perfyte Nowe in the same season there happed to fall a great lette and trouble in this matter wherby all was nyghe at a poynte to haue been broken and made voyde and it is reason I tell you the cause to the entent that the hystory be playne and trewe YE haue herde here before how the frenche kyng had great pleasure to lye at Abbeuyle and also to be nere to here dayly howe the treatie wente forwarde at Balyngham And whan the four dukes were at a poynt as ye haue herde at the conclusyon of the mater the dukes of Lancastre and Gloucestre sayd howe that it was the entensyon of kynge Rycharde kynge of Englande and his counsayle that pope Bonyface beynge at Rome whome the Romayns almayns hungaryons lumbardes venysyans and all the nacyons of the worlde chrystened helde to one pope and he that named hym selfe Clement degraded and condeÌpned that they shulde desyre the frenche kynge to take the same way Whan the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne vnderstode those wordes the duke of Burgoyne to the entent somewhat to please his cosyns of Englande and to the entente that their treatie of peace shulde nat be hyndred therby sayd Fayre cosyns we desyre you to haue some respyte to take counsayle vpon that mater whiche was graunted them And thervpon they toke counsayle and than aunswered and the Duke of Burgoyne spake and sayd Fayre cosyns the mater and questyon of the two popes is nat couenable to be moued nor spoken of here amonge vs and we marueyle why ye put this mater in coÌmunycacion for at the fyrst begynnyng of our treatie ye refused to se or to speke with the Legate de la Lyne who is as yet in Abbeuyle wherfore we rest vs on that Whan the cardynalles at Rome dyd chose pope Vrbayne and after his dyscease pope Bonyface none of our party nor yet of yours were called to that electyon and in lykewyse we saye of Clement who is at Auygnon We saye nat agaynst but that it were great almes to a pease theym and to vny the churche who so myght entende to do it but lette vs leaue that mater and lette the vnyuersitees and clerkes determyne it and whan all our busynesse is concluded and a ferme peace ratifyed than by the counsayle of our cosyn the kynge of Almayne we shall entende therto gladly on our partye and in lykewyse do you on your partie With this aunswere the dukes of Englande were well content for it semed to them reasonable Than they aunswered and sayde Fayre cosyns ye haue sayde very well we are content with the same Thus that mater rested Than there fell a nother great lette and trouble for the frenche kynge who had layne at the towne of Abuyle a great season bycause of the great disportes pleasure and pastyme that he fouÌde there sodaynly he fell agayne in to his maladye of fransy in lyke maner as he had ben the yere before He that fyrst perceyued it was syr Willyam Martell a knyght of Normandy who was alwayes nere to the kynges persone in his priuy chambre The same seasone the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne were at Boloyne or at Balyngham vpon th ende of their parlyament and they had in a manerall concluded for that seasone And as soone as the duke of OrlyauÌce brother to the kynge knewe of this chaunce of the kynges sycknesse and that he had sene hym he sente a secrete squyer of his named Bonyface to his vncles to Boloyne aduertisynge them secretly of the kynges dysease Whanne the dukes knewe that they were ryght sorye and departed for they had all redy taken their leaues of their cosyns of Englande who were also departed to Calays and taryed there to here tydynges fro the kyng of Nauerte and fro the duke of Bretaygne for they hadde moued in their treatie that the castell of Chyerbourge standynge on the seesyde vpon the close of Constantyne in Normandy whiche the kynge of Englande had in gawge and in kepynge as I was enfourmed for the soÌme of threscore thousande nobles of Englande that the frenche kynge shulde paye the sayd somme and the castell to retourne to the Kynge of Nauerre and also the stronge castell of Brest that the englysshe men helde shulde retourne to the duke of Bretaygne The dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne abode nat the conclusyon of that matter but came to Abbeuyle and founde the kynge in ryght yuell estate of his helthe where of they were sory The kynges sycknesse was kepte secrete as longe as it myght be but it was nat very longe for suche aduentures are soone spredde abrode Thus all the lordes that had been in Abbeuyle departed one after another euery man home to his owne howse Than it was determyned that the kynge shulde be caryed in an horse lytter to the castell of Crayll vpon Oyse where he had been before Thyder he was conueyed by nyght tyme and the daye tyme he rested for the heate of the sonne The duke of Berrey and the duke of Orlyaunce rode to Crayell with the kynge and the duke of Burgoyne rode in to Arthoys and in to Flaunders vysitynge his countreys and founde the duchesse his wyfe at the castell of Hedyn As than there was no mo wordes spoken of the lorde de la Ryuer nor of syr Iohan Mercyer they were as than all forgoten no man spake of their greuaunce nor of their delyueraunce This seconde malady that Charles the frenche kynge was fallen in dyd put away greatly the speakynge of the people The wyse and sage men of Fraunce feared before greatly this chaunce for they sawe the kynge was lykely to fall in to that malady by reason of the great excesse that he had vsed in tymes paste and through the feblenesse of his heed mayster WillmÌ of Harsley was as than newly deed and suche as were nere about the kyng coude nat tell where to haue a good sure phisicyon to wayt vpon the kyng howbeit they that were about him dyd the best they coude deuise ¶ Of the dethe of pope Clement at Auygnon and of the lectyon of pope Benedic Cap. C.xcvi IN that tyme in the moneth of Septembre passed out of this worlde at Auygnon Roberte of Geneue named pope Clement and it came by hym as he had alwayes said before whan any man spake of the peace and vnyân of the church he wolde say alwayes howe he wolde dye pope and so he dyd in maner as ye haue herde here before wrongfully or ryghtfully I wyll nat determyne Than the Cardynalles there were sore abasshed and studyed whome they myght chose to be pope The same tyme the Frenche kynge retourned agayne to his helth wherof all suche as loued him had great ioye and specyally the good quene who had gyuen moche almesse and done many pylgrymages for the kynge and caused generall processyons to be made in Parys As I was enfourmed the cardynals at Auygnon dyd electe and chose to be pope the cardynall de la
brent and rased downe for they sawe well that it was nat to be kept seyng that it was so farr in Englande as it was Than the admyrall scottes rode towarde Auwike in the lande of the lorde Percy lodged there about brent certayne villages and so came to another castell of therle of NorthuÌberlandes standyng on the see syde but they assayled it nat for they knew well they shulde lese their payne And so they rode all about that fronter halfwaye bytwene Berwyke Newcastell on the ryuer of Tyne and there they vnderstode howe that the duke of LaÌcastre therle of NorthuÌberlande the erle of Notingham the lorde Neuell and the barons of those marches of NorthuÌberlande of the bysshoprikes of yorke Dyrham were comynge on them with a great power Whan thadmyrall of Fraunce knewe therof he was right ioy full and so were all the barons of FrauÌce that were in his coÌpany for they desyred to haue batayle but the scottes cared Iytell therfore there they were counsayled to returne againe towarde Berwyke bycause of their prouisyon that folowed them also to be nere their owne couÌtre and there to abyde for their ennemyes So thadmyrall beleued theÌ and returned towarde Berwyke wherof sir Thomas Redman was capitayne with hym right good men of armes So the french men and scottes lay before the towne but assayled it nat so passed by the next day and toke the waye to Burbourcke to retourne to their owne countrees Tidynges was brought anon in to EnglaÌde howe the freÌchmen scottes were in Northum berlaÌde distroyed and brent the couÌtre The kynge of Englande knewe rightwell before of their comynge wherfore the lordes were redy in the felde toke their way towarde the scottes Thenglysshmen had made that somer the grettest prouisyon that euer they made to go in to Scotlande bothe by lande water They had a .xxvi. vessels on the fee charged with êuision costyng the froÌters of Englande redy to entre in to euery hauen of Scotland And the kyng caÌe him selfe acoÌpanyed with his vncles therle of CaÌbridge sir ThoinÌs Holand Ther was also therle of Salisbury therle of AtuÌdell the yong erle of Penbroke the yong lorde SpeÌsar therle of Stafforde therle Mysien so many barons knightes that they were four M. speres besyde them that were before with the duke of LaÌcastre therle of NorthuÌberlaÌde therle therle of NotynghmÌ the lorde Lucy the lorde Neuell The lordes barons that were on before pursuyng the scottes were a two M. speares .xv. M. archers And the kynge the lordes were fyftie M. archers besyde varlettes The kyng folowed the duke of Lancastre so fast that he and all his host came in to the marches about yorke for on the way tidynges caÌe to the kyng howe that his people that were before were likely to fight with the scottes in the marches of NorthuÌberlande therfore he made the gretter hast so the kyng caÌe at last to sait IohnÌs of Beuerley in the marches of DyrhinÌ And ther tidynges came to the kyng how that the scottes were returned in to their owne countre so all the men of warre lodged about in the marches of NorthuÌberland ¶ Nowe shall I shewe you of an adueÌture that fell in theÌglysshe hoost wherby that voyage was broken mortall warre bytwene certayne of the lordes ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ Hollande slewe sir Rycharde Stafforde howe therle of Stafforde came to the kyng to demaunde iustyce Cap. xii IN the marches of sait IohnÌ of Beuerley in the dyoces of yorke The kynge of England was lodged with a great nombre of erles barons and knightes for euery man lay as nere the kyng as they might and specially his two vncles ser Thomas Holande erle of Lien and sir Iohan Holande his brother In the kynges company there was a knyght of Boesme was come to se the quene of Englande and for loue of the quene the kyng and the lordes made hym good chere His name was sir Myles he was a fresshe lustye knight after the vsage of Almaygne And so it fortuned besyde a vyllage nere to sait Iohans of Beuerley that there fell wordes bitwene this knight two squyers of sir Iohan of Hollandes brother to the kynge and to the wordes there came two archers of sir Iohan Staffordes The wordes so multiplyed that the two archers toke parte with the straunger and blamed the two squyers sayng Sirs yedo wroÌge to medyll with this knight for ye knowe he is belongyng to the quene and of her countre ye ought rather to support him than otherwise Than one of the squyers sayd What enuyous knaue Hast thou to do thoughe I blame hym for his folly What haue I to do quod the archer I haue right well to do therwith for he is companyon to my mayster Therfore I wyll nat be in the place to suffre hym to receyue any villany yea quod the squyer if I thought thou woldest ayde hym agaynste me I wolde put this swerd through thy body made couÌtnauÌce as thoughe he wolde haue stryken him The archer stepped backe with his bowe whiche was redy bente And sette an arowe therin and drewe it vp and shotte agaynst the squyer that the arowe pearsed thoroughe body hart and so fell downe deed Whan the other squyer sawe his felowe deed he fledde awaye and sir Myles retourned to his lodgynge The two archers went to their maister and shewed hym all the aduenture Sir Richarde Stafforde sayde Thou hast done right yuell Sir quod the archer I coude do none otherwise without I wolde haue been slayne my selfe and I had rather haue slayne hym thaÌ he shulde haue slayne me Well quod sir Rycharde Go thy waye that thou be nat founde and I shall entreate for thy peace with sir Iohan of Holande by my father or by some other So the archer deêted TIdynges anone was brought to sir Iohan of Holande that an archer of sir Richarde Staffordes had slayne a squyer of his that man that he loued best in all the worlde and it was shewed hym the maner howe And that it was for the cause of sir Myles the strauÌger Whan sir Iohan of Holande was well enfourmed of this aduenture he was ryght sore displeased and sayd I shall neuer eate nor drike tyll it be reuenged Than he lepte on his horse and toke certayne of his men with hym and departed fro his owne lodgynge It was as than right late and so rode in to the feldes and enquered Where sir Myles was lodged It was shewed hym he was lodged in the reregarde with the erle of Deuurynters and therle of Stafforde Than sir Iohan Hollande toke the waye thyder warde and sought to fynde sir Myles And as he and his men rode vp downe amonge the hedges and busshes in a straite waye he mette at aduenture with sir Richarde Stafforde and bicause it was night he demauÌded who was there I am
cytte of Carlyle was chiefe cytie of all that countre and it was nede full for good men of warre to be theâ for whan the admyrall of Fraunce came thyder he assayled the cytie by great force the whiche assaute was cruell and fierse So thus before the cytie there were many noble dedes of armes done ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Oxenforde brake the pursute that the kyng of EnglaÌd had thought to haue made in to wales after the frenche men and scottes And howe the kynge retourned the same waye that he came and howe the frenche men and scottes determyned to retourne agayne in to ScotlaÌde Cap. xv THe kyng of Englandes vncles knewe well what waye the admyrall of FrauÌce and the scottes helde said how they thought it for the best to folowe theym and to serche tyll they myght fynde them and so to fight with them Sayeng howe they coude in no wyse escape them In this purpose was the duke of Lancastre and his bretherne and dyuers other of the great barons of Englande and the moost parte of the coÌmons of the hoost And as than all their prouisyon was come as well by lande as by see and the kynge also was agreed to the same purpose and than on a night the erle of Oxenforde who was as than chiefe of counsayle with the kynge bare all the rule the kyng trusted no man so moche He turned the kyng cleue fro his purpose I can nat shewe you for what cause but the enformed the kyng as it was knowen after and said sir What thynke ye to do Wyll ye folowe the way that your vncles hath counsayled Sir knowe for trouth that if ye do so ye shall neuer returne agayne For sir the duke of LaÌcastre desyreth none other thynge but that ye were deed that he might be kyng Howe durst he couÌsayle yor grace to go this wynter season in to a strange countrey Sir I wolde nat counsayle you to passe the mouÌtayns of Northumberlande for there be mo than .xxx. streightes and passages that if ye were closed in them ye shulde neuer come out agayne without daunger of the scottes Sir putte nat youre selfe in to that daunger what soeuer they saye to you If the duke of Lancastre wyll go lette hym go and haue the charge therof but by my counsayle ye shall nat go Sir ye haue done ynough for this one tyme. youre father was neuer so farre within Scotlande nor yet Kynge Edwarde youre graunt father Therfore sir this oughte to contente you and saue youre owne persone ye be yonge and lusty And suche there be that sheweth you sayre semblant and loueth you but lâtell The kynge gaue suche audyence to the sayeng of this erle that it went neuer out of his mynde as ye shall herafter THe next mornyng the lordes of Englande and their people ordred them selfe to deête out of ScotlaÌde and to folowe their ennemyes to fight with them as it was concluded the night before Than the duke of Lancastre came to the king his nephue nat knowyng of the trouble and chaunge of his purpose ⪠and the kynge beyng in his malencoly assone as he sawe hym he sayd in great yre Certesse vncle of LaÌcastre ye shall nat attayne as yet to your entent Thynke you for all your wordes that we wyll lese our selfe folisshely I wyll nat beleue you nor yet your couÌsayle for I se therby more domage than profyte to vs and to our people For if ye wyll make this voyage do it and ye lyste but as for me I wyll nat For I wyll retourne into Englande the nexte waye and all suche as loue vs wyll folowe vs. Than the duke of Lancastre sayd Sir I shall folowe you for ye haue neuer a man in your company that loueth you so well as I do also my bretherne And if there be any man wyll saye except your persone that I wolde any thynge otherwyse than well to you or to your people here is my guage to the coÌtrarie So there was none that wolde speke any worde And the kynge helde his peace and spake to other of his seruauntes of other maters and orderyng hymselfe to returne into Englande the same way that he came and the duke of LaÌcastre departed fro the kynge right sore troubled in his mynde and returned to his coÌpany and made newe ordynauÌce for in the morning they had thought to haue folowed the frenchmen in to the marches of Wales but they dyde nat so for they retourned the next waye in to Englande Lo thus ye may se howe thetle of OxeÌforde who was great with the kyng brake all this voyage and dyuers of the great lordes sayd that the kyng was yuell counsayled Seynge that all the prouisyon was come For they sayd they might well haue folowed the scottes in to Wales For in their so doyng they shulde euer haue drawen in to Englande warde And some êsons that were wery of payne and trauell said howe that all thynges coÌsidred they were better to retourne than to go any further Sayeng howe a great êuision must be had to scrue suche an host howe it was yuell to passe the mountayns that wynter season wherby they sayd they might rather lese than wynne THus in his season brake vp the iorney and army of Englande and the kynge and his lordes retourned in to Englande the same way they came but they hadde distroyed the moost parte of the realme of Scotlande These tidynges came to the admyrall of FrauÌce and to the scottes than they tooke counsayle what was best for them to do and so concluded to retourne agayne in to Scotlande for their vitails began to fayle and they were in a poore countrey for they had distroyed the marches of Carlyle and the landes of the barone of Clyfforde the lorde Maubray and the bysshoprike of Carlyle but the cytie they coude nat wynne And the frenche men sayd howe they had brent and distroyed in the bysshorike of Dyrhame Carlyle that was better worthe than all the townes in Scotlande So the frenchmen and scottes retourned in to Scotlande the same waye they came And whan they came into ScotlaÌde they founde the countrey distroyed but the people of the countre dyde sette but lytell therby and said howe with thre or four poles shortely they wolde make agayne their houses for they had saued moche of their catayle in the forestes But all that the frenche men tooke they were fayne to paye truely therfore and dere The frenche men were often in great daunger for the scottes and they were at many debates for vitayle And the scotes sayd howe the frenche men dyde them more demage than the Englysshe men had done when it was demaunded of them why so they answered and sayde howe the frenche men as they rode abrode they beate downe desoyled their cornes as whete barley and otes and wolde nat kepe the highe wayes but rather ryde throughe the corne Of whiche demages they said they
Gaunte And moreouer we the sayd duke and duches praye and requyre oure welbeloued Aunte duchesse of Lusenbourcke and of Brabant and our right welbeloued brother the duke Iubert of Bauyer And also the aldermen coÌmontie and counsayle of Gaunt And also we the duke duchesse of Burgoyne and our aldermen counsayle and coÌmonties of Gaunt requyre and praye the barones and nobles of the countrey of Flaunders here after folowynge and to all good townes As Bruges Ipre the ferrouer of FraÌke and the good townes of Malynes and Auuers That what for the well of the peace and knowledge of suretie of the foresaid thynges and of eche of them we desyre them to sette to their seales And we Iane by the grace of god duchesse of Lusenbourcke of Brabaunt and of Lancbourcke And we duke Aubert of Bauyere baylye and gouernour of the countrey of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande and of the seignorie of Frise And we Wyllyam eldest sonne of the erle of Namure lorde of Sluse And Hughe lorde daÌcoyne Chateleyne of Gaunt And IohnÌ lorde of Guystelles and of Harues Henry de Bures lorde of Dysqueme we and of Haure Iohan lorde of Gonuseberge and of Ientoyse Arnolde of Iouste lorde of Estornay Philyppe lorde Daxalle Loyse of the Halse bastarde of Flaunders Gyrarde of Rasenhen lorde of Baserode Gaultier lorde of Halme Philyppe of Namure lorde of Eque IohnÌ Villayne lorde of saynt Iohans withoute the Chatcllayne of Ipre And Loyse lorde of Lambres knyght And we the borowe maysters and aldermen of Bruges and Ipre We Philyppe of Redehen Mountferant aldermen of MouÌtfranke and of Mountamare knight shyrife of terrouer of Franke for and in the name of the sayd Terrouer whiche hath no seale and the commons and counsayls of the townes of Malynes and Auuers Haue by the foresayd prayers and request for the welth of the peace And in wytnes of the trouthe and for more suretie of the sayd thynges and of eche of them we haue putte to the Seales of the sayd townes to this present treatie made at Tourney the eyghtene day of the moneth of Decembre in the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fyue AFter the makyng of these present letters and charters of peace and engrosed and Sealed they were publysshed and the duke had the one parte of them and the towne of Gaunt the other parte Than FrauÌces Atreman the coÌmons of the towne of GauÌt beyng there toke their leaue humbly of the duke and of the duchesse and also of the lady of BrabaÌt Thankyng her a thousande tymes of her ayde and helpe in makynge of their peace and offred them selfe euer to be redy to do her seruyce The good lady thanked theÌ right swetely and exhorted them euer to kepe fermely the peace and so to styrre the people that they neuer rebell agaynst their lorde and lady So than euery body departed and went home to their owne The duke and duches retourned to Lyle and they of Gaunt returned to their towne Whan Peter de Boise sawe the sure confyrmacion of the peace and that all the people of Gaunt had great ioye therof and were in mynde and wyll neuer to rebell more nor to haue warr he was therof greatly abasshed and had dyuers ymaginacyons Wheder he shulde abyde stylle in Gaunte for all thynges was pardoned by the dukes charter sealed with his seale or elles to departe in to Englande with sir Iohan Bourchier and with the Englysshe men who apparelled them to go And all thynges consydred he thought in hym selfe that he coude nat trust this peace nor to abyde in Gaunte And whan Fraunces Atreman sawe that he wolde nat abyde he sayd to him Peter what thynke ye to do Why do ye feare ye knowe well that by this treatie sealed by the duke that for any thing that is past there shall neuer chalenge be made to you for that Than Peter answered sayd yea in letters written lyeth nat all true êdons Some pardoneth well by mouthe and gyueth writyng therof but yet the hatered remayneth styll in their corages As for me I am a man of the towne of Gaunt of small reputacion and of base lynage to my power I haue susteyned the rightes lyberties fraÌcheses of the towne Thynke you that wtin this two or thre yere the people wyll remeÌbre it I feare nay There be great lygnages in the towne of Gylbert Mathewes and his bretherne They wyll retourne and they were enemyes to my mayster Iohan Leon gladly I wolde neuer se theym nor the parentes of sir Gylbert Brute nor of sir Symon Becte who were by me slayne wherfore in this case I can nat be sure of my lyfe And as for you Fraunces Atreman wyll you abyde amonge suche a sorte of treatours who haue so falsely broken their othe and promyse to the kynge of Englande I swere to you truely ye wyll repente it for it wyll coste you youre lyfe I can nat saye quod Fraunces but I truste so well in this peace and in the duke and duchesses promyse that I wyll ieoparde to abyde THan Peter de Boyse made a request to the aldermen and counsayle of the towne Sayeng Fayre lordes to my power I haue truely serued the towne of GauÌt and haue ben in many an harde aduenture in that be halfe And for all the good seruyce that I haue done In the name of rewarde I aske none other thynge but that I maye be sauely conducted with sir Iohan Bourchier whome ye sende in to Englande This is all that I demaunde And they all aunswered it shulde be done And as for sir Roger Emeryne and Iaques Dardenbourcke by whome this treatie was firste moued they were ryght gladde of his departure and so were dyuers other notable persones in Gaunt suche as loued the peace So thus Peter de Boyse departed frome Gaunte in the company of sir Iohan Bourchier and toke with hym all the substauÌce that he hadde He was well furnysshed of golde syluer and ieowelles And sir Iohan Delle dyde conducte them vnder the dukes salue conducte to the towne of Calais and than the gauntoise retourned Sir Iohan Bourchier and Peter de Boyse as soone as they might they wente in to Englande and came to the kyng and to his vncles and shewed them the dedes of theym of Gaunte The kynge made Peter de Boyse good chere and so dyde the duke of Lancastre and his bretherne and gaue hym great thanke in that he was come to them and had abandoned theym of Gaunte to come in to Englande The kyng incontynent retaygned hym gaue hym an hundred marke sterlynge yerely to be payed out of the Staple of the wolles in London Thus Peter de Boyse abode styll in Englande and the good towne of Gaunt in peace And sir Roger Emeryn was made chefe alder man of the flete of Gaunt whiche was a good offyce and of great profyte whan the shyppes myght haue their course with marchaundyse And sir Iaques DardeÌbourc
was made chefe ruler of all the meane Craftes in the towne of Gaunte whiche also was a great and a profytable offyce ⸫ ⸪ ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ Froyssart auctour of this cronycle departed out of Fraunce and wente to the erle of Foiz and the maner of his voyage Cap. xxi IT is longe nowe sith I made any mencion of the busynesses of farre Countreis for the busynesses nerer home hath ben so fresshe that I lafte all other maters to write therof Howe be it all this season valyant men desyring to auauÌce them selfe on the realme of Castell and Portyngale In Gascoyne in Rouergue in Quercy in Lymosyn and in Bygore Euery day they ymagined by what subteltie they coulde gette one of another by dedes of armes or by stealyng of townes castels fortresses And therfore I IohnÌ Froyssart who haue taken on me to cronycle this present hystorie at the reqÌst of the highe renomed prince sir Guy of Chatellon erle of Bloyse lorde of Dauesnes Beauuoys Destonhon of la Guede my souerayne mayster good lorde CoÌsydring in my selfe howe there was no great dedes of armes likely towarde in the parties of Picardy or FlauÌders Seyng the peace was made bytwene the duke and them of Gaunt And it greatly anoyed me to be ydell for I knewe well that after my deth this noble and highe hystorie shulde haue his course wherin dyuers noble men shulde haue great pleasure and delyte And as yet I thaÌke god I haue vnderstandyng and remembrauÌce of all thynges passed and my wyt quicke and sharpe ynough to conceyue all thinges shewed vnto me touchyng my princypall mater my body as yet able to endure and to suffre payne All thynges coÌsydred I thought I wolde nat lette to pursue my sayde first purpose And to ââtent to knowe the trouthe of dedes done in ãâã countrieâ I founde occasion to go to the ââghe and mighty prince Gascone erle of Foiz and of Byerne for I knewe well that if I might haue that grace to come in to his house and to be there at leysar I coude nat be so well enformed to my purpose in none other place of the worlde for thyder resorted all maner of knightes and straÌge squyers for the great noblenes of the sayd erle and as I ymagined so I dyd And shewed to my redoubted lorde the Erle of Bloyes myne entent and he gaue me letters of recoÌmendacions to therle of Foiz And so rong I tode without parell or domage that I caÌe to his house called Ortaise in the couÌtre of Berne on saynt Katheryns day the yere of grace M. thre hundred fourscore and eight And the sayd erle as soone as he sawe me he made me good chere and smylyng sayd howe he knewe me yet he neuer sawe me before but he had often herde spekyng of me and so he reteyned me in his house to my great ease with the helpe of the letters of credence that I brought vnto hym so that I might tary there at my pleasure there I was enfourmed of the busynesse of the realmes of Castyle Portyngale Nauar and Aragon yea and of the realme of Englande couÌtre of Burbonoyse and Galcoyne And the erle him selfe if I dyd demaunde any thyng of him he dyde shewe me all that he knewe Sayenge to me howe thy storie that I had begon shulde hereafter be more praysed than any other and the reason he sayd why was this Howe that .l. yere passed there had been done more marueylous dedes of armes in the worlde than in thre hundred yere before that Thus was I in the court of the erle of Foiz well cherysshed and at my pleasure it was the thyng that I moost desyred to knewe newes as touchyng my mater And I had at my wyll lordes knightes squiers euer to enforme me and also the gentle erle hym self I shall nowe declare in fayre langage all that I was enfourmed of to encrease therby my mater and to gyue ensample to theÌ that lyste to auaunce them selfe Here before I haue recounted great dedes of armes takynge and sautynge townes and castelles and batayles and harde encountrynges and yet here after ye shall here of many mo the whiche by the grace of god I shall make iust narracion ye haue herde here before that whan the lorde Edmonde sonne to the kynge of Englande erle of Cambridge was deerted fro the realme of Portingale and had take shypping at Lustbourke and howe he had made câuânant that Iohan to recouer our herytage So thus we become byder paradueÌture nat so many as ye wrote for but suche as I haue here be of suche good wylles that they dare well abyde the aduenture of batayle agaynst all those that be nowe present with the erle of Tryslmate and surely we shall nat be content with you without we haue batayle Suche wordes or lyke the Erle of Cambridge shewed to the kyng of Portingale or he departed the whiche kyng herde theÌ well howe be it he neuer durste gyue batayle on the playne of Saluence whafic he was before the spaynierdes nor they of the countre wolde nat gyue hym counsayle therto but sayde to hym Sir the puyssaunce of the kyng of Castell is as nowe so great and that by fortune or mysad âenture that ye lese the âelde ye lese than youre realme for euer Wherfore it were better ye suffred than to do a thyng wherby ye shulde haue domage and parell And whan tâe erle of Cambridge sawe it wolde be none otherwyse Here tourned to Lusenborne and aparelled his shyppes and toke leaue of the kyng of Portyngale and so toke the see with his company wolde nat leaue Iohan his sonne in Portingale with the kyng nor with the lady that he shulde mary with all The chylde was but yonge and so thus the erle reteurned in to Englande Thus was the dealyng as than of the iourney in Portyngale THe erle of Cambridge retourned in to Englande on the maner as ye haue her de before and shewed his brother the Duke of Lancastre all the dealynge of kynge Ferant of Portyngale The duke was sorie therof for he sawe thereby that his conquest of Castell was farre of and also kyng Richarde of Englande had abouth hâm câuÌsayle that were nat after his apetyte and specially theâle of Orâforde who was chefe in the kinges fauour This erle dyd set as great trouble bytwene the kyng and his vncles as he might and said oftentymes to the kyng sir âfye wyll folowe the myndes of your vncles the duke of Lancastre the crle of Cambridge it shall well cost all the treasure in Englande about their warre in Spayne and yet they shall ceÌquere nothyng It were better for you to kepe your owne people and your money than to spende it abrode where as ye can gette no profyte and kepe and defende your owne he rytage wherin ye haue warâe on all sydes as well by Fraunce as by Scotlande rather than to enploy your tyme in
myght haue an answere Laurence sayd the duke or this tyme ⪠I haue shewed you and yet agayne I say it that your comynge and these tydynges doth me grete pleasure and ye shall not departe fro me tyll ye be satysfyed of all your requestes well answered in that ye be come for syr sayd the squyer I thanke you then the duke called for wyne spyces so toke theyr leue wente to theyr lodgynge to Arcorch to the house of the Fawcon in London there they were lodged with Thomelyn of Colebrunque ANd it was not longe after but that the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Cambrydge his broder had counsayle togyder of that busynes ⪠of Castell and Portyngale wherof the erle of Cambrydge was well contente for he had ben in that countrey before more then a yere and he was glad to here of the condycyons tytles of the kynge of Portyngale and of the quene of Castell and sayd to his broder syr when kynge Ferrant lyued the Chanon Robsart and syr Wyllyam Wyndesore and dyuers other knyghtes that were there with me shewed me as it is nowe fallen for they sayd how they had herde dyuers of the same couÌtrey murmure on the quene of Castelles tytle to Portyngale therfore I toke away with me my sone had no grete affeccyon to that maryage In the name of god sayd the duke the squyer that is here of Portyngale hathe declared all the matter and I thynke we can not haue so fayre an entre in to Castell as by Portyngale for the royalme of Aragon is ferre of and also the kynge there and his chyldren haue alwayes ben more fauourable to the frensshe partye thenne to vs Therfore it were not good syth the kynge of Portyngale maketh for vs this good ãâã to refuse it So on a day for this matter there was a parlyament holden at Westmynstre there it was accorded that the duke of Lancastre sholde haue at the costes of the royalme bitwene a M. .xii. C. speres of chosen men .ii. M. archers a M. of other yomen they were all paydein hande for halfe a yere therwith all the kynges vncles were well contente specyally the duke of Lancastre to whom pryncypally the matter touched as he that sholde be chefe of the armye and to dyspatche these ambassadours of Portyngale the kynge of Englande wrote to the kynge of Portyngale louynge letters conteynyng grete amyte that he wolde bere to Portyngale grete gyftes were gyueÌ to the mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale to Laurence Fongase who was alwayes with the duke of Lancastre with the erle of Cambrydge so on a day these ambassadours toke theyr leue of the kyng his couÌsayle dyned that daye with the duke of Lancastre the erle of Cambrydge the nexte day they were delyuered as I vn derstode the duke of Lancastre sente letters to the kynge of Portyngale also by credence that he sholde sende a .vii. galeys an .xviii. or .xx. other vesselles to the porte of Brystowe on the fronters of Wales for hym his company to passe in to Portyngale so the ambassadoures departed wente to Hampton there founde theyr shyp that taryed for them so entred in to the see had wynde at theyr wyl so entred in to the hygh Spaynysshe see within .v. dayes they were in the hauen of the porte of Portyngale at whiche tyme the kynge was there and was ryght ioyfull of theyr comynge ANd there the grete mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale Laurence Fongase shewed the kynge his counsayle al that they had sene herde in Englande as well of the kynge as of his vncles delyuered theyr letters whiche certefyed al theyr saynges then anone after the kynge of Portyngale Who gretely desyred the ayde out of Englande to the entente to cause his enemyes to haue the more fere determyned with his couÌsayle that mayster Alphons Vâetat chefe patron mayster of all his shyppes and galeys in Portyngale that he sholde prepayre redy .vii. galeys and .xviii. other grete Chyppes to sayle in to Englande to fetche the duke of Lancastre his coÌpany so Alphons was coÌmaunded thus to do he incontynent dyd so and so on a daye departed fro the porte of Portyngale and in .vi. dayes he arryued at Brystowe at whiche season the lordes of Englande for the moost parte were aboute the marches of Wales for the kynge was there when the duke of Lancastre knewe of the comynge of these shyppes he was ryght ioyfull Then knyghtes squyers and al suche as sholde go with hym were sente for so that in the porte of Brystowe there were CC. vesselles with the flete of Portyngale redy apparelled for the duke and his company and the dukes entencyon was to haue with hym his wyfe his chyldreÌ to make with them some good maryages in castel in Portyngale or his retourne agayne in to Englande for he thought not shortely to retourne for he saw the busynes in Englande lykely to be harde and sharpe how the kyng his neuewe was yonge and had aboute hym peryllous counsayle wherfore he was the gladder to be gone or he departed in the presence of his bretherne he ordeyned his sone the lorde Henry erle of Darby his lieutenaunt of all that he had in Englande set aboute hym wyse sad counsayle he was a lusty yonge knyght was sone to the duches of Lancastre the lady Blaunche doughter to quene Phylyp of Englande I neuer sawe .ii. better ladyes nor of more noble condycyon nor neuer shal thoughe I sholde lyue this thousande yeres whiche is impossyble WHen duke IohnÌ of Lancastre had ordred all his busynes in Englonde theÌ he toke leue of the kyng of his bretherne and so he wente to Brystowe there taryed a .xv. dayes shypped all his horses bagages mo then .ii. M. with hay lytter and fresshe water for them Then the duke entred in to a galey well apparelled had by hym a grete shyp yfnede were for hym for the duches Constaunce his wyfe who wente in this iourney with a good courage for she trusted then to recouer her herytage of Castell and to be quene there or she retourned agayne she had with her a doughter called Katheryne by her fyrst husbande .ii. other doughters Izabel and Phylyp whiche Phylyp was maryed to syr IohnÌ Holande who was constable of the oost the marshall was syr Thomas Morâaur who had also in maryage one of his doughters howbeit she was a bastarde was moder to the lady mercell damoysel Mary of saynt Hyllary of Hauman admyral of the dukes nauey was syr Thomas Percy also there was syr yon fythwaren the lorde of Lucy syr Henry Beaumond de poumins syr IohnÌ of But nuell the lorde Talbot the lorde Basset syr Wyllyam Beaâchamp syr Wyllyam Wyndefore syr Thomas
shewe that the iourney pleased hym and to approche the soner to his passage so the kyng approched and it was sayd in Flaunders and in Actoys they shall take shyppyng outher on Satterday monday or tuysday so that in euery day in yâ weke it was sayd he sholde departe to morowe or the nexte day after and his broder the duke of Tourayne the bysshop of Beawuoys chauncellour of Fraunce dyuers other grete lordes toke theyr leue of the kyng at Lysl and they retourned to Parys it was shewed me howe the kynge had gyuen the gouernyng of the royalme to his broder the duke of Tourayne tyll his retourne agayne with the ayde of dyuers other lordes of Fraunce suche as were not ordeyned to go in to Englande as the erle of Bloys and other yet all the season the duke of Berry was behynde came but fayre easely for he had no grete appetyte to go in to Englande his longe taryeng was dyspleasauÌt to the kynge to the duke of Burgoyne and to the other lordes they wolde gladly he had ben come styll grete prouysyon was made whiche was costly and dere a thynge not worth a franke was solde for .iiii. howebeit for all that money was not spared for euery man desyred to be well stuffed of euery thynge in maner of enuy euery maÌ to be better appoynted then other and thoughe the grete lordes were well payde theyr wages other poore companyons bought the bergayne for they were owynge for a monethes wages and yet coulde gete nothynge the treasourer of the warres and clarkes of the chambre of accomptes sayd syrs abyde tyll the nexte weke and then ye shall be payde and soo they were answered wekely yf ony payment were made to them it was but for .viii. dayes and were owynge .viii. wekes soo that some when they sawe the maner of dealynge howe they were soo euyll payde they were sore dyspleased and sayd surely this voyage shall be but of small effecte for by all lykelyhode when the money is gadered of the taxes then they wyl breke this iourney and retourne home agayne in to theyr owne countreys suche as dyd cast suche doubtes prouided therafter were wyse but the poore knyghtes and companyons suche as were reâeyned by the grete lordes spente all that they had euery thynge was so dere in Flaunders that harde it was to gete outher brede or drynke or yf they wolde sell theyr wages or armure there was no money to gete yf ony were bought it was dere there was soo moche people aboute Dan Bruges and Ardenbrughe and specyally at Sluse for when the kynge came thyder they wyst not where to lodge the erle of saynt Poule the lorde of Concy the dolphyn of Auuergne the lorde Dantoygne and dyuers other lordes of fraunce to lye more at theyr case lodgynge at Bruges somtyme went to Sluse to the kynge to know when they sholde departe and euer it was sayd to them within .iii. or .iiii. dayes or when the duke of Berrey is come and that we haue wynde to strue vs so euer the tyme passed and the day shortened and began to be foule and colde and the nyghtes longe wherwith dyuers of the lordes were not contente to tary so longe and also theyr prouysyons mynysshed ¶ Howe the kyng of Armony passed in to Englande in trust to fynde some meane of peas or good appoyntment bytwene the kyng of Englande and the kynge of Fraunce Ca. lvi THus in abydynge for the duke of Berrey and for the constable who were behynde then kynge Lyon of Armony who was in frauÌce and had assygned hym by the kynge .vi. M. frankes by the yere to maynteyne his estate he toke on hym for a good entente to go in to Englande to speke with the kyng there and his counsayle to se if he myght fynde ony maner of peas to be had bytwene the two royalmes of Englande and frauÌce and so he departed fro his lodgynge of saynt Albeyne besyde saynt Denyee alonely with his owne company and with no grete apparel Soo he rode to Boloyne and there he toke a shyp and so sayled forth tyll he came to Douer and there he founde the erle of Cambrydge the erle of Buckyngham and mo then a C. meÌ of armes and a .ii. M. archers who laye there to kepe that passage for the brute ranne that the frensshmen sholde lande there or at Sandwyche and the kynge laye at London and parte of his counsayle with hym and dayly herde tydynges fro all the portes of Englande when the kynge of Armony was aryued at Douer he had there good chere bycause he was a strauÌger and so he came to the kynges vncles there who swetely receyued hym and at tyme conuenyent they demaunded of hym fro whens he came and whether he wolde the kyng answered and sayd that in trust of goodnes he was come thyder to se the kynge of Englande his counsayle to treate for peas bytwene englande and Fraunce for he sayd that he thought the warre was not mete for he sayd by reason of warre bytwene these .ii. royalmes whiche hath endured so longe the sarazyns Iewes and turkes are waxed proude for there is none that maketh them ony warre and by occasyon therof I haue lost my lande and royalme and am not lyke to recouer it agayne without there were ferme peas in all crystendome and I wolde gladly shewe the matter that toucheth all crystendome to the kynge of Englande and to his counsayle as I haue done to the frensshe kyng then the kynges vncles demaunded of hym yf the frensshe kynge had sent hym thyder or noo he answered and sayd nay there is noo man that sent me but I am come hyder by myne owne mocyon to se yf the kynge of englande and his counsayle wolde ony thynge leane to ony treatye of peas then he was demaunded where the frensshe kynge was he answered I byleue he be at Sluse I sawe hym not syth I toke leue of hym at Senlyze then he was demaunded howe he coulde make ony treatye of peas and had no charge so to do and syr yf ye be conuayed to the kynge our nephewe and to his counsayle and the frensshe kynge in the meane season entre with his puyssannce in to Englande ye may happen therby to receyue grete blame and your persone to be in grete ieoperdy with them of the countrey then the kynge answered and sayd I am in suretye of the frensshe kynge for I haue sente to hym desyrynge that tyll I retourne agayne not to remoue fro Sluse I repute hym so noble and soo well aduysed that he wyll graunt my desyre and that he wyll not entre in to the see tyl I be come agayne to hym Wherfore syrs I praye you in the instaunce of loue and yeas to conuey me to speke with the kynge for I desyre gretely to se hym or elles ye that be his vncles yf ye haue auctoryte to gyue me answere
