Huntyngton was as than on his waye to Ierusalem and to saynt Katheryns mount and purposed to retourne by the realme of Hungry for as he passed through FrauÌ„ce where he hadde great chere of the kyng and of his brother and vncles he herde howe the kyng of Hungry and the great Turke shulde haue batayle togyder therfore he thought sure lye to be at that iourney On the othersyde the duke of Lancastre came to Plomouthe where his shippes laye redy And whan his men were come and his vesselles all charged and had wynde at wyll they toke shippyng and disancred and sayled towardes Burdeaux on the ryuer of Gyron NOwe lette vs speke of the kyng of Englande who had in his copany four thousande men of armes and thyrtie thousande archers They shipped at thre places At Brutowe at Holyheed and at Herforde they passed ouer daylye And in Irelande all redy there was a valyaunt knyght of Englande called erle of Ormonde He helde landes in Irelande and so dyde his predecessours but it was as than in debate The erle Marshall of Englande hadde the vowarde with fyftene hundred speares and two thousande archers The kynge of Englande and his two vncles toke shyppinge at Herforde in Wales Thus the army passed ouer without doÌ„mage than they were lodged in Irelande by the apoyntement of the duke of Gloucestre coÌ„stable of Englande and by the marshals all abrode in the countrey beyond the cytie of Duuelyn a .xxx. myle for the countrey was as thanÌ„e inhabytable Howe be it they laye wysely and surely for feare of the yrisshe men as nede was or els they myght haue taken great doÌ„mage And the kynge and his vncles were lodged in the cytie of Duuelyn and as it was shewed me all the whyle they were there they were largely prouyded of vitayls For the Englysshe men are suche men of warre as can well forage and take aduauÌ„tage and make good prouisyon for theÌ„ selfe and their horses And what fell of this voyage I shall shewe you here after as I was enformed ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ„ Froissart arryued in Englande and of the gyfte of a boke that he gaue to to the kyng Cap. CC. TRewe it was that I sir Iohan Froissart as at that tyme treasourer and chanon of Chymay in the erldome of Heynaulte in the diocese of Liege had great affectyon to go and se the realme of Englande whan I had ben in Abbeuyle and sawe that trewce was taken bytwene the realmes of Englande and Fraunce and other countreis to them conioyned and there adherentes to endure four yeres by See and by lande Many reasons moued me to make that voyage One was bycause in my youthe I hadde been brought vp in the court of the noble kynge Edwarde the thyrde and of quene Philyppe his wyfe and amonge their chyldren and other barones of Englande that as than were a lyue In whome I founde all noblenesse honour largesse and courtesy Here fore I desyred to se the countre thynkynge therby I shulde lyue moche the lengar for I hadde nat been there .xxviii. yere before I thought though I sawe natte those lordes that I lefte a lyue there yet at the leest I shulde se their heyres the whiche shulde do me moche good to se and also to iustifye the hystories and maters that I hadde written of them And or I toke my iourney I spake with duke Aubert of Bauyere and with the Erle of Heynaulte Hollande zelande and lorde of Freese and with my lorde Wyllyam erle of Ostrenaunt and with my right honourable lady Iahane duchesse of Brabant and of Lusenbourge and with the lorde Eugerant lorde Coucy and with the gentyll knyght the lorde of Gomegynes who in his youthe and myne had been toguyder in Englande in the kynges courte In lykewise so had I sene there the lorde of Coucy and dyuers other nobles of Fraunce holden great housholdes in London whan they laye there in hostage for the redempcion of kynge Iohan as than Frenche kynge As it hath been shewed here before in this hystorie THese sayd lordes and the Duchesse of Brabant counsayled me to take this iourney and gaue me letters of recommendacyon to the kynge of Englande and to his vncles sauynge the lorde Coucy He wolde nat write to the kynge bycause he was a Frenche man therfore he durste nat but to his doughter who as than was called duchesse of Irelande And I had engrosed in a fayre boke well enlumyned all the matters of Amours and moralytees that in four and twentie yeres before I hadde made and compyled whiche greatly quickened my desyre to go in to Englande to se kyng Rycharde who was sonne to the noble prince of Wales and of Acquitayne for I hadde nat sene this kynge Rycharde sythe he was Christened in the Cathedrall churche of Burdeaux at whiche tyme I was there and thought to haue goone with the prince the iourney in to Galycia in Spaygne And whanÌ„e we were in the cytie of Aste the prince sente me backe in to Englande to the Quene his mother For these causes and other I hadde great desyre to go in to Englande to se the kynge and his vncles Also I hadde this said fayre boke well couered with veluet garnysshed with clapses of Syluer and gylte therof to make a present to the kynge at my fyrst cominynge to his presence I hadde suche desyre to goo this voyage that the payne and traueyle greued me nothyng Thus prouyded of horses and other necessaries I passed the See at Calais and came to Douer the .xii. daye of the moneth of Iuly WhanÌ„e I came there I founde no man of my knowledge it was so longe sythe I had been in Englande and the houses were all newly chauÌ„ged and yonge children were become men and the women knewe me natte nor I theym So I abode halfe a daye and all a nyght at Douer It was on a Tuesdaye And the nexte daye by nyne of