HEre begynneth the first volum of sir Johan Froyssart of the cronycles of Englande Fraunce Spayne Portyngale Scotlande Bretayne FlauÌ„ders and other places adioynynge TraÌ„slated out of frenche into our maternall englysshe tonge by Johan Bourchier knight lorde Berners At the coÌ„maundement of oure moost highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the .viii. kyng of Englande and of Fraunce highe defender if the christen faythe c. Hec rosa virtutis de celo missa sereno Eternum floreÌ„s regia sceptra feret ¶ The preface of Johan Bourchier knyght lorde Berners translatour of this present cronycle WHat condygne graces and thankes ought men to gyue to the writers of historyes Who with their great labours haue done so moche profyte to the humayne lyfe They shewe open manifest and declare to the reder by example of olde antyquite what we shulde enquere desyre and folowe And also what we shulde eschewe auoyde and vtterly flye For whan we beynge vnexpert of chauÌ„ces se beholde and rede the auncyent actes gestes and dedes Home and with what labours dauÌ„gers and paryls they were gested and done They right greatly admonest ensigne and teche vs howe we maye lede forthe our lyues And farther he that hath the perfyte knowledge of others ioye welthe and higher prosperite and also trouble sorowe and great aduersyte hath the xpert doctryne of all parylles And albeit that mortall folke are marueylously separated bothe by lande water and right woÌ„derously sytuate yet are they and their actes done ê‘aduenture by the space of a thousande yere coÌ„pact togyder by thistographier as it were the dedes of one selfe cyte and in one maÌ„nes lyfe Wherfore I say that historie may well be called a diuyne prouydence For as the celestyall bodyes aboue complecte all and at euery tyme the vniuersall worlde the creatures therin coÌ„teyned and all their dedes semblably so dothe history Is it nat a right noble thynge for vs by the fautes and errours of other to amede and erect our lyfe in to better We shuld nat seke and acquyre that other dyd but what thyng was most best most laudable and worthely done we shulde putte before our eyes to folowe Be nat the sage counsayles of two or thre olde fathers in a cyte towne or couÌ„tre whom long age hath made wyse dyscrete and prudent farre more praysed lauded and derely loued than of the yongemenne Howe moche more than ought stories to be coÌ„mended praysed and loued In whom is encluded so many sage counsayls great reasons hygh wisedoms of so innumerable ê‘sons of sondry nacyons and of euery age and that in so long space as four or fyue hundred yere The most profytable thyng in this worlde for the instytucion of the humayne lyfe is hystorie Dues the contynuall redyng therof maketh yonge men equall in prudence to olde men and to olde fathers stryken in age it mynystreth experyence of thynges More it yeldeth priuate persons worthy of dignyte rule and gouernaunce It compelleth themperours hygh rulers and gouernours to do noble dedê to th ende they may optayne immortall glory It exciteth moueth and stereth the strong hardy warriours for the great laude that they haue after they ben deed promptly to go in hande with great and harde parels in defence of their countre And it prohibyteth reprouable persons to do mischeuous dedes for feare of infamy shame So thus through the monumentes of writynge whiche is the testymony vnto vertue many men haue ben moued Some to byldecytes some to deuyse and establisshe lawes tight profitable necessarie and behouefull for the humayne lyfe Some other to fynde newe artes craftes and sciences very requisyte to the vse of maÌ„kynde But aboue all thynges wherby mans welthe ryseth speciall laude and cause ought to be gyuen to historie It is the keper of suche thinges as haue ben vertuously done and the wytnesse of yuell dedes And by the benefite of hystorie all noble highe and vertuous actes be immortall What moued the strong and ferse Hercules to enterprise in his lyfe so many great incoÌ„perable labours and pyls Certaynly noughtels but yâ— for his merytê immortalyte mought be gyuen to hym of all folke In seÌ„blable wyse dyd his imytator noble duke These us many other innumerable worthy prices and famouse men whose vertues ben redemed sro oblyuion shyne by historie And where as other monumentes in processe of tyme by varyable chaunces are confused and lost The vertue of history dyffused and spredde throughe the vuyuersall worlde hathe to her custos kepat it that is to say tyme whiche coÌ„sumeth the other writynges And albeit that those menne are right worthy of great laude and prayse who by their writynges shewe and lede vs the waye to vertue yet neuerthelesse the poems lawes and other artes that they fouÌ„de deuysed and writ ben mixed with some domage And soÌ„tyme for the trueth they ensigne a man to lye But onelye hystorie truely with wordes representyng the actes gestes and dedes done complecteth all profyte It moueth stereth and compelleth to honestie detesteth erketh aborteth vices It extolleth enhaunceth and lyfteth vp suche as ben noble and vertuous depresseth poystereth and thrusteth downe such as ben wicked yuell and reprouable What knowlege shulde we haue of auncyent thynges past and historie were nat Whiche is the testymony therof the lyght of trouthe the maystres of the lyfe humayne the presydent of remembrauÌ„ce and the messanger of antiquyte Why moued and stered Phaleryus the kynge Ptholome oft and dilygently to rede bokes Forsothe for none other cause but that those thynges are founde writen in bokes that the freÌ„des dare nat shewe to the price Moche more I wolde fayne write of the incomparable profyte of hystorie but I feare me that I shulde to sore tourment the reder of this my preface And also I doute nat but that the great vtilyte therof is better knowen than I coulde declare wherfore I shall breuely come to apoynt