harde of those tydynges so that they wyst not what to do other to gyue vp theyr towne and forsake all or elles to entre in to the shyppes that laye there and so defende the hauen surely yf the Englysshmen had knowen the case they were in they had ben lordes of the towne and of the castel or yf they had byleued Peter du Boys for he sore counsayled them that they sholde incontynent haue set on the towne of Sluse they had wonne it yf they had soo done but the englysshmen had no courage therto but sayd it were a grete foly for vs to entre in to the towne of Sluse for then they of Bruges of Dan and of Ardenbourge shall come and besyege vs so peraduenture shall lese al that we haue wonne it is better for vs to kepe it and to make wyse warre then folysshly to lese all thus the englysshmen kepte styll the see but they determyned to brenne the nauye of shyppes that lay at ancre in the hauen of Sluse of suche shyppes as they hadde wonne they toke parte of theÌ suche as were most olde and drye and lyghtest and gresed them wel bothe within and without and set fyer on them so lete them go with the wynde and with the tyde in to the hauen to the entente that they sholde haue fastened and set fyer on other shyppes that lay there of Spayne and of other places howbeit as god wolde that fyer dyd noo hurte nor domage to none other shyp ¶ Howe the englysshmen aryued brente dyuers vyllages Ca. lxxiii AFter that the englysshmen dyscomfyted syr IohnÌ Bucke as he came fro Rochell wherby they had grete profyte specyally of wyne for they had a .ix. M. tonne of wyne wherby wyne was the derer all the yere after in Flaunders Holande and in Brabande and the better chepe in Englande as it was reason suche are the aduentures of this worlde if one haue domage another hathe profyte Thus styll the englysshe men lay before Sluse at an anârâ somtyme with theyr barkes barges they set a lande on the other syde agaynst Sluse where as there was but a ryuer to passe there they brente a mynstre other townes alonge on the see syde on the dygnes called Torne Hoque Murdequer toke men prysoners in the countrey were there lyenge a .x. dayes layde bysshmentes bytwene Dan Sluse on the way of Coceler there was taken IohnÌ of Lannay a man of armes of Tourney who was come thyder with the lorde of Estrynay syr Blanquart of Calomne came theues on the spurres fro Tourney with .xl. speres and also syr Robert Merchaunt a knyght of flaunders who had to his wyfe a bastarde doughter of the erle of flaunders was as then at Bruges when the tydynges spred abrode of the Englysshmen so he departed came to Sluse entred in to the castell whiche he founde in small defence for yf the englysshmen had taken lande at Sluse as they dyd on the other syde of the water they had taken at theyr ease the castell all the towne for suche as sholde haue defended the towne were so abasshed that there was no man toke ony hede of defence then this knyght gaue them harte sayd Ayesyrs and good men of Sluse howe maynteyne you yourselfe by that ye shewe yourselfe dyscomfyted without ony stroke strykynge men of valure of good defence ought not so to do they sholde shewe forth a good vysage as longe as they coulde endure at the leest tyll they were slayne or taken therby they sholde attayne to the grace of god and prayse of the worlde thus sayd this syr Robert when he came to Sluse IN the meane season whyle the englysshmen were before Sluse theraboute al the couÌtrey to Bruges were afrayde for they were euery day abrode a foragynge a foote for they had no horses somtyme they wolde entre far in to the countrey On a day they brente the towne of Cocesy on the downes a grete vyllage in the way towarde Ardenbourge so to the see syde called Hosebourcke they dyd there what they lyst myght haue done more yf they had knowen what case the countrey was in wheÌ they had taryed there at theyr pleasure sawe that no man came agaynst them then they toke theyr shyppes drewe vp sayles so retourned in to Englande with CC.M. frankes of profyte and so came in to Tames streyght to London where as they were receyued with grete ioy for the good wynes of Poycton Xamton that was determyned to haue ben dronken in flaunders in Haynalte Brabant in dyuers other places in pycardy the englysshmen brought all with them in to englande was lorde departed at London in other places of Englande wyne was solde then for .iiii. pens the galon and certayne merchauntes of zerecyell in zelande lost parte of the same wyne but they had restytucyon agayne of all theyr losses for they of zercyell wolde neuer agree to go to make warre in to englande nor wolde suffre none of theyr shyppes to goo in the iourney wherby they atteyned grete loue of the Englysshmen syr IohnÌ Bucke was put in pryson curioysly at London he myght go where he lyst but euery nyght to lodge in the cyte he coulde neuer come to his raunsome yet the duke of Borgoyne wolde gladly haue had hym by exchaunge for a bastarde broder of the kynge of Portyngalles whom they of Breuelet had taken on the see comynge to Meldeboure thus syr IohnÌ Bucke was prysoner thre yeres in Englande and there dyed ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastres marshal toke the towne of Ribadane whiche was strongly kepte Ca. lxxiiii HOwe yt ys tyme that we retourne to the busynes of Castell Portyngale to speke of the duke of Lancastre beynge in Galyce of suche busynes as fall in that seasoÌ whiche were not smal also to shewe what ayde comforte the frensshe kynge sent that tyme in to Castell or elles kynge IohnÌ of Spaynes busynes had but easely gone forwarde I say surely yâ same yere that the duke aryued in his countrey he had lost all his laÌde if the ayde of the frensshe kyng had not ben ye know wel that tydynges spredeth euer farre the kynge of Portyngale knewe as soone as the duke of Lancastre or ony other maÌ how the frenssh kynges army that lay on the see to haue gone in to Euglande brake theyr iourney for the kyng of Portyngale lay as theÌ at the cyte of Porte a stroÌge towne a haue wel vsed by reason of merchauÌtes that resorted thyder when he knew of the brekynge of the frensshe kynges army he was glad therof for it had benshewed hym before that all englande was lykely to haue ben lost Wherfore he som what dyssymuled with the duke of Lancastre dryuynge of the takyng of his doughter in maryage but styll he draue hym of with fayre wordes
vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre and they were agaynst hym and all this varyaunce dyd ryse by the meanes of the duke of Irelande who bare all the chefe rule aboute the kynge and the comons of Englande in dyuers cytees knewe well of this dyscorde they that were sage men reputed it for a grete euyl and fered that moche trouble sholde growe therby but suche as were lyght persones made noo rekenynge therof some sayenge that it was for enuye that the kynges vncles hadde agaynst the kynge theyr nephewe and bycause they sawe howe the crowne of Englande began to growe farre of frome them and some other sayd how the kynge was but yonge and byleued yonge counsayle and howe that it were better for hym to byleue hys vncles who mente noo thynge to hym but al honoure and proâyte nor to the royalme of Englande rather then to be ruled by the prowde duke of Irelande who neuer sawe ony thynge perteynynge to honoure nor neuer was in ony batayle Thus euery man dyffered from other in the royalme of Englande Whiche trybulacyons were well knowen in Fraunce wherfore they made this grete prouysyon to goo thyder with all theyr puyssaunce thynkynge to doo a grete feate on the other syde the prelates of englande were in hatred one with another as the archebysshop of Cauntorbury who was of the Neuelles blood with the archebysshop of yorke And yet they were countrey men borne but they hated mortally eche other bycause the lorde Neuell hadde the rule and gouernaunce of Northumbrelande and soo to the marches of Skotlande aboue the erle of Northumbrelande and his chyldren the lorde Henry and the lorde Raffe of Percy whiche rule the lorde Neuelles broder had gotten hym for he was one of the chefe aboute the kynge with the duke of Irelande ¶ Of the grete dyscordes that were in Englande after the brekynge vp of the Frensshe armye armye and how the gouernours about the kynge were constrayned by the comons of the good townes to make accomptes of suche money as was come in to theyr handes the season that they ruled Ca. lxxxii AS sone as the englysshmen knewe that the voyage by the see that the frensshmen sholde haue made beynge at Sluse was dasshed and broken Then in Englande began dyuers murmuracyons in sundry places and suche as loued euyll rule rather then good sayd Where be nowe these grete entrepryses and these valyaunt men of englande that were in the dayes of kynge Edwarde the thyrde and with the prynce his sone we were wonte to go in to Fraunce and put backe our enemyes in suche maner that none durst make batayle with vs yf they dydde they were soone dyscomfyted O What a dede was that when the noble kynge Edwarde aryued in Normandy and in Constantyne and passed thrugh the royalme of Fraunce and what goodly entrepryse he acheued in his waye and after at Cressy he dyscomfyted kynge Phylyp and all the puyssaunce of Fraunce and or he retourned he wan the towne of Calays But as nowe the knyghtes and men of warre in Englande doo none suche feates ¶ Also the prynce of Wales sone to this noble kynge dyd he not take the Frensshe kynge IohnÌ and dyscomfyted his pyssaunce at Poycters with a smal nombre of people agaynste the people that kynge IohnÌ hadde In those dayes Englande was fered and doubted and were spoken of thrughe al the worlde for the floure of chyualry but as nowe no man speketh of vs for nowe there is noo warre made but at poore mennes purses therto euery man is enclyned in Fraunce as nowe the kynge there is but a chylde and yet he hath done more agaynst vs then ony of his predecessours And also he shewed grete courage to haue come in to Englande the lette therof was not by hym but by his men The tyme hath ben sene that yf suche an apparell of shyppes had ben made at Sluse they sholde haue ben foughten withall in theyr owne hauen and nowe the noble men of Englande are ioyfull when they maye sytre at rest and suffre them in peas but yet for all that they suffre not poore men to be in rest but put them to busynes to paye money The tyme hath ben that grete conquestes haue ben done in fraunce without payenge of ony money but suche ryches as hath ben gotten there it hath ben spred abrode in the royalme where is become the grete fynaunces and tayles that hath ben gadered in this royalme with the kynges rentes and accostomed reuenues outher they haue lost it or taken fro them it is behouable that it be knowen howe the royalme of Englande is gouerned and howe the kynge is ledde it were not good that it sholde be longe or it were knowen for this royalme of Englande is not soo ryche nor so puyssaunt to bere lyke charges as the royalme of Fraunce dothe ¶ Also it appereth wel that we in this royalme of englande are febled of wyttes and of grace We were wonte to knowe euery thynge that was done in Fraunce a thre or foure monethes or the case fell wherby we myght conuenyently make prouysyon and resystence but as nowe we knowe noo thynge But the Frensshe men knoweth all our secretes and counsayles we cannot tell in whome is the fawte it wyll be knowen vpon a daye There be some preuy traytours and it were better it were knowen betymes then to late for it maye be knowen soo laâe that it wyll be past remedy THus dyuersely men talked in Englande as well knyghtes and squyers as the comons soo that the royalme laye in a harde case and grete peryll And the grete assembly that the kyng and his vncles and his counsayle hadde made with grete expence in dyuers maners to resyst the frensshe kynge beynge a Sluse redy to entre in to Englande suche knyghtes and squyers and other as were in a redynes wolde as then be payde of theyr wages and so for that entente there was a parlyamente somoned to be holden at London by the nobles prelates and comons of Englonde and pryncypally it was ordeyned that there sholde be reysed a grete tayle and subsydye thrughe out the royalme of Englande the ryche to bere out the poore This parlyament was remoued to westmynstre and thyder came all suche as were sente for and many moo to here tydynges ¶ There was the kynge and his two vncles Edmunde and Thomas with many other nobles of the royalme And amonge other thynges yt was sayd that in the kynges treasoure there was substaunce skante to maynteyne the kynges estate soberly Wherfore they of his counsayle sayd howe there must be leuyed a subsydye thrughe out all the royalme of Englande yf suche costes and charges sholde be payde as hathe ben done for the defence of the royalme of englande agaynst the frensshe men To this agreed well they of the bysshopryche of Norwyche and also the archebysshopryche of Cauntorbury and the countye of Essex the countye of Hampton and
Whan that bysshop of yorke herde of this he douted hym selfe for he knewe well he was nat in the fauour of the kynges vncles Therfore he sente his excuse by a nephue of his sonne to the lorde Neuell and he came to London and came first to the kynge and shewed hym his vncles excuse dyde his homage in the bysshoppes behalfe The kyng toke it well for he loued hym better than the bysshoppe of Caunterbury and so he hym selfe excused the bysshoppe or elles it had ben yuell with him but for the kynges loue they forbare hym toke his excuse and so he taryed styll in his bysshoprike a longe space and durste nat lye at yorke but taryed at New castell on the ryuer of Tyne nere to his brother the lorde Neuell and his cosyns In this estate was at that tyme the busynesse of Englande and so of a longe space the kyng was nat mayster ouer his counsayle but his vncles and other bare all the rule Nowe we wyll leaue to treat of the maters of EnglaÌde and speke of the busynesse of the kyng of Castyle and of the kynge of Portyngale and of their warres ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the kynge of Portyngale with his puissanÌce assembled with the duke of Lancastre and his puyssaunce howe they coude nat passe the ryuer of Derne howe a squyer of Castyle shewed theÌ the passage Cap. C.ii. IT is reason sythe the mater so requyreth that I retourne agayne to the duke of LaÌcastres iourney and howe he êceyuered al this season in Galyce I shall begyn there as I lefte for I haue great desyre to make an ende of that storie Whan the duke of Lancastre had won and conquered the towne and castell of Dauranche in Galyce and brought it vnder his obeysaunce and refresshed hym there foure dayes for there he founde well wherwith Than the fyfthe day he departed and sayde he wolde go to the castell of Noy and so he dyde and lay four dayes in a fayre medowe alonge a ryuer syde But the grounde was dried vp by reason of the heate of the sonne and the water corrupted so that their horses wolde nat drinke therof and suche as dyde dyed Thanne it was ordayned to dislodge thens and to tourne agayne to Auranch for sir Richarde Burle and sir Thomas Morryaulx marshalles of the hoost sayd it was nat possyble to get the strong rastell of Noy but by longe siege by great wysedome and dispence and moche artillary And also tydinges came to the duke of Lancastre that the kynge of Portugale approched with all his hoost to the nombre of a thousande speares and tenne thousande able men So that the two hoostes togyder were lykely to do a great dede for the duke of Lancastre hadde a fyftene hundred speares knightes and squiers and a sixe thousande archers These tydinges reioysed greatly the duke of Lancastre and so dislodged fro Noy and wente agayne to Auranche in Galyce and the duke sente for the duchesse his wyfe and the other ladyes and damoselles for the duke sayd he wolde abyde there for the kynge of Portugale and so he dyde _yE shall knowe that whan kyng Iohan of Portugale and his marshalles had take the towne of Feroullê they rode and aproched Auranch to come to the duke of LaÌcastre And in their way they founde the towne of Padrone whiche rebelled against theÌ but at their first comyng they yelded them to the kynges obeysaunce The kynge taryed there and in the marches there about a fyftene dayes and wasted greatlye the countrey of vitayls yet they had great plentie comyng dayly fro Portugale Thus these two great hoostes were in Galyce and greatly impouerysshed the countre and the dayes waxed so hote that no man coude styrre after nyne of the clocke without he wolde be brent with the sonne The duke of LaÌcastre and the duchesse were at Aurache and their men abrode in the countrey in great pouerie for lacke of vitayls for theÌ selfe and for their horses Nothynge that was good or swete coulde growe out of the grounde it was so drie and brent with the soÌne and that grewe was lytell worthe for the season was so hote that all was brent And the Englysshe men if they wolde haue any thynge for them selfs or ⪠for their horses it behoued them or their seruauntes to go a forragyng a .xii. sixtene or twentie myles of which was great payne and daunger And the Englysshmen founde the wynes there so stronge hoote and brynning that it corrupted their heedes and dried their bowelles and brente their lightes and lyuers they had no remedy for they coude fynde but lytell good waters to temper their wynes nor to refresshe them whiche was coÌtrary to their natures For Englysshe men in their owne couÌtreis are swetely norisshed and there they were breÌt both within with out they endured great pouertie The great lordes wanted of that they were accustomed vnto in their owne countreis _wHan the knyghtes and squyers and other of Englande sawe the daunger and myschefe that they were in and were likely to be what for lacke of vytayle and heate of the sonne whiche dayly encreased Than they began to murmure and to saye in the host in dyuers places We feare our iourney wyll come to a smal effect ende We lye to long in one place that is true sayd other There is two thynges greatly contrarye for vs. We leade in our company women and wyues who desyreth nothyng but rest for one dayes iourney by their wylles they wolde reste fyftene This distroyeth vs and wyll do for as soone as we came to Coulongne if we had gone forwarde we had spedde well and brought the countre to good obeysaunce for none wolde haue ben agaynst vs. But the longe taryeng hath enforced our ennemyes for nowe they haue prouyded them of men of warre out of Fraunce And by theÌ their townes cyties and passages be kepte and closed agaynst vs. Thus they disconfyted vs withoute batayle They nede nat to fyght with vs for the realme of Spayne is nat so pleasaunt a lande to traueyle in as is Fraunce or Englande wherin are good villages fayre couÌtreis and swete ryuers faire medowes and attemperate ayre for menne of warre and here is all the contrarye What ment oure lorde the duke of Lancastre if he thought to wynne this countrey to leade in his company women and chyldren This is a great let and without reason for it is knowen in all Spaygne and els where that he and his bretherne are the true enherytours of the countrey at leest their wyfes doughters to kyng Don Peter As for doyng of any conquest or tournyng of any townes the women do lytell therin THus as I haue shewed you the people langled in the duke of Lancasters hoost one to another Than tidynges came to the duke that the kyng of Portugale aproched nere wherof he was ioyfull And whan the kynge was within two leages the duke with his knyghtes
sir Launcelotte of Voy and he was called sir IohnÌ of Voy but howe he dyed I shall tell you He was in a towne of Castyle called Seghome and laye there in garyson he had an Impostume in his body and he was yonge lusty and tooke no hede therof but on a day lept on a great horse and rode out in to the feldes spurred his horse so that by gambaldyng of the horse the impostume brake in his body and whan he was retourned to his lodgynge he was layde on his bedde sicke and that semed well for the fourthe daye after he dyed wherof his frendes were right soroufull ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe sir Iohan HolaÌde the duke of Lancastres constable toke his leue of the duke and he and his wyfe retourned by the king of Castyle who made hym good chere and howe sir Iohan Dambreticourt wente to Parys to acomplysshe a dede of armes bytwene hym and Bouciqualt Cap. C.vi YE maye well knowe that euery man eschewed this sickenesse that was amonge the Englysshmen and fledde therfro asmoche as they myght All this season sir Iohan Holande the dukes constable was still with the duke certayne knightes and squyers seynge the season of warre paste thynkynge to eschewe the peryll of the sickenesse sayd to the constable Sir let vs retourne we wyll go to Bayone or to Burdeux to take fresshe ayre and to esche we this sickenes for whan so euer the duke of Lancastre wyll haue vs agayne lette hym write for vs and we shall soone be with hym whiche were better than to kepe vs here in daunger and parell They called so often on hym that on a day he shewed the duke their murmuraryons Than the duke sayde Syr Iohan I wyll ye retourne and take my men with you and recomende me to my lorde the kyng and to all my bretherne in Englande With right a good wyll sir quod the constable But syr though sycke men haue had great curtesy by the constable of Castyle as in suffering them to entre to a byde there at their case tyll they recouer their helthes yet they maye nat retourne agayne to you in to Castyle nor in to Portugale and if outher they or we take our waye to Calays throughe Fraunce than we must be bounde to beare none armure in syxe yere after against the realme of FrauÌce without the kynge our souerayne lorde be present in propre persone Than the duke sayd Syr Iohan ye knowe well that the frenchemen will take on you and on our men in case they se them in daunger all the vauÌtage they can do Therfore I shall shewe you whiche way ye shall passe curtesly through the realme of Castyle And whan ye come in to the entre of Nauarre sende to the kynge he is my cosyn and in tyme past we hadde great alyaunce to guyder whiche are nat as yet broken for sith the warre began bytwene the kyng of Castyle and me we haue amiably written eche to other as cosyns frendes nor no warre hath ben made by see bitwene vs but the freÌchmen haue wherfore I thynke he wyll lightly suffre you to passe through his realme whan ye be at saynt Iohan Pie de porte than take the waye to Bisquay and so to Bayon than ye be in our herytage And fro thens ye may go to the cytie of Burdeux without daunger of the frenche men and there refresshe you at your ease And whan ye haue wynde and weder at wyll than ye maye take the see lande in Cornwall or at Hampton or there as the wynde wyll serue you Than sir Iohan said your counsayle shal be fulfylled without any faute IT was nat long after but that the Constable and his company departed and there taryed with the duke and duches no mo but his owne housholde seruauntes And sir Iohan Holande had his wyfe with hym and so came to the cytie of Camores and there he founde the kynge of Castyle sir Gaultier of Passacke and sir WyllmÌ of Lignacke who made hym good chere as lordes and knyghtes do whan they mete eche with other And truely the kyng of Castyle was gladde tose the departyng of the Englysshmen for than it semed to hym that his warre was at an ende and thought that there wolde neuer issue agayne out of Englande so many good men of warre in the duke of Lancasters tytell to make warre in Castyle Also he knewe well howe there was great trouble and dyscorde within the realme of Englande Whan the tidynges sprede abrode in Castile in the good cyties and townes where as the Englysshe men lay sicke and were there to seke for their helthe howe that sir Iohan Hollande was âome thyder to retourne agayne in to EnglaÌde They were ryght gladde therof and so drewe to hym to the entent to retourne with hym As the lorde of Chameulx sir Thomas Percy the lorde Lelynton the lorde of Braseton and dyuers other to the nombre of a thousaÌde horses suche as were sicke thought them selfe halfe hole whan they knewe they shulde retourne their voyage paste was so paynfull to them WHan sir Iohan Hollande toke leaue of the kyng of Castyle the kyng gaue to hym and to his coÌpany great giftes with mules and mulettes of Spaygne and payde for all their costes And than they rode to saynt Phagons and there refresshed theÌ thre dayes and in euery place they were welcome and well receyued For there were knyghtes of the kynges that dyde conducte theym and payde alwayes for their costes So longe they code that they passed Spaygne and came to Naueret where as the batayle had ben before and so to Pauyers and to Groyne and there rested for as than they were nat in certayne if the kynge of Nauerre wolde suffre them to passe throughe his realme or nat Than they sent to hym .ii. knightes sir Peter Bysset and sir Wylliam Norwiche They founde the kynge at Tudela in Nauer and there spake with hym spedde so well that they had grauÌt to passe through Nauer payeng for that they shulde take by the way and as soone as these knyghtê were retourned they departed fro Groyne and so came to Pampylona passed the mountains of RouÌceaux and lefte the way in to Bierne and entred in to Bisquay so to go to Bayon at last thyder they came and there sir Iohan Holande taryed a long space with his wyfe and other of the Englysshmen rode to Burdeaux Thus this armye brake vp So it was in the season whyle these warres endured in Castile that that englisshmen kepte the feldes The lorde Bouciqualt the elder of the .ii. bretherne sent by an herault to sir Iohan DaÌbreticourt desyring to do with hym dedes of armes as thre courses with a ãâã thre with an axe and thre with a dagger all or ãâ¦ã the knight was agreed therto And after that sir Iohan Dambreticourt sent dyuers tymes to accoÌplysshe their feate but Bouciqualt came nat forwarde I can not tell what
the other parte and were in that case that it was likely to haue had a batayle bytwene them But the duke Aubert the duke of Mours the duke of Iullyers mette togyder by a treatie and so this assemble departed a sondre with out any thyng doyng The same yere the duke Wyncelant of Brabant ouerthrewe the companyons in the couÌtrey of Lusenburge who had greatly wasted that lande and putte many to exyle and in the towre of the castell of Lusenburge dyed their souerayne capitayne called the lytell Meslyn And also in the same yere sir Charles of Boesme who as than raigned and was kynge of Almaygne and emperour of Rome instytuted duke WyncelaÌt of Boesme and made hym souerayne regarder by an instytucion and ordynaunce called in Almayne Le langue fride that is to say holding the couert and sure wayes So that all maner of people myght go and come and ryde fro towne to towne surely and in sauegarde And the Emperour gaue hym a great parte of the lande and countrey of Dauffay on bothe sydes the ryuer of Ryne to defende hym therin agaynst the lynfars who were a maner of people ryght peryllous and great robbers without pytie And also the Emperour gaue hym the souerayntie of the good riche cytie of Straubourcke and made him Marques of the holy Empyre to augment therby his estate And surely he coulde nat gyue hym to moche for this Duke Wyncelant was lyberall swete courtesse amyable and noble in armes was likely to atchyue many thynges if he hadde lyued long but he dyed in the floure of his youthe Wherof I that haue written this hystorie make great complaynt for hym that he lyued no lengar but tyll he was a .xxiiii. yere of age Thescisme that was in the churche greatly displeased hym and that he shewed me often tymes for I was priue of his acquayntauÌce in that in my dayes I traueyled a great parte of the worlde two great princes I knewe and non more huÌble nor tretable than they were that was this noble prince one and the other my good mayster the lorde Guy of Bloys who coÌmaunded me to make this hystorie These two princes were in my dayes and wereful of humilyte larges and bountie without any malyce They lyued lyberally of their owne without oppressynge their people or reysing vp of any yuell customes in their laÌdes ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to the pythe of the mater that I haue begone WHan the duke of Iulyers and sir Edwarde of Guerles who called theÌselfe bretherne and their hertes good Englisshe for they had ben long alyed with the kyng of Englande and with loue and fauour had alwayes ayded them in their warres Whan they sawe that the duke of Brabant hadde so hygh a signory as to be lorde and souerayne regarder by the Emperonr and was chiefe correctour of all mysdoers and robbers that he founde lyueng by the highe wayes of Almaygne They had therat indygnacion and enuy nat for that he dyde well and helde iustyce and corrected yuell doers but of that he had the souerayne regarde signory ouer laÌgue fride whiche was parte in their lande whiche offyce was first instytued that marchautes might pesably passe fro Brabant to Heynault to Flaunders to FrauÌce or fro Liege to Coleyne and to other cyties townes and fortresses of Almayne And nother marchauntes nor other coulde nat passe nor entre in to Almayne by the landes and daungers of the duke of Iulyers and the duke of Guerles And soo it was that certayne robbers were in the wayes of Linfars And it were they that had done the vyolence and passynge through the landes of the duke of Iuliers It was shewed me that the duke had lente them horse and castels Great complayntes came to duke Wyncelant of Brabant and of Luzenbourge who as than was at Bruselles howe that the Languefryde wherof he was souerayne regarder and keper was broken violated and howe they that dyde that vyolence and robbed the countrey soiourned and euer retourned in to the duchy of Iulyers The duke of Brabante who as than was yonge and lusty and puyssaunte of lynage and of landes toke in great dispyte the offences that his people had complayned of and said how he wolde fynde some remedy seynge he had in charge to kepe and defende the Languefride He wolde nat that through his neclygence he shulde take any reproche or blame and to conclude his dede and to sette reason in their demaunde and by the counsayle and aduyse that he had he sente to the duke of Iulyers notable persones as the lorde of Vrquon lorde of Bourguenall syr Scelar archedecon of Heynalt Geffrey de la towre great rowter of Brabante and other shewyng to him in wyse and swete maner the offence whiche greatly toucheth and is preiudyciall to the duke of Brabante who is keper and souerayne regarder of the Languefride The duke of Iulyers fayntely excused hym selfe for by that he shewed he had as lefe haue had the warre as the peace so that the duke of Brabantes messangers were nat well coÌtent and so toke their leaue of the duke of Iuliers and reiourned and shewed the duke of Brabant all as they had herde and sene Whan the duke herde that he demauÌded what was best to do He was aunswered by his couÌsayle sayenge sir ye knowe best your selfe Well quod the duke and I saye that it is my entensyon that I wyll nat slepe so in this blame nor that it shall be said that for slouth or faynte hert that I shulde suffre vnder my sauegarde robbers to do vilaynes and robories vnpunysshed I shewe and wyll shewe to my cosyn of Iuliers and to his aydes that this mater toucheth me nere This duke cooled nat his entent but in contynent set clerkes a warke and sent to them that he thought wolde ayde hym Some he prayed and some he commaunded and sente sufficyent knoledge of his mynde to the duke of Iuliers and to his alies bothe these lordes made great preparacion The duke of Iulyers had but lytell ayde but of his brother syr Edwarde of Guerles he greatly coÌforted him with men and with frendes These two lordes sent priuely for men farre in to Almayne And bycause that almayns are couetous desyring to wynne and it had bene longe before or they were in any place where they myght get any good aduenture They wolde haue come in more habundaunce and they had nat knowen that they shulde haue had to do agaynste the duke of Brabante The duke of Brabante in great aray departed fro Bruselles and went to Louayne and fro thence to Treete on the ryuer of Muese and there he founde a thousande speares abydinge for hym and always there came menne to hym fro all partyes fro Fraunce fro FlauÌders fro Haynalt fro Namure fro Lorayne other countreys so that he had two thousande and fyue hundred speares of good men of warre and also there came to hym out of Burgoyne
his leaue departed and rode to Chasteaulx and iourneyed so long that he came to the cite of NauÌtes and there refresshed hym And than he demauÌded where the duke was and it was shewed hym howe he was in the marches of WeÌnes therefouÌde 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 pastauÌce 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 LaÌcastre 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 iÌ that warre defamed and spake yuell of the couÌtrey 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 sauecoÌducte 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 GuerraÌdo 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 EnglaÌde 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 IohnÌ 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 NormaÌdy 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 couÌtrey 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
mounted and so returned to his lodgynge in the strete of that Harpe and none taryed with hym of them that conueyed hym but suche as came with hym out of Bretaygne to Parys AFter all this the duke of Bretaygne spake at leysar with the kynge his vncles so that euery man was well contente with hym and he tooke well euery thynge that had ben promysed to hym for he sawe nouther the constable nor IohnÌ of Bretayne Whan the lordes sawe that euery thyng was in good state and that they neded nat to doute the duke of Bretaygne seynge they had hym at Paris for they thought he shulde nat departe thens tyll he had done in maner euery thyng as the kynge wolde than it was thought good tyme to ordeyne forth for the voyage in to Guerles whyder the kyng had great affection to go to subdue the duke of Guerles who had so shamfully defied the kyng the whiche coÌsydred was nat thoght good to be suffred Than it was ordayned that the lorde of Coucy shulde drawe to the marches of Rennes and Chalous in Champayn and to regarde for the kynges passage that waye and to moue the knyghtes squyers in Bare and in Lorayne to go with him whyder he wolde lede them nat spekynge of the kyng but bearyng them in hande that he wolde go to recouer his ryght in Austryche The lorde of Coucy thus departed fro Parys and wente to Chalous in Champayne and there taryed a moneth and retaygned on all partes knyghtes and squyers iÌ Bare and in Lorayne in Champaygne and in Retheloys And the FreÌche kyng departed fro Parys whan he had coÌmuned with the duke of Bretaygne of dyuers maters and nat fully accomplysshed For the sute in the courte of Fraunce is longe whan they lyste and right well they canne foode forthe the people to make theym spende moche and bringe lytell to effecte The kynge came to Moustreau on faulte you in the marchesse of Brie and Gastenoys and there he helde his courte and of ten tymes chased hartes and other wylde beestes in the forest of Brie The same seasone there was a dede of armes done there bitwene an Englisshe knight who was there with the duke of Irelande called sir ThomÌs Harpyngham and sir Iohan of Barres wherof great brute was made in Fraunce and other places Their chalenge was fyue courses with a speare fyue strokes with the sworde fyue with a daggar and fyue with the axe and if any of their weapons brake than they to gette newe tyll their chalenge were accoÌplysshed These two knyghtes on a day lept on their horses well armed as appertayned The kynge and all other lordes beyng present and moche people and ranne toguyder foure courses ryght valiauntly and as me thought the vsage was thanÌe their Helmes were tyed but with a lace to the entente the speare shulde take no holde the fyrst course sir Iohan of Barres strake the Englysshe knyght on the targe in suche wyse that he bare hym ouer the horse crope so that he laye stonyed on the grounde and moche payne to releue Than they perfourmed forthe all the reste of their chalenge in so goodly maner that the kyng and all the other were well coÌtent with them ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Arundell beyng on the see more than a moneth came to the hauyn of Marante a lytell fro Rochell And howe he sent a messaÌgere to Perotte le Bernoys that he and other capitayns shulde kepe the feldes Cap. C.xxxiii IT is long sythe I made any mencyon of the Englysshe armye on the see wherof Rycharde Erle of Arundell was capitayne and with hym many knyghtes squyers and archers of Englande I shall nowe somwhat speke of hym for the mater requyreth it yE haue herde here before of the treatie that the kyng of Englande made with the duke of Bretaygne This nauy on the see all this season laye euer coostynge the fronters of Bretaygne and NormaÌdy if ioynde and wether draue theÌ thens they euer came thyder agayne And they had in their flete some small vesselles called Balyngers who wente euer and scoured the see The flete had layne at ancre more than a moneth agaynst the ysle of Breshatte in Bretayne And there they herde tidynges howe the duke of Bretaygne was gone to Bloyes to speke with the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne And howe they were so agreed that the duke was gone to Parys And the renoeranne throughe Bretaygne howe the duke hadde good chere of the Frenche kynge and was welcome to hym and to all his cousayle at Parys and shulde nat departe thens tyll the maters were in good estate Whanne the erle of AruÌdell herde those tidynges he was pensyue and wente to counsayle what was best to do whyder they were best to drawe to enploye their season Than they determyned to drawe to Rochellois though they had no castelles there yet they hadde men ynowe there to kepe the Felde and to abyde all the puyssaunce of Xaynton and of Poyctou so that they shulde signify their estate in to Auuergne and in to Lymosynne so that they myght sende to passe throughe Bretaygne As than the treuse was nat confyrmed on the ryuer of Loyre but they were a treatynge to begynne the fyrste daye of Auguste And sir Helyon of Lignacke was goyng or coÌmyng as the erle of Arundell ymagined outher to the duke of Lancastre to Bayone or elles retournynge in to Fraunce They hadde in their nauye a Breton bretonaunt of the nacyon of Wannes seruaunt to sir Wyllyam Helmon who coude speke well foure maner of languages That is to saye Bretysshe Englysshe Spaynysshe and Frenche and gaue hym in commaundement to go a lande and sayde to hym Go thou the moost preuyest wayes thou canste thou knowest all the preuy wayes of the countrey and gette the to the garyson of Chaluset and haue vs all recommaunded to Perotte le Bernoys and shewe hym fro vs that he sette forthe a company of men of armes suche as be in garysons forthe kynge of Englande and make warre in his tytell thou shalte beare no letters for feare of takynge Thou mayest go lyke a marchaunt of Rochell to by wynes and saye to Perot that he reyse vp these men of warre and kepe the couÌtreys of Berrey Auuergne and Lymosyn in doute and kepe the feldes for we shall lande in Rocelloyes and shall make there suche warre that it shal be herde of and well knowen The Breton sayde he shulde do his message if he hadde no great lette by the waye He was set a lande on the sandes and as he that knewe all the countrey of Bretayne went of from all the great townes and passed by the countrey of Poyctou and entred in to Lymosyn and so came to Chalucet wherof Perot le Bernoys was capitayne The messangere came to the barryers and gaue knowledge of his coÌmynge to them of the garyson After he had ben examyned at the gate he was lette in and so
four tymes aboute in the syght of all the people and there was openly red and publysshed all their dedes and thaÌ beheeded and quartered their quarters sent to the four chefe gates of the cytie Thus Alayne and Peter Rour lost shamfully their lyues the castell of Vanchadore ¶ Of the dedes of armes at saint Ingylvertes contynuyng thyrty dayes agaynste all coÌmers of the realme of Englande and other countreys euery man thre courses Ca. C.lxviii IN this seasone and in the meane tyme that the truese was thus bytwenene Englande and Fraunce bothe by lande and by see though the kinges and their subgiettes helde well the peace yet was there certayne pyllers robbers in Auuergne who made warre to the poore men on bothe sydes the ryuer of Dordone but the capytayns that had gyueÌ vp their fortresses by reason of that treatie dyssymuled the matter By reason of their dissymulacion the couÌtrey of Auuergne receyued great domage so that the complaintes therof came to Parys Than the french kyng was counsayled to sende to the kynge of Englande signyfyenge hym of the state of these robbes that made warre thus in the countrey vnder coloure of their patesynge the which ought nat to be done I thinke the king of Englande excused hym selfe of the mater And to prouyde therfore the same season the thre fore sayd knyghtes that is to say the yonge Bouciquant Raynolde of Roy the lorde of saint Pye who had enterprised to do armes about the marches of Calays nere to saynte Ingilbertes made them redy to a coÌplysshe their desyre to fulfyll their promesse the right of armes for it was openly declared publysshed and specyally in the realme of Englande in the which realme there were knyghtes squyers quyckened to the mater and were in gret imagynacioÌs to knowe what they might best do Some said it shuld be greatly to their blame and reproche such an enterprise taken so nere to Calays without they passed the see loke on those knightes that shulde do armes there Suche as spake most of the mater was first syr Iohan of Holande erle of Huntyngdon who had great desyre to go thyder also sir Iohan courtney sir Iohan Traicton sir Iohan Golouffer syr Iohan Russell syr Thomas Shyrborne syr Willyam Clyfton sir Willyam Clynton sir WillymÌ Taylboys sir Godfrey Seta syr Willyam hacquenay syr Iohan Vobeas syr Iohan Dambretycourt syr Henry Beamond and dyuers other mo than a huÌdred knightes and squters all these sayd Let vs prouyde to go to Calays for the knightes of Fraunce hath nat ordayned that sporte so nere our marches but to the entent to se vs there and surely they haue done well and do lyke good companions and we shall nat fayle them at their busynes This matter was so published abrode in Englande that many suche as had no desyre to do dedes of armes theym selfe yet they sayd they wolde be there to loke on them that shulde Suche as thought to be there sent afore to Calays to make prouysion to kepe their astate and sente ouer their horse and harnes bothe for peace and warre Whan the day aproched sir IohnÌ HolaÌde brother to the kyng of EnglaÌde fyrst passed the see mo than .lx. knightes squiers with hym aryued at Calys there toke vp their lodgyngê At thentryng in of the ioly fresshe moueth of May these thre yong knyghtes of FrauÌce suche as shulde do dedê of armes at saynt Ingilbertê thus first they caÌe to Boloyne taryed there a season than came to thabbay of same Ingilbertê Than they vnderstode how there were a great noÌbre of knyghtes squyers coÌe out of Englande to Calays wherof they were ryght ioyfull And to the entent that the brute shulde coÌe to Calays they ordayned in a fayre playne bytwene Calays and saynt Ingilbertes thre fressh grene pauilyoÌs to be pyght vp and at the entre of euery pauylyon there hanged two sheldes with the armes of the knightes one shelde of peace another of warre and it was ordayned that suche as shulde ryn do dedes of armes shulde touche one of the sheldes or cause to be touched whiche as pleaseth them and he shulde be delyuered acordyng to his desyre to speke of this mater I shall shew you The .xxi. day of the moneth of May acordyng as it had ben publisshed these thre freÌch knyghtes were redy in the place to furnysshe their interprice And the same day knightes squyers issued out of Calays suche as wolde iust and also suche other as had pleasure to regarde that sporte and they came to the sayde place apoynted and drewe all on the one parte The place to iust in was farre grene playne Syr Iohan Holande first sente to touche the sheld of warre of sir Boucyquant who incontynent issued out of his pauylyon redy mounted with shelde speare These two knightes drewe fro other a certayne space and whan eche of them had well aduysed other they spurred their horses came togyther rudely and Boucyquante strake the erle of Huntyngton through the shelde and the spearcheed glente ouer his arme dyd hym no hurt and so they passed forthe and tourned and rested at their pase This course was greatly praysed The seconde course they met without any hurte do ynge and the thyrde course their horses refused and wolde nat cope The erle of Huntyngton who had gret desyre to iust and was somwhat chafed came to his place abydynge that sir Boucyquant shulde take his speare but he dyd nat for he shewed that he wolde no more tynne that day agaynst therle And whan the erle sawe that he sent his squyer to touche the shelde of warre of the lorde of saynt Pye And he that wolde nat refuse issued out of his pauylion and toke his horse shelde and speare And whan the erle sawe that he was redy spurred his horse and saynt Pye in lykewyse they couched their speares but at the metyng their horses crossed but with the crossynge of their speares the erle was vnhelmed Than he retourned to his men and incontynent he was rehelmed and toke his speare and saynt Pye his and than ran agayne and met eche other with their speares in the myddes of their sheldes so that nere hande they were bothe borne downe to their erthe but they gryped fast their horses with their legges and so saued them selfes and retourned to their places and toke their brethes Syr Iohan Holande who had great affection to do honorably toke agayne his speare spurred his horse and whan the lorde of saynt Pye sawe hym comyng he dasshed forth his horse to encountre hym eche of them strake other on their helmes that the spre flasshed out With that ataynt the lorde of saynt Pye was vnhelmed and so they passed forthe and came agayne to their owne places This course was greatly praysed and both frenche and englysshe sayd that those thre knyghtes the erle of Huntyngton sir Bouciquant and the