the clocke I came to Canterbury to saynt Thomas shrine and to the tombe of the noble prince of Wales who is there entered ryght richely There I herde masse made myne offrynge to the holy saynt and thanne dyned at my lodgynge And there I was enformed howe kyng Richarde shulde be there the nexte daye on pylgrimage whiche was after his retourne out of Irelande where he had ben the space of nyne moneches or there about The kyng hadde a deuocyon to visyte saynt Thomas shrine and also bycause the prince his father was there buryed Than I thought to abyde the kynge there and so I dyde And the next daye the kynge came thyder with a noble company of lordes ladyes and damoselles And whan I was among them they semed to me all newe folkes I knewe no ê‘sone The tyme was sore chauÌ„ged in .xxviii. yere And with the kynge as than was none of his vncles the duke of LaÌ„castre was in Acquitayne and the dukes of yorke and Glocestre were in other busynesses so that I was at
language as moche as they myght lyke rude people without hououre as they be All thynges consydered It was to great an armye of so many noble men to come in to Scotlande and knewe no reason why a twentie or thrittie knyghtes of Fraunce had been better than all that nombre of fyue huÌ„dred or a thousande and the cause why is this ¶ In Scotlande ye shall fynde no man light lye of honoure nor gentylnesse They be lyke wylde and sauage people They wyll be with no man acquaynted and are greatly enuyous with the honoure or profyte of any other man and they dought euer to lese that they haue for it is a poore countre And whan the Englysshe men maketh any roode or voyage in to the couÌ„trey as they haue done often before this tyme If they thynke to lyue they muste cause their prouysion and vitayle to folowe theym at their backe for they shall fynde nothyng in that couÌ„trey but with moche payne Nor they shall fynde none yron to showe their horses nor leddar to make harnesse sadelles or bridelles For all suche thynges cometh to them redy made oute of Flaunders And whan that prouisyon fayleth there is none to gette in the countrey Whan the barownes and knightes of Fraunce who were wonte to fynde fayre hostryes halles hanged and goodly castelles and softe beddes to reste in Sawe them selfe in that necessite they began to smyle and said to the admyrall Sir What pleasure hath brought vs hyder We neuer knewe what pouertie ment tyll nowe We fynde nowe the olde sayengê of our fathers and mothers true WhanÌ„e they wolde saye Go your waye and ye lyue long ye shall fynde harde and poore beddes whiche nowe we fynde Therfore lette vs go oure voyage that we be come for Lette vs ryde in to EnglaÌ„de The longe taryenge here in Scotlande is to vs nother honourable nor profytable The admyrall apeased them as well as he myght sayde Sirs it behoueth vs to suffre a lytell and to speke fayre sithe we be in this daunger We haue a great longe waye yet to passe and by Englande we can nat retourne Therfore lette vs take in gree that we fynde We can nat be alwayes at Parys or Dygeon at Beautie or at Chalous It behoueth them that wyll lyue in this worlde thynkynge to haue honoure to suffre somtyme as well pouertie as welth THus sir Iohan of Vien admyrall of Fraunce apeased to his companyons with these wordes and suche other whiche I can nat all reherce They acquaynted them as mothe as they might with the barownes of Scotlande but they were visyted by them but very lytell For as I haue sayde before there is in theÌ„ lytell honour of all people yuell to be aquaynted withall The moost company that the frenche men had was the erle Duglas and the erle Morette These two lordes dyde theym more solace than all the resydue of Scotlande yet there was another thyng that was right harde to the frenchmen For whan they were in Scotlande and wolde ryde they fouÌ„de horses to dere for that that was nat worthe tenne florens they coude nat bye vnder threscore or a huÌ„dred and yet with moche payne to gette any for money and yet whan they had any horses than hadde they nother harnesse sadell nor bridell without they had brought it with them out of FlauÌ„ders In this trouble and daunger were the frenchemen yea and moreouer WhanÌ„e their varlettes went forthe a forragynge and hadde charged their horses with suche as they coulde gette In their retouruynge home the scottes them selfe laye in wayte for theym and all that they had taken from them and they well beten and some slayne so that there was none that durste go a forragynge for feare to be slayne For in a moneth the frenche men loste of their varlettes mo than a hundred For if they went forthe thre or foure toguyder they neuer returned agayne Thus the frenche men were handeled And besyde that the kynge of Scottes was desyred to comeforthe and so were the other lordes knightes and squyers of the realme But they aunswered and sayd Howe they wolde make no warre in to Englande as at that tyme. And that they sayd to th entent that the Frenche men shulde paye well for their comyng For or the kyng wolde come out of the wylde scottysshe to Edenboroughe he demauÌ„ded to haue a great somme of money for hym and for his people And the admyrall of FrauÌ„ce was sayne to promyse and to seale that the kynge shulde haue a certayne somme of money or he and his company auoyded the Realme It he had nat done thus he shulde haue hadde none ayde of the scottes He was fayne to make that marchaundise or elles a worse And yet whan he had made the best accorde and aâ—oyntment that he coude make with theym he hadde by them but lytell profyte nor helpe as ye shall here further in the hystorie ¶ But nowe a lytell I wyll retourne and tell of the aduentures of Flaunders and of the maryage of the yonge frenche kyng and howe Ardenbourcke hadde nere been taken by stelthe where as the Vycont of Meaulx and sir IohnÌ„ of Ieumont laye in garyson AFter the disconfyture that sir Ryflarte of Flaunders had made in the lande of the foure craftes with out Gaunt than he came to ArdeÌ„bourcke And thyder was sente in garyson sir Robert of Bethune vycouÌ„t of Meaulx and there he fouÌ„de sir Iohan of Iumont and his company And thyder was sente a .xl. speares knightes and squiers suche as desyred to seke aduentures WhanÌ„e the Vycount was come thider he entended to fortify and repayre the towne in all poyntes Fraunces Atreman and they of Gaunte subtelly ymagyned night and day howe they might anoye and do domage to their enemyes as they shewed rightwell to their neighbours as And warp TeremoÌ„de Ardenbourcke Bruges Danneâ— and Scluse They euer ymagined howe to wynne any of them by crafte And to say the trouth they had suche coÌ„pany as were mete to execute suche dedes So it fortuned about the ende of Maye FrauÌ„ces Atreman and a seuyn thousande with hym departed fro Gaunt to th entent to wynne Ardenbourke by stelth and all the knightê and squyers therin And specially they desyred to haue the capitayne sir Iohan Iumont bycause he had done them many great domages as in takyng and sleyng and puttyng out of their cyen and cuttyng of handes fete and eares of their men So thus on a Wednisdaye aboute the dawnynge of they day they came to ArdeÌ„bourcke and had with them scalynge leddars redy The Vycounte of Meaulx sir Iohan Iumount sir Ryflarte of Flaunders the lorde of Damert sir Tercelette of Montigny and sir Parducas of Pount saint Marke the lorde of Langueuall and sir Iohan his sonne sir Hewe Desnell the lorde de Lalayne sir Reynolde of LoÌ„mye and dyuers other lay slepyng in their beddes on trust of the watche Nowe beholde what adueÌ„ture they were in The watche
a voyage for you thanne to go to Rome with a great puyssaunce of men of armes and pull downe and dystroy that antepaye whome the romayns by force hath created and set in the seate cathedrall of saynt Peter if ye wyll ye maye well accomplysshe this voyage and we suppose ye can nat passe your tyme more honorably And syr ye maye well know that if this antepape and his cardynals knowe ones that ye be mynded to come on them with an army they wyll yelde them self aske mercy The kynge remēbred hym selfe a lytell and sayd howe he wolde do as they had deuysed for surely he said he was moche bounde to pope Clement for the yere past he had ben at Auygnon where as the pope and his cardynals made hym ryght honourable chere and had gyuen more than was demaunded bothe to hym selfe to his brother and to his vncles wherfore the kynge sayd it hadde deserued to haue some recompence and also at his departure fro Auignon he had promysed the pope to helpe to assyst hym in his quarell At that season there was at Parys with the kyng the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne than it was agreed and concluded that the nexte Marche after the kynge shuld departe fro Parys and take the way towardes Sauoy and Lombardy and the erle of Sauoy to sende his cosyn Germayne with hym and the kynge to haue vnder his charge the duke of Tourayne his brother with four thousande speares and the duke of Burgoyne with two thousande speares and the duke of Berrey two thousāde the constable of Fraunce two thousande speares with the bretons raintoners and lowe marches the duke of Burbon a thousāde speares the lorde of saynt Poll and the lorde of Coucy a thousande speares all these men of armes to be payed in hande for thre monethes and so fro terme to terme And whan those tydynges were knowen in Auignon pope Clement and his cardynals were greatly reioysed and thought in a maner their enterprise atcheued Also the kinge was coūsayled nat to leaue the duke of Bretayne behynde hym but to sende and to desyre hym to prepare hym selfe to go with him in this voyage The kyng wrote notably to hym and sent his letters by a man of honour an offycer of armes signyfyenge the duke in his letters the state of this voyage Whan the duke had red these letters he turned hym selfe smyled and called to hym the lorde of Mountboucher and sayd Syr harke and regarde well what the frenche kyng hath written to me he hath enterprised to departe this next Marche with a great puissaunce to go to Rome and to distroy suche as take parte with pope Bonyface As god helpe me his iourney shall tourne to nothynge for in shorte space he shall haue more flax to his dystaffe than he can well spynne I thynke he wyll leaue soone his folyssh thought And also he desyreth me to go with hym with two thousande speares howebeit I wyll honour him as I ought to do and I wyll write to him ioyously bycause he shall be contente and shewe hym howe if he go in this voyage he shall nat go without me seyng it pleaseth him to haue my company howe be it sir of Moūtboucher I say vnto you I wyll nat traueyle a man of myne for all that the kyng hath purposed and sayd nothynge shall there be done in that behalfe The duke of Bretayne wrote goodly letters and swete to the frenche kynge and the officer of armes returned with theym to Parys and delyuered them to the kynge who redde them and was well contented with the aunswere ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the Englysshe knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the frenche kynge fro the kynge of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Cap. C .lxxv. THe wyll and purpose