haue not brought to hym the keyes of your towne and submyt you to be vnder his obeysaunce as ye ought to be the .ix. dayes be past as ye knowe well and yf ye wyll not thus do your hostages shall lese theyr heedes here before you and after we shall assayle you and take you perforce and then ye shall all dye without mercy lyke theÌ„ of Rybadane wheÌ„ the men of Besances herde those tydynges they gretly doubted and also fered to lese theyr frendes that were in hostage with the duke sayd to the marshall syr my lorde the duke hath good cause to say and do as ye haue reported but syr as yet we here no tydynges fro our men whom we sente to the kynge of Castel for the same cause we wote not what is become of them Syrs sayd the marshall peraduenture they are kepte there styll for the tydynges they haue brought to the kynge of Castell whiche are not very plesaunt to hym to here but my lorde the duke wyl abyde no longer wherfore aduyse you to make me shorte answere elles shortely ye shall haue assaulte then they spake agayne and sayd syr we requyre you let vs assemble togyder in the towne to take aduyse and then we shal answere you I am content sayd the marshall then they retourned in to the towne and by the blastes of trompettes in euery strete they assembled to gather in the market place then they declared to all the comonte all the foresayd wordes and so fynally they accorded to rendre vp theyr towne to saue theyr estates that were in pryson then they retourned to the marshall sayd syr in al your demaundes we can fynde nothynge but as reason requyreth we are content to receyue my lorde the duke and my lady the duches in to this towne to put theÌ„ in possessyon therof and syr here be the keyes and we shall goo with you to theÌ„
nyght at Ercyell and the nexte nyght at Tarbe he rode that daye a grete iourney and then he determyned to sende fro thens to syr Wyllyam of Lygnac and soo he dyd aduertysynge hym howe he had spedde with the erle of Foyze and desyrynge hym to come on forwarde with all theyr companyes and shewynge hym howe the countrey of Byerne and all the good townes sholde be open payenge trewely for that they take or elles not ¶ This messagere dydde soo moche that he came to Thoulouse and dydde his message and delyuered his letters ¶ And when syr wyllyam hadde redde the contynewe hereof he made it to be knowen to all his company that they sholde set on forwarde soo that as soone as they entred ony parte of the erle of Foyze lande to pay for euery thynge that they sholde take elles theyr capytaynes to answere for euery thynge this was cryed by the sounde of a trompet fro lodgynge to lodgynge to the entente that euery man sholde knowe it then euery man dyslodged out of the marches of Tholouse Carcassone Lymous and of Marbon and so entred in to Bygore and syr Wyllyam of Lygnac toke his hors and rode to Tarbe to syr Gaultyer his companyon and there made good chere togyder and theyr bandes and rowâ—es passed by and assembled togyder in Bygore to ryde in company thrughe the countrey of Byerne to passe at Ortays the ryuer of Gaure whiche renneth to Bayon AT the yssuynge out of the countrey of Byerne is the entre of the countrey of Bâ—squey in the whiche countrey as then the kyng of englande helde grete landes in the bysshopryches of Burdeaus Bayon there were a .lxxx. townes with steples that helde of the kynge of englande when they vnderstode of the passage of these frensshmen thrugh theyr countrey they were in doubte of ouer rynnynge brennynge exylynge for as then there were no men of war of theyr partye in all that countrey to defende theyr fronters the sage men drewe togyder sente to trete with the frensshe capytaynes and to bye theyr peas then they sent to Ortays .iiii. men hauynge auctoryte to make theyr peas These .iiii. men met by the way with a squyer of the erle of Foyze called Ernalton du Pyn shewed hym all theyr matter desyrynge hym to helpe theÌ„ to speke with syr Gaultyer of Passac and syr Wyllyam of Lygnac when they came to Ortays whiche sholde be within .iii. or .iiii. dayes after and to helpe to ayde to make theyr peas he answered that he wolde do so with a good wyll The nyght that the capytaynes came to Ortays they were lodged at the same squyers house and there he ayded them of Bysquey to make theyr apoyntment and they to pay .ii. M. frankes and theyr countrey saued fro brennynge and robbynge the erle of Foyze gaue a dyuer to these capytaynes and to syr Wyllyam of Lygnac a fayre courser the nexte daye they passed to Sameterre and entred in to the countrey of Bysquey whiche was redemed they toke vytayles where as they myght gete it and so passed thrughe the countrey without doyng of ony other domage so came to saynt IohnÌ„s de Pye of Porte at the entre of Nauare ¶ Howe syr IohnÌ„ Holande and syr Raynolde de Roy fought togyder in lystes before the duke of Lancastre in the towne of Besances Ca. lxxviii Here before ye haue herde howe the towne of Besaâ—ces was put in composycyon with the duke of Lancastre and howe it was yelden vp to hym for the kynge of Castell dyd comforte it nothynge and howe the duches of Lancastre and her doughter came to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale to se the kynge the quene there and howe the kynge and the lordes there receyued them ioyfully as it was reason and thus whyle the duke of Lancastre soiourned in the towne of Besances tydynges came thyder fro Valeolyue brought by an heraulde of fraunce who demaunded where was the lodgynge of syr IohnÌ„ Holande and so he was brought thyder then he kneled downe before hym and delyuered hym a letter and sayd syr I am an offycer of armes sent hyder to you fro syr Raynolde du Roy who saluteth you yf it please you to rede your letter then syr IohnÌ„ sayd with ryght a good wyll and thou arte ryght welcome and opened his letter and redde it wherin was conteyned howe syr Raynolde du Roy desyred hym in the way of amours and for the loue of his lady to delyuer hym of his chalenge iii. courses with a spere .iii. strokes with a sworde iii. with a dagger and .iii. with an axe that if it wolde please hym to come to Valeolyue he wolde prouyde for hym .lx. horse a sure saufcoÌ„duyte yf not he wolde come to Besances with .xxx. horses so that he wolde gete for hym a saufcondyte of the duke of Lancanstre When syr IohnÌ„ Holande had red these letters he began to smyle behelde the heraulde sayd frende thou arte welcome thou hast brought me tydynges that pleaseth me ryght wel I accepte his desyre thou shalte obyde here in my house with my company to morowe thou shalte haue answere where our armes shal be accomplysshed outher in Galyce or in Castell syr sayd the heraulde as it pleaseth god you ¶ The heraulde was there at his ease and syr IohnÌ„ wente to the duke and founde hym talkynge with the marshall then he shewed them his tydynges and the letters Well sayd the duke and haue ye accepted his desyre ye truely syr sayd he and I desyre nothynge so moche as dedes of armes and the knyght hath desyred me but nowe syr where shall it be your pleasure that we doo our armes the duke studyed a lytell and then sayd I wyll that they be done in this towne make a saufconduyte for hym as it shall please you and I shall seale it In the name of god sayd syr IohnÌ„ that is well sayd the saufcondyte was wryten for hym .xxx. knyghtes and squyers to come saufe and go saufe then syr IohnÌ„ Holande delyuered it to the heraulde and gaue hym a mantell furred with myneuer and .xii. aungell nobles The heraulde toke his leue and retourned to Valeolyue to his mayster and there shewed howe he had sped and delyuered the saufconduyte on the other parte tydynges came to the cyte of Porte to the kynge of Portyngale and to the ladyes there howe that these dedes of armes sholde be done at Besances Well sayd the kynge I wyll be therat and the quene my wyfe with other ladyes and damoyselles the duches of Lancastre who was as then there thanked the kynge in that she sholde at her retourne be accompanyed with the kynge and with the quene it was not longe after but the tyme approched Then the kynge of Portyngale the quene the duches and her other doughter with other ladyes and damoyselles rode â—orth in grete aray towarde Besances when the duke of
worlde whome the Englysshmen hated moost was syr Olyuer of Clysson constable of fraunce For in dede syr Olyuer of Clysson euer studyed nyght and daye howe he myght doo dyspleasure to the Englysshe men and the duke knewe ryght well of the armye that was made to god in to Englande bocke at Harflew and at Lentrygnyer then he sayd vnto hymselfe to the entente to please the Englysshe men and to shewe that he dyd not set moche by the Frensshe men he founde the meanes to breke that voyage not in commaundynge his men of Bretayne on payne of lesynge of theyr herytage not to go in to Englande nor to ayde the frensshe partye this he dyd not but he shewed outwardly that the warre was for hym but he dyd his entrepryse more couertly he caste in his ymagynacyon that he myght not doo more honourably nor more to his profyte then to take the constable of Fraunce prysoner or elles to slee hym therby he knewe well he sholde please the Englysshe men for they hated hym for he thought yf he were out of the waye he cared not for the resydue of his lygnage for he knewe well they were not able to make hym warre for the constable hadde but two doughters the one was maryed vnto IohnÌ„ of Bretayne and the other doughter was maryded vnto the erle of Rohans sone he thought to withstande them wel ynoughe and all his lygnage for yf he hadde slayne hym he sayd he hadde slayne but a baron and that there were none that wolde make hym ony warre for his sake ¶ Howe the duke of Bretayne sente for all his lordes and knyghtes to come to counsayle vnto wannes and after counsayle he desyred the constable to goo and se his castell of Ermyne and howe he toke hym there prysoner and the lorde of Beaumanoyre with hym Ca. lxxxiii ON this foresayd ymagynacyon the duke of Bretayne rested and to come to his entente he somoned his counsayle to come to Wannes and desyred all the lordes and knyghtes of Bretayne effectuously for to come thyder and he dyd sende out his letters vnto them and specyally he requyred syr Olyuere of Clysson Constable of Fraunce that he sholde not fayle but for to be there sayenge howe he wolde gladlyer se hym then ony other The constable wolde not exscuse hymselfe bycause the duke of Bretayne was his naturall lorde and was gladde to haue his good wyll and soo he came to Wannes and soo dydde a grete nombre of other lordes of Bretayne ¶ This counsayle was longe and many matters debated therin touchynge the duke and his countrey without ony worde spekynge of the voyage that they were in purpose to make in to Englande The duke dyssymuled the matter This counsayle was in the cyte of wannes in a castell called the Mote ¶ The duke made all the lordes a grete dyner and fedde them with fayre louynge wordes tyll it was nere nyght and then they retourned to theyr lodgynges in to the subbarbes withoute the cyte And the constable of Fraunce to please the knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne he desyred them all the nexte daye to dyne with hym some dyd soo and some departed to theyr owne howses to take leue of theyr wyues parentes for the constable was purposed as soone as hâ— departed thens strayght to goo vnto his nauâ—e at Lentrygnyer the duke of Bretayne knewe it ryght well but spake noo worde therof makynge semblaunte as thoughe he knewe noo thynge Soo this dyner ended where as were the moost parte of the barons of Bretayne and sodaynly vnto them came the duke of Bretayne ryght amorously by semynge but he thought otherwyse in his harte None knewe therof but suche as he hadde dyscouered his mynde vnto As soone as he entred in to the constables lodgynge some sayd beholde here cometh the duke then euery man rose as reason was and swetely receyued hym as they ought for to doo theyr lorde and he delte ryght getylly and he sate downe amonge them and ete and dranke and kepte good company and shewed them more tokens of loue then euer he dydde before and he sayd vnto them fayre lordes my louers and frendes god sende you well to goo and well to come agayne and sende you ioye and that you maye doo suche dedes of armes as maye please you and that it maye be honourable vnto you all and when they herde these swere wordes of the duke they all answered and sayd Syr we thanke you and god rewarde you of your grete kyndnesse that it pleaseth you to come and se vs at our departynge THis same season the duke of Bretayne was makynge of a Castell nere to Wannes called the castell of Ermyne the whiche as then was nere furnysshed and to the entente to attrappe the constable there he sayd vnto hym and vnto the lorde de la vale and to the lorde of Beawmanoyre and to other lordes that were there Syrs I requyre you or ye departe to come and se my newe castell of Armyne ye shall se howe I haue deuysed it and also howe I purpose for to doo ¶ They all agreed vnto hym bycause they sawe hym come soo louyngly amonge them for they thought none euyll And soo the moost parte of them mounted on theyr horses and rode forth with the duke to the castel of Armyne Than the duke the constable the lorde de la vale and the lorde of Beawmanoyre and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes alyghted of theyr horses and entred in to the castell and the duke ledde the constable by the hande fro chambre to chambre and in to euery house of offyce and made them drynke in the seller Then the duke brought them to the chefe towre and at the dore therof he sayd to the constable Syr Olyuere I knowe noo man on this syde the see that knoweth more in buyldynge then ye doo wherfore I praye you mounte vp the stayres and beholde the buyldynge of the towre yf it be well I am contente and yf ony thynge be amysse yt shall be refourmed after your deuyse the constable thynkynge none euyll sayd Syr with ryght a good wyl please it you to goo before and I shall folowe you naye syr sayd the duke goo your waye vp alone and in the meane tyme I wyll talke with the lorde de la vale the constable wente vp the stayres and when he was aboue and paste the fyrste stage there were meÌ„ in a chaÌ„bre layde in a busshment and they opened the dore and some wents downe and dyd shote the dore bynethe and the other wente vp all armed to the constable there they toke and ledde hym in to a chambre and fetered hym with .iii. boltes of yron and sayd to hym Syr pardon vs for we must nedes do that we do we be thus commaunded by our lorde the duke of Bretayne yf the constable were abasshed at that tyme it was no meruayle THe coÌ„stable ought not to haue grete meruayle of the chaunce for after that the dyspleasure
to hym the squyer with his defyauces and so he was brought to Parys and he fered lest he sholde dye but when he came to Parys the kynge and his vncles and the other lordes dyd noo thynge to hym but all courtoysye And the frensshe kynge gaue hym a goblet of syluer weynge .iiii. marke and .l. frankes within it and they gaue hym a saâ—fâ—onduyte to retourne in to his countrey so by reason of these tydynges the courte of fraunce was sore troubled and the frensshe counsayle was sore troubled when the constable of fraunce came and made his complaynte of the duke of Bretayne for they sawe well that trouble expence began to ryse on euery syde and they sawe well howe they must enploy all theyr wyttes to exchewe suche inconuenyentes they thought that the constable who had serued the kyng soo longe in â—launders and other places sholde haue some helpe in that the duke of Bretayne hadde raunsomed hym and taken his castelles without tytle or good reason and specyally the lorde of Coucy and the admyrall was sore dyspleased with it ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to the duke of Lancastre and to the kynge of Portyngale who were in Galyce and made sore warre agaynst the kynge of Castell ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastres men assayled the towne of Aurene and toke it for it gaue vp as other dyd Ca. lxxxviii HEre before ye haue herde how dedes of armes were done bytwene syr Iohan Holande and syr Raynolde of Roy in the presence of the kynge of Portyngale and his wyfe and at the kynges departynge he promysed to the duke that as soone as he was retourned to the cyte of Porte that he wolde not tary past .vi. dayes but that his army sholde sette forthe Thenne the duke sente Constaunce his wyfe to the towne of saynt Iames vnder the guydynge of the lorde Fythwater a grete baron of Englande with a hundred speres and two hundred archers and the duke sayd to her Madame ye shall kepe you in the cyte of Compostella and the kynge of Portyngale my sone and our people shall goo in to Castell to seke for our enemyes to fyght with theÌ„ wherso euer we fynde them and nowe it shall be sene yf euer we shall haue ony thynge in the royalme of Castell or not Syr sayd the lady as god wyll so be it thus they departed for that present tyme and syr Thomas Percy and the lorde Fythwaren conueyed the duches with two hundred speres out of all daungers and thenne retourned to the duke who was as then departed fro Besances towardes a towne in Galyce named Aurene whiche rebelled agaynst hym and wolde not obey bycause it was stronge therin a garyson of Bretons who hadde on theyr parelles vndertaken to kepe it and they had well fortefyed it bycause they hadde knowledge that the duke wolde come thyder the marshall of the dukes oost hadde well herde howe they of Aurene in Galyce wolde not obey but dayly fortefyed them he counsayled the constable to goo thyder and soo euery man drewe to that parte and soo came and lodged nere to it the season was fayre aboute the Ascencyon tyme then tentes and pauylyons were pyght vp in the fayre playnes vnder the Olyues and soo laye al that fyrst nyght and the nexte day without gyuyng of ony assaulte thynkynge that the towne wolde haue gyuen vp and in dede the men of the towne wolde gladly haue yelded them But the lordes and capytaynes wolde not suffre theÌ„ who were Bretons and companyons aduenturers two Bretons were capytaynes called the bastoâ— of Alroy and the other the bastarde of Peneforte they were good men of warre and that well appered in that they toke on them to kepe that towne so farre out of all socour agaynst the duke of Lancastre ON the .iii. daye that the Englysshemen were thus lodged aboute the towne and had well regarded howe they myght at theyr aduauntage assayle the towne Thenne the constable the marshall and the admyrall caused theyr trompettes to sounde to the assaulte and then euery man drewe forth in to the felde and there deuyded them in to .iiii. bandes to assayle the towne iii .iiii. partes so in goodly ordre approched the towne and taryed on the dykes wherin there was no water But it was well fortefyed with pales and hedges then the assaulte began iii .iiii. partes Then men of armes and other wente downe in to the dykes with axes in theyr handes and therwith cutte downe the hedges they within cast downe dartes and other thynges that yf they hadde not ben well pauessed there hadde ben many sore hurte and slayne And also on the edge of the dyke the archers shotte so fyersly that they within durste not appere the duke of Lancastre came to beholde the assaulte whiche made it the more fyerser he sate there on horsbacke the space of thre houres he had suche pleasure to regarde theÌ„ at this fyrst assaulte the dykes were clensed of all the thycke hedges soo that men myght goo to the pales then the retrayte was sowned for that day theÌ„ the duke sayd to the marshal syr Thomas our men haue done theyr deuoyre for this daye let them withdrawe and case themselfe syr it shal be done sayd the marshall so the assaulte was seased euery man wente to his lodgynge and the hurte to be dressed and so passed that nyght they had wynes to drynke plentye but they were soo hoote and myghty that it was moche payne to drynke them and suche as dranke of them without water were in that case that they coulde not helpe themselfe the nexte day THe nexte day it was aduysed that they sholde make none assaulte bycause the daye was soo hoote and theyr men soo wery and ouercome with stronge wynes but determyned that the nexte daye after they sholde begyn theyr assaulte at the sone rysynge and to endure tyll .iii. of the clocke at after noone so euery man was coÌ„maunded to take theyr ease tyll they herde the sowne of the marshalles trompet and the same daye the duke of Lancastre herde tydynges of the kynge of Portyngale howe he was departed fro the cyte of Porte and drewe towardes the porte saynt yrayne that waye he was purposed to entre in to Castell and bothe oostes to mete on the ryuer of Derne besyde the towne of perpygnen or elles before the towne of Arpent thus the Portyngales had deuysed if the kynge of Castell and the frensshe men dyd not encountre them before and yf they were lykely so to doo then to drawe togyder soner of these tydynges the duke was ryght ioyous and gaue the messagere for his tydynges .x. nobles ANd in the mornynge whenne it was daye the marshalles trompet began to sowne before the lodgynges to reyse vp euery man then knyghtes and squyers began to make them redy euery man vnder his owne standerde Then the marshall drewe in to the felde and all suche as were ordeyned to goo