Englysshe men for he had ben dyuers tymes amonge them Thanne sir Wyllyam of Haynaulte purposed whyle he made his prouisyon to go in to Hollande to se his father Auberte erle of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande to the entente to speke with hym and to take leaue to go in to Englande He deêted fro Quesnoy in Haynault and rode tyll he came to Haye in Hollande where the erle his father was at that tyme. and there he shewed his father his purpose that he was in to go in to Englande to se the countrey his cosyns whom he had neuer sene Than therle his father answered and sayd Wyllyam my fayre son ye haue nothyng to do in EnglaÌde for nowe ye be by couenaunt of maryage alyed to the realme of Fraunce and your suster to be maryed to the duke of Burgoyne wherfore ye nede nat to seke none other alyaunce Dere father quod he I wyll nat go in to Englande to make any alyauÌce I do it but to feest and make myrthe with my cosins there whom as yet I neuer sawe bycause the feest whiche shal be holden at London is publisshed abrode wherfore syth I am signifyed therof shulde nat go thyder it shulde be sayd I were proude presuptuous wher fore in the sauynge of myne honoure I wyll go thider therfore dere father I requyre you agree therto Sonne quod he do as ye lyste but I thynke surely it were better that ye taryed at home Whan the erle of Ostrenaunt sawe that his wordes contented nat his father he wolde speke no more therof but fell in other coÌmunicacion But he thought well ynough what he wolde do and so dayly sent his prouisyon towardes Calais Gomegynes the heraulde was sente in to Englande fro therle of Ostrenaunt to gyue knowlege to kynge Rycharde and to his vncles howe that he wolde come honorably to his feest at London Of those tidynges the kynge and his vncles were ryght ioyouse and gaue to the heraulde great giftes whiche after stode hym in great stede For after in the ende of his dayes he fell blynde I can nat tell if god were displeased with hym or nat in his dayes he lyued marueylously wherfore in his olde dayes and that he hadde loste his syght there were but fewe that were sorte therof Thus the erle of Ostrenaunt departed from Haye in Hollande and toke leaue of his father and so retourned to Quesnoy in Heynaulte to the couÌtesse his wyfe THis noble feest wherof I make meÌcyon was publysshed and cryed in dyuers places wherby knyghtes squyers and other aduaunsed them selfes to go thyder The erle Walleran of saynt Pole who as than had to his wyfe kyng Richarde of Englandes suster He prepared greatly to go in to Englande and so came to Calys And also the erle Ostrenaunt departed fro Heynaulte well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers and so passed throughe the countrey of Arthoys and came also to Calis and there he founde the erle of saynt Poule and the shyppes passagers of Douer were there redy and whan the shippes were charged and the wynde good these lordes tooke the see howe be it as it was shewed me and I thynke it true that therle of saynt Poule passed first in to Englande before the erle of Ostrenaunt And whan he came to London he founde there the kyng and his brother in lawe sir Iohan Hollande and other lordes and knyghtes of Englande who receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌded of hym tidynges of the realme of Fraunce He aunswered well wysely Than therle of Ostrenaunt passed ouer on a thursdaye and so caÌe to Cauterbury and on the friday he visyted saint Thomas shrine and offred there in the mornyng and laye there all that daye the nexte day rode to Rochester And bycause he had so gret a company and cariages he rode but small iourneys to ease his horse And on the sondaye he rode to dyner to Dertforde after dyuer to London to be at the feest whiche began the same sonday ON the sonday nexte after the feest of saynt Michaell this feest and tryuÌphe shulde begyn and that daye to be done in Smythfelde iustes called the chalenge So the same sonday about thre of the clocke at after noone there issued out of the towre of London first threscore coursers apparelled for the Iustes and on euery one a squier of honour ridyng a softe pase Than issued out threscore ladyes of honour mounted on fayre palfreys ridyng on the one syde richely apparelled and euery lady ledde a knight with a cheyne of syluer which knightes were apparelled to iust Thus they cam ridynge a longe the stretes of London with great nombre of trumpettes and other mynstrelles And so came to Smythfelde where the quene of Englande and other ladies and damoselles were redy in chaÌbres richely adorned to se the iustes and the king was with the quene And whan the ladyes that ledde the knyghtes were come to the place they were taken downe fro their palfreys they mouÌted vp in to chambres redy aparelled for theÌ Than the squiers of honour alighted fro the coursers the knightes in good order mouÌted on them than their helmes were sette on and made redy at all poyntes Than thyder came the erle of saynt Poule nobly accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers all armed with harnesse for the iustes to begynne the feest whiche incontynent beganne and there iusted all knyghtes straungers suche as wolde and hadde leysar and space for the nyght came on Thus these iustes of chaleng began and coÌtynued tyll it was night Than knyghtes and ladyes withdrue them selfes the quene was lodged besyde Poules in the bysshoppes palace and there was the supper prepared The same euennynge came therle of Ostrenaunt to the kyng who was nobly receyued ¶ Nowe for these iustes on the sonday For the aunswerer without The erle Walleran of saynt Poule had the price And of the chalengers the erle of Huntyngdon There was goodly dauÌsyng in the quenes lodgyng in the presence of the kynge and his vncles and other barons of Englande and ladyes and damoselles contynuyng tyll it was daye whiche was tyme for euery persone to drawe to their lodgynges except the kyng and the quene who lay there in the Bysshoppes Palays for there they laye all the feestes and iustes duryng ON the nexte day whiche was mondaye ye myght haue sene in dyuers places of the cytie of London squyers and varlettes goynge aboute with harnesse and doynge of other busynesse of their maisters After noon kynge Richarde came to the place all armed richely apparelled accompanyed with Dukes erles lordes and knyghtes He was one of the inner partie Than the quene well accompanyed with ladyes and damosels came to the place where the iustes shulde be and mounted in to chaÌbres and scaffoldes ordayned for theÌ Than came in to the felde the erle of Ostrenaunte well accoÌpanyed with knyghtes of his couÌtrey and all were redy to iuste Than came the
erle of saynt Poule and other knyghtes of Fraunce suche as wolde iuste Than began the iustes euery man payned hym selfe to gette honour Some were stryken down fro their horses These iustes contynued tyll it was nere nyght Than euery êson drewe to their lodgynges knyghtes and ladyes at the hour of supper euery man drewe to the courte There was a goodly supper well ordayned And as that day the price was gyuen to the erle of Ostrenaunt for the best iuster of the vtter partie and well he deserued it The price was gyuen hym by the ladyes lordes and herauldes who were ordained to be iudges And of the inner partie a knyght of Englande called sir Hughe Spenser had the price THe nexte daye Tuesday there was iustes agayne in the same place of all maner of squyers whiche endured tyll it was nyght in the presence of the kyng quene lordes and ladyes Than euery man drewe to their lodgyngê as they had done the dayes before and at supper they retourned to the bysshoppes palais where the kyng the quene and the ladyes were There was a goodly and a costely supper and after great daunsynge contynuynge all nyght The wednisdaye after dyner they iusted in the same place all maner of knightes squyers suche as wolde iuste that was a sore and a rude iustes enduryng tyll nyght and than wtdrue at the hour of supper they resorted where they supped before The Thursdaye the kyng made a supper to all knyghtes and gentylmen straungers and the quene to all ladyes and damoselles Than on the friday the duke of Lancastre made a dyner for all knightes squyers straungers whiche was a goodly dyner And on the Saturdaye the kyng and all the lordes departed fro LoÌdon to Wyndsore and therle of Ostrenaunt and the erle of saynt Poule with all other knightes and squyers straungers were desyred to acompany the kyng to Wyndsore euery maÌ rode as it was reason to the castell of Wyndsore Than there began agayne great feestê with dyners and suppers gyuen by the king and specially the kyng dyde great honour to the erle of Ostrenaunt his cosyn whiche erle was desyred by the kyng and his vncles that he wolde be content to take on hym the order of the garter The erle aunswered howe he wolde take couÌsayle in that mater Than he couÌsayled with the lorde of Gomegines and with Fierabras of Vertan bastarde who in no wyse wolde discorage nor counsayle hym to refuce the order of the garter So he toke it on hym wherof the knightes and squyers of FrauÌce suche as were there had great marueyle and murmured sore therat among theÌ selfe sayeng the erle of Ostrenaunt sheweth well that his courage enclyneth rather to be Englysshe than Frenche whan he taketh on hym the order of the garter and weareth the kynge of Englandes deuyse He sheweth well he regardeth nat the house of Fraunce nor the house of Burgoyne The tyme wyll come he shall repent hym selfe All thynges coÌsydred he knoweth nat what he hath done for he was welbeloued with the frenche kynge and with the duke of Thourayne his brother and with all the blode royall in suche wyse that whan he came to Parys or in to any other place to any of them they euer made hym more honour than any other of their cosyns Thus these Frenche men euyll accused hym without cause for that he had done was nothyng contrary nor hurtfull to the realme of Fraunce nor to his cosyns nor frendes in Fraunce For he thought none otherwyse but honour and loue and to pleace his cosyns in Englande and to be therby the rather a good meane bytwene FrauÌce and Englande if nede were Nor the daye that he toke on hym the order of the garter and his othe euery man maye well vnderstande that he made none alyaunce to do any preiudyce to the realme of Fraunce For that he dyde was but for loue and good company howe be it no man canne let the enuyous to speke yuell WHan they had dauÌced and sported them a certayne âpace in the castell of Wynsore and that the kyng hadde gyuen many fayre gyttes to the knightes and squyâââ of honour of the realme of Fraunce and Heynaulte and specially to the yonge erle of Ostrenaunt Than euery man toke leaue of the kynge and of the quene and of other ladyes and damoselles and of the kynges vncles ThanÌe the erle of saynt Poule and the Frenche men and the Henowayes and almaygnes departed Thus ended this great feest in the cytie of London and euery man went to their owne Than it fortuned as a none brute ronneth farre of The Frenche kynge his brother and his vncles were enfourmed by suche as hadde ben in Englande at the sayde feest of euery thyng that hadde been done and sayd nothyuge was forgotten but rather more putte to in the exaltyng of yuell dedes than fortheryng of good dedes It was shewed the kyng playnly how the erle of Ostrenaunt had ben in Englande and taken great payne to exalte and to do honoure to the Englysshe men and in helpynge forwarde the feest holden at London and howe he hadde the chiefe prise and honoure of the iustes aboue all other straungers and howe he had spoken so fayre to the Englysh men that he was become the kynge or Englandes man and had made scruyce and alyaunce with hym And taken on hym the order of the Garter in the chapell of saynt George in Wyndsore whiche order was fyrste stablysshed by kynge Edwarde the thirde and his sonne prince of Wales And howe that no man myght entre in to that confrary or company without he make seruyaunt or othe neuer to beare armoure agaynste the crowne of Englande Whiche promyse they sayd the erle of Ostrenaunt had made with oute any reseruacyon with these tidynges the Frenche kynge his brother and his vncles were sore troubled and greuously displeased with the erle of Ostrenaunt Than the Frenche kyng sayde Lo sirs ye mayeâe what it is to do for hym It is nat yet a yere paste sythe he desyred me that his brother myght be bysshoppe of Cambrey And by these tidynges that gyfte were rather preiudyciall to the realme of Fraunce than auauÌcement It hadde been better we had gyuen it to our cosyn of saynt Poule The Heynoways dyd neuer good to vs nor neuer wyll for they be proude presumptuous and to fierse Alwayes they haue owed better good wyll to the Englysshe men than to vs but a daye shall come they shall repent them We wyll sende to the erle of Ostrenaunt coÌmauÌdynge hym to come to vs to do vs homage for the couÌtie of Ostrenaunt or els we shall put hym fro it and annexe it to oure realme They of his counsayle answered and sayde Sir ye haue well deuysed lette it be done as ye haue sayde It maye well be thought that the duke of Burgoyne whose doughter the erle of Ostrenaunt had to his wyfe was nothynge content with those tidynges for
a voyage for you thanne to go to Rome with a great puyssaunce of men of armes and pull downe and dystroy that antepaye whome the romayns by force hath created and set in the seate cathedrall of saynt Peter if ye wyll ye maye well accomplysshe this voyage and we suppose ye can nat passe your tyme more honorably And syr ye maye well know that if this antepape and his cardynals knowe ones that ye be mynded to come on them with an army they wyll yelde them self aske mercy The kynge remeÌbred hym selfe a lytell and sayd howe he wolde do as they had deuysed for surely he said he was moche bounde to pope Clement for the yere past he had ben at Auygnon where as the pope and his cardynals made hym ryght honourable chere and had gyuen more than was demaunded bothe to hym selfe to his brother and to his vncles wherfore the kynge sayd it hadde deserued to haue some recompence and also at his departure fro Auignon he had promysed the pope to helpe to assyst hym in his quarell At that season there was at Parys with the kyng the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne than it was agreed and concluded that the nexte Marche after the kynge shuld departe fro Parys and take the way towardes Sauoy and Lombardy and the erle of Sauoy to sende his cosyn Germayne with hym and the kynge to haue vnder his charge the duke of Tourayne his brother with four thousande speares and the duke of Burgoyne with two thousande speares and the duke of Berrey two thousaÌde the constable of Fraunce two thousande speares with the bretons raintoners and lowe marches the duke of Burbon a thousaÌde speares the lorde of saynt Poll and the lorde of Coucy a thousande speares all these men of armes to be payed in hande for thre monethes and so fro terme to terme And whan those tydynges were knowen in Auignon pope Clement and his cardynals were greatly reioysed and thought in a maner their enterprise atcheued Also the kinge was couÌsayled nat to leaue the duke of Bretayne behynde hym but to sende and to desyre hym to prepare hym selfe to go with him in this voyage The kyng wrote notably to hym and sent his letters by a man of honour an offycer of armes signyfyenge the duke in his letters the state of this voyage Whan the duke had red these letters he turned hym selfe smyled and called to hym the lorde of Mountboucher and sayd Syr harke and regarde well what the frenche kyng hath written to me he hath enterprised to departe this next Marche with a great puissaunce to go to Rome and to distroy suche as take parte with pope Bonyface As god helpe me his iourney shall tourne to nothynge for in shorte space he shall haue more flax to his dystaffe than he can well spynne I thynke he wyll leaue soone his folyssh thought And also he desyreth me to go with hym with two thousande speares howebeit I wyll honour him as I ought to do and I wyll write to him ioyously bycause he shall be contente and shewe hym howe if he go in this voyage he shall nat go without me seyng it pleaseth him to haue my company howe be it sir of MouÌtboucher I say vnto you I wyll nat traueyle a man of myne for all that the kyng hath purposed and sayd nothynge shall there be done in that behalfe The duke of Bretayne wrote goodly letters and swete to the frenche kynge and the officer of armes returned with theym to Parys and delyuered them to the kynge who redde them and was well contented with the aunswere ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the Englysshe knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the frenche kynge fro the kynge of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Cap. C .lxxv. THe wyll and purpose of the frenche kynge none wolde breke for it pleased greatly all the knyghtes squyers of Fraunce bycause they wyst nat where better to enploy their season and euery man prepared towardes that voyage and namely the clergy of all the prouynces of the realme ordayned and graunted a tayle to sende at their costes and charges men of warre with the kynge Howe be it this voyage tourned to nothynge as the duke of Bretayne had sayd before and I shall shewe you by what incidence About the feest of Candelmas came other tydynges to the Frenche kyng and to his counsayle whiche they loked nothynge for Certayne of the kynge of Englandes couÌsayle and suche as were of his priuy chambre were sent nobly to Parys to the frenche kyng and they that were chefe of this legacyon was syr Thomas Percy syr Loys Clyfforde and sir Robert Briquet with dyuers other knyghtes in their company but I herde as than no mo named Whan these thre knyghtes were come to Parys to hym than the french kyng was desyrous to knowe what it myght meane that the kynge of Englande dyd sende so hastely of his counsayle to hym These knyghtes of Englande syr Thomas Percy and other alyghted in Parys in the streate called the Crosse at the signe of the castell The frenche kynge as than lay in the castell of Lowere his brother the duke of Tourayne with hym and his other thre vncles in other lodgynges in the cytie and the coÌstable syr Olyuer Clysson It was nere haÌde noone whan the englysshe men came to Parys and they kept their lodgynge all that day nyght after and the next day aboute nyue of the clocke they lept on their horses ryght honorably and rode to the castell of Loure to the kyng where he with his brother and vncles the Erle of saint Poll the lorde of Coucy the constable of FrauÌce sir Iohan of Vien sir Guy de la tremoyle with dyuers other barons of Fraunce were redy to receyue the englysshe ambassadours who alyghted at the gate and entred in and there receyued them the lord de la Ryuer syr Iohan Mercyer sir Lyon of Lignach sir Peter Villers sir Willyam of Tremoyle and syr Marcell there they receyued them honourably and brought theym in to the chambre where the kynge taryed for them Than they dyd of their bonettes and kneled downe syr Thomas Percy hadde the letters of credence that the kynge of Englande had sente to the frenche kynge he delyuered them to the kyng who tooke them and caused the knyghtes to stande vp than they stepe some what backe The kynge opyned the letters and red them and sawe well that they had credence than he called to hym his brother and his vncles and shewed them the letters than his vncles sayd Syr call forthe the knyghtes and here what they wyll say Than they aproched and were coÌmaunded to declare their credence than siâ Thomas Percy spake and sayd Dere sir the entencyon of our souerayne lorde the kinge of Englande is that he wolde gladly that suche of his specyall counsayle as his vncles dukes of Lancastre yorke and Glocestre and other prelates of
Englande suche as his specyall ãâ¦ã might come in to your presence and to your counsayle as shortely as myght be to treate for a maner of peace so that it he and you togyther myght couenably and resonably be conâoyned and meanes sounde to haue a conclusyon of peace he wold be therof right ioyfull and for that entente he wolde nouther spare his owne payne and laboure nor yet none of his men nother to come hym selfe or to sende suffyciente persones ouer thesee to the cytie of Amyence or to any other place assigned And syr we be come hyder for this entente to knowe your pleasure in this behalfe Than the kynge aunswered and sayde Syr Thomas Percy you and all your company are ryght hertely welcome and of youre comynge and wordes we are ryght ioyfull ye shall âary here in Paris a season and we wyll speke with our counsayle and make you suche a couenable answere or ye depart that it shall suffyce you With this answere the englysshe men were well content Than it was nere dyner tyme and the englysshe men were desyred to tary to dyne And so the lorde of Coucy brought them in to a chambre and the lorde de la Ryuer There they dyned at their layser and after dyâer they retourned in to the kynges chambre and there had wyne and spyces and thanne toke their leaue of the kynge and wente to their lodgynge THe comynge of syr Thomas Percy and his company in to FrauÌce and the tydynges that they brought pleased greatly the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne and dyuers of his counsayle but nat allâ and specially suche as ayded to sustayne pope Clementes quarell for they sawe well by these tydynges that if the frenche kynge enclyned to this treatie that it shulde greatly let hynder the voyage that was mynded to go to Rome to distroy pope Bonyfacâ and his cardynals or els to bringe them to the beleue of pope Clemente But the mater of treatie of peace was so âegh and touched so moche the welthe and prefyte all crystendome so that no persone durst speke against it The duke of Burgoyn and his counsayle with the kynge and his brother and the duke of Burbone were all of one acorde The kyng made good chere to ser Thomas Percy to the englysshmen but amonge them there was one knyght called sir Robert Briquet wheme the frenche kynge loued nat he was a frenche man borne but alwayes he helde him selfe outher naueroys or englysshe and as than he was one of the king of Englandes priuy chambre The frenche kynge dissymuled with hym sagely for whan he spake to theym alwayes the kynge wolde tourne his selfe to syr Thomas Percy or els to syr Loys Clyfforde and sayd Syrs we wolde gladly se this peace to be had bytwene vs and our aduersary the kynge of Englande for the quarell and warre hath to longe endured bytwene vs. and one thinge I wyll ye knowe that it shall nat be hyndred on out parte though it be gretly to our cost Sir quod they the kyng our souerayne lorde who hath sent vs hyther hathe great affection to haue peace and saythe that it shall nat be let on his parte and hath marueyle that the warre and dyscensyon bytwene your landes hath endured so longe and that no good amyable meanes hathe been had or this tyme. Than the frenche kynge answered and sayd we shall se the good affection that he hath thervnto THese englysshemen taryed at Parys vi dayes and euery day dyned with one of the dukes of Fraunce and in the meane season it was determyned that the frenche kynge his vncles and his priuy counsayle shulde be at Amyence by the myddes of Marche next after there to abyde the coming of the kynge of Englande his vncles and his counsayle if they wolde come thyder And the englysshe knyghtes sayd they made no doute but at the lest the kynge of Englandes vncles shulde be at the day assigned at Amyence this was the conclusyon of this treatie The daye before that they shulde departe out of Parys the kynge came to the palays where his vncles were and there he made a dynner to the Englyssh knightes and caused sir Thomas Percy to sytte at his borde and called hym cosyn by reason of the Northumberlandes blode at which dyner there was gyuen to sir Thomas Percy and to the englyssh knightes and squiers great gyftes and fayre iewels but in the gyunge of them they ouer slypte syr Robert Briquet and syr Peter Villers chefe steward with the frenche kynge delyuered the gyftes and be said to syr Robert Briquet Sir whan ye haue done suche seruyce to the kynge my maister as shall please hym he is ryche and puisaunt ynough to rewarde you With whiche wordê sir Robert Briquet was sore abasshed and parceyued well therby that the kyng loued hym nat but he was fayne to suffre it after dyner mynstels began to play that pastyme ones past sir Thoms Percy caÌe to the kyng sayd Sir I and my company haue great marueyle of one thing that ye haue made vs so good chere and gyuen vs so great gyftes that sir Robert Briquet hath nothynge who is a knight of our maisters preuy chambre Sir we desyre to knowe the cause why therto answered the frenche kyng and sayd Sir Thomas the knyght that ye speke of syth ye wyll knowe that mater he hath no nede to be in batayle agaynst me for if he were taken prisoner his raunsome shulde soone be payde and therwith the kyng entred in to other coÌmunycacion Than wyne and spyces were brought forthe and so tooke leaue retourned to their lodgynge and made a reconyng and payde for euery thyng The nexte daye they departed spedde so in their iourneys that they arryued in EnglaÌde and shewed the kyng and his vncles howe they had spedde and greatly praysed the freÌche kyng and the chere that he had made them shewed of the gyftes and iewels that he had gyuen them ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue a lytell to speke of the Englysshe men and some what shewe of kyng Iohan of Castyle ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of kyng IohnÌ of Castyle and of the crownyng of kynge Henry his sonne Cap. C .lxxvi. YE haue herde here before in this hystorie how peace was made bytwene the kynge of Castyle and the duke of Lancastre who chalenged to haue ryght to the realme of Castyle by reason of the lady Custaunce his wyfe doughter to kyng DoÌpeter And by meanes of a fayre doughter that the duke of Lancastre had by the sayde lady Custaunce the peace was made and confyrmed For the sayde kynge Iohan of Castyle had a sonne to his heyre called Henry who was prince of Galyce This Henry was maryed to the duke of Lancasters Doughter wherby good peace was made bytwene Englande and Castyle and within two yeres after this maryage kynge Iohan of Castyle dyed and was buryed in Burgus in Spaygne Anone after his dethe the prelates
and passed this transitory lyfe The next day whan it was knowen that the erle of Armynake was deed in Alexaunder in his bedde syr Iaques of Bierne wolde nat that his dethe shulde be vnknowen but caused it to be publysshed in the hoost by suche prisoners as he had to se what his enemyes wolde do They of the host were sore dyscomfyted as they well shewed for as than they had no capitayne to drawe vnto for they were but companyons gadred of all partes Than they sayd let vs returne and saue our selfe for we haue lost our tyme. Anon it was knowen in the Cytie howe the armynois were discoÌfyted and had no capytayne than they armed them and issued out a horsebacke and a foote and set on the hoost cryenge Pauy for the lorde of Myllayne There they were taken and slayne without defence The conquest and botye was great with the companyons that were come thyder with syr Iaques of Bierne the Armynage is yelded them selfe without defence and cast away armure and sledde and were chased lyke beastes Lo what a harde aduenture therle of Armynake and his company bad and where as his entente was to do well it tourned hym to great yuell If he had lyued fyue dayes lenger syr Iohan Acton had come to hym with fyue hundred speares and a thousande brigandyns a foote wherby he myght haue done many feates of armes and all lost by harde aduenture WHan the duke of Myllayn knewe the trouth that his enemyes were slayne and taken and specyally the erle of Armynake slayne he was ioyfull therof and loued syr Iaques de Bierne the better in his herte and made hym soueraygne ouer all his chyualry and made him chefe of his couÌsayle The duke of Myllayne to auoyde his countrey of his enemyes gaue to euery prysoner that was a gentylman a horse and to euery other man a florayne and quyted them clene of their raunsomes but at their departynge he caused them to swere that they shulde neuer after arme them agaynst hym Thus these companions departed out of Lombardy and Piemount and entred in to Sauoy and in to the dolpheny and had suche pouertie that it was marueyle for as they passed euery towne was closed agaynst theym Anone euery man had spent his florayn some had pytie of them and dyd gyue them almes for charite and some rebuked and mocked them sayenge Go your wayes seke out your erle of Armynake who is drinkynge at a well before Alexaundre yet they were in more myschiefe whan they came to the ryuer of Rone they had thought lightly to haue passed ouer in to the realme of FrauÌce but they dyd nat for the frenche kynge hadde coÌmaunded all the passages to be closed and kept agaynst them wherby they fell in great daunger and pouertie After that they coulde neuer assemble togyther agayne Thus the yonge erle of Armynakes army brake a sonder his suster abode styll in as yuell case as she was in before Than the duke of Myllayne sent for a bysshop of his couÌtrey and for suche as were most next to the erle of Armynake as had ben there with hym at that iourney and the duke coÌmaunded that therles body shulde be baumed and sente to his brother syr Barnarde who was ryght sorowfull of those tydynges and good cause why but there was no remedy Than the erle of Armynake was buryed in the cathedrall churche of Rodays and there he lyeth IT ought to be knowen as it hath ben contayned here before in this history how syr Thomas Percy was sent by kyng Rycharde of Englande in to the realme of FrauÌce and shewed well howe he had gret affectyon to haue a ferme peace bytwene Englande and Fraunce and specyally two of the kynge of Englandes vncles as the duke of Lancastre and the duke Edmonde of yorke but the kynges other vncle the duke of Glocestre and constable of Englande wolde in no wyse acorde to haue any peace with the french men without it were to the kynges honoure and theirs and that there myght be rendred agayne all suche cyties townes castels landes and sygnories whiche had been gyuen to the kynge of Englande and to his heyres whiche falsely had ben taken away by the frenchmen without tytell or reasone and besyde that the soÌme of four thousande frankes whiche was owyng whan the frenchmen began the warre agayne And of this opynyon was dyuers lordes of Englande sayenge that to the dethe they wolde iustifye the same Many sayd that the duke of Glocestre had good ryght and reason to sustayne that opinyon but they dissymuled the mater couertely bycause they sawe the kynges mynde and affection enclyned greatly to haue peace But the poore knightes and squyers and archers of England rather enclyned to haue warre suche as had susteyned there estates by reason of the warre Consydre well than howe peace loue or acorde might be had bytwene these parties for the frenche men in their treatie demaunded to haue Ealays beaten downe to haue the sygnorie of Guysnes Hammes Marke and Dye all the landes of Froyton and the dependantes of Guysnes vnto the lymyttes of the water of Grauelyng and the frenche kynge offred to delyuer to the crowne of EnglaÌde as moch landes in values in Acquytayn against whiche artycle that duke of Gloucestre helde and said The frenchmen wyll paye vs with our owne for they knowe well ynough howe we haue charters sealed by kynge Iohan all his chyldren that all hole Acquytayn shulde haue been delyuered to vs without any resorte or soueraynte to any man and all that euer they haue doone sythe hath ben by fraude and false engyn and nyght and day entende to no other thyng but to disceyue vs for if Calays and suche landes as they demaunde were delyuered in to their handes they shulde be lordes of all the see coste and than all our conquestes were as nothynge I shall rather neuer agree to peace as long as I lyue ⸫ ⸫ ¶ How syr Peter of Craon fell in the french kynges displeasure and in the duke of Thourayns after he was receyued by the duke of Bretayne Cap. C.lxxviii IN this said seasoÌ there was a knyght of Fraunce of the countrey of Aniou a gentle knight and of noble extraction called syr Pyer of Craon marucylously well beloued and specially with the duke of Thourayne for aboute the duke no thynge was doone but by hym Also this knyght helde a gret astate about the duke of Aniou who was called kynge of Naples Cicyll Iherusalem and also he was ryche Asclaunder was brought vp on hym through the realme of FrauÌce howe he had robbed the yonge kynge of Cycyll duke of Aniou for the whiche brute the sayd sir Peter absented him selfe fro the yonge kynge and fro his mather who had ben wyfe to the olde duke of Aniou howe be it he delte so that he was welbeloued with the frenche kynge and with his brother the duke of Thourayne Also the same
attaygne to the herytage of Bretaygne of the whiche he is without and shall be for I haue chyldren sonne and doughter that shall succede after me Secondely he beareth the ermyns whiche are the armes of Bretaygne but of trouthe to do me dyspleasure withall sir Olyuer clysson mayntayneth him in that opinyon and as longe as he is in that case I wyllagre to no treatie with the kynge As for warre I wyll make none to the kyng bycause he is my naturall lorde but if by yuell informacyon the kyng make me warre I shall defende me he shall fynde me in myne owne countre all this I wyll that the kyng knowe THus the treatie bytwene the kynge and the duke of Bretayne contynued rygorously for the duke was lorde and mayster of his counsayle but the frenche kynge was nat so of his but was ruled by syr Olyuer Clisson and the Begue of Vyllains syr Iohan Mercyer and by syr Willyam of Montague the duke of Burgoyne who had clere vnderstandyng of euery thynge suffred the duke of Bretaygnes reasons and defences to be sayde in place and couertly he susteyned them and had the duke of Berrey of his opynyon for he hated inwardly them of the kynges priuy chambre bycause they had dystroyed his treasourer Betysache shamfully by iustyce at Besyers as ye haue herde here before but he suffred it for he sawe no tyme to be reuenged In this dyfference the duke of Bretaygne taryed at Towrs thre monethes that their treatie coulde come to no good conclusyon and were at the poynte to haue departed and the kynge was in wyll that as soone as he was retourned in to Fraunce to make a great assemble to make warre the next somer after in to Bretayne agaynst the duke suche of his acorde to leaue all other busines but the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy therle of saint Poll sir Guy of Tremoile the chanceller of FrauÌce and dyuers other prelates high barons of FrauÌce suche as were there ymagined to withstaÌde this rigorous rebellioÌs spake togider and said to the kyng sir we that be the iouerayn lordes piers of your realme and be nere of your lygnage we shulde haue a treatie this next lent for a peace to be had at AmieÌce with thenglysshmen Wherfore sir ye had nede to make haste leaue this yuell wyll bytwene you and the duke of Bretayne for if the duke deête hens without any agrement made bytwene you thenglysshmen wyll be the harder in all their treaties for they wyll thynke theÌ to be ayded and coÌforted by the duke of Bretayne and by his countrey for the duke hath thenglisshmen at his hande whan he wyll if we haue warre atones bothe with the Englysshmen bretons as we haue had or this they wyll put vs to great payne These lordê dyde so moche with the kyng his couÌsayle that at last they founde a meane bytwene the kyng the duke I shewe you what it was surely without the same meanes had ben founde they shulde haue come to no conclusion of good acorde So it was the frenche kyng had a doughter the duke of Bretaine had a sonne there was a maryage made bytwene this sonÌe this dought In lykewise IohnÌ of Bretayne had a sonÌe by the dought of sir Olyuer of Clysson the duke of Bretayne had a doughter and it was thought to make sure peace that the mariage bytwene theÌ two were necessary These maryages were agreed concluded howbeit for all these alyaunces yet IohnÌ of Bretayne shulde leaue the armes of Bretayne beare them of Chastellon bycause he was extracte by his mother syde of a duke of Bretayne for his mother was doughter to a duke of Bretaygne therfore he was alowed to bere in his armes a bordet of ermyne with thre labels goules on the heed of a scochyn of ermyns Thus he bare these deuises euery thynge was apesed So the duke of Bretayne gate the loue of the kyng of his vncles and dyned with the kyng and so IohnÌ of Bretayne was erle of Ponâhieuts And thus shewed great loue togyder by meanes of these mariages howe be it the duke in no wyse wolde se nor speke with sir Olyuer of Clysson he had suche displeasure to hym howebeit sir Olyuer made lyght therof for he hated the duke also with all his puissauÌce These mariages thus acorded the lordes sworne and bounde to fulfyll theÌ whan the chyldren shulde be soÌwhat of more age Than these lordes determyned to departe fro Tourse to drawe to Parys for the tyme aproched that they shulde be at Amyence personally The frenche kyng his brother his vncles and his couÌsayle to mere there with the kyng of Englande his vncles and counsayle who shulde be there So the duke of Bretayne toke leaue of the Frenche kyng and of his brother vncles and of suche other as he loued best and so deêted fro Tourse went in to his owne couÌtre and in lykewise so dyd all other lordê The duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy taryed there styll I shall shewe you why ¶ Howe therle of Bloys and Mary of Namure his wyfe solde the countie of Bloys all their landes to the duke of Thourayne the frenche kynges brother Cap. C.lxxxii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Loys of Bloys sonÌe to therle Guy of bloys died whan he was yonge in the towne of Beauniont in Heynalt wher by the lady Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey was a widowe therby she lost her welthe of this worlde for the chylde was a gret enheritour if he had lyued he had ben a great lorde I speke of it bycause it shulde be knowen in tyme to come thenheritauÌce to whome it went out of the right lyne and by what maner therle of Blois Mary of Namure his wyfe were nat in the case to engeÌdre children togider for by great driÌkyng moche eatynge of wete delycate meates they were ouergrowen with fatnesse so that the erle coude nat ryde but was alwayes caried in a lytter fro one place to another or whan he wolde go a huntyng or haukyng whiche sporte was gretly vsed with the lordê of FrauÌce The same season whyle the Frenche kynge was at Tourse the duke of Thourayne had an ymaginacion whiche he brought to effect as I shall shewe you The duke of Thourayne knewe well he had moche rychesse lying by hym paraduenture a myllion of Floreyns whiche had by reason of his mariage with the lady Valentyne of Myllayne doughter to the erle of Vertus He wyst nat howe to enploy these flornes Than he remeÌbred howe the erle Guy of Bloys had great herytagê and that after his dethe they were likely to go to dyuers êsones The erldome of Bloys shulde retourne to Iohan of Bretayne for he was the erles cosyn germayne and the landes of Heynault shulde go to the
the lady of Dunoyes for her dowrie whiche was assygned to her sixe thousande frankes And furthermore he shulde haue made another sale of all his landes in Heynaulte And the Duke of Thourayne to haue payde for that two hundred thousande frankes Howe be it therin the erle of Bloys reserued to knowe the erle of Heynaltes pleasure therin who was his naturall lorde to whom he owed faythe and homage for those landes Howe be it that kyng and the duke of Thourayn toke that charge on them and to discharge the erle what soeuer shulde fall after Thus or they departed they bounde the erle by promyse and by writynges sealed as they might well and easely do for he had there none of his couÌsayle saue Sohier who neuer was at scole nor knewe no letter on the boke Moche after this maner went this marchandise and I haue written this mater as iustely as I coude to th entent that herafter in tyme to come by reason of writyng the trouthe shulde be knowen For the erle Guye of Bloys my lorde mayster as he that was ignorant and yuell counsayled more by his wyfe and varlet Sohier thaÌ by any other made this yuell bargayne And whan these maters were concluded and surely made by the kyng the duke of Thourayne and their counsayle than the lordes toke their leaue and retourned in to FrauÌce Great brute was made of these sales in dyuers countries ¶ Howe sir Roger of Spaygne and sir Espaygne du Lyon spedde with the frenche kyng and his counsayle for the Vicount of Chastelons busynesse and howe howe he was sette in possession of the countie of Foiz of the money that he payde Cap. C.lxxxiii HOwe let vs soÌwhat speke of sir Roger of spaygne and of sir Espaygne du Lyon and shewe how they spedde aft they were retourned fro Tourle to go to Tholous to the bysshop of Noyon and to the lorde de la Ryuer So longe they iourneyd that they came thyder they were welcome for their coÌmynge was fore desyred There they shewed their letters and howe they had spedde By semblaunt the bysshoppe and the lorde de la Ryuer were ioyouse of that the herytauÌce shulde abyde with the Vycount of Chastellon on suche condycions as is before written Than sir Roger and his coÌpanyon thought to take some more payne as to ryde to the Vycount of Chastellon and to the counsayls of Foize and of Bierne to se that euery thyng be sette in good order Than they departed fro Tholous and rode to saynt Gracyens the Vicount was nat there but he was at the entre of Berne in a fayre castell called Pau and there they founde hym who was ioyfull of their coÌmynge And whan he knewe that the Frenche kyng had gyuen vp his tytell of the byeng of the couÌtie of Foiz he was gladder than he was before As for the money that he shulde paye he wyst well ynoughe where to haue it and moche more ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made at Amyence of the Frenche kynge and his counsayle and of the kynge of Englandes vncles on the treatie of peace Cap. C.lxxxiiii I Thynke I haue sufficiently treated of the busynesse of Bierne and of foiz for if I shulde reherse all thynges it wolde requyre long writyng therfore I wyll leaue spekyng therof and create of other maters Thus all thyngê coÌcluded the vicount of Chatellon was erle of Foiz and lorde of Berne in lyke maner as the older erle helde it and all suche as ought so to do made homage to hym he departed largely with ser yuan and sir Gracien tholde erles bastarde sones in suche wyse that they were content and payde to the FreÌche kyng all suche money as was êmised to be payde This mater was nat sone done somer was first well onwarde and the bisshop of Noyon and the lorde de la Ryuer taryed styll at Tholous tyll euery thyng was set in good order accordyng as they were charged Nowe let vs speke of thassemble of the lordes of FrauÌce and of Englande in the good cyte of Amyence on the treatie of a peace or of a truce as than beyng the yere of our lorde M.CCC.lxxx .xi. in the myddes of lent great prouision was made ther for these lordê or they caÌe thider First for the frenche kyng for his estate and for his thre vncles and also for other great lordes of FrauÌce euery man after his degre for it was said that kyng Richard of EnglaÌde shulde be there wherfore many desyred to se him such as had neuer sene him before how beit he came nat there yet he caÌe to Douer to th entent to haue passed the see his thre vncles with hym that is to say the dukes of LaÌcastre yorke Glocester whan they came to Douer they tooke aduyse whyder it were mete for the kyng to passe the see or nat All thynges consydred the counsayle of Englande was of opinyon that the kyng shuld byde at Douer the duke of Gloceter with him and the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke therle of HuÌtyngton therle of Derby sir thomas Percy the bysshops of Durham London and other of the kynges couÌsaile to passe ouer so they came to Calais And whan the day aproched that they shulde mete at AmyeÌce they deêted fro Calysmo than .xii. C. horse it was a goodly syght to se theÌ ryde in good order The frenche kyng had ordayned that after thenglisshmen came out of Calis both goyng abyding returnyng all their costes and charges were borne of the frenche kyngê charge as mete driÌke lodgyng horse mete With the duke of LaÌcastre the duke of yorke there caÌe their cosyn dought to their suster to the lorde Coucy who was a faire yoÌg lady called the lady of yrelaÌde for she was wedded to the duke of yrelaÌde this lady caÌe to Amyens to se the lorde her father the lorde Coucy for she had nat sene hym moche before wherfore she hadde great desyre to se hym She came lyke a noble widowe hauyng but small ioye in her co age THe Frenche kyng had ordayned to make the Englysshe men as moche honour as coude be deuysed and to the foure dukes that is to saye The duke of Thourayn the Frenche kynges brother and the dukes of Burbon of Berrey and or Burgoyne lâpte on their horses and rode out of the towne to mete with the englisshmen acoÌpanyed with many other great lordes Fyrst mette with theÌ the duke Loys of Thourayn well acoÌpanyed and honorably receyued his colyns of Englande there coÌmuned a certayne space with theÌ than he toke his leaue and departed agayne with all his company and so rode streight to the cytie to the kynge his brother And the other thre dukes the kynges vncles Berrey Burbone Burgoyne mette with the Englysshe dukes in the felde and made great chere and honorable eche to other that ioye it was to se Than the geÌtyll