of the frenche kynge none wolde breke for it pleased greatly all the knyghtes squyers of Fraunce bycause they wyst nat where better to enploy their season and euery man prepared towardes that voyage and namely the clergy of all the prouynces of the realme ordayned and graunted a tayle to sende at their costes and charges men of warre with the kynge Howe be it this voyage tourned to nothynge as the duke of Bretayne had sayd before and I shall shewe you by what incidence About the feest of Candelmas came other tydynges to the Frenche kyng and to his counsayle whiche they loked nothynge for Certayne of the kynge of Englandes coūsayle and suche as were of his priuy chambre were sent nobly to Parys to the frenche kyng and they that were chefe of this legacyon was syr Thomas Percy syr Loys Clyfforde and sir Robert Briquet with dyuers other knyghtes in their company but I herde as than no mo named Whan these thre knyghtes were come to Parys to hym than the french kyng was desyrous to knowe what it myght meane that the kynge of Englande dyd sende so hastely of his counsayle to hym These knyghtes of Englande syr Thomas Percy and other alyghted in Parys in the streate called the Crosse at the signe of the castell The frenche kynge as than lay in the castell of Lowere his brother the duke of Tourayne with hym and his other thre vncles in other lodgynges in the cytie and the cōstable syr Olyuer Clysson It was nere hāde noone whan the englysshe men came to Parys and they kept their lodgynge all that day nyght after and the next day aboute nyue of the clocke they lept on their horses ryght honorably and rode to the castell of Loure to the kyng where he with his brother and vncles the Erle of saint Poll the lorde of Coucy the constable of Fraūce sir Iohan of Vien sir Guy de la tremoyle with dyuers other barons of Fraunce were redy to receyue the englysshe ambassadours who alyghted at the gate and entred in and there receyued them the lord de la Ryuer syr Iohan Mercyer sir Lyon of Lignach sir Peter Villers sir Willyam of Tremoyle and syr Marcell there they receyued them honourably and brought theym in to the chambre where the kynge taryed for them Than they dyd of their bonettes and kneled downe syr Thomas Percy hadde the letters of credence that the kynge of Englande had sente to the frenche kynge he delyuered them to the kyng who tooke them and caused the knyghtes to stande vp than they stepe some what backe The kynge opyned the letters and red them and sawe well that they had credence than he called to hym his brother and his vncles and shewed them the letters than his vncles sayd Syr call forthe the knyghtes and here what they wyll say Than they aproched and were cōmaunded to declare their credence than si◠Thomas Percy spake and sayd Dere sir the entencyon of our souerayne lorde the kinge of Englande is that he wolde gladly that suche of his specyall counsayle as his vncles dukes of Lancastre yorke and Glocestre and other prelates of
Englande suche as his specyall 〈…〉 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 conâ—oyned 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 â—ary 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 dyâ—er 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 FrauÌ„ce 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 â—egh 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 caÌ„e 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 coÌ„munycacion 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 EnglaÌ„de and shewed the kyng and his vncles howe they had spedde and greatly praysed the freÌ„che 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 DoÌ„peter 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
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 adhereÌ„ces 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 souÌ„de 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 enherytauÌ„ce 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 puyssauÌ„ce 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 obeysauÌ„ces rentes lordshypes and reuenewes shulde parteygne to the duke of LaÌ„castre 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 LaÌ„castre was well coÌ„tent 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 NorthuÌ„berlande 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 obseâ—es done after at good leysar for the king wolde haue it done sumptuously with great habuÌ„daunce 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 ThomÌ„s 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
the firste all abasshed for if I had sene any auncyent knyght that had ben with kyng Edwarde or with the price I had ben well reconforted and wolde haue gone to hym but I coulde se none suche Than̄e I demaunded for a knyght called sir Rycharde Seury whyder he were a lyue or nat and it was shewed me yes but he was at London Than I thought to go to the lorde Thom̄s Percy great seneschall of Englade who was there with the kyng so I acquaynted me with hym and I founde hym right honorable and gracyous And he offred to present me and my letters to the kynge wherof I was right ioyfull for it behoued me to haue some meanes to bringe me to the presence of suche a prince as the Kynge of Englande was He wente to the kynges Chambre at whiche tyme the kynge was gone to slepe and so he shewed me and badde me retourne to my lodgynge and come agayne and so I dyde And whan I came to the bysshoppes palays I founde the lorde Thomas Percy redy to ryde to Ospring And he counsayled me to make as than no knowledge of my beynge there but to folowe the court and sayd he