or squiers of any nacyon what soeuer it be that entred in to this vyage In any wyse arme nat them selfe for the space of sixe yere agaynst the realme of Castyle and that they swere thus to do whan they take the safecoÌ„ducte And of this coÌ„posycion ye shall haue letters open to beare to your constable and to suche coÌ„panyons as sent you hyder These knyghtê thanked the kynge and his counsayle of their answere sayd sir there be certayne artycles in your answere we caÌ„ nat tell if they will be accepted or nat If they be nat we shall sende agayne to you our heraulte if he come nat we shall accept your sayeng Well sirs the kyng is content quod they of his counsayle than the kyng went in to his chambre And sir water Passacke and sir WyllmÌ„ Lignacke kepte styll company with the Englysshe knyghtes and brought them in to a fayre chaÌ„bre where their dyner was redy apparelled for theÌ„ and there dyned with them And after dyner had wyne and spyces in the kynges chambre and toke their leaue Their letters were redy they toke their horses and so departed rode to Vyle cloppes and the next day they came to the towne of Arpent dyned and at night lay at Noy in Galyce and the next daye they came to Auranche there founde the constable So it fortuned that in this mean season one of the duke of Lancasters great barons died a right valyant man called the lorde Fitz water He was greatly bemooned but agaynst dethe none maye stryue His enterment was honorably done the kyng of Portugale and the duke of LaÌ„castre present and whan these thre knyghtes were come to the Dukes lodgyng they shewed all that they had done shewed their letters of confyrmacion of the same Than some sayd it was a herde couenaunt and some sayde nay holdyng opinyon that it was right courtesse perfitely consyderyng the danger that they were in These tidynges anone sprede abrode in the host how the duke had gyuen lycence euery man to departe who so lyst Than suche as were sycke and feble desyring a fresshe ayre deê‘ted as soone as they might toke their leaue of the duke and of the coÌ„stable and than they were truely payd their wagê as curtesly as might be And some were content with fayre wordes and so they departed by coÌ„panyes some went to Arpent some to Ruelles some to vilcloppes some to Noy soÌ„e to Medena de CaÌ„po other places in euery place they were welcome and brought to their lodgynges their names presented to the capitayne The greattest parte of the gentylmen went to Arpent bycause in that towne there were many straungers Bretons frenchmen normayns and poicteuyns ouer whome sir Olyuer de Clesquyn was capitayne The Englysshemen trusted better in them than they dyde in the Spaynyerdes and good cause why THus as I haue shewed you the duke of Lancastres army brake vp at that tyme in Castyle and euery man sought the best for hym selfe ye maye well beleue that this dyde greatly trouble the duke of Lancastre and great cause why for he sawe his enterprise â—ore putte a backe and brought in to a herde case Howe be it lyke a valyaunt sage price as he was he coÌ„forted hym selfe aswell as he myght for he sawe well it coulde none otherwyse be And whan the kyng of Portugale sawe howe the matter went and that their army was broken of He gaue lycence to all maner of men except a thre hundred speares that were come to serue hym He retaygned them styll and so departed fro AuraÌ„che with the duke of LaÌ„castre and his wyfe rode to saynt Iaques called CoÌ„postella And whan the kyng and the duke were there the kynge taryed there four dayes And than departed with all his men and retourned to his countrey to his wyfe who laye at Porte a good cytie in Portugale NOwe shall I shewe you what befell of dyuers knyghtes and squyers suche as were departed fro the duke and gone in to Castile Dyuers that were entecte with sickenesse for all their chaungynge of newe ayre and newe medycins yet they coulde nat scape the peryll of dethe Dyuers dyed in Arpent in the meane season that the king of Castyle sent to the kynge of Nauerre and to the frenche kyng for their sauecoÌ„ductes to passe pesably whiche was nat soone optaygned dyuers lordes knyghtes and squyers of EnglaÌ„de dyed in their beddes whiche was gret domage and a great losse to their countrey In Arpent there dyed thre great barones of Englande and ryche men The first was sir Richarde Burle who had ben marshall of the dukes hoost another the lorde Ponynges the thyrde the lorde Percy cosyn germayne to the erle of Northumberlande And in the towne of Noy dyed sir Mauberyn of Lymers a poyteuyn a ryght noble and an expert knyght And in the towne of Ruelles there dyed a great baron called the lorde Talbot So that there died here and there a .xii. gret lordes and a fourscore knightes and two huÌ„dred squyers This was a great dysconfetture without any stroke stryken and there dyed of other meane men mo than fyue hundred And I herde it reported of a knyght of Englande as he retourned through FrauÌ„ce his name was sir ThomÌ„s Quynbery that of fyftene hundred men of armes and foure thousande archers that the duke of Lancastre hadde brought out of the realme of Englande there neuer returned agayn the halfe parte THe duke of Lancastre fyll in a perylous sickenesse in the towne of saynt Iaques and often tymes the brute ranne in Castyle in Fraunce howe he was deed and surely he was in a great adueÌ„ture of his lyfe Thyrrey of Souuayne a squyer of honour and squyer for the dukes body was taken with sickenesse and dyed at Besances he was naturally borne of the countie of Heynaulte And his brother Wyllyam of Souuayn was with hym tyll he dyed who in like wyse was in great aduenture of his lyfe Of a trouthe there was none so hardy so ryche nor so tolye but that they were in feare of theÌ„ selfe euery day loked for none other thyng but deth and with this sickenesse there were none infected but alonely the duke of Lancasters coÌ„pany Among the freÌ„chmen there were none sicke wherby dyuers murmuracyons were among the spanyerdes sayeng the kyng of Castyle hath done great grace to these Englysshmen to suffre them to lye and rest them in his countie and in his good townes But we feare it wyll cost vs greatly for they haue or are lyke to bring in to this countrey great mortalyte Than other wolde saye Ah they are christenmen as we be there ought coÌ„passion and pyte to be taken one of another this was the coÌ„munyng among them And true it was that same season a knyght of FrauÌ„ce dyed in Castile for whom gret sorowe was made For he was gracyous courtesse and hardy in armes and was brother to sir Iohan sir Raynolde and
Iohan Froissarte was present And whan they had been there in great Feest thre dayes they departed and toke their way to Poyters but they went by water by the ryuer of Loyre to Amboyse and fro thens in chares and on horsebacke tyll they came to Poytou There the duchesse helde her house moost cōmonly in a good castell and good towne called Chynon In this yere dyed Mary of Fraunce beyng yonge who was wyfe to the erle of Mountpenlier In lykewise soone after dyed the lady Iane of Armynake duchesse of Berrey Thus the duke of Berrey and his sonne were to marry agayne as they dyd but nat ouer soone Of the whiche maryages and specyallye of the dukes I shall shewe you here after whan the mater shall requyre to haue it declared YE haue well herde here before howe the duke of Guerles had defyed the French kyng dispyte fully whiche was spoken o◠sar and nere For as the brute was it was nat done in no curtesse maner but out of the style and vsage of all other defyances Trouthe it is I sawe my selfe certayne writynges in paper the whiche was sayde to be the true copy But bycause I sawe it nat vnderseale nor aproued as such maters ought to be that touche great princes suche as is the Frenche kyng therfore I gaue no greatcredence therto Howe be it it semed well that this defyaunce was displeasaunt to the realme wolde haue it amended And that the duke of Guerles shulde excuse hym of the spytefull wordes that were in the defyaunce The kynges coūsayle wolde in no wyse that the mater shulde rest so for the great lordes of Fraunce sayde Without the kyng founde some remedy they and all the realme shulde be greatly to blame And they sayd howe the kynge was yonge and forwarde and that was well sene in his iourney in Flaunders And if he go nat forwarde nowe to reuenge this dede men wolde speke dyuerslye of the nobles of the realme of Fraunce who shulde counsayle the kynge and are sworne to kepe and defende his honour and to refourme all that is mysordred And to the entent that the kynge nor the realme shulde beare no blame the lorde of Coucy toke payne in the mater And shewed well howe the mater touchedde hym nere He knewe the almayns better thā he dyde any other for he hadde been often in their cōpanyes as well for the chalenge that he made to the duchy of Austryche as for other insydentes that he hadde amonge them THe kynges vncles sawe well howe all the nobles of the Realme were well enclyned to haue the mater redressed and specially the duke of Burgoyne hadde great affectyon therto for the duke of Guerles haryed and pylled the duchesse of Brabantes countrey The whiche enherytaunce shulde retourne to hym after the dethe of the two ladyes who were right aged both the duches and her sustre wherfore he wolde that outher by warre or other meanes that the duke of Guerles were apeased Howe be it fyrst of all it was requisyte to make all the membres of Fraunce one and of one opinyon For it shulde be a farre iourney for the kynge to go out of Fraunce in to Almaygne to conquere landes and countreis The whiche the kynge coulde nat do without he had all his hole puyssaunce with hym for it was nat knowen whyder the almaygnes who be couetous people wolde helpe and assyst the duke of Guerles or nat Also furthermore the duke of Burgoyne and the other noble men of Fraunce sawe well howe the duke of Bretayne was in great differēce with the realme of Fraunce and began marueylously shewed by his dedes that he had as lyue haue warre with the realme of Fraūce as peace And the lordes knewe well howe he prouyded his townes castels cyties with great prouisyon of men vitayls and artillary to defende any siege And besydes that often tymes he wrote in to Englande with louynge treatable wordes to make alyaunce for euer And the Englysshmen were wyllyng therto to the entent that their warre with Fraunce myght be the better for them after Thanne the counsayle of Fraūce wolde nat that there shulde be lefte behynde them suche a myst in Bretaygne but that first it myght be putte a waye by good meanes and condute They thought they wolde nat putte the realme in that doute If the kynge shulde go in to Almaygne and leaue the realme destytute as this the Kynges vncles ymagined They wyste nat howe to stoppe the duke of Bretayne for as than suche as they had sent thyder were retourned as the bysshoppe of Lāgers sir Iohan of Vyen and sir Iohan de Beull They shewed the kyng his vncles howe they had done nothyng to purpose thā the duke of Berry aduysed to sende to Bretayne to entreat with the duke his cosyn the erle of Stampes who was a sage persone a treatable Than the duke desyred hym and sayde Fayre cosyn it behoueth that ye go in to Bretaygne to speke with our cosyn the duke there If ye fynde hym harde and highe of wordes chafe nat with hym treate hym swetely and after a good maner And speke sagely to hym and bring hym in to good reason and it may be And shewe hym howe the kynge and I and my brother of Burgoyne wolde nothing to hym but good loue peace And if he wyll abyde and holde with vs we shall alwayes be redy to do hym pleasure also shewe hym that as for the castels that he holdeth of the cōstables how that for a small occasion he hath ceased them But it wolde please hym to rendre them agayne it shulde be greatly to his honour And howe that the kynge shall gyue hym as fayre and as good as they be in any other place where he wyll chose in the realme Good cosyn do so moche as to bringe vs some good tydinges and for any tarieng there departe nat fro him tyll ye bring some mater to passe and haue well in your remembraūce all this busynesse and all his answere and the order of his estate The erle of Stampes answered and sayde Sir all this shal be done right gladly AFter that the erle of Stāpes had this charge fro the duke of Berey to go in to Bretayne to the duke his cosyn He taried nat long but made hymselfe redy and passed by Chartres and through the good countre of Mayne and so came to Anger 's and there founde the quene of Naples who hadde ben wyfe to the duke of Aniou Who was called kyng of Naples of Cicyle of Hierusalem duke of Pole of Calabre and erle of Prouence And in her company her two fayre sonnes Loyes and Charles The lady receyued her cosyn the erle of Stampes ioyfully and there was Iohn̄ of Bretayne who loued nat the duke of Bretayne but he was nat in power to shewe forthe his yuell wyll nor to amende it Whan therle of Stampes had ben there a daye and a night he tooke
his leaue departed and rode to Chasteaulx and iourneyed so long that he came to the cite of Naūtes and there refresshed hym And than he demaūded where the duke was and it was shewed hym howe he was in the marches of Wēnes therefoūde the duke who receyued him ioyously for they were nere cosyns togider The erle of Stampes who right well coude acquyte hymselfe amonge great princes and ladyes for he had been brought vp amonge theym in his youthe acquytedde hym selfe right sagely with the duke And shewed nat the princypall affectyon of his corage at his fyrste commynge but dissymuled two or thre dayes and whan he sawe his tyme he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the duke the rather therby to drawe hym to his entent and than sayd Sir and my right dere cosyn ye ought nat to marueyle thoughe I am come so farre of to se you for greatlye I haue desyred it And than notably he shewed hym the charge that he hadde to saye to hym on the behalfe of the duke of Berrey of the whiche wordes the duke made light And for resolucion of answere at that tyme the duke sayde Cosyn we knowe well this that ye haue sayde is trewe I shall remembre me and ye shall abyde here with vs as long as it shall please you for your comyng dothe vs great pleasure Other aunswere the erle coulde nat haue as at that tyme. The erle taryed there a fyftene dayes and the duke shewed hym gret loue and shewed hym the fayre castell of Ermyn whiche was nere to Wannes the whiche the duke had newely made and there he toke parte of his pastaūce And alwayes whanne he sawe a conuenyente tyme he shewed swetely and sagely the cause of his comyng And euer the duke aunswered hym so couertly that the erle coulde haue no suretie in any aunswere to make any restytucion of a hundred thousand frankes nor of the castels that he helde of the constables the whiche yet at the ende he dyd and that was without request of any persone whan it was leste loked for as I shall shewe you hereafter as I was enfourmed Whan the erle Stampes sawe that he laye there in vayne than he thought to take his leaue and to retourne in to Fraunce and so he dyd The duke gaue hym leaue and at his departynge gaue hym a fayre whyte palfrey aparelled and it had ben for a kynge and gaue hym a fayre rynge with a stone well worthe a thousande frankes Thus the erle departed and retourned by Anger 's and there founde the quene of Napoles and Iohan of Bretayne who greatly desyred to here tydynges and sayd Fayre cosyn I thynke ye haue sped well for ye haue taryed longe out Than the erle shewed parte of his busynesse but fynally howe he had spedde nothynge Whan he had taryed there a day he departed and went to Towrs and at last came in to Berrey and founde the duke at Mehyn a castell of his whiche he had newly made and had workemen dayly theron Whan the duke of Berrey sawe the erle of Stampes he made hym good chere and demaunded tydinges of Bretayne There he declared fro poynt to poynte all that he had sente and herde and sayde howe in no wyse he coulde breke the duke of Bretayne fro his purpose The duke of Berrey passed the mater lyghtly whan he sawe it wolde be none otherwyse And so retourned in to Fraunce to the king and to the duke of Burgoyne his brother and shewed theym howe he had sente in to Bretaygne to the duke his cosyn the erle of Stampes and declared in euery poynt howe he had spedde Thus the mater rested whan they sawe none other remedy ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe after the departynge of the duke of Lācastre all that euer he had wonne in Galyce the frenchmen recouered it in lesse than fyftene dayes and howe the englisshmen that had ben there ī that warre defamed and spake yuell of the coūtrey of Galyce and howe the frenche kynge sent for the duke of Irelande Ca. C.xxiiii IT hath been resyted here before in this hystory howe the englisshmen dyd in Galyce howe the duke and the duchesse and his doughter came to the Porte of Portyngale and there taryed a season with kynge Iohan of Portugale and with the yonge quene doughter to the duke of Lancastre as ye haue herde here before It anoyed greatly the duke and nat without a cause in that he had done nothynge for his profyte all that season in Castyle but that he hadde done was to his great domage his men deed of sykenes of the best of his company knyghtes and squyers And suche conquest as he hadde made with great payne and cost he sawe well it shulde besoone recouered agayne by the kynge of castell And in dede so it was for as sone as he was departed and entred in to Portugale and that the spanyardes and knyghtes of Fraunce suche as were taryed there with syr Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Castyle sawe that the duke of Lancastre was departed and that in maner all his englysshe men were departed fro hym Than they sette forwarde to reconquere agayne all that had ben loste of the realme of Castyle the whiche was sone done for they of the townes castels cyties in Galyce had rather to haue ben vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Castyle than vnder the duke of Lancaster without he had been able to haue kepte the felde to haue defended the countrey For they of Castyle Lombardy and of Italy of vsage euer they saye Lyue he that is strongest and he that wynneth All that euer the duke of Lancastre had wonne fro the feast of Easter to the begynnynge of Iuly all was wonne agayne and refresshed with newe frenchmen and men of Castyle and the englysshmen that were left there by the duke in garysons who thought to haue taryed there peasably all the wynter were sone put out outher by fayre meanes or perforce and some slayne suche as wolde nat yelde vp and some returned by sauecōducte to passe by Portugale so to Bayon or to Burdeaux And of all this the duke of Lancastre was well aduertysed he beynge in the cytie of Porte in Portugale but he coude nat remedy it whiche was ryghtsore dypleasaunte to his herte It is nat to be beleued the contrary for the more noble valyaunt and sage that a man is displeasures to hym be the more bytter and paynefull howe be it the duke wolde say often tymes and bare out a good face If we haue lost this yere by the grace of god a nother season shall be for vs. the fortunes of this worlde are meruaylous they can nat be always permanente Also the kynge of Portugale gaue hym alwayes good comforte and sayde Syr ye may abyde here and kepe your astate and wryte to youre bretherne and frendes in Englande that they maye sende you this nexte Marche a fyue or syre hundred speares and two thousande archers and I shall
their prisoner they make great ioye therof and wyll conuey hym in to Boesme or in to Austryche or in to Xasenne and kepe hym in some castell inhabytable They are people worse than sarazins or paynyms for their excessyue couetousnesse quencheth the knowledge of honoure Lette vs go and put the kynge in daunger amonge these people and if any thynge happen to fall a mysse as the chaunces of fortune are maruaylous what shall be sayde than howe we haue brought the kynge thyder to betray him and to the dystructyon of the realme and nat for the augmentynge therof God defende the realme fro all domage and parell If the kyng go he muste haue parte of his noble men with hym And if mysse fortune fall the realme of Fraunce is loste without recouery Therfore loke wysely if it be good to counsayle the kyng to go that voyage in to Almayne Than some other suche as had wysely coniected all parelles in their imagynacyons sayd In the name of god lette nother the kynge go nor yet sende thyder no puyssaunce For though the duke of Guerles who is but yonge and that youthe of wytte haue made hym to defye the kynge whiche was nat done by no greate wysdome nor good counsayle but rather done by folissh pride of yonge people who wolde flye or they haue wynges And sythe he hathe thus defyed the kynge lette hym alone and suffre hym to pursewe his desyaunce the realme of Fraunce is great if he entre in to the realme in any maner of wyse the kinge shall sone be enfourmed therof and than he shall haue a iuste cause to styre vp his people and to go and fyght agaynste hym where so euer he fynde hym or els to make hym flye or yelde hym in the felde and therby the kynge shall haue more honour and lesse charge than to go in to Guerles for suche as knowe the countrey saye that or we can come to the duke if he lyste we must passe a foure great ryuers the lyste of them as great as the ryuer of Loyre at Namurs or Charite Also they say it is a fowle countrey and yuell lodgynges THe noble men and counsaylouts of Fraunce were thus in dyuers imagynacyons on this voyage that the kynge wolde make in to Almayne and surely it had ben auaunsed the soner forwarde and they had nat douted the venym that myght growe by the occasyon of Bretayne and of the duke there that mater drewe theym a backe And indede they had good cause to doute it for the duke of Bretayne was well infourmed of the defyaunce that the duke of Guerles hadde made to the Frenche kynge and howe that the yonge kinge Charles wolde go in to Almayne The duke loked for nothyng els but that the kynge shulde be ones departed out of his Realme of Fraunce he hadde ordeyned and concluded bytwene hym and the englysshe men to suffre the englisshe army to entre in to his countrey And also he had by subtyle meanes drawen to his acorde the moste parte of the good townes of Bretaygne and specyally Nauntes Wennes Rennes Lentriguier Guerrādo Lambale saynte Malo and saynte Mathewe defyn poterne but the noble men he coulde nat gette to his opynyon Than the duke imagyned if the lordes shulde go with the constable of Fraunce in to Almayne thanne his warre and entente shulde the soner come to passe He caused his townes and castels to be well prouyded for with vytayles and artyllary and he shewed well howe he inclyned rather to the warre than to haue pease Also he had great alyaunce with Charles they yonge kyng of Nauerre and the duke promysed hym that if he might come to his entent to haue puyssaunce of men of armes and archers out of Englāde he wolde bringe them streight in to Normandy and recouer fyrst the good townes and castels that kynge Charles of Fraunce vncle to the kynge of Nauerre had taken fro hym by his men as the lorde of Coucy and outher Of this the kynge of Nauer had great trust and by reason therof he helde in humble loue the duke of Lancastre who was at Bayon for bytwene theym was great alyaunces And of all this I sawe great apparence as I shall shewe after IN the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and eyght the seuenth daye of Aprell it was concluded by the kynge of Englande and his counsayle and by his vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre that the erle Rycharde of Arundell shulde be heed and chefe of an army on the see with hym a thousande men of armes and thre thousande archers and to be at Hamton the fyftene day of May and there to fynde his nauy redy apparelled And euery man that was apoynted to go to be there redy at that daye And the kynge of Englande on saynte Georges daye nexte after helde a great feast at his castell of Wyndesore And there were the chefe lordes that shulde go with therle of Arundell and there they toke their leaues of the kynge and of the quene and of all other ladyes and so came to Hampton at their daye apoynted and entred in to their shyppes the twenty day of May whiche was a fayre clere day There was the erle of Arundell the erle of Notyngham the Erle of Deuonshyre syr Thomas Percy the lorde Clifforde sir Iohn̄ of Ware wyke sir Willyam de la Selle the lorde Cameux syr Stephyn de Libery syr Willyam Helman syr Thomas Moreaur syr Iohan Dambreticourt syr Roberte Sere sir Peter Mountbery sir Loys Clombo sir Thomas Coq syr Willyam Pulle and dyuers other They were of good men of armes a thousand speares and aboute a thre thousande archers They had with theym no horses for they trusted if they might come to their ententes to entre in to Bretayne and there to refresshe them where as they shulde fynde horses ynowe at a good price to serue them The daye that they departed fro Hampton was so fayre and peasable that it was meruayle they drewe towardes Normādy nat purposyng to lande in any parte but to passe by the fronters of Normandy and Bretayne tyll they herde other newes They had in their nauy certayne vessels called Ballengers who sayled on before to se if they myght fynde any aduenture in lyke maner as knyghtes do by lande go before the bataylles to dyscouer the coūtrey and enbusshes ¶ Nowe we shall leaue a season of spekynge of this army and speke somwhat of the busynesse of Guerles Brabant and shewe howe the siege was layde to Graue ¶ Howe the brabansoys layde siege to the towne of Graue And howe the constable of Fraunce toke saynte Malo and saynte Mathewes and set there men in garyson and howe the duke of Lancastre was at Bayon greatly dyscomforted in that he coulde gette no maner of ayde Cap. C.xxvi AS it hath been shewed here before of the auncyent dukes of Guerles howe the eldest sonne of the duke of
