of Bloyes and all their landes to the duke of Thourayn the frenche kynges brother Capi. C .lxxxii. ¶ Howe sir Roger of Spayne and sir Espaygne du Lyon spedde with the Frenche kynge and his counsayle for the Vycount of Chastellons busynesse and howe he was set in possessyon in the countie of Foize and of the money that he payde Cap. C.lxxxiii ¶ Of the great assemble that was made at Amyence of the Frenche kynge and his couÌ„sayle and of the kyng of Englandes vncles on the treatie of peace Cap. C.lxxxiiii ¶ Howe sir Peter of Craon throughe yuell wyll by subtile crafte beate downe sir Olyuer of Clysson wherwith the kynge and his counsayle were sore displeased Cap. C.lxxxv ¶ Howe in great dilygence the Prouost of Parys pursued sir Peter of Craon Capi. C .lxxxvi. ¶ Of the great armye and voyage that the Frenche kyng purposed to make in to Bretayngne agaynst the duke bycause he susteyned sir Peter of Craonne and howe in that voyage the kyng fell sicke wherby the voyage brake Cap. C.lxxxvii ¶ Howe the duke of Thourayne brother to the Frenche kynge resigned the Duchy of Thouraynge in to the kynges handes and howe by exchaunge the kynge gaue hym the duchy of OrlyauÌ„ce and so euer after he was called the duke of Orlyaunce Cap. C.lxxxvii for .viii. Fo. CC.xxxiii ¶ Howe the dukes of Burgoyn and of Berrey vncles to the Frenche kynge had the gouernaunce of the realme and howe they chased and toke suche as gouerned the kyng bâ— fore Cap. C.lxxxix ¶ Howe sir Olyuer of Clysson constable of Fraunce departed out of Parys after the answere that the duke of Burgoyne had made hym and went to Mount le Henry and â—â—â—thens in to Bretayne Cap. C.xc. ¶ Howe the treatise whiche was accorded bytwene Englande and Fraunce for thre yeres was renewed Cap. C.xci. ¶ Of the aduenture of a Daunce that was made at Parys in lykenesse of wodhouses wherin the Frenche kynge was in paryll of dethe Cap. C.xcii ¶ Howe pope Bonyface and the cardynals or Rome sente a Frere a wyse clerke to the Frenche kyng Cap. C.xciii ¶ Howe the mariage was treased of the lorde Philyppe of Arthoyes erle of Ewel and the lady Mary of Berrey wydowe doughter to the duke of Berrey and howe he was admytted coÌ„stable of Fraunce Cap. C.xciiii ¶ Of the forme of the peace made bytwene the Frenche kyng and the kyng of EnglaÌ„de by meanes of the four dukes vncles to bothe kynges Cap. C.xcv. ¶ Of the dethe of pope ClemeÌ„t at Auâ—gnon and of the electyon of pope Benedic Capi. C.xcvi ¶ Of a clerke named maister Iohan of Warennes Cap. C.xcvii ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande gaue to the duke of Lancastre and to his heyres for euer the duchy of Acquitayner and howe the kynge prepared to go in to Irelande and the duke in to Acouitayne Cap. C.xcviii ¶ Of the dethe of quene Anne of Englande wyfe to kynge Richarde doughter to the kynge of Boesme and Emperour of Almayne Cap. C.xcix ¶ Howe sir Iohn Froissart arryued in Englande and of the gyfte of a boke that he gaue to the kyng Capi. CC ¶ Of the refuce of them of Acquitayne made to the duke of Lancastre and howe they sente in to EnglaÌ„de to the kynge and his couÌ„sayle shewyng hym the wyll of the hole couÌ„trey of Aequitayne Cap. CC.i. ¶ The deuyse and of the conquest that kynge Richarde had made in Irelande howe he brought to his obeysaunce foure kynges of that countray Cap. CC.ii. ¶ Of the ambassade that the kynge of Englande sent in to FrauÌ„ce to treate of the â—â—â—ryage bytwene the lady Isabell the Frenche kynges eldest doughter and hym selfe and of the louynge aunswere they hadde Cap. CC.iii ¶ Of a souper named Robert the 〈◊〉 howe he was sent to the treaties of the peace holden at Balyngham and howe he was after sente in to Englande to kynge Rycharde and his vncles Cap. CC.iiii ¶ Of the delyueraunce of the lorde de la Riuer and sir IohnÌ„ le Mercier and howe they were putte out of prisone Capi. CC.v ¶ Of the peace that was had bytwene the duke of Bretaynge and syr Olyuer of Clysson Cap. CC.vi. ¶ Howe the kynge of Hungery worte to the Frenche kynge the state of the great Turke and howe Iohan of Burgoyne eldest sonne to the duke of Burgoyne was chiefe heed of the armye that went thyder Fo .cc.lxiii. ¶ Howe the erle of Ostrenaunt enterprised to go in to Fryse Cap. cc.vii ¶ Of the iudgement made in the Parlyament for the quene of Naples agaynste sir Peter of Craon Cap. CC.ix. ¶ Of the conclusyon of the maryage taken at Parys bytwene the kynge of Englande and Isabell eldest doughter to the Frenche kynge and howe the duke of Lancastre remaryed Cap. CC.x. ¶ Howe the great turke desyred the soudan and many other kynges Sarasyns to ayde hym with men of warre to resyst agaynst the christen men and howe many valyaunt sarasyns Came to hym out of farre countreis Cap. CC.xi. ¶ Howe the lorde of Eoucy and other lordes of the christen men about a .xv. hundred speares disconfyted a fyue thousande Turkes durynge the the siege before Nicopoly Cap. CC.xii. ¶ Howe the peace bytwene Englande and Fraunce contynewed and of the maryage of the kyng of Englande with the doughter of Fraunce Cap. CC.xiii ¶ Howe the erle of Heynaulte and the Erle of Ostrenaunt his sonne made a great armye of men of armes knightes and squyets to go in to Fryse Cap. CC.xiiii ¶ Of the armye that the Frenche kyng sent in to Fryse in the ayde of his cosyns and the lorde Valeran erle of saynt Poule and the lorde Charles de la Brethe were capitayns Cap. CC.xv ¶ Howe the maryage of the kynge of Englande to the doughter of Fraunce was ordred and howe the Frenche kyng delyuered his doughter to the kynge of Englande in his tent bytwene Arde and Calais Cap. CC.xvi. ¶ Howe the siege before Nicopoly in Turkey was reysed by Lamorabaquy and how the Frenche men were discoÌ„fyted and howe the hungaryons fledde Cap. CC.xvii ¶ Of the pouertie and misery that the christen knightes of Fraunce and other nacions endured in the coÌ„mynge home to their countreis Cap. CC.xviii ¶ Howe the trewe tidynges of the batayle in Turkey was knowen in the Frenche kynges house Cap. CC.xix ¶ Howe the duchesse of Orlyaunce doughter to the duke of Myllayne was hadde in suspecte of the Frenche kynges syckenesse Capi. CC.xx. ¶ Howe the duke of Burgoyn the duches his wyfe tooke great dilygence to fynde the meanes to redeme out of prisone the Erle of Neuers their sâ—nne and the other prisoners beyng in Turkey Cap. CC.xxi ¶ Howe the Duke of Gloucestre subtelly sought out the meanes howe to distroy kynge Richarde of Englande his nephewe Cap. CC.xxii ¶ Howe the duke of Gloucestre was taken by the erle Marshall by the coÌ„maundement of the kynge Cap. CC.xxiii ¶ Howe the lordes of FrauÌ„ce retourned by see
to Venyce and of the ysles they founde by the waye Capi. CC.xxiiii ¶ Howe after the retourne of the lordes of Fraunce the Frenche kynge entended what he myght to sette a concorde and peace in the churche Cap. CC.xxv ¶ Of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre and of the erle of Arundell and howe the kynges vncles and the Londoners tooke the mater Cap. CC.xxvi ¶ Of the great armye that was made in the cytie of Reynes as well by the Emperoure as of the realme of Fraunce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii ¶ Howe the erle Marshall in Englande apealed by guage of vttraunce therle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre in the presence of the kynge and his counsayle Cap. CC.xxviii ¶ Howe kyng Richarde gaue senteÌ„ce wherby he banysshed out of Englande the erle of Derby forten yere and therle Marshall for euer Cap. CC.xxix ¶ Howe the erle of Derby departed fro LoÌ„don to go in to Fraunce and the erle Marshall went in to FlauÌ„ders and so in to Lombardy Cap. CC.xxx. ¶ Howe the lorde Guyllyam erle of Ostrenaunt sent to his cosyn the erle of Derby certayne messangers and howe the erle came to Parys and howe he was receyued Capi. CC.xxxi ¶ Howe the treatie that had been at Reynes bytwene the Frenche kynge and the kyng of Almaygne concernyng the vnyte of the churche was folowed and howe the bysshoppe of Cambrey was sent by the sayd kynges to Rome and to Auignon to them that wrote them selfe popes to th entent that they shuld depose themselfe fro their papalytees submytte them to the order of these two kynges Cap. CC.xxxii ¶ Howe the FreÌ„che kyng assembled the prelates and other noble meÌ„ or his realme with the vnyuersyte of Parys to take counsayle howe they shulde order pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC.xxxiii ¶ Of the answere of the duke of Lancastre to the knight sent to hym fro his sonne therle of Derby and howe the duke of Lancastre dyed Capi. CC.xxxiiii ¶ Howe the dethe of the duke of Lancastre was knowen in Fraunce the kynge of Englande wrote in maner of ioye to the Frenche kynge therof and wrote nothyng therof to therle of Derby who was the dukes son Capi. CC.xxxv ¶ Of the treatie of a maryage bytwene the erle of Derby the duke of Berreys doughter and howe kyng Richarde of Englande dyde lette it by the erle of Salisbury Cap. CC.xxxvi ¶ Howe kynge Richarde ordayned to go in to the marchesse of Irelande Cap. CC.xxxvii ¶ Howe the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury was sente in to Fraunce to therle of Derby fro the Londoners and other counsayls of Englande to haue hym to retourne in to Englande Cap. CC.xxxviii ¶ Howe the erle of Derby toke leaue of the Frenche kyng and went to his cosyn the duke of Bretayne Cap. CC.xxxix ¶ Howe the erle of Derby arryued in Englande and howe he was receyued of the LoÌ„doners Capi. CC.xl. ¶ Howe tidynges caÌ„e to kynges Rycharde or the coÌ„myng of therle of Derby with great puissaunce Capi. CC.xli ¶ Howe kyng Richarde of Englande resined the crowne and the realme in the handes of the erle of Derby duke of Lancastre Cap. CC.xliiii ¶ Of the coronacyon of kynge Henry duke of Lancastre by the consent of the realme the maner of the feest Cap. CC.xlv ¶ Howe newes of the takyng of kyng Rycharde was knowen in Fraunce by the commynge thyder of the lady Coucy and howe the Frenche kynge was displeased Cap. CC.xlvi ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng reysed vp an armye to sende vpon the tronters of EnglaÌ„de Cap. CC.xlviii ¶ Of the dethe of kynge Richarde of Englande and howe the â—reuse bytwene Englande