Thus whan I aduertysed and remembred the many folde comodyties of hystorie howe benefyciall it is to mortall folke and eke howe laudable and merytoryous a dede it is to write hystories fixed my mynde to do some thyng therin And euer whaÌ„ this ymaginacyon came to me I volued tourned and redde many volumes and bokes conteyning famouse histories And amonge all other I redde dilygently the four volumes or bokes of sir Johan Froyssart of the countrey of Heynaulte written in the Frenche tonge whiche I iudged comodyous necessarie and profytable to be hadde in Englysshe sithe they treat of the fomous actes done in our parties That is to say in Englande FrauÌ„ce Spaygne Portyngale ScotlaÌ„de Bretayne FlauÌ„ders and other places adioyning and specially they redounde to the honoure of Englysshemen What pleasure shall it be to the noble geÌ„tylmen of Englande to se beholde rede the highe enterprises famous actes and glorious dedes done and atchyued by their valyant auÌ„ceytours Forsothe and god this hath moued me at the highe coÌ„maundement of my moost redouted
souerayne lorde kynge Henry the .viii. kyng of Englande and of Fraunce and highe defender of the christen faythe c. Under his gracyous supportacyon to do my deuoyre to translate out of frenche in to our maternall englysshe tonge the sayd volumes of sir Johan Froyssart Whiche cronycle begynneth at the raygne of the moost noble and valyant kynge Edwarde the thyrde The yere of our lorde a thousande thre hundred and sixtene And contynucth to the begynning of the reigne of king Henry the fourth The yere of our lorde god a thousande and foure hundred The space by twene is threscore and fourtene yeres Requyrynge all the reders and herers therof to take this my rude translacion in gre And in that I haue nat folowed myne authour worde by worde yet I trust I haue ensewed the true reporte of the sentence of the mater And as for the true namyng of all maner of personages Countreis cyties townes ryuers or teldes Where as I coude nat name them properly nor aptely in Englysshe I haue written them acordynge as I founde them in frenche And thoughe I haue nat gyuen euery lorde knyght or squyer his true addycion yet I trust I haue natswarued fro the true senteÌ„ce of the mater And there as I haue named the dystaunce bytwene places by myles and leages they must be vnderstande acordyng to the custome of the couÌ„treis where as they be named for in some place they be lengar than in some other In Englande a leage or myle is well knowen in FrauÌ„ce a leage is two myles and in some place thre And in other couÌ„treis more or lesse euery nacion hath sondrie customes And if any faute be in this my rude translacyon I remyt the correctyon therof to theÌ„ that discretely shall fynde any reasonable deraute And in their so doynge I shall pray god to sende theÌ„ the blysse of heuen Amen Thus endeth the preface of sir JohnÌ„ Bourchier knight lorde berners traÌ„slatour of this present cronycle And herafter foloweth the table with all the chapiters as they stande in the boke in order from one to four huÌ„dred fyftie and one Whiche be in nombre C C C C. and li. chapiters ¶ Here after foloweth the table of this present volume FIrst the auctours ê“loge Ca. i. ¶ Of them that were moost valyant knightes to be made mencion of in this boke Cap. ii ¶ Of some of the prevecessours of kyng Edwarde of Englande Cap. iii. ¶ Of some of the prrentes of this good kyng Edwarde the thyrbe Cap. iiii ¶ The first occasyon of the warre bytwene the the kynges of Englande of FrauÌ„ce Cap. v. ¶ Howe therle Thomas of Lancastre .xxii. other great lordes and knyghtes of Englande werebeheeded Cap. vi ¶ Howe the quene of Englande went and coÌ„playned her to the kyng of FrauÌ„ce her brother on sir Hewe Spensar Cap. vii ¶ Howe sir Hewe Spensar purchased that the quene Isabell of Englande was putte out of Fraunce Cap. viii ¶ Howe quene Isabell deê‘ted out of Fraunce and entred in to the empyre Cap. ix ¶ Howe quene Isabell areyued in Englande with sir JohnÌ„ of Heynalt in her coÌ„pany Ca. x. ¶ Howe the quene of Englande besieged kynge Edwarde the seconde her housbande in the towne of Bristowe Cap. xi ¶ Howe sir Hewe SpeÌ„sar thelder and therle of Arundell were iudged to bethe Cap. xii ¶ Howe sir Hewe Spensar was putte to his iudgement Cap. xiii ¶ Of the coronacyon of kynge Edwarde the thirde Cap. xiiii ¶ Howe kyng Robert de Breur of ScotlaÌ„de defyed kyng Edwarde of Englande Cap. xv ¶ Of the disceÌ„cion that sell bytwene tharchers of Englande them of Heynalt Cap. xvi ¶ Of the maner of the scottes and howe they make their warre Cap. xvii ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande made his first iourney agaynst the scottes Cap. xviii ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde was maryed to the lady Philyppe of Heynalt Cap. xix ¶ Howe kyng Robert of scotlaÌ„de dyed ca. xx ¶ Howe Philyppe of Ualloyes was crowned kynge in Fraunce Cap. xxi Of the batayle of Cassell in FlaÌ„ders ca. xxii ¶ Howe therle of Kent and therle Mortymer in Englande were put to dethe Cap. xxiii ¶ Of the homage that kyng Edwarde of Englande made to the frenche kyng for the duchy of Guyen Cap. xxiiii ¶ Howe sir Roberte of Arthoyse was chased out of the realme of Fraunce Cap. xxv ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde tooke the towne of Berwyke agaynst the scottes Cap. xxvi ¶ Howe king Philyp of Fraunce and dyuers other kynges toke on them the crosey to the holy lande Cap. xxvii ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde of Englande was counsayled to make warre agaynst the frenche kynge Cap. xxviii ¶ Howe Jaques Dartuell gouerned the countie of Flaunders Cap. xxix ¶ Howe certayne nobles of FlauÌ„ders kept the yle of CagaÌ„t agaynst theÌ„glysshmen Cap. xxx ¶ Of the batayle of Cagant by twene the Englysshmen and flemynges Cap. xxxi ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde of Englande made great alyaunces in th empyre Cap. xxxii ¶ Howe kyng Dauyd of Scotlande made alyauÌ„ce with kyng Philyp of FraÌ„ce Ca. xxxiii ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde was made vycar generall of th eÌ„pyre of Almayne Cap. xxxiiii ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde all his alyes dede defy the frenche kyng Cap. xxxv ¶ Howe sir Gaultier of Manny after the defyaunces declared made the first iourney into Fraunce Cap. xxxvi ¶ Howe after the defyaunces the frenchemen entred in to Englande Cap. xxxvii ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde besieged the cytie of Cambrey Cap. xxxviii ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde made sir Henry of Flaunders knight Cap. xxxix ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande and the freÌ„che kynge toke day to fight Cap. xl ¶ Howe these two kynges ordayned their batayls at Uyronfosse Cap. xli ¶ Howe the sayd two kynges departed without batayle Cap. xlii ¶ Howe king Edwarde of Englande toke on him to beare the armes of Fraunce the â—â—me to be called kyng therof Cap. xliii ¶ Howe the frenchmen brent in the lanbes of sir Johan of Heynalt Cap. xliiii ¶ Howe therle of Heynalt toke and distroyed Aubenton and Thyerache Cap. xlv ¶ Howe they of Tourney made a iourney in to Flaunders Cap. xlvi ¶ Of the iourney that duke JohnÌ„ of NormaÌ„dy made in to Heynalt Cap. xlvii ¶ Howe they of Doway made a iourney in to Ostrenant and howe the erle of Heynalt was in Englande Cap. xlviii ¶ Howe the duke of Normandy layd siege to Thyne the bysshoppe Cap. xlix ¶ Of the batayle on the see before Srluse in Flaunders bytwene the kynge of Englande the frenchmen Cap. l. ¶ Howe kynge Robert of Cycile dyde all that he might to pacify the kynges of Englande Fraunce Cap. li. ¶ Of the couÌ„sayle that the kyng of England his alyes helde at the towne of Uyllenort ca. lii ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande layde siege to the cytie of Iourney Cap. liii ¶ Howe the erle of Heynalt distroyed the townes of Seclyn and Dorchies Cap. liiii ¶ Howe the scottes wan agayne a great
Rochfort and newely refresshed the towne and castell with meÌ„ of warr and â—uisyon In this meane season certayne noble men of Bretayne spake for a truse for a certayn space bytwene sir Charles of Bloyes and the countesse of Mountfort the which was agreed by all their ayders and assisters also the kynge of Englande sent for the countesse to come into Englande and assone as this trewse was confirmed the couÌ„tesse toke see and passed into Englande ¶ Of the feest and iustynge made at London by the kyng of England for the loue of the countesse of Salisbury Cap. lxxxix LE haue well harde here before howe the kynge of Englande had great warres in dyuers countreis and had men of warre in garysons to his gret cost and charge as in Picardy NormaÌ„dy Gascoyne Xaynton Poycton Bretayne and Scotlande ye haue harde also before how the kyng was stryken in loue with the countesse of Salisbury loue quickened hym day and night her fresshe beautie godely demeanour was euer in his remeÌ„brance though therle of Salisbury was one of the priuyest of his counsell and one of them that had done hym best seruyce So it fell that for the loue of this lady and for the great desyre that the king had to se her he caused a great feest to be cryed and a iustyng to be holden in the cyti of LoÌ„don in the myddes of August the which cry was also made in Flaunders in Heynault in BrabaÌ„t and in Fraunce gyueng all coÌ„mers out of euery contrey safe coÌ„duct to come and go and had gyuen in coÌ„maundement through his owne realme that all lordes knyghtes squyers ladyes and domosels shuld be ther without any excuse and coÌ„maunded expresly the erle of Salisbury that the lady his wyfe shulde be ther to bring with her all ladyes and damosels of that countrey Th erle graunted the kyng as he that thought none yuell the gode lady durst nat say nay howbeit she came sore agaynst her wyll for she thought well ynough wherfore it was but she durst nat dyscouer the mater to her husband she thought she wolde deale so to bringe the kynge fro his opynion This was a noble feest there was the erle Wyllyam of Heynalt and 〈◊〉 JohnÌ„ of Heynalt his vncle and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes of hyghe lynage there was great daunsynge and iustynge the space of .xv. dayes the lorde JohnÌ„ eldyst son to the vycount Beaumonde in England was slayne in the iustes All ladyes and damoselles were fresshely besene accordyng to their degrees except Alys countesse of Salisbury for she went as simply as she myght to the intent that the kyng shulde nat sette his regarde on her for she was fully determyned to do no maner of thynge that shulde tourne to her dyshonour nor to her husbandes At this feest was sir Henry with the wrye necke erle of Lancaltre and sir Henry his sonne erle of Derby sir Robert Dartoyes erle of Rychmount the erle of Northampton and of Glocetter the erle of Warwyke the erle of Salisbury the erle of Penneforde the erle of Hereford the erle of Arundell the erle of Cornewall the erle of â—uenforde the erle of Suffolke the baron of Stafforde and dyuers other lordes knightes of Englande And at all these nobles departed the kyng receyued letters fro dyuers lordes of sundrie contreis as out of Goscoyne Bayon Flaunders fro Jaques Dartuell and out of Scotlande fro the lorde Rose and the lorde Persy and fro sir Edward Baylleull captayne of Berwyke who sygnifyed the kynge that the scottes helde but simply the trewse concludedd the yere before for they newely assembled togyder moch people for what entent they coude nattell Also the captayne in Poycton Xanton Rochell and Burdeloyes wrote to the kyng howe the frenchmen made great preparacions for the warre for the peace made at Arras was nere expyred wherfore it was tyme for the kyng to