nat to hastely his entente but sayd Sirs it wyll be very harde to make peace in that place where as great hatered and warre is resydent and specially with them that be disheryted and kepte from their herytage Sayeng howe he wolde nat leaue the warre withoute he myght haue the crowne of Castyle the whiche he sayde was his right The frere and the bisshoppe sayd Sir bytwene your right and the ryght of the kynge our lorde there is but one meane and we haue founde it if it may please you What waye is that quod the duke Sir quod they it is this ye haue by my lady youre wyfe a feyre yonge lady to marry and the kynge of castile our souerayne lorde hath a feyre yong sonne if they two myght mary toguyder the realme of Castyle shulde be in peace and all that is your right shulde retourne to you sir better can ye nat bestowe your heyre who is disceÌ„ded of the right lyne of Castyle The entent ye arme you fyght aduenture youre selfe and traueyle your body is all onely for the right of your heyre That is trewe ê™ the duke but than I wyll that the costes that I haue susteyned in the pursute there be recompeÌ„sed For I wyll ye knowe it hath cost me and the realme of Englande fyue hundred thousande fraÌ„kes wherof I wolde gladly se som recouerauÌ„ce Sir quod the frere if our treatie be agreable to you we trust to fynde such a meane that the mater shall take good effect Well quod the duke ye be welcome and how soeuer it be or howe soeuer it shal be or I retourne in to Englande outher in to Castyle or in to Fraunce I shall mary my doughter for I haue dyuers offres moued vnto me but maters of so great a weyght are nat lightly coÌ„cluded at the first tyme. For my doughter whome I repute as rightfull enheritour to spayne I wyll knowe him well that shall haue her in maryage that is but reason quod the frere Thus as I haue shewed you this treatie began bytwene the duke of LaÌ„castre and these parties as well of Castyle as of FrauÌ„ce He made euery partie good chere made no full answere but in his ymaginacion the treatie of Spayne the kynges sonne to mary his doughter semed best to his purpose bicause in tyme to come his doughter shulde be quene of Castyle also the duches his wyfe enclyned moost to that treatie ¶ Nowe let vs leaue to speke of the duke of Lancastre of all these treatyse and retourne to speke of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne departed to go to Bloys and howe the duke of Bretayne caÌ„ethyder and howe the dukes dyde so moche that they had hym to Parys in maner agaynst his wyll Cap. C.xxx AS I haue shewed you here before the duke of Bretayne made good chere to the French ambassadours and specially to the lorde of Coucy For as I was enformed he was the chiefe that brake the duke fro his purpose by reason of his fayre and swete wordes Howe be it the lorde Iohan of Vyen and the lorde dela Ryuer dyde ryght well their deuoyre but often tymes great princes and lordes wyll soner be entreated by one man rather than by another Moche payne it was to cause the duke of Bretayne to agre to go to the towne of Bloys to mete there the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne but he was brought thyder by fayre wordes And he sayde surely he wolde go no further thanne to the towne of Bloys and the lorde of Couey sayd he desyred nothynge elles These the lordes were with the duke of Bretaynge certayne dayes and than toke their leaues and retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the dukes of Berry and of Burgoyne howe they hadde spedde Thervpon these two dukes made them redy to go to Bloyes to mete there with the duke of Bretaygne and sente thyder before to make prouisyon as apertayned Firste thyder came the duke of Berrey and he was lodged in the Castell and there he founde the countesse her sonne and her doughter They receyued hym honourably The erle Guye of Bloys was as than in his owne countrey at the castell Reygnaulte and made no greate counte of the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne he thought it sufficyent that his wife and chyldren were there Than thyder came the duke of Burgoyne with a goodly trayne and in his company came sir WyllmÌ„ of Heynaulte and his sonne erle of Ostrenante and Iohan of Burgoyne sonne to the duke called erle of Neuers The duke lodged also in the castell and there helde his estate Than after came the duke of Bretaygne with no great trayne other than of his house He passed nat a thre huÌ„dred horses for his enteÌ„cyon was that whan he had ones sene the two dukes and spoken with them to retourne in to his owne countre without goynge any further in to Fraunce But the entente of the other two dukes was otherwise for they said whyder he wolde or nat he shulde go to Parys THe duke of Bretaygne hym selfe lodged in the castell of Bloyes in a chanons house of saynt Sauyour and his men lodged downe in the towne so dyd the other of all the dukes seruauntes but the lordes laye in the castell the whiche was fayre great and stronge one of the fayrest castelles in all the realme of Fraunce There these Dukes made good there togyder and shewed great 〈◊〉 and they thanked the duke of Bretayne of his coÌ„myng to the towne of Bloyes And the duke answered and sayde howe he was come thyder for the loue of them with great payne for he fayned hym selfe nat well at ease Than these two dukes fell in communynge with the duke of Bretayne shewyng hym sithe he was come so farr forwarde that he had done nothyng without he went to Parys to se the kynge who greatly desyred to se hym The duke of Bretaygne began greatlye to excuse hym selfe of that voyage and layde many reasons sayd howe he was nat well at his case to make so longe a iourney nor also he was nat accompanyed therafter Than he was swetely answered that sauyng his displeasure he shulde nede no great trayne to go se his soueraygne lorde and as for his rydinge he shulde lacke nouther chayre nor lytter to labour at his ease For they said he was bounde to do homage to the kynge for as than he had nat done it before The duke sayd excusynge hymselfe that whan the kynge were come to his laufull age and had the hole Realme in his owne gouernaunce than he wolde come to Parys or whyder to shulde please the kynge and than do his homage acordyng to reason The other dukes sayd that the kynge was of age wysdome suffycient to receyue homage and howe that all other lordes of the realme excepte he had done their homage and made reliefe affyrmynge howe the kynge was .xxi. yere of age Whan the
duke of Bretaygne sawe howe his excuses coude nat be taken nor herde sayde Well sirs if I go to Parys it shal be greatlye agaynst my wyll and to my preiudyce For whan I come there I shall fynde and se daylye before me sir Olyuer of Clyssone whom I can nat loue nor neuer dyde nor he me who shall attempte me with rygorous wordes My lordes regarde well what inconuenyentes shall ensue of my goynge thyder Sir ê™ the duke of Burgoyne fayre cosyn haue ye no dout therin for we shall swere solempnely to you that withoute it shall be your owne pleasure ye shall nouther se nor speke with the Constable nor with Iohan of Mountforde as longe as ye shall be there Of this sir ye shall be sure but ye shall se the kynge who desyreth to se you and other lordes knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce who shall make you good chere And whanne ye haue done that ye loke for ye shall retourne agayne without peryll or dommage Wherto shulde I make longe processe So moche the duke of Bretayne was desyred with faire wordes that he consented to go to Parys on the promyse that the Constable nor Iohan of Mountforde shulde nat come in his preseÌ„ce the whiche the dukes sware faythfully to vpholde and thervpon he ê“mysed to go to Parys A fyue dayes these dukes were at Bloyes and eche of them feested other ryght nobly and the couÌ„tesse and her chyldren in lyke maner And whan euery thyng was accomplysshed the two dukes toke leaue of the duke of Bretaygne and retourned to Parys But sir Wylliam of Heynaulte retourned nat to Parys with the duke of Burgoyne his faire father but rode first with the countesse of Bloyes who made hym right good chere and taryed there a thre dayes than toke his leaue and retourned in to Fraunce by the Castell Dune and Bonyuall ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Lewes kyng of Cycyle entred in to Parys in estate royall and howe the duke of Bretayne entred on the nyght of saynt IohnÌ„ the Baptyst The yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore seuyn and of a dede of armes doone before the kyng at Mountereau faulte you bytwene a knyght of Englande called sir ThomÌ„s Harpingham and a frenche knyght named sir IohnÌ„ de Barres Cap. C.xxxi THe duke of Bretaygne rode to Boygency on the ryuer of Loyre there he ordered his businesse to go to Parys The same tyme before the duke of Bretaygne entered in to Parys there entred the quene of Cycyll and of Hierusalem somtyme wyfe to the Duke of Aniou who was called kynge of those countreis and also of Naples and with her was her yonge sonne Lewes who was as thanne in all Fraunce named kynge of all the said landes And in their company was Iohan of Bretaygne brother to the lady She sente worde before of her coÌ„mynge to the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne aduertysyng theÌ„ howe she brought in her company her yonge son Lewes their nephue desyring to knowe whether he shulde entre into Paris as a kynge or elles symply as Lewes of Aniou The two dukes sente her worde aduisynge and couÌ„sayling her that he shulde entre as kyng of Naples of Cycyle and of Hierusalem And sente her worde that thoughe he were nat as thanne in possessyon of the Realmes yet they wolde entyse the Frenche kyng that he shulde ayde hym to conquere them for so they sware to do to their brother kyng Lois After this maner the lady prepared for her selfe and came and entred in to Parys and made her sonne to ryde throughe the hyghe stretes by saynt Iaques so to his lodgynge in grene in estate royall accompanyed with Dukes erles and prelates a great nombre There the lady taryed with her sonne and thanne wente to se the kynge at his castell of Loure abydinge there the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Bretaygne entred in to Parys and came to the castell of Loure to the Frenche kynge Cap. C.xxxii WHan the duke of Bretayne aproched nere to Parys he rested one nyght at the quenes Bourge and the nexte daye he entred in to Paris great lokyng for hym was in Paris bycause he had before putte in daunger the Constable of Fraunce and had ben sente for dyuers tymes and wolde neuer come tyll than Men spake therof dyuersly and on a sondaye beynge Mydsomer daye at tenne of the clocke afore noone the duke of Bretaygne entred the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and eight in to Parys at hell gate and passed a long the strete of the Harpe and ouer the bridge saynt Michell and so before the palais well accompanyed with lordes and knyghtes There was sir Wyllyam of Heynaulre erle of Ostrenaunt his faire brother Iohan of Burgoyne and before him roode sir Wyllyam of Namure Thus he came to the Castelle of Loure and there alyghted as he rode throughe the stretes he was greatelye regarded of the common people And whan the duke was a lyghted and entred in at the gate he remembred what he shulde do and saye And before hym was the lorde of Coucy the erle of Sauoy sir IohnÌ„ of Vyen sir Guye de la Tremoyle sir IohnÌ„ of Vernayle the erle of Meauir sir Iohan of Voye sir Iohan of Barres and nere to hym was sir Wyllyam of Namure Iohan of Burgoyne and the erle of Ostrenaunte And behynde hym the lorde Mountforde of Bretayne and the lorde of Malestroyt they were of his kynne and priuy couÌ„sayle there was great preace to se hym and the halle but lytell and the boordes were couered for the kynge to go to dyner And the kynge stoode there redy before the table and his .iii. vncles besyde hym dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone As soone as the duke was entred euery man made place so that the duke myght se the kynge Firste he made one curtesy and so passed forthe a renne or .xii. paces Than he made the seconde curtesy and rose agayne and so passed forthe tyll he came before the kynge Than the thirde tyme he kneled downe bare heeded and saluted the kyng and sayd Sir I am come to se your grace god maynteyne youre prosperyte I thanke you sir quod the kyng and we haue great desyre to se you We shall se and speke with you at more leysar and therwith toke hym vp by the armes Than the duke enclyned hym self to all the other princes eche after other than he stode styll before the kynge without spekynge of any worde The kyng sore behelde hym Thanne the Stewardes and offycers came forthe with water and the kyng wasshed and the duke of Bretaygne putte his hande to the bason and to the towell And whan the kyng was sette the duke toke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule with other lordes conueyed hym in to the court where his horses were and there
wanne the penon of syr Henry Percyes wherwith he was sore dyspleased and so were all the englysshmen and the erle Duglas sayd to sir Henry Perey syr I shall beare this token of your prowes in to Scotlande and shall sette it on hyghe on my castell of Alquest that it may be sene farre of Syr quod sir Henry ye maye be sure ye shall nat passe the boundes of this countrey tyll ye be met withall in such wyse that ye shall make none auaunte therof Well syr ê™ the erle Duglas come this nyght to my lodgynge and seke for your penon I shall sette it before my lodgynge and se if ye wyll come to take it away As than it was late and the scottes withdrewe to their lodginges and refresshed them with such as they had they had fleshe ynough They made that nyght good watche for they thought surely to be a waked for the wordes they hadde spoken but they were nat For syr Henry Percy was counsayled nat soo to do The nexte day the scottes dyslodged and returned towardes their owne countrey and so came to a castell and a towne called Pouclan wherof ser Haymon of Alphell was lorde who was a ryght good knyght There the scottes rested for they came thyder by tymes and vnderstode that the knyght was in his Castell Than they ordeyned to assayle the castell and gaue a great assaute so that by force of armes they wan it and the knyght within it Than the towne and castell was brent and fro thens the Scottes wente to the towne and castell of Combur and eyght englysshe myle fro Newe castell and there lodged That day they made none assaut but the next mornyng they blewe their hornes and made redy to assayle the castell whiche was stronge for it stode in the maresse That daye they assauted tyll they were wery and dyd nothynge Than they sowned the retrayte and retourned to their lodgyng Than the lordes drewe to counsayle to determyne what they shulde do The moste parte were of the acorde that the next day they shuld dyssoge without gyuynge of any assaute and to drawe fayre and easly towardes Carlyle but therle Duglas brake that counsayle and sayd in dispyte of sir Henry Percy who sayd he wolde come and wynne agayne his penon let vs nat departe hence for two or thre dayes lette vs assayle this castell it is prignable we shall haue double honour and than lette vs se if he wyll come and fetche his penon he shall be well defended Euery man acorded to his sayeng what for their honour and for the loue of hym Also they lodged there at their ease for there was none that troubled theym they made many lodgynges of bowes and great herbes and fortityed their campe sagely with the maresse that was therby and their caryages were sette at the entre in to the maresses and had all their beestes within the maresse Than they aparelled for to saute the next day this was their entensyon NOwe lette vs speke of sir Henry Percy and of sir Rafe his brother and shewe some what that they dyd They were sore dyspleased that therle Duglas had wonne the penon of their armes also it touched gretly their honours if they dyd nat as syr Henry Percy sayd he wolde For he had sayd to the erle Duglas that he shulde nat cary his penon out of Englande and also he had openly spoken it be fore all the knyghtes and squiers that were at Newcastell The englysshmen there thought surely that therle Duglas bande was but the scottes vangarde and that their hoost was lefte behynde The knyghtes of the countrey suche as were well experte in armes spake agaynst sir Henry Percyes opinyon and sayd to hym Syr there fortuneth in warre often tymes many losses if the Erle Duglas haue wonne your penon he bought it dere for he came to the gate to seke it and was well beaten Another day ye shall wynne as moche of hym or more Syr we saye this bycause we knowe well all the power of Scotlande is abrode in the feldes and if we issue out and be nat men ynowe to fyght with them and peraduenture they haue made this skrimysshe with vs to the entent to drawe vs out of the towne and the nombre that they be of as it is sayd aboue xl thousande men they maye soone inclose vs and do with vs what they wyll yet it were better to lese a penon than two or thre hundred knyghtes and squyers and put all our countrey in aduenture These wordes refrayned syr Henry and his brother for they wolde do nothynge agaynst counsayle Than tydynges came to theym by suche as had sene the Scottes and sene all their demeanoure and what waye they toke and where they rested ¶ Howe syr Henry Percy and his brother with a good nombre of men of armes and archers went after the scottes to wynne agayne his penon that the erle Duglas hadde wonne before Newcastell vpon Tyne and howe they assailed the scottes before Mountberke in their lodgynges Cap. C.xlii. IT was shewed to sir Henry Percy to his broder and to the other knightes and squyers that were there by suche as had folowed the scottes fro Newecastell and had well aduysed their doynge who said to sir Henry and to syr Rafe Syrs we haue folowed the scottes priuely and haue discouered all the countrey The scottes be at Pountclan and haue taken syr Haymon Alphell in his owne castell fro thence they be gone to Ottenburge and there they laye this nyght what they wyll do to morowe we knowe nat They are ordayned to abyde there and sirs surely their great hoost is nat with them for in all they passe nat there a thre thousaÌ„de men Whan sir Henry herde that he was ioyfull and sayd Syrs let vs leape on our horses for by the faythe Iowe to god and to my lorde my father I wyll go seke for my penon and dyslodge theym this same nyght Knyghtes and squiers that herde him agreed therto and were ioyous and euery man made hym redy The same euenynge the bysshop of Durham came thyder with a good company for he herde at Durham howe the scottes were before Newcastell and howe that the lorde Percies sonnes with other lordes and knightes shulde fight with the scottes Therfore the bysshoppe of Dutham to come to the reskewe had assembled vp all the countrey and so was comynge to Newcastell But sir Henry Percy wolde nat abyde his comynge for he had with hym syre hundred speares knightes and squiers and an eight thousande fotemen they thought that sufficyent nombre to fyght with the scottes if they were nat but thre hundred speares thre thousande of other Thus they departed fro Newcastell after dyner and set forth in good ordre and toke the same way as the scottes had gone and rode to Ottebourge a seuen lytell leages fro thence and fayre way but they coulde nat ryde faste bycause of their fotemen And whan the scottes had