and Fraunce was renewed and also of the deposycion of pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC.xlix ¶ Finis ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ„ Bourchier gouernour of Gaunt during the truse had newe vitayled the towne of Gaunt And howe a maner of people called comporsels dyde moche hurte in the countre Capitulo Primo SIr IohnÌ„ Bourchier who had the gouernyng of GauÌ„t vnder kynge Rycharde of Englande the capiteyns of the coÌ„montie of the towne as Peter de Boyes fraÌ„ces Atreman and Peterle Myttre They prouyded surely for the warre and duryng the truse they had greatly vitayled and refresshed the towne with all prouision parteyning to the warre and also the castell of Gauure and other places vnder their rule In the same season there was a coÌ„pany of rutters gadered togyder in the wode of Respayle and there they had fortifyed a house so that it coude nat lightly be wonne They were people chased out of Alos of Grantmount and out of other places in FlauÌ„ders and had lost all that euer they had and wyst nat how to lyue but by robbyng and pillyng wheresoeuer they coude gete it so that there was as than no spekynge but of these pygges of Respayle This woode is bytwene Reguays and Grauntmount Anghien and Lysen they dyde moche hurt in the lordship of A the in the lande of Floberge and of Lyssues and in the lande of Danghien and these pyllers were borne out by them of Gaunt for vnder the coloure of them they dyde moche hurt as in robbynge and sleynge They wolde go in to Heynalte and take men and women in their beddes and leade them to their forteresse and raunsome theÌ„ at their pleasure they made warre to euery man The capitayne of A the who was called Baudrius dela Mocte layde often tymes awayte for them but he coude neuer trappe them they knewe so many shyftes They were so feared in the froÌ„ters of Heynalte and Brabant that none durst go that waye in to the countre THe duke of Burgoyne on the other parte for the warâ— that he loked for he garnysshed and prouided for all his townes in FlaÌ„ders There was capitayne of Bruges the lorde of Guystelles and of Courtrey sir Iohan Ieumount and sir Willyam of Namure As than sir WillmÌ„ of Guystels was lorde of Dan and of Courtray sir Iohan Ieumount and sir Peter of Neyper In lykewise in all the townes on the fronter of Fraunce there were men of warre set by the duke of Burgoyne In the towne of Ardenbourcke there was in garyson sir Guy of Pontaillyer marshall of Burgoyn sir Ryflarte of Flaunders sir Iohan of Ieumont sir Henry of Coynge the lorde of Montigny in Ostrenant the lorde of Longueuall sir Iohan Barnet sir Peter Baylleull Philpot Gany Raoleyn dela Foley and dyuers other These men of armes were two hundred and so they toke aduyse toguyder and were in wyll to ryde in to the foure craftes and distroy that countre for moche vitayle came fro thens in to GauÌ„â— And so on a day they departed and toke that way and the same day that the frenche men were rydden forthe there was rydden forthe out of Gaunt a two thousande men mete for the warre and FrauÌ„ces Arreman was their capitayne And so sodainly they mette with the frenchmen in a village and whan
brent and rased downe for they sawe well that it was nat to be kept seyng that it was so farr in Englande as it was Than the admyrall scottes rode towarde Auwike in the lande of the lorde Percy lodged there about brent certayne villages and so came to another castell of therle of NorthuÌ„berlandes standyng on the see syde but they assayled it nat for they knew well they shulde lese their payne And so they rode all about that fronter halfwaye bytwene Berwyke Newcastell on the ryuer of Tyne and there they vnderstode howe that the duke of LaÌ„castre therle of NorthuÌ„berlande the erle of Notingham the lorde Neuell and the barons of those marches of NorthuÌ„berlande of the bysshoprikes of yorke Dyrham were comynge on them with a great power Whan thadmyrall of Fraunce knewe therof he was right ioy full and so were all the barons of FrauÌ„ce that were in his coÌ„pany for they desyred to haue batayle but the scottes cared Iytell therfore there they were counsayled to returne againe towarde Berwyke bycause of their prouisyon that folowed them also to be nere their owne couÌ„tre and there to abyde for their ennemyes So thadmyrall beleued theÌ„ and returned towarde Berwyke wherof sir Thomas Redman was capitayne with hym right good men of armes So the french men and scottes lay before the towne but assayled it nat so passed by the next day and toke the waye to Burbourcke to retourne to their owne countrees Tidynges was brought anon in to EnglaÌ„de howe the freÌ„chmen scottes were in Northum berlaÌ„de distroyed and brent the couÌ„tre The kynge of Englande knewe rightwell before of their comynge wherfore the lordes were redy in the felde toke their way towarde the scottes Thenglysshmen had made that somer the grettest prouisyon that euer they made to go in to Scotlande bothe by lande water They had a .xxvi. vessels on the fee charged with ê“uision costyng the froÌ„ters of Englande redy to entre in to euery hauen of Scotland And the kyng caÌ„e him selfe acoÌ„panyed with his vncles therle of CaÌ„bridge sir ThoinÌ„s Holand Ther was also therle of Salisbury therle of AtuÌ„dell the yong erle of Penbroke the yong lorde SpeÌ„sar therle of Stafforde therle Mysien so many barons knightes that they were four M. speres besyde them that were before with the duke of LaÌ„castre therle of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„de therle therle of NotynghmÌ„ the lorde Lucy the lorde Neuell The lordes barons that were on before pursuyng the scottes were a two M. speares .xv. M. archers And the kynge the lordes were fyftie M. archers besyde varlettes The kyng folowed the duke of Lancastre so fast that he and all his host came in to the marches about yorke for on the way tidynges caÌ„e to the kyng howe that his people that were before were likely to fight with the scottes in the marches of NorthuÌ„berlande therfore he made the gretter hast so the kyng caÌ„e at last to sait IohnÌ„s of Beuerley in the marches of DyrhinÌ„ And ther tidynges came to the kyng how that the scottes were returned in to their owne countre so all the men of warre lodged about in the marches of NorthuÌ„berland ¶ Nowe shall I shewe you of an adueÌ„ture that fell in theÌ„glysshe hoost wherby that voyage was broken mortall warre bytwene certayne of the lordes ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ„ Hollande slewe sir Rycharde Stafforde howe therle of Stafforde came to the kyng to demaunde iustyce Cap. xii IN the marches of sait IohnÌ„ of Beuerley in the dyoces of yorke The kynge of England was lodged with a great nombre of erles barons and knightes for euery man lay as nere the kyng as they might and specially his two vncles ser Thomas Holande erle of Lien and sir Iohan Holande his brother In the kynges company there was a knyght of Boesme was come to se the quene of Englande and for loue of the quene the kyng and the lordes made hym good chere His name was sir Myles he was a fresshe lustye knight after the vsage of Almaygne And so it fortuned besyde a vyllage nere to sait Iohans of Beuerley that there fell wordes bitwene this knight two squyers of sir Iohan of Hollandes brother to the kynge and to the wordes there came two archers of sir Iohan Staffordes The wordes so multiplyed that the two archers toke parte with the straunger and blamed the two squyers sayng Sirs yedo wroÌ„ge to medyll with this knight for ye knowe he is belongyng to the quene and of her countre ye ought rather to support him than otherwise Than one of the squyers sayd What enuyous knaue Hast thou to do thoughe I blame hym for his folly What haue I to do quod the archer I haue right well to do therwith for he is companyon to my mayster Therfore I wyll nat be in the place to suffre hym to receyue any villany yea quod the squyer if I thought thou woldest ayde hym agaynste me I wolde put this swerd through thy body made couÌ„tnauÌ„ce as thoughe he wolde haue stryken him The archer stepped backe with his bowe whiche was redy bente And sette an arowe therin and drewe it vp and shotte agaynst the squyer that the arowe pearsed thoroughe body hart and so fell downe deed Whan the other squyer sawe his felowe deed he fledde awaye and sir Myles retourned to his lodgynge The two archers went to their maister and shewed hym all the aduenture Sir Richarde Stafforde sayde Thou hast done right yuell Sir quod the archer I coude do none otherwise without I wolde haue been slayne my selfe and I had rather haue slayne hym thaÌ„ he shulde haue slayne me Well quod sir Rycharde Go thy waye that thou be nat founde and I shall entreate for thy peace with sir Iohan of Holande by my father or by some other So the archer deê‘ted TIdynges anone was brought to sir Iohan of Holande that an archer of sir Richarde Staffordes had slayne a squyer of his that man that he loued best in all the worlde and it was shewed hym the maner howe And that it was for the cause of sir Myles the strauÌ„ger Whan sir Iohan of Holande was well enfourmed of this aduenture he was ryght sore displeased and sayd I shall neuer eate nor drike tyll it be reuenged Than he lepte on his horse and toke certayne of his men with hym and departed fro his owne lodgynge It was as than right late and so rode in to the feldes and enquered Where sir Myles was lodged It was shewed hym he was lodged in the reregarde with the erle of Deuurynters and therle of Stafforde Than sir Iohan Hollande toke the waye thyder warde and sought to fynde sir Myles And as he and his men rode vp downe amonge the hedges and busshes in a straite waye he mette at aduenture with sir Richarde Stafforde and bicause it was night he demauÌ„ded who was there I am