take counsayle and aduyse and so he aunswered the messangers fro poynt to poynt ¶ Howe the kynge of Englande sent sir Robert Dartoys into Bretayne Cap. lxxxx AMong all other thynges the kynge of Englande wolde socoure the countesse of MouÌ„tfort who was with the quene Thanne the kyng desyred his cosyn sir Robert Dartoyes to take a certayne nombre of men of warre and archers and to go with the couÌ„tesse into Bretayne And so he dyde and they departed and toke shypping at Hampton and were on the see a great season bycause of coÌ„trary wyndes They departed about Ester at this great counsell at London the kyng was aduysed to sende to Scotlande for the parfour maunce of a trewse to endure for two or thre yeres Consydring that the kyng had somoche besynesse in other places the kynge of Englande was lothe therto for he wolde haue made suche warr into Scotland that they shulde haue ben fayne to haue desyred peace howbeit his counsayle shewed hym suche reasons that he agreed therto Among other thynges his counsell sayd that it was great wysdome whan a prince hath warre in dyuers placâ— at one tyme to agre with one by truse another to pacify with fayre wordes and on the thyrde to make warre Thanne was there a bysshoppe sende on that legacyon and so he went forthe and in processe retourned agayne and brought relacyon howe the the king of scottes wolde agre to no trewese without the agrement of the frenche kynge Than the kyng of Englande sayde openly that he wolde neuer rest tyll he had so arayed the realme of Scotlande that it shulde neuer be recouered than he 〈◊〉 maunded that euery man shulde be with hym at Berwyke by Eester except suche as were apoynted to go into Bretayn The feest of Ester came and the kynge helde a great court at Berwyke for the chiefe of the lordes and knyghts of England were ther and there taryed the space of thre wyckes In the meane season certayne good men laboured bytwene the parties to haue a trewse and so there a truse was agreed to endure for two yere and confyrmed by the french kyng Than euery man departed and the kyng went to Wyndsore than he sende the lorde Thomas Hollande and the lorde JohnÌ„ 〈…〉 Bayon with two hundred men of armes and-four hundred archers to kepe the fronters ther. ¶ Nowe let vs speke of sir Robert Dartoyes that yere fell so hye that it was nere to then 〈…〉 g of May in the myddes of the whiche moneth the trewse bytwene the lorde Charles of Bloys and the countesse of Mountfort shulde expyre Sir Charles of Bloyes was well 〈…〉 fyed of the purchase that the countesse of Mou 〈…〉 had made in Englande and of the confort that the kynge had promysed her for the whiche intent the lorde Loyes of Spayne sir Charles Germaux and sir Othes Dornes were layd on the see about Gernzay with a thre thousande genowayes and a thousande men of armmes and .xxxii. great shyppes ¶ Of the batell of Gernzay bytwene sir Robert Dartoys and sir Loys of
Guy de la Tremoyle sir Willyma de Namure serued and so dyd dyuers other great lordes of FrauÌ„ce In fyue huÌ„dred yere before there was nat sene suche a solempnite in Cambray And after dyner knyghtes and squiers were armed to iust And so they iusted in the markette place .xl. knightes of the one syde The yonge kyng Charles iusted with a knight of Heynalt called sir Nycholas Espinot So these iustes were nobly contynued and a yonge knyght of Haynalt had the price called sir Johan of Desternne besyde Beawmont in Haynalt This knyght iusted greatly to the pleasure of the lordes ladyes He had for his prise a gyrdell set with precyous stones gyuen hym by yâ— duches of Burgoyne from her owne wast the admyrall of Fraunce sir Guy de la Tremoyle dyd preseÌ„t it to him Thus in great reuell they contynued all that weke and on yâ— friday after dyner the kyng toke leaue of the lordes ladyes and they of him and so departed fro Cambray And also the dukes duchesses deê‘ted and the duches of Burgoyn brought margaret of Haynalt her doughter to Arras and yâ— lady of Haynalt brought yâ— lady Margarete of Burgoyne to Quesnoy Thus passed forthe this besynes ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey ensured his doughter to the sonÌ„e of therle of Bloyse and howe therle of Matche and the duke of Burbon made their somons to entre in to Lymosin Cap. CCCC .li. THe saÌ„e season there was trety of maryage bytwene Loys of Bloys son to therle Guy of â—oyâ— and yâ— lady Mary dought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johan of Berry And so th 〈…〉 rle of Bloys well acoÌ„panyed with lordes and ad 〈…〉 s brought his doughter to Bergues in 〈◊〉 where the duke and duches were redy 〈…〉 de for them who tyght nobly receyued 〈◊〉 and all their company And there was 〈…〉 rmed the assurance of that maryage an 〈…〉 〈…〉 chebysshop of Bergues ensured them 〈…〉 der in the preseÌ„ce of many lordes and lad 〈…〉 howbeit they were natte wedded as than 〈…〉 ey were bothe very yonge So ther was great feest reuelyng and daunsyng and so at last therle and the countesse retourned to their countre their sonne with them And the lady abode styll with the duches her mother in Barrey in a fayre castell besyde Bergues called Mehune on the ryuer of yure The same season the duke of Berry went in to Auuergne and LaÌ„guedocke and so to Auignon to se pope Clement And it was ordayned that the duke of Burbone and therle of Marche with two thousande men of armes shulde go in to Lymosyn to delyuer that countre fro all the englysshmen and theues that robbed and pylled the couÌ„tre For in Poictou and in Xaynton they had as than certayne fortresses whiche dyde moche domage to the couÌ„tre wherof complayntes came to the heryng of the duke of Berrey â–ª who was in mynde to remedy it and he had desyred the duke of Burbone his cosyn that in any wyse whan he were come into Limosyn and Xaynton that he shulde coÌ„quere the garyson of Bertuell for that was the forteresse that dyde