wolde cause me euer to be well lodged tyl the kyng shulde be at the fayre castell of Ledes in Kent I ordered me after his coūsayle and rode before to Ospring by aduēture I was lodged in an house where was lodged a gentyll knyght of Englande called sir Wyllyam Lysle He was taryed there behynde the kynge bycause he had payne in his heed all the nyght before He was one of the kynges preuy chambre And whan he sawe that I was a straunger and as he thought of the marchesse of Fraūce bycause of my langage We fyll in acquayncaunce toguyder for gentylmen of Englande are curcesse treatable and gladde of acquayntaunce Than he demaunded what I was and what busynesse I had to do in those parties I shewed hym a great parte of my cōmynge thyder and all that the lorde Thomas Percy hadde sayd to me and ordred me to do He than answered and sayde howe I coulde nat haue a better meane and that on the Friday the kyng shulde be at the castell of Ledes And he shewed me that whan I came there I shuld fynde there the duke of yorke the kynges vncle wherof I was ryght gladde bycause I had letters dyrected to hym and also that in his youthe he hadde sene me in the courte of the noble kyng Edwarde his father and with the quene his mother Than on the Friday in the mornyng sir Wylliam Lysle and I rode toguyder and on the waye I demaunded of hym if he had been with the kynge in the voyage in to Irelande He answered me yes Than I demaunded of hym the maner of the Hole that is in Irelande called saynt Patrykes purgatorie if it were trewe that was sayde of it or nat Than he sayde that of a suretie suche a hole there was and that he hym selfe and another knyght of Englande hadde ben there whyle the kynge laye at Duuelyn and sayd howe they entred in to the hoole were closed in at the sonne goynge downe and abode there all nyght and the nexte mornyng issued out agayne at the son risyng Than I demaūded it he had any suche strāge sightes or vysions as was spoken of Than he sayd howe that whan he his felowe were entred and past the gate that was called the purgatorie of saynt Patryke and that they were discended and gone downe thre or four paces discendyng downe as in to a cellar a certayne hoote wapure rose agaynst them and strake so in to their heedes that they were fayne to syt downe on the steres whiche are of stone And after they had sytte there a season they had great desyre to slepe and so fell a slepe and slepte there all nyght Than I demaūded that if in their slepe they knewe where they were or what visyons they had he answered me that in slepyng they entred in to great ymaginacyōs and in marueylous dremes otherwyse than they were wont to haue in their Chambres and in the mornynge they issued out and within a shorte season clene forgate their dreures visyons wherfore he sayde he thought all that mater was but a fantasy Than I lefte spekyng any further of that matter bycause I wolde fayne haue knowen of hym what was done in the voyage in Irelande And I thought as thā to haue demaūded what the kyng had done in that iourney but than company of other knyghtes came and fell in communycacion with hym so that I lefte my purpose for that tyme. Thus we robe to Ledes and thyder came the kyng and all his cōpany and there I founde the lorde Edmonde duke of yorke Than I went to hym and delyuered my letters fro the erle of Heynaulte his cosyn and fro the erle of Ostrenaunt The duke knewe me well and made me good chere and sayde Sir Iohan holde you alwayes nere to vs and we shall shewe you loue and courtesy we are boūde therto for the loue of tyme past and for loue of my lady the olde Quene my mother in whose courte ye were we haue good remembraunce therof Than I thanked hym as reason requyred So I was aduaunsed by reason of hym and sir Thomas Percy and sir William Lysle By their meanes I was brought in to the kynges chambre and in to his presence by meanes of his vncle the duke of yorke Than I delyuered my letters to the kyng and he toke and reed thē at good leysar Than he sayd to me that I was welcome as he that hadde ben and is of the Englysshe courte As on that daye I shewed nat the kynge the boke that I hadde brought for hym he was so sore occupyed with great affayres that I had as than no leysar to present my boke The kyng was sore busyed there in counsayle for two great mightye maters First was in determynynge to sende sufficient messangers as therle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne and the erle Marshall the archbysshoppe of Dublyn the bysshoppe of Ely the lorde Loys Clyssorde the lorde Henry Beaumonde the lorde Hughe Spensar and many other ouer the See to Charles the Frenche kynge to treate with hym for a maryage to be hadde bytwene the kyng of Englande and the Frenche kynges eldest doughter named Isabell of the age of eyght yeres The secōde cause was the lorde de la Barde the lorde of Taryde the lorde of Pyntherne the lorde of Newcastell the lorde of Nesque the lorde of Copane and the counsaylours of Burdeux Bayon and of Daxe were come in to Englande and had quickely pursued their mater sythe the kynges retourne out of Irelande to haue an answere of the requestes and processe that they had put forthe to the kyng on the gyfte that the kynge had gyuen to his vncle the duke of Lācastre of the landes seignories lordshippes and baronyes in Acquytayne whiche they verifyed