as nowe ynoughe to doo to kepe theÌ„selfe agaynst theyr enemyes as wel frensshmen as Skottes therfore make as good war as ye caÌ„ with suche people as ye haue for trust not of no comforte nor ayde out of Englande outher of men of armes or archers for surely ye are not lyke to haue ony ye were two yeres aboute to gete that ye haue the kynge your nephewe seeth not all thynges he is yonge and byleueth yong counsayle wherby the royalme of Englande lyeth is in peryll grete aduenture wherfore syr approche as soone as ye can to the kynge of Portyngale speke with hym your worde shall do you more profyte then all the letters ye can wryte in .iiii. monethes the duke of Lancastre noted well these wordes knew wel that it was true and that it was truely counsayled then the duke sayd to them that gaue hym that counsayle what wyll you that I sholde do they answered and sayd syr sende to the kynge of Portyngale .v. or .vi. of your knyghtes and at the leest a baron and let them shewe the kynge howe ye haue grete desyre to se hym let them be wyse that ye sende and let theÌ„ fynde the meanes that ye maye speke togyder shortly I am content sayd the duke Then there was sente in to Portyngale fro the duke the lorde poynynges a grete baron of englande and syr IohnÌ„ Abruell syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte and syr IohnÌ„ Souster bastarde bretheren to syr IohnÌ„ Holande constable of the oost these departed fro saynt Iames with a C. speres CC. archers ANd on a day when al these letters were made and sealed there came to the duke fro the kynge of Portyngale a knyght and a squyer with .xii. speres called syr Vase Martyne of Cougne and the squyer Ferrant Martyne of Merle they were of the kynges hous nere to his persone they were lodged at theyr ease in the towne of saynt Iames then they were brought to the duke to the duches so presented theyr letters and also they presented to the duke and to the duches and to theyr doughters fayre whyte mules well aumblynge wherof they were glad howbeit for all that the iourney of the englysshmen to the kynge of Portyngale was nor brokeÌ„ but they were stopped for a .iiii. dayes and on the .v. daye departed and this knyght and squyer all togyder in company and the duke sente to the kynge of Portyngale in token of loue .ii. fawcons pelegrynes as good as coulde be deuysed .vi. englysshe greyhoundes good for all maner of beeâ—tes â—o the Portyngales and the Englysshmen rode togyder ouer al the lande of Galyce they were in no fere of the Castellyans for they were ferre ynoughe ofrro them and on the waye as they rode syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourre and Martyn Ferrant of Merle fell in talkynge togyder for before that season the squyer had ben in armes with syr Eustase Dambrychcourte who was vncle to the sayd syr Iohn and was with hym when he dyed at Quarencyne and as they talked togyder they rode behynde theyr company they met an heraulde and a varlet comyng fro Connymbres where the kynge laye was rydynge towarde saynt Iames to the duke of Lancastre this heraulte perceyned to the kynge of Portyngale and was called Connymbres The heraulte had spoken with the lordes and shewed them suche tydynges as he knewe and when Ferrant Martyn of Merle saw hym comynge he sayd to syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte beholde yonder cometh an heraulte of the kynge of Portyngales it is longe syth he was in this countrey I wyl demaunde of hym some tydynges and when they met togyder the squyer sayd a Connymbres where haue you ben so longe it is more then a yere syth I saw you or that ye were in this countrey syr sayd he I haue ben in Englande haue sene the kynge and lordes there and they haue made me ryche with grete gyftes that I haue had of them and fro thens I retourned by the see in to Bretayne was at the maryage of the duke of Bretayne and at the grete feest that he kepte at the cyte of Nauntes aboute a .ii. monethes past he hath wedded the lady Iahan of Nauare and fro thens by the see I went in to Irelande fro thens to the porte in Portyngale and as they talked togyder the squyer behelde a scochyn that the heraulte bare on his brest wherin were graued inamyled the kynge of Portyngales armes and the armes of dyuers other lordes then the squyer set his fynger on one of the armes perteynynge to a knyght of Portyngale and sayd ase here the armes mes of the gentyll knyght syr IohnÌ„ Partelere by my fayth I am glad to se them for they perteyne to a gentyll knyght who on a tyme dyd me grete profyte I ought well to remembre it therwith he toke .iiii. floreyns of golde out of his purse and gaue them to the heraulte who thanked hym and syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte behelde well the armes the felde syluer an endenture gooles with .ii. chanders fables and so the heraulte departed then the squyer sayd syr IohnÌ„ saw you neuer this knyght that bare the sayd armes whom I prayse so moche I can not tell sayd syr IohnÌ„ but at the leest I praye you shewe me what was that courtesy that ones he dyd to you I wolde be glad to here it we haue nothynge elles to talke of I am contente sayd the squyer to shewe you for the knyght is well worthy to be spoken of then he began his tale thus SO it fortuned a lytell before the batayle of Iuberoth when the kynge of Portyngale wente fro Connymbres thyderwarde the kynge sente me in to the countrey to warne certayne knyghtes to come to hym to be with hyÌ„ at that iourney so I rode forth but one page with me and as I rode I happened to mete a xxv speres gascoynes and I was not ware tyl I was amonge them then they toke me demaunded whether I wente and I shewed theÌ„ I was rydynge to the castell of Ronte they demaunded what to do and I sayd to go seke syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Partelere to come to the kyng of Portyngale of Iuberoth why sayd they is syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Parteler capytayne of the castel of Ronte is he not all redy with the kyng of Portyngale no surely syrs sayd I but shortely he wyll be there yf he ones knowe the kynges pleasure well sayd they he shall knowe it for we wyll ryde thyder so they toke the waye to the castell of Ronte when they were within the syght of the castell the watche of the castell sayd he saw men of armes approchyng towarde the castell then syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant demaunded fro what parte they were comynge the watche sayd they were comyng towarde the porte A sayd he they be then Castellyans and rydeth at aduenture towarde saynt Irayne I wyl go and loke on them they shall tell me tydynges where the kynge is
so he lepte on his horse a xx with hym and toke his penon before hym and rode out of the castell a grete galop to come to the Castellyans who as then were drawen in to a busshment and had made one of theyr company to ryde forthe on a genet and when syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant saw the geneture he sayd to a squyer of his galop forth thy genet assaye to speke with yonder geneture then the squyer galopped forth and folowed hym nere euer lykely to take hym for he fled but softely before hym to the entente to brynge hym in to the busshment when he was nere them the busshment brake out at hym then he tourned quyckely his backe and they that chased hym cryed Castell and syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant beynge vnder his penon seynge his squyer retourned in suche hast sayd they that chase my squyer be none of our company they be castellyans set on them crye Portyngale for I wyll fyght with them then he toke his spere ranne at them the fyrst that he met withall wente to the erthe and the seconde also of .xxv. Castellyans that were there x. of them lay shortely on the grounde and the other chased and some were ouertaken slayne and hurte and all this I was glad to se for I saw my delyueraunce and in a shorte season I was lefte all alone then I came to the knyght and saluted hym and as soone as he saw me he knewe me and demaunded of me fro whens I came what I dyd there then I shewed hym all myne aduenture and how the Castellyans chased me and toke me well sayd he and what knowe you of the kynge of Portyngale by my fayth syr sayd I to morowe he shall haue batayle at Iuberoth agaynst the kynge of Castel for he sente me in to this countrey to gyue warnynge therof to the knyghtes and squyers that knoweth it not to the entente that they sholde resorte to hym to morow sayd he ye truely syr sayd I and yf ye byleue not me demaunde of these Castellyans that ye haue taken then he demaunded of them tydynges they sayd howe surely the nexte day there sholde be batayle bytwene the .ii. kynges of whiche tydynges he was ryght glad and sayd openly to the Castellyans syrs for the good tydynges that ye shewe me I quyte you of your raunsomes departe when ye wyl so ye acquyte this squyer so thus he caused me to be quyted fro them and so they departed we yâ— same day retourned to â—onte then he made hym redy and departed thens at mydnyght I in his company and fro thens to the Cabase of Iuberoth whiche was a .vi. myles of that countrey and to eschewe encountrynges we rode somwhat out of our waye in the mornynge we herde that there sholde be batayle the same daye or we sawe the batayles when we approched the batayles were raynged in the feldes the kynge of Castell on the one partye the kynge of Portyngale on the other and at the fyrst we knewe not whiche were Castellyans and whiche were Portyngales tyll at the last syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Partelere sayd I byleue surely the gretter oost be the Castellyans then we rode forth fayre easely tyl we came nere and then we sawe well it was the Castillyans and I trowe some of the gascoynes brake out agaynst vs then syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant sayd let vs auaunce forthe we se yonder our enemyes comyng on vs theÌ„ we strake our horses with the spurres rode cryenge Portyngale they folowed vs then when our company of portyngules sawe vs they came forth and rescued vs and for al that the batayles brake not theyr aray and so syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant came to the kynge and acquyted hym that day with the best Thus syr I haue shewed you howe he dyd me grete courtesye for he delyuered me out of pryson and I had not ben at the batayle and he had not ben Therfore syr dyd he not me a goodly pleasure yes truely sayd syr IohnÌ„ Dambrych courte and also by you he knew of the batayle that is true sayd the squyer then they rode forth tyll they had ouertaken theyr companuy came the same