tyme there rose suche a tempeste that it sperkled abrode the englysshe nauy in suche wyse that the hardyest marynere there was sore abasshed so that perforce they were constreyned to seke for lande And the erle of Arundell with .xxvii. vesselles with hym whether they wolde or nat were fayne to caste ancre in a lytell hauen called the Palyce a two small leages fro Rochell and the wynde was so streynable on see borde that they coude nat departe thence Whanne tydynges therof came to Rochell they were in great dought at the fyrste leste the englisshmen wolde come on them and do them great domage and closed their gates and helde them shytte a day and a halfe Than other tydynges came to them fro them of Palyce howe the englysshemen were but .xxvii. vesselles and came thyder by force of wynde and wether and taryed for nothynge but to de parte agayne and that the Erle of Arundell was there and the lorde Henry Beamonde sir Willyam Helmen mo than thyrty knyghtes of Englande Than they of Rochell tooke counsayle what thynge was beste for them to do and all thyng consydered they sayd howe they shulde but easly acquyte themselfe if they went nat to skrymysshe with them The same season before the castell of Bouteuyll was syr Loys of Xansere mershall of FrauÌ„ce and had besieged within the fortresse Gylliam of saynt Foye a gascon and with the marshall a great company of Poictoâ— of Xayntone of Piergourt of Rochell and of the lowe marches for all were nat gone in to Almayne with the knig This sir Loys was soueraygne capytayne ouer all the fronters bytwene Mountpellyer and Rochell tyll the retourne of the lorde Coucy They of Rochell sent worde to the marshall of the englysshmens beynge at Palyce Whan he herde therof he was ryght ioyfull and sent to theym that they shulde make redy seuen or eyght galees and to man them forthe for he wolde come by lande and fyght with the Englisshmen They of Rochell dyd as they were commaunded and sir Loys departed fro his siege and brake it vp for he thought it shulde be more honorable for hym to fyght with the erle of Arundell and the englysshe men rather thanne to contyne we styll his siege Thus be wente to Rochell and all knyghtes and squyers folowed hym I can nat tell by what inspyracyon the erle of Arundell had knowledge howe the marshall of Fraunce with a greate puyssaunce of knyghtes and squyers was comynge to fyght with hym at Palyce whiche tydynges were nat very pleasaunte to the erle of Arundell howe be it the wynde was some what layde and the see aueyled Than the erle wayed vp ancres and sayled in to the see in suche good season that if he had taryed longe after he had been enclosed in the hauen and euery man taken for in contynent thyder came the galees of Rochell well manned and furnysshed with artyllery and gonnes and came streyght to the hauen of the Palyce and fouÌ„de the englisshe men departed They pursued after a two leages in the see and shotte gonnes howebeit they durst nat longe folowe for feare of enbusshmentes on the see Than the frenche shippes returned and the marshall of Fraunce was sore dyspleased with theym of Rochell that they sente hym worde so late The erle of Arundell toke the waye by the ryuer of Garon to come to Burdeaux and therby the siege before Bowteuyll was defeated for Gillonet of saynt Foy prouyded his garyson of that he neded in the meane tyme the the marshall went to fyght with the englysshe men NOwe let vs retourne somwhat to speke of the duke of Lancastre howe he was in treatie with the spanyardes and also with the Duke of Berrey for the maryage of his doughter The kynge of Castyle treated with hym for his sonne the prince of Castyle to the entent to haue a peace with the englisshe men Also the duke of Berrey treated to haue the duke of Lancasters doughter for hymselfe for he had great desyre to be maryed And the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage imagynatâ—â—e prince sawe well howe it was more profitable for Englande and for hym to mary his doughter in to Castyle rather than to the duke of Berrey for therby he thought to recouer the herytage of Castyle in tyme to come for his doughter And if he shulde gyue her to the duke of Berrey and the duke fortune to dye his doughter than shulde be but a poore lady to the regarde of other bycause the duke of Berrey had chyldren by his fyrst wyfe who shulde haue all the profyte Also the duchesse of Lancastre enclyned to the kynge of Castyles sonne So that whan sir Helyon of Lignac was departed fro the duke of Lancastre and retourned to the duke of Berrey beynge as that in Almayne than the king of Castyls messaÌ„gers were well herde in suche wyse that their wordes were noted and their offers accepted and the couenaunte made and sworne bytwene Kateryn of Lancastre and the kynge of Castylles sonne and writynges and publike instrumentes and oblygatory bondes made and concluded with out reâ—le or repentaunce So that the duches of LaÌ„castre after euery thyng set in ordre shulde bring her doughter Kateryn in to Castyle All this season the frenche kynge was styll in the fronters of Iulyers concludynge with the duke of Guerles as ye haue herde before and howe they departed And as the frenche men retourned it fortuned on the fronteres of Almayne on a nyght aboute mydnyght as the mone â—hone fayre certayne almayns robbers and pyllers that dyd sette nother by peace nor warre but alwayes sought for their aduauntage some pertaynynge to the lorde of Blaqueneuen and to sir Peter of Conebech they were well horsed and came and aduysed the french hoost and where they might haue most profyte and aduauntage and so passed by the lodgyng of the vycount of Meaulx and sawe no styringe and returned without any noyse makynge outher passynge or retournynge and came agayne to their enbusshe and shewed them what they had sene and foundeâ— and incontynente these almayns came and entred at their aduauntage in to the frenchmens lodgynges and ouerthrewe I can nat tell howe many and toke .xiiii. menne of armes prisoners There was taken the lorde of Viesuile and the lorde of Mountkarell This aduenture the frenche men hadde the same nyght by reason they made but easy watche and were but yuell ordred The next day whan these tydinges were knowen howe the lorde of Viesuille and the lorde of Mountkarell were taken the frenche men were sore displeased and toke better hede after Whan the frenche kynge departed fro the countrey of Iulyers none taryed behynde euery man drewe to their garysons sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and sir Geruays Furrande and all other and the braban soys by the waye euery man wente home And in the retournynge of the frenche men it was ordeyned by great delyberacion of couÌ„sayle that the frenche kynge who had ben vnder the
duke and the duchesse And the duke caused to be proclamed a feest and a iustes to be holden at Dygnon and knightes squiers of Burgoyne of Sauoy and of other marches adioyning were requyred to be at this feest And so euery man ordred themselfe accordingly THus whyles the kynges prouisyon was a makyng to go to Auignon to Languedocke The duke of Burgoyne on his parte made great prouisyon to receyue the kynge and so dyde euery man in their marchesse that purposed to be at the feest at Dignon The same season other maters fell in Fraunce ye haue herde howe the duke of Irelande who was called erle of Oxenforde was banysshed oute of Englande by the vncles of kyng Richarde and speciallye the duke of Gloucestre had grettest dyspleasure to hym so that to saue hym selfe he was fledde in to Hollande and taryed there but a small season in the towne of Dordregh for he was fayne to departe thens For duke Aubert who was lorde of that towne and of Holande denyed hym the taryeng in his couÌ„trey for he wolde nat kepe hym agaynst the wyll of his cosyns germayns of Englande for all that the kynge of Englande had written for hym yet he was fayne to departe and to go to Trecte a fraunches towne for all maner of people payeng for that they take And the duke of Irelande had ynoughe to paye For besyde that he brought with him he had threscore thousande frankes out of Fraunce fro the Constable for the redempcion of Iohan of Bretayne And he was come to the FreÌ„che kyng vnder saueconducte and was there with hym more than a yere The kyng made hym good chere bycause he was a strauÌ„ger Howe be it trewe it was thoughe this duke was with the kyng yet the lorde of Coucy hated hym in his herie for he had good cause For though the duke in all affayres was prouyded of wytte honoure eloquence and of great largesse yet he had greatly trespassed agaynst the lorde of Coucies doughter who was his wyfe laufully spoused And forsoke her without any tytell of reason but by false and yuell temptacyon and disceyte was disceyued And toke another wyfe a damosell of the quene of Englandes of the countrey of Boeme the kyng and the quene of EnglaÌ„de synfully consented therto And was dispensed by pope Vrbane of Rome at the instauÌ„te desyre of the kynge and quene of Englande This synne greued greatly the conscience of the duke of Irelande And bycause the lorde of Coucy who was of the counsayle of FrauÌ„ce and well worthy so to be for he had done good seruyce was well able to do He ê“cured so moche by meanes of his frendes as sir Olyuer of Clysson and the lorde de la Ryuer sir Iohan Marcyer and other That it was sayde to the duke of Irelande that he shulde departe out of Fraunce and to go and chose hymselfe another place to abyde in where he lyst so that it be nat in the realme of FrauÌ„ce and thyder he shulde surely be coÌ„ueyed The duke of Irelande sawe well howe he was dayly in paryll by meanes of the lorde of Coucy and his lygnage Wherfore he thought it shulde be beste for hym to go farre of rather than to abyde nere than he aduised to drawe in to Brabant and desyred the kyng to write to the duchesse of Brabant that it wolde pleace her to suffre hym pesably to abyde in her couÌ„trey The kynge wrote to his aunte the duchesse of Brabant and she condisceÌ„ded to the kynges desyre The duke of Irelande was conducted by men of the kynges to Louayne and there he taryed and somtyme he went to a castell nat farre of fro the towne of Louaygne the whiche he had borowed of a knyght of Brabant With the duke of Irelande was the archebysshop of yorke who in lykewise was banysshed out of Englande all for one cause This bysshoppe was one of the Neuelles of Englande who in the countrey of NorthuÌ„berlande were puissaunt men bothe of landes and of lynage There taryed these two lordes at Louayne or there about as I herde saye as longe as they lyued For they coude neuer come to mercy nor peace with the kynge of Englandes vncles I can no farther speke of them ABout the feest of saynt Mychell the FreÌ„che kyng departed fro his house of Beautie besyde Parys and lefte there the quene and toke his waye by Troy in Champayne to go in to Burgoyne his vncle the duke of Burbone and duke Loyes of Thourayne and the lorde of Couâ—y and many other lordes and knyghtes in his company The kynge rode so longe that he came to Dignon The duke of Burgoyne and the erle of Neuers his sonne were come before to the Chatelon on the ryuer of Sayne whaÌ„ the kyng was come to Dignon the duchesse of Burgoyne and the couÌ„tesse of Neuers her doughter receyued the kyng ioyfully and all other lordes for loue of the kyng And to his welcomynge to Dygnon many ladyes and damosels were come thyder to se hym there was the lady of Sully the lady of Vergy the lady of Pagny and dyuers other fayre ladies and fresshe and well apparelled Than began feestynge daunsynge and carolynge These ladyes enforsed themselfe to daunce to syng and to make ioye for loue of the kyng and the duke of Thourayne the duke of Burbone of the lorde of Coucy Monday tuesday and wednisday all thre dayes ther was goodly iustes and prices gyuen to the best doers The kynge was eight dayes in the towne of Dignon in great triuÌ„phe and sporte The x. daye he toke leaue of his vncle the duke of Burgoyne and of the duchesse and their children Th entent of the duke of Burgoyne was shortely after to folowe the kyng his nephue and to go with hym that iourney The kyng deê‘ted fro Dignon whan he had taken his leaue of all ladyes and damoselles and rode so long by his iourneys that he came to Vile neufe besyde Auignon There his house royall was apparelled for hym there was the cardynals of Amyens of Aigreuell of saint Marcell of Chatell neufe and mo than xiii other came and mette the kyng in the felde all were gladde of the kynges coÌ„myng THe duke of Berrey was come to Auygnon and was lodged in the popes palais but he caÌ„e to Vyle neufe to the kynge and laye in the lyuere of arras called Amontays in the way to Mountpellyer The duke of Burgoyne arryued there the next day that the kyng came thyder by the water of Rone for the duke toke a barge at Lyonsur le rone Thus the kynge and these four dukes were togyder Than they determyned to passe the bridge of Auignon and to go se the pope And about .ix. of the clocke in the mornyng the kyng passed the bridge acompanyed with his brother and his thre vncles and .xii. cardynalles and so went to the popes palays and pope Clement was redy in his chambre of
of bowgery and howe the kynge had sayde howe he shulde be brynte and hanged wherof moche people were right ioyouse for he was sore hated the two knyghtes that were come thyder fro the duke of Berrey were greatly abasshed and wyst nat what to suppose Than syr Peter Mesquyn sayde to the lorde of Nantonelet Syr I feare me Betysache is betrayed peraduenture some persone hath ben with hym secretly in the prisone and hathe borne hym in hande that if he holde that horryble erroure that the churche than shall chalenge hym and so be sente to Auignon to the pope and therby be delyuered Ah fole that he is he is dysceyued for the kyng sayeth he wyll haue hym bothe brente and hanged Lette vs go to the prisone to hym and reforme hym and bringe hym to a nother state for he is farre out of the waye and yuell counsayled They wente strayte to the prisone and desyred the gayler that they might speke with Betysache The gayler excused hymselfe and sayde Syrs ye muste pardone me for I am straytely charged to suffer no manne to speke with hym and also here be four sargeauntes of armes sente by the kynge to kepe hym and we dare nat breke the kinges coÌ„maundement Than the two knyghtes sawe well howe they labored in vayne and howe there was no remedy by all lykelyhode but that Betysache shulde dye than they retourned to their lodgynge and rekened and payed and toke their horses and returned to their lorde the duke of Berrey and shewed hym all the case THe coÌ„clusion of Betysach was suche that the nexte daye 〈◊〉 tenne of the clocke he was taken out of prysone and brought to the bysshoppes palays and there were redy the iudges and offycers spyrituall and the bayly of Besyers brought forthe the prisoner and sayde Beholde syrs here is Betisache whome I delyuer to you for an herytyke and a synnet in boâ—gery and if he had nat ben a clerke he had been iudged or this acordynge to his desertes Than the offycyall demauÌ„ded of Betysach if it were with hym acordynge as he was acused and to confesse the frouth there openly before all the people And Betysache who thought to haue said well and to haue scaped by reason of his confessyon he aunswered and sayde that all was trewe He was demaunded this thre tymes and at euery tyme he confessed it to be trewe before all the people Thus ye maye knowe whether he was dysceyued or nat for iâ— he had made no suche confessyon he had been delyuered for the duke of Berrey had fully auowed all his dedes the whiche he had doone at his commaundemente in the countrey of Langue doc But it was to be supposed that fortune played her tourne with hym for whanne he thought to haue been moste assuredest on the heyght of fortunes whele he was tourned vp so downe fro her whele as she hathe doone a hundred thousande mo sythe the worlde began Than Betysach was delyuered agayne by the spirytuall iudge to the bayly of Besyers who vnder the kinge ruled the temperalte the whiche Betysache without delaye was brought to a place before the palays He was so hasted forwarde that he had no leysure to aunswere nor to saye nay For whan he sawe a fyre redy prepared in the place and sawe that he was in the handes of the hangman he was sore abasshed and sawe well than that he was dysceyued and betrayed Than he cryed out a loude requirynge to be herde but than was no hede taken to his sayenge but the hangeman sayde It is ordeyned that ye shall dye for your yuell warkes hathe brought you to an yuell ende He was hasted forwarde to his dethe and the fyre made redy there was also reysed a payre of galowes and therto tyed a chayne of yron and at the ende therof a coler of yron the whiche was put aboute his necke and than the chaine drawen vp a hye and tyed rounde aboute the galowes Than he cryed and sayde Duke of Berrey they cause me to dye without reason they do me wronge As sone as he was tyed to the galows there was setre rounde aboute drye segge rede and â—agoâ—â—es and fyre put therto and incontynente the faggortes were a fyre Thus Betysache was hanged and brente and the frenche kyng out of his chaumbre myght well se hym if he wolde To this poore ende came Betysache and so the people were reuenged of hym And for to saye the trouthe he had doone many extorcions and domages to the people whyle he had the gouernynge of the countrey of Languedoc ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the frenche kynge beynge at Tholouse sente for the erle of Foiz who came thyder and dyd homage to the kynge for the conntie of Foiz Cap. C.lxiiii AFter this cruell iustyce the french kyng taryed nat longe after at Besiers but departed and toke the way to Carcassone and always sythe his departure fro Auygnon his marshall syr Loys of Xancere rode in his company The kynge rode so longe by his iourneys that he vysited the countreys and kepte nat the right hyghe wayes He was at Cabestan at Narbone at Lymons at Mounte Royall and at Fongaur and than he retourned to Carcassone and there taryed foure dayes Than he rode and passed Vyle Franca Auygnollet and Mongistarte and so came to Tholouse and the burgesses there who greatly desyred to se the kynge receyued hym ioyfully and mette the kyng without the towne all in a lyuery and so with greate solempnyte he was brought to the castell of Thoulouse They of the cytie gaue the kinge many fayre presentes wherwith the kynge was greatly reioysed Whan the kynge had been there thre dayes than he was counsayled to sende for the erle of Foiz who was come out of Byerne in to the countie of Foiz and was in the towne of Nasiers four leages fro Thoulouse for he knew of the kinges state and ordynauÌ„ce The marshall of FrauÌ„ce and the lorde de la Ryuer were apoynted to go for the erle of Foize They departed on a wednysday and laye at a cytie in Tholousyn called Iordayn and the next day they came to Nasyers The erle of Foiz who knewe well of their comynge receyued theym nobly for the loue of the Kynge and also he knewe the lordes well he had sene them before Syr Loys of Xancere had the wordes and said Syr my lorde of Foiz the kynge our soueraygne lorde hath sente vs to you coÌ„maundyng you to come to se hym at Thoulouse or els he wyll traueyle so farre that he wyll come and se you in your owne countrey for he greatly desyreth to se you The erle of Foyze aunswered and sayd Syr Loys I wolde nat the kynge had so great traueyle to me it is more mete I haue it for hym wherfore if it please you ye shall shewe hym that I shall be at Tholouse within foure dayes That is well sayde syr quod they we shall returne and shewe him these tydynges fro you So be it
ê™ he howe be it ye shall abyde here all this daye and refresshe your selfes and to morowe ye shall departe they obeyed and taryed that daye and the nyght at their pleasure and the erle deuysed with theym sagely craftely for he was a man by reason of his fayre langage to drawe out by one meanes or other the secretes of on s herte The nexte daye they toke leaue eche of other and rode so long that the same day they came to Tholouse and founde the kinge playenge at chesse with his vncle the duke of Burbone Than the kynge demaunded of them alowde and sayde Syrs howe saye you wyll the erle come or no. yes sir quod the lorde de la Ryuer he hath gret affection to se your grace he wyll be here with you within these foure dayes Well quod the kynge and we wyll gladly se hym The two knightes departed fro the kynge and lefte hym playeng went to their supper and to reste them for they had rydden that daye a great iourney The erle of Foiz who was at Nasyers remembred well the voyage that he had to do He made hym redy and sente before to Tholous for his ê“uisyon acordingly He had sent in to Bierne for knightes and squiers for mo than two hundred to serue and to accompany hym that voiage THe daye that the erle of Foiz had apoynted he entred in to the Cytie of Tholous with mo than syxe hundred horses and well acompanyed with knyghtes and squyers There was with hym BoÌ„nuquell and sir IohaÌ„ his brother sir Roger of Spaygne his cosyn the lorde of Courase the lorde of ValeÌ„tyne the lorde of quare the lorde of Burnge sir Espaygne du Lyon the lorde of Roquepayre the lorde of Lane the lorde of Besache the lorde of Perle sir Peter of Cabestayne sir Monaunt of Nonnalles sir Richarde de la Meete sir Arnolde of saynt Basyll and dyuers other Sir Peter of Byerne and sir Arnolde his two bretherne and his two bastarde sonnes sir Iobbayne and sir Gracyen of Foiz The entencion of the erle was to enherite those two his sonnes in to the moost parte of all the lande of Bierne Of the whiche lande he myght do therwith at his pleasure for he helde it fraÌ„ke and free holdynge of no man but of Godde Thus the erle toke his lodgynge at the Freers preachers There he kept his house and his men lay as nere there about as myght be The burgesses of Tholous made him great chere for they loued him well for alwayes he had been their good neyghbour curtesse and tretable For he neuer suffred any of his coÌ„pany to do them any displeasure nor vyoleÌ„ce wherfore they loued hym moche the better They gaue him many fayre pÌ„sentes of wyne and other thynges so that he was well contente He entred in to Tholous whan it was nere nyght The nexte daye about ten of the clocke he toke his horse suche other of his company as pleased hym mo than two hundred knyghtes and squyers men of honour And in that estate he rode a long through the stretes to the Castell where the kynge was Than he a lyghted in the fyrst court entryng in to the castell Than the erle mouÌ„ted vp the greces in to the great hall The freÌ„che kyng was come out of his chambre in to the hall and there taryed for the Erle and had great desyre to se hym for his great valure and renome that ran on hym Th erle of Foiz who was a goodly prince and of a formall stature beare heeded entred in to the hall And whan he sawe the kynge and other lordes of FrauÌ„ce the kynges brother his vncle he made his reuerence to the kyng and to none other and kneled downe on his one knee than he a rose and passed forthe and at the thirde tyme he kneled nere to the kynge The kyng toke hym by the hande and enbrased him and toke hym vp and sayde Erle of Foiz my fayre cosyn ye be right welcome your coÌ„myng greatlye reioyceth vs. Sir quod the erle I thaÌ„ke your grace that it please you to say so There the kynge and the Erle talked toguyder the whiche wordes I herde nat all ThanÌ„e the kynge went to dyner At the kynges table at the vpper ende sate the archbisshop of Tholous than the kynge and his vncle the duke of Burbone than nexte the erle of Foiz than sir IohnÌ„ of Burbone erle of Marche and of Vandone At that table sate no mo At the seconde table satte sir Iohan de la Brethe erle of Harcourte sir Philyppe of Bare foure knightes of the erle of Foiz And at another table there sate the marshall sir Loyes of sanxere sir Roger of Spayne and eyght other knightes of the erles This was a great dyner and well stuffed of all thynges and after dyner and grace sayd they toke other pastymes in a great chaÌ„bre and heryng of instrumentes wherin the erle of Foiz greatly delyted ThanÌ„e wyne and spyces was brought The erle of Harecourt serued the kynge of his spyce plate And sir Gerrarde de la pyerserued the duke of Burbone And sir Monnaunt of Nonnalles serued the erle of Foiz Thus about four of the clocke the erle tooke leaue of the kyng and of the other lordes He issued out of the hall and in the courte were his hourses redy and his men The erle mouÌ„ted and all suche as accompanyed hym and so retourned to his lodgynge and was well contente with the chere that hadde ben made to hym and his and praysed it moche to his knightes TThus bytwene the Frenche Kynge and the Erle Gascoyne of Foize beynge at Tholous There was dyuers treaties and apoyntmentes of loue and the marshall of Fraunce and the lorde de la Ryuer dyde their payne to helpe it forwarde The erle of Foiz made a dyner to the duke of thou rayne and to the duke of Burbone to therle de la Marche and to other great Lordes of Fraunce This dyner was great and sumptuous and syttyng at the tables mo than .ii. hundred knightes And or the dyner was fullye ended the Frenche kyng who had dyned in the castell and with hym sir Charles de la Brethe and sir Philyppe of Bare and his two cosyn germayns Than the kyng sayde Go we thyder and so he dyde but with .xii. in his company The erle of Foiz was greatlye reioysed in that it pleased the kyng to coÌ„e to his lodgyng and so was all the company There was sporte after dyner of wrestlyng and castynge the barre the stone the darte bytwene the Frenche men and the Gascoyns Thus they passed the tyme tyll it was nerehande nyght Than the kynge and the other lordes retourned The erle of Foiz gaue the same daye to the kynges knightes and squyers and to the duke of Thourayne and to the duke of Burbone mo thaÌ„ threscore coursers palfrayes and mulettes all with whyte sadels redy drest to apoynt Also he gaue to the kynges mynstrelles