father to the Erle that nowe is who loued me right well bycause I coulde as thā ryde and handell an horse metely well And it fortuned one tyme that the sayde erle who as than was my maister was sent with thre hundred speares and a thousande archers in to the marchesse of Irelande to make warre with the yrisshe men for alwayes the Englysshe men haue had warre with thē to subdue and putte them vnder And on a daye as the sayd Erle went agaynst thē I rode on a goodly horse of his lyght and swyfte Thus I rode folowed my mayster And the same day the yrisshe men were layde in a busshement and whan̄e we came nere theym they opyned their busshement Thanne the Englisshe archers began to shote so egerly that the yrisshe men coulde nat suffre it for they are but simply armed therfore they reculed and wente backe Than̄e the Erle my mayster folowed in the chase and I that was well horsed folowed hym as nere as I coude and it fortuned so that my horse was afrayd and toke his bridell in his tethe and ranne away with me whether I wolde or nat he bare me so farforthe amonge the yrisshe men that one of them by lyghtnesse of ronnynge lepte vp behynde me and enbrased me in his armes dyde me none other hurt but so ledde me out of the way and so rode styll behynde me the space of two houres And at the laste brought me in to a secrete place thycke of busshes and there he founde his company who were come thyder and scaped all daungers for the Englysshe men pursued nat so farre Than as he shewed he had great ioye of me and ledde me in to a towne and a strōge house amonge the woodes waters and myres The towne was called Harpely and the gētylman that toke me was called Brine Costeret He was a goodly man and as it hath ben shewed me he is as yet a lyue how be it he is very aged This Brine Costeret kepte me seuyn yere with hym and gaue me his doughter in maryage of whom I hadde two doughters I shall shewe you howe I was delyuered IT happened at the seuin yeres ende one of their kynges named Arthur mackemur kyng of Lynster made an armye agaynst duke Lyon of Clarence sonne to kyng Edwarde of Englande and agaynst sir Wyllm̄ of Wynsore And nat farre fro the cytie of Lynster the Englysshe men yrisshe men mette toguyder and many were slayne and taken on bothe parties But the Englysshe men opteygned the vyctorie and the yrisshe men fledde and the kyng Arthur saued hym selfe but Brine Costeret my wyues father was taken prisoner vnder the duke of Clarence baner He was taken on the same courser that he toke me on The horse was well knowen amonge the erle of Ormondes folkes and than he shewed howe I was alyue and was at his maner of Harpelyn howe I had wedded his doughter wherof the duke of Clarence sir Wylliam Wynsore and the Englysshe men were ryght gladde Than̄e it was shewed hym that if he wolde be delyuered out of prison that he shulde delyuer me in to the Englysshe mennes hādes and my wyfe and chyldren With gret payne he made that bargayne for he loued me well and my wyfe his doughter and our chyldren Whan he sawe he coulde make his fynaunce none otherwyse he accorded therto but he reteigned myne eldest doughter styll with him So I and my wyfe and our seconde doughter retourned in to Englande and so I went and dwelte besyde Bristowe on the ryuer of Syuerne My two doughters are maryed and she in Irelāde hath thre sonnes and two doughters and she that I brought with me hath foure sonnes and two doughters bycause the langage of yrisshe is as redy to me as the Englysshe tong for I haue alwayes cōtynued with my wyfe and taught my children the same speche Therfore the kyng my souerayne lorde and his counsayle cōmaunded me to gyue attendaūce on these four kynges and to gouerne and bringe them to reason and to the vsage customes of Englāde seyng they hadde yelded them to to be vnder his obeysaunce of the crowne of Englāde and they were sworne to holde it for euer yet I ensure you for all that I dyde my power to ensygne and to lerne them good maner yet for all that they be ryght rude and of grose engyn moche payne I hadde to make them to speke any thyng in fayre maner somwhat I altred them but nat moche for in many cases they drewe to their naturall rudenesse The kyng my soueraygne lordes entent was that in maner countenaunce and apparell of clothyng they shulde vse accordyng to the maner of Englande for the kynge thought to make them all four knyghtes they had a fayre house to lodge in in Duuelyn and I was charged to abyde styll with them and nat to departe And so two or thre dayes I suffred them to do as they lyst and sayde nothynge to them but folowed their owne appetytes They wolde sytte at the table and make coūtenaunce nother good nor fayre Than I thought I shulde cause thē to chaunge that maner They wolde cause their mystrelles their seruauntes and varlettes to sytte with them and to eate in their owne dysshe and to drinke of their cuppes And they shewed me that the vsage of their countre was good for they sayd in all thynges except their beddes they were and lyued as cōmen So the fourthe day I ordayned other tables to be couered in the hall after the vsage of Englande And I made these four kynges to sytte at the hyghe table and there mynstrels at another borde and their seruantes and varlettes at another byneth them wherof by semynge they were displeased and behelde eche other wolde nat care and sayd howe I wolde take fro them their good vsage wherin they hadde been norisshed Than I answered them smylyng to a peace theym that it was nat honourable for their estates to do as they dyde before and that they must leaue it and vse the custom of Englande and that it was the kynges pleasure they shulde so do and how he was charged so to order them Whan they harde that they suffred it bycause they had putte them selfe vnder the obeysaūce of the kyng of Englande and parceuered in the same as long as I was with them yet they hadde one vse whiche I knewe well was vsed in their coūtre and that was they dyde were no breches I caused breches of lynen clothe to be made for them Whyle I was with them I caused them to leaue many rude thynges aswell in clothyng as in other causes Moche ado I had at the fyrst to cause them to weare gownes of sylke furred with Myneuere gray For before these kynges thought them selfe well apparelled whan they hadde on a mantell They rode alwayes without sadelles styropes and with great payne I made thē to ryde after our vsage Andon a