day to Connymbres ANd of the comynge of these Englysshe knyghtes the kynge of Portyngale was ryght ioyfull coÌ„maunded that they sholde be well lodged at theyr ease and when they were redy then Martyn of Coygne Ferrant Martyn Merle and the englysshe knyghtes wente to the kynge who receyued them ioyously theÌ„ the Englysshmen dyd theyr message presented the kynge with the Fawcons and greyhouÌ„des of the whiche the kynge had grete ioy for he loued houndes and hawkes then they thanked the kynge on the dukes parte for the goodly mules that he had sente to the duke and to the duches then he sayd that was but a small present another tyme I wyll sende them gretter gyftes this was but for aquayntaunce of loue as lordes ought to do one to another to nourysshe loue and amyte then wyne and spyces were brought and the knyghtes of Englande dranke and so toke theyr leue for that tyme retourned to theyr lodgynges to souper the nexte day they dyned at the kynges palace and the lorde Poynynges and syr IohnÌ„ Bancell sate at the kynges table and syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourt syr IohnÌ„ Soultyer sate at another table with the barons of that countrey suche as were there and there was Laurence Fongase a squyer of honoure of the kynges who knewe ryght well all the knyghtes and squyers of Englande for he had sene them in Englande he made them the best chere he coulde they were well serued at this dyner and after dyner they were brought in to the counsayle chambre Then the englysshe knyghtes began to speke to the kynge and to .ii. erles that were there present the erle of Angose and the erle of Nauare and sayd syr and it lyke your grace besyde all the recommendacyons that the duke of Lancastre hath sente vnto you he gaue vs in charge to say to you that he desyreth sore to se you then the kynge sayd and I as glad to se hym and I requyre you that shortely we may se and speke togyder syr sayd the erles it were good that it were so for tyll ye be togyder ye shal not loue parfytely and then ye may take aduyse togyder howe ye may maynteyne your warres agaynst the kynge of Castel syr this is true sayd the knyghtes of englande then sayd the kynge let it be done shortely for if the duke desyre to se me in lyke wyse I desyre to se hym so then they fell in other talkynge for then the kyng charged his counsayle to agre and assygne a certayne daye when they sholde mete togyder and to assure the englysshe knyghtes therof and so they dyd it was agreed that the kynge of Portyngale sholde come to a cyte in his countrey called the Porte and that the duke of Lancastre sholde ryde
alonge by the frontere of Galyce so there at the partyng of bothe royalmes to mete and speke togyder so on that conclusyon the messagers departed and retourned towarde Galyce rode as they came tyll they came to saynt Iames and there shewed to the duke and the duches howe they had sped of whiche tydynges the duke was ioyfull and so he had cause for his busynes began then to approche ANd when the season came that the duke of Lancastre sholde departe fro saynt Iames he lefte there styll his marshall and al his company excepte .iii. C. speres and .vi. C. archers and syr IohnÌ„ holande who had wedded his eldest doughter with hym and many other knyghtes and squyers and the duke rode the fronters of Galyce and approched nere to Portyngale and the kynge who laye at the Porte knewe well of his comynge and so departed with .vi. hundreth speres and came to the fronters of Portyngale and lodged at a towne called Mouson the last towne of Portyngale on on that syde and the duke of Lancastre came to another towne the fyrst towne of galyce ioynyng to Portyngale called Margasse and bytwene Mouson and Margasse there was a ryuer and fayre medowes and a grete playne a brydge called the mor brydge on a thursday in the mornynge the kyng of Portyngale and the duke of Lancastre with all theyr companyes met togyder there was a goodly and a louyng metynge and there were lodgynges made in the feldes of the kynges syde and thyder went the duke of Lancastre to dyner whiche dyner was well ordred there sate at the kynges table the bysshop of Connymbres the bysshop of Porte the archebysshop of Bargus in Portyngale the duke of Lancastre and a lytell byneth late syr IohnÌ„ of holande and syr Henry beamonde of Englande and there were plentye of mynstrelles and so were in sporte tyll it was nyght that daye the kynge of Portyngale was apparelled all in whyte with a reed crosse of saynt George for that is the habyte of the house called Mouson otherwyse called Denyce in Portyngale of the whiche ordre the kynge was and or he was crowned was called mayster therof But euer after he bare styll that deuyse in the honoure of god and saynt George and all his men were arayed in whyte and reed then wheÌ„ it began to be late they retourned to theyr lodgynges tyll the nexte daye The kynge wente to Mouson and the duke to Margasse and bytwene bothe there was no more but the medowe and the ryuer to passe then on the fryday wheÌ„ they had herde masse they toke theyr horses so rode agayne to mor brydge and there they met agayne there they had goodly lodgynge made The kyng and the duke had theyr chambres hanged with tapyceryes and curteynes as well as and the kynge had ben at Lyxbone and the duke at London and before dyner they counsayled togyder on the state of theyr busynes howe they sholde maynteyne theyr war when they sholde set forth then it was determyned that all the wynter the kynge sholde tary in his owne countrey the duke at saynt Iames to let theyr marshal dele and in marche the kyng and the duke theyr men to assemble togyder and to go and fyght with the kyng of castel where soeuer he sholde be as theÌ„ for they sayd they sholde be Englysshe and Portyngales togyder a .xxx. thousande and when al this was concluded then the kynges counsayle comoned amonge themselfe for a maryage for theyr kynge for it was tyme and the royalme wolde that he were maryed to his honoure profyte and for to haue good alyaunces in tyme to come and they sayd they knewe not as then where he sholde mary more to his profyte nor to the welthe of his comons then in the house of Lancastre and this they shewed to the duke and when he sawe the kynges entencyon and howe that he was in the kynges daunger seynge he was come out of Englande in to the fronters of Portyngale to demaunde his herytage of Castell then he answered smylynge sayd to the kynge who was there presente syr I haue in the towne of saynt Iames two doughters I wyll gyue you one of them whome it pleaseth you to chose Syr sende thyder your counsayle and I shal sende her to you syr sayd the kynge I thanke you ye offre me more then I desyre as for my cosyn Katheryne I wyll leue her styll with you but as for Phylyp your doughter her I demaunde and wyl wedde her and make her quene of Portyngale and so brake vp theyr counsayle and wente to dyner and sate as they dyd the daye before they were serued notably accordynge to the vsage of the countrey and after dyner the duke retourned to Margasse and the kynge to Mouson THe saterday after masse they met agayne at the sayd place and that daye the duke of Lancastre made the dyner for the kynge of Portyngale and his company and there were chambres and halles hanged with arras enbrowdery as rychely as thoughe they had ben at London and the Portyngales praysed moche the Englysshe maner and at that dyner there were thre archebysshoppes and .vii. bysshoppes syttynge at the hyghe table The bysshop of Lyxbone the bysshop of Porte and the bysshop of Connymbres the archebysshop of Bargus and other and the kynge sate in the myddes of the table and the duke a lytell bynethe hym and bynethe the duke the erle of Nauare and the erle of Angosse and at another table sate fyrst the mayster Denyce then the grete mayster of saynt Iames in Portyngale and the pryour of saynt IohnÌ„s then Don galopes percler IohnÌ„ Ferrant his sone the ponnayse of Congne and Vas Martyn of Congne the Podych of Senede Vas Martyn of merle albarons the abbot of the cabase of Iuberoth the abbot of saynt mary of Eure syr Alue Perere marshall of Portyngale IohnÌ„ Radygosdesar and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers of Portyngale for there sate that daye no Englysshmen for all knyghtes and squyers of englande serued there were many mynstrelles the duke gaue them a C. nobles and the herauldes as moche after dyner when all thynges was accomplysshed they toke leue amyably eche of other tyll another season the kynge retourned to Porte and the duke to Margaâ—se and toke his way in to Galyce and the erle of Nauare conueyed the duke with a C. speres tyll he was out of all daunger and then the erle toke his leue and retourned in to Portyngale the duke rode to saynt Iames in Galyce MOche desyred the duches of Lancastre the retourne of the duke her husbande to here tydynges what conclusyons were takeÌ„ And so the duke was well welcomed home as it was reason and the duches demaunded of hym howe he lyked the kynge of Portyngale by my fayth sayd the duke he is a gracyous man is of body and maners lyke