erle Dolphyn of Auuergne who had ben as an hostager in Englande and moche in the duke of Lacasters company and loued hym very well He came and humbly saluted the duke of Lancaster Whan the duke sawe him he enbrased hym in great token of loue and spake toguyder a lytell Than the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne came to them the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy and therle of âaynt Poule came to the duke of yorke the erle of Huntyngton and to sir Thomas Percye and so âode talkyng togyder with amorous wordes tyll they aproched the cytie of Amyence Than the duke of Lancastre rode bytwene the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyn Thus they rode all thre in a front makyng honour eche to other tyll they came to the bysshoppes palais where the kynge the duke of Thourayne was There they a lighted and the two dukes ledde the duke of Laâcastre vp the steres and the other dukes and lordes folowed Than the Frenche lordes came in to the kynges presence made their reuerence and lefte the Englysshe dukes standyng alone Than a lytell they enclined them selfe to the kyng than the kyng caâe to them and toke them by the handes lytte them vp and spake swetely to them they to hym and other lordes of Fraunce fell in talkynge with the other lordes of Englande whan they had coÌmaned a season they toke their leaue of the kyng his brother vncles and departed were conueyed to their lodgynges by the coÌstable of Fraunce the lorde Coucy the erle of saynt Poule sir Iohan of Vyenne and other Lordes of the realme of Fraunce Than they toke their leaues deêted agayne to the kyng and the lady of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy was lodged in her fathers lodging all her coÌpany IT was ordayned by the freÌche kyng his counsayle before thenglysshe lordê came to the cytie of Amyence whiche ordynauÌce was publysshed and proclamed openlye to th entent that no êsone shulde be ignorant therof but euery man to beware of âre kyng of any artycle in the proclamacion on payne of lefyng of their heedes First that no maner of person make any riot or gyue any riotous wordes to any Englysshman also that no knight nor squier speke or make any chalenge of armes to any englysshman on payne of the kynges highe displeasure they to company with the with swete wordes and goodly behauour in that towne lodgyngê or felde nor that the Frenche pages make any debate nor riotte in any place on payne of dethe And what soeuer any englysshman demauÌdeth to suââre them pesably to haue it that no hoât nor vitayler demaunde any money outher for meate or drinke nor for other suche coÌmen charges Also it was ordayned that no knight nor squyer of Fraunce shuld go by night tyme without torche or torches and that the englysshmen shulde go at their pleasure without any coÌtrolement that if any freÌchman mete any Englysshman in the night in any strete that they shulde swetely gently conuey him or theÌ to their lodgyng or to their company Also it was ordayned that in four places of the cyte four watches to be set of a thousande men in euery watche and that if any fyre happe to fall in the nyght by any incydence the watche in no wyse to remoue for no maner of cause but at the so wnynge of a bell all other people to drawe to queÌche the fyre Also it was ordayned that no freÌch knight nor squier for no maner of cause shulde presume to speke to the king wtout the kyng fyrst dyde call hym Nor also that the knightes nor squyers of Fraunce shulde talke nor comune toguyder as long as any of the Englysshe men were present But to fynde comunynge and pastyme with theym Also it was ordayned that all hostes and their seruauntes in anywyse shulde nat conuey or hyde any Bowes or Arrowes or any other thynge parteyninge to the Englysshe men without makynge of large amendes without it were gyuen them by the Englysshmen of their curtesy than to take it or els nat All these thynges were determyned by delyberacyon or good counsayle to do the Englysshe men the more honoure for they trusted of a good conclusyon of peace Nighe euery day a fiftene dayes toguyder these lordes were in counsayle and brought nothyng to coÌclusyon for their demaundes were greatly different The Frenche men demaunded to haue Calais rased and beaten downe in suche wyse that no persone shulde dwell there after The Englysshe men wolde in no wyse agree to that treatie for it ought to be beleued that Calais was the towne of the worlde that the coÌmons of Englande loued best for as longe as they be lordes of Calays They sayde they bare the kayes of Fraunce vnder their gyrdell Thoughe the lordes departed euery daye vnagreed yet they departed a soÌder right amiably for euery daye they poynted to were agayne the nexte day bothe parties trustyng at last to coÌclude on some good poynt The frenche kyng made thenglysshe men in that space thre notable dyners at his palais In lykewise so dyde the duke of Thourayne the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule Eche of these made the Englysshe men a great dyner And for euery thyng that the Englysshmen toke in the towne was payd for and clerkes apoynted by the kynge and his counsayle to write euery thyng and euery man apoynted for their money to the chambre of accomptes It ought to be knowen that Iohan duke of Lancastre and his brother the duke of yorke for all that they were come thyder on trust of peace yet they had charge of the kyng of Englande and of his counsayle that what soeuer treatie they made in no wise they shulde nouther gyue nor take any maner of thynge MAny were of the opynion that the coÌmynaltie of Englande rather enclyned to warre than to peace for in the tyme of good kyng Edwarde the thirde and of his sonÌe the prince of Wales they had so many fayre and highe vyctories on the frenche men and so great conquestes with so moche money for raunsomes sellyng and patesynge of townes countreis that they were become marueylous riche for many suche as were no gentylmen of byrthe by reason of their hardynesse and valyaunt aduentures wan and conquered so moche golde and syluer that they became noble and rose to great honour And so such as folowed after wolde folowe the same lyfe how beit after that dayes of the sayd kyng Edwarde and the prince his sonne by the wysdome and highe enterprice of sir Bertram of Clesquy and by the ayde of other good knyghtes of FrauÌce The Englysshmen were than agayne sore put backe The duke of Gloucestre sonne to the sayde kynge Edwarde and vncle as than to kyng Richarde than beyng at Amyence dyuers other lordes knightes and squyers were of
at Colbridge and at Bruselles in the house of duke Wyncelante of Brabant and of the duchesse Iahan of Brabant this knyght sir Rycharde Sury made me good chere and demaunded of me many thynges and I aunswered hym as I knewe And as I walked vp and downe with hym in a galery before the kynges chambre I demauÌded hym questyons of that counsayle and desyred hym to tell me if he myght what conclusion was taken He herde me well and paused a lytell and afterwarde sayd syr Iohan I shall shewe you for it is no mater to be hydden and kept secrete for shortly ye shall here theym publysshed all openly ye knowe well quod he and Iame sure ye haue herde rehersed howe the duke of Lancastre is gone in to Acquytayne to reioyce the gyftâ that the kynge my soueraygne lorde hath gyuen hym for the loue that he hathe to hym for he hath doone the kynge ryght good seruyce and the crowne of Englande therfore in rewarde the kynge hathe clerely gyuen to hym and to his heyres for euer the hole duchy of Acquitayne so as it eâtendeth in metes and lymytacyons seneschalles baylyages sygnories and wasselages and clene quyteth all them that holde of hym by faythe or othe and in all homage the resorte reserued more the kynge hath reserued to the crowne of Englande in tyme to come And this gyfte is so sufficyently confermed that all the kynges other vncles and all the counsayle of Englande hath acorded ther to and the kynge hathe gyuen specyall commaundement to all his subgiettes in the sayd lymytacyons of Acquytayne to obey in all poyntes without any othermeane his dere and well beloued vncle duke Iohan of Lancastre and after the syght of his letters to holde and to take hym to their souerayne lorde and to swere to hym faythe and homage and to holde of hym truely as they haue auncyently done and helde at the date of those letters gyuen by the kyng of Englande or his deputies or coÌmyssioners And who soeuer that rebelleth or speketh agaynst this the kynges grauÌt of what condycyon so euer he be to aunswere therto within thre dayes The kynge gaue to his vncle of Lancastre and to his commyssioners full power and puyssaunce to correcte them and to put them out of all hope to haue any other retourne or resorte yet nat withstandynge all these letters and strayte coÌmaundement of the kynge the good townes and cyties of Gascoyne vnder the kynge of Englandes obeysauÌce and all other lordes knyghtes and gentlemen of the countrey are conioyned togyther to kepe their townes close agaynste the duke and wyll nat nor are nat in mynde to obey the duke in this case for they say and haue sayd and yet susteyne at this houre that the gyfte that the kynge hath gyuen to his vncle of Lancastre is nat suffycient nor profytable and out of the ordre of reason And that duke who wolde nat wynne theym but by gentylnesse herde pacyently their defences and that no further inconuenyentes shulde ensue therfore his counsayle and their counsayles are come hyther to debate and to declare the cause why they do nat obey the kynges coÌmaundement And surely as this day they haue right wysely shewed their answere and layde forth certayne artycles of reason and they haue ben well herde And they haue layde suche reasons that in a maner the kynge and his counsayle thynke they haue cause to abyde by their quarell I shall shewe you howe but I wolde ye kept it secrete tyll it be knowen further abrod And I aunswered I wolde so do Well quod the knyght one as me thought was offyciall of Burdeaux spake for all his partie and first shewed forthe his procutacyon and auctorite to the entent he myght the better be beleued and than beganne and sayde that the cytie of Burdeaux and the cyties of Bayon and Dax and all the sygnories and lorshyppes that be appendaunt to the lymyttes of the sayd countreys and cyties are of so noble condycyon that no kyng of Englande by no maner of accyon or dede may put awaye or dysceuer them fro the demayns of the crowne of Englande nor to gyue or alyenate them to chylde vncle nor brother by reasone of maryage or otherwise and to veryfie this we say that the aboue named townes cyties and sygnories are suffyciently priueleged by kynges of Englande who haue sworne faythfully to holde and to kepe vs so without reuocasyon For as soone as any Kynge of Englande entreth in to the possessyon of the herytage of the Crowne of Englande he swereth sufficiently on the euangelystes to holde this ferme and stable without breakynge and ye ryght dere syr as kyng of Englande haue made lyke othe And syr to veryfie this to be of trouth beholde here these writynges And ther with he shewed forth letters and charters vnder the sygnes of notaryes imperyalles and sealed with the great seale of Englande gyuen by the same kynge Rycharde there beynge present and there openly he redde it frome clause to clause The charter was well herde and vnderstande for it was bothe in laten and in Frenche and it named in the ende many wytnesses of prelates and great lordes of Englande who were for the more suretie testes of that dede at the leste to the nombre of .xi. Whanne the kynges counsayle herde this they behelde eche other and loked on the kynge There was no man spake a worde nor made no replycacion whan he had redde it ouer he folded it and put it vp and spake further addressynge his wordes to the kynge and sayde Ryght dere syr and redouted soueraygne lorde and you my ryght dere lordes and other at my departynge out of the countrey I was charged to shewe you by the counsaylours of the good Cyties and townes of Gascoyne beynge vnder the obeysaunce of the crowne of Englande hath well ouer sene the fourme and maner of your commauÌdement sent vnto them vnder your seale whiche they knewe right well yet they thinke and say that this coÌmaundement may nat be obeyed for if so were that the cyties and good townes of Guyen wolde enclyne to receyue the duke of Lancastre to their lorde and acquyte for euer the homage and obeysaunce that they owe to you it shulde be greatly to the preiudyce of the crowne of Englande for thoughe it were so that at this tyme presente the duke of Lancastre is the kynges vncle and subgiet and well beloued and wolde holde and kepe all poyntes and artycles belongyng to the crowne of Englande yet it maye so hap that suche loue and tenure may lyghtly be lost by chaunge of heyres by reason of maryages that are made bytwene lordes and ladyes in chaungynge fro one to another though they be nere of lygnage by dyspensacyon of the pope for sometyme it is of necessyte that maryages be made of hyghe Princes or of their chyldren one with another to holde their landes and sygnories in loue and amyte And so it myght fall that suche
heyres as myght dyscende of the Duke of Lancastre shulde conioyne theym by maryage to the chyldren of some kynge in Fraunce or of dukes of Berrey Bretaygne or erles of Foize or Armynake or kynges of Nauarre or dukes of Aniou or of Mayne and than they beynge beyonde the see peraduenture in the parties of Fraunce shulde clayme their enherytaunce and therby put the countrey of Guyen in dyscorde and to bring it to be against the crowne of Englande wherby the kynge of Englande than reygnynge and the Realme also shulde haue peraduenture ouer moche payne to recouer it agayne and so the ryght to be put farre of fro thence whervnto it shulde retourne and be as of the demayne of the Crowne of Englande Wherfore ryght dere syr and redouted lordes and noble counsaylours please it you to consydre all these poyntes and artycles which I haue purposed in your presence and determyne it as ye shall seme best for syr the full opynion of all the countrey is they saye they wyll abyde styll in the obey saunce of you ryght redouted lorde and kynge and in the demayne of the noble Crowne of Englande Therwith this offyciall helde his peace and the prelates and lordes eche of them regarded other Than they drewe togyther and aproched to the kynge fyrste his two vncles and the erles of Derby and Arundell Than they of Acquytayne were coÌmaunded to departe tyll they were called agayne They departed and also the two knightes that were come thyder fro the duke of Lancastre Than the kyng demaunded counsayle what shulde be done and what aunswere shulde be made The prelates tourned the aunswere to the kynges vncles bycause the mater touched them rather than any other At the fyrst they excused them sayeng they myght nat well aunswere for the mater was coÌmune and ought to be debated by coÌmune counsayle and nat by lygnage nor fauour Thus they bode a good space but fynally the aunswere was layde on the duke of Gloucestre and he was prayed and requyred to saye his aduyse Than he aunswered and sayde howe it was a herde thynge to take a way or to dysanull the gyfte of a kynge confermed and sealed by the acorde of all his subgiettes and by delyberacyon of his specyall counsayle wherfore he sayde his subgiettes shuld be rebell that wolde nat obey for in that they wolde make that the kynge shulde nat be lorde of his owne enheritaunce if that he myght nat do with his owne what it pleased hym some glosed those wordes and some thoughâ in their corage that the aunswere was nat reasonable but they durste nat saye agaynst it the duke of Gloucestre was so sore dred and the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre was there presente who furthered those wordes and sayde Fayre vncle ye haue well sayd I am of your opinyon Therwith the counsayle began to breke and some murmured one with another and they of Guyen nor yet the duke of Lancasters knightes were nat called agayne at that tyme. Whan the kynge sawe all the mater he dyssimuled a lytell and it was his entensyon that they shulde assemble togyther agayne in counsayle after dyner to se if any other propre way myght be taken for the honoure of the crowne of Englande Than the kynge caused the bysshop of Caunterbury to speke of that he had gyuen hym in charge in the mornynge to speke of that was vpon the state of his maryage and to sende in to Fraunce The lordes were of accorde and named them that shulde go whiche were the archebysshoppe of Duuelyn the erle of Rutlande the Erle Marshall the lorde Beaumonde the lorde Hughe Spenser the lorde Loys Clyfforde and twenty knyghtes and xl squyers These were sent in to Fraunce to treat for the maryage of the frenche kynges doughter Isabell of eyght yere of age and yet she was all redy promysed to the duke of Bretayns sonne by a treatie that was made in Towrs in Thourayne Nowe beholde howe this myght be broken for the Frenche kynge and his vncles hadde sealed with the duke of Bretayne yet for all that thenglysshe ambassadours had their charge gyuen vnto them and so they departed out of Englande and aryued at Calays there taryed a fyue dayes and than departed in great araye and tooke the waye to Amyence and they sente before Marche the haraulde who had brought to them saueconducte goynge and comyng and besyde that the lorde Moncheuerell was sette to be their guyde and to se them serued of all thynges necessary ¶ Nowe we shall leaue to speke of them and retourne to our fyrste purpose NOwe as I haue shewed you before the counsaylours of the Cyties and good townes of Acquytayne prayed the kynge and his counsayle to whome they were boude to mayntayn their lyberties and fraunches as in the demayne of the Crowne of Englande as he was sworne to do affermynge that surely they wolde kepe their auncyente lyberties and wyll nat breke it for no maner of cause or condycion and in holdynge thus their opynyon foure partes of the counsayle and the coÌmune voyce of the countrey reputed theym for valyaunt and worthy men But the duke of Gloucestre was of another opinyon for he wolde that his brother the duke of Lancastre shuld haue bydden styll in Acquytayne for he thought he was ouer great in Englande and to nere the kynge as for his brother the duke of yorke he cared nat for the duke of yorke was a prince that loued his ease and lytell busynesse Also he had a fayre lady to his wyfe doughter to the erle of Kent on whome was all his pleasure But the duke of Gloucestre was subtyle and euer demaunded somwhat of his nephue kynge Rycharde yet he was but poore for all that he was a great lorde and constable of Englande and erle of Hertforde of Perces and of Bokyngham and also he had yerely out of the kynges cofers foure thousande nobles and neuer rode on the kinges busynesse nor for the realme one daye without he knewe why and wherfore For these causes he was nat indyfferent for the maters of Acquytayne for he wolde haue had his brother of Lancastre to haue bydden still in Acquitayn for euer for than he thought he wolde haue shyfted well ynoughe in Englande As soone as he had sayd his sentence as ye haue herde before and that he sawe some murmured in the kynges chambre and that the prelates and lordes talked togyther two and two he issued out of the chambre and the erle of Derby with hym and came in to the hall at Eâtham and made a clothe to be layde on a table and so sate downe to dynner and lefte all other styll talkynge togyther Whan the duke of yorke knewe that he was at dyner he went to kepe hym company and after dyner whiche he made shorte the duke of Gloucestre dyssymuled the mater and tooke his leaue of the Kynge syttynge at the table and so departed and toke his
the maner how the kyng our souerayne lorde hath this yere accomplysshed and furnysshed his voyage in Ireland put it in your memoriall to the entent that whan ye shall retourne in to your owne countrey ye may write it in your cronicle with many other hystories that depende to the same matter Than I thanked hym and sayd it shulde be done So I toke leaue of hym Than I mette with Marche the heraulde and I demauÌded of hym what armes this Henry Christell bare and I shewed the heraulde howe this sir Henry had shewed me the maner of the kynges torney in Irelande and the state of the foure kynges who had ben as he sayd in his gouernyng more than fyftene dayes at Duuelyn The heraulde answered me and sayd Sir he beareth in his armes Syluer a cheuerne goules thre besans goules All these thyngê I dyde putte in writynge bycause I wolde nat forgette them THus I taryed in the kynge of Englandes courte as longe as it pleased me nat always in one place for the kynge often tymes remoued to Eltham to Ledes to Kyngstone to Shene to Charsey or to Wyndsore aboute the marchesse of London And I was enformed of a trouthe that the kyng wrote to his vncle the duke of Lancastre for they of Acquitayne spedde so in their busynesse that their countrey abode styll to the crowne of Englande ThanÌe it was concluded by generall counsayle of Englande that the gyfte that the kynge hadde gyuen to the duke of Lancastre must nedes abyde styll as his owne howe be it the duke of Gloucestre wolde that his brother myght haue enioyed the kynges gyfte but his saying coulde nat be herde in that case For they of the Realme of Englande bycause of doutes and casualtyes in tyme to come herde well the wordes of theym of Burdeaux and of Bayone And consydred well that yf the herytage of Acquitaygne were putte fro the Crowne of Englande it shulde be in tyme to come a great preiudice to the realme whiche they wolde in no wise shulde fortune for alwayes Burdeux Bayon and the froÌters and marches of Gascon had kept augmented greatly the honour of the realme of Englande These thyngê were well coÌsydred of the wyse men of the kynges couÌsayle the duke of Gloucestre absent for before hym no man durst speke so the mater abode in this case ¶ We shall leaue of this matter and speke of the kynge of Englandes ambassadours as the erle of Rutlande and therle marshall and other that were sente in to Fraunce to treate of the maryage bytwene kynge Rycharde their lorde and the doughter of Charles Frenche kyng who was but eyght yeres of age and I shall shewe you howe they spedde ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the ambassade that the kynge of Englande sente in to Fraunce to treate of the maryage bytwene the lady Isable the FreÌche kynges eldest doughter and hym selfe and of the louyng answere they had Capi. CC.iii THese Englysshe lordes rode fro Calais to Amyence and to Clermount in Beauuosyn so to Parys and iÌ euery place they were well receyued by the coÌmaundement of the frenche kyng They were lodged about that crosse of Tyrouer They were a fyue hundred horses The Frenche kynge was lodged at the castell of Lour and the quene and her chyldren at the house of saynt Poule vpon the ryuer of Seyne The duke of Berrey at the house of Nesle the duke of Burgoyne at the house of Arthoyse and the duke of Burbone in his owne house the duke of OrlyauÌce the erle of saynt Poule and the lorde of Coucy at their owne houses The kynge had assembled there all his counsayle to the entent to make the better answere to thembassadours of Englande The kyng had coÌmauÌded that euery day there shulde be delyuered to these ambassadours two huÌdred crownes of FraÌce for their small expences and for their horses And the chiefe of these Englysshe lordes as the erle Marshall and therle of RutlaÌde were often tymes with the kynge and dyned with hym they had as good there as coulde be deuysed for the loue of the kynge of EnglaÌde These lordes desyred euer to haue an answere they were euer fedde forthe with fayre wordes For the noble men of Fraunce had great marueyle of the requestes of the Englysshe men And that the kynge of Englande wolde marry with Fraunce seynge that the warre had ben so cruell and so long endured And some of the Frenche kynges counsayle sayd howe maye our kyng agree to gyue his doughter in maryage to his aduersary or this treatie shulde be made We thynke we shall haue peace with Englande by some other wayes though it be nat by the meanes of maryage And as at that tyme there was a valyaunt knyght of the Frenche kynges counsayle called sir Raynalt of Corby He was a farre castyng man and consydred what myght fall in tyme to come ThanÌe he sayd to the kyng and to his vncles My lordes and maysters A man shulde entre in at the ryght dore in to a house It semeth that kyng Richarde of EnglaÌde wolde nothyng to you nor to the realme but loue and all fauour seynge that by reason of maryage he wolde alye hym to you Two tymes your counsaylours and his haue mette toguyder at Amyence and at Balyngham to treate for a peace yet they coulde neuer take no good conclusyon but on the state of a truce And sir it is well knowen that Thomas duke of Gloucestre kyng Richardes vncle is of a coÌtrary opinyon against the king and his other two vncles the dukes of LaÌcastre of yorke The kyng nor other can nat make hym agre wyllingly to haue peace howe be it his puissaunce canne natte resyst the kynges power Therfore sir after myne opynyon receyue this offre and refuce nat this treatie and let these lordes haue suche aunswere as maye coÌtent them Than the kyng and his vncles agreed therto and specially the duke of Burgoyne for he was so sore charged by reason of the warres that gladly he wolde haue peace and the priÌcypall cause was bycause of FlauÌders wherof he claymed to be lorde by reason of his wyfe bycause that countrey marched vpon Englande And also the hertes of the Flemynges were rather Englysshe than Frenche bycause of the entrecourse of marchaundyse bytwene England Flaunders by See and by lande THan it was concluded by the Frenche kynges counsayle that there shulde be as good there made to the Englysshmen as was before And whether it was by dissymulacyon or otherwyse the frenche men were determyned to make a good and a swere aunswere to the englisshe men and to put them in hope that the kynge of Englande shulde haue his desyre The quene and her chyldren laye at the house of faynt Powleê and where as the Englysshe lordes desyred to se theym it was graunted to them and specyally to se her for whome their treatie was than it was shewed them that they muste be content howe so
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 coÌmyssion 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 couÌsayle 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 coÌmyssion 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
kynge and the realme of Englande and that the Englysshe men myght be in the same case or better in the parties of Gascoyne as they were or the warres renewed agayne And of this matter he wolde often tymes speke with his brother the duke of yorke and drewe hym as moche as he coulde to his opynions for he was but a softe prince but to the Duke of Lancastre his eldest brother he durste nat speke ouer largely for he sawe well he was of the kynges opynion and was well pleased with the Kynges maryage princypally for the loue of his two doughters the quene of Spaygne and the quene of Portugale The same season the duke of Lancastre remaryed agayne the thyrde tyme to a lady doughter to knyght in Haynalte called syr Paon of Ruette he had ben in his tyme with noble quene Phylyp of Englande who was of the nacyon of Haynalt she was called Katheryn and was brought vp in her youthe in the duke of Lancasters howse with the duchesse Blaunce of Lancastre And after the dethe of this lady Blaunce the duke maryed the lady Custaunce of Spaygne and in her dayes the duke kepte to his concubyne this lady Katheryne of Ruet who hadde maryed a knyght of Englande who was as than deed and the duke had by her thre chyldren two sonnes and a doughter the eldest called Iohan otherwyse lorde Beauforde of Lancastre the duke loued hym entyerly the other was called Thomas the duke brought him vp at Asque he was a good clerke and connynge in bothe lawes he was a great iuryst and legyst and was after bysshoppe of Lyncolne The duke of Lancastre for the loue he had to his chyldren he wedded their mother the lady Katheryn of Ruet wherof there was moche marueyle bothe in Englande and in Fraunce for she was but of a base lynage in regarde to the two other wyues And whan the knowledge of the maryage of the duke to this lady Kateryne of Ruet was come to the great ladyes of Englande as the duchesse of Gloucestre the countesse of Derby the countesse of Arundell and other ladyes dyscended of the blode royall of Englande they meruayled moche and layd gret blame to the duke for that dede and sayde howe the duke of Lancastre was greatly to dysprayse to mary his concubyne for by reason therof she shulde be the seconde person in honoure in Englande wherby they sayd the quene shulde be shamefully acompanyed and sayde howe surely they wolde nat come in to no place where she shulde be presente and more ouer they sayde it shulde be a great shame for theym that suche a duchesse come of so base a blode and concubyne to the duke in his other wyfes dayes shulde go and haue the preemynence before them they sayde their hertes shulde breke for sorowe bothe the duke of Gloucestre and the duchesse his wyfe spake of this mater and sayd howe the duke of Lancastre was nat wyse but fowle ouersene to marry his concubyne and sayde they wold neuer do her honoure nor call her suster The duke of yorke passed it ouer lyghtly ynough for he was euer lyghtly resydente aboute the kynge and with the duke of Lancastre The duke of Gloucestre was of a nother maner for he sette by no man though he were yongest brother he was orgulous and presumptuous of maner and therto be enclyned his nature and alwayes agaynst the kynges opynions and his counsaylours Thus this lady Kateryne of Ruet was duchesse of Lancastre and was as the seconde persone in Englande and was moche aboute the kynge as she that knewe moche honour for in her youth and all her dayes she had ben brought vp therin and the Duke loued greatly the chyldren that he had by her and that he shewed well in his lyfe and after his dethe YE haue herde here before howe iugement of the parliament was gyuen agaynst syr Peter of Craon and howe he was condempned in a hundred thousande frankes to be payed to the Quene of Napoles Whan the sayde syr Peter sawe howe he was condempned he was sore abasshed for outher he muste paye the soÌme or els abyde styll prisoner Than he was counsayled by the duke of Burgoyne and by the duchesse that he shulde requyre the yonge quene of Englande to be meane for hym to the quene of Napoles that he myght be released oute of prysone fyftene dayes to go abrode in Parys to sewe to his frendes to pay his fynauÌce or els to fynd sureties for him tyll he myght go in to Bretaygne to gather amonge his frendes the same soÌme So at the desyre of the yonge quene of Englande the quene of Napoles was contente that he shulde go all the day abrode in Paris and at nyght alwayes to yelde hymselfe prisoner in to the castell of Lowre and there to remayne all the night After this rate he went abrode and sewed to many of his blode and frendes but he coulde fynde none that wolde abyde there prisoner for hym the soÌme was so great And at the ende of the fyftene dayes he was fayne to returne prisoner bothe day and nyght and was kept streyghter than he was before at his cost and charge NOwe lette vs a lytell speke of the iourney of therle of Neuers and the lordes of Fraunce and what they dyd the same soÌmer in Hungery And after we shall speke of the goynge in to Frese of the erle of Haynalte and the erle of Ostrenaunt The erle of Neuers and his company with many valyaunt men that he had of Fraunce and of other countreys whan they were come in to Hungery in to a great cytie called Bode the kyng of Hungery made them good chere and well they deserued it for they were come farre of to se him The entensyon of the kynge was that or he sette forwarde with his puyssaunce and with the ayde of Fraunce to entre in to the felde to here fyrste some newes fro the great turke called Lamorabaquy who had sent hym worde in the moneth of February that surely he wolde be in Hungery or the ende of the moneth of Maye and that he wolde passe the water of Dunce of whiche message many had great marueyle And some sayde that there is in a manner nothynge but that man maye do it consyderynge that the turke is valyaunt and puyssauÌt and desyreth moche dedes of armes therfore sythe he hath said it by all lykelyhode he wyll do it and if he passe nat the Dunce to come hyther to this syde than lette vs passe ouer and entre in to Turkey with puyssauÌce for the kynge of Hungery with suche ayde as he hath of straungers shall well make an hundred thousande men and suche a nombre of suche men are well able to conquere all Turkey and to go in to the empyre of Perce and if we may haue one iourney of vyctory vpon the great turke we shall do after what we lyst and shall conquere Surey and all the holy lande of
that they shall haue ynoughe to do TO coÌsydre these wordes one ought greatly to marueyle that the Lorde Galeas erle of Vertues and Duke of Myllayne who was reputed to be a christen man baptysed and regenerate after the Christen Lawe wolde seke or requyre loue or alyaunce with a kynge myscreant out of our lawe and faythe or to sende hym gyftes and presentes as he dyde euery yere As dogges haukes and fyne lynen clothes whiche are ryght plesaunt to the Sarazins for they haue none but that cometh fro our parties Also the great Turke sent to hym agayne other presentes of ryche clothe of golde and precyous stones wherof the Sarazins haue great plentie But in those dayes the erle of Vertues duke of Myllayne and sir Galeas his father reygned as tyrantes and so helde their signories It is marueyle to thynke of their dedes and fyrste howe they entred and opteygned the signorie of Myllayne So it was there were thre bretherne the lorde Manfres the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo They hadde an vncle who was archebysshoppe of Myllayne And so it fortuned that whan the lorde Charles of Lusenbourge kyng of Boesme and of Almayne emperour of Rome who reigned after kyng Loyes of Bauyer who opteygned to the Empyre byforce for he was neuer taken as Emperour by the churche but excoÌmunycate and a cursed by pope Innocent who reygned as thanÌe For this Loyes of Bauyer went to Rome and made hymselfe to be crowned emperour by a pope and .xii. cardynalles that he made And as soone as he was crowned he made the Almayns to be payed their wages to ouer ryn Rome and to robbe and to pyll it this was the rewarde that the romayns had for receyuyng of hym wherfore he dyed excoÌmunicat and in that sentence The pope and cardynalles that he made without any constreynâ came after to Auignon and submytted them selfes to pope Innocent who reigned before Vrbayne the fyfthe and there were assoyled of their errours ¶ Nowe to purpose howe the lordes of Myllayne came fyrst to that signorie I shall shewe you howe SO it was the archebysshoppe of Myllayne at a tyme receyued kynge Charles of Boesme emperour in to the cytie of Myllayne nobly and tryumphantlye after the Emperour had been before Axe the Chapell and had accomplysshed there his .xl. dayes accordyng to the vsage in the case parteyning and for the great chere that he made to the Emperour and for a hundred thousande ducates that he lent to the Emperour He made the bysshop vycouÌt of Myllayne and his nephewes after hym for euer to holde the lande and signorie of Mylayne free at his wyll vnto the tyme that the Emperour hadde payde agayne at one tyme the sayd soÌme of a hundred thousande ducates And so after the bysshoppe dyed and the lorde Manfres his nephue by the accorde of the Emperour and for loue of his vncle was receyued in to the signorie of Myllayne than his two bretherne who as than were nat very riche the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo counsayled toguyder determyned to reigne and to holde the landes of LoÌbardy bytwene theÌ and to coÌioyne theÌ by mariage to some great lordes to maynteyne their estates and to cause men to feare their displeasures And so they caused their brother MaÌfrese to be slayne by venyme or otherwyse after whose dethe they reygned puissauntly byforce and polycy All their dayes they lyued in good accorde toguyder and departed the cyties of Lombardy bytwene them The lorde Galeas hadde tenne bycause he was the eldest and the lorde Bernabo nyne And the cytie of Myllayne was gouerned one yere by the one brother and another yere by the other brother And to the entent to reigne puissauntly they sought the wayes to gader great rychesse by raysinge vp in possyons subsydies and gabelles and many other yuell customes wherby they gadered great store of golde and syluer and they caused their townes and cyties to be kepte with soudyours straungers as Almaygnes FreÌche men Bretons Englysshmen and of all other nacyons excepte their owne countrey men for they hadde no trust nor affiaunce in them for feare of rebellyon agaynst theÌ and these soudyours were payed fro moneth to moneth wherby they were so douted and fered of the people that none durste displease them For if any dyd ryse or dyde any thyng agaynst them there was cruell vengeaunce taken vpon them They distroyed many a one in their dayes to gyue ensaÌple to other IN all their signories no man hadde any thynge but atte their pleasure They wolde tayle a ryche man thre or foure tymes in a yere They sayd that loÌbardes were ouer proude and presuÌptuous in their richesse wherfore it was behouable to kepe them vnder subiection no man durst saye nay to any thyng that they coÌmaunded These two bretherne maryed them hyghlye and bought their wyues with the goodê and substaunce of their people The lorde Galeas hadde to wyfe the suster of the good erle of Sauoye named Blaunche payde to the erle for her a hundred thousande ducates The lorde Barnabo maryed hym in Almaygne to the suster of the duke of Bresnyche and payde no lesse money than his brother dyd These two bretherne hadde many chyldren and maryed them highly and richelye to atteyne therby great alyaunces The lorde Galeas had a sone called Galleas and as than the father vnderstode that whaÌ kynge Iohan of Fraunce was come out of Englande and put to rauÌsome to .xxx. C. thousand frankes and they of Fraunce wyst nat howe to reyse the fyrste payment ThanÌe he treated with the Frenche kynge and his couÌsayle to haue one of his doughters for Galeas his sonne The kynge and his couÌsayle entended to this treatie bycause they knewe well this lorde Galeas was grounded in richesse and thus he bought the kyngê doughter for sixe hundred thousande frankes whiche were tourned in payment to the Kynge of Englande And so his sonne maryed kynge Iohans doughter and to hym was gyuen the countie and erldome of Vertues in Champaygne Of that sonne and doughter issued a doughter whiche byforce of golde and syluer was maryed to the seconde sonne of kynge Charles of Fraunce called Loyes duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and Valoyes The maryage cost the erle of Vertus father to the sayde lady tenne hundred thousaunde frankes And the countie of Bloyes was bought of the erle Guye of Bloyes as it hath ben conteyned here before in this hystorie Thus these lordes Galeas and Barnabo acorded right well toguyder all their lyue dayes they neuer varyed nor their people toguyder therfore they reigned in great puissaunce No man coude haue reason nor right of them Pope cardynalles nor other that made any warre agaynst them sauyng alonely the marques of MouÌtferant that was by the meanes of the lorde Iohan Hacon and the Englysshe men with the routes of the companyons whiche Iohan Hacon brought them out of Prouynce in to Lombardy and made there great warre
se what condycyon her husbande the lorde of Coucy was in The knyght sayd for her sake he was content to go thyder to bringe the certaynte of his estate Thus he made him redy and fiue persones with him Other ladyes in Fraunce sent in lyke wyse to knowe what case their husbandes were in YE haue herde here before howe the kynge of Hungery wolde in no wyse consent that sir Morant shulde passe into Turkey with the frenche kynges presentes and in this opynion the kynge longe contynued whiche was right dyspleasaunt to sir Morant and to syr Helley but they coude nat amende it And so it happed that the great mayster of the Rodes came in to Hungery to the cytie of Bode to whome the kyng made good chere wherto he was bounde for the daye of the batayle the kynge had ben slayne or taken and he had nat ben and there he founde these two knyghtes of Fraunce They came to him and shewed hym howe the kynge wolde nat suffre them to passe in to Turkey with suche presentes as the frenche kynge had sent to Lamorabaquy wherof he had meruayle sayde howe he wolde speke to the kynge therin and that they shulde well knowe and so he dyd and shewed to the kyng suche reasons that he tourned the kynges opynion and so than they had leaue to passe in to Turkey with all their presentes and so they passed forthe vnder sure safe conduct and came to Lamorabaquy who receyued theym and their gyftes ryght honorably after their vsage and made great ioye of the presentes The knyghtes for all that spake but ones all onely with the erle of Neuers at good leysare and at their departynge the erle sayde to them Syrs I requyre you recommaunde me to my lorde my father and to my lady my mother and to my lorde of Berrey and specyally to the kynge and salute fro me all my other frendes and desyre them that if Lamorabaquy wyll set vs to raunsome that by meanes of marchauntes or otherwyse our raunsomes may be quyckly payed and we delyuered for by longe taryenge we shall lese for in the begynnyng we were but .viii. prisoners and nowe we be .xvi. whiche is in all .xxiiii. and we shall nat be delyuered without we be delyuered all at ones and as soone all as one for Lamorabaquy hath so promysed and surely he wyll nat be founde false of his worde syr Morant and syr Helley aunswered and sayd howe his coÌmaundement shulde be doone to the whiche he was bounde So they departed and retourned in to Hungery and by the way they encountred the messanger that was sent in to Fraunce to the kynge bringynge a gayne letters fro the frenche kynge to the kyng of Hungery Than this messanger retourned agayne with theym for he had no more to do whan he sawe them retourne and had done their voyage into Turkey and so retourned all togyther in to Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Gloucestre subtelly sought out the meanes howe to dystroye kynge Rycharde of Englande his nephue Cap. CC.xxii IT is long syth I spake of the duke of Gloucestre yongest sonne to the kynge of England Edwarde the thyrde I had no tyme to speke of him tyll nowe and bycause his herte coude neuer loue the frenche men therfore of the losse that the frenche men had in Turkey he was rather gladde than sory The same seasone he had a knyght with hym called syr Iohan Laquyquay chiefe of his counsayle as it was knowen after he sayde to his lorde Syr the fumes and pride of the frenche men are well a bated by reasone of their iourney in to Hungery and Turkey they be so full of pride and brages that they canne come to no good conclusion of any enterprise that they take in hande That is trewe quod the duke and that apered right well duryng the warre in the dayes of the kynge my father and of my brother the prince of Wales for as than they coulde neuer atayne to any iourney agaynst the Englysshe men therfore I canne nat tell why we shulde haue trewce with them for if the warre were open and by reason of our good tytell togyther we shulde nowe make them better warre than euer was made before for as nowe all the floure of chyualry of Fraunce is outher taken or slayne and the men of Englande desyre to haue warre rather than peace for they canne better lyue in warre than peace for in lyenge styll is none aduauntage and I swere by god if I may lyue two yere in good helth the warâ shal be renewed I wyll nother spare for trewce respyte nor assuraunce for in tyme paste the Frenche men haue kept no promesse with vs but haue falsely and craftely taken away the herytage of the duchy of Acquytayn whiche was gyuen and delyuered by agrement of good treatie of peace to the kynge my father whiche often tymes I haue shewed to the counsayle of Fraunce whan we met and comuned togyther in the fronter of the marchesse of Calays but alwayes they florysshed their enteÌtes with so swete wordes that myne opynion was nat regarded nor belyued nouther by the kynge my nephewe nor by my bretherne but if there were a good heed kynge of Englande that desyred the warre as well as I do and wolde put to his payne to recouer his herytage whiche craftely and falsely hath been taken fro hym without any good tytle of reasone he shulde fynde in Englande a hundred thousande archers and syxe thousande men of armes redy aparelled to serue him and to passe the see and to put their goodes and lyues in aduenture in his seruyce But it is nat so there is no suche Kynge in Englande as nowe that loueth any dedes of armes if there were he wolde shewe hym selfe in Fraunce there was neuer so good tyme to make warre in FrauÌce as now for who soeuer goeth nowe shal be fought withall whiche is all the desyre that englysshmen haue in trust of wynnyng as they had in tyme paste in the dayes of good kynge Edwarde my father in my brothers dayes the prince of Wales I am the yongest of all the bretherne of Englande but if I may be beleued I shall be the fyrst e that shall renewe the warre and trust to recouer the wronges that the frenchmen haue done to vs and dayly do and all by the symple slouthfulnesse that is a monge vs and specyally our heed the kynge my nephue who wyll nowe alye hymselfe by maryage to the frenche kinges doughter this is no token that he wyll make warre his eyen be to heuy he careth for nothyng but for meate and drinke and reste and dalyenge with ladyes and damoselles This is no lyfe for men of warre that wyll deserue to haue honour by prowes of dedes of armes yet I remembre me of the last iourney that I made into Fraunce I thynke I had in my company but two thou sande speares and eyght thousande archers and so passed