season with hym The erle acorded to their counsayle and whan he was redy he wente to Parys to the kynge as he was acustomed to do for euer whan he came there was no dore closed agaynst him At this last tyme he spake wysely to the kynge and shewed hym howe he wolde go and sporte hym a season in Bretayne and to se the duke whome he called his vncle for he had had to his wyfe his fathers suster doughter to Kynge Edwarde The frenche kynge thought nothyng but well and so gaue hym lyghtly leaue Than the erle desyred to haue conducte to bringe hym thyder He graunted his desyre So to make shorte the Erle ordeyned all his busynesse by great wysdome and toke his leaue of all the lordes of Fraunce suche as were there as than and he gaue great gyftes to the kynges offycers and to offycers of armes and to mynstrelles and in the howse of Clysson he made a supper to all suche as wolde come to hym And the nexte daye he toke his horse and departed fro Parys and issued out at the gate of saynt Iaques and toke the way to Estampes A knight of Beawsey dyd guyde hym called syr Guy of Baygneux So longe they rode that they came to Blois and there they taryed an .viii. dayes for the erle had sente a knyght and his haraulde in to Bretayne to sygnyfie the duke of his cōmynge as reason was WHan duke Iohan of Bretaygne knewe that his nephewe the erle of Derby was cōmynge thyder he was therof ryght ioyfull for he loued alwayes the Duke of Lancastre and all his bretherne and sayde to the knight that brought him worde who was called Gillyam de la Pierre Sir why dothe our nephewe tary by the way that he cometh nat hyther streyght The knyght excused the erle as well as he myght Well quod the duke I sawe no man this seuen yere that I wolde be gladder to se than my nephewe the erle of Derby retourne to hym cause hym to come for he shall fynde my countrey redy open to receyue hym Of that aunswere the knyght was gladde and retourned as shortely as he coulde and came to Bloys and shewed the erle and his counsayle the dukes aunswere The next day they rode forthe and had payed for euery thynge and in the erle of Derbyes company was syr Peter of Craon who was banysshed out of the realme of Fraunce and all his castelles rentes and reuenues seased for the sōme of a hundred thousande frankes iudged to the duchesse of Aniou quene of Napoles by proces of the lawe Thus the erle of Derby came to Nauntes and there founde the duke who receyued him nobly and all his company Than syr Guy le Bayneux retourned in to Fraunce and the erle taryed with the Duke of Bretaygne who made hym as good chere as coulde be deuysed And all this seasone the bysshoppe of Caunterbury was styll with the erle and his coūsayle The duke spared nothynge vpon the erle nor vpon his men but shewed them all the loue of the worlde and yet the duke knewe well the dyspleasure that kynge Rycharde had agaynste the erle wherof he had pytie Whan the erle consydred the dukes good wyll and fauoure he dyscouered to hym parte of his busynesse as touchynge the duchy of Lancastre and suche herytages as the duke his father had in possessyon whan he dyed and desyringe therin to haue the dukes counsayle sayenge that he was nat repealed agayne by the kynge but gyueth dayly away parte of his enherytaunces wherby he shewed the duke that many noble men and prelates in Englande were nat well contente with the kynge and the realme therby in great dyfference In so moche that dyuers noble men and the londoners had sent to hym to haue hym to come in to Englande promysynge that they wolde make his peace with the kynge and set hym in his herytage Whan the duke herde that he sayd Fayre nephue where as be many wayes the best ought to be chosen By the kynge ye are in a harde case ye demaunde counsayle and I wyll counsayle you to gyue credence to your frendes in Englande the londoners are myghty and puyssaunt they and by the ayde of other prelates lordes and knyghtes of the realme shall bringe the kynge to agre to their desyres and nephewe I shall ayde you with spyppes and with men of warre to resyste the daungers vpon the see Of that offre the erle thanked the duke of Bretayne ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby aryued in Englande and howe he was receyued of the londoners Cap. CC.xl. THus the duke of Bretaygne and the erle of Derby were louyngely concluded togyder and the erle taryed there a certayne space made as though he wold haue taryed styll there and in the meane seasone the erle made his prouysyon at Wannes And whan all thynge was redy the duke and the erle came thyder and whan the wynd serued the erle of Derby and his company tooke the see he had with hym thre shyppes of warre to conducte hym in to Englande and the further they sayled the better wynde they had so that within two dayes and two nyghtes they aryed at Plūmouth in Englande and issued out of their shyppes and entred in to the towne lytell and lytell the bayly of Plūmouthe who had charge of the towne vnder the kynge had great marueyle whanne he sawe so moche people and men of warre entre in