moost hurt in that countre And the duke of Burbone promysed hym so to do And he hadde made his somons at Molins in Burbonoyse to be there the first daye of June and so thyder drewe at that tyme all maner of men of warre The duke of Burbone had with hym a gentyll squyer called Johan bone lauÌ„ce He was mayster and capitayne of his men of warre Certaynly the squyer was well worthy to haue suche a charge and the erle of Marche who shulde be in coÌ„pany with the duke of Burbone made his somons at the cytie of Toures tHe same season there came to Scluse in Flaunders all suche men of warre as were apoynted to passe the see into Scotlande with sir Johan of Uyen admyrall of Fraunce he shulde haue with hym a thousande speares knightes and squiers And I beleue well they were all there for they had great desyre to go In so moche that some that were nat desyred aduaunsed them selfe to go in that voyage with the admyrall All their shyppyng was redy apparelled at Scluse and they caryed with them harnesse for .xii. hundred men of armes They had taken that harnesse out of the castell of Beauty besyde Parys The harnesse was parteyning to the parisyens the whiche they were caused to bring to the sayd castell in the tyme of their rebellion In the admyrals company there were a great nombre of good men of warr And their entensyon was to delyuer the sayd harnesse to the knyghtes men of Scotlande bycause sir Geffray de Charney had enformed the kynges counsayle howe the men in Scotlande were but easely harnessed I shall name vnto you parte of theÌ„ of Fraunce that wente in to Scotlande the same season â–ª First sir Johan of Uyen admyrall of Fraunce the erle of graunt pre the lordes of Uerdnay of saynt Crouse and of Mountbury sir Geffray of Charney sir Wyllyam of Uyen sir Jaques of Uyen the lorde despaigny sir Gerard of Burbone the lorde of Hetz sir Floromonde of Quissy the lorde of Marny sir Ualerant of Rayneuall the lorde of Beausaige the lorde of Uaynbrayne the lorde of Rynoll baron dury the lorde of Coucy sir Percyuall Daneuall yâ— lorde Ferrers the lorde of Fountaygnes sir Braquet of Braquemont the lorde of Graunt court the lorde of Landon breton sir Guy la ê‘son sir WyllmÌ„ de Couroux sir Johan de Hangyers sir Henry de Uyncelyn cosyn to yâ— great maister of Pruce diuers other good knightê whiche I can nat all name so that they were to the noÌ„bre of a thousande speares knightes and squyers besyde cros bowes and other varlettê They had gode wynde and a fayre season on yâ— see the wether was fayre it was in the moneth of May. That tyme yâ— truse bytwene EnglaÌ„de and FrauÌ„ce was expyred and bitwene the gauÌ„toyse and flemynges lykewise for as it semed than euery parte desyred warre knyghtes and squiers desyred greatly to go in the voyage to Scotlande for they thought by the ayde of the scottê to haue a fayre iourney agaynst their enemyes in EnglaÌ„de Thenglysshmen who were enfourmed of their comynge loked for theym euery day Thus endeth the first volume of sir Johan Froissart of the cronycles of EnglaÌ„de Fraunce Spayne Portyngale Scotlande Bretayne FlauÌ„ders and other places adioynyng Translated out of frenche in to our maternall englysshe tonge by Johan Bourchier knight lorde Berners At the coÌ„maundement of our moost highe redouted soueraygne lorde kyng Henry the .viii. kynge of Englande and of Fraunce and hygh defender of the christen faithe c. Imprinted at London in Fletestrete by Richarde Pynson printer to the kynges noble grace And ended the .xxviii. day of January the yere of our lorde M. D .xxiii. Cum priuilegio a rege indulto
the kyng and of the quene and of their bretherne and departed out of England and aryued at Rochell In the same season departed out of this world the kyng of Englandes mother Isabell of frauÌ„re doughter to kynge Philyp le Beau soÌ„tyme frenche kyng And she was buryed at the freâ—r mynors in London right nobly and reuereÌ„tly ther beyng all the prelates and barones of Englande the lordes of Fraunce suche as were their in hostage and this was or the prince and princes deê‘ted out of England And after this obsequy done they departed and aryued at Rochell wher they were receyued with great ioy and there tayed the space of four dayes ¶ Howe the kynges of Fraunce and of Cypre toke on them the croysey agaynst the mfydeles and of the gret purchace for that entent that the kynge of Cypre made with many kyngê and princes in dyuers places of christendome Cap. CC .xvii. AS soone as sir Johan Chandos who had alonge season gouerned the duchye of Acquitayne herde howe the prince was comyng thyder Than he departed fro Nyort came with a goodly company of knyghtes and squyers to yâ— towne of Rochell wher he was well receyued with the prince and princes And so the prince with great honoure and ioye was brought into the cytie of Poycters and thyder came to se hym with great ioye the barownes and knyghtes of Poyâ—tou of Xaynton and there they dyde to hym feaultie and homage as they ought to do And than he wente to Burdeaux and there taryed a long season and the princes with him and thyder came to se hym the erles vycouÌ„tes barownes and knyghtes of Gascoyne there they were receyued right ioyously And the prince acquyted hym selfe so nobly amonge theym that euery man was well content And the erle of Foyz came thyder to se the prince who had great chere and feast And there was a peace made bytwene hym and the erle of Armynake the whiche a long space before made werr eche on other And than anone after sir JohnÌ„ Chandos was made constable of all the countrey of Guyene and sir Guychart Dangle was made marshall So thus the prince made suche knightes of his house as he loued best great offycers throughout the duchy of Acquitayne â–ª and tylled all constableshyppes baylâ—wykes with englysshe knyghtes who kept after great and puyssaunt astates parauenture greatter than they of the countrey