the see and entred in to the realme of Fraunce fro Calayesê and so wente a longe in to the realme and fouÌde none to with stande me nor none that durst fyght with me in lyke wyse so dyd syr Robert Canoll and sir Hugh Caurell and Thomas of GrauÌtsome and syr Phylyppe Gyssarde and yet they had nat the nombre that I had with me and yet they were before Parys and demaunded batayle of the frenche kynge but they coulde neuer be aunswered nor founde any person that sayd any thyng to them and so they rode into Bretayne and so a longe through the realme of Fraunce fro Calais to Burdeaux without hauynge of any batayle or rencountre but I thynke surely who so wolde nowe make any suche iourney they shulde be fought with all for he that calleth hym selfe kynge in Fraunce is yonge hote and of great corage and enterprise he wolde surely fight what ende so euer fell therof and that is the thynge we desyre for we loue nothynge so well as to haue batayle for without it be by batayle and victory vpon the frenche men who be ryche els we shall haue no recouery but suffre with the losse as we haue done euer sythe my nephewe was kyng of Englande This thyng can nat longe endure in this estate but at laste the realme of Englande shall perceyue the mater repente it for the kyng taketh and shall take and reyse great tayles of the marchauntes wherwith they be nat content and yet they can nat tell where the good becometh Thus the kynge enpouereth the realme of Englande and gyueth to one and other largely and there as it is but yuell bestowed and his people vyeth the bargayne whiche shortely wyll growe to a rebellyon within the realme for the people begyn to clater and to murmure therat sayeng howe they wyll no leÌger suffre nor beare it he sayeth to stoppe the peoples rumure that the trewce ones concluded bytwene him Fraunce that than he wyll make a voyage in to Irelande and enploye there his men of armes and archers and there he hath ben but with a small conquest for IrelaÌde is no lande of great conquest nor profyte the people they are but rude and yuell and a right poore countrey and inhabytable and looke what is wonne there in one yere is loste in another Laquynay Laquynay quod the duke all that I haue sayde is of trouth THus the duke of Gloucestre deuysed with his knyght with suche wordes and other as it was well knowen after He hated the kynge and coulde speke no good worde of him and though he were with his brother the duke of LaÌcastre as one of the greatest rulers of the Realme he toke no care therof And whan the kyng dyd sende for him he wolde come at his pleasure and sometyme nat a whyt And whan he came to the kynge he wolde be the laste shulde come and the first that wolde departe and in counsayle what he had ones sayd of his opynion he wolde haue it taken and accepted els he wolde be displeased and somtyme take his leaue and departe to his maner in Essex called Plasshey there was his chiefe abydynge This duke was a great prince and might well spende by yere a threscore thousande ducates he was duke of Gloucestre erle of Essex and of Buckingham and constable of Englande He was of so marueylous condycyons that the kynge douted hym more than any other of his vncles for in his wordes he wolde nat spare nor forbeare the kynge The kynge alwayes was humble and meke to hym and whatsoeuer he wolde demaunde the kynge wolde graunte it hym This duke had caused in EnglaÌde to be done many cruell and hasty iugementes for he had caused to be beheeded withoute tytell of any good reasone that noble knyght syr Symon Burle and dyuers other of the kynges counsayle and chased out of Englande the archebysshop of yorke and the duke of Irelande bycause they were so nygh of the kinges counsayle and layde to their charge that they had counsayled the kynge wronge and ledde hym as they lyst and had spente the reuenewes of Englande at their pleasures This duke had two bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke These two were euer about the kynge wherat this duke of Gloucestre hadde great enuy wolde say to dyuers as to suche as he trusted as Robert bysshop of London and to other whan they came to him to Plasshey Frendes my two bretherne ouerchargeth greatly the kynges house it were better they were at home at their owne houses this duke by subtyle couerte wayes drewe to his acorde the londoners for he thought if he might be sure of them he shulde sone haue all the rest of the realme to his acorde This duke had a nephue sonne to the doughter of his elder brother called Lyonell duke of Clarence whiche doughter was maryed into Lombardy to the sonne of syr Galeas duke of Myllayne This duke Lyonell dyed in the cytie of Aste in Piemounte So this duke of Gloucestre wolde gladly haue sene his nephue sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence called Iohan erle of Marche to haue ben kynge of Englande and to haue had his nephue kynge Rycharde deposed for he sayd howe the kynge was nat worthy to holde nor to gouerne the realme of Englande This he wolde say to them that he trusted and he dyd so moch that he caused the erle of Marche to come to his house and than and there he dyscouered to hym all his entent and secretnesse and sayde howe he had determyned to make hym kynge of Englande and kyng Richarde to be put downe and his wyfe also and to be kept in prison dutynge their lyues and so he desyred effectuously the erle to accept his offre and good wyll sayenge howe he wolde do the beste he coulde to bringe it aboute and that he had of his acorde and alyaunce the erle of Arundell and therle of Warwyke and dyuers other prelates and lordes of Englande The erle of Marche was sore abasshed whan he herde the duke his vncle speke suche wordes howe be it lyke a yonge man he dissymuled the mater and aunswered wysely to th entent to please the duke and said howe he wold be glad to be ruled as he wolde haue hym but he sayd he wolde be well aduysed or he accepted suche promisse to sone and wolde take therin aduyse and delyberacyon And whan the duke of Gloucestre sawe the maner of the erle than he desyred him to kepe the mater secrete The erle answered so he wolde do Than therle departed as sone as he coude and so wente in to Irelande to his herytage and after he wolde neuer entende to the dukes treatie but alwayes excused him selfe wysely yet euer he kept the mater secrete for he sawe well the conclusyon shulde nat be good IT was sayd howe the duke of Gloucestre sought all the wayes he coude to set a trouble in Englande and to styrre the
doughter of the duke of LaÌcastre he was erle of Huntyngdon and chamberlayne with the kynge it was he that slewe the sonne of Rycharde erle of stafforde as ye haue herde here before in this hystorie The sayde Rycharde erle of Stafforde had a squyer to his sonne who was with the duke of Gloucestre This erle of Huntyngdon moste coÌmonly was euer in the courte with the kynge his brother and he knewe more of the dealynge of the duke of Gloucestre than any other dyd for couertely and wysely he made enquery and also he douted greatly the duke for he knewe he was fell and sodayne and hyghe mynded and sawe howe he kept his enemye aboute hym for the dethe of the yonge Stafforde and the peace therof was neuer made but the grudge therof contynued styll The kynge loued well his brother and bare him against euery man and the kynge sawe well howe his vncle the duke of Gloucestre was euer contrary to hym and was euer about to conspyre agaynst him and to styrre the realme to rebellyon so the kynge and his brother of Holande wolde often tymes comune togyther The same seasone the frenche kyng had sent the erle of saynt Powle in to Englande to se the kyng and his doughter the quene and to norisshe loue for the truce was made in suche maner and coÌdycion that their subgiettes myght repayre eche to other in dyspyte of all their yuell wyllers the kynge and the erle of Huntyngdon made them good chere as well for the honoure of the Frenche kynge as for that he had wedded their suffer At that tyme the Dukes of Lancastre nor of yorke were nat with the kynge for they began somwhat to dissymule for they sawe well that the people in Englande beganne to murmure in dyuers places on the state and rewle that the kynge kept and that the maters were lykely to go yuell They thought they wolde nat be at the kinges coÌmaundement nor at the peoples And all this came by reasone of the duke of Gloucestre and his company The kynge of Englande spared nat to shewe therle of saint Powle the state that Englande stode in and howe he founde alwayes his vncle the duke of Gloucestre harde and rebell agaynst hym and shewed hym all thynge that he knewe Whan the erle of saynt powle herde the kynge say in that wyse he had great marueyle therof and sayde howe it ought nat to be suffred and sayd Syr if ye suffre this they wyll dystroy you it is sayd in FrauÌce howe the duke of Gloucestre entendeth to nothynge but to breake the peace and to renewe the warre agayne and that lytell and litell he draweth the hertes of yonge men of the realme to his parte for they desyre rather warre than peace so that the auncyent wyse men if the warre beganne to styrre they shulde nat be herde nor beleued for reason right nor iustyce hath no place nor audyence where as yuell reygneth therfore prouyde therfore rather betymes than to late it were better ye had theym in daunger than they you These wordes of the erle of saynte Powle entered greatly in to the kynges hert and made hym sore to muse and after that the erle of saynt Powle was retourned in to Fraunce the kyng of Englande shewed all this mater to his brother the erle of Huntyngdon who said to the kynge Syr my fayre brother of saynt Powle hath shewed you the trouth therfore take good aduyse in this mater ANd as I was enfourmed aboute a moneth after that the erle of saynte Powle had ben in Englande and retourned in to Fraunce a paryllous fame and renome ranne vpon the kynge in Englande and in a maner there was a generall brewte that the erle of saynt Powles coÌmynge in to Englande was to treate with the the kynge that the frenche men myght haue Calayes in to their handes This brute greatly troubled and moued the people in EnglaÌde in so moche that certayne of London roode to Plasshey to the duke of Gloucestre and shewed hym of that matter The duke apeased nat their wordes but rather augmented it more and more Sayenge howe he coulde nat do therwith But sayd he was sure that the freÌche men wolde it hadde coste theym all their kynges doughters so that they might haue Calais at their pleasure This answere set the Londoners a fyre and sayde howe they wolde speke with the kynge and shewe hym howe the realme was nat coÌtent Well quod the duke shewe it hym in good maner and make doute that the people wyll nat be contente And marke well what answere he maketh and shewe me therof the nexte tyme I speke with you and thervpon I shall gyue you counsayle what ye shall do farther It maye well be that there be some false traytours counsayleth the Kynge to the same There is the erle Marshall who is Capytayne of Calays who hath been two tymes in FrauÌce and taryed at Parys and he was one of the chiefe procurers in the treatie for the kynges maryage with the doughter of Fraunce And these Frenche men are ryght subtyle and can driue their purpose a farre of and lytell and lytell pursue their ententes and wyll gyue largely to bringe about their purpose ACordynge to the dukes counsayle the Londoners on a daye wente to Eltham to the kynge at whiche tyme there was the kynges two bretherne the erle of Kent and therle of Huntyngdon the erle of Salisbury and the archebysshoppes of CauÌterbury and of Duuelyn his confessour the lorde Thomas Percy the lorde Lysle Richarde Credon Iohan Boulofer and dyuers other knyghtes of the kynges chambre There these londoners right wisely shewed the kynge their ententes in a meke huÌble maner and sayde howe the brute ranne that the kynge was about to delyuer vp Calais into the Frenche mennes handes The kyng had great marueile of these newes for it touched hym nere to the hert But right sagely he dissymuled the mater for that tyme and apesed the Londoners and sayd howe all that noise was wronge for it was nothyng so But for trouthe he said the erle of saynt Poule was come in to Englande for none other entente but to sporte hym and was sent thider by the Frenche kynge to se hym and the quene his wyfe Other marchaundyse the kynge sayde there was none bytwene them and that the kynge sware by the faythe that he owed to god and to the crowne of EnglaÌde and said howe he had great marueyle wherof suche wordes shulde ryse ThanÌe the erle of Salisbury sayde Sirs ye good men of London Go home to youre houses and be well assured that the kynge and his Counsayle wyll do nor entende to do any thynge but that that shal be for the honour and profite of this his realme of Englande And who so euer hath fyrst brought vp these wordes are yuell couÌsayled and shewe well howe they wolde gladly haue this realme in trouble to haue the people to ryse agaynst the kyng whiche thynge
ye of London ought to feare for by reason of the laste rebellyon ye were in great paryll to haue been all vtterly dystroyed For whan yuell people be vp gouerne iustyce nor reason than hath no place Those wordes apeased greatly the Londoners were contented with the kynges answere and so retourned to the cytie of London And the kynge taryed at Eltham ryght pensyue and full of displeasure by reason of the wordes that he had herde and had stylle about hym his two bretherne and other suche as he trusted beste for he thought hym selfe natte well assured amogne his vncles For he sawe well howe they absented theym selfe fro his Courte and kepte them at home at their owne houses so that he was halfe in doute of them and specially of the duke of Gloucestre And so kepte dayly aboute hym a garde of a thousande archers YT was enformed the kynge of Englande of a suretie that his vncle the duke of Gloucestre and the Erle of Arundell purposed with puissaunce of people to take the kyng and the yong quene and to putte them in to a castell there to be kepte surely in an honest maner with meate drinke other necessaries And also howe there shulde be set four gouernours in the realme as the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke to rewle fro the Temmys northwarde vnto the ryuers of HuÌbre and Thyne of Thay ronnyng by the cytie of Warwyke comprehendynge all the signories of Northumberlande and the boundes of Scotlande And the duke of Gloucestre had all the rule of LoÌdon and of the londoners and of Essexe coÌprehendyng all the boundes of the See and thider where as the ryuer of HuÌbre entereth in to the see and also of all the portes and hauyns aboue London to Hampton to Cornwall And the erle of Arundell he to haue the rule of the landes mouynge fro London bytwene Sussexe and Kent Arundell Surrey Deuonshyre and Barkeshyre and of all the hole signories bytwene the ryuer of Thamyse and Bristowe the ryuer of Syuerne whiche departeth Englande and Wales And they shall holde and do iustyce and reason to euery man But their entencyons is if they can fynde any reasonable waye to moue agayne and to renewe the warre bytwene Englande and Fraunce and that if the FreÌche kyng wolde haue agayne his doughter he shulde for sithe she is but eight yeres of age paradueÌture whan she cometh to .xii. yeres she may repente her and refuce her mariage bycause she was maryed in her youth And also it was no reason to dismary her fro the heyr of Bretaygne as it was promised And if whan she cometh to perfyte age that she wyll nat refuce her maryage Than she must abyde by right styll quene of EnglaÌde and to haue her dowrye but in no wyse she shulde be crowned Quene And that if the kynge dyed or she came to laufull age than they purpose to sende her agayne in to FrauÌce to her father This was shewed to the king for suche wordes were spoken by dyuers Englysshe men and specially by the londoners who coude nat loue the kynge And they repented them that whan the coÌmons of Sussexe Kent and Essexe were vp and came to London in that they dyde breake their purpose for as some of them coÌfessed they were in mynde to haue slayne the kyng the erle of Salisbury the erle of Oxenforde and all the kynges counsayle And if they hadde so done by meanes of the rebellyon the londoners thanÌe shulde soone haue made a newe heed And by meanes of the duke of Gloucestre to haue founde some person to haue had the crowne and gouernynge of the realme and therby to haue brought the realme into a better case thanÌe it was in as than Thus the londoners and suche other of their secte dayly murmured and had many secrete couÌsayls All this the kynge was enformed of and moost faute was layde vpon the duke of Gloucestre KIng Richarde was abasshed of tentymes whan he herde sawe suche couert hate and yuell wyll borne against hym Alwayes he made louynge countynaunce to his vncle of Gloucestre and to the loÌdoners but it aueyled hym nothyng On a daye the kynge sayd to his other two vncles of Lancastre and of yorke Sirs on goddes name I requyre you to gyue me your aduise couÌsayls I am dayly enformed of asuretie that your brother myne vncle of Gloucestre the erle of Arundell and their complyces are mynded to take me êforce by the agrement of the londoners and purpose to close me in a Castell and to order my fyndynge by certayne porcion my wyfe s in lykewise who is but yonge and to seperate her fro me and to kepe her estate in another place Fayre vncles this is a cruell maner and it ought nat to be suffred as long as I maye withstande it ye haue doone me homage and sworne to be trewe to me in the presence of kynge Edwarde of good memorie my grauÌtfather at whiche tyme all the great prelates and lordê of this realme sware to kepe and maynteyn me as their kynge a .xx. yere paste Wherfore fayre vncles for loue and charyte and by the othe and promyse that ye haue made counsayle me trewly as ye are bounde to do For as farre as I can ymagin myne vncle of glocestre enteÌdeth on none other thing but how he might renewe agayne the warre bitwene Englande and Fraunce And to breake the peace whiche we haue confyrmed bothe you and all other of the realme by sweryng and sealyng and by the same composycion I am ioyned in maryage to the doughter of FrauÌce without thynkyng of any yuell ye knowe well that who soeuer dothe contrary to that he is sworne vnto hath sealed to the same so proued dothe yuell ought to be punisshed therfore bothe in body and goodes And also ye knowe well that I forbeare myne vncle of Gloucestre as moche as I may do and take no regarde to thretnyng whiche myght cost me derely Vncles ye are bounde to couÌsaile me sithe I demaunde it with reason whan they herde the kyng speke thus sawe well howe the mater sore troubled his mynde and that it touched hym nere and also they know well moche of his sayenge was trewe they sayd Sir suffre and lette the tyme ryn and passe We knowe well our brother of Glocestre hath the moost paryllous heed brayne of any manne in Englande But we knowe well he can do no more than a man maye do if he buylde on the one syde we shall buylde on the other as long as ye wyll be ordred by our couÌsaile ye shall nat nede to care for our brother He saythe often tymes many thyngê wherof foloweth none effecte He all alone nor they of his counsayle canne nat breke the peace that is taken nor can nat enclose you in any castell We shall neuer suffre that nor to be seperated fro your wyfe For if he saye so and
the erle of Derby his sonne and also the duke of yorke and his sonne Iohan erle of Rutlande The kyng loued the erle of Rutlande beyonde measure who dissymuled the dethe of his vncle the duke of Gloucestre shewed howe he wolde gladly se a good peace bytwene the parties said howe he knew well that his vncle dyde wronge oftentymes agaynst the kynge The londoners in lykewyse consydred the great myschiefe that myght fall in Englande by the discencyon bytwene the kynges vncles the kyng and their alyaunces Also they consydred syth the myschefe was fallen of the duke of Gloucestres dethe that there was no recouery therin they knewe well it was bycause the duke of Gloucestre had been to lauesse of his tonge and wolde haue styrred the realme to haue broken the trewce bytwene Englande and Fraunce Wherfore suche as were wyse men in the cytie dissymuled the mater and thought it was no tyme to a mende it as than they feared the puyssauÌce of Fraunce and lesynge of their marchaundyse Than beganne to treate and went as a meane bytwene the king and the duke of Lancastre who was in many imagynacions for the dethe of his brother troubled him sore Also he sawe howe his nephue kynge Rycharde was alyed by mariage with the frenche kyng Also the duke of Lancastre had .ii. of his doughters out of the lande one quene of Spayne a nother quene of Portugale by whome he thought he shulde haue great ayde if he made warre agaynst his nephue kynge Rycharde All thynges consydred the duke chaunged his courage at the desyre of the londoners and of other prelates of Englande who were meane bytwene the kyng and hym and by their meanes the kynge was agreed with the duke and peace made with that the kinge promysed fro thens forwarde to be gouerned by the duke of Lancastre and to do nothyng but by his counsayle and aduyse whiche promesse the kynge nothynge fulfylled but was counsayled by yonge and wylde couÌsayle whiche was to his hurte and great doÌmage as ye shall here after in this hystory THus the kyng of Englande had peace with his vncles bycause of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre Than he beganne to reygne more fiersly than he dyd before The kynge went and lay in Essex where as the duke of Gloucestre had the chiefe rule whiche ought to haue pertaygned to Affcen his sonne and heyre but the kynge toke all for the ordynaunce in Englande was the kynge to haue the warde of all herytours chyldren orphelyns vnder the age of .xxi. yeres and than they to haue their herytages Thus the kinge tooke the wardeshyppe of his cosyn the duke of Gloucestres herytour and the kynge toke the possession profyte of all the dukes lande and kepte the chylde with hym And the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters were with the quene The duke of Gloucestrâ by enherytaunce was constable of Englande the kynge toke that offyce fro the right heyre and gaue it to his cosyn the erle of Rutlande The kynge than kept greate state than euer he dyd nor there had nat ben no kynge before in Englande that spente so moche yerely by a hundred thousande nobles as he dyd In lyke wyse the kynge had with hym the heyre of the erle of Arundell who was beheeded at London And bycause a knyght that was belongyng to the duke of Gloucestre called Cerbe spake at a tyme certayne wordes agaynst the kynge and his counsayle he was taken and beheeded Syr Iohan of Quynghay was in great parell but whan he sawe that the maters went so dyuersely as they dyd he dyssymuled as moch as he might and departed fro the duchesse of Gloucestres house and wente and dwelt in other places ¶ In those dayes there was none so great in Englande that durst speake agaynst any thynge that the kyng dyd or wolde do He had counsayle mete for his appetyte who exhorted hym to do what he lyst The kynge kept styll in his wages ten thousande archers night and day that wayted on him for he reputed himselfe nat parfytely sure of his vncles nor of the lygnage of Arundell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns as well by the emperour as of the realme of FrauÌce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great asseÌble of gret lordes in the cytie of Reynes what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce to the entent to bring the churche to a peace and reste for the frenche kynge dyd so moche that at his request his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by twent the popes the one at Rome and the other at Auygnon they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of the marques of BlaÌcquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne The frenche kyng lay at the archebysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of OrlyauÌce Berrey and Burbon therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie all the lordes and prelates and kynge Charles of Nauer who was in lykewyse there went to mete with hym and receyued hym honourably Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Remy there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kynges cost The almayns had euery day delyuered theym ten tonne of herynge for it was in Lent tyme and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes whiche was a great charge WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy and so brought him to the kynges palays Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other and great reuerence and specyally the frenche kynge for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered without it be to take their profyte therto they be experte and redy ynough All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with other with louyng wordes and countinaunce and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Almayne and his company a great dyner at one table there sate fyrst the patryarke of Iherusalem than the king of Almayne the frenche kynge and the kynge of Nauer there sate no mo at that table At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne No lorde of FrauÌce sate that day but sarued To the kynges borde the meate was brought by the dukes of Berrey of Burbone the erle of saynt Powle and by other great lordes of FrauÌce The duke of OrlyauÌce set euery man
day the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall communed togyder of dyuers maters at last amonge other they spake of the state of the kynge and of his counsayle suche as he had about hym and beleued them so that at the last the erle of Derby spake certayne wordes whiche he thought for the best wenynge that they shulde neuer haue ben called to rehersall whiche wordes were nouther vylenous nor outragyous for he sayde thus Saint Mary fayre cosyn what thynketh the kynge oure cosyn to do wyll he driue out of Englande all the noble men within a whyle there shal be none left it semeth clerely that he wylleth nat the augmentacyon of his realme The erle marshall gaue none aunswere but dissimuled the mater and toke it that he spake agaynst the kynge and thought in hymselfe that the Erle of Derby was ryght lykely to make great trouble in Englande bycause he was so great with the londoners and the dyuell was redy to styre his brayne and that thynge that shall fall can nat be eschewed SO he thought to shewe this mater to the kynge whan noble meÌ shulde be presente and on a day to please the kynge he sayde Ryght dere syr I am of youre lygnage and ame your lyege man and marshall of Englande Wherfore sir I am bounde to you by myne Alliegeaunce and othe sworne my handes in yours that I shulde be in no place hearynge any thynge contrarye to your mageste royall and shulde kepe it secrete I ought to be reputed as a false traytour whiche I wyll nat be for I wyll trewly acquyte me agaynst you and all the worlde The kynge loked on hym and demaunded and sayd Why say you these wordes we wyll know it My right redouted souerayne lorde quod the erle Marshall I saye it bycause I canne nat suffre any thynge that shulde be preiudyciall or agaynst your grace syr cause the erle of Derby to come before you and than I shall shewe you more Than the erle of Derby was sente for and the kynge coÌmaunded the erle Marshall to stande vp for he was on his knee whyle he spake to the Kynge And whan the erle of Derby was before the kyng who thought none yuell than the erle Marshall sayde Syr erle of Derby I say to you ye haue thought yuell and spoken otherwyse than ye ought to do agaynste your naturall lorde the kynge of Englande whan ye sayde that he was nat worthy to holde lande or realme seynge without lawe or iustyce without counsayle of any of his noble men he distourbeth his Realme and without tytell or good reason putteth out of his realme and dystroyeth them who ought to ayde and susteyne him wherfore here I cast my gage and wyll proue with my body agaynst yours that ye are an yuell false traytour The erle of Derby was sore abasshed with those wordes and stepte backe a lytell and stode styll a season without demaundynge of his Father or of any other what aunswere he shulde make Whan he had studyed a lytell he stept forthe with his cappe in his hande and came before the kynge and the erle Marshall and sayd Erle Marshall I saye thou arte an yuell and a false traytour and that I shall proue my body agaynst thyne and in that quarell here is my gauge Th erle Marshall whan he herde howe he was apealed shewed howe he desyred the batayle With that the erle of Derby aunswered and sayde I sette your wordes at the kynges pleasure and other lordes that be here and I tourne your wordes to a mocke and myne to be true Than eche of these erles drewe to their company and lygnage so that the manner of takynge of wyne and spyces was lette passe for the kyng shewed hym selfe to be right sore displeased and so entred in to his chambre and left his two vncles without and all their chyldren and the erles of Salysbury and Huntyngdon his bretherne Than anone after the kynge sent for his vncles and entred in to his chambre Thanne the kynge demaunded of them what was best to do in this mater Syr quod they cause your constable to come before you and than we shall shewe you our opynyons Than the erle of Rutlande who was constable was sente for and whan he was come than he was commaunded to go to the erle of Derby and to the erle Marshall and to take suretye of theym that they go nat out of the realme of Englande without the kynges lycence The constable dyd as he was coÌmaunded and than retourned agayne to the kinges chambre YE maye well knowe this matter greatly troubled the courte and many lordes and knyghtes were sore dyspleased of that aduenture and secretly they greatly blamed the erle Marshall but he made as though he had ser nothyng by the mater his hert was so proude presumptuous Thus the lordes departed for that day The duke of LaÌcastre what so euer couÌtynaunce he made he was sore displeased with these wordes and he thought the kynge shulde nat haue taken the mater as he dyd but shulde rather haue tourned it to nothynge and so thought the moste parte of all the lordes of Englande The erle of Derby went and lay at London and helde his estate at his owne lodgynge and there were pledges for him the duke of Lancastre his father the duke of yorke the Erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes And the erle Marshall was sente to the towre of London and there helde his estate These two lordes made prouysyon for that was necessary for them for their batayle The erle of Derby sent his messangers in to Lombardy to the duke of Myllayne syr Galeas for to haue armure at his pleasure The duke agreed to the erles desyre and caused the knight that the erle had sent thyder whose name was Fraunces to se all the dukes armorye And whan the knyght had chosen suche as he lyked than the duke furthermore for loue of the erle of Derby he sent four of the best armorers that were in Lombardy to the erle in to Englande with the knight to the entent that they shulde arme and make armure acordynge to the erles entente The erle Marshall on his parte sent in to Almayn and in to other places to prouyde him for that iourney The charge of these two lordes was greate but the erle of Derby was at moost charge The erle Marshall whan he beganne that busynesse he thought to haue had more ayde of the kynge than he had for suche as were nere aboute the kynge sayd to him Syr ye haue nothyng to do to medle bytwene these two lordes dyssymule you the mater and let them deale they wyll do well ynough Sir ye knowe well the erle of Derby is well beloued in the realme and specyally with the Londoners and if they se that ye shulde take parte with the erle Marshall ye were lyke to lose their loue therby for euer The kynge vnderstode well their wordes and knew well it was trewe he
that the duke his father had on hym a paryllous sycknesse whiche shuld be his dethe these wordes gretly letted the erle to take on hym any maner of voyage but so taryed styll at Parys and often tymes he went and sawe the frenche kyng the duke of Orlyaunce and the kynges vncles and alwayes they made hym good chere so that he was moche bounde to them and he sayde to the kynge Syr ye do me so moche honoure and curtesy and shewe me so great sygne of loue that I knowe nat in all my lyfe dayes howe to deserue it but if euer I come in Englande my lady that quene your doughter to my power shall haue my seruyce I thanke you cosyn quod the kynge So it fell that aboute the feest of Crystmasse duke Iohan of Lancastre who lyued in great dyspleasure what bycause the Kynge had banysshed his sonne out of the realme for so litell a cause and also bycause of the yuell gouernynge of the realme by his nephewe kynge Rycharde for he sawe well that if he longe percepuered were suffred to contynewe the realme was lykely to be vtterly loste With these ymagynacyons and other the duke fell sycke wheron he dyed whose dethe was greatly sorowed of all his frendes and louers The kyng by that he shewed toke no great care for his dethe but sone he was forgotten Than certayne of the noble men of Englande sawe well howe the realme feblysshed sythe the duke of Lancastre was deed and the duke of Gloucestre his brother slayne and the erle of Arundell and the erle of Derby banysshed who ought than to be duke of Lancastre by ryght succession Than some sayde Nowe we shall se what the kynge wyll do it is tyme nowe that he repeale home agayne his cosyn of Derby and to pardone hym his yuell wyll though he haue no cause to be dyspleased with hym it were tyme he came and entred in to his landes as duke of Lancastre Suche wordes ranne a brode in the Realme in dyuers places and specyally in the cytie of London where the erle of Derby was a hundred tymes better beloued thanne the kynge howe be it for all the wordes and murmuryng that the kyng and his counsayle knewe of yet he dyd nothynge therafter but clene the contrary He was yuell counsayled for if he had incontynent after the dethe of the duke of Lancastre sente for the erle of Derby and at his coÌmynge haue frendely welcomed hym home and haue called hym duke of Lancastre and haue taken hym as greatest personage in Englande nexte hym selfe and haue sayde howe he wolde be gouerned in all poyntes after his aduyse and counsayle and to do nothynge without his aduyse than the kynge had done well and lykely to haue contynued his estate as kynge of Englande and had nat receyued the yuell fortune that fell to hym shortly after as ye shall here after ¶ Howe the dethe of the duke of LaÌcastre was knowen in Fraunce the kyng of Englande wrote in maner of ioye to the Frenche kynge therof and wrote nothyng therof to therle of Derby who was the dukes sonÌe Cap. CC .xxxv. TIdynges of the duke of Lancasters dethe came in to Fraunce kyng Rycharde of EnglaÌde in maner of ioye wrote therof to the frenche kyng and nat to his cosyn therle of Derby howe be it the erle knewe it as soone as the Frenche kynge or soner by suche men as he had in Englande Than the erle apparelled hym and all his men in blacke and caused his obsequy to be done right honorably at the whiche was the Frenche kyng and his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and all the kynges vncles with a great nombre of prelates and great lordes of Fraunce For the erle of Derby was welbeloued with euery maÌ and many were right sorie of his trouble for he was a pleasaunt knight and an honest êson curtesse and swete meke to euery man and euery man that sawe hym said howe the kyng of Englande was nat well counsayled that he repealed hym nat home agayne And truely to saye trouthe if the kynge of Englande had wysely regarded the mater and had ben well counsayled the mater had nat tourned agaynst hym as it dyde For the erle of Derby after the dethe of his father was right enherytoure to be duke of Lancastre and to haue been the seconde persone of the realme and by whom all the busynesse of the realme shulde chiefely haue passed Also the kynge and his counsayle ought to haue consydred howe often tymes the people of Englande hadde styrred and murmured agaynst hym and shulde haue knowen howe he was nat very welbeloued of the people nor of some knightes other and how that in the duke of Gloucesters dayes he was often tymes in daunger of his persone As whan the Londoners and the counsaylles of dyuers good townes in Englande caÌe to hym to Eltham and there made their requestes that all subsidies and ayes gyuen and graunted within twentie yere shulde haue ben frustrate and fordone or els they were determyned by the consent of the duke of Gloucestre and other noble men of the Realme to haue taken the kynge and to haue sette another to haue reygned in his place and to haue putte the kyng and the Quene in to a place and so to haue hadde meate and drinke as long as they had lyued In somoche that the duke of Gloucester hadde desyred a nephewe of his sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence who was called Iohan erle of Marche That he wolde haue taken on hym the charge and gouernyng of the realme and that they wolde haue made hym kyng But the same erle excused hym selfe honestly therfro All these thynges were apeased and layde downe by the wyse sadde meanes and prudence of the sayde duke of Lancastre father to this sayd erle of Derby IF kyng Richarde had wysely consydred all these mats he had reigned in gretter êsperite than euer he did before Kyng Richarde knewe all this well ynough and so by yuell counsayle the kynge caused by colour of loue the duke of Gloucestre to be taken and ledde to Calays where he was strangled and murdered Wherof great brute was throughe out all the realme with great grudge and murmuracyons so that it was at the poynt to haue deposed the sayde kyng Richarde Howe be it the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage and a prudent price for all that the duke of Gloucestre was his brother and that the murderyng of hym touched hym nere to his herte All thynges consyred and that he coude nat recouer agayne his brother wisely and amiably he apeased all these maters And the kynge his nephue more feared in EnglaÌde than he was before All this the kynge ought to haue consydred and specially howe therle of Derby was better beloued with the people than any other man within the realme All these thyngê wysely coÌsidred after the dethe of the duke rf LaÌcastre the kyng shulde
haue repealed therle of Derby agayne in to the Realme but the kyng had no mynde so to do for he dyd clene the contrary for incontynent he sente his offycers in to all the duke of LaÌcasters landes and toke the profites therof to hym selfe and sayd that as longe as therle of Derby stode as a banysshed man that he nor none of his shulde receyue any reuenues of any landes within the realme of Englande And moreouer wherof the kyng was greatly blamed of suche as loued the erle and his chyldren The kyng gaue awaye landes parteynynge to the herytage of the duchy of Lancastre to some of his seruauntes suche as asked them for the whiche cause many knyghtes other in Englande spake and said The kyng sheweth well that he oweth no good wyll to his cosyn the erle of Derby sythe he wyll nat repeale hym home agayne and suffre his landes to be gyuen awaye where as therle and his chyldren shulde be great membres in Englande a good staffe for the kyng to leane by But he dothe the contrary for he driueth hym awaye so wyll kepe hym in this dauÌger and worse if he coude For he hath taken to hym selfe his heritage and causeth his offycers to medell with the dukes landes as thoughe they were his owne And if that poore tenauntes complayne of the iniuryes done to them in their lordes absence they can nat be harde there is none that wyll do them right Also it is but a small token of loue that the kyng beareth to the erle of Derby and to his chyldren for their herytage of LaÌcastre whiche shulde come to theÌ by right enherytauÌce discended fro their grandame the lady Blanche doughter to duke Henry of Lancastre The kyng gyueth parte therof away where as it pleaseth hym suche landes as shulde fall to them by the right of the lady their mother who was doughter to the erle of Herforde and Northampton and coÌstable of Englande The kynge gyueth parte therof at his pleasure This is to moche done agaiÌst all ryght and reason and to the displeasure of all the noble men of Englande this can nat longe endure vnamended Thus the prelates noble men and commons in EnglaÌde coÌmuned and murmured IN lykewise in the realme of FraÌce suche men of honour as herde spekynge of this mater and hadde sene erle of Derby at Parys hadde great marueyle therof and sayd one to another As we thynke the kynge of Englande hath takenne to great a displeasure with his cosyn the erle of Derby who is the greattest man in Englad next hym selfe He is a gracious knyght curtesse meke and tretable and a man good to be spoken vnto The kyng of Englande knoweth some other thynge by hym than we do or elles the kynge is yuell counsayled And it is marueyle that the Frenche kynge and his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and the kynges vncles do nat attemper the mater for the erle is daylye amonge theym They shulde fynde best prouisyon in this case for the kynge of Englande wyll do more for theÌ than for any men bicause he hath maried the Frenche kynges doughter But sythe they do nothynge therin it is best we holde oure peace and lette it passe As for the Frenche kynge his brother and his vncles thought nothyng but good They honoured and loued greatly the erle of Derby and desyred moche his company and they sawe well he was a wydower and to marry and that the duke of Berry hadde a doughter a wydowe of two husbandes she was but yonge of a xxiii yere of age was named Mary Her fyrst husbaÌde was Loys of Bloys who died yonge and her secoÌde husbande was the lorde Philyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe who died in his retourne in Hungry as ye haue herde here before This maryage was at apoynt to haue concluded for they in FrauÌce knewe well that the duke of Lancastre was a great enherytoure in Englande and the Frenche kynge was well pleased therwith bycause his doughter was Quene of Englande for he thought that the company of those two ladyes togyder shulde be great pleasure to theÌ bothe sythe they were so nere of blode And therby the two realmes of Fraunce and Englande shulde be the surer conioyned toguyder in loue and peace whiche was trewe if it might haue been accomplysshed but kyng Richarde of Englande his couÌsayle brake all that mater for the fortunes of this world whiche are marueylous nor a thynge that shall be canne nat be eschewed The whiche fortune of this kynge Richarde was so marueylous that it is harde to thynke theron The kynge myght well haue remedyed the mater if he had wolde but that that shall be shal be I shall shewe you what I Iohan Froissarte auctour of this hystorie Herde whanÌe I was but yonge in Englande in a place called Bertamstede whiche as at that tyme parteyned to the price of Wales father to this sayde kynge Rycharde it was in the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred thre score and two And bycause the same tyme the prince and the princes shulde departe out of Englande to go in to AcqÌtayne to kepe their estate there Kyng Edwarde his father and quene Phillyppe my maistres and Lyon duke of Clarence Iohan duke of Lancastre the lorde Edmonde who was after Erle of Cambridge and duke of yorke their chyldren were come to the said maner place to se the prince and princes or they departed And as than I was of the age of .xxiiii. yere and one of my said lady the quenes clerkes of her chambre And as I satte on a benche I herde a knyght talkyng and deuysinge among dyuers ladyes and damoselles of the Quenes and sayde to them There is a booke in this countrey called the Brust many men saye it is of marueylous prophycies But accordynge to that booke the realme and crowne of Englande shulde nat retourne to the price of Wales nor yet to the duke of Clarence nor that they shulde be kynges of England though they were sonnes to kyng Edwarde but this knyght sayd that accordyng to that boke the crowne of Englande shulde come to the house of Lancastre The same season whan this knyght spake these wordes this sayd HeÌry erle of Derby was nat borne nor yet seuyn yere after but yet in my dayes the same wordes tooke effecte for I sawe after the same Henry erle of Derby kynge of Englande ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of a treatie of a maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berries doughter and howe kyng Rycharde of Englande dyde lette it by the erle of Salisbury Capi. CC .xxxvi. AS soone as kyng Rycharde kyng of Englande herde of the treatie of the maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berryes doughter that the parties were nerehaÌde accorded he toke those newes to great dyspleasure and sayd to the erle of Salisbury in whom he had great affyaunce ye must or dayne you to go in