to the towne But the bysshop of Caunterbury apeased him and sayd howe they were menne of warre that wolde do no harme in the realme of Englande sent thyder by the duke of Bretaygne to serue the kynge and the realme Therwith the bayly was contente and the erle of Derby kept hym selfe so priuy in a chaumbre that none of the towne knewe hym Than the bysshoppe of Caunterbury wrote letters sygned with his hande to London sygnyfienge the cōmynge of the erle of Derby and sente them by a suffycyent man in post who tooke fresshe horses by the waye and came to London the same daye at night and passed ouer the bridge and so came to the mayres lodgynge who as than was a bedde and as sone as the mayre knewe that a messāger was come fro the bysshop of Caunterbury he rose out of his bedde and made the messanger to entre in to his chambre who delyuered hym a lettre fro the bysshoppe of Caunterbury The mayre redde it and reioysed greatly of those newes and incontynent he sente of his seruauntes fro house to howse princypally to suche as were of counsayle of sendynge for the Erle of Derby They were all gladde of that tydynges and in contynent there assembled togyther of the moste notablest men of the cytie to the nombre of two hundred they spake togyder and helde no longe counsayle for the case required it nat but they sayd lette vs apparell our selfe and go and receyue the duke of Lancastre saythe we agreed to sende for hym the
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 couÌ„sayle 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 FrauÌ„ce 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 soÌ„what 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 coÌ„mynge 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 herytauÌ„ce shulde abyde with the Vycount of Chastellon on suche condycions as is before written Than sir Roger and his coÌ„panyon 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 coÌ„mynge And whan he knewe that the Frenche kyng had gyuen vp his tytell of the byeng of the couÌ„tie 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 coÌ„cluded 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 FreÌ„che kyng all suche money as was ê“mised 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 FrauÌ„ce 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 caÌ„e thider First for the frenche kyng for his estate and for his thre vncles and also for other great lordes of FrauÌ„ce euery man after his degre for it was said that kyng Richard of EnglaÌ„de shulde be there wherfore many desyred to se him such as had neuer sene him before how beit he came nat there yet he caÌ„e to Douer to th entent to haue passed the see his thre vncles with hym that is to say the dukes of LaÌ„castre 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 HuÌ„tyngton therle of Derby sir thomas Percy the bysshops of Durham London and other of the kynges couÌ„saile to passe ouer so they came to Calais And whan the day aproched that they shulde mete at AmyeÌ„ce they deê‘ted 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 driÌ„ke lodgyng horse mete With the duke of LaÌ„castre the duke of yorke there caÌ„e their cosyn dought to their suster to the lorde Coucy who was a faire yoÌ„g lady called the lady of yrelaÌ„de for she was wedded to the duke of yrelaÌ„de this lady caÌ„e 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 lâ—pte on their horses and rode out of the towne to mete with the englisshmen acoÌ„panyed with many other great lordes Fyrst mette with theÌ„ the duke Loys of Thourayn well acoÌ„panyed and honorably receyued his colyns of Englande there coÌ„muned 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 geÌ„tyll
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 â—aynt Poule came to the duke of yorke the erle of Huntyngton and to sir Thomas Percye and so â—ode 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 Laâ—castre 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 caâ—e 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 coÌ„maned a season they toke their leaue of the kyng his brother vncles and departed were conueyed to their lodgynges by the coÌ„stable 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 deê‘ted agayne to the kyng and the lady of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy was lodged in her fathers lodging all her coÌ„pany IT was ordayned by the freÌ„che kyng his counsayle before thenglysshe lordê came to the cytie of Amyence whiche ordynauÌ„ce was publysshed and proclamed openlye to th entent that no ê‘sone shulde be ignorant therof but euery man to beware of â—re 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 demauÌ„deth to suâ—â—re them pesably to haue it that no hoâ—t nor vitayler demaunde any money outher for meate or drinke nor for other suche coÌ„men 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 coÌ„trolement that if any freÌ„chman 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 queÌ„che the fyre Also it was ordayned that no freÌ„ch 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 coÌ„clusyon 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 coÌ„mons 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 soÌ„der right amiably for euery daye they poynted to were agayne the nexte day bothe parties trustyng at last to coÌ„clude 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 coÌ„mynaltie of Englande rather enclyned to warre than to peace for in the tyme of good kyng Edwarde the thirde and of his sonÌ„e 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 FrauÌ„ce 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