wolde they had done but the matters wente nat at their ordynaunces ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the prince of wales and Acquitayne and of the princes and speke of kynge Johan of Fraunce who was as than at the newe towne without Auygnon ABout the tyme of candelmasse the yere of our lorde a thousande thre hundred 〈◊〉 Kyng Peter of Cypre came to Auygnon of whose comynge the hole courte was greatly reioysed and dyuers cardynalles went to mete hym and brought hym to the paleys to the pope Urbayne who ryght ioyously receyued hym And also so dyde the frenche kynge who was there present And whan they haâ—â—e 〈◊〉 â—o gâ—ther a certayne tyme and taken wyne and spices the two kynges departed fro the pope and eche of them went to theyr owne lodgyng And the same season there was a wage of â—atell before the frenche kyng bitwene two noble and expert knyghtes syr Aymon of Pommters and syr Fouques of Archiac and whaÌ„ they had fought sufficiently than the frenche kynge treated for a peace and accorded them to gether And so all the lente season these two kynges â—aryed there about Auignon and often tymes they visited the pope who receyued them right â—â—yâ—usly ANd often tymes whan the kynge of Ciper was with the pope the freche kyng beyng present and the cardinalles he declared to them howe that for all Christedome it shuld be a noble and a worthy thyng to open the passage ouer the see and to go agaynst yâ— enemyes of the Christen fayth The whiche wordes the frenche kynge gladly herde and pourposed in hym selfe if he myght lyue .iii. yere to go thither for two causes that moued hym therto the fyrste bicause his father kynge Philyp had auowed so to do and secondly to the entent therby to drawe out of his realme all maner of men of warre called companyous who â—ylled and robbed his countrey withoute any title and to saue theyr soules This pourpose and entente the frenche kyng reserued to hym selfe without any worde spekyng therof vntyll good fryday that pope Urban hym selfe preched in his chapell at Auignon beynge present both kynges and the hole College of cardinalles After that holy predicacion the whiche was right humble and moche deuoute The freÌ„che kynge by great deuocion toke on hym the Croysey and swetâ—hâ— requyred of the pope to accord and to consyrme his voyage and the pope lyghâ—ly agreed therto and so the kynge toke it and â—oith hym syr Calleran cardinall of Pierregourt the erle of Artoise the erle of Ewe the erle Dampmartyn the erle of Tankeruille syr Arnolde Dandrehen the great priour of France syr BoucequaÌ„t dyuerse other knyghtes there present And of this enterprise the kynge oâ— Cyper was ryght ioyouse and thanked ryght hartely our lorde therof and reputed hit for a great syngular meryte THus as ye maye se and here the frenche kynge and the sayd lordes toke on them â—o weare aboue all theyr garmentes the 〈◊〉 â—rosse and our holy father the pope 〈…〉 this voyage and caused it to be preched in dyuerse places I shall she we you howe the kyng of Cyper who was come thither to 〈◊〉 and moue this voyage had great 〈◊〉 to go and se the Emperour and all the hyghe baroues of the Empyre so into Englande to se the kyng there and so to all the other great lordes of â—â—â—â—â—enâ—ome And thus as he purposed so he dyd as ye shall here after in this history Our holifather the pope and the frenche kynge offered and promysed hym theyr bodyes goodes and substances to furnysshe this voyage and gaue hym full power to publysshe the grace and pardon of this holy voyage therby to cause all lordes and prynces the rather to enclyne to thys holy voyage And so this kynge was so well beloued for the reasons that he shewed and for the fayre language that he vttered to the lordes of this voyage that they had rather haue herd hym than any other predicacion and so on this poynt they reâ—â—ed Anone after easter the yere of our lorde M. CCC .lxiii. the kynge of Cyper departed fro Auignon and sayd he wolde go and se the emperour and lordes of the Empyre and promysed to returne agayne by Brabant Flaunders and Haynault and so he toke leaue of the pope and of the frenche kynge who in all cases acquyted them ryght well to ward hym and gaue hym many fayre gyâ—tê and â—â—â— wels and pardons that the pope gaue to hym to all his men And anone after the departynâ— of the kynge of Cyper the frenche
get it Than the kynge answered and sayd cosyn we wyll holde kepe and accomplysshe to our power that we haue sworne and sealed vnto But sir as for this present tyme we haue no money wherfore we wyll drawe vs to the marchesse of Ciuyle and ther we wyll so procure for money that we wyll satisfy euery party and sir ye shall abyde styll here in the vale of Olyfes the whiche is a plentyfull countre and sir we shall returne agayne to you in as short tyme as we coÌ„uenyeÌ„tly can or may and at the farthest by whitsontyd This answere was right pleasant to the prince and to his couÌ„sayle and shortly after the kynge Dampeter departed fro the prince and rode towarde Ciuyle to th entent to get money to pay his men of warr as he had promysed the prince went and loged in the vale of Olyfe and all his lordes and people spred abrode in the countre to get vitayls more plentyfull for theÌ„ and for their horses Ther thus they soiourned to a small profyte to the countre for the companyons coude nat absteyne them selfe fro robbyng and pillynge of the countre ¶ Of the honour that was gyuen to the prince for the vyctorie of Spayne and howe kyng Henry came into fraÌ„ce to make warre on the princes land and of the answere that kyng DaÌ„peter sent to the prince howe the prince departed out of Spayne and came into Fraunce Cap. CC .xxxix. TIdinges spred abrode through France Englande Almayne other countre is howe yâ— prince of Wales and his puyssance had in batell disconfyted kynge Henry taken slayne and drowned of his men the