shulde nat be for their welthe but to their great doÌmage for the kynge was sore enformed against them Whan they had this warnynge they stopped their coÌmyng to the kyng and nat without good cause For they were shewed that if they came they shulde be in ieopardye of their lyues Whan the kynges counsayle sawe that therle and his sonÌe came nat they sayd to the kyng Sir nowe ye maye se whyder we dyde enforme you of the trouthe or nat ye maye se therle and his sonne disdayneth to serue you for they wyll nat come at youre coÌmaundement and that shall ye se if ye sende for them And I shall sende for them quod the kyng Than letters were written sente by notable messangers to therle to the lorde Henry Percy his son The content of the letters was that incontynent without delaye vpon the sight of those letters that they shulde come to the kyng and do their duetie as they were bounde to do These messangers iourneyed so longe that they came to fayre castell of the erles standyng on the fronter of Scotlande The messanger acquyted hym well in doynge of his message as he was coÌmauÌded Th erle reed his letters at length and than shewed them to his sonne Than they toke aduise to make the messanger good chere and to write agayn to the kynge in excusynge of them selfes howe they coulde nat come out of their countrey as at that tyme and howe that the kyng had men ynowe to acoÌplysshe his iourney besyde them The messangers retourned to the kynge and delyuered the erles lettre The kynge redde it the whiche answere was nothynge pleasaunt to the kynge nor to his counsayle and thanne for this cause and for other thynges that were layde to the Erles charge and to his sonnes they were openly banysshed the realme of Englande tyll the kyng dyd repeale them agayne This was publysshed through out all the cyties and good townes of Englande and specyally in London wherof the londoners had great marueyle nor they coulde nat knowe iustly for what cause it was for the erle and his sonne were reputed for noble and as valyaunt men as any within the realme Some sayd it coÌmeth by some of the kynges counsayle that hateth them whiche counsayle wyll distroy the kyng at last peraduenture the erle and his sonne haue spoken some wordes vpon the kynge and his counsayle for the yuell gouernynge of the realme coulde nat be herde though they said the trouth and for their true sayeng nowe they be punisshed but we thinke herafter they wyll be punysshed that nowe iudge them Thus the londoners and other spake of this mater The erle had a brother a valiaunt knight sir Thomas percy who had of a longe tyme done many noble seruyces to the kynge of Englande whan the erle knewe that he and his sonne were banysshed the realme he toke it for an vnreasonable punysshment without cause Than he sente for all his frendes in the countrey suche as he coulde get togyther for many of his lygnage were with the kynge to go in to Irelande The erle toke counsayle of them what was best to do sythe the kynge had banysshed hym without cause Than he was counsayled to sende in to the realme of Scotlande and to desyre the king there that he and his sonne might abyde peasably in Scotlande tyll the kynge of Englande were apeased of his dyspleasure Thus therle sent to kynge Robert of Scotlande and the kyng the erle Archambalt Duglas and the other lordes of Scotlande condiscendyd lyghtly to the erles desyre sent the erle worde howe they shulde be gladly receyued and also if they neded of fyue or syre hundred speares if they were signyfied of the tyme they shulde be redy to serue them This message pleased greatly the erle and his lygnage and so the erle taryed styll in his countrey amonge his frendes for kynge Rycharde and his counsayle had so moche to do in sorte season after that they had no layser to do any dyspleasure to the erle nor to his sonne as ye shall here after in this hystory KInge Rycharde thus beynge aboute Bristowe than the state generally of all men in Englande began to murmure and to ryse one agaynst another and mynystrynge of iustyce was clene stopped vp in all courtes of Englande wherof the valyaunt men and prelates who loued reste and peace and were glad to paye their duetyes were greatly abasshed for there rose in the realme companyes in dyuers rowtes kepynge the feldes and hygh wayes so that marchauntes durste nat ryde abrode to excercyse their marchaundyse for doute of robbynge and no man knewe to whome to coÌplayne to do them ryght reasone and iustyce whiche thynges were ryght preiudyciall and dyspleasaunt to the good people of Englande for it was contrary to their accustomable vsage for all people laborers and marchauntes in Englande were wonte to lyue in rest and peace and to occupy their marchaundyse peasably and the laborers to labour their landes quyetly and than it was contrary for whan marchauntes rode fro towne to towne with their marchaundyse and had outher golde or syluer in their purces it was taken fro them and fro other men and labourers out of their houses these companyons wolde take whete ootes bufes muttons porkes the pore men durste speke no worde these yuell dedes dayly multyplyed so that great complayntes and lamentacyons were made therof through out the realme and the good people sayde the tyme is chaunged vpon vs fro good to yuell euer sythe the dethe of good kynge Edwarde the thyrde in whose dayes iustyce was well kepte and mynystred In his dayes there was no man so hardy in Englande to take a hen or a chekyn or a shepe without he had payed trewly for it and nowâ a dayes all that we haue is taken fro vs and yet we dare nat speke these thinges canne nat longe endure but that Englande is lykely to be loste without recouery We haue a kynge nowe that wyll do nothyng he entendeth but to ydelnesse and to acomplysshe his pleasure and by that he sheweth he careth nat howe euery thynge gothe so he maye haue his wyll it were tyme to prouyde for remedy or els out enemyes wyll reioyse mocke vs our kynge hath sette his brother the erle of Huntyngdon at Calais therby peraduenture may be made some yuell treatie and bargayne for the towne of Calays with the frenche men and rendre in to their handes that thynge that is most necessary for the realme of Englande for if Calays were rendred to the Frenche men Englande was neuer so abasshed as it shulde be than and good cause why for than shulde be lost the chiefe key of Englande THus multyplyed the lamentacyons and murmurynge in Englande and the prelates and other ryche men of the realme came to London to dwell there to be in the better suretie They of the lygnages of suche lordes as the kynge had put to dethe and banisshed
the prince holdynge the sworde of the churche and on the other syde the Constable with the sworde of iustyce and a lytell aboue the marshall with the ceptour and at that kynges borde sate two archbysshops and .xvii. bysshoppes And in the myddes of the dyner there came in a knight who was called Dinereth all armed vpon a good horse rychely aparelled and had a knyght before hym bearyng his speare and his sworde by his syde and his dagger The knyght toke the kyng a lybell the whiche was red Therin was conteyned that there were outher knight squyer or any other geÌtylman that wold say that kyng Henry was nat right full kyng he was there redy to fyght with him in that quarell before the kynge or where as it shulde please hym to apoynte that byll was cryed by an haraulde in syxe places of the hall and in the towne There was none that wolde chalenge hym Whan the kynge had dyned he toke wyne spyces in the hall and than went in to his chambre Than euery man departed and went to their lodginges thus the day passed of kynge Henryes coronacyon with great ioy and feest whiche endured all the next day The erle of Salysbury was nat at this soleÌpnyte for he was in sure prison and the kinges couÌsayle and dyuers other noble men and the londoners wolde that his heed shulde haue ben stryken of openly in chepe for said he had well deserued it for bearynge of letters and credeÌce fro Rycharde of Burdeaux to the frenche kyng and there to reporte openly that kyng Henry was a false traytoure whiche faute they sayd ought nat to be êdoned Kyng Henry was more gentyll than so for he had some pytie on hym for therle excused hym and sayd that he dyd was by the kynges coÌmaundement by the settyng on of the four knyghtes that were beheeded Kinge Henry beleued well the erles wordes but his couÌsayle wolde nat beleue it but said and so dyd the londoners that he shulde dye bycause he had deserued deth Thus the erle of Salysbury was in prison in great daunger of his lyfe And syr Iohan Holande erle of Huntyngdon capytayne of Calais was well enfourmed of the hole mater and howe his brother kyng Rychard was taken and in prisone in the towre of London and had resygned his crowne and all howe Henry of Lancastre was kinge of Englande This erle of Huntyngdon what so euer dyspleasure he had for the trouble of his brother yet wysely he consydred the tyme and aduentures and sawe well that he was nat able to with stande all the power and puyssaunce of the realme Also the countesse his wyfe who was cosyn germayne to kynge Henry sayd Syr it must behoue you to passe your displeasure pacyently wysely and do nat that thynge wherby ye shall haue doÌmage for the kyng may do you moche good and ye se that all the realme enclyneth to hym if ye shewe any dyspleasure to hym warde ye are but lost wherfore syr I requyre you and I couÌsayle you to dyssimule the matter for as well kynge Henry nowe is your brother as kyng Richarde was therfore syr stycke and leane to him and ye shall fynde hym your good louer for there was neuer a rycher kynge in Englande than he is he may do to you to your chyldren great good The erle herde well the wordes of his wyfe and beleued her and enclyned hym to kynge Henry and offred hym humble obeysaunce and promysed hym faythe and trouthe The kyng receyued hym and had great ioy therof and he dyd so moche with meanes of his freÌdes that therle of Salysbury was taken to grace and his excusacyons accepted and was clene pardoned ¶ How newes of the taking of kyng Rycharde was knowen in Fraunce by the coÌmyng thyder of the lady of Coucy and howe the frenche kynge was dyspleased Cap. CC.xlvi WHan the lady of Coucy was aryued at Bouloyne she hasted her to go to Parys Great murmurynge there was in Fraunce of the sodayne incidentes that were fall in EnglaÌde they knewe somwhat by marchauÌtes of Bruges but whan the lady of Coucy aryued than the trouth was knowen She went firste to her husbandes house as it was reason Anon the frenche kynge herde worde howe the lady of Coucy was come to Parys Than the kynge sent for the lorde of Coucy who had ben all nyght with his wyfe Whan he was come the kynge demauÌded of the state of kynge Rycharde of Englande and of the quene his doughter The lorde durst nat hyde the trouth fro hym but shewed hym playnely euery thynge as his wyfe had shewed hym whiche newes were sore dyspleasaunt to the frenche kynge for he knewe well the englysshmen were sore harde men to apease and so with dyspleasure the frenche kynge retourned agayne in to his olde sicknes of fransey wherof the nobles of that realme were sore displeased but they coude nat amende it Than the duke of Burgoyn said I thought neuer otherwyse for it was a maryage without good reasone the whiche I sayd playnly ynough whan the mater was fyrst spokeÌ of but as than I coulde nat be herde for I knewe well the londoners neuer loued parfytely kynge Rycharde All this myschefe is engendred by the duke of Gloucestre it is tyme nowe to take hede what the englisshmen wyll do sythe they haue taken their kyng and put him in prison by all lykelyhode they wyll put hym to dethe for they neuer loued him bycause be loued no warre but peace they wyll crowne to their kynge the duke of Lancastre he shall so bynde hym selfe to them that whether he wyll or nat he shall do all that they wyll sayd moreouer nowe shall be sene what they of Burdeaux wyll do for there he was borne and was well be loued with them and also with them of Bayon of Dax and in all the lymytes of Burdeloys it were good that that constable of FrauÌce sir Loys of Sanxere were signyfyed of this mater and that he drewe hym to that fronters there with him syr Raynolde of Barroys of Barreys and other barones and prelates and to treate with them and my brother the duke of Berrey to go in to Poictou to drawe to the fronters of Xaintes of Blaues and of mirebell wherby if they of Burdeaux wyll any thynge entende to our treaties that they may be receyued for nowe shall we haue them or neuer As he deuysed it was ordeyned the whiche was a substanciall deuyce for whan they of Burdeaux of Bayon and of Dax vnderstode that their kynge Rycharde was taken and sette in the towre of London and duke Henry of Lancastre crowned kyng they had gret marueyle therof and in the begynnyng wolde nat beleue it but lytle lytle they knewe the trouth therof Than the sayd thre townes were closed and no man suffred to issue out nor to entre in they were sore troubled and sorowfull and specyally the cytie of Burdeaux
shotte on bothe partes so that many were hurte Than the bayly with his great nombre came vpon them without sparynge for he had speciall coÌmaundement fro kynge Henry that he shulde outher take theÌ quicke or deed if he myght ouercome them So finally the Erles menne were fayne to withdrawe in to the houses Than the bayly and his men enuyroned their lodgynges on all partes and specially where the two Erles were made there suche assautes that they entred êforce There were many hurte and slayne Th erle of HuÌtyngton defended him selfe valyauntly as longe as he myght But there were so many agaynst hym that there he was slayne and with hym the yonge erle of Kente for whom great sorowe was made in dyuers partes of Englande for he was a fayre yonge man and was there in maner agaynst his wyll but his vncle and the erle of Salisbury brought hym therto The men of Suscettour who were fierse agaynst theÌ strake of their heedes and sent them by a messanger to the mayre of London therwith to reioyce the kyng and the londoners Th erle of Salisbury and the lorde Spensar came to a lyke conclusyon for certayne knightes squiers of the kynges toke them where they were and strake of their heedes sente them to London many suche as were with them alyed were putte to execucion bothe knyghtes and squyers After that the realme was in good rest and peace ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the frenche kyng reysed vp an army to sende vpon the fronters of Englande Cap. CC .xlviii. WHan easter was come the yere of our lorde god M. four hundred The freÌche kyng his brother his vncles his counsaile vnderstode howe certayne Englysshmen of armes and archers shulde passe the see and come to Calais and to Guynes to HaÌmes and to those fronters Than there was a coÌmaundement made throughe Fraunce that euery knight and squyer shulde be redy to leape a hors backe and to go thider as they shulde be sente specially Bolonois and the see syde was well prouyded for The same tyme duke Iohan of Bretayne died behynde hym he lefte two sonnes a doughter The eldest sonÌe shulde haue maried the frenche kynges secoÌde doughter for he might nat haue theldest bycause she was maryed in to Englande to kynge Richarde This treatie of maryage fyrst for the eldest doughter of Fraunce with the heyre of Bretayne was coÌcluded at Tourse in Tourayn but afterwarde by the kinges coÌsent and his couÌsaile to th entent to marry her the more richely that mariage was broken with Bretayne she maried in to Englande And dyuers lordes in Fraunce said feared that no good shulde come therof but than they concluded for the secoÌde doughter Than after the dethe of the duke of Bretaine it was aduised that the duke of OrlyauÌce with a certayne noÌbre of men of warre shulde drawe to the marches of Bretayne to speke with the bretons with the couÌsaylours of good townes to know what they wolde do with their heyre to desyre theÌ to delyuer him to be kept in the house of FrauÌce The duke of OrlyauÌce dyde acording to this deuyse with a certayne noÌbre came to Ponthorson there rested and sente worde of his coÌmyng to the lordes of Bretaigne Than prelates lordes couÌsaylours of the good townes in the name of the thre estates of the countre assembled togider were determyned what aunswere to make and so they came to Pounthorson to the duke of Orlyaunce and there they made their answere all after one sorte and that was They said howe that their yonge lorde heyre of Bretayne they wolde kepe hym theÌselfes in his owne countre Than the duke of OrlyauÌce seyng it wolde none otherwise be he toke boÌdes of the grettest lordes in Bretayne suche as had chefe charge of the countre that they shulde delyuer hym to the freÌche kyng whaÌ the childe shulde come to his age These writynges made and sealed than the duke deêted and returned in to Fraunce and shewed the kyng his brother howe he had spedde IT was well knowen in Englande howe the Frenche kyng hadde furnysshed his garysons cyties good townes castels on the fronters of Picardy and Bolonois and howe the frenchmen had closed so the passagê ouer the water of SoÌme that no marchandyse corne nor other thyng shulde nat passe Abuyle nor the marchauÌtes of EnglaÌde who were wont to go in to FraÌce with their marchauÌdise durst no more coÌe there nor the frenche marchauÌtes durste nat come in to Englande so that the fronters on bothe êties were in gret ruyne desolacion and yet they made no warrÌ togyder for they had no coÌmauÌdement so to do Than it was said to kyng HeÌry sir aduyse you well it semeth by the Frenchmen they wyll make you warre they make great prouisyon for shyppes at Harflewe and capitayns of their armye is the erle of saynt Poule and sir Charles de la Breth And it were to suppose that if the erles of Huntyngton and of Salysbury were a lyue and all suche as be dedde the Frenchmen than wolde soone passe ouer the see on trust to haue great alyaunce and ayde in Englande But sir as longe as Richarde of Burdeaux is a lyue you nor your realme shal be at no suretie I beleue that ye saye is trewe quod the kyng but as for me I wyll nat cause hym to be slayne for I haue so promysed hym and I wyll kepe my promyse without I êceyue that he worke trayson agaynst me Well sir âabqod they of his counsaill it were better for you that he were deed rather than a lyue For as longe as the frenche men knowe that he is lyueng they wyll enforce them to make you warre and wyll hope alwayes to bring him agayne in to his former estate bycause of his wyfe the Frenche kynges doughter The kyng gaue none answere but departed fro them as than and lefte his couÌsayle coÌmunyng togyder the kynge wente and toke a faucon on his haÌde and passed ouer that mater ¶ Of the dethe of kyng Richarde of Englande and howe the truse bytwene Englande and Fraunce was reuewed And also of the deposicion of pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC .xlix. IT was nat longe after that true tidynges ran thoroughe London howe Richarde of Burdeaulx was deed but howe he dyed by what meanes I coulde nat tell whan I wrote this cronycle But this kynge Rycharde deed was layde in a lytter and sette in a chayre couered with blacke Baudkynne and foure horses all blacke in the chayre and two men in blacke leadyng the chayre and four kynghtes all in blacke folowyng Thus the chare departed fro the towre of London and was brought a long throughe London fayre and softely tyll they caÌe into chepesyde where as the chefe assembly of LoÌdon was and there the chare rested the space of two houres thyder came in and out mo than xx M. persons men and women to se hym
at Bayon greatly dyscomfyted in that he coulde get no maner of ayde Cap. C .xxvi. ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey sente letters to the duke of Lancastre to Bayon and howe the duke sente the copye of the same letters in to Foyze and in to Nauerre to the entent to haue them publysshed in Spayne and howe the duke of Bretaygne demaunded counsayle of his men in all his busynesse Capi. C .xxvii. ¶ Howe the duke of Bretayne delyuered vp the thre castelles of syr Olyuer of Clyssons and howe he receyued ioyously the lorde of Coucy and his company ambassadours fro the frenche kynge and howe the duke of Lancastre made great chere to syr Helyon of Lignacke seneschall of Xaynton abmassadoure fro the duke of Berrey Cap. C .xxviii. ¶ Nowe the kynge of Castyle sente his ambassadours to the duke of Lancastre to treate for a maryage to be hadde bytwene his sonne and the dukes doughter and howe at the request of the duke of Berrey a truse was made by the duke of Lancastre in the countreys of Tholousyn and Rouergne Cap. C .xxix. ¶ Howe the Dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne departed to go to Bloyes and howe the duke of Bretayne came thyder and howe the dukes dyd so moche that they had hym to Parys in maner agaynst his wyll Capi. C .xxx. ¶ Howe Lewes kynge of Cycyle entred in to Parys in estate royall and howe the duke of Bretayne entred on the nyght of saint Johan the Baptyst the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore and seuyn and of a dede of armes done before the kynge at Moutereau fault yon bytwene a knyght of Englande called syr Thomas Harpyngham and a frenche knyght named syr Johan de Barres Capi. C .xxxi. ¶ Howe the duke of Bretaygne entred in to Parys and came to the castell of Loure to the frenche kynge Cap. C .xxxii. ¶ Howe the erle of Arundell beynge on the see more than a moneth came to the hauen of Maraunt a lytell fro Rochell and howe he sent a messanger to Perot le Bernoys that he and other capytayns shulde kepe the feldes Capi. C .xxxiii. ¶ Howe they of Marroys and Rochelloys were sore afrayde of the Englysshe men that were a lande and howe they of Rochell made ask rymysshe with theym and howe after the englysshe men had pylled the countrey about Maraunt they drewe agayne to the see with their pyllage whiche was great Capi. C .xxxiiii. ¶ Howe Perot le Bernoys and his companyons resorted agayne to their holdes with great pyllage and howe the duke of Guerles coulde haue no ayde of the Englysshe men to reyse the siege before Graue and howe the brabansois made a brige ouer the ryuer of meuse the whiche they of Guerles dyd breake bryn and dystroy as ye shall here after Capi. C .xxxv. ¶ Howe the Brabansoys passed the ryuer through the towne of Rauesten ouer the bridge there and so entred into Guerles Than the duke departed fro Nymay with thre hundred speares and came agaynst them and dyscomfyted them bytwene Rauesten and the towne of Graue Cap C .xxxvi. ¶ Howe the duke of Guerles after he had discomfyted the brabansoys he went agayne to Nymay and howe tydynges came to the frenche kynge and howe the kynge sent ambassadours to the kynge of Almayne Capi. C .xxxvii. ¶ Howe the frenche kynge gaue leaue to the duke of Bretaygne to retourne in to his countrey and howe the couÌtrey of Brabant wolde nat consent to the kynges passage nor his army and howe the ambassadours of Fraunce spedde Capi. C .xxxviii. ¶ Howe the erle of Bloys sent to the frenche kinge two hundred speares and howe the duke of Lorayne and the lorde Henry of Bare came to the kynge and howe the dukes of Julyers and of Guerles knewe that the frenche kynge came on them Capi. C .xxxix. ¶ Howe syr Hellyon of Lygnacke made his reporte to the duke of Berrey and howe the lordes of Scotlande assembled toguyder in the cytie of Berdane and determyned to reyse vp an armye to entre into Englande and of an englyssh squyer who was taken by the scottes who knewe the secretes of bothe realmes Englande and Scotlande Capi. C .xl. ¶ Howe kyng Richarde yelded hym selfe to the erle of Derby to go to London Cap. Fo. CCC .xi. ¶ Howe the erle Duglas wan the penon of sir Henry Percy at the barryers vpon Newe castell vpon Tyne and howe the scottes brent the castell of Pondlen and howe syr Henry Percy and syr Rafe his brother tooke aduyse to folowe the scottes to conquere agayne the penon that was lost at the skrymysshe Capi. C .xli. ¶ Of the state of quene Isabell of Englande and howe she had all newe êsones apoynted to wayte vpon her and howe kynge Richarde was sette in the towre of London Capi. CC .xlii. ¶ Howe sir Henry Percy and his brother with a good nombre of men of armes and archers went after the scottes to wyn agayne his penon that the erle Duglas had won before Newcastell vpoÌtyne and howe they assayled the scottes before MouÌtberke in their lodgynges Cap. C .xlii. ¶ Howe the erle James Duglas by his valyantnesse encoraged his men who were reculed and in a maner disconfited and in his so doynge he was wounded to dethe Capi. C .xliii. ¶ Howe in this bataile sir Rafe Percy was sore hurte and taken prisoner by a scottiss he knyght Cap. C .xliiii. ¶ Howe the scottes wanne the batayle agayust the Englysshe men besyde Ottebridge and there was taken prisoners sir HeÌry and sir Rafe Percy howe an Englisshe squier wolde nat yelde hym no more wolde a scottysshe squyer and so were slayne bothe and howe the bysshoppe of Durham and his coÌpany were disconfyted amonge them selfe Capi. C .xiv. ¶ Howe sir Mathewe Reedman deparred fro the batayle to saue hym selfe and howe sir James Lymsey was taken prisoner by the bysshoppe of Durham and howe after the batayle scurrers were sent forthe to discouer the countrey Cap. C .xlvi. ¶ Howe the scottes departed caryed with them the erle Duglas deed and buryed hym in the abbey of Nimayes and howe sir Archambault Duglas and his company departed fro before Carlyle and retourned in to Scotlande Cap. C .xlvii. ¶ Howe the duke of Jullyers came and excused hym selfe of the defyaunce that his son the duke of Guerles had made to the Frenche kyng and so became his subiette and of dyuers reates of armes done bitwene the freÌche men and the almaygnes before Rencongne Cap. C .xlviii. ¶ Howe the duke of Julyers and the archebysshop of Coloygne departed fro the Frenche kyng and wente to Nimaye to the duke of Guerles and howe by their meanes he was reconsyled and brought to peace with the Frenche kynge and with the duchesse of Brabant Cap. C .xlix. ¶ Howe the erle of Arundell and the knyghtes of Englande beyng on the see by fortune of the wynde came to the palyce besyde Rochell whose beynge there was signifyed to sir Loyes of
refused by vs. For surely sir all suche wordes as ye haue said we dyde speke them A goddes name quod the admyrall let me ones se theÌ And so anon after therle Dugles and other barons of ScotlaÌde brought thadmyrall vnto a highe mountayne and vnder the hyll there was a passage wherby theÌglysshe host must passe on this hyll was thadmyrall with diuers knightê of FrauÌce in his company And there clerely they sawe the Englysshe men and all their puissaunce and ther they nombred them as nere as they coude to be a sire thousande men of armes threscore thousande archers and other Than all thynges coÌsydred they sayd howe they were nat of puyssaunce suffycient to fight with the Englysshemen for they passed nat a thousande speares a .xxx. thousande of all other men and but yuell armed Than the admyrall sayd to the etle Duglas and to therle Morette Sirs ye saye but good reason thoughe ye haue no wyll to fight with the Englisshe men Therfore aduyse you what ye wyll do they are stronge ynoughe to ouer ryde all your countrey and to distroy it And sithe ye maye nat fight with them I pray you bring me throughe your countre by some priuye waye in to Englande if it maye be and we shall make them warre in some other parte as they do to vs here Sir ê the barones that shall we well do for we knowe dyuers wayes TO thus the admyrall and the barones of Scotlande determyned to forsake Scotlande and to lette the Englyssh men alone and to go entre into Wales and to go to the cytie of Carlyle and there to reuenge them So they lefte the Englysshe men and toke the forestes and mountayns and as they rode throughe out Scotlande they distroyed all as they wente and brent townes vyllages and maners and caused all the men women chyldren of the couÌtre to driue all their catayle and to go into that wylde forestes for they knewe well the Englisshe men wolde nat folowe them thyder And the kynge of Scottes wente in to the wylde scottysshe bicause he wes nat iÌ good poynt to ryde a warfare and they he taryed all the warre durynge and lette his men alone So the Frenche men and Scottes passed the highe mountayns bytwene NorthumberlaÌde and Scotlande and entred in to the lande of Wales and began to brenne villages and dyd moche hurte in the Mombrayes landes And the erle of Notyngham the erle of Stafforde and the barone of Grasoppe and the Mosgrâues landes and so they toke the waye to the cytie of Carlyle ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande toke EdeÌborowe the chefe cytie of Scotlande and howe the duke of Lancastre was in purpose to retourne in to wales to close in the frenchmen and scottes and what the frenche men the scottes dyde in the sayd countre Cap. xiiii THe admyrall of FrauÌce was the erle of Graunt Pre and the lorde of saynt Croix sir Geffray of Charney ser Wyl lyam de Brume sir Iames of Boesme the lorde of Pegny the lorde of Hee s the lorde of Marnell sir Valeran of Rauenall the barone Dââery the barone of Fountayns the lorde of Croye sir Brake of Braquemont the lorde of Landury and well a thousande speres of barons knightes of Fraunce And so they and the lordes of Scotlande rode in NorthuÌberlande bytwene the mountayns on the fronters of Wales brennyng townes maners and countrees And the kyng of Englande and his vncles with barons and knightes of EnglaÌde and their companyes entred in to Scotlande and brent and exyled on their parte And so the kyng came and lodged in Edenborowe the chefe towne in all Scotlande and there taryed fyue dayes and at his departyng it was set a fyre brent vp clene but the castell had no hurt for it was stronge ynough and well kept Whyle the kyng lay at Edenborowe thenglysshmen rode abrode in the countre and dyd moche hurt but they fouÌde nother man nor beest abrode for all was withdrawen in to the forestes In the Englysshe hoost were mo than a huÌdred thousaÌde men and well as many horse wherof they had nede of great prouisyon and they fouÌde none in Scotlande but out of Englande there caÌe to theÌ great plentie bothe by lande and by see Than the kyng departed fro EdeÌborowe and rode towarde Estruleyn a good towne wherin there was a great abbey of blacke monkes and moost coÌmenly the kynges of Scotlande are there buryed The kyng lay in the abbey at their deêtyng abbey all was brent Than they passed the ryuer of Taxe whiche ronneth to saint IohnÌs towne at the castell of Strulyn there was a great assaute but it wolde nat be wonne yet the towne and all the landes of the lorde Vercy they brent THe entent of the duke of Lancastre and of his bretherne was to passe through Scotlande and to pursue the scottes and frenche men for they knew well they were gone the waye to Wales to go to Carlyle And so they thought to enclose theÌ bytwene Englande and Scotlande and to fight with them at their aduauntage This purpose they thought veryly to holde Thenglysshe men spredde abrode in ScotlaÌde there was no resystence agaynst theÌ for the countre was voyde of all men of warre they were gone in to Englande with the admyrall of Fraunce And so there the Englysshmen brent the towne of saynt IohnÌs where as the ryuer of Taxe rynneth and there is a good hauen to sayle thens ouer all the worlde and after they brent the towne of Donde The Englyssh men spared nother abbeys nor minsters but set all on fyre And so they of the vowarde ran to Bredan whiche is a cytie on the see syde It is on thentre of the wylde scottysshe but they dyd no hurte therto howe be it they of the countrey were right sore afrayed They of that cytie thought to haue assaute for they feared leest the kynge of Englande wolde haue come thyder and haue ouer ron all that countre THus in lykewise as the Englysshemen dyde in Scotlande so dyd the frenche men and scottes in Englande in the marchesse of Northumberlande and Wales they brent a great countre as they went out of Northumberlande and entred in to Wales whiche was otherwise called Wynslande and passed by the landes of the lordes of Graystocke and Clyfforde and brent in their voyage dyuers great villages for they were no men of warre in that couÌtre as than for they were all with the kyng So they came to the cyte of Catlyle in Wales whiche was well closed with gatê walles dykes It was a place that of auncyent tyme kynge Arthure loued rightwell bycause that there were great woodes and many dedes of armes there was done There laye in Carlyle in garison sir Lewes Clyfforde brother to sir WyllmÌ Neuell and with hym sir ThomÌs Mosgraue and Dauy Holgraue his sonne and sir Dongorsse and dyuers other of the marchesse and fronters of Wales for the
iourney lefte but I speke it by waye of counsayle and syth that the moost parte of the royalme enclyneth to this iourney therfore fayre broder of Borgoyne I wolde that you and I sholde go but I wolde not counsayle that the kynge sholde goo for yf ony mysfortune sholde fall it shal be layde to vs well sayd the frensshe kynge who was present at all those wordes yf none wyll go I wyll go Then the lordes began to smyle and sayd the kynge hath a couragyous wyll Howbeit they toke counsayle to deferre that voyage tyll Aprell or May nexte after theyr prouysyons as Bysquet powdred flesshe and wyne sholde be kepte saufely tyll then and there they ordeyned that the lordes and theyr companyes sholde retourne thyder agayne in the moneth of Marche anone this was knowen and so brake the voyage for that season the whicost the royalme of Fraunce a C.M. frankes xxx tyme tolde ¶ Howe kynge Charles of fraunce and the frensshe lordes retourned euyll contente fro Sluse and out of Flaunders where as theyr prouysyons were made to haue gone in to the royalme of Englande and of the feest that was made at London Ca. lx AS ye haue herde before there was made a grete apparell in Fraunce by the kynge there and the lordes with grete cost and charge with shyppes and galayes to passe the see in to englande to make warre there And howe this voyage was broken by wether and bycause that wynter was so nere hande Then it was ordeyned by the counsayle that the kynge and the lordes sholde retourne euery man to his owne home and euery thynge to abyde in the same state vnto the moneth of Marche or Aprell and then euery man to be redy at the kynges commaundement THen there myght well haue ben seene lordes and knyghtes soore dyspleased And specyally suche as were of farre couÌtreys and had sore trauayled theyr bodyes and spente theyr money in trust to haue had a good season as the erle of Sauoy the erle of Armyâake and the erle Daulphyn of Awuergne and a C. other grete lordes that departed in grete dyspleasure bycause they had not ben in Englande in lykewyse so dyd the frensshe kynge but as thenne he coulde not amende it ¶ So thus departed all maner of people some mery and some gretely dyspleased and angry and the offycers abode styll there behynde for too make shyfte to sell theyr prouysyons for theyr maysters profyte and to take money for them yf they myght but they wyst not to whome nor where for it that coste a hundred frankes was solde for .x. frankes and for lesse money The erle Dalphyn of Awuergne sayd vnto me that by his faythe he hadde there prouysyons the whiche coste hym ten thousande frankes and when he retourned homewarde agayne he lost all togyther and soo sayd many knyghtes and squyers and other people of Fraunce ¶ And when these tydynges were knowen in the royme of Englande some were ryght ioyfull and gladde therof as suche people that doubted the Frensshe mennes commynge And some were angry and dyspleased therwith whiche was suche people as thought to haue some promocyon and profyte by them SO thenne there was made at the cyte of London a grete feest and thyther came all the lordes suche as hadde kepte the portes and passages of the royalme of Englande ¶ And then the kynge helde also a noble feest at westmynstre on Crystmasse day And there were thre dukes made ¶ Fyrste the erle of Cambrydge was made the duke of yorke The erle of Buckyngham his broder was made duke of Glocestre And the thyrde was the erle of Oxenforde and he was made the dâ of Irelande This feest endured with grete reuelles and tryumphes ¶ So thus the people of the royalme of Englande as they thought themselfe that they hadde escaped a grete peryll and thenne dyuers of them sayd amonge themselfe that they wolde neuer sette more by the Frensshe men and they thought that all the assemble of the Frensshe men that was made at Sluse was but to fere the Englysshe men and to haue caused the duke of Lancastre and his company to retourne agayne out of Spayne ¶ Howe a squyer called Iaques le Grys was accused in the parlyament house at Parys before all the lordes there present by a knyght called IohnÌ of Carongne and what Iugement was gyuen vpon them and howe they Iusted at vtteraunce in Parys in a place called saynt Katheryne behynde the temple And howe Iaques le Grys was confounded Ca. lxi IN this tyme grete brute there was in fraunce and in the lowe marches of a feate of armes that sholde be done at Parys in vtteraunce for soo the matter was Iudged in the parlyament chambre at Parys The whiche plee hadde endured a yere bytwene these two partyes the one was asquyer called Iaques le Grys and the other partye was a knyght called IohnÌ of Carongne and they were bothe of the lande housholde of the erle Peter of alanson they were welbyloued of theyr lorde and specyally this squyer Iaques le Grys was byloued and trysted with his lorde aboue ony other persone in his courte or housholde and bycause that mortall batayle folowed bytwene them and they beynge bothe of one lordes housholde euery man hadde grete meruayle therof Soo that out of dyuers countreys grete multytude of people came to Parys at the daye of batayle for to se it I shall shewe you the hole matter I as was then enfourmed SOo it was that on a season this knyght called IohnÌ of Carongne toke an entrepryse vpon hym to goo ouer the see for the auauncement of his honoure where vnto he hadde ben longe tyme to accomplysshe ¶ Soo he departed from his lorde the erle of Alanson to doo his voyage And also he toke his leue of his wyfe who as then was reputed a fayre lady and a yonge and he lefte her in a castell of his owne on the marches of Perche otherwyse called Argentuell and so entred in to his voyage and his wyfe laye styll at her castell in a wyse and sage maner ¶ Soo here beganne the matter by the deuylles temptacyon whiche entred in to the body of the squyer Iaques le Grys who was with the erle of Alanson his lorde for he was as one of his counsayle And so he determyned in his mynde to doo an euyll dede whiche he derely bought afterwarde Howbeit the euyll that he dyd coulde neuer be proued in hym nor he wolde neuer confesse it This squyer Iaques le Grys sette his mynde on the wyfe of the foresayd knyght IohnÌ of Carongne in the absence of her husbande and he knewe well that she was in the castell of Argentuell but with her owne company and housholde seruauntes ¶ And soo on a mornynge he toke a good hors and departed from Alanson and so rode on the spurres with grete haste tyll he came to the ladyes castell and when he was thyder come the ladyes seruauntes made hym