doughters and as sone as they be wedded ye shal se bothe theyr puyssaunces ioyne togyder entre in to my royalme so gyue me to moche to do Then the frensshe knyghtes answered to comforte the kynge and sayd syr take no thought therfore for yf the englysshmen wyn on the one syde they lese on the other for we know surely that the frensshe kynge with mo then a. C.M. men of warre is as nowe in the royalme of Englande dystroyeth and conquereth the countrey and when they haue done brought al Englande in subieccyon then the frensshe kynge wyl take agayne the se or somer be past aryue at coulogne in galyce wyn agayne more in a moneth then ye haue lost in a hole yere the duke of Lancastre shal so be inclosed that he shal be fayne to fle in to portyngale so ye shal take vengeaūce of your enemyes for syr know surely that if the busynes offraūce had not ben so grete as it is for the voyage in to englande ye sholde haue had here or this .iii. or .iiii. M. speres of frensshmen for the frensshe kynge his vncles coūsayle haue grete affeccyon to cōforte ayde you to brynge your warres to an ende syr care not though the englysshmen nowe kepe the feldes wyn a lytel of your countrey Surely syr or it be the feest of saynt Iohn̄ baptyst they shal al be dryuen away the kyng toke these wor for good toke cōforte in thē the frensshe knyghtes sayd nothyng but as they thought was true for they reputed surely as then the frensshe kynge to be aryued in Englande so it was brewted in all Spayne Galyce and Portyngale surely the fourth parte of the tydynges that the englysshmen herde of pylgrymes merchauntes comynge fro flaunders was not shewed to the duke of Lancastre also the kynge of Portyngale for al that he wrote often tymes to the duke yet he somwhat dyssymuled was not ouer hasty to sende for the lady Phylyp to be his wyfe for his counsayle sayd to hym syr surely there is tydynges come out of Fraunce out of flaunders that the royalme of Englande is in a grete aduenture to be dystroyed and yf that be so what sholde it auayle you the comforte of the duke of Lancastre or to wedde his doughter it sholde nothyng auayle you wherfore couertly he delayed his busynes to the entente to se the ende of that matter howbeit by letters messagers he reteyned styll the duke in loue fauoure Nowe let vs leue a season to speke of the busynesses of Castell and Portyngale and let vs treate of the matters of fraunce ¶ Of the grete apparell of shyppes galeys that the frensshmen made on the see to passe in to Englāde Ca. liii THe apparel of shyppes galeys and vesselles that the frensshe kyng made to passe in to Englāde was so grete and sumptuous that the eldest man thā lyuyng neuer saw nor herde of the lyke the knyghtes and squyers reioysed when they departed fro theyr houses to go with the frensshe kynge in to Englande sayd nowe let vs go on these cursed Englysshmen who haue done so many euylles persecucyons in fraunce nowe shall we be reuenged for our faders bretherne and kynsmen whom they haue slayne and dyscomfyted surely it was more then .xii. wekes a doynge the pourueynge of suche prouysyons as the frensshe lordes made it was so grete that it was meruayle to consyder it it was sayd in all flaunders the kynge cometh to morowe and also men came thyder out of Gascoyne armynacke Comynges Tholowsyn and fro al the lymyttes of fraunce and all came lodged in flaunders and Artoys and when it came to the myddes of August that the voyage sholde approche and to the entente to make them of farre countreys to make the more hast to gyue ensample that the kynge toke his voyage with grete desyre the kynge toke his leue of the quene his wyfe and of quene Blaunche and of the duches of Orlyaunce and of the other ladyes of fraunce herde masse solemply in our Ladyes chyrche in Paris his entencyon was neuer to retourne agayne to Paris tyll he had ben fyrst in Englande so the kynge rode to Senlyse but al that season the duke of Berrey was styll in his coūtrey of Berre howbeit prouysyon was made in Flaunders at sluse for hym as it was done for other also the duke of Borgoyne was in his countrey so then he toke leue of the duches of his chyldren determyned to take his leue of his grete aunte the duches of Brabant so he departed out of Borgoyne rode in grete estate the admyrall of fraunce in his company syr Guy of Tremoyle so they came to Bruzelles there founde the duches other ladyes who receyued hym with grete honour .ii. dayes he taryed there with them then toke his leue fro thens he rode to Mons in Heynalte and there he founde his doughter the lady of Ostrenant duke Aubert his sone syr wyllyam of Heynalte erle of Oftrenant who receyued the duke with grete ioy so brought hym to Valencennes the duke was lodged in the erles palace duke Aubert in the lodgynge of Vycongnet the lady of Ostrenant fro thens the duke rode to Doway so to Arras there he founde the duches his wyfe taryenge for hym Then the frensshe kynge came to Compaygne so to Noyon fro thens to Perone to Bapalmes so to Arras dayly there came downe people fro all partes so grete nombre that the coūtrey was clene eten vp nothyng was lefte abrode in the countrey but it was taken wtout payenge of ony thynge so that the poore comon people that had gadered togyder theyr cornes had nothynge lefte them but strawe yf they spake therof they were beten or slayne theyr waters were fysshed theyr houses beten downe for fyer wood yf the englysshemen had aryued in the countrey they coulde not nor wolde not haue done so grete dystruccyon nor hurte then the frensshmen themselfe dyd they sayd to the poore men syrs we haue as nowe no syluer to pay but when we retourne we shal haue ynoughe then ye shall be clerely payde but the poore people when they saw theyr goodes taken spente away and durst not speke theragaynst they cursed bytwene theyr tethe sayenge go in to Englande or to the deuyll neuer retourne agayne ¶ Howe the frensshe kynge and his vncles aryued at Sluse in flaunders Ca. liiii THe frensshe kynge came to Lysle in flaunders his two vncles with hym the duke of Borgoyne and the duke of Borbon for as thē the duke of Berrey was behynde in his owne coūtrey and ordeyned for his busynes with the kynge at Lysle there was the duke of Bare the duke of Lorayne the erle of Armynacke the erle
season that the kynge of Aragon thus dyed there was at Barcelona the archebysshoppe of Burdeaus whome the duke of Lancastre had sente thyder in ambassade I shall shewe yon the cause why ¶ The prynce of wales bycause he was duke and lorde of the countrey of Acquytayne and that all his neyghbours doubted hym as the Frensshe kynge the kynge of Aragon the kynge of Spayne and the kynge of Nauare yea And also kynges that were sarazyns that harde grete spekynge of hym for the good fortune and noble chyualrye that he was of and he hadde a certayne alyaunce and confyderacyon with kynge Peter of Aragon whiche leage was sworne and sealed bytwene them and it was confyrmed by the kynge of Englande fader to the prynce ANd amonge other thynges it was comprysed that the kynge of Englande nor the duke and lorde of Acquytayne sholde make ony warre nor consente to make ony warre agaynst the roayalme of Aragon for the whiche the kynge of Aragon sware and sealed for hym and for his ayres that euery yere he sholde serue the prynce of Acquytayne with the nombre of fyue hundred speres agaynst who so euer he hadde to doo withall or elles to sende vnto hym as moche money as sholde wagâ— fyue hundreth speres ¶ And soo it was that as then there was .x. yeres rynne in aterages that the kynge of Aragon had payde nothyng nor done ony seruyce to the kynge of Englande nor to his deputyes and when the duke of Lancastre wente out of Englande he hadde with hym letters patentes sealed with the grete seale of Englande wherby he was stablysshed to be the kynges Lyeutenaunt in the marches of Burdeaus Bayon and Acquytayne and the kynge gaue hym fall puyssaunce and auctoryroyall to demaunde all ryghtes and due accyons as well of the royalme of Aragon as elles where and wolde that the duke sholde haue yâ— profyte without ony excepcyon and what soo euer he dyd to be ferme and stable so thus wheÌ„ the duke of Lancastre had ben a season in the towne of saynt Iames in Galyce he remembred hymselfe of the busynes of Aragon and perceyued well by reason of his commyssyon howe the kynge of Aragon was sore in his det in a grete some of money longe renne in arerages whiche he thought if he myght gete it sholde gretely ayde hym in his warres of Castell and soo he sente to the archebysshop of Burdeaus and to syr IohnÌ„ Harpedan who was senesshall of all Burdeloys commaundynge theÌ„ bothe or at the leest one of them to go in to Aragon to the kynge there and to shewe hym playnly howe he was in grete arrerages with the kynge of Englande and with the duke of Acquytayne the archebysshoppe and the Senesshall behelde well the duke of Lancastres letters and soo toke counsayle togyder theron and there they determyned that it was best that the Senesshall sholde â—â—ry styll at Burdeaus and the bysshop to take on hym the charge of that voyage and soo he dyd and he came in to Aragon in so euyll a season that the kynge the relaye syke and dyed and after the kynges dethe the archebysshop poursued his cause and folowed the kynges chyldren and the counsayle of the royalme who came to the kynges enterment to the cyte of Barcelona and this bysshop pursued his ambassade so affectuously that he was set in a courtoyse pryson so that he coulde not departe when he wolde when these tydynges came to Burdeaus to the senesshall there he sayd I thought neuer none other wyse for the archebysshop is hasty heedy I thynke nowe it had ben better that I had gone for I wolde haue spoken moore mekely there is a maner thrughout all the worlde howe to demaunde a mannes ryght the senesshall sente these tydynges to the duke of Lancastre in to Galyce who was therwith ryght sore dyspleased and euyll contente with the kynge of Aragon and his counsayle that they had put the archebysshop in to pryson for doynge of his ambassade then the duke of Lancastre wrote to the companyons of the garyson of Lourde that they sholde make warre agaynst them of Barcellona where as the archebysshoppe of Burdeaus was in pryson IOhnÌ„ of Byerne who was capytayne there and senesshall of Bygore Pier Dauchyn Ernalton of Resten Ernalton of saynt Colombe and other of the garyson of Lourde were gretely reioysed when they herde that tydynges and then began to rynne in to the royalme of Aragon to the portes of Barcelona so that no merchaunt durst go abrode ¶ Also in Aragon there was another myschefe for the yonge kynge IohnÌ„ of Aragon wolde haue ben crowned kynge of Aragon but the good townes wolde not consente therto without he sware fyrst solemply that he sholde neuer demaunde tayle taxe nor inposycyon in all the countrey and dyuers other thynges that he sholde swere and put it in wrytynge sealed yf he wolde be crowned kynge whiche thynge semed to hym and to his counsayle to be ryght preiudycyall Wherfore he thretened to make them warre and specyally to them of the cyte of Barcelona for the kynge sayd they were to ryche and to prowde IN the same season there was in Langue docke and on the fronters of Auuergue and of Rouergue to warde Pezanas and the cyte of Duzes a maner of men of armes called the