day of the batayle mo than C. thousande men wherby the prince was gretly renomed And his chiualry and highe entprice moche praysed in all places that herde therof specially in th empyre of Almayne and in the realme of Englande For the almayns flemynges and englysshmen sayde that the prince of Wales was chefe floure of all chiualry howe that suche a prince was well worthy to gouern all the worlde sythe by his prowes he had achyued suche thre highe entprices as he had done First the batayle of Cressy in Poictou the setonde ten yere after at Poycters and the .iii. nowe in Spayne before Nauaret So in Englande in the cytie of London the bourgesses there made great solemnyte and tryumphe for that vyctorie as they aunciently were wont to do for kynges whan they had ouercome their enemyes And in the realme of Fraunce there were made lamentable sorowes for the losse of the good knightes of the realme of Fraunce the whiche were slayne at that iourney And specially there was made sorowe for sir Bertram of Clesquy and for sir Arnolde Dandrehenne who were taken prisoners And dyuers other who were kept right courtesly and some of theÌ„ put to fynance and raunsome but nat sir Bertram of Clesquy so soone For sir Johan ChaÌ„dos who hadde the rule of hym wolde nat delyuer him And also sir BertraÌ„ made no great sute therfore ¶ Nowe let vs somwhat speke of kyng Henry what he dyde whan he departed fro the batayle And than let vs retourne agayne to the prince and to kyng Dampeter of Castell KInge Henry as it is sayd here after saued hym selfe as well as he myght and withdrewe fro his ennemyes And ledde his wyfe and his chyldren as soone as he might in to the cytie of Ualence in Aragon where as the kyng of Aragon was who was his godfather and frende and to hym recounted all his aduenture And anone after the sayd kyng HeÌ„ry was counsayled to passe further and to god to the duke of Aniou who as than was at MoÌ„tpellyer and to shewe vnto hym all his aduenture This aduyce was pleasaunt to the kynge of Arragon and consented well that he shulde go thyder bycause he was ennemy to the prince who was his nere neighbour So thus kinge Henry departed fro the kynge of Arragon and lefte in the cytie of Ualence his wyfe his chyldren and rode so longe that he paste Narbone the whiche was the firste cytie of the realme of Fraunce on that syde and after that Beseers and all that countrey And so came to Mountpellyer and there founde the duke of Aniowe who loued hym entierly and greatly hated the englysshmen though he made them as than no warre And the duke whan he was well enfourmed of kynge Henryes busynesse receyued hym ryght ioyously and recounforted hym as well as he might and so the kynge taryed there with hym a certayne space And than went to Auygnone to se pope Urbayne who was as than departynge to go to Rome And thanÌ„e kynge Henry retourned agayne to Mountpellyer to the duke of Aniou and had longe treaty toguyder And it was shewed me by them that thought theÌ„ selfe to knowe many thynges after it was right well sene appareÌ„t Howe that this kynge Henry dyde gette of the duke of Aniowe a castell nere to Tholous on the marchesse of the principalyte called Rockemor And there he assembled toguyder companyons and men of warr as bretons and such other as were nat passed ouer into Spaygne with the prince so that in the begynnyng there was a thre huÌ„dred men of warre These tidynges were anone brought to my lady princesse who as than was at Burdeux Howe that kynge Henry purchased hym ayde and socoure on all sydes to th entent to make warr to the principalyte and to the duchy of Guyen wher with she was greatly abasshed And bycause that he helde hymselfe in the realme of Fraunce She wrote letters and sent messangers to the frenche kynge desyringe hym nat to consente that the bastarde of Spaygne shulde make her any maner of warre seyng that her resorte was to the court of Fraunce Certifyeng him that moche yuell might ensue and many inconuenyentes fall therby Than the kynge condyscended lightly to the princesse request and hastely sent messangers to the bastard Henry who was in the castell of Rockemore on the fronters of MouÌ„taubon and was begynnynge to make warre to the countre of Acquitayne and to the princes lande Commaundynge hym incontynent to auoyde oute of his realme and to make no warre in the lande of his dere nephue the prince of Wales and of Acquitayne And bycause to gyue ensample to his subgettê that they shulde nat be so hardy to take any part with the bastarde Henry he caused the yonge erle of Auser to be putte in prison in the castell of Loure in Parys bycause he was soo great and conuersaunt with this kynge Henry the bastarde And as it was sayd he hadde promysed him to ayde him with a great nombre of men of armes but thus the frenche kynge caused him to breke his voyage and purpose So thus at the commaundement of the frenche kynge kyng Henry obeyed the whiche was good reasone but for all that yet he lefte nat his enterprice but so he departed fro Rockemore with a foure hundred bretons and to hym