Caluset Howe dyd we scale with lytell ayde the stronge castell of Marquell pertayninge to the erle Dolphyn I kepte it nat past fyue dayes but I receyued for it on a fayre table fyue thousande frankes and forgaue one thousande for the loue of the erle Dolphyns chyldren By my faythe this was a fayre and a good lyfe wherfore I repute my self sore disceyued in that I haue rendred vp the fortres of Aloys for it wolde haue ben kepte fro all the worlde and the daye that I gaue it vp it was fournysshed with vytayles to haue been kepte seuen yere without any reuytaylynge This erle of Armynake hathe dysceyued me Olyue Barbe Perotle Bernoys shewed me howe I shulde repente my selfe certayne I sore repent me of that I haue done And whan suche of his companyons as had serued hym longe herde hym speke those wordes they parceyued well howe he spake them with all his herte vnfayned Than they sayd to hym Aymergot we are all redy yet to serue you lette vs renewe agayne our warre and lette vs gette some stronge holde in Auuergne or in Lymosyn and let vs fortifye it and than syr we shall soone recouer our domages we shall make a goodly flyght in Auuergne and in Lymosyn for as nowe the erle Dolphyn and Hugh his brother are out of the countrey dyuers other knightes and squyers in their company in to the voyage of Barbary and specyally the lorde of Coucy who hath the souerayne regarde vnder the kynge of all those marches therfore we shall nat nede to feare hym nor the duke of Berrey for he is at Parys so thus we shall haue nowe a good season Well quod Aymergot I haue good wyll thus to do sauynge I ame by name expressed in the chartre of the treuce What for that syr quod his company ye nede nat care therfore if ye lyste ye are nat subiecte to the frenche kynge ye owe hym nother faythe nor obeysayunce ye are the kynge of Englandes manne for your herytage whiche is all dystroyd and lost lyeth in Lymosyn and syr we must lyue and though we make warre to lyue the englysshmen wyll nat be myscontent with vs and suche as be in our case wyll drawe to vs. And syr we haue nowe good tytle to make warre for we be nat now in Auuergne where the couenaunte was made that we be bounde vnto lette vs sende to the vyllayns of the vyllages whanne we be ones in a stronge holde and commaunde them to paye vs a truage or els to make theym sore warre Well syrs quod Aymergot fyrst lette vs prouyde for a stronge place to abyde in and to drawe vnto whan we nede Some of theym sayde syr we knowe where there is a stronge holde with a lytell newe fortifyenge pertaynynge to the herytage of the lorde of the Towre no man kepeth it lette vs drawe thyder and fortifye it than may we at our ease rynne in to Auuergne and Lymosyn Where lyeth this place quod Aymergot Syr quod they within a leage of the Towre and it is called the Roche of Vandoys It is trewe quod Aymergot I knowe it well it is a mete place for vs lette vs go thyder and fortify it Thus on this purpose they concluded and on a day assembled togyther and wente to the Roche of Vandoys Than Aymergote auewed the place to se if it were worthe the fortifyenge therof And whan he had well auewed the sytuacion therof and the defences that myght be made there it pleased hym ryght well Thus they toke it and fortifyed it lytell and lytell or they began to do any dyspleasure in the countrey And whan they sawe the place stronge sufficyently to resyst a gaynste syege or assaute and that they were well horsed and well prouyded of all thynges necessary for their defence than they beganne to ryde abrode in the countrey and tooke prisoners and raunsomed them and prouyded their holde with flesshe meale waxe wyne salte yron and stele and of all other necessaryes There came nothynge amysse to theym without it hadde ben to heuy or to hote The countrey all aboute and the people wenynge to haue ben in reste and peace by reason of the truce made bytwene the two kinges and their realmes they began than to be sore abasshed for these robbers pyllers toke them in their houses and where so euer they founde them in the feldes laborynge and they called them selfes aduenturers Whanne the lorde of the towre knewe that he had suche neyghbours so nere hym he was nat well assured of hym selfe but fortifyed and made good watche in all his townes and castelles The countesse of Dolphyn a ryght valyaunt lady and of great prudence beinge with her chyldren in a good towne and stronge castell of hers called Sardes she was nat well assured of her selfe whan she herde that Aymergotte and his company had fortifyed that Roche of Vandoys She sent incontynente to all her castell and furnysshed them with men of warre as Marquell Oudable Chyllac and Blere and in to other places to the entente they shulde nat be surprysed for she greatly douted this Aymergot bycause he hadde of her before at one paymente fyue thousande florayns Surely all the countrey of Auuergne and Lymosyn began greatlye to be a frayde Thanne the knyghtes and squyers and men of the good townes as of Cleremount of Mounte Ferante and of Ryon determyned to sende to the frenche kinge and so they dyd IN the meane season whyle the sayde countesse and the other good men of the countrey dyd sende to the frenche kinge and to the duke of Berrey who as than were at Parys Aymergot and his company fortifyed greatly the Roche of Vandoys first they made a lodgynge for their horses Whan all other aduētures who were discharged out of wages herde howe Aymergot made warre agayne they were ryght ioyfull therof and many came to hym Anone he had mo of these robbers and pyllers than he wolde haue they demaunded no wages of hym but all onely that they myght be of his bande for all suche as myght be of his company they knewe well they shulde lyghtly wynne somewhat for they were habandoned to robbe and to pyll Thus they rode vp and downe and made them selfe to be knowen in dyuers places There was no spekynge in Auuergne and Lymosyn but of them of Roche Vandoys the coūtrey was sore afrayde They of Caluset wherof Perotte le Bernoys was capytayne helde and kepte fermely the treuce that was made and whan he sawe that Aymergot Marcell ouer ranne so the countrey he was sore dyspleased with hym and sayde howe he dyd yuell and sent hym worde that he nor none of his shulde come in to Caluset nor in to none other place where he had any rewle Aymergot cared nothynge for that for he hadde places ynowe to drawe vnto besyde that he had menne ynowe and dayly encreased for suche as were mynded to do yuell drewe to hym dayly Perot of Bernoys
counsayle and we haue great marueyle and good cause why howe my lorde of Berrey dothe commaunde vs and maketh requeste for his enemyes that we shulde reyse our siege by reason of that we say generally that we shal gyue ensample to all theues and robbers suche as wyll ouer ron the realme to do the worst they canne Wherfore Pyer ye shall say to the duke of Berrey fro vs all that we are and shall be redy inclyned to do any thynge that he commaundeth vs to do but as in this case I am so straytely enioyned and cōmaunded by the kyng and his coūsayle to kepe this siege and to contynewe it tyll I haue the fortresse and them within at my pleasure whiche cōmaundemente I dare nat brake and say that surely I wyll obey to no cōmaundement but alonely to the kynges whose subget Iame and by whome I am sente hyther But sir I requyre you shewe me one thynge if ye can who hath made this request for Aymergotte Marcell who hath done so moche yuell and anoyaunce to the countrey of Auuergne and Lymosyn and nowe he is atrapped lyke as a traytoure shulde be and is nere come to an yuell ende whiche he hathe well deserued for he hath erred and done contrary to his othe Syr quod the squyer there came to my lorde the duke of Berrey two men of Englande an haraulde and another who brought letters to my lorde fro the kynge of Englande and fro the duke of Lancastre and they made greate request for Aymergotte I beleue you well quod the vycounte it was Derby the haraulde and a squyer called Herbery they brought me this other daye lyke letters wherfore I suppose that the kynge of Englande and the duke of Lancastre wrote to the duke of Berrey in this mater wherfore shewe to my lorde of Berrey that I desyre him to consydre all thinges well for all these requestes that are come fro the other syde of the see are but desyres purchased by our enemyes to the which no lorde on this syde the see if he loue the honoure and profyte of the realme of Fraunce shulde enclyne nor condyscende Sir quod the squyer I shall forget nothynge of that ye haue shewed me for I loue nat Aymergot I had rather se his punysshmente thanne his delyueraunce So the Squyer departed and rode to Nonecte where he founde the duke of Berrey and dyd his message ryght sagely the conclusyon was that the vycounte of Meaulx sayde surely he wold nat departe fro the siege before the Roche of Vandoys without the kynge sente hym strayte commaundemente so to do With this aunswere the duke of Berrey was nat well contente he had thought that as well his commaundement shulde haue been obeyed specyally in Auuergne WHan the englysshe squyer and Derby the haraulde herde of the answere that was made to the duke of Berrey and howe that the siege was nat raysed they were sory and sawe well they traueyled in vayne than they sayde to the duke Syr what wyll ye counsayle vs to do shall we thus departe frome you without spedynge of any thynge to purpose The kynge of Englande and the duke of Lancastre haue great truste and affyaunce in you that ye shuld cause this siege to be reysed bycause the Roche of Vandoys is vnder our signoury Syrs quod the duke suffre a season Aymergot Marcell is in a stronge place he nedeth nat to feare takyng without a great vnhappe and shortely I purpose to goo in to Fraunce to the kynge and thanne I wyll speke with the Kynge and his counsayle and for the loue of my cosyns of Englande I shall do the beste I canne to bringe the matter to passe and ye shall go with me and se howe I shall spede With those wordes the Squyer and the haraulde were contente Than the fourth day after the duke departed fro Nonecte and lefte there the duchesse his wyfe with a gret parte of his householde and so the duke rode to Ryon in Auuergne and there he taryed more thanne eyght dayes for the erle of Sanxere and the lorde Rule who were gone to Auignon aboute the dukes busynesse and whan they were come they departed fro Ryon all togyther and toke the waye throughe Burbonoys and at laste came to Bourges in Berrey and there the duke taryed two dayes Than he rode to Mehun on the ryuer of yeure to a castell one of the fayrest houses of the worlde as thanne the duke had newly bylte it and it had coste hym thre hundred thousande frankes There the duke taryed fyftene dayes wherwith the Englysshe messangers were sore troubled howbeit they coude fynde none other remedy The duke as than made lytell force for the delyueraunce of Aymergot I shall shewe you howe and by what meanes So it was the erle of Sanxere and the lorde of Rule who were chefe of the dukes counsayle with syr Peter Mespyn they in fayre maner blamed the duke and sayde howe he hadde nothinge to do to medell with the busynesse of Aymergot sayenge that his lyfe hathe been alwayes dyshonourable and howe that he was but a false palyarte and alwayes agaynste the crowne of Fraunce and had doone many vyllayne dedes and roboryes in Auuergne and in Lymosyn and how that he was no mete parsone to be entreated for wherfore syr quod they suffre the kynge and his counsayle to deale with hym as they lyste These wordes and suche other refrayned the duke of Berrey to speke any further in the mater Howe be it the two englysshe men dyd their best to remembre the duke And the duke dissymulynge aunswered them curtessy and sayde Syrs suffre a season we shall be shortely at Parys but for all his wordes he taryed styll at Mehun more thanne thre wekes deuysynge with his mayster workeman as keruers and paynters for therin he had great fantasy He had a mayster workeman called maister Andrewe as than one of the best worke men of the worlde an Englysshe man borne but he dwelte in Fraunce and in Haynalte a longe season Nowe shall I shewe you what fortuned of Aymergot Marcell and of the roche of Vandoys This Aymergot was a farre castynge man and whan he sawe that that siege was nat reysed he thought well that the kyng of Englandes messangers coude nat spede of their sute than he thought on another turne as to departe thens and to ryde nyght and daye to speke with the capitaynes of Piergourt and Pyerguyse and with Guyot of saint Fayth and Ernalton of saynt Calombe Ernalton of Rostem Iohn̄ of Morsen Pier Danchin and Remonet of Cōpayne and with dyuers other gascoyns and bernoyse in the englysshe garysons and he thought that with his fayre wordes he shuld cause them to assemble togyther and to come in to Auuergne on truste to wynne great botyes and so on a mornyng or in the night to come and reyse the siege before Vandoys and to take there the frenche men prisoners whiche shulde be worthe to them
a hundred thousande frankes besyde other botyes Thanne he shewed his vncle Guyot du Sall all his purpose who answered him and sayd Sir I se in this nothynge but good for otherwyse we can nat be delyuered fro these frenche men Well vncle ê™ Aymergot I shall do this message my selfe syth ye counsayle me therto but I shall desyre you of one thynge or I departe What is that quod he It is so quod Aymergot that what so euer skrymysshe that the frenche men do make issue you in no wyse out of the gates nor open nat your barryers for and ye do ye may rather lese than wynne Sir quod Guyot I shal be ware ynough ther of we shall kepe our selfes close here within tyll your retourne or that we here tydynges fro you Well fayre vncle I requyre you so to do for they canne nat displease vs none otherwayes as for their assautes or skrymysshes ye nede nat feare so ye kepe your selfes close within Thus within thre dayes after Aymer gote departed fro the Roche of Vandoys all onely acoÌ„panyed with a page he passed forth without daunger of the frenche men his entensyon was to brynge thyder companyons aduenturers to rayse the siege many of them that were within the house knewe nothyng of his departure for he myght departe whan he lost without knowlege Euery day there was skrymysshynge and assautes at the barryers and within a fyue or sixe dayes after the departure of Aymergot there was a great assaute made by the frenche men in thre partes This Guyot du Sall was a good man of armes and longe tyme had vsed the exercisyng therof howe be it as on that day he fortuned yuell by reason of a lytell pryde for he brake the ordynaunce that his cosyn Aymergot had set or he departed for he had charged hym that for any maner of assaute he shulde nat issue out of the barryers At this assaute there were thre squyers of the french party two of Auuergne and one of Bretayne who were skrimysshing valyauntly vpon a pane of a wall nere to the fortresse These thre squyers aboue all other that daye dyd moste valyauntly they of Auuergne were called Rycharde de la Violecte and Lubinet of Rochfort and the breton was named Monadyke who was taken before in Lymosyn in the castell of Vanchador was parteynynge to sir Willyam Butler The assaute endured tyll nyght These thre squyers atcheued there great laude and prayse but for all their traueyle payne they wan nothyng Than at another assaute the vicount of Meaulx made a busshment of twelue men of armes and their companyes and layde them in an olde house without the fortresse and commauÌ„ded another sorte to go and skrymysshe at the barryers sayenge I thynke surely we shall se them within issue out for they are couetouse to wyn if they do so than withdrawe your selfe lytâ—ll and lytell tyll they be past our busshment than they shall breke out and also retourne you agayne thus they shall be enclosed and taken or slayne This is the best way that I can se for our aduauntage thus as the vicount had deuysed ordeyned it was done they were named that shulde lye in the busshment as Loys of Lesglynell Robert of Bertencourte Guylliam de Saulsoy Pyer du saynt Vydall Guyonet Villeracque Pier of Colle and IohnÌ„ Salmage with other to the nombre of twelue They layde themselfe in an olde house without the fortresse and another sorte went and skrimysshed at the barryers as Belynot of Rochfort Rycharde of Violecte and the Monadyke with other They were fresshly armed and aparelled to th entent that they within shulde haue the more corage to issue out to them they were also twelue alonly Whan they came to the bartyers they began to skrymysshe but fayntly and lyke suche persones as coulde but lytell skyll of feates of armes Wherfore Guyot du Sall made lytell force of them but issued out and sayde to his companyons â–ª by saynt Marcell we wyll issue out for at the barryers be a sorte of yonge coÌ„panyons for by that they shewe they knowe but lytell of dedes of armes but we shall teche them to knowe it they shal be all our prisoners they can nat escape vs. Therwith they opened the barryers and issued out fyrste Guyot du Sall and remembred nochynge the charge that Aymergot had gyuen hym at his departynge for the great desyre that he had to do dedes of armes and to wynne somwhat made him to begyn the skrymysshe whan the french men sawe that Guyot du Sall and his company were come out of their barryers they were ryght ioyfull than they began to drawe backe lytell and lytell and they of the fortresse pursewed them and they wente so farre that they passed the busshment whan they sawe their tyme they brake out of their busshment bytwene them and the fortres cryeng Coucy the vycount Thus they of the fortresse were inclosed both before and behynd whan Guyot sawe that he knewe well he had doone a mysse and sawe well it was harde for hym to scape than he reculed to get agayne to his garyson but the frenchemen were in his waye Whervnto shulde I make longe processe they were all taken nat one escaped They were brought to the vycountes lodginge before the knyghtes who hadde great ioye of their takynge THus by the counsayle of the bycount of Meaulx Guyot du Sall and his company were atrapped taken and brought before the lordes of Fraunce and Auuergne Whan the vycount sawe Guyot du Sall he demaunded where Aymergot Marcell was and charged hym to saye the trouthe for he thought he had ben still in the fortresse Guyot du Sall aunswered howe he coulde nat tell where he was for he was departed a twelue dayes paste Than the lordes thought surely that he was gone to purchace some ayde than the prisoners were coÌ„maunded a parte and the vicount demauÌ„ded of the knightes of Auuergne what were beste to do with Guyot du Sall and with his company sayenge howe he wolde vse hymselfe acordyng to their counsayle Than syr Willyam Butler aunswered and sayde Syr quod he I suppose that Aymergot is gone for socour and to rayse by the companyons in the garysons of Pyergourt Pierguyse for he shall fynde some alwayes there to come vpon vs earely or late or we beware of theym wherby they maye do vs domage for any peace or trewce that is taken This Aymergot is a subtyle man syr let vs do one thyng shew vnto Guyot du Sall and his company that without they cause they fortresse to be rendred in to your handes that ye wyll stryke of all their heedes incontynente and without they do thus let it nat be spared This counsayle is good quod the vycounte for in dede the chefe occasyon that we become hyder for is to haue this fortresse and though we can nat haue at this tyme Aymergot Marcell another season shall fortune ryght well
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