of all the formest company syr wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac were leders to exalte theyr honoure they departed in good araye all theyr companyes in good ordre THus whyles these knyghtes squyers of the royalme of fraunce prepayred theÌ to goo in to Castell suche as were fyrst redy fyrst departed specyally they that were of farre countreys for there were many that desyred dedes of armes the same season the englysshmen were on the see bytwene Englande Flaunders wherof Rycharde erle of Arundell was admyral in his coÌpany the erle of deuonshyre the erle of NotynghaÌ the bysshop of Norwyche they were a .v. C. men of armes M. archers they had lyen at ancre a grete season abydyng some adueÌture often tymes refresshed theÌ on the cost of englande aboute the yles of Cornewall bretayne NormaÌdy they were sore dyspleased in that the flete of flaunders was scaped fro theÌ were gone to rochell specyally that the coÌstable of fraunce was gone fro Lentrygner to sluse passed by Calays met not with hym for gladly they wolde haue fought with hym yet the constable had as many shyppes as they but they passed by theÌ by reason of the wynde the fludde that they had in the nyght tyme the englysshe nauy lay at ancre before Mergate at the Tames mouthe towarde Sandwyche abydynge theyr aduenture specyally abydyng for the shyppes that were gone to Rochell for they thought they wolde shortly retourne so they dyd for when the merchauntes of flaunders of rochel of Haynalte other places who for doubte of the englysshmen were conioyned togyder departed out of flauders they êmysed eche other to go to retourne togyder to take eche others parte when they had all done theyr busynes in Rochel in the couÌtrey of Xainton had charged theyr shyppes with wynes then as soone as they had good wynde they dysancred departed out of the hauen of Rochell toke theyr way by the see to goo in to flaunders to Sluse fro whens they departed they sayled so longe that they passed the rase saynt Mathewe in Bretayne without peryll or domage so costed base Bretayne theÌ nor mandy so came ryght ouer the Tames mouth where as the englysshe nauy lay the flemynges perceyued where they laye they in the hyghe shyppes sayd to theyr coÌpany syrs aduyse you wel we shall be met by the englysshe armye they they haue perceyued vs they wyl take the aduauÌtage of the wynde tyde we shal haue batayle or it be nyght that tydynges pleased not well al partyes specyally the merchauntes of flauÌders of Haynalte of other countreys who had theyr merchauÌdyse there abrode they wolde gladly haue ben thens yf they myght Howbeit syth they sawe no remedy but fyght they ordred theÌ selfe therto they were crosse bowes and other meÌ harneysed defensably arayed mo theÌ .vii. C amonge theÌ there was a valyaunt knyght of flaunders who was theyr capytayne was as then admyrall of the see set there by the duke of Borbone called syr IohnÌ Bucke ryght sage hardy in armes had done before grete domage on the see to the englyghmen this syr IohnÌ Bucke set euery thyng in good ordre decked his shyppes wel wysely as he that coulde ryght wel do it sayd syrs be not abasshed we are meÌ ynowe to fyght with the englysshe army the wynde wyl serue vs that euer as we be fyghtyng we shal aproche nerer nerer to Sluse we shall coost flaundres some toke good coÌforte with those wordes some not so they put theÌselfe in good ordre defence made redy theyr crosse bowes gonues THe englysshe shyppes aproched they had certayne galays fournysshed with archers they came formest rowynge with owers and gaue the fyrst assaulte and archers shotte fyersly and lost moche of theyr shotte for the flemynges couered them vnder the deckes wold not apere but draue euer forth with the wynde and wheÌ they were out of the englysshe archers shot then they dyd let fly theyr quarelles wher with they hurted many then approched the grete shyppes of Englande the erle of Arundel with his company the bysshop of Norwyche with his so the other lordes they russhed in amonge the flemynges shyppes them of Rochell yet the flemynges crosse bowes defended theÌ selfe ryght valyauÌtly for theyr patron syr IohnÌ Bucke dyd euer comforte theÌ he was in a gret strong shyp wherin he had .iii. gonnes shotynso grete stones that where soeuer they lyghted they dyd grete domage euer as they fought they drewe lytell lytell towarde flaunders some lytell shyppes with theyr merchauntes toke the coostes of Flaunders the lowe water therby saued them for the grete shyppes coulde not folow them for lacke of water thus on the se there was a harde batayle shyppes broken sunken on bothe partyes for out of the toppes they cast downe grete barres of yron where as they wente to the botom this was an harde batayle well fought for it endured a .iii. or .iiii. houres when the day fayled they withdrewe eche fro other cast ancre there rested all nyght dressed theyr hurte men when the fludde came they dysancred drewe vp sayles and retourned agayne to the batayle with the englysshmen was Peter du Boys of Gaunt with a certayne archers maryners who made the flemynges moche a do for he had ben a maryner wherfore he knewe the arte of the see he was fore dyspleased that the flemynges merchauntes endured so longe alwayes the englysshmen wanne aduauntage of the flemynges so came bytwene Blanqueberg Sluse agaynst Gagant there was the dyscomfyture for they were not socoured by no creature nor also at that tyme there were noo shyppes at Sluse nor men of warre true it was there was a squyer a man of armes at Sluse called Arnolde the mayre when he harde howe there was batayle on the see bytwene the armye of Englande them of Flaunders he toke a barke of his owne and entred therin and with hym a certayne men of Sluse and twenty crosse bowes and rowed by force tyll he came to the batayle but that was at the poynte of the dyscomfyture for by that tyme the englysshmen were seased of the moost parte of the flemysshe shyppes and had taken syr IohnÌ Bucke theyr capytayne his shyp all that were within it and when this Arnolde the mayre sawe the maner of that batayle he made his crosse bowes to shote .iii. tymes then retourned and was chased into the hauen of Sluse but the englysshmennes shyppes were so grete that they coulde not approche so nere the lande as the barke dyd and therby he saued hymselfe and his company THe men of the towne of Sluse were sore abasshed when they
vpon tayles aydes vpon aydes so that the realme hath ben more greued with tayles and other subsydies nat accustomed sythe the kynges Coronacyon than in fyftie yere before and it is nat knowen where the richesse is become Wherfore sir maye it please you to prouyde some remedy or elles the mater wyll go yuell for the commons cryeth out theron Than the duke answered and sayde fayre sirs I haue herde you well speke but I alone can nat remedy this mater howe be it I se well ye haue cause to coÌplayne and so hathe all other people But though I be vncle to the kynge and sonne to a kyng though I shulde speke therof yet nothynge shal be done for all that For the kyng my nephue hath suche couÌsayle as nowe about hym whome he beleueth better than hym selfe whiche couÌsayle ledeth hym as they lyste But if ye wyll come to the effecte of your desyres it must behoue you to haue of youre accorde and agrement all the cyties and good townes of Englande And also some prelates and noble êsonages of the realme and so come toguyder in to the kynges presens and I my brother shal be there And than ye maye saye to the kynge Ryght dere sir ye were crowned very yonge and yuell ye haue ben counsayled as yet hyther vnto Nor ye haue nat takenne good regarde to the busynesse of this your Realme by reason of the poore and yonge counsayle that ye haue aboute you Wherby the matters of your realme hath hadde but small and yuell effectes as ye haue sene and knowen ryght well For if God haddenat shewed his grace this realme had been loste and distroyed Therfore sir here in the prensens of your vncles we requyre youre grace as humble subiectes ought to desyre their prince that your grace wyll fynde some remedy that this noble Realme of Englande and the noble crowne therof whiche is discended to you from the noble kyng Edwarde the thirde who was the moost nobles kynge that euer was sythe Englande was firste enhabyted that it maye be susteyned in sprosperyte and honour and your people that complayneth to be kepte and maynteyned in their ryght the whiche to do your grace dyde swere the daye of youre Coronacion And that it maye please you to call togyther the thre estates of your Realme prelates and barownes and wysemen of your cyties and good townes and that they may regarde if the gouernyng of your realme that is past be well or nat And sir if they parceyue that it hath been well thanne suche as be in offyce to remaygne styll as longe as it shall please your grace and if they be founde contrarye thauÌe they in courtesse maner to be auoyded fro your persone and other notable and dyscrete persones to be sette in to offyce First by your noble aduyse by the consent of my lordes your vncles and noble prelates and barones of your realme And sirs quod the duke of Gloucester whan ye haue made this supplycacion to the kynge he wyll thanne make you some maner of answere If he saye that he wyll take counsayle in the mater than desyre to haue ashorte day And peyse so the mater before hande to putte the kynge and suche marmosettes as be about hym to some feare Saye to hym boldely that the Realme wyll no lengar suffre it and that it is marueyle howe they haue suffred it so longe and I and my brother and the bysshoppe of Caunterburye and the Erle of Salisbury the Erle of Arundell and the erle of NorthumberlaÌde wyll be by for without we be present speke no worde therof We are the greatest êsonages of Englande and we shall ayde to susteyne your wordes For all we shall say howe your desyre is but reasonable And whan he hereth vs speke he wyll agre there to or els he dothe amysse and thervpon apoynt a tyme This is the best counsayle I can gyue you Than the Londoners answered and sayde Sir ye counsayle vs nobly But sir it wyll be harde for vs to fynde the kyng and you and all these lordes toguyder in one place Nay nay quod the duke it maye well be done saynt Georges daye is nowe within this syre dayes The kynge wyll be than at wyndsore ye knowe well the duke of Irelande wyll be there and sir Symon Burle and many other and my brother and I and therle of Salisbury shall be there therfore prouyde for yâ mater ayenst that tyme. Sir quod they it shal be done and so they departed ryght well contente with the duke of Gloucester Than whan saynt Georges daye came the kyng and the quene were at Wyndsore and made there a great feest as his predecessours hadde done before the next daye after the feest of saynt George Thyder came the londoners to the nombre of threscore horse and of yorke as many and many othes of dyuers good townes of Englande they lodged in the towne of Wyndsore The kyng was determyned to departe to place a thre leages thens and whan he knewe of the commyng of the people to speke with hym he wolde the sooner haue ben gone He sayde he wolde in no wyse speke with them But than his vncles and therle of Salisbury sayd sir ye may nat with your honour thus departe The people of youre good townes of Englande are come hyder to speke with you Sir it is necessary that ye here them and to knowe what they demaunde and there after ye maye aunswere them or els take counsayle to aunswere them So thus full sore agaynst the kynges mynde he was fayne to tarye than they came into his presâns in the great hall alowe there was the kynge and bothe his vncles and the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury the bysshop of Wynchester and the Chaunceler and the erle of Salisbury the erle of Northumber lande and dyuers other There this people made their request to the kyng and a burges of London spake for them all named sir Simeon of Subery a sage man and well langaged and there declared well and boldely the effecte of thinformacyon that the duke of Glocester had shewed theÌ before as ye haue herde Whan the kyng had herde hym well he sayd Amonge you coÌmons of my realme your requestes are great and long they are nat ouer soone to be spedde we shall nat be toguyder agayne a long season and also great parte of my counsayle is nat here present Therfore I saye vnto you gette you home agayne sytte in reste and come nat agayne tyll the feest of Myghelmas without ye be sente for at whiche tyme our parlyament shal be at Westmynster Than come bringe your requestes and we shall shewe it to our counsayle and that is good we shall accepte it and that ought to be refused we shall condempne But sirs thinke nat that we wyll be rewled by our coÌmon people that shall neuer be sene as for our gouernynge nor in the gouernaunce of them that rule vnder vs we se nothynge
and had no mynde to returne to the towne of Oxenforde but withdrewe thens as moche as they myght _wHan the duke of Gloucester sawe the the demeanour of his enemyes and sawe howe they fledde he hadde remorse in his conscieÌce wolde nat do the yuell he myght haue done for he knewe well that many of them that were there presente were there rather by constraynt and by insytacion of the duke of Irelande than for any good loue Therfore he sayd to his men Sirs the the iourney is ours I charge euery man on payne of dethe that ye slee no man without he make defence and if ye gete any knightes or squyers bring them to me His coÌmaundement was done so that there were but fewe slayne without it were in the prease as they rode one ouer another In the chase there was taken lytell sir Iohan Beauchampe and sir Iohan Salisbury and they were presented to the duke of Glocester who was right ioyous of them Than the duke tooke the waye to Oxenforde and gaue leaue to all his men of warre to retourne to their owne houses thanked them of the seruyce they had done to hym and to his brother and sayd to the mayre of London and his company Sirs departe you all home agayne wherof they were all gladde Thus departed that armye ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Irelande his company fledde and howe the kynges vncles were at Oxenforde And howe sir Nycholas BraÌble was beheeded howe the kynge was sent for by the bysshop of Caunterbury Capi. C. HOwe shall I shewe what became of the duke of Irelande and of sir Peter Golofer and sir Michaell de la Pole As I shewed before they saued theÌselfe as it was nedefull for theÌ for if they hadde ben taken they had suffred dethe without mercy I can nat saye if they went to the kyng or nat if they dyde they taried nat long but departed the realme of EnglaÌde assone as they coude as I haue herde reported they rode through Wales toke shypping at Carleon and sayled in to Scotlande came to Edenborowe and there they toke another shyppe sayled costyng Friselande and the yle of Theseley and the couÌtre of Hollande and so came and arryued at the towne of Dondrest Than were they gladde and as I was enformed the duke of IrelaÌde had long before coÌueyed by loÌbardes moche golde syluer to Brugê for feare of all casueltes for though he was great with the kyng yet always he douted the kynges vncles the coÌmons of the realme Wherfore he made prouisyon before hande of money to ayde hym whan nede were and as it was shewed me the threscore thousande frankes that he had receyued for the redempcyon of the chyldren of Bretayne and specially for IohnÌ of Bretayne for Guy was deed Whiche money as it was sayde he founde redy there at his coÌmynge and he shulde receyue more In thre yere other threscore thousande frankes Wherfore he was nat abasshed for he had substauÌce suffycient for a longe space And whan duke Aubert of Bauyer who had Haynalte Holande and zelande in gouernaunce vnder the erle Willyam his brother who as than was lyuynge Whan he vnderstode that the duke of Irelande was come as a fugetyue out of Englande in to the towne of Dordrest He studyed and imagyned a lytell and thought he shulde nat longe abyde there seynge that he was fledde out of Englande and had the yuell wyll of his cosyn germayns to whome he bare his loue and fauour And also he consydred howe the duke of Irelande had dalte but yuell with his cosyn germayen the lady Isabell of Englande who had been lady of Coucy Wherfore he commaunded the duke of Irelande bycause he hadde displeased his cosyns of Englande and had broken his laufull mariage and wolde mary another wyfe That he shulde departe out of that countrey and gette hym another lodgynge And that he shulde nat be suffred to abyde in no towne of that countrey Whan the duke herde that he douted that he shulde be taken and delyuered in to the handes of his enemyes And he humyled hym selfe greatly to them that were sente to hym and sayde he wolde gladly obey the duke Aubertes commaundement And so payed and trussed and entred in to a vessell and all his on the ryuer of Mornegue And dyd so moche by water and by lande that he came to Berette whiche towne pertayned to the bysshoppe of Trece There he was well receyued And there he taryed tyll he harde other tydinges Nowe let vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke of Englande AFter the endynge of this iourney that the kynges vncles had agaynste the duke of IrelaÌde besyde Oxenforde and that euery man was gone home The bysshoppe of Caunterbury and the two dukes taryed styll at Oxenforde I can nat tell howe long And there was beheededde the lytell Beauchampe and sir Iohan of Salisbury After that iustyce the two dukes retourned to LoÌdon and there taryed a season to here some tidynges fro the kynge and they coulde here none but that he was at Bristowe Thanne the lordes at Westmynster by the instigacion of the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury determyned that it shulde be honourable for them to sende to the kynge to Bristowe and to shewe hym amyably that he hath ben a certayne spape agaynst the moost parte of his realme who loued hym better and are gladder to kepe his honour than suche marmosettes as he hath beleued by whom his realme hath ben in great trouble and peryll In this meane season was brought to LoÌdon sir Nycholas Bramble who was taken in Wales as he fledde from the iourney to haue saued hym selfe of whose takynge the kynges vncles were right ioyfull and sayde howe they wolde make no stoore of hym but he shulde go the same waye as the other hadde done before he coude neuer excuse hymselfe but that he must dye He was beheeded without London his dethe was sore complayned of some men of London for he hadde been mayre of London before and had well gouerned his offyce and dyde one day great honour to the kyng whan he slewe with his owne handes Lyster wherby all the rebelles were disconfyted and for that good seruyce the kynge made hym knyght But in the maner as I haue shewed you he was beheeded by reason of the ouermoche beleuynge of the duke of Irelande AFter the dethe of sir Nicholas Bramble the kynges vncles sawe that all suche as they hated and wolde haue oute of the kynges counsayle were deed and fledde a waye Than they thought the kynge and the realme shulde be brought in to good order for thoughe they had slayne some of the kynges counsayle and chased theym awaye yet they coude nat take awaye the signorie of the kyng but thought to rule the realme in good forme to the honour of the kynge and his realme Than they sayd to the bysshop of CauÌterbury Sir ye shall go lyke your selfe to Bristowe to
Than the vycount and the lorde of the towre syr Roberte Dolphyn and other came before the fortresse as nere as they myght aporche and thyder was brought Guyot du Sall and his company Than the vycount spake and sayd to Guyot du Sall. Guyot and all other of your company knowe we for trouthe that incontynent all your heedes shall be stryken of without ye yelde vp the fortresse of the Roche of Vandoys and if ye wyll rendre it vp we shall suffre you to go quyte Nowe aduyse ye well what way ye wyll take other lyfe or deth Of those wordes Guyot his company were sore abasshed at last they thought it was best for them to saue their lyues Than Guyot answered and sayde Syr I shall do the best I canne that the fortresse may be yelden to you Than he came to the barryer and spake with them that were within who rekened themselfes clene dyscomfyted seynge they hadde lost their two maysters and the best of their company As soone as Guyot hadde spoken with theym and declared what case they stode in they agreed to yelde vp the fortresse condicionally that they myght departe with bagge and baggage as moch as they coulde cary and to haue respyte for a moneth to withdrawe them whyther they lyste All this was graunted to them and a sute saueconducte made and sealed Thus the frenche men had the Roche of Vandoys delyuered by reason of their good fortune of their last skrimysshe wherfore it is comenly sayde that all fortunes good and yuell falleth often tymes in armes to them that foloweth warre WHan the Roche of Vandois was yelded vp to the lordes of Fraunce and Auuergnâ they of the countrey were ryght ioyous therof and the lordes helde well and truely the promesse that they had made to Guyot du Sall ⪠whan they had caryed away as moche as they coulde do than they departed with good assuraunce for a moneth to go whyder it pleased them Than the vycount of Meaulâ abandoned the Roche of Vandoys to the men of the countrey who incontynente dyd rase it downe in suche wyse that they lefte no wall hele nor house nor stone vpon stone but all was reuersed to the erthe The frenche men that were they in the kinges seruice with the vycount toke their leues of the knyghtes and squyers of Auuergne so they departed and they of Auuergne and Lymosyn went to their owne houses The vycount of Meaulâ gaue leaue to parte of his company he went to Rochell and lodged at saint Iohans Dangle to kepe there the fronter for in the couÌtrey there were some pyllers and robbers that ran sometyme in to Xantoigne whan they sawe their aduauntage In the maner and fourme as I haue shewed you the fortresse of the roche of Vandoys was coÌquered and rased downe wherof all the countrey was ioyfull for than they were in better suretie than they were before For to say the trouth if it had coÌtynued it wolde haue done them many displeasurs Tydynges of this dede came to the knowledge of the duke of Berrey to Cautelon a place of his owne standynge bytwene Charters and Mount le Herrey a nyne leages fro Parys he cared nothing for it for he was as than but colde to are any grace of the kynge for Aymergot Whan Derby the haraulde was infourmed by some of the dukes knyghtes howe the Roche of Vandois was taken beten downe than he sayde to the squyer that came thyder with hym syr ye haue lost a hundred frankes that Aymergot had promysed to you Howe so quod the squier Surely quod the harauld the Roche of Vandoys is gyuen vp and rendred the frenche men haue wonne it therfore lette vs take our leaue of the duke of Berrey and retourne in to Englande we haue nothynge here to do Well quod the squyer sythe it is so I accorde therto Than they toke their leaue of the duke Than the duke wrote to the kynge of Englande and to the duke of Lancastre and gaue to the haraulde at his departynge .xl. frankes and to the squyer a horse Thus they departed and toke the next waye to Calays and so in to Englande Than tydinges came to Aymergot Marcell where he was purchasyng of frendes to haue reysed the siege before the fortresse of Vandoys that it was gyuen vp Whan he herde therof he demaunded howe it fortuned It was shewed hym howe it was by reason of a skrymysshe and by the issuyng out of his vncle Guyot du Sall vnaduysedly Ah that olde traytour ê Aymergot by saynte Marcell if I had hym here nowe I shulde sle hym myne owne handes he hath dyshonoured me and all my companyons At my departynge I straytely enioyned hym that for no maner of assaute or skrymysshe made by the frenchmen he shulde in no wyse open the barryers and he hath done the contrary this domage is nat to be recouered nor I wote nat whether to go they of Caluset and they of Dousac wyll kepe the peace and my companyons be spredde abrode lyke men dyscomfyted they dare neuer assemble agayne togyther and though I had them togyther yet I wote nat whyder to bring them Thus all thynge consydred I am in a harde parte for I haue gretly dyspleased the french kynge the duke of Berrey and the lordes of Auuergne all the people of the countrey for I haue made them warre the peace durynge I had trusted to haue won but I am nowe in a great aduenture to lese nor I wotte nat to whom to resorte to are counsayle I wolde nowe that I and my goodes with my wyfe were in Englande there I shulde be in surety but howe shulde I get thyder and cary all my stufe with me I shulde be robbed twenty tymes or I coulde gette to the see for all the passages in Poictou in Rochell in Fraunce in Normandy and in Pycardy are straytely kept it wyll be harde to scape fro takyng and if I be taken I shall be sente to the Frenche kynge and so I shall be loste and all myne I thynke the surest waye for me were to drawe to Burdeaulr and lytell and lytell to get my good thyder and to abyd there tyll the warre renewe agayne for I haue good hoope that after this treuce warre shall be open agayne bytwene Englande and Fraunce Thus Aymergot Marcell debated the matter in hym selfe he was heuy and sorowfull and wysâe nat what waye to take outher to recouersoÌe fortresse in Auuergne or els to go to Burdeaux to sende âor his wire thider and for his goodes lytell and lytell secretely if he hadde done so he had taken the surest waye But he dyde contrary and therby lost all lyfe godes Thus âortune payeth the people whan she hath sette theÌ on the highest parte of her whele for sodainly she reuerseth them to the lowest parte ensample by this Aymergotte It was sayd he was well worthe a hundred thousande frakes and all was lost on a daye
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 LoÌbardy 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 êforce 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 ThanÌe 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 abueÌturous fought of Englande sir Iohan Hacton was in the marchesse of FloreÌce and made warre agaynst the floreÌtyns in the quarell of pope Bonyface of Rome for they were rebell agaynst the popes coÌmaundement 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
the same opynion that the coÌmons 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 AmyeÌce was apoynted howbeit they wolde nat displease the coÌmens 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 fraÌkes whiche was vnpayed whan the warre began to renewe IN this season thus great coÌmunycacion 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 couÌsayle 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 Lamârabaquyn 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 coÌclusion of their treatie to shewe to the kynge of Englande and his counsayle Than the duchesse of Irelande departed fro AmyeÌce 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 sâate 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
but they coulde nat be beleued So the two knyghtes remayned styll in prison in dauÌger openly to haue loste their heedes and by all lykelyhode so they had doone if the kynge had nat recouered his helth and by the meane of the duchesse of Berrey who made instante labour for the lorde de la Ryuer And the lorde Clysson was styll in Bretayne and made sore warre agaynst the duke there and the duke agaynst hym whiche warre cost many a mannes lyfe as ye shall here here after in this hystory TRewe it is this sycknesse that the kyng tooke in the voyage towardes Bretayne greatly abated the ioye of the realme of Fraunce and good cause why for whan the heed is sicke the body canne haue no ioye No man durste openly speke therof but kepte it priuy as moche as myght be and it was couertly kept fro the quene for tyll she was delyuered and churched she knewe nothynge therof whiche tyme she had a doughter The physycion mayster Guyllyam who had the chefe charge of healynge of the kynge was styll aboute hym and was ryght dyligent and well acquyted hymselfe wherby he gate bothe honour and profyte for lytell lytell he brought the kynge in good estate and toke away the seuer and the heate and made hym to haue taste and appetyte to eate and drinke slepe rest and knowledge of euery thynge howe be it he was very feble and lytell and lytell he made the Kynge to ryde a huntynge and on hawkynge And whanne tydynges was knowen through Fraunce howe the kynge was well mended and had his memory agayne euery man was ioyfull and thanked god the kyng thus beyng at Crayell desyred to se the quene his wyfe and the Dolphyn his sonne So the quene came thyder to him and the chylde was brought thyder The kynge made them good chere and so lytell and lytell through the helpe of god the kynge recouered his helthe And whan mayster Guyllyam sawe the kynge in so good case he was ryght ioyfull as reasone was for he had done a fayre cure and so delyuered hym to the dukes of Orlyance Berrey Burgoyne and Burbone and sayd My lordes thanked be god the kyng is nowe in good state and helth so I delyuer hym but beware lette no man dysplease hym for as yet his spyrytes be nat fully ferme nor stable but lytell and lytell he shall waxe stronge Reasonable dysporte rest and myrthe shall be moste profytable for hym and trouble hym as lytell as may be with any counsayles for he hath been sharpely handeled with a hote malady Than it was consydred to retaygne this mayster Guylliam and to gyue hym that he shulde be contente with all whiche is the ende that all physicions requyre to haue gyftes and rewardes He was desyred to abyde styll aboute the kynge but he excused himselfe and sayd howe he was an olde impotent man and coulde nat endure the maner of courte wherfore he desyred to returne in to his owne countrey Whan the counsayle sawe he wolde none otherwyse do they gaue him leaue and at his departing gaue him a thousande crownes and retayned hym in wages with four horses whan so euer he wolde resorte to the courte Howe be it I beleue he neuer came there after for whan he retourned to the cytie of Laon there he contynued and dyed a ryche man He lefte behynde hym a .xxx. thousande frankes All his dayes he was one of the greatest nygardes that euer was all his pleasure was to get good and to spende nothynge for in his howse he neuer spente past two souses of Parys in a day but wolde eate and drinke in other mennes howses where as he myght get it With this rodde lyghtly all physicyons are beaten ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the truse whiche was acorded bytwene Englande and FrauÌce for thre yeres was renewed Cap. C.xci. AS ye haue herde here before in the bokes of this hygh and excellent hystory at the request of the ryght hygh and myghty prynce my dere lorde and mayster Guy of Chastellone erle of Blois lorde of Auesnes of Chymay of Beaumont of Streumehont of the Gode I Iohan Froysart preest and chapeleyn to my said lorde and at that tyme treasourer and chanon of Chymay and of Lysle in Flaunders haue enterprised this noble mater treatynge of the aduentures and warres of Fraunce and Englande and other countreys conioyned and a lyed to them as it may apere clerely by the treaties therof made vnto the date of this presente day the whiche excellent materê as longe as I lyue by the helpe of god I shall coÌtynue for the more I folowe and labour it the more it pleaseth me As the noble knyght or squyer louynge the feates of armes do perceyuer in the same and be therby experte and made parfyte so in laborynge of this noble mater I delyte and take pleasure ¶ It hath ben here before conteyned in our hystory howe truce was made at Balyngham to endure thre yere bytwene Englande and Fraunce and for that purpose the erle of saynt Poll the lorde of Castell Morant and syr Taupyn of Cauteuell ambassadours of FrauÌce had ben in Englande with the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke for to vnderstande the kinges pleasure and the opynion of the coÌmons of Englande for at the comunycacyon and parlyamente at Amyence they were at a poynte of agrement of peace vpon certayne artycles specifyed reseruynge the agrement therto of the coÌmons of Englande thus these ambassadours were retourned in to Fraunce and were answered howe that at the feest of saynt Mychell nexte ensuynge there shulde be a Parlyament at Westmynster of the thre estates of Englande at whiche tyme the mater shulde be declared and a full aunswere made Whan tydynges was come in to Englande of the frenche kynges sycknesse that matter was greatly hyndred howe be it kynge Rycharde of Englande and the duke of Lancastre had great affection to haue had peace so that if they might haue had their ententes peace had ben made bytwene Englande and Fraunce But the coÌmynalte of Englande desyred warre sayenge howe warre with Fraunce was more conuenyent for them than peace and of that opynyon was one of the kynges vncles Thâ mas duke of Glocestre erle of Perces and constable of Englande who was welbeloued in the realme he enclyned rather to the warre than to peace And of his opynyon were the yonge gentylmen of the realme suche as desyred feates of armes But his brother the duke of Lancastre bycause he was eldest and of most puissaunce in Englande he thought and said that the warre bytwene Englande and Fraunce had endured longe ynoughe and that peace were more mete ⪠for by the warre cristende me was sore febled for the great turke Lamorabaquyn was with greate puyssaunce on the fronters of HuÌgery wherfore he sayd it shulde be honorable to all yonge lusty knyghtes and squyers to take their waye thyder and there to exercyse dedes of armes LEtte
no man ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke of other busynesse as the mater requyreth ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the king of Englande gaue to the duke of Lancastre and to his heyres for euer the duchy of Acquytayne and howe the kyng prepared to go in to Irelande and the duke in to Acquytayne Cap. C.xcviii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Trewce was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce and there adhereÌces and alyes bothe by see and by lande For all that yet there were robbers and pyllers in Languedocke whiche were straungers and of farre countreis As of Gascoyne of Bierne and of Almaygne And amonge other sir Iohan of Grayle bastarde sonne somtyme of the Captall of Beuses a yonge and an experte knyght was capitayne of the stronge castell of Bouteuyll These capitayns of the garysons in Bigore and marchynge on the realme of Arragone and on the fronters of Xaynton and in the marchesse of Rochell and of the garyson of Mortaygne were sore displeased that they myght natte ouer rynne to countrey as they were accustomed to do For they were straitlye commaunded on payne of greuous punysshment to do nothyng that shulde souÌde to the reproche of the peace IN this season it was agreed in Englande consyderynge that the kynge was yonge and that he hadde peace with all his ennemyes farre and nere excepte with Irelande For he claymed that lande of enherytauÌce and his predecessours before him and was written kyng and lorde of Irelande And kynge Edwarde graunfather to kynge Rycharde made all wayes warre with the Irysshe men And to the entente that the yonge knyghtes and squyers of Englande shulde enploye them selfe in dedes of armes and therby to augment and encrease the honour of the realme It was concluded that kynge Rycharde of Englande shulde make thyder a voyage with puyssauÌce of menne of warre And so to entre in to Irelande and nat to retourne agayne without they hadde an honourable composycion or conclusyon The same season it was concluded that the duke of Lancastre who had greatlye traueyled bothe by See and by lande for the augmentacyon and honour of the reralme of Englande shulde make another voyage with fyue hundred menne of armes and a thousande archers and to take shyppynge at Hampton or at Plommouthe and so to sayle to Guyane and to Acquitaygne And it was the entencyon of kynge Rycharde and by consent of all his counsayle that the duke of Lancastre shulde haue for euer to hym and to his heyres all the countrey of Acquitayne with the purtenaunces as kyng Edwarde his father had or any other kyngê or dukes of Acquitayne before tyme had holden optayned And as kyng Rycharde at that tyme had reserued always the homage that he shulde do to the kynge of Englande to any kynges to come after But as for all the obeysauÌces rentes lordshypes and reuenewes shulde parteygne to the duke of LaÌcastre and to his heyres for euer Of this the kyng made to hym a clere graunt confyrmed it vnder his writyng seale With this gyfte the duke of LaÌcastre was well coÌtent good cause why For in that Duchy are landes and countreis for a great lorde to maynteygne his estate with all The Charter of this gyfte was engrosed and dewly examyned and paste by great delyberacyon and good aduyse of counsayle Beynge present the kynge and his two vncles the dukes of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre The erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre And also therle Marshall erle of Rutlande the erle of NorthuÌberlande the erle of Nottyngham the lorde Thomas Percy the lorde Spensar the lorde Beamonde the lorde Willyam of Arundell The archebysshoppe of Caunterbury and the archebysshoppe of yorke and the bysshoppe of London and other all these were presente and dyuers othe Prelates and barownes of Englande Thanne the duke of Lancastre purposed to make his prouisyon to passe the See to go in to Acquitayne to enioye the gyfte that the kyng hadde gyuen hym In lykewise great prouisyon was made for the kynges voyage in to Irelande and lordes and other were apoynted suche as shulde passe the See with the kyng had warnyng to make theÌ redy ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of Quene Anne of Englande wyfe to kynge Richarde doughter to the kynge of Boesme Emperour of Almaygne Capi. C.xcix THus as I haue shewed great preparacyons was made at the portes and hauyns where as the kynge shulde take shyppepynge for to go in to Irelande And in lykewyse there as the duke of Lancastre shulde passe to go in to Acquitayne Their voyage was lette and taryed the space of two monethes lengar than it shulde haue ben and I shall tell you why THe same season that all these preparacyons was made the Quene named Anne tooke a sickenesse wherby the kynge and all his lordes were ryght sore troubled for she was so sore sicke that she passed out of this worlde at the feest of Penthecost the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fourtene of whose dethe the kynge and all that loued her ladyes and damoselles were sore troubled and in great heuynesse She was buryed at Poules in London and her obseâes done after at good leysar for the king wolde haue it done sumptuously with great habuÌdaunce of waxe tapers and torches so that the lyke hadde nat ben sene before The kynge wolde haue it so bycause she was the Emperours doughter of Rome and kyng of Almaygne The kynge loued her so entierly They were maryed yonge howe be it she dyed without issue Thus in one season the kynge the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Derby were wydowers And there was no spekynge of remaryeng nor the kyng wolde here no spekynge therof Thus the kynges voyage in to Irelande was somwhat retarded let howe be it the prouisyon and other lordes suche as shulde go with the kynge passed ouer the see and landed at Duuelyn whiche was alwayes Englysshe and there is an archebisshoppe who was with the kynge And anone after Mydsomer the kynge departed fro the marchesse of London and toke the waye throughe Wales huntyng and sportynge hym to forgette the dethe of his quene and suche as shulde go with the kynge sette forwarde Two of the kynges vncles Edmonde duke of yorke and Thomas duke of Gloucestre constable of Englande sette forwarde in great arraye so dyde other lordes as the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the erle marshall erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the lorde Wyllyam of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande lorde Percy lorde ThomÌs Percy his brother great Seneschall of Englande the erles of Deuonshyre and Notyngham and great nombre of other knightes and squiers Suche reserued as abode behynde to kepe the marchesse agaynst the scottes who were suche people as neuer kepte no truce nor promyse The lorde Iohan of Hollande erle of
determyned to sende to hym to knowe somwhat of his entent There was apoynted to go the lorde Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce the lorde Iohan of castell Morante and Iohan Barres of Barroys and they to haue with them a thousande speares Thus they rode forth tyll they came to the cytie of Agen and there taryed Than they sent harauldes and messnagers to Burdeaux to the duke of Lancastre shewynge hym howe they wolde gladly speke with hym The duke made these messangers good chere and wrote agayne to these lordes certifyeng them that where as they had great desyre to speke with hym in lykewyse he had the same to speke with them and bycause they shulde take the lesse payne he promysed to come and mete with them at Bergerate And whan the frenche lordes sawe this letter they gaue credence therto and ordred them there after and as sone as they knewe that the duke was come to Bergerate they departed fro Agen and rode thyder There they were receyued and lodged in the towne and their company in the subbarbes These lordes spake with the Duke and shewed hym their message The duke receyued them swetely and aunswered and sayd howe he wolde be a good a kynde neyghbour to the frenche kyng and the realme and to kepe and mayntayne the trewce taken bytwene the two kynges for he sayde he hym selfe was one of the princypalles that ayded to make and ordayn that truce wherfore he sayd he ought nat nor wold nat breke it therof they myght be well assured The dukes aunswere pleased greatly the lordes of Fraunce Thus the duke and they were louingly togyder and the duke gaue them a great dyner and supper and after they tooke their leaue and the duke retourned to Burdeaux and the frenche men in to Fraunce They founde in their waye the duke of Berrey at the cytie of Poyeters and they shewed hym what they had doone The duke of Berrey thought the duke of Lancasters answere reasonable and so dyd the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne and so the mater abode styll in this estate And for this cause quod sir Iohan Graily the duke of Lancastre hath sent hyther in to Englande of his counsayle as syr Wylliam Peâreer and syr Peter Clyfton and two clerkes lerned in the lawe as mayster Iohan Huche and mayster Iohan Rychard of Leycettour to treate and to pleate his maters before the kynge and his vncles and for this cause the kynge rydeth to Eltham and shall be there on thursday nexte that shall be Mary maudelyn daye but what shal be done as yet I knowe nat But as I am enfourmed of some englysshe men that knowe somwhat the duke of Gloucestre wyll be princypally of the opynion that his brother the duke of Lancastre shulde abyde styll in Guyen rather than to retourue agayne in to Englande bycause he was so great with the kynge for I ensure you this duke of Gloucestre is a maruaylous mynded man proude and presumptuous he wolde rule all hym selfe and he is so beloued of the comynalte that what so euer he saythe they wyll enclyne to him He caused the valyaunte knyght the lorde Symon Burle and the duke of Irelande the archebysshoppe of yorke and many other knyghtes and other of the kynges counsayle to dye for hatred and yuell wyll durynge the seasone that the duke of Lancastre was beyonde the see in Castyle He is more dred in Englande than beloued NOwe lette this mater passe quod syr IohnÌ Graily and I shall shewe you nowe the seconde busynesse that the kynge hathe to do as I am enfourmed The kynges pleasure is to be remaryed and hath sertched ouer all for a wyfe if the duke of Burgoyne or the erle of Haynalte had any doughter to mary the kynge wolde gladly haue had one of them but they haue none but suche as be maryed It hath ben shewed the kyng that the kynge of Nauarre hath bothe suffers and doughters but he wyll nat entende that wayes The duke of Gloucestre hath a doughter able to mary he wolde gladly that the kyng shulde haue had her but the kynge wolde nat for he said she was to nere of his kynne for she is his cosyn germayne The kynge enclyneth moste his mynde to the Frenche kynges doughter wherof all the countrey hath great marueyle that he wolde take his enemyes doughter the kynge is nat the beste beloued Prince of the worlde with his people but he setteth lytell therby he sheweth always how he had rather haue warre with any other realme than with FrauÌce wherfore he wolde haue a good peace bytwene the frenche kynge and hym and their realmes for the kynge wyll often tymes saye that the warre hath endured to longe bytwene them and that many valyaunt men are deed therby on bothe parties wherby the christen faythe is sore mynysshed and febled And it is nat pleasaunt to the realme of Englande that he shulde mary with Fraunce and it hath ben shewed hym that the doughter of Fraunce is ouer yonge and that this fyue or syxe yere she shall nat be able to kepe hym company Therto he hath aunswered and saythe that she shall growe ryght well in age and though he faste a season he shall take it well a worth and shall ordre her in the meane season at his pleasure and after the maner of Englande sayenge also howe he is yet yonge ynough to abyde tyll the lady be of age No man canne breke the kynge out of this purpose and or ye departe ye shall here moche of this matter And thus for these causes the kynge rydeth nowe to Eltham THus this gentle knyght syr Iohan of Graily and I deuysed togyther as we rode bytwene Rochestre and Dertforde this knight was capytayn of Bouteuyle bastarde sonne somtyme to the Captall of Beusz and I herde his wordes gladly and dyd put them in memory And all the way bytwene Leades and Eltham I rode most parte in his company and with syr Wylliam Lysle Thus the kynge came to Eltham on a tuesday and on the wednysday the lordes of all costes began to assemble Thyder came the duke of Gloucestre and the erles of Derby Arundell Northumberlande Kent Rutlande and the erle Marshall and the archebysshoppes of Caunterbury and yorke and the bysshoppes of London and Wynchester And on the thursday aboute the houre of thre they assembled togyther in the kynges chambre in the kynges presence Than the knyghtes of Gascoyne were sent for and the couÌsaylours of the good townes And also the Duke of Lancastres counsayle was sent for I was nat preseÌt nor might nat be suffred there were none but the lordes of the counsayle who debated the mater more than four houres And after dyner I fell in acquayntauÌce with an auncyent knyght whome I knewe in kynge Edwardes dayes and he was as than of kynge Rychardes priuy counsayle he was called syr Rycharde Sury he knewe me anone and yet in .xxiiii. yeres he had nat sene me before whiche was