messangers returned to Bruges and shewed the erle their lorde howe they had spedde Wher of he was ryght ioyfull And it was nat longe after but that the mariage of the duke of Bourgoyn their erles doughter was driueÌ„ through and agreed And it was shewed me that for this mariage the erle of Flaunders had more than fyfty thousande frankes and the towne of Doway and Lisle delyuered in gage for money that the frenche kynge gaue with thys maryage to the erle of Flaunders Who toke possessyon of them and therin dyd putte his people And so these two townes were attributed to FlauÌ„ders by reason of gage as it was shewed me I can say no further And anone after this composicion they proceded to the mariage the whiche was done and confirmed in the towne of GauÌ„t and there was great feaste and solempnyte the day of the maryage and after Ther were many lordes barones and knyghtes and specially the gentyl lorde of Coucy who was sent thither by the frenche kynge euery man was greatly feasted with great iustes and tryumphes And after euery man wense Whom to his owne And whan the kynge of EnglaÌ„de sawe that the erle of Flaunders bycause of this sayde maryage was alyed into Fraunce he wyste â—at What to suppose Whether that the Erle of Flaunders wolde take parte agaynst hym with the duke of Bourgoyne his sonne in lawe who by succession shulde be his heyre after his disceace ornat Nor also he myste nat what rouâ—nauntes were 〈◊〉 bâ—twene the frenche kynge and the erle of Flaunders Wherfore the kynge of Englande was more harder to the Flemmynges than he was before bothe by lande and by see as they came in marchandise Wherof the freÌ„che kynge was nothynge displeased for he wolde gladly that the Warre hadde ben open bitwene the englisshemen and fleÌ„mynges Howe be it the wise men of Flaunders and bourgesses of good tow â—es had no wyl to the warre for the comynalte of Flaunders susteyned rather the opinion and quarell of the kynge of Englande to be better than the frenche kynges The kynge of Englande who sought for frendes in all parties as â—ede was for hym so to do seynge the great warres and rebellions that dayly rose agaynst hym than he vnderstode well that kyng Charles of Nauarr his cosyn who was in base Nor mandy wolde soone agree to his accord for he was behated with the frenche kynge bicause of certayn landes that he kept and claymed them as his enheritance the whiche the frenche kyng dâ—nâ—ed for the whiche theyr counsayles had ben often tymes to guether But they coulde neuer make agrement bitwene them and so the matâ—er hanged styll eche of them takyng good hede of other And the kynge of Nauarre fortifyed greatly his townes and castels in Constantine and in the countie of Deureur and in the good townes of Normandye and helde hymselfe at Châ—erburge and had men of warr in euery garison And with hym there was ser Eustace DaÌ„â—â—erâ—court who was gouernour of a towne beâ—oud the passage of saynt Clement in the close of Constantyne the whyche perteyned to the kynge of Nauarre for it was parcell of his heâ—â—age called the towne of Carentyn And this syr â—ustace was chief of the kynges counsaile and the kynge of Englande sent vnto hym for he was also hisman and knyght to the entent that he shulde knowe the kynge of Nauarres mvâ—de And this knyght dyd so moche that the kynge of Nauarre with a prâ—uy company entred into a shyppe called Lyâ— and came to the kynge of England who made hym great there and feast and so they were longe to gether and fynally concluded that as soone as the kynge of Nauarre were returned to Chierbourge he shulde sende and defye the frenche kynge and to put in al his castelles and fortresses englisshe men And whan all this was confyrmed the kynge of Nauarre departed and returned agayne into Normandy to the towne of Chierbourge and was brought thyther by certayne knyghtes of Englande who had but euyllfortune at theyr returnynge home ward for on the see they mette normans and pyrates Who fiersely assayled them and were farre stronger than the englisshmen So the normans conquered them and slewe them all they wolde nat take one to mercy of the whiche aduenture the kynge of Englande was right sore displeased howe be it he coude nat remedy it And anone after yâ— the kynge of Nauarre was returned to Chierbourge ser Eustace Dambreticourt who was sent for by the prince toke leaue of the kyng of Nauarr to go and serue the prince the whiche kynge gaue hym leaue sore agaynste hysmyll Howe be it ser Eustace shewed hym so many reasonable causes that at laste he departed and toke the see and arryued with all his company at saynt Malo and rode to Nauntes to passe there the ryuer of Loyre by the agrement of the duke of Bretayne Who as than stered nat on no partye And so syr Eustace trauayled so longe that he came in to Poictou and came to the towne of Angolesme to the prynce who receyued hym with great ioy thaÌ„ anone sente hym to syr JohnÌ„ Chandos to the Captal of Beuâ— who were at Montaban makyng there thyr fronter agaynste the frenche men And thyther syr Eustace was ryght well come to all the company ¶ Howe the constable of France and the constable of Heynaulte reysed all army of men of warre to assaile Arde and howe the fortresse of Reainuille was taken and the englysshemenne slayne Cap. C C .liiii. IN the same season the knyghtes of Pycardye assembled together to go and assaute Arde and sir Mores Fyennes Constable of France and sir JohnÌ„ Uertyn constable of Heynauâ—â— were capitaynes of that companye by the commaundement of the Frenche kynge and they assembled to guether in the towne of saynt â—mer and they were a thousand spearâ—s of knyghtes and squyers And so they went and mostred before the bastid of Arde the whiche was well furnysshed with englysshe men and so the frenche men sayde they Wolde laye sâ—ege therto And the englysshe men were no thyng abasshed but made them redy to defende theyr fortresse if nede were And on a daye all the frenchemen and heynowes assembled together in yâ— felde in good array and fresshe mauer it was a goodly syght to beholde the baners and standardes wauynge with the wynde and so they gaue assaute to the towne nat greatly to theyr profyt for there were diuerse of them sore hurt and wounded and conquered nothynge And as it was shewed me on the syft daye they beparted fro Arde Without doynge of any great hurte and so returned euery man home to his owne howse Thus brake vp that iâ—urney ¶ Howe lette vs speke of farther countreys as of the siege that was before â—iamuille in Quercy layde by the frenchemen who were a .xii. thousande fyghtyngemen with the companyons that were in theyr felawesâ—â—ppe and within two dayes iourney of them lay the duke of