than but pacyentely suffred howe be it he thought the more and at nyght came to his wyfe to supper shewed her more token of loue than euer he dyd befor and he dyd somoche with fayre wordes that the duchesse shewed him all the matter and howe that she knewe it by syr Peter of Craon than the duke spake no more at that tyme. that nyght passed and the nexte day about nyne of the clocke he toke his horse and rode fro the howse of saynte Poll to the castell of Lowre where he founde the kynge his brother heryng of masse The kyng swetelye receyued hym for he loued hym entyerly and the kynge sawe well by the dukes maner that he had some dyspleasure in his mynde and said Ah fayre brother what is the mater it semeth ye be troubled Syr quod he good cause why Wherfore quod the kynge I praye you shewe me The duke who wolde hyde no thynge fro the kynge shewed hym all the hole mater and complayned greatly agaynst syr Peter of Craon and sayd Syr by the faythe that Iowe to god and to you if it were nat for your honoure I wolde slee hym We shall do well ynough quod the kynge he shall be warned by our counsayle to auoyde our house and seruyce and in lykewyse cause him to auoyde your house and company I am well content with this ê™ the duke The same day the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan Mercyer sayd vnto syr Peter of Craon on the kynges behalfe that he shulde auoyde the kynges courte and seruyce and go where he lyste In lykewyse syr Iohan of Buell and the lord of Dernaulx seneschall of Thourayne gaue hym lyke commaundement on the duke of Thourayns behalfe Whan syr Peter of Craon sawe this he was abasshed and tooke it in great dyspyte and coude nat ymagyn why it shulde be And trewe it was he desyred to come in to the kinges presence and the dukes to know the cause of their dyspleasure But he was aunswered that nother the kynge nor the duke wolde nat here hym speke Whan he sawe none other remedy he apparelled hym selfe and departed out of Parys in great displeasure in his hert and so rode into Aniou to a castell of his owne called Sable and taryed there a season fore troubled in his mynde He sawe well he was chased out of the frenche courte and out of the house of Thourayn and also out of the house of the quene of Naples and Iherusalem than whan he parceyued these thre howses closed fro hym he thought to go to the duke of Bretaygne his cosyn and to shewe hym all his aduentures so he dyd and rode in to Bretayne and founde the duke at Wannes who made hym good chere and knewe somwhat before of his trouble And than this syr Peter shewed hym all the case Whan the duke of Bretaygne had well herde all the mater he sayde Fayre cosyn recomforte your selfe all this is surely brought aboute by syr Olyuer of Clysson THis rote and foundacyon of hatred multyplyed greatly after as ye shall here in this hystory Syr Peter of Craon taryed so longe with the duke of Bretaygne that he forgate Fraunce for the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and the kynges counsayle were agaynste hym and also they were nat contente with the duke of Bretayne in that he kepte sir Peter Craon in his house As for the duke of Bretaygne cared nat greatly neyther for the good wyll nor yuell wyll of the Frenche kynge he prouyded suffyciently for his cyties townes and castelles in suche wyse that he loued as well warre as peace And all that euer he dyd was well knowen in Fraunce and with the kinges counsayle and suche as were nexte aboute the kynge reputed the duke of Bretaygne prowde and presumptuous and thretened him greatly but the duke dyde sette lytell therby and sayde that he wolde make warre agaynst the erle of Pointhieur in a iuste quarell for the erle of Pointhyeur our cosyn wryteth and nameth hym selfe Iohan of Bretayne as though he were herytour of this countrey I wyll he be called Iohan for that is his name and erle of Pointhieur and I wyll he put out of his armes the Ermyns and write himselfe Iohan of Bloys or of Chatellon and none other and if he wyll nat do thus I shall cause him to do it and take fro hym his lande for he holdeth it by faythe and homage of vs as for the herytage of Bretaygne he hathe nothynge to do therwith so that it shulde returne to him for I haue bothe sonnes and doughters that shall be myne heyres Let hym purchase hym landes in some other place for as of this he hath fayled Thus often tymes the duke of Bretayne wolde deuyse with sir Peter of Craon who wolde nat replye agaynst his pleasure but rather dyd further it and all for the yuell wyll that he bare to the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and to the counsayle of Fraunce ⸪ ¶ Nowe let vs leaue spekynge of this mater and treate a lytell of another pytuous mater concernynge the erle Guy of Bloys of whom mencyon is made here before in this hystory ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of the yonge erle Loyes of Chastelone sonne to the erle Guy of Bloys Cap. C.lxxix IT hath been shewed here before in this hystory whanÌ„e I spake of the alyauÌ„ce and maryage of Lois of Chatellon sonne to the erle of Bloys maryed to the lady Marye doughter to duke Iohan of Berrey and at the confyrmacyon of this maryage the duke of Berrey prouyded greatly for his doughter for she was assigned for her dowry in the couÌ„tie of Bloys the somme of syxe thousande pounde money corante in Fraunce to be payed in florayns if the foresayd Loys of Bloys dyed before his wyfe than all the countie of Blois to be bouÌ„de to pay these foresayd syre thousande frankes And so it fortuned that about the feest of saint Iohan the Baptyste in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and a leuen this yonge Loys of Bloys sonne to the erle Guy departed fro his father fro the castell of Moltyz in Bloys to go in to Haynalt to se his mother and wyfe and whan he came to Beaumonte in Haynault he fell sycke of a feuer by reason that he had rydden great iourneys and the season was boote and he was but yuell kepte and but tendre of age as of xiiii yeres by whiche syckenes he dyed with out helpe for the physycions coulde nat put a way his hote feuer ye maye well knowe that the father and mother were ryght soroufull whan they knewe of the dethe of thier sonne and heyre In lykewyse so was his wyfe the yonge lady of Berrey who loued hym entierly and thought her selfe hyghtly maryed specyally the trouble of the father was right gret for he ymagyned that the duke of Berrey was ryght couetouse and feared leste he wolde entre in to the countie of Bloys
the same opynion that the coÌ„mons were of in Englande and enclyned rather to the warre than to peace to the entent therby to susteyne their estate By the occasion therof the peace was the harder to driue yet the kynge the duke of Lancastre wolde fayne haue hadde peace for by their meanes that metynge at AmyeÌ„ce was apoynted howbeit they wolde nat displease the coÌ„mens of Englande The Englysshe men wolde gladlye haue hadde a peace so they myght be restored agayne to al suche landes as was agreed on at the treaty before Charters and that the Frenche men shulde paye fourtene hundred thousande fraÌ„kes whiche was vnpayed whan the warre began to renewe IN this season thus great coÌ„munycacion there was at the cytie of Amyence on treatie of peace and the lordes that were there on bothe parties toke great payne in the cause It myght well be marueyled why this peace toke none effecte for specialy the duke of Burgoyne dyd what he coude for the Frenche partie and the duke of Lancastre for the Englysshe partie Sauyng the charge that he had whiche he durst nat passe Whan these lordes sawe that they coulde come to no good conclusyon than the frenchemen somwhat to apease and to please the englysshmen and the rather therby to fall to some reason it was offred to them to enjoy styll peasably all that euer they were as than in possessyon of in Acquytayne and nyne dyoces to be quite delyuered without any resorte so that Calays myght be beaten downe And also they offred to paye in thre yere after the somme of .xiiii. hundred thousande frankes Than the duke of Lancastre and the englyssh counsayle answered and sayd Syrs we haue taried here a longe season and haue concluded nothyng nor we canne nat conclude tyll we be retourned in to Englande and than we shall shewe all your desyres and offers to the kyng our souerayne lorde and to the thre estates of the realme and of one thinge be you sure that as moch dyligence as I my brother of yorke can do shall be doone to bringe your desyre to passe except the beatyng downe of Calays we dare nat speke therof for if we dyd we shulde ryn in the indygnacyon and hatred of the most parte of all the realme of Englande and yet were we better to speke no worde therof these wordes somwhat contented the french kynge and his couÌ„sayle and desyred them that whan they were returned into England to do their dyligence in the mater they said they wolde do what they coude for the frenche party sayeng howe the warre had endured ouer longe and many yuell inconuenyentes hath ensued therby in the worlde than it was considred bytwene the parties bycause the truce fayled the next mydsomer after bytwene Englande and Fraunce to contynue it lengar the space of an hole yere bothe by lande and by see bytwene them their alyes and adherentes and therto the lordes of Englande were agreed Than the frenche kynges counsayle desyred to sende two french knightes to go with them into Englande and at their retourne to bringe worde what case they shulde fynde the realme of Englande in The duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke were contente therwith It was shewed me and also the apparaunce was great howe that the frenche kynge desyred greatly to haue peace for as than great brute ranne through Fraunce and other places howe that Lamâ—rabaquyn was entred with great puissaunce of turkes in to the realme of Hungry syr Boucyquant thelder marshall of Fraunce brought those newes and syr Iohan of Charon who were newely retourned fro the partyes of Grece and Turkey wherfore the frenche kynge in his youthe had great affectyon to go in voyage and to go and se the sayd Lamorabaquyn and to recouer the realme of Armony whiche the turkes had wonne fro the kynge Lyon of Armony who was the same tyme at Amyence and he shewed the cause of his comynge thyder to the duke of Lancastre and to the duke of yorke They knewe hym well for they had sene him before in the realme of Englande He was in Englande to treate for the peace whan the frenche kynge was at Sluse And consyderynge the kynge of Armonyes busynesse at the ende of their parlyamente the frenche kynge sayde to the duke of Lancastre Fayre nephewe if peace maye be had bytwene vs and the kynge of Englande we might than make a voyage in to Tukey comfortyng the kynge of Hungry and the emperour of Constantynople whome Lamorabaquyn dothe moche trouble and let vs recouer the realme of Armony whiche the turkes kepe We here saye that Lamorabaquyn is a valyaunt man and of great enterprise and agaynst suche persones as are contrary to our beleue and daily dothe trouble and greue vs we ought to enclyne our selfe to defende our crysten faythe wherfore fayre nephewe helpe you to prouyde for this voyage in the realme of Englande The duke of Lancastre promysed to do his deuoyre in that behalfe Thus they toke leaue eche of other THis counsayle at Amyence endured a fyftene dayes than the Englysshe men departed and had with them in writyng the coÌ„clusion of their treatie to shewe to the kynge of Englande and his counsayle Than the duchesse of Irelande departed fro AmyeÌ„ce and toke leaue of her father the lorde of Coucy and retourned with the englysshe lordes And fro that tyme that they departed fro Calais tyll they came thyder agayne they spent nothyng without they lyst for the french kynge made euery thynge to be payed bothe for them selfe and for their horses The duke of Burgoyne than retourned into Archoys to the cytie of Arras and there he founde the duchesse his wyfe who had vysited the countrey of Flaunders The duke of Thourayne the duke of Berrey and the duke of Butbone taryed with the kynge and the kinge purposed to go to Beamoys to Gysors to sporte hym there in the waye to Parys With the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke certayne knightes of Fraunce wente in to Englande as syr Iohan of Castell Morante sir Taupyns of Cantmell to bringe aunswere agayne out of England and sir Raynolde du Roy the lorde of Moncaurell and the lorde of the olde towne conueyed them to Calays and than toke their leaue and the englysshe men passed ouer the see to Deuer and there founde the kynge and the duke of Glocestre taryeng for them Whan the kyng sawe them he had great comunynge with them of the sâ—ate of the parlyamente of Amyence The kynge was well content with that his vncles had done but than the duke of Glocestre who was alwayes harde agaynst the treatie of peace sayd howe there coulde no good conclusyon be taken in this treatye tyll the mater were brought to Westmynster to a generall counsayle of all the thre astates of the realme and than to folowe their aduyses and none otherwyse The duke of Glocesters wordes were well herde no manne wolde saye agaynst hym
the two dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne wolde haue modered that voiage but they might nat be herde for the kyng had taken suche displeasure with the duke of Bretayn bicause he susteyned sir Peter of craon that no excusacion coulde be taken The same tyme a brute ranne in Fraunce that the quene of Aragon my lady yolant of Bare cosyn germayne to the frenche kynge had in prison in the cytie of Barcylona a knyght that no man knewe his name men supposed it had ben syr Peter of Craon this quene had writen right amyably to the kynge sygnyfyenge hym that the fyfte day of the moneth of Iuly a knyght in good estate and aray came to Barcylona to haue past the sce and had hyred for his money a shyppe as he sayd to haue sayled in to Napoles and bycause we kepe our passages that no straunger shall passe without he be knowen what he is and this knyght wyll nat shewe his name therfore we kepe hym in prisone by the abasshment that we se in him we thynke surely it be the same person ye wold so fayne haue Therfore we write to you therof that ye shulde sende some person hyther suche as knoweth sir Peter of Craon to se if it be he or nat for what so euer he be he shall nat be delyuered tyll we haue aunswere fro you and I wolde that these tydynges might be agreable to you and to your counsayle as knoweth the holy goost who preserue you Writen at Parpygnan the nynth day of Iuly by yolante of Bare quene of Aragon and of Maiolles and lady Sardyne Sardane And on the super scrypcion to the redouted kynge of Fraunce THese tydynges somewhat modered dyuers mennes hartes so that they were nere at the poynte to haue broken their voyage howe be it suche as were sir Olyuer of Clyssons frendes sayde that those tydynges were but fayned tales made and deuysed to breke the kynges voyage sayenge that sir Peter of Craon was in none other prisoneê but with the duke of Bretayne who hath susteyned hym and dothe Of the quene of Aragons lettre the kynge made but lyght sayenge it was but trayson and fables Than the duke of Burgoyne sayd Syr yet at leste to a pease my nese the quene of Aragon and for the delyueraunce of the knight that is there in prisone who petaduenture is nothynge gylty of this trespas sende vnto her that she may be contente with you and with vs. I am content therwith quod the kynge to please you but I beleue surely the traytour syr Peter of Craon is in none other Barcylona nor prisone but aboute the duke of Bretayne and by my faythe that I owe to saint Denyce he shall ones make acompt therof There coulde no man turne the kynge fro the opinyon but that syr Peter of Craon was with the duke of Bretaygne The duke of Bretayne who was well enfourmed of all this busynesse thought hymselfe nat well assured for he sawe well the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne coulde nat bring their purpose aboute for syr Olyuer of Clyssons frendes led the kynge as they lyste Than the duke prouyded for to kepe his townes and garysons howe be it he durst kepe no towne except Wannes Campell Doll Camper Lermyn CoraÌ„tyne and Susement and he wrote to suche knyghtes and squyers as he thought shulde ayde him but they all dissymuled with hym bycause they knewe that the french kyng was so sore displeased with hym and also they thought it was nat a thynge couenable for the duke to susteyne syr Peter of Craon agaynst the constable of FrauÌ„ce as he dyd The duke in a maner repented hym that he had done so moche howe be it his corage and herte was so hygh that he dysdayned to speke it but sayde if the kynge came in to Bretayne as it semed he wolde do at the begynnynge he wolde let hym a lone and thanne shall I se who be my frendes or foos I wyll nat be to hasty to make him warre and whan he weneth to be at most rest than wyll I awake hym if I can nat be a greed with hym by loue Thus the duke deuysed somtyme with his counsayle and thought surely he shulde haue warre howe be it he had nat for the maters tourned otherwyse to his great aduauntage therfore it is an olde prouerbe he is nat poore that is happy This duke was fortunate by reason of apytuous incydence that fell sodaynly on the frenche kynge for otherwyse the duke was nat lykely to haue scaped all dauÌ„gers and to haue lyued in peace as he dyd WHan the Frenche kynge had taryed the space of thre wekes in the cytie of Mans and the knyghtes retourned that he had sent in to Bretayne Than he sayd syth he had herde the dukes answere he wolde no lenger tary there for he sayd the taryenge there greatly displeased him and wolde passe forthe in to Bretaygne to se his enemys that was the duke of Bretaygne who susteyd the traytour syr Peter of Craon The entencyon of the kynge was that if any knyghtes and squyers came agaynst hym or that he founde any townes closed he wolde put downe the duke for euer and set a gouernour in the countrey tyll the dukes chyldren were of lawfull age and than rendre to them the berytage and the duke neuer to haue any parte theof This opinyon the king helde styll and no man coude put hym therfro and thus on a fayre daye aboute ten of the clocke the kynge departed fro the cytie of Mans and had coÌ„maunded his marshalles the nyght before to cause all his at mye bothe before and behynde to dysloge and to drawe to Anger 's and sayde that he wolde nat retourne tyll he had ben in Bretayne and dystroyed the traytours that had put hym to so moche payne and trouble The marshalles dyd the kinges coÌ„maundement The day that the king departed was marueylous hoote for me sonne as than naturally was in his cheife force and to the entent to declare the trouth of euery thyng The same season that the kynge lay at Mans he was sore traueyled with dayly syttynge in counsayle and also he was nat perfytely hole nor had nat ben all that season he was feble in his brayne and heed and dyd eate or drinke but lytell and nygh dayly was in a hoote feuer so that he was gretly anoyed and payned and also for the dyspleasure that he had for the constables hurte he was full of malencoly and his spirytes sore troubled and traueyled and that his physicions spyed well and so dyd his vncles but they coulde nat remedy it for no man durste counsayle hym to breke his voyage in to Bretaygne And as it was enfourmed me as he rode forwarde in the forest of Mans a great sygnifycacyon fell to hym by the whiche if he had doone well he shulde haue called his counsayle aboute hym and well aduysed hymselfe or he had gone any further Sodaynly there came to the
father to the Erle that nowe is who loued me right well bycause I coulde as thā ryde and handell an horse metely well And it fortuned one tyme that the sayde erle who as than was my maister was sent with thre hundred speares and a thousande archers in to the marchesse of Irelande to make warre with the yrisshe men for alwayes the Englysshe men haue had warre with thē to subdue and putte them vnder And on a daye as the sayd Erle went agaynst thē I rode on a goodly horse of his lyght and swyfte Thus I rode folowed my mayster And the same day the yrisshe men were layde in a busshement and whan̄e we came nere theym they opyned their busshement Thanne the Englisshe archers began to shote so egerly that the yrisshe men coulde nat suffre it for they are but simply armed therfore they reculed and wente backe Than̄e the Erle my mayster folowed in the chase and I that was well horsed folowed hym as nere as I coude and it fortuned so that my horse was afrayd and toke his bridell in his tethe and ranne away with me whether I wolde or nat he bare me so farforthe amonge the yrisshe men that one of them by lyghtnesse of ronnynge lepte vp behynde me and enbrased me in his armes dyde me none other hurt but so ledde me out of the way and so rode styll behynde me the space of two houres And at the laste brought me in to a secrete place thycke of busshes and there he founde his company who were come thyder and scaped all daungers for the Englysshe men pursued nat so farre Than as he shewed he had great ioye of me and ledde me in to a towne and a strōge house amonge the woodes waters and myres The towne was called Harpely and the gētylman that toke me was called Brine Costeret He was a goodly man and as it hath ben shewed me he is as yet a lyue how be it he is very aged This Brine Costeret kepte me seuyn yere with hym and gaue me his doughter in maryage of whom I hadde two doughters I shall shewe you howe I was delyuered IT happened at the seuin yeres ende one of their kynges named Arthur mackemur kyng of Lynster made an armye agaynst duke Lyon of Clarence sonne to kyng Edwarde of Englande and agaynst sir Wyllm̄ of Wynsore And nat farre fro the cytie of Lynster the Englysshe men yrisshe men mette toguyder and many were slayne and taken on bothe parties But the Englysshe men opteygned the vyctorie and the yrisshe men fledde and the kyng Arthur saued hym selfe but Brine Costeret my wyues father was taken prisoner vnder the duke of Clarence baner He was taken on the same courser that he toke me on The horse was well knowen amonge the erle of Ormondes folkes and than he shewed howe I was alyue and was at his maner of Harpelyn howe I had wedded his doughter wherof the duke of Clarence sir Wylliam Wynsore and the Englysshe men were ryght gladde Than̄e it was shewed hym that if he wolde be delyuered out of prison that he shulde delyuer me in to the Englysshe mennes hādes and my wyfe and chyldren With gret payne he made that bargayne for he loued me well and my wyfe his doughter and our chyldren Whan he sawe he coulde make his fynaunce none otherwyse he accorded therto but he reteigned myne eldest doughter styll with him So I and my wyfe and our seconde doughter retourned in to Englande and so I went and dwelte besyde Bristowe on the ryuer of Syuerne My two doughters are maryed and she in Irelāde hath thre sonnes and two doughters and she that I brought with me hath foure sonnes and two doughters bycause the langage of yrisshe is as redy to me as the Englysshe tong for I haue alwayes cōtynued with my wyfe and taught my children the same speche Therfore the kyng my souerayne lorde and his counsayle cōmaunded me to gyue attendaūce on these four kynges and to gouerne and bringe them to reason and to the vsage customes of Englāde seyng they hadde yelded them to to be vnder his obeysaunce of the crowne of Englāde and they were sworne to holde it for euer yet I ensure you for all that I dyde my power to ensygne and to lerne them good maner yet for all that they be ryght rude and of grose engyn moche payne I hadde to make them to speke any thyng in fayre maner somwhat I altred them but nat moche for in many cases they drewe to their naturall rudenesse The kyng my soueraygne lordes entent was that in maner countenaunce and apparell of clothyng they shulde vse accordyng to the maner of Englande for the kynge thought to make them all four knyghtes they had a fayre house to lodge in in Duuelyn and I was charged to abyde styll with them and nat to departe And so two or thre dayes I suffred them to do as they lyst and sayde nothynge to them but folowed their owne appetytes They wolde sytte at the table and make coūtenaunce nother good nor fayre Than I thought I shulde cause thē to chaunge that maner They wolde cause their mystrelles their seruauntes and varlettes to sytte with them and to eate in their owne dysshe and to drinke of their cuppes And they shewed me that the vsage of their countre was good for they sayd in all thynges except their beddes they were and lyued as cōmen So the fourthe day I ordayned other tables to be couered in the hall after the vsage of Englande And I made these four kynges to sytte at the hyghe table and there mynstrels at another borde and their seruantes and varlettes at another byneth them wherof by semynge they were displeased and behelde eche other wolde nat care and sayd howe I wolde take fro them their good vsage wherin they hadde been norisshed Than I answered them smylyng to a peace theym that it was nat honourable for their estates to do as they dyde before and that they must leaue it and vse the custom of Englande and that it was the kynges pleasure they shulde so do and how he was charged so to order them Whan they harde that they suffred it bycause they had putte them selfe vnder the obeysaūce of the kyng of Englande and parceuered in the same as long as I was with them yet they hadde one vse whiche I knewe well was vsed in their coūtre and that was they dyde were no breches I caused breches of lynen clothe to be made for them Whyle I was with them I caused them to leaue many rude thynges aswell in clothyng as in other causes Moche ado I had at the fyrst to cause them to weare gownes of sylke furred with Myneuere gray For before these kynges thought them selfe well apparelled whan they hadde on a mantell They rode alwayes without sadelles styropes and with great payne I made thē to ryde after our vsage Andon a