Rowtes they dayly multyplyed to do euyll and .iiii. men of armes were capytaynes who demaunded warre agaynst euery man they cared not agaynst whom theyr names were Peter of Mount fawcon Geffray Chastelyer Hamgue de forge and the goulent They had a foure hundreth men vnder them who ryfled and pylled the countrey where as they were conuersaunt and when they were enfourmed that the archebysshop of Burdeaus was in pryson in Aragon and that the duke of Lancastre was not contente with the Aragonoys and also that the kynge of Aragon was euyll pleased with the good townes of his royalme and countrey And they were of these tydynges gretely reioysed for suche people as they were are rather pleased with euyll dedes then with good They toke counsayle bytwene them determyned to approche to Aragon and to gete some forterers on those fronters thynkynge then that the duke of Aragon or elles some of the good townes wolde entreate with the to theyr profyte So they rode costynge the countrey set theyr myndes to gete yf they myght the castell of Dulcen beynge in the archbysshopryche of Narbone bytwene the royalme of Aragon and Fraunce on the departynge of bothe royalmes they came thyder at suche a poynte and by nyght that they founde it but symply watched nor kepte they dyd soo moche that they wan it were lordes thereof wherby al the countrey was afrayde specyally they of Parpygnen for it was but .iiii. legges thens also they of Lourde gate the same weke a castell in Aragon a .iiii. legges fro Barcelona called the olde castell of Rolbays perteynynge to the countesse of Castell Boze cosyn germayne
Englande the good quene Phylyp whos seruaunt I was in myne yongth she was of ryghtfull gouernacyon cosyn germayne to the lorde Charles of Bloys she dyd put to her payne for his delyuerauce howbeit the counsayle of Englande wolde not that he sholde be delyuered the duke Henry of Lancastre sayd and other lordes of englande that yf he were out of pryson by hym myght be made many grete recoueraunces for the royalme of Fraunce for kynge Phylyp as then frensshe kyng was his vncles and they affyrmed that as longe as he were kepte in pryson theyr warre in to Fraunce sholde be the easyer howbeit for all those wordes that was shewed to the kynge by the good meanes of the noble and good quene he was set to his fynaunce to paye CC.M. nobles whiche was as then a grete some to be payde for lordes as then lyued in another maner theÌ„ they do nowe for as nowe men may pay more then theyr predecessours myght haue done for nowe they tayle theyr people at theyr pleasure and before they lyued but on theyr rentes and reuenues for as nowe the duchy of Bretayne wtin a yere or two is able to pay to helpe theyr lorde .ii. M. nobles or more The lorde Charles of Bloys layde to the kynge of Englande his .ii. sones in pledge for the sayd some afterwarde the lorde Charles of Bloys had so moche to do in pursuyng his warre for the duchy of Bretayne and to pay his souldyours and to kepe his estate alwayes hopynge to come to a good ende of his warre so that he was not able to quyte out his sones out of Englande for the holy man in pursuynge of his herytage dyed as a saynt in a batayle in Bretayne before aulroy by the ayde of the Englysshe men who were agaynst hym when he was deed yet the warre ended not but then kynge Charles of fraunce who in his lyfe doubted gretly the fortunes of the warres when he sawe that the erle Mountforde the Englysshe men seased not but styll wente forwarde wanne townes fortresses in Bretayne he fered that yf the erle Mountforde myght come to his entente of the duchy of Bretayne that he wolde not holde nor do homage to hym for he had promysed his alleageaunce to the kynge of englande who ayded alwaye hadde done to maynteyne his warre then he treted with the erle Mountforde his counsayle as it hath ben shewed here before wherfore I wyll speke no more therof but the erle of MouÌ„tforde abode as duke of Bretayne with that he sholde do homage and holde soueraynte or the crowne of fraunce and by the same trety the duke sholde ayde helpe to gete delyuered out of pryson in englande his .ii. cosyns sones to the lorde Charles of Bloys whiche artycle he neuer dyd accomplysshe for alwayes he doubted that yf they retourned they wolde put hym to some busynes for the duchy of Bretayne fered lest they of Bretayne wolde receyue them as theyr lordes for they more enclyned to theÌ„ then to hym wherfore he wolde not speke for theyr delyueraunce Thus these .ii. chyldren abode so longe in Englande in pryson somtyme in the kepynge of the lorde Roger Beawchamp and the lady Sybyll his wyfe and somtyme with syr Thomas Dambrychcourte on a tyme the yonger Guy of Bretayne dyed then IohnÌ„ of Bretayne abode styll in pryson alone he was often tymes sad of his beynge in pryson but he coulde not ameÌ„de it And often tymes when he remembred the losse of his yonge dayes as he that was of the moost noble generacyon of the worlde was lykely to lese he wolde often tymes wepe and wysshed hymselfe rather deed then a lyue for a .xxxv. yeres or theraboute he had ben in the daunger of his enemyes in Englande and coulde se noo maner of meanes of his delyueraunce for his frendes and kynne drewe of fro hym and the some that he laye for was so grete that he wyst not how it sholde be payde without god helped hym and the duke of Anioy for all his puyssaunce and prosperyte and that he had wedded his syster germayne by whom he had .ii. fayre sones Loys Charles for all this he dyd nothynge for hym Now shall I shew you howe this IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was delyuered ¶ Howe IohnÌ„ of Bretayne sone to syr Charles of Bloys was delyuered out of pryson by the meanes of Olyuer of Clysson the constable of Fraunce Ca. lxxii IT hathe ben shewed here before in this hystory how the erle of BuckynghaÌ„ made a voyage thrughe the royalme of Fraunce came in to Bretayne the duke of Bretayne had desyred hym so to doo bycause parte of his countrey wolde not be vnder his obeysaunce there the erle of Buckyngham his company lay al yâ— wynter the begynnyng of somer 〈◊〉 in grete pouerte before Nantes Wennes tyll it was Maye then he retourned in to englande when the erle Thomas of Buckyngham his company laye before Wennes in lodgynges without There were dyuers skyrmysshes bytwene the englysshment frensshmen thyder came Olyuer ClyuÌ„on constabable of Fraunce to se the warre that was there made to speke with the englysshe knyghtes for he knewe them well for in his yongth he was brought vp amonge theÌ„ in Englande soo he made good company with them in diuers maners as noble men of armes wyll do eche to other as frensshmen and englysshmeÌ„ haue alwayes done as then he had good cause so to do for he entended a purpose whiche touched hym ryght nere but he wolde dyscouer his entente to noo man lyuynge but alonely to a squyer that was there who had alwayes before serued the lorde Charles of bloys for yf the constable had dyscouered his entente to ouy man he had ben out of all hope to haue sped brought aboute his purpose whiche by the grace of god he atteyned vnto The constable coulde in no wyse loue the duke of Bretayne nor he hym longe tyme or they shewed it And where as he sawe IohnÌ„ of Bretayne in pryson in englande he had therof grete pyte wheÌ„ he sawe the duke of Bretayne in possessyon of the herytage of Bretayne when he thought that he was in moost loue with the duke then he sayd syr why do ye not put to your payne that your cosyn IohnÌ„ of Bretayne were out of the kyng of Englandes pryson syr ye are bounde therto by othe promyse for syr when all the countrey of Bretayne was in treaty with you the prelates noble men good townes the cyte of Nantes Archebysshop of Reynes syr IohnÌ„ Craon syr Boncequalte as then marshall of fraunce â—reted with you for the peas before Compercorentync than there ye sware that ye sholde do your full puyssaunce to delyuer your cosynes out of pryson syr ye haue done nothynge in that matter Wherfore be you sure the countrey of Bretayne loueth you the lesse oweth you the
smaller fauoure the duke to his demauÌ„de dyssymuled sayd holde your peas syr Olyuer where shalde I gete .iii. or .iiii. M. frankes that is demaunded for theyr raunsomes Syr sayd the constable yf the countrey of Bretayne sawe that you were wel wyllynge to the matter they wolde be contente to pay a taxe â—a fowage to delyuer the pryson ers who are lyke to dye in prison without god helpe them sy-Olyuer sayd the duke as for my countrey of bretayne shall not be taxed for me my cosynes haue grete prynces of theyr lygnage as the frenssh kynge and the duke of Anioy they may helpe to delyuer them for they haue alwayes susteyned the warre agaynst me and when I sware to ayde to theyr delyueraunce myne entencyon was none otherwyse but that the frensshe kynge or theyr kynsmen sholde pay theyr raunsomes the constable coulde gete of the duke none other answere thus as I haue begon to shewe you The constable sawe clerely howe the erle of buâ—kyngham the barons knyghtes of englande suche as hadde ben with hym in the voyage thrughe fraunce so in to Bretayne were nothynge contente with the duke of Bretayne bycause he wolde not open his townes to them lyke as he had promysed when he departed out of Englande but whyles the englysshmen lay before wennes in the subbarbes of Nanibont they endured grete pouerte for they hadde nothynge to ete and theyr horses dyed for fawte of foode The englysshmen were fayne to gather the thystelles in the feldes braye them in a morter tempre it with water and make ther of a paast so bake it to ete suche pouerte they endured and they sayd amonge themselfe the duke doth not acquyte hymselfe nobly agaynst vs syth we haue put hyÌ„ in possessyon of the sygnory of Bretayne and yf we sholde do well we sholde take it fro hym agayne and gete out of pryson IohnÌ„ of Bretayne his aduersary make hym duke the countrey loueth hym better then he that is now duke We can not better be reuenged of hym nor soner to cause hym to lese the duchy of Bretayne the constable of fraunce knewe ryght well what wordes sore murmuracyons the englysshmen had amonge themselfe agaynst the duke of Bretayne wherwith he was nothynge dyspleased for euery