mountante to the soÌme of thyrty thousande pounde besyde the towne of ValenceÌnes who in lyke wyse dyd their deuoyre and also in the towne of Monts These thynges thus concluded the valyaunt princes the good duke Auberte and Giullyam his sonne erle of Ostrenant seynge the good wylles of his men was ryght ioyfull whiche was no meruayle for he sawe well that he was well beloued with his subgiettes and shulde be well fournysshed with money Than he had couÌsayle to sende to the frenche kyng and to shewe him the enterprise of his voyage and to desyre ayde of hym and thyder was sent two valyaunt and wyse men that is to saye the lorde Lygne and the lorde of Ieumont who were two ryght valyaunt knyghtes and well beloued with the frenche men and specyally the lorde Lygne the kyng had made hym one of his chamberlayns and had hym in good fauoure he spake with the kynge and shewed hym the dukes entent and request to the whiche the kynge and his counsayle fauourably agreed specyally the duke of Burgoyner bycause his doughter was maryed to therle of OstrenaÌt wherby he thought that in tyme to come after it shulde be to their profyte and to their heyres howe be it many great lordes and other spake of this iourney in dyuers maners Some sayd to what purpose dothe these heyno wayes desyre the kyng of ayde they haue ben in Englande sought for ayde there Hath nat the erle of Haynalt of late taken on hym the blewe garter to tye his legge withall which is the ordre in Englande it semyth therby he hath no great affectyon to Fraunce Than other that were ryght wyse answered and sayd Syr ye do wronge to say thus though the erle of Ostrenant haue taken the ordre of the garter yet for all that he is nat alyed with the englysshe men but he is fermly alyed with Fraunce Hath nat he in maryage the lady Katheryne doughter to the duke of Burgoyne whiche is a farre greater alyauÌce than is a garter therfore neuer say but that he wyll loue and do pleasure to Fraunce by reason of his maryage rather than to Englande for yâ garter wherfore the kinge shall do right honourably to ayde hym Thus the frenche men deuysed amonge them selfe and spake in dyuers maners both of that iourney and also of the iourney in to Hungery and in to Turkey agaynst Lamorabaquy and the turkes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the army that the french kyng sente in to Frese in the ayde of his cosyns and the lorde Valeran Erle of saynt Powle and the lorde Charles de la Brete were capytaynes Cap. CC.xv THe frenche kynge assembled an armye of fyue huÌdred speares as well of pycardes as of frenchmen and made capytayns ouer theÌ the lorde Valeran erle of saynt Powle the lorde Charles de la Bret who were valyauÌt knyghtes and well expert in armes and they were apoynted to leade this company to the towne of Encuse in base Frese wheâ as the assemble shulde mete and there to take the see to entre in to high Frese as they dyd Whan these two knightes the lorde Lygne and Iumont sawe the kynges good wyll and that these men of warre were dyspatched their wages payed they came to the kynge and thanked him and toke their leaue and retourned in to Heynalt to their lorde the duke Aubert and to the lorde Gillyam his sonne to whome they were right welcome for they had well sped There they shewed the good answere and good chere that they had with gyftes of great presentes whan duke Auberte knewe that the Frenche kynge had sente hym fyue hundred speares than he assembled all his noble men knyghtes squyers and other of Haynalt as the lorde of Vertayne seneschall of Haynalte who was a valyaunt man and greatly renomed in armes the lordes of Lygne and Comygnes who was made marshall and the lordes of Haureth of Nychelet of Lalyne of Hordayne of Chyne of Cantan of Quesnoy of Fleron and IohnÌ his brother the lordes of Bouset and of Ieumont who were fresshe knightes on their enemyes also there was Robertle Rour and the lordes of MoÌthâaulr of FouÌtayns of Seuls and of Sars William of Hermes Pynchart his brother the lordes of Lens of verlamont of Ausealr of Trascigmes Octes Seausâes Gyrarde his brother the lorde Dyctre and Iohan his brother Bridaulx of Montaguy Damaulx de la powle and Guy his brother the lorde of Mastynge syr Floridas of Villyers who was a valyaunt man and had doone many dedes of armes amonge the turkes and sarazins and sir Eustace of Vertayn Fierebras of Vertayne who was newly come out of Englande syr Rase of Montiquy the lorde of Rorsyn sir Iohan Dandrâgntes and Persant his brother dyuers other knightes and squiers All these he assembled at Monts and desyred them to go with hym and euery man to bringe with hym company acordynge to their degrees and that they wolde auaunce them to the towne of Encuse in base frese and theraboute and so to go with hym by seem to hygh Frese about the myddes of August next after there he sayd he wolde âary for them for he wolde go thyder before to moue the holanders and zelanders to serue hym in lyke maner Than these sayd knyghtes and esquyers of Haynalt without any contradictyon acorded to his desyre promysinge to do hym seruyce as his trewe subgiettes whiche they fulfylled in dede and dyligently prepared for the same so that by the begynnyng of the moneth of August in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and syxtene they were all redy aparelled and assembled by companies at Anners there to take the water and fro thence to Encuse where the hole assemble shulde mete ¶ Nowe whyle this assemble was thus made in Haynalte it were to be demaunded if the ladyes and gentle women and other were ioyouse of this iourney We ought to say naye for than they sawe their fathers their bretherne their vncles their husbandes and their louers and frendes departe to that peryllous warre for some of them knewe well howe that in tyme paste the haynoways wente with their lorde in to Frese and neuer retourned agayne wherfore they feared leste it shulde hap so than to these as it dyd on their predecessours The duchesse of Brabant had defended all men in the countrey of Brabant no man to be so hardy to go oute of the countrey in that iourney The ladyes and gentlewomen of Haynalt desyred often tymes their frendes and louers to leaue that iourney but they coulde nat lette the mater howe be it they were sore displeased in their myndes with the basterde of Vertayne Fierebrase for they said he was one of the chyefe setters on of that busynesse Thus after that the duke Aubert and Guillyam his sonne had herde the aunswere of his men of Haynalte than he went in to zelande shewynge them his busynesse and they assented to his request by the chiefe settynge on of
he hadde dyned and was aboute to haue wasshen his handes There came in to the chambre foure men and caste sodaynlye a towell aboute the dukes necke two at the one ende and two at the other and drewe so sore that he fell to the Erthe and so they strangled hym and closed his eyen whan he was deed they dispoyled hym and bare hym to his beed and layde hym bytwene the shetes all naked and his heed on a softe pyllowe and couered with clothes furred And than they yssued out of the chambre in to the hall well determyned what they wolde saye and sayde openly Howe a palueysye hadde taken the duke of Gloucestre the same night sodaynly and so dyed These wordes anon were abrode in the towne of Calais Some beleued theym and some natte Within two dayes that the duke was thus deed the erle marshall appareled hym selfe in blacke bycause he was his nere cosyn and were many other knyghtes and squyers that were in Calays His dethe was sooner knowen in Fraunce and in Flaunders than in EnglaÌd The Frenche men were gladde therof For there was a coÌmon brute that there shulde be no good peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande as long as he lyued And in all treaties bytwene FrauÌce and Englande he was euermore harder and obstynaier thanÌe any other of his bretherne wherfore they cared nat for his dethe In lykewise many men in Englande bothe knyghtes squyers and other officers of the kynges who were in feare of hym bycause of his crueltie All suche were gladde of his dethe They toke to recorde his cruell dedes by the duke of IrelaÌde whom he had exyled out of Englande Also of the deth of that valyant knight sir Symon Burle and of sir Robert Triuylien sir Nicholas Bramble sir Iohan Standysshe dyuers other The dukes dethe was but lytell regarded in Englande excepte but with suche as were of his opinyon Thus this duke dyed in Calais his body was enbaumed and seared in leed and couered and so sente by See in to Englande And the Shyppe that caryed hym arryued at the Castell of Hadley vpon Thamyse syde and fro thens caryed by chariot symply to his owne place at Plasshey and there buryed in the Churche Whiche the sayde duke hadde founded in the honoure of the hooly Trynite wherin were twelue Chanonnes to synge diuyne seruyce YE maye well knowe that the duchesse of Gloucestre and Affren his sonne and his two susters were sore discoÌfyted whan they sawe the duke brought thyther deed The duchesse had double sorowe for Richarde erle of Arundell her vncle was be heeded openly by the kynges coÌmaundemeÌt in Chepesyde there was no lorde durst speke to the contrary the kynge beyng presente at the same iustyce doynge It was done by the erle Marshall who hadde to wyfe the doughter of the sayde erle of Arundell and yet he bounde his eyen hym selfe The erle of Warwyke was in great daunger to be beheeded but the erle of Salisbury who was in the kynges fauour desyred the kynge for his lyfe and so dyde dyuers other barons prelates in Englande The kynge enclyned to their requestes so that he myght be banysshed and putte in suche a place as he shulde natte come fro for the kyng wolde nat clerely forgyue hym He sayde he had well deserued to dye bycause he was of counsayle with the duke of Gloucestre and with the erle of Arundell to haue brokeÌ the peace and truce taken bitwene Fraunce Englande For the whiche artycle the kyng sayd they had deserued to dye for the peace was taken bytwene the êties on suche coÌdycion that who so euer dyde breake it shulde be worthy to dye The erle of Salisbury who had ben the erle of Warwykes companyon dyuers tymes in excusyng of him said Howe he was an olde man and was desyred by the duke of Gloucestre by his fayre wordes Wherfore he sayd that he dyde was natte of his owne mocyon but by theirs Affyrming howe there was neuer none of the Beauchampes that euer dyd trayson agaynst the crowne of Englande Thus the erle of Warwyke for pytie was respyted fro dethe He was banysshed in to the ysle of Wyght And it was sayde to hym Erle of Warwyke ye haue deserued to dye as well as the erle of Arundell but for the great seruyce that ye haue done in tyme past to kynge Edwarde and to the prince his sonne and to the crowne of Englande aswell on this syde the see as byonde hath done you great ayde for the kyng hath pyte on you and hath grauÌted you your lyfe But it is ordayned by iudgement that ye shall go in to the ysle of Wight and lyue there as longe as ye can and shall haue suffycient of your owne to maynteyne there your estate soberly but ye maye neuer departe thens The erle toke this punysshement a worthe and thaÌked the kyng and his counsayle for sauyng of his lyfe and so made hym redy to go thyder at the daye apoynted In the whiche ysle was space sufficient for a lorde to kepe his estate enuyroned with the See Thus passed forthe these Iudgementes in Englande at that season whiche multiplyed dayly worse worse as ye shall here after WHan the dethe of the duke of gloucestre was knoweÌ by the dukes of Lancastre and of yorke incoÌtinent they knewe well that the kynge their nephue had caused hym to be slayne and murdered at Calays As than these two dukes were nat toguyder eche of theÌ were at their owne plates They wrote eche to other to knowe what were best to do and so they came to London For they knewe well that the londoners were nat content with the dethe of the duke their brother Whan they mette there toguyder they tooke couÌsayle and sayd Suche dedes ought nat to be suffred as to putte to dethe so hyghe a priÌce as was their brother for ydell wordes and false reportes For they sayd though he spake oftentymes of the breakyng of the peace yet he neuer brake it And bytwene sayenge and doyng is great difference for by reason of wordes he ought nat to deserue dethe by suche cruell punycion these two dukes were in the case to haue put all Englande to great trouble and there were ynowe redy to counsayle them therto and specially them of the erle of Arundelles lynage and of the erle of Staffordes whiche was a great kynred in Englande The kyng as than was at ElthaÌ and had sente for all suche as helde of hym in chiefe And he had redy assembled toguyder about London in Kent and Essexe mo than ten thousande archers And sir Iohan Hollande his brother was with hym and therle Marshall and the erle of Salisbury and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes the kyng sent to theÌ of London that they shulde nat receyue the duke of Lancastre They answered and sayd They knewe no cause that the duke hadde done why they shulde refuce hym The duke of Lancastre was at LoÌdon and
him selfe to auoide this realme of Englande and goo dwell in what place he lyste out therof And that he be banysshed in suche wyse that he neuer retourne agayne And also I ordayne that the erle of Derby our cosyn bycause he hathe displeased vs and that he is the chiefe cause of the banysshment of therle Marshall That within this fyftene dayes he auoyde the Realme of Englande and to be banysshed for tenne yeres without retournynge excepte we repeale hym agayne the whiche shall alwayes lye in our pleasure THis sentence greatly contented the lordes that were there present and they sayde the erle of Derby maye well ynoughe go and sporte hym out of the realme for two or thre yeres He is yonge ynoughe Thoughe he haue been sore traueyled in his dayes in farre countries as in to Pruce and to the holy Sepulchre to Cayre and to saynt Katheryns mount So he may do yet goo some other voyages to passe the tyme if he lyste he knoweth wyll ynoughe whider to go he hath two susters one quene of Spaygne the other quene of Portugale He maye well passe the tyme with them and also as nowe there is no warre Whan he cometh in to Spaygne he maye moue theym to make warre vpon the Sarazyns and to make a voyage in to Granade wherby he maye better employe his tyme than abydynge in Englande or elles he maye goo in to Heynaulte to his brother and cosyn the Erle of Ostrenaunt who wyll receyue hym with great ioye and retaygne hym sor he hathe warre with the Fresons and in Haynaulte he maye dayly here newes out of Englande and fro his children He can natte go amysse goo where he wyll And the kynge maye repeale hym agayne by good meanes whan it shall please hym for he is one of the fayrest floures in his garlande He shall nat be longe absente if the kynge purpose to haue the loue of his people But the erle Marshalle is in a farre worse case for he is banysshed without hope for euer to retourne agayne And to saye the trouthe he hath well deserued it for all this myschiefe is come by hym and by his wordes Thus dyuers knyghtes and squyers of Englande talked toguyder one with another the same daye that the kynge gaue the sayde iugemeÌt ⸪ ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby departed fro London to go in to Fraunce and the erle Marshall went in to Flaunders and so in to Lombardy Cap. CC.xxx. ⸪ ⸪ WHan these two Erles sawe what sentence the kynge had gyuen theym they were ryght sore pensyue and good cause why The erle Marshall sore repented him of that he had said and done For whan he began the mater he thought otherwyse to haue ben borne out by the kyng than he was For if he hadde knowen as moche before he wolde neuer haue begon the matter Whan he sawe there was no remedy he made hym redy and made his exchaung fro London to Bruges and so caÌe to Calays where as he had been capitayne and there toke his leaue and so went to Bruges and there taryed a fyftene dayes than to Gaunt and so to Maynges and finally to Colloigne ¶ Lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke or the erle of Derby who prepared hym selfe in lykewise to departe out of Englande accordyng to the kynges senteÌce Whan his daye of departure aproched he came to Eltham to the kynge where as the duke of LaÌcastre his father was and the duke of yorke with them the erle of Northumlande and sir Henry Percy his sonne with a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers of Englande suche as loued hym And were soore displeased of the fortune that he must auoyde the realme These lordes came thyder to se what ende the kynge wolde make in the mater of whose coÌmyng the kynge made semblaunt to be right ioyfull and made them great chere and helde a great court Also there was the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Huntyngton brother to the kyng who hadde to his wyfe the duke of Lancastres doughter and suster to the erle of Derby These two lordes came to therle of Derby I knowe nat if they dissymuled or nat At the erles departynge the kynge humyled hym greatly to his cosyn of Derby and said As Godde helpe me it right greatly displeaseth me the wordes that hath been bytwene you and the Erle Marshalle But the sentence that I haue gyuen is for the beste and for to apease therby the people who greatly murmured on this matter Wherfore cosyn yet to ease you somwhat of your payne I release my Iudgement fro tenne yere to syxe yere Cosyn take this a worthe and ordyne you therafter The erle answered and sayd Sir I thaÌke your grace and whan it shall please you ye shall do me more grace All the lordes that were there were well contented with the kynge as for that tyme. Than euery man departed and some went to London with the erle of Derby The Erle made all his prouisyon at Douer to passe to Calays And the erle beyng at London or his departure was counsayled by his father for to go streight to the Frenche kynge and to his cosyns in Fraunce And accordynge to his fathers counsayle so he dyde or elles he wolde haue gone to the erle of Ostrenaunt his brother and cosyn Whan the Erle departed fro London there were in the stretes mo thanne fourtie thousande men wepyng and cryeng after hym that it was pytie to here And soÌe said O gentyll erle of Derby shall we thus leaue you This Realme shall neuer be in ioye tyll ye retourne agayne But the daye of retourne is very longe for enuy falsehed and trayson hath putte you out of this Realme where as ye ought to abyde rather thaÌ many other For ye are of suche lynage and of so noble blode that none ought to be compared to you And gentyll erle why shalle we leaue you ye neuer dyde nor thought yuell THus men women pituously spake He was nat conueyed out of the cytie with instrumentes but with lamentable wepynges And some sayd secretelye CoÌsyder the order of these people what displeasure they take for a small occasyon Who so euer wolde styrre the Londoners to ryse agaynst the kyng he might than go seke further flye out of the realme rather than the erle of Derby but it is as nowe no tyme sithe the duke of LaÌcastre his father suffreth if we must nedes suffre it The mayre of LoÌdon and a great nombre of the chiefe burgesses accompanyed therle of Derby out of the cytie Some rode to Dartforde and some to Douer and sawe hym take shippyng than they retourned And the erle of Derby or he came to Calais he hadde sent a knyght and an heraulde to the Frenche kyng and to his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and to the kynges vncles the dukes of Berrey of Burbon and of Burgoyn to knowe the kynges pleasure if he wolde suffre the
after he ordeyned him to go in to the realme of Hungery for the kynge of Hungery had written to the frenche kynge howe Lamorabaquy assembled great puyssaunce of men of warre of turkes arabyes tartaryes and suryens and of dyuers other of his secte to fyght with hym The erle of Derby the same season beynge at Paris in the house of Clyssone nere to the temple was wyllynge to go in to Hungery whiche shulde be the lesse coste to the Frenche kynge for he had euery weke redy payed him fyue hundred crownes of golde and the erle thought hym selfe moche bounde to the frenche kynge for that grace and whan that tydynges came fro the kynge of Hungery in to Fraunce the erle of Derby entended well to that mater and thought in hym selfe that voyage to be ryght honourable for hym to passe his tyme there wherby he shulde the lightlyer forget the tyme of his trouble and spake to them of his specyall counsayle and they counsayled hym to go in that voyage so that he knewe fyrst the duke of Lancastre his fathers pleasure in that behalfe Than the erle one of his knyghtes called Dinorth in to Englande to knowe his fathers pleasure This knyght came in to Englande and founde the duke of Lancastre at a Castell a twenty myle fro London called Hertforde There he shewed hym his sonnes entente And whan the duke vnderstode the mynde of the erle his sonne and the good wyll that he had to go in to Hungery to passe the tyme of his banyssment he was ryght well content and sayd to the knyght syr ye be welcome your wordes and my sonnes lettre requyreth counsayleâ ye shall rest you here with vs a season and in the meane whyle we shall take aduyse and in the whyle ye may go and se my sonnes chyldren for ye muste beare tydynges of them to their father Syr quod the knyght ye say true So this knyght syr Dynorth taryed a season in Englande NOwe had the frenche kinge good occasyon to write to the kynge of Almayne and to his couÌsayle in what case he had brought pope Benedic and the cardynalles The kynge than sent thyder a noble ambassade as the patryarke of Iherusalem syr Charles of Hangers and other knightes and they founde the kynge at Strawbourgh and dyd their message wherwith the kynge and his counsayle were well content and sayd howe they wolde determyne on that matter but they said they wolde gladly that the kyng of Englande shulde take the same waye the whiche they feared shulde be herde to do with this aunswere the ambassadours retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the kynge what they had doone and sene The frenche kynge than to th entent to bring his purpose to passe sente agayne in to Englande to kynge Rycharde and the messangers shewed the kynge the cause of their coÌmynge The kynge gaue good herynge to the mater but as than he had nat the prelates of the realme nor the clergy with hym nor were nat so plyable to folowe his pleasure as they in Fraunce to folowe the pleasure of their kynge and this he shewed to the frenche kynges messangers howe be it he sayde he wolde do his deuoyre and so he dyd And so the messangers returned in to FrauÌce and kynge Rycharde on a daye at Westmynster assembled all his prelates and clergy of Englande and whan they were there the kynge shewed wysely the dyfference that was in the churche and howe the frenche kynge by delyberacyon and aduyse of counsayle and by consent of the vnyuersite of Parys and other clerkes he was determyned to be newter and in lykewyse so are the kynges of Spaygne of Scotlande of Aragone and of Nauer and howe that all Almayne Boesme and Italy were of the same opynyon In lykewyse the kynge of Englande desyred that his realme shuld folowe the same Whan the prelates and the clergy who knewe nothynge why they were sent for herde that mater they had great marueyle and were sore abasshed some stode styll and spake no worde and some began to murmure and sayde Our kynge is become frenche he entendeth to nothynge but to dyshonour and distroy vs but he shal nat What wolde he bringe vs out of our beleue he maye do so moche that he shall haue yuell therof let vs nat folowe this opynion sythe the frenche kynge taketh that waye lette hym holde hym selfe newter and let vs holde styll our beleue and lette no man put it fro vs without there be greater apparaunce of a surer foundacyon than we se as yet Whan kyng Rycharde sawe the dyfference and murmurynge of the clergy he caused the bysshoppe of London to demaunde of all the clergy what was best to do They all aunswered that the matter was so great that therin requyred great counsayle and delyberacyon and so they departed and euery man went to his lodgynge And whan the londoners knewe the cause of that assemble and the request that the kynge had made they were than sore troubled agaynst the kyng for the people of Englande were so fermely set on the beleuynge on the pope at Rome that they wolde nat leaue it and sayde howe that Rycharde of Burdeaulx wolde distroy them all if he be let alone his herte is so frenche that he canne nat hyde it but a daye wyll come to paye for all that he shall repente hym and all suche as gyue hym suche counsayle What so euer the kynge sayd to haue his people newter they wolde in no wyse agree therto And the frenche kynge was nat well content with his sonne kynge Rycharde in that he had nat incontynent caused his realme to haue been newter but to saye the trouth the kynge was nat to blame therin And also suche accydentes fell soone after the whiche were so great and horryble that the lyke hath nat ben sene in all this hystorye vpon no kynge crysten except of noble kynge Peter of Lusygnen kyng of Cyper and Iherusalem whome his owne brother and the cypriens martyred ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the aunswere of the Duke of Lancastre to the knyght sent to hym fro his sonne the erle of Derby and howe the duke of Lancastre dyed Cap. CC .xxxiiii. WHan sir Dinorth Whom the erle of Derby had sente in to Englande to his father the duke of Lancastre and had his answere of the duke and had vysyted all the erles landes and had sene his chyldren four sonnes and two doughters than he toke his leaue and retourne in to Fraunce His aunswere was howe that the duke wolde nat counsayle the erle his sonne to go in to Hungery but whan he was wery of beynge in FrauÌce than rather to go in to Castell to the kynge there and to his suster and if he lyste to go further than to go and vysite his other suster the quene of Portugale The erle redde his fathers letters two tymes ouer and studyed theron a season and syr Dinorth shewed him that the physicions and surgyons in Englande sayd surely howe
the realme they were gladde of all this and wolde that more trouble had ben in the realme and the cytezins of LoÌdon who were ryche and lyued by their marchaundyse as well coraunt by see as by lande and kepte therby great estate and by ensample of them all the remnauÌt of the realme lyghtly folowed they sawe well that as great myschiefe was lykely to folowe in the realme as was sometyme in kynge Edwarde the secondes dayes whan the lorde Spencer caused the kynge to put out of the realme the quene Isabell and Edward her sonne and wolde haue distroyed them and wyste nat why and so were out of the Realme more than thre yere but fynally whan the men in Englande and specyally the londoners sawe howe that the kynge was so asotted on this syr Hugh spenser they prouyded for a remedy for they sente secretly to the quene Isabell that if she coulde get thre hundred men of warre to come in to Englande she shulde fynde the greatest parte of the realme and the londoners redy to receyue her and to put her in possessyon of the realme whervpon the quene founde the lorde Iohan of Haynalt lorde of Beaumont and of Chynay and brother to the erle Guillyam of Haynalte who what for loue and pytie toke on him the vyage to brynge the quene and her sonne in to Englande with four hundred men of warre and so aryued in Englande and by the ayde of the londoners the quene atchyued her enterprise for without their ayde it wolde haue ben hard to haue come to passe and so kynge Edwarde was taken at the castell of Bristowe and set in prisone in the castell of Berkley and suche as fauoured him slayne and put to execusion and Edwarde his sonne crowned kynge at Westmynster All this the londoners ryght well remembred for they that were yonge herde this reported of their elders and some founde it in writynge and they sayd secretly one to a nother Our fathers and antecessours of olde tyme prouyded for these greate mischiefes and we thinke there was neuer greater cause than nowe at this present tyme for suffer this kyng Rycharde to haue his wyll and he wyll waste and dystroy all for sythe he was kynge there hath nat been in Englande suche prosperyte as was before he sheweth nat that the prince of Wales shulde be his father for if he had he wolde haue folowed his condicions and haue taken great pleasure in his prowes and nat to lyue in reste and ease as he dothe for he loueth nothynge but sporte and ydelnesse with ladyes and to be alwayes in their company and to beleue men of small reputacyon and to gather great rychesse and distroy the realme whiche thynges ought nat to be suffred And bycause that valyaunt man the duke of Gloucestre sawe clerely that the maters in Englande went nat as they shulde do by right and sawe howe dayly it was worse and worse and bycause he spake playnely therof the traytours that be about the kinge caused hym to be murthered and in lykewyse the good erle of Arundell and haue driuen out of the realme that valyaunt yonge knight Henry of Lancastre erle of Derby by whome the realme myght and ought to be counsayled and susteyned and by his four sonnes that he hath And yet for more crueltie besyde the doÌmage that they cause the father to suffre out of the realme they dysenheryte the chyldren and the herytage that was their auntes the lady dame Blanche of Lancastre is dayly gyuen awaye to them that are nat worthy to haue theym And also bycause the erle of Northumberlande and his sonne the lorde Henry Percy haue somwhat spoken acordynge to reasone kynge Rycharde hath banysshed them it is well apparauÌt that with in a shorte tyme there shall neuer a valyaunt man be lefte in the realme wherfore all wyll rynne to nought without remedy be founde shortely and we thynke the best remedy were to sende for the erle of Derby who leseth his season in Fraunce and whan he is come lette hym haue the gouernaunce of the realme that he may refourme all yuell and bringe it in to good state and lette them be punysshed that haue deserued and let Richarde of Burdeaux be taken and sette in the towre of London and all his fautes put in writynge in artycles of the whiche there wyll be founde a great nombre and by that tyme they be examined it shall be sene clerely that he is nat worthy to beare a crowne nor to kepe a realme for his owne de des shall confounde hym ¶ Howe the archebysshop of Caunterbury was sente in to Fraunce to the erle of Derby fro the londoners and other counsayls of Englande to haue him to returne in to Englande Cap. CC.xxxviii THus the londoners coÌmunded togyder and nat al onely they but also in dyuers other places of the realme but the chyefe murmuracyon that the people were in was by the first set rynge on of them of London for the coÌmons of London were as chefe and by them lyghtly all other coÌmons wold be ruled and vpon the myschiefe that they sawe apparaunt in Englande they had dyuers secrete counsayles to gyther and with them certayne prelates and other knyghtes of the realme and they concluded to sende in to Fraunce for the erle of Derby and were determyned whan he were come to shewe hym the yuell gouernynge of kynge Rycharde and to put to hym the crowne and gouernynge of the realme of Englande and so to make hym kynge and his heyres for euer so that he wyll kepe the realme in all good vsages Than it was thought that he that shulde go in that message must be a wyse man and of good credence for they thought it shulde be a great mater to gette the erle of Derby out of FrauÌce for they said that for any symple wordes of a meane messanger or for any letters he wolde gyue no faythe there to but rather thynke it shulde be to betraye hym Than the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury a man of honoure and prudence was desyred to do that message who for the coÌmon profyte of the realme acorded to go at their desyres and ordeyned for his departure so wysely that none knewe therof but suche as ought to knowe it and so he toke a shyppe at London and but seuen all onely with hym and so past without any parell and came to Sluse in Flaunders and fro thens to Ardenbourge and so to Gaunte to And warpe to A the in Brabant to Conde and so to Valencennes and there toke his lodgynge at the signe of the Swanne in the market place and there taryed a thre dayes and refressed himselfe He rode nat lyke no bysshop but lyke a monke pylgryme and dyscouered to no man what he was nor what he entended to do The fourth day he departed and toke a man to be his guyde to Parys sayenge howe he wolde go a pylgrymage to saint More He dyd so moch that he came
chefe that be agaynst you Sir ye must dissymule tyll the mater be apeased and tyll the erle of Huntyngton your brother be with you And it cometh nowe yuell to passe for you that he is at Calais For there be many nowe in Englande that be rysen agaynst you that and they knewe that youre brother were aboute you they wolde sytte styll and durst nat displease you and yet he hathe to his wyfe the erle of Derbyes suster by his meanes we suppose ye shulde come to peace and coÌcorde The kyng agreed to those wordes and said Go and let hym come in with .xii. with hym and no mo Two knyghtes went downe to the gate and opyned the wycket and issued out and made reuerence to the erle and receyued hym with gracious wordes for they knewe well that they hadde no force to resyst them and also they knewe well the Londoners were sore displeased with theÌ therfore they spake fayre and sayde to the erle Sir what is your pleasure the kyng is at masse he hath sente vs hyder to speke with you I saye quod therle ye knowe well I ought to haue possessyon of the ouchy of Lancastre I am come in partie for that cause and also for other thynges that I wolde speke with the kynge of Sir quod they ye be welcome the kyng wolde be gladde to se you to here you and hath commaunded that ye come to hym all onely with .xii. persones The erle answered it pleaseth me well So he entred in to the castell with .xii. persones and than the gate closed agayne and the rest of his coÌpany taryed without NOwe consyder what dauÌger therle of Derby was in for the kyng than myght haue slayne hym and suche as were with hym as easely as a byrde in a cage But he feared nat the mater but boldelye went to the kyng who chauÌged colours whan he sawe the erle Than the erle spake aloude without makynge of any great honour or reuerence and sayd Sir are ye fastynge The kyng answered and sayd yea why aske you It is tyme quod the erle that ye had dyned for ye haue a great iourney to ryde Why wheder shulde I ryde quod the kynge ye must ryde to London quod therle wherfore I counsayle you eate and drinke that ye maye ryde with the more myrthe Than the kynge who was sore troubled in his mynde and in a maner afrayde of those wordes sayde I am nat hungry I haue no luste to eate Than suche as wereby who were as than gladde to flatter therle of Derby for they sawe well the mater was lyke to go dyuersly sayde to the kynge Sir beleue your cosyn of Lancastre for he wyll nothyng but good Than the kyng sayd well I am content couer the tables Thanne the kynge wasshed and satte downe and was serued Than the erle was demaunded if he wolde sytte downe he sayde no for he was nat fastynge IN the mean season whyle the kyng satte at dyner who dyde eate but lytell his hert was so full that he had no lust to eate All the countrey about the castell was full of men of warre They within the castell myght se them out at the wyndowes and the kynge whan he rose fro the table myght se them hym selfe Than he demaunded of his cosyn what men they were that appered so many in the feldes Th erle aunswered and sayde the moost parte of theÌ be Londoners What wolde they haue quod the kyng They wyll haue you quod therle and bringe you to London and putte you in to the towre there is none other remedy ye can scape none otherwyse No quod the kyng and he was sore afrayde of those wordes for he knewe well the LoÌdoners loued hym nat and sayde Cosyn can you nat prouyde for my suretie I wyll nat gladly putte me in to their haÌdes For I knowe well they hate me and haue done long though I be their kynge Than therle sayd Sir I se none other remedy but to yelde your selfe as my prisoner and whan they knowe that ye be my prisoner they wyll do you no hurte but ye must so ordayne you your coÌpany to ryde to LoÌdon with me and to be as my prisoner in the towre of London The kyng who sawe hym self in a harde case all his spyrites were sore abasshed as he that douted greatly that the londoners wolde slee hym Than he yelded hym selfe prisoner to the erle of Derby and bouÌde hym selfe and promysed to do all that he wolde haue hym to do In lykewise all other knightes lquyers and offycers yelded to the erle to eschewe the dauÌger and paryll that they were in and the erle than receyued them as his prisoners and ordayned incontynent horses to be sadylled brought forthe in to the courte the gates opyned than many men of armes archers entred Than the erle of Derby caused a crye to be made on payne of dethe no man to be so hardy to take away any thyng within the castell nor to laye any handes vpon any êsone for all were vnder the erles sauegarde and protection whiche crye was kept no man durst breke it the erle had the kyng downe in to the courte talkyng toguyder caused all the kynges hole housholde and estate to go forwarde as of custome they had done before without chauÌgyng or mynisshynge of any thyng Whyle euery thyng was a preparyng the kyng and the erle coÌmuned toguyder in the court and were well regarded by the Londoners And as it was entormed me kynge Richarde had a grayhounde called Mathe who alwayes wayted vpon the kynge and wolde knowe no man els For whan soeuer the kyng dyde ryde he that kept the grayhounde dyde lette hym lose and he wolde streight rynne to the kynge and fawne vpon hym and leape with his tore fete vpon the kynges shulders And as the kyng the erle of Derby talked togyder in the courte the grayhounde who was wont to lepe vpon the kyng left the kynge came to the erle of Derby duke of Lancastre and made to hym the same frendly couÌtinauÌce chere as he was wonte to do to the kyng The duke who knewe nat the grayhouÌde demaunded of the kyng what the grayhounde wolde do Cosyn quod the kyng it is a gret good token to you and an yuell signe to me Sir howe knowe you that quod the duke I knowe it well quod the kyng The grayhounde maketh you chere this day as kynge of Englande as ye shal be and I shal be deposed the grayhouÌde hath this knowledge naturally therfore take hym to you he wyll folowe you forsake me The duke vnderstode well those wordes and cherisshed the grayhounde who wolde neuer after folowe kyng Richarde but folowed the duke of LaÌcastre SO euery man lepte a horsbacke and departed fro the castell of Flynt entred in to the feldes Thus duke Henry of Lancastre who was no more called erle of Derby but duke of LaÌcastre rode by
and lordes of Spaygne drewe toguyder and determyned to crowne the yonge herytoure the prince of Galyce This prince Henry was crowned the nynth yere of his age and his wyfe doughter to the duke of Lancastre was a fyfteene yere of age Thus the dukes doughter by the lady Custaunce was quene of Castyle and lady and heritour to all the landes and seignories that kyng Dompeter kyng Henry and kyng Iohan helde excepte that the duke of LaÌcastre her father and his wyfe her mother had durynge their lyues whiche was a pensyon of a hundred thousande doreyns by yere And foure of the best erles of Spayne were pledges and dettours for the same Thus the duke of Lancastre sawe his two doughters one quene of Spaygne the other quene of Portugale bestowed ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the yonge erle of Armynake and of the voyage he made in to Lombardy for the matter requyreth it and we shall leaue to speke of the kynge of Castyle ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the army of the yonge erle Iohan of Armynake and of the vyage that he made in to Lombardy And howe he dyed at the siege before the towne of Alexandre Ca. C .lxxvii. IT hath been shewed here before what great of fectyon the yonge Erle of Armynake had to go in to Lombardy with menne of warre to ayde and assyste his suster germayne and his brother in lawe her husbande the lorde Barnabo eldest sonne to the lorde Barnabo whome the duke of Myllayne had caused to be slayne marueylouslye And this duke of Myllayne was erle of Vertues and named Galeas Whose doughter the duke of Orlyaunce hadde to wyfe This sayd lady who was doughter to the olde erle of Armynake and suster to the yonge erle was greatly abasshed and disconforted and had no truste but on her brother She signified to hym all her estate her pouertie and necessyte and doÌmage that she suffred And humbly requyred her brother that he wolde helpe to kepe and defende her agaynst the tyraunt the erle of Vertues who wolde disheryte her without any tytell of reason And to the request of his suster the erle of Armynake condiscended and sayde That what soeuer it shulde coste hym he wolde do his deuoyre to ayde his suster And all that he promysed he accoÌplisshed in dede for he had by the ayde of the erle Dolphyne of Auuergne made dyuers treaties in Auuergne Rouergue Quercy Lymosyn Piergourte Engoulmoys and Agenoyes and had bought certayne fortresses whiche had been kepte by the Englysshe men gascoyns and bretons suche as hadde made warre agaynst the realme of Fraunce vnder colour of the kyng of Englande and all suche as he hadde agreed withall hadde their pardons of the Frenche kyng and besyde that the kyng gaue golde and syluer to be gyuen amonge theym But they were all bounde to the erle of Armynake to go with hym in to LoÌbardy to ayde hym in his warres there And euery man shewed hym selfe therto well wyllynge euery man drewe to the ryuer of Rosne and to the ryuer of Sosne The duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyne suffred them in their countreys to take vitaylles at their pleasure for they wolde gladly haue had them clene delyuered out of the countre And in that season vnder the kyng there ruled in the Dolphynry the lorde Engueram Durdyn And the kynge had written to hym commaundyng that these men of warre parteynyng to the erle of Armynake shulde pesably passe throughe the countrey and to haue that they neded for their money WHan the erle of Foiz beynge in Byerne in his castell of Ortays vnderstode howe the erle of Armynake assembled men of warre toguyder he began to muse for he was a man greatly ymaginatife Well he had herde howe the brute was that the erle of Armynake made this assemble to go in to LoÌbardy agaynst the lorde of Myllaygne But bycause in tyme past the erle of Armynake and his predecessours before him and his brother Bernarde of Armynake had made hym warre therfore he douted lest the sayde assemble shulde tourne agaynst hym wherfore he thought he wolde nat be vnprouyded but prepared his fortresses with men of warre and made suche prouysion that if he were assayled to resyst it with all his puissaunce But the erle of Armynake nor his brother were nothynge of that purpose but thought surely to vpholde the treuce that was bytwene them and to atcheue his enterprice in to Lombardy There were many knyghtes and squyers Englysshe gascoyns bretons and other that were bounde to serue the erle of Armynake in his warres But if he shulde haue made warre agaynst the erle of Foiz they wolde haue taken the erle of Foiz parte and haue forsaken the erle of Armynake the erle of Foiz was so welbeloued with all men of warre for the wysedome largesse and prowesse that was in hym And whanÌe the duchesse of Thourayne was enfourmed howe therle of Armynake was redy to passe ouer the mountayns to entre in to Lombardy with puissaunce of men of warre to make warre agaynst the duke of Myllayne her father And howe that the FreÌche kyng and his vncles the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne consented therto bycause they wolde haue their countreis clene auoyded of the coÌpanyons and routes of pyllars suche as had often tymes greued sore their couÌtreys this lady thought nat to forgette the matter but wrote to her father the duke of Millayne all that she knewe to the entente that he shulde take hede to hym selfe and to his countrey The lorde of Myllayne was well enformed of the busynesse and prouyded for menne of warre where he might gette them and refresshed his townes cyties and castelles with vitayle and other munysioÌs of warre and loked surely to haue warre with the erle of Armynake as they hadde in dede ABout the myddes of the moneth of Marche the moost parte of these coÌpanyons were assembled toguyder in the marchesse of Auignon all a longe the ryuer of Rosne to the nombre of fyftene thousande horses and passed the ryuer and so entred in to the Dolphynny of Vyen and lodged abrode in the vyllages and some passed forwarde to haue the more easy passage thoroughe the mountayns whiche were peryllous to passe bothe for man and horse The erle of Armynake and his brother with certayne other knyghtes wente to Auygnon to se hym that was called pope Clemente and the cardynalles there And offred their seruyce to the pope to ayde hym agaynst the tyrantes the lombardes for whiche offre they were thanked And whan they had ben there an eight dayes and that great parte of their company were paste forwarde They tooke their leaue of the pope and of the cardynalles and prepared to folowe their men there the two bretherne departed a sondre the erle Iohan of Armynake and sir Bernarde his brother Than the Erle sayde Brother ye shall retourne backe to Armynake and kepe our herytage of Comynges and Armynake For as yet all the fortresses