kynges opynyon to haue peace were at Balyngham in the treatie holden there the kynge sayd to Robert Our counsayle as nowe is nat here they be at Balyngham ye shall abyde here with me and whan they be retourned I shall speke with myne vncle of Burgoyne and with our chauncelloure and than we shall do in this mater as they shall aduyse me syr quod this Robert as god wyll so be it THe same weke the Frenche kynges counsayle returned fro Balyngham to Abbeuyle and brought with them the artycles of the maner of the peace whiche the englysshe men had deuysed and the maters were so weyghty that the treatie was put ouer tyll another daye vnto suche tyme as bothe kynges were aduertysed of eche others demaundes and their pleasures therin to be knowen Than on the frenche partie the frenche kynge drewe a parte his vncle of Burgoyne and the chauncellour and shewed them what enfourmacyon Robert the Hermyt had made vnto him and the kynge demaunded of them if it were a thynge lysytte and lawfull to beleue They studyed a lytell and at last sayde Syr we requyre youre grace lette vs se this hermyte and here hym speke and thervpon we wyll take aduyse Than he was sent for Whan he came before the kynge he made his reuerence Thanne the kynge sayd Roberte shewe vs here at length all the hole mater as ye enfourmed me before Sir quod he gladly Than as he that was nothynge abasshed rehersed all the hole mater as ye haue herde before Whan he had doone he departed Than the kynge asked of his vncle what was best to be done Syr quod he the chauncellour and I shall take aduyse agaynst to morowe Well quod the kynge so be it Than the duke and the chauncellour counsayled togyther on this mater They sawe well the kynge greatly enclyned to this Robertes wordes therfore they thought it good to aduyse the kynge to ioyne this Robert in coÌ„myssion with them to go agayne to Balyngham to the treatie of peace for they thought his langage so fayre and so swete that he shulde styrre the hartes of them that shulde here hym speke to haue peace and to shewe the deuyne vysion that he had to the lordes of Englande This they thought lawfull ynough to be done and the nexte day they shewed this to the king And than after whan the duke and the chauncellour wente agayne to Balyngham they had this Roberte with them And whan all the lordes frenche and englysshe were assembled togyder in counsayle than this Robert came before them and there well and wisely he declared all the vysion that he hadde on the see and affermed that it was inspyracyon deuyne sente by god bycause he wolde it shulde be so Some of the lordes of Englande toke good hede to this mater and enclyned therto as the duke of Lancastre the erle of Salysbury the lorde Thomas Percy and other the bysshops of Lyncolne and London but the duke of Gloucestre and the erle of Arundell toke no hede nor set nothynge therby Whan they were in their lodgynges they sayd they were but fantasies and wordes fayned by the frenchmen to abuse them all howe be it they determyned to write to kynge Rycharde the maner and sayenge of this Robert the Hermyte and thervpon sent a knyght called Rycharde Credon to kynge Rychardeê who he founde in Kent at the castell of Leades and delyuered him letters sent fro his ambassadours in the marches of Calays wherin was conteyned the hole sayenge of this Robert The kynge tooke great pleasure in these letters and sayd howe he wolde gladly speke with this Robert the hermyte he beleued this vysion to be of trouthe Than the kyng wrote agayne to the duke of Lancastre and to the erle of Salysbury that if it myght be by any meanes that a good peace myght be taken bytwene hym and the frenche kynge their realmes and alyes for he sayde surely he thought that the warre had ouerlonge endured and that it was tyme to haue peace And ye haue herd here before howe the treaters bare them and how the lordes departed one fro another and howe the treuce was taken to endure for foure yere This was the entent of the lordes of the englyssh party except the duke of Gloucestre for he thought whan so euer he came in to Englande neuer to agree to any peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande He dyssimuled as moche as he might to th entent to please the king and his brother of Lancastre Thus by this meanes Roberte le Hermyte came to knowledge ANd as ye haue herde here before how the erle of Rutlande therle Marshall the archebysshop of Dunelyn the lorde Hugh Spenser the lorde Lewes Clyfforde and other had been sent in to Fraunce to treate for kynge Rychardes maryage and were retourned agayne in to Englande and brought the kynge good tydynges so that the kynge was well pleased as ye haue herde before Than Mychelmas came and the generall couÌ„sayle began suche as englysshe men call the terme wherin all maters be debated and at the begynnynge of the sayd terme the duke of Lancastre returned out of Gascon in to Englande and had nat ben receyued there as he thought he shulde haue been as ye haue herde before So whan the duke of Lancastre was retourned the kyng made hym good chere Tydinges anone came in to Fraunce howe the duke of Lancastre was retourned in to Englande than the frenche kynge and his counsayle determyned to sende Robert the Hermyte into Englande with letters to the kynge who desyred to se hym and that the erle of saynt Poll shulde acquaynte hym with the kyng and with the lordes that they myght here hym speake of the busynesse of Surey and Tartary and of the greate Turke and Turkey where he had ben longe for it was thought that the lordes of Englande wolde gladly here speakyng of suche maters Than this Robert the Hermyte was warned to make hym redy to go in to Englande in coÌ„myssion wherof he greatly reioysed bycause he had neuer been there before So he had letters delyuered hym dyrected to the kyng of Englande and to his vncles Thus Robert departed fro Parys with seuen horses at the cost and charge of the frenche kynge and rode tyll he came to Boloyne and there tooke the see and aryued at Douer and spedde so in his iourneys that he came to Eltham and founde the kynge there and the Duke of Lancastre the erles of Salysbury and Huntyngdon the lorde Thomas Percy and for the honour of the frenche kynge he was well receyued and specyally of the kynge who desyred greatly to se hym Than he delyuered his letters of credence whiche were redde ouer by the kynge and the other lordes The duke of Gloucestre was nat theâ— he was in Essex at a Castell of his called Plasshey Whan this Robert had been with the kynge and with the duke of Lancastre at Eltham a fyue daies he departed thens to gose the
a porte in Surey besyde the isle of Rodes Than he declared all his hole vysion the rather therby to moue the dukes herte to pytie and reason but this duke was herde herted agaynst the peace and kept styll his opynion and by his wordes condempned and dispysed greatly the frenche men for all that euer Robert the Hermyte coude say but bycause that this Robert was a strauÌ„ger and shewed by his wordes and werkes that he wolde all were well and also bycause the duke sawe that the kyng his nephue enclyned to haue peace he dyssymuled and spake fayre what so euer his herte thought Two dayes this Robert taryed at plasshey with the duke and had good chere and the thyrde day departed and retourned to London and fro thence to Wyndesore where the kynge made hym good chere for loue that the frenche kyng had sent him thyder and bycause he was wyse and eloqueÌ„t and of swete wordes and honest It is nat to be doubted but that the kynge demauÌ„ded of hym howe he founde his vncle the duke of Glocestre And Robert answered him well to the poynte The kyng knewe well his vncle of Gloucestre enclyned rather to warre than to peace wherfore he fauoured moche better his other two vncles dukes of Lancastre and yorke whan Robert the hermyte had ben a moneth with the king he toke his leaue and at his departynge the kynge gaue hym great gyftes and so dyd the dukes of Lancastre and yorke and the erles of Huntyngdon and Salysbury and the lorde Thomas Percy The kynge caused hym to be conueyed to Douer and there passed ouer in to Fraunce and he founde the frenche kyng and the quene and his vncles at Paris and there shewed the kinge all his voyage and what good chere he had in Englande Thus dayly messangers went in out bytwene these two kynges and amyable letters sent bytwene them the kynge of Englande desyred nothyng so moche as to come to this maryage and semblably the frenche kynge had lyke desyre for he thought his doughter shulde be a great estate if she might be quene of Englande ¶ Of the delyueraunce of the lorde de la Ryuer and of syr Iohan le Mercyer and howe they were put out of prisone Cap. CC.v. YE haue herde here before howe the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan le Mercyer were in ieoperdy of their lyues and remoued fro prison to prison at laste delyuered to the prouost of the Chatelet of Parys and were at the poynte to lose their lyues and all for hate enuye that the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne and their counsayle had to them They were in this daunger more than two yere The kyng socoured theÌ„ for always he stopped the execusion and that the dukes of Berrey Burgoyne sawe well and also they perceyued that the duke of Orlyaunce ayded them as moche as he might also the duches of Berrey was a good meane for them and specially for the lorde de la Ryuer and also the one coulde nat be condempned without the other for they were accused all for one cause The prayers of good folkes and their ryght togyther ayded theym Than it was regarded by many of the high barones of FrauÌ„ce who had pytie on them and sayd they had suffred prisonement ouerlonge and that it was tyme to shewe them grace for this Iohan le Mercyer had so moche wept in prison that his syght was sore decayed so that he coude scant se the brute ranne through the realme that he was blynd Than at last they had sentence gyuen them of grace by the kynge and there the lorde de la Ryuer was restored agayne to all his landes and castels as the fayre castell of Aniou but he was charged on payne of his lyfe that whan he was ones in his castell of Aniowe that he shuld neuer after repasse the ryuer of Sayne without he were coÌ„maunded by the kynges owne mouthe And syr Iohan le Mercyer to retourne to PouÌ„te de Nonnon in to his fayre house in Laonnoys and he nat to repasse the ryuer of Oyse of Marne nor of Seyne without he were in lykewyse called by the kynges owne mouth Thus they bounde them selfe to take this prisonment and thought they had a great grace to scape so well were ryght ioyouse whan they were delyuered fro the Chatelet They trusted whan they came out of prison to haue spoken with the kynge and to haue thanked hym of his grace but they coulde nat be suffred but were coÌ„maunded to auoyde out of Parys and to resorte thyder as they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded Thus they were delyuered wherof their frendes had great ioy ¶ Of the peace that was hadde bytwene the duke of Bretayne and sir Olyuer Clysson Cap. CC.vi. yE haue herde howe the duke of Bretayne and syr Olyuer of Clisson warred longe togyther mortally for bytwene them they toke none to mercy and surely syr Olyuer of Clysson and his partie bare them so valyauÌ„tly that of thre he had twayne for the lordes of Bretaygne dyssimnied with the duke and men of the cyties and good townes sayde howe they must nedes lyue and vse their marchaundyse what so euer warre was bytwene the duke and syr Olyuer of Clysson for they sayd it touched them nothinge wherfore they wolde nat entermedâ—e bytwene them but euer the Vycount of Rohan the lorde de Leoâ— and the lorde of Dignan treated for a peace to be had bytwene them So moch they pursewed that the duke promysed to be entreated so that the myght se syr Olyuer in his presence and speke with him and thervpon these lordes on a day rode to a fortresse of syr Olyuers to speke with him and there they shewed him for what cause they weâ— come thyder and howe they had got grauÌ„t of the duke to sende to him a safeconducte safely to go and come to speke with hym sayeng that surely they thought if he were ones in his presence all the yuell wyll and displeasures shulde be clerely pardoned Than sir Olyuer sayd Sirs ye are all my frendes and louers and I trust great lye in you and beleue that the duke hath promysed as you saye and I thynke he wolde gladly se me in his preseÌ„ce But so good helpe me and saynt yues vpon his worde and promise I ensure you I wyll nat ones issue out of my house But I shall tell you what ye shall saye to hym that if he wyll haue me to come to hym let hym sende hyder in pledge his eldest sonne and whan he is here thanÌ„e I wyll go and speke with hym suche ende as I shall make his sonne shall make yf I retourne he shall do in lykewise and if I abyde he shall abide Whan these lordes sawe they coude haue none other ende they tooke their leaue and retourned to Wannes where the duke was and shewed euery thynge as they had herde The duke coude haue none other waye This sir Olyuer bare hym selfe so valyauntly
of the clocke in the forenoone The two Kynges departed oute of their tentes the which were pyght nat farre asondre and came a foote the one to the other and met at a certayne place that was apoynted And on the one syde there was araynged four hundred knyghtes of Fraunce armed with their swerdes in their hādes And on the other parte foure hundred Englysshe knyghtes in lyke maner So the two kynges passed through them The dukes of Lācastre and of Gloucestre ledde the Frenche kynge and the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne ledde the kynge of Englande Thus they came foreby the sayd eight hundred knightes And whan the two kynges came iust toguyder all the eyght hundred knyghtes kneled downe to the grounde and many of them wepte for ioye Thus the two kynges mette toguyder bareheeded and a lytell enclyned and tooke eche other by the handes Than the Frenche kynge ledde the kynge of Englande in to his tente whiche was noble and ryche and the four dukes tooke eche other by the handes and folowed the two kynges And other knyghtes after the Frenche men on the one syde and the Englysshe men on the other syde And so they stode regardyng eche other in good and humble maner tyll all was done Than̄e it was ordayned that on the same place where as the two kynges tooke eche other by the hande that there shulde be made and founded a chapell in the honoure of our Lady and shulde be called our lady of Grace I can nat tell whether it were made or nat SO the two kynges hande in hāde entred in to the Frenche kynges tente Than the foure dukes kneled downe before the kynges and they reysed them vp so talked toguyder Than the two kynges wente a lytell a parte and talked a certayne space In the meane tyme wyne and spyces were brought The duke of Berrey serued the Frenche kynge of spyce and the duke of Burgoyne of wyne And the dukes of Lācastre Glocester serued the kyng of Englād thā other knightes squiers serued all other prelates lordes so that euery man wtin the tent hadde parte and in the meane tyme the two kynges cōmuned toguyder This busynesse done and paste the two kynges tooke leaue eche of other and so retourned to their tentes and tooke their horses and rode towardes Calais The kyng to Guysnes the dukes of Lancastre and Gloucester to Hāmes and the other to Calais The Frenche kyng rode to Cordre and the duke of Orlyaunce with hym the duke of Berrey to Dornam and the duke of Burgoyne to Mountoyre So there was no more done that daye all their tentes stode styll in the feldes THan on the Saturdaye on the feest of saynt Symon and Iude aboute a .xi. of the clocke the kynge of Englande and his vncles and other lordes cāe to the Frenche kyng in to his tent they were receyued right honorably and euery manne talked with his felowe merily Than tables were sette vp and the two kynges sat at one table alone the Frenche kynge on the ryght hande The dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone serued the two kynges thā the duke of Burbone caste forthe many iestyng wordes to make the kynges to laughe and suche as were before the table For this duke was a mery man and sayd openly addressynge his wordes to the kynge of Englāde Sir quod he ye ought to make good chere for ye haue all that ye desyre ye haue your wife or shall haue her deliuered to you Than the Frenche kyng sayd Burbonoys We wolde that our doughter were of the age that our cosyn of saynt Poule is on the condicyon that it cost me a great good than she shulde take my sonne with the better good wyll The kynge of Englande herde well those wordes and answered spekyng to the duke of Burbone bycause the Frēche kyng hadde compared his doughter to the erle of saynt Poules doughter and sayd Sir the age that my wyfe that shall be is of pleaseth you right well we loue nat so moche her herytage than I do the loue of you of our realmes For we two beyng of one accorde there is no kynge christen nor other that are able to anoye vs. This dyner thus done in the Frenche kynges tent and after wyne and spyces taken than the yonge quene was brought forthe a companyed with a great nombre of ladyes and damoselles and there she was delyuered to the kyng of Englande Whan that was done euery man toke their leaue to departe The yonge quene was sette in a ryche lytter and there wente no mo frenche ladyes with her but the lady of Coucy There were the ladyes of Englande the duchesses of Lancastre of yorke and of Gloucestre of Irelande the lady of Namure the lady Poynynges and a great nombre of other ladies who receyued the quene with great ioye Thus the kyng of Englande and the yonge quene and his company rode to Calais the same nyght and the frenche kyng and his cōpany to saynt Omers Than the Tuesdaye after whiche was Alhalowen day the kyng of Englande maryed the sayd lady Isabell of Fraūce in the churche of saynt Nicholas in Calais the archebysshop of Caūterbury wedded theym at whiche tyme there was a great feest and great largesse The Thursdaye after there came to Calais the dukes of Orlyaunce and of Burbone to se the kynge and the quene And on the friday they tooke their leaue and departed and rode to saynt Omers to the Frenche kyng And the same day in the mornyng the kyng and the quene toke their shyppe and hadde fayre passage they were ouer within thre houres the kynge laye in the castell of Douer and the nexte daye to Rochestre than to Dartforde and so to Eltham Than̄e all lordes and ladyes toke their leaue and a fiftene dayes after the quene was brought to the cytie of London accompanyed with many lordes ladyes and damosels laye the fyrst night at the towre of London and the nexte day cōueyed along throughe the cytie with great solempnyte to the kynges palais of Westmynster and ther the kyng was before redy to receyue her the same daye the londoners gaue to the quene great presentes Than was there ordayned a great iustes to be holden in the cytie of Lōdon of .xl. knyghtes and squyers chalēgers to be holden at Candelmas nexte after whiche was delyuered to the Herauldes to publysshe on bothe sydes of the realme to Scotlande And whan the Frenche kyng was cōe to Parys after the maryage of his doughter and euery lorde departed home there ranne than a great brute through the realme howe the frenche kyng was in purpose at the begynnynge of Marche to go with a great army in to Lombardy to dystroye the lorde Galeas duke of Mylayne the kyng had suche displeasure agaynst hym that no man coulde tourne hym but that he wolde make that voyage and the kyng of Englande had promysed to sende hym syxe thousande archers