euyll worde that they spake he wolde it had ben .xii. Howbeit he made therof no semblaunt no more dyd a squyer of Bretayne to whome he had broken his mynde to go in to englande on his message this squyer was called Rollant and so it was that syr IohnÌ„ of Harleton capytayne of Chyerbourge was with the constable at the castel Iosselyn vnder saufconduyte and there the constable made hym good chere and to his company and kepte the englysshmen as good company as he coulde the rather therby to gete theyr good wylles then the constable squyer auaunced forth spake to syr IohnÌ„ Harleton before the constable sayd syr IohnÌ„ ye sholde do me a grete pleasure to do one thynge for me whiche shall cost you nothynge syr sayd yâ— knyght for the loue of the constable though it be to my cost I am contente to do that I can for you what is that I sholde do syr sayd the squyer that I myght be assured to go in to Englande to semyne olde mayster IohnÌ„ of Bretayne the grettest desyre that I haue in this worlde is to se hym by my fayth sayd syr IohnÌ„ harlton it shal not be let for me but that ye shal go as soone as I am retourned to Chyerbourge I wyll go in to englande ye shal go with me I shal bryng you thyder for your request is not to be refused syr sayd the squyer I thanke you and I repute it for a grete curtoysy Thus this squyer wente with syr IohnÌ„ Harlton to Chyerbourg and when he had made euery thyng redy he departed and entred in to the see with IohnÌ„ Rollant in his company so came to London and brought the squyer to the castell where as IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was who knewe hym not at the fyrst metynge at the last he called hym to his remembraunce so spake togyder there he shewed IohnÌ„ of Bretayne howe that the constable of fraunce dyd wolde do his payne for his delyueraunce howe can that be sayd IohnÌ„ of Bretayne syr sayd yâ— squyer I shall shewe you my lorde the constable hath a doughter to mary so that yf ye wyll swere promyse when ye be retourned in to Bretayne to take her to your wyfe he wyll delyuer you out of englande he hath founde well the meanes how syr howe say you wyll ye do thus ye truely sayd he ye shall retourne to the constable say in my name howe there is nothynge I may doo to be delyuered but I wyll do it as for his doughter gladly I wyll take her to my wyfe thus the squyer IohnÌ„ of Bretayne departed passed out of englande retourned in to Bretayne recorded to the constable all that he had sene harde the coÌ„stable who desyred the aduauncement of his doughter as to be maried so highly as to IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was not neglygent in his busynes studyed for a meane in Englande to brynge aboute his purpose without he had founde out a meanes as he dyd he sholde neuer haue come to his purpose whiche was to gete the erle of Oxenforde on his parte who was most pryuy with the kynge of Englande as then but this matter was not shortly brought to passe for as longe as the duke of Lancastre was in englande and before his iourney in to spayne there was no dyscouerynge to the kynge of the tretye for delyueraunce of IohnÌ„ of Bretayne for when the erle of Buckyngham retourned out of Bretayne the renome ran thrughe al the royalme how the duke of Bretayne had falsely acquyted hym selfe to the Englysshmen wherfore was spoken all the euyll that coulde be deuysed then IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was brought in to the kynges presence and to his vncles then it was sayd to hym IohnÌ„ of Bretayne yf ye wyll releue holde the duchy of Bretayne of the kynge of Englande ye shall be delyuered out of pryson and set in possessyon of the sygnory of Bretayne shall be ryght hyghly maryed in this countrey as ye ought to be for the duke of Lancastre woâ—de haue gyuen hym to his doughter Phylyp in maryage who was after quene of Portyngale IohnÌ„ of Bretayne answered that he wolde neuer agree to that tretye nor neuer wolde be enemye nor contrary to the crowne of Fraunce he sayd he was contente to take the duke of LaÌ„castres doughter in maryage soo he myght be delyuered out of pryson out of englande wheÌ„ they sawe he wolde do none otherwyse he was set agayne in pryson and after the erle or Oxenforde whom we called duke of Irelande sawe that the duke of Lancastre was gone out of englande in to Castell and
that the tretye of the maryage of his doughter with Iohn of Bretayne was passed for the duke of Lancastre had his doughter with hym in to Castell then he thought to ratrete the kyng of englande to gyue hym in rewarde for suche seruyce as he had done and entended to do Iohn̄ of Brtayne for yf he coulde gete hym of the kyng he was agreed with the constable of Fraunce to haue for his raunsome at two paymentes .vi. score M. frākes the fyrst .lx. M. to be payde as sone as Iohn̄ of Bretayne were sent delyuered in to the towne of Boloyne and the other .lx. M. to be payde at Parys whersoeuer he wolde haue it delyuered the duke of Irelande coueted these floreyns and dyd so moche with the kynge of englande that the kynge gaue hym Iohn̄ of Bretayne clerely wherof many in Englande had grete meruayle but they that lyst to speke wolde speke there was none other thynge the duke of Irelande caused hym to be delyuered in to Boloyne and there the constable had made redy euery thynge for hym dnd so he rode to Parys and there founde the kynge and other lordes of his lygnage who made hym good chere and the constable also who brought hym in to Bretayne and there Iohan of Bretayne wedded his doughter as he had promysed and when the duke of Bretayne knewe that Iohn̄ of Bretayne was retourned in to Fraunce and clene delyuered out of Englande by the ayde and purchase to the constable of Fraunce then he had the cōstable in double hatred sayd what weneth syr Olyuer of Clesson to put me out of myne herytage he sheweth wel the tokens therof he hath delyuered out pryson Iohn̄ of Bretayne and hath gyuen hym his doughter in marriage whiche thynges are to me ryght dyspleasaunt surely that shall I well shewe ones on a daye howe he hath not wel done peraduenture whē he taketh leest hede therof he sayd truely for he shewed it quyckely or the yere passed as ye shall here after in the story But fyrst we wyll speke of the busynes of Castell and Portyngale and of an armye on the see that the englysshmen made to come to Sluse HEre before ye haue herde how the frensshe kynges armye by the see to haue gone in to englande was broken vp in the same season not by the frensshe kynges good wyll for alway he shewed good courage to haue passed in to Englande and when he sawe howe the iourney brake he was more dyspleased then ony other and all the fawte was layde vpon the duke of Berre howbeit it was to be thought that he saw more depelyer in the matter then ony other in his counsayllynge to leue the iourney was for the honoure and profyte of the royalme of fraunce ▪ for who soo euer enterprysed to doo a thynge ought to regarde what ende may come therof and the duke of Berre had ben before so longe in englande in hostage for the kyng his fader had ben so cōuersaunt among the englyssh men had sene so moche of the countrey that he knewe by reason what effecte the goynge in to englande sholde haue come to the cause moost exscusable not to go was bycause wynter was so farre ronne But then it was sayd that the constable of fraunce the nexte somer sholde goo in to englande with a .vi. M. men of armes and as many crosse bowes for it was thought by hymselfe sayd howe that nombre was sufficy to fyght with the englysshe men by reason the constable ought to haue knowen it for he had ben nourysshed there in his yonge dayes whē these lordes were retourned in to Fraunce thē it was determyned to sende socours in to Castell to ayde the kynge there agaynst the kynge of Portyngale and the duke of Lancastre for it was thought that shortely there sholde be some dedes of armes for the englysshmen kepte the felde And it was consydered that they coulde sende noo men of warre thyder without grete cost and charge for the iourney was ferre of there was but lytell money in the kynges treasoury nor in treasourers handes for the some of money that had ben gadered of the people before in the royalme was spente wasted wherfore they studyed howe to gete more and soo a newe tayle and taxe was deuysed to ryn thrughout all the royalme of Fraunce to be payde incontynent without delay noysynge howe it was for the comfortynge of the kynge of Spayne and to dryue the englysshmen out of his royalme This tayle was publysshed in euery place and the kynges commyssyoners sente in to euery good towne and Cyte who sayd to the gouernours of the townes Syrs thus moche your towne is taxed at the whiche ye must pay incontynent then the rulers sayd syrs we shall gather this some and then sende it to Parys nay syrs not so sayd the commyssaryes we wyl not abyde so longe we wyll do otherwyse then so and commaunded in the kynges name a .x. or xii of the best of the towne to goo to pryson without they payde the some without ony longer delay the honest men fered the pryson and the kynges dyspleasure wherfore they drewe them togyder and payde the money incontynente and recouered it agayne of the poore mē thus they dyd in euery good towne so that there were so many tayles and taxes one after and ther for the fyrst was scante payde when another began thus in that season the noble royal me of fraunce was gouerned and the poore people ouer ledde So that many auoyded out of theyr townes and forsoke theyr herytages and houses for they were fayne to sell all that they had and some wente to dwell in Haynalte and in to the bysshopryche of Lyege where as there ranne no taxe nor tayllage ¶ Howe the duke of Borbon was chosen to goo in to Castell and dyuers other and howe syr Iohan Bucke admyral of flaunders was taken prysoner by the Englysshe men Ca. lxxii THen yt was deuysed what capytaynes sholde go in to Spayne Fyrst they apoynted the gentyll duke of borbone that he sholde be souerayne capytayne aboue all other or he departed there was apoynted .ii. other capytaynes to be in the vowarde and the duke of Borbon in the rerewarde with .ii. M. speres knyghtes squyers these .ii. capytaynes that sholde be in the vowarde were syr Wellyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer hf Passac these .ii. lordes when they knewe that they sholde be the capytaynes of certayne men of armes to go in to Castel they prepayred thē selfe for that iourney then knyghtes and squyers were sente for all aboute the royalme of fraunce to go to Castell and the passages were opened as well in Nauare as in Aragon thenne knyghtes and squyers departed fro Bretayne Poycton Aniowe Mayne Torayne Bloys Orleaunce Beause pycardy borgoyne berre Awuergne fro all the boundes of the royal me of fraunce euery man toke theyr way to go in to Castell