where as he laye his hedde on a blacke quisshen his visage open some had on hym pytie soÌ„e none but sayd he had long a go deserued dethe Now coÌ„syder well ye great lordes kynges dukes erles baroÌ„s prelates all men or great lynage puissauce se beholde how the fortunes of this worlde are marueylous turne diuersly This kyng Richarde reigned kynge of EnglaÌ„de .xxii. yere in great prosperite holdyng great estate signorie There was neuer before any kyng of Englande that spente so moche in his house as he dyd by a. C.M. florens euery yere For I sir IohnÌ„ Froissart chanon treasourer of Chinay knewe it wel for I was in his court more tha a quarter of a yere togider he made me good chere bycause that in my youthe I was clerke seruauÌ„t to the noble kynge Edwarde the thirde his grautfather with my lady Philyp of Heynault quene of EnglaÌ„de his grandame and whan I deê‘ted fro hym it was at Wynsore and at my departynge the kyng sent me by a knight of his called sir IohnÌ„ Golofer a gob let or syluer gylte weyeng two marke of siluer within it a C. nobles by the which I am as yet the better and shal be as long as I lyue wherfore I am bouÌ„de to praye to God for his soule with moche sorowe I write of his dethe But bicause I haue coÌ„tynued this historie therfore I write therof to folowe it In my tyme I haue sene two thingê though they differ yet they be true I was in the cytie of Burdeux sytting at the table whaÌ„ kyng Richarde was borne the whiche was on a tuisday about .x. of the clocke The same tyme there caÌ„e there as I was sir Richarde PouÌ„tcardon marshall as than of Acâ—tayne he said to me Froissart write put in memorie that as nowe my lady pricesse is brought abeed with a fayre son on this twelfe daye that is the day of the thre kynges and he is son to a kynges son shal be a kyng This geÌ„tyll knight said trouthe for he was kynge of Englande xxii yere But whan this knyght sayd these wordes he knewe full lytell what shulde be his conclusyon And the same tyme that kynge Richarde was borne his father the prince was in Galyce the whiche kyng Dompeter had gyuen him and he was there to coÌ„quere the realme Vpon these thyngê I haue greatlye ymagined sythe for the fyrst yere that I caÌ„e in to EnglaÌ„de in to the seruyce of quene Philyppe Kynge Edwarde and the quene and all their chyldren were as than at Barcamstede a maner of the prince of Wales be yonde London The kynge and the Quene were came thyder to take leaue of their sofie the prince and the priÌ„cesse who were goyng in to Acquitayne And there I herde an auÌ„cient knyght deuyse amonge the ladyes and sayde There is a booke whiche is called le Brust and it deuyseth that the prince of Wales eldest son to the king nor the duke of Clarence nor the duke of Glocestre shuld neuer be kyng of EnglaÌ„de but the realme crowne shuld returne to the house of Lacastre There I Iohan Froissart auctour of this cronycle coÌ„sydring all these thynges I say these two knyghtes sir Richarde Pountcardon sir Bartylmewe of Bruels layd bothe trouthe For I sawe and so dyde all the worlde Rycharde of Burdeaux .xxii. yere kyng of Englande and after the crowne retourned to the house of Lancastre And that was whan kyng HeÌ„ry was kyng the which he had neuer ben if Richarde of Burdeaux had dalte amyably with hym for the Londoners made hym kyng bycause they had pytie on hym and on his chyldren Thus whan kynge Richarde had layne two houres in the chare in Chepe syde than they draue the chayre forwarde And whan the foure knyghtes that folowed the chare a sote were without London they lept than on their horses whiche were there redy for them And so they rode tyll they caÌ„e to a vyllage called Langle a .xxx. myle from LoÌ„don and there this kyng Richarde was buryed god haue mercy on his soule Tydinges spredde abrode howe kyng Richarde was deed he taryed euery daye for it for euery man myght well consydre that he shulde neuer come out of prisone a lyue His dethe was long kepte and hydde fro his wyfe The Frenche kynge and his counsayle were well enformed of all this and the knightes and squyers desyred nothyng but the warre that they myght ryde vpon the fronters Howe be it the counsayls as well of the one realme as of the other toke their aduyse and thought it best to vpholde styll the truse that was taken before they thought it more ê“fitable than the warre And a newe treatie was deuysed to be in the marches of Calais bycause the freÌ„che kyng was nat in good case nor had nat been sythe he knewe of the trouble that kyng Richarde was in And yet his sickenesse doubled whaÌ„ he knewe that he was deed so that the duke of Burgoyne had the chefe rule of the realme And he came to saynt Omers to Burbourâ— where the duke of Burbone was sir Charles de la Brest and Charles of Hangeers Iohan of Castell Morant and of prelates the patriarke of Ierusalem and the bysshoppes of Paris and of Beauoyes And on the Englysshe partie there was the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Rutlande the erle of Deuonshyre and the lorde Henry Percy the erles sonne and yuan of Fitzwaren and prelates there were the bysshoppes of Wynchester and of Ely The frenche men demauÌ„ded to haue agayne delyuered the yong quene of Englande but the Englysshe men wolde in no wyse delyuer her but sayd she shulde lyue styll in EnglaÌ„de vpon her dowrie and that though she had lost her husbande they wolde prouyde for her another that shulde be fayre yong gentyll with whom she shuld be better pleased than with Richard of Burdeaux for he was olde and this shuld be the prince of Wales eldest sofie to kyng Henry To this the Frenchmen wolde nat agre for they wolde nat consent therto without liceÌ„ce of the kyng her father who as than was nat in good poynt for he was farrÌ„ out of the way no medysyn coude helpe hym So that mater was layde aparte and the treatie of truse went forwarde in suche wyse that by coÌ„sent of bothe parties they sware and were bouÌ„de to kepe the truse .xxvi. yere more to the four yeres that it had endured the whiche in all was .xxx. yere accordynge to the fyrst couenauÌ„t and vpon this writynges were made and sealed by procuracyons of bothe kyngê this done euery man returned to their own countreis ¶ I haue nat as yet shewed you what became of therle Marshall by whom fyrst all these trybulacyons began in the realme of Englande but nowe I shall shewe you He was at Venyce and whaÌ„ he knewe that kyng Henry was kyng and kynge Rycharde taken deed He toke therof so great displeasure and sorowe that he layde hym downe on his bedde and fell in a fransy and so dyed Suche mischeuousnesse fell in those dayes vpon great lordes of Englande ¶ And in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande four hundred one lesse Pope Benedic at Auignon who had ben susteyned long by the Frenche men was as than deposed And in lykewise so was the kynge of Almaygne for his yuell dedes For the clectours of the Empyre and all the dukes and barons of Almaygne rose agaynst hym and sente hym in to Boesme where as he was kyng and they chose another a valyaunt and a wyseman to be kyng of Almayne and he was one of the Bauyers and was called Robert of Heleberge And he came to Coloygne where he was crowned with the crowne of Almayne for they of Ayes wolde nat open their towne to hym nor the duke of Guerles wolde nat be vnder his obeysaunce This newe kynge of Almaygne promysed to bring the churche to a vnyte and peace Howe be it the FreÌ„che kynge and his counsayle treated with the legeoys who helde with the pope at Rhome And they dyde so moche by the meanes of sir Baudwyn of Mount Iardyne who gouerned a great parte of the bysshoprike of Liege who was a knyght of the Frenche kynges so that by his meanes at the desyre of the freÌ„che kyng the countrey of Liege tourned to become neuter so that the Legeois sente to Rome for all the clergy that were there of their countrey to come by a certayne day or els to lese all their benefyces in the countre Whan they herde that they returned fro Rome and caÌ„e to Liege And pope Bonyface who lost moche by that transmutacion sente a legate in to Almaygne to preche amonge them to cause them to retourne agayne to his parte but the legate durst nat passe Coloigne and sent letters to Liege Whanne those letters were reed the messanger was aunswered that on payne of drownyng he shulde no more comeon suche message For they sayd as many messanger as cometh with any suche message shal be drowned in the ryuer of Moeuze Finis totius Froissart ¶ Thus endeth the thirde and fourthe boke of sir IohnÌ„ Froissart of the cronycles of Englande FrauÌ„ce Spayne Portyngale Scotlande Bretaygne Flaunders and other places adioynynge Translated out of Frenche in to maternall Englysshe by IohnÌ„ Bourchier knyght lorde Berners deputie generall of the kynges towne of Calais and marches of the same At the hyghe commaundement of our moost redouted souerayne lorde kyng henry the eight kyng of Englande and of Fraunce and hyghe defender of the christen faythe c. The whiche two bokes be coÌ„pyled in to one volume fynysshed in the sayd towne of Calais the .x. day of marche in the .xvi. yere of our said souerayne lordes raigne Imprinted at London in Fletestrete by Rycharde Pynson printer to the kynges moost noble grace And ended the last day of August the yere of our lorde god M.D.xxv. ¶ Cum priuylegio a rege in dulto
there he had good chere the nexte day he rode to saynt Iohn̄ de Ryuyer and rode all the lawne of Bonc and costed Mauuoysyn and lay at Tournay a close towne and the nexte daye he rode to dyner to Tarbe there taryed all day and there founde the lorde Dauchyn syr Menalte of Barbason two grete lordes of Bierne they spake with hym of many thynges and bycause that the lorde of Barbason was of the partye of the erle of Armynacke he coulde speke no good worde of the erle of Foyze The nexte daye he departed wente to Morlaus in Byerne there he founde syr Raynolde wyllyā bastarde broder to the erle of Foyze who receyned hym with good chere he shewed syr Gaultyer howe he sholde fynde the erle of Ortays howe he wolde be ryght glad of his comynge God graunte it sayd syr Gaultyer for to speke with hym I am come in to this countrey Soo they dyned togyder and after dyner syr Gaultyer wente to his lodgynge to mounte Gabryel and the nexte daye by .iii. of the clocke he came to Ortays and coulde not speke with the erle that day tyll the nexte daye at after noone when the erle accustomed to come abrode THe nexte daye when the erle of Foyze knewe that syr Gaultyer of Passac was come to speke with hym somwhat he made the more hast to yssue out of his chambre then syr Gaultyer dyd salute hym the erle who knew as moche of honour as ony knyght dyd saluted hym agayne and toke syr Gaultyer by the hande and sayd syr ye be right hartely welcome what busynes hath brought you in to this countrey of Byerne syr sayd the knyght syr Wyllyam Lygnac and I are commytted by the frensshe kynge to conduyte in to Castell certayne men of armes as ye haue herde or this and howe that ye wyl let our iourney and close your countrey of Byerne agaynst vs and our company then the erle of Foyze sayd syr Gaultyer that is not soo for I wyll not close nor kepe my countrey agaynst you nor agaynst ony man that wyl peasybly passe and pay to my people for that they take whiche fredome I haue sworne to kepe to maynteyne and mynystre to them Iustyce as euery lorde is bounde to do to his subiectes for that entente lordes haue theyr sygnoryes but it hath ben shewed me that ye brynge with you a maner of Bretons Barroys Loraynes and Borgonyons who knowe not what payne meaneth and agaynst suche people I wyll close my countrey for I wyll kepe my people in theyr fraunches and ryghtes syr sayd the knyght the entente of me and my companyon is that none shall passe thrughe your lande without they pay peaseably to the agrement of the poore mē or elles to be taken and corrected accordynge to the vsage of your countrey and they to make restytucyon for euery domage by them done or elles we to satysfye for theyr trespasses so theyr bodyes may be delyuered to vs without he be a gentyll man we shal make Iustyce to be done of his body before your men that all other shall take therby ensample and yf he be a gentyl mā we shal cause hym to rendre and restore ony domage by hym done or elles we shall doo it for hym this crye we shall make with a trompet in euery mannes lodgynge and also declare it agayne to them or they entre in to ony parte of your lande so that none shall exscuse them of neglygence syr may this suffyse and content you Then the erle sayd syr Gaultyer yf this be done I am well contente and ye shall be welcome in to this countrey I wyll be glad to see you let vs go◠to dyner and then we shall talke more togyder Syr sayd the erle cursed be the warre bytwene Portyngale Castel I ought gretly to complayne of it for I neuer lost so moche as I dyd at one season in the warre bytwene those two royalmes for all my chefe men of warre of Byerne were there slayne and yet I shewed them or they wente that they sholde make theyr warre wysely for I sayd the Portyngales were harde men to mete withall and cruell of dedes yf they haue the ouer hande of theyr enemyes they haue no mercy syr Gaultyer I speke it that when ye and your companyon come in to Castell syth ye two be the chefe capytaynes of them that are passed and shall passe and peraduenture ye shall be requyred by the kynge of Castell to gyue your counsayle and aduyse be wel aduysed that ye gyue not to hasty coūsayle to aduaunce to fyght with your aduersaryes the duke of Lancastre the kynge of Portyngale the Englysshe men or the Portyngales for all these be famylyer togyder and be all as one the englysshe men desyre to haue batayle by .ii. reasons one is of a grete season they haue had noo profyte they be poore and haue wonne nothynge of a longe tyme but rather spende and haue lost Wherfore they wyll be redy to auaunce themselfe in hope to gete some newe profyte and suche people as be aduenturers desyrynge other mennes goodes wyll fyght with a hardy courage and often tymes fortune serueth them well the other reason is the duke of Lancastre knoweth surely that he can not come parfytely nor peasybly to the herytage of Castell whiche he demaundeth to haue by the ryght of his wyfe whom he calleth ryghtfull enherytoure but all onely by batayle for he knoweth well yf he myght haue and obteyne one iourney agaynst the kynge of Castell that all the countrey then wolde yelde to hym and trymble before hym for this entente he is come in to Galyce and hath gyuen one of his doughters in maryage to the kynge of Portyngale to the entente that he sholde ayde his quarell and syrs I saye this to you for if the matter sholde fall otherwyse then well ye and your felowe shall bere more blame then ony other Syr sayd syr Gaultyer I thanke you of your good aduertysement and syr my seruyce shall be redy to doo you pleasure for at this day ye be amonge other crysten prynces reputed for one of the moost sagest and happest in all your aduentures but syr my companyon and I haue one aboue vs who is chefe souerayne of all our company that is the duke of Borbon and tyll he be come in to Castell we shall make no hast to fyght with our enemyes what soeuer ony man saye so they entred in to other talkynge tyll the erle of Foyze demaunded for wyne Then they dranke and soo toke leue the erle entred in to his chambre and syr Gaultyer retourned to his lodgynge well accompanyed with the erles knyghtes so supped togyder THe nexte day after dyner yr Gaultyer toke his leue of the erle of Foyze and be syde other thynges the erle gaue hyym a fayre courser and a mule syr Gaultyer thanked the erle so departed out of Ortays lay the same
Iherusalem and shall delyuer it fro the handes of the Sodayne and the enemyes of god for at the soÌ„mer nexte commynge the Frenche kynge and the kynge of Englande who wyll conioyne togyther shall reyse vp a great nombre of men of armes and of archers and shall fynde the passages open to receyue them than nothyng shall abyde before vs but all shall be conquered and put in oure obeysaunce whan we shall go all togyther Thus deuysed the Frenche men that were in the realme of Hungery WHan the moneth of May was come trustynge to here tydynges of Lamorabaquy the greate Turke the kynge of Hungery sent to the passages of the ryuer of Dunce and sent through out his realme to assemble his puissaunce togyder and the lordes of the Rodes came to hym strongly and all the moneth of May they taryed for the comyng of the sarazyns but no tydynges coulde be herde of them Than the kynge of Hungery sente suche as knewe the countrey beyonde the ryuer of Dunce to serche to haue soÌ„me tydynges of the great turke Suche as wente sertched all the countrey beyonde the Brase of saynt George and to the marches of Alexaundre of Damas and Antyoche but they coulde here no newes of Lamorabaquy nor of none army towarde Than they retourned and shewed the king what they had herde and sene Than the kynge assembled his counsayle and called the lordes of Fraunce who desyred to do dedes of armes The kyng shewed them howe he had sente men in to Turkey to haue knowlege what his enemies dyd and howe they coulde here no tydinges of Lamorabaquy nor no lykelyhode of his aprochyng for all the promesse he had made to passe the Dunce and to entre in to HuÌ„gery to sight with the Crysten men or mydde May shulde passe wherfore the kynge demaunded what counsayle they wolde gyue hym to do Than the lorde of Coucy for all the other sayd Syr though Lamorabaquy come nat forwarde acordynge to his promesse and maketh but a â—ape therof yet that ought nat to lette vs to do dedes of armes and to pursue our enemyes seynge we be assembled to that purpose Thus all the frenchmen almayns and other straungers shewed well howe they had great desyre to seke out Lamorabaquy to fyght with him whiche was to their great honour The lorde of Coucyes wordes were affyrmed by all the straungers it was all their opynyons howe they coulde enploye their season and tyme no better Than it was ordeyned by the kynge and by his marshalles that euery man shulde prepare hymselfe to be redy to sette forwarde at a daye assygned whiche was the vtas of saynt Iohan the baptyst Than offycers and other seruauntes aparelled for their maisters all thynges necessary and the Frenche men thynkynge to be fresshe and gay spared nouther Golde nor syluer Their departure fro Bode the soueraygne cytie of Hungery was goodly to regarde The constable of Hungery had the vowarde with a great nombre of hungaryons and almayns with him bycause he knewe the countreys And nexte after hym rode the frenche menne with the constable of Fraunce the erle de la Marche the lorde of Coucy syr Henry and syr Phylyppe of Bare and dyuers other And with the kynge rode the great lordes of his countrey as reasone was and besyde the kyng rode Iohan of Burgoyne often tymes deuysed with the kyng They were in the felde a threscore thousande horse they hadde but fewe a foote sauynge suche as were folowers The company of the crysten men were noble and well ordred and of Hungery there were many crosebowes a horsebacke the army iourneyed so longe that they came to the ryuer of Dunce and passed ouer in shyppes and barges and suche bridges as they had ordeyned for that purpose It was eight dayes or they were all passed ouer and as they passed they lodged theym euery company taryenge for other This ryuer of Dunce departeth the realmes of Hungery and Turkey a sonder WHan the christen men were all ouer and nothynge taryed behynde and were in the froÌ„ters of Turkey they greatlye reioysed and desyred greatly to do dedes of armes There they toke counsayle and determyned to go and ley siege to a towne in Turkey called Coniecte And as they ordayned so they dyde besieged it as they myght well do for it stode in a playne countrey and a ryuer ioynynge to it with shyppes theron called Necte the heed coÌ„mynge out of Turkey and fallynge in to the see at the ryuer of Dunce The ryuer of Dunce is a great Ryuer of thre hundred myles in length fro the begynnynge tyll it entre in to the See Whiche were the moost profytable ryuer in all the worlde for the realme of HuÌ„gry if the shyppes that be theron myght issue out therof in to the See but they can nat For in the mouthe therof whan they shulde issue in to the see there is in the ryuer a mouÌ„tayne whiche departeth the ryuer in two ê‘tes and maketh suche brute and noyse that it maye well be herde seuyn myle of and for that cause there is no shyppe that dare aproche nere to it I longe by this ryuer syde there be fayre medowes and pastures wherby all the countrey is well serued and dyuers vynes whiche in seasone make good wynes whiche the Turkes do make and putte in to Goot skynnes and selleth it vnto Christen men For accordyng to their lawe they dare drinke no wyne to be knowen It is defended them on payne of lyfe But they eate the reysynges and they haue other good frutes and spyces wherof they make drinke and vse greatly to drinke Gootes mylke whiche refressheth theym in the hote season Thus the kynge of Hungry and his hoost lodged before the cytie of Coniecte at their ease and pleasure for no manne troubled their siege And whan they came before the Cytie they fouÌ„de the frutes rype the whiche was great pleasure to them They made to this Cytie dyuers assautes and they within defended them selfe trustyng dayly to haue ayde and socour of Lamorabaquy their lorde to reyse the siege with puyssaunce But he dyde nat wherby the Cytie was taken by force of assaute and distroyed with great slaughter of men women and chyldren For the christen men that entred hadde no mercy nor pytie WhanÌ„e this Cytie was thus wonne the kyng of Hungry dislodged and wente forwarde in to Turkey and was determyned to go and ley siege to a great cytie called Nicopoly and as they rode they fouÌ„de in their waye the towne of Quayre and layde siege to it fyftene dayes or it was won but finallye it was won by assaute clene distroyed And so passed forthe and in their waye they founde another towne and a stronge castell called Brehappe and a knyght of Turkey was lorde therof and was within the castell to defende it The kyng and his army were lodged within a myle where was a fayre ryuer and about the towne there was none There the erle of
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