harde of those tydynges so that they wyst not what to do other to gyue vp theyr towne and forsake all or elles to entre in to the shyppes that laye there and so defende the hauen surely yf the Englysshmen had knowen the case they were in they had ben lordes of the towne and of the castel or yf they had byleued Peter du Boys for he sore counsayled them that they sholde incontynent haue set on the towne of Sluse they had wonne it yf they had soo done but the englysshmen had no courage therto but sayd it were a grete foly for vs to entre in to the towne of Sluse for then they of Bruges of Dan and of Ardenbourge shall come and besyege vs so peraduenture shall lese al that we haue wonne it is better for vs to kepe it and to make wyse warre then folysshly to lese all thus the englysshmen kepte styll the see but they determyned to brenne the nauye of shyppes that lay at ancre in the hauen of Sluse of suche shyppes as they hadde wonne they toke parte of theÌ„ suche as were most olde and drye and lyghtest and gresed them wel bothe within and without and set fyer on them so lete them go with the wynde and with the tyde in to the hauen to the entente that they sholde haue fastened and set fyer on other shyppes that lay there of Spayne and of other places howbeit as god wolde that fyer dyd noo hurte nor domage to none other shyp ¶ Howe the englysshmen aryued brente dyuers vyllages Ca. lxxiii AFter that the englysshmen dyscomfyted syr IohnÌ„ Bucke as he came fro Rochell wherby they had grete profyte specyally of wyne for they had a .ix. M. tonne of wyne wherby wyne was the derer all the yere after in Flaunders Holande and in Brabande and the better chepe in Englande as it was reason suche are the aduentures of this worlde if one haue domage another hathe profyte Thus styll the englysshe men lay before Sluse at an anâ—râ— somtyme with theyr barkes barges they set a lande on the other syde agaynst Sluse where as there was but a ryuer to passe there they brente a mynstre other townes alonge on the see syde on the dygnes called Torne Hoque Murdequer toke men prysoners in the countrey were there lyenge a .x. dayes layde bysshmentes bytwene Dan Sluse on the way of Coceler there was taken IohnÌ„ of Lannay a man of armes of Tourney who was come thyder with the lorde of Estrynay syr Blanquart of Calomne came theues on the spurres fro Tourney with .xl. speres and also syr Robert Merchaunt a knyght of flaunders who had to his wyfe a bastarde doughter of the erle of flaunders was as then at Bruges when the tydynges spred abrode of the Englysshmen so he departed came to Sluse entred in to the castell whiche he founde in small defence for yf the englysshmen had taken lande at Sluse as they dyd on the other syde of the water they had taken at theyr ease the castell all the towne for suche as sholde haue defended the towne were so abasshed that there was no man toke ony hede of defence then this knyght gaue them harte sayd Ayesyrs and good men of Sluse howe maynteyne you yourselfe by that ye shewe yourselfe dyscomfyted without ony stroke strykynge men of valure of good defence ought not so to do they sholde shewe forth a good vysage as longe as they coulde endure at the leest tyll they were slayne or taken therby they sholde attayne to the grace of god and prayse of the worlde thus sayd this syr Robert when he came to Sluse IN the meane season whyle the englysshmen were before Sluse theraboute al the couÌ„trey to Bruges were afrayde for they were euery day abrode a foragynge a foote for they had no horses somtyme they wolde entre far in to the countrey On a day they brente the towne of Cocesy on the downes a grete vyllage in the way towarde Ardenbourge so to the see syde called Hosebourcke they dyd there what they lyst myght haue done more yf they had knowen what case the countrey was in wheÌ„ they had taryed there at theyr pleasure sawe that no man came agaynst them then they toke theyr shyppes drewe vp sayles so retourned in to Englande with CC.M. frankes of profyte and so came in to Tames streyght to London where as they were receyued with grete ioy for the good wynes of Poycton Xamton that was determyned to haue ben dronken in flaunders in Haynalte Brabant in dyuers other places in pycardy the englysshmen brought all with them in to englande was lorde departed at London in other places of Englande wyne was solde then for .iiii. pens the galon and certayne merchauntes of zerecyell in zelande lost parte of the same wyne but they had restytucyon agayne of all theyr losses for they of zercyell wolde neuer agree to go to make warre in to englande nor wolde suffre none of theyr shyppes to goo in the iourney wherby they atteyned grete loue of the Englysshmen syr IohnÌ„ Bucke was put in pryson curioysly at London he myght go where he lyst but euery nyght to lodge in the cyte he coulde neuer come to his raunsome yet the duke of Borgoyne wolde gladly haue had hym by exchaunge for a bastarde broder of the kynge of Portyngalles whom they of Breuelet had taken on the see comynge to Meldeboure thus syr IohnÌ„ Bucke was prysoner thre yeres in Englande and there dyed ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastres marshal toke the towne of Ribadane whiche was strongly kepte Ca. lxxiiii HOwe yt ys tyme that we retourne to the busynes of Castell Portyngale to speke of the duke of Lancastre beynge in Galyce of suche busynes as fall in that seasoÌ„ whiche were not smal also to shewe what ayde comforte the frensshe kynge sent that tyme in to Castell or elles kynge IohnÌ„ of Spaynes busynes had but easely gone forwarde I say surely yâ— same yere that the duke aryued in his countrey he had lost all his laÌ„de if the ayde of the frensshe kyng had not ben ye know wel that tydynges spredeth euer farre the kynge of Portyngale knewe as soone as the duke of Lancastre or ony other maÌ„ how the frenssh kynges army that lay on the see to haue gone in to Euglande brake theyr iourney for the kyng of Portyngale lay as theÌ„ at the cyte of Porte a stroÌ„ge towne a haue wel vsed by reason of merchauÌ„tes that resorted thyder when he knew of the brekynge of the frensshe kynges army he was glad therof for it had benshewed hym before that all englande was lykely to haue ben lost Wherfore he som what dyssymuled with the duke of Lancastre dryuynge of the takyng of his doughter in maryage but styll he draue hym of with fayre wordes
Lancastre knew that the kynge came thyder he toke his hors and many other lordes and yssued out of Besances and met the kynge and the ladyes there the kynge and the duke made grete chere togyder and so entred togyder in to the towne theyr lodgynge appoynted as it aperteyned accordynge to the maner of the countrey and that was not so easye nor large as thoughe they had ben at Parys ABoute a .iii. dayes after that the kynge of Portyngale was come to Besances thyder came syr Reynolde du Roy well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers he hadde a vi score horses and they were all well lodged for the duke of Lancaste hadde prepayred redy theyr lodgynges Then the nexte daye syr IohnÌ„ Holande syr Raynolde Roy were armed and mounted on theyr horses soo came to a fayre place redy sanâ—ed where they sholde doo theyr armes and scafoldes redy made for the kynge for the ladyes for the duke other lordes of englande for they were all come thyder to se the dedes of armes of these .ii. knyghtes they came in to the felde as well appoynted as coulde be deuysed there was brought in theyr speres theyr axes and theyr swordes and well horsed and so eche of them a good dystaunce fro other made theyr tournes fryskes fresshly for they knewe well they were regarded euery thynge was ordeyned at theyr desyre and all theyr armes graunted excepte the vtteraunce howbeit no man knewe what sholde fal of theyr bodyes for syth they were thyder come they must nedes mete at the poynte of theyr speres and after that with theyr swordes and then with axes daggers loo what daunger they were in to the entente to exhaulte theyr honoure for theyr lyues lay but in the mysaduenture of one stroke thus they ranne togyder and met as euen as thoughe they hadde rynne by a lyne and strake eche other in the vysoure of theyr helmes so that syr Raynolde du Roy brake his spere in .iiii. peces and the sheuers flewe a grete hyght in to the ayre whiche course was gretely praysed syr IohnÌ„ Holande strake syr Raynolde in lykewyse in the vysoure but the stroke was of no force I shall shewe you why syr Raynolde had the vysoure of his helme made at auauÌ„tage for it was tyed but with a small lase the lase â—rake with yâ— stroke the helme flewe of his heed so that the knyght was bare heeded and so passed forth theyr course and syr IohnÌ„ dyscharged and bare his staffe fresshely then euery man sayd it was a goodly course THen these knyghtes retourned to theyr owne places and syr Raynolde was helmed agayne and had a newe spere and so they ranne togyder agayne they were bothe wel horsed and coulde well guyde theÌ„ they strake eche other on the helmes so that the fyer flewe out the speres brake not but syr raynoldes helme agayne flewe of his heed A sayd the Englysshmen the frenssheman hath auauntage Why is not his helme as fast bocled as syr IohnÌ„ of Holandes is we thynke he dothe wronge let hym set his helme in lyke case as his companyon hathe done his holde your peas syrs sayd the duke of Lancastre let them dele in armes let euery maÌ„ take his aduauntage as he thynketh best yf syr IohnÌ„ Holande thynke that the other knyght haue aduauntage let hym set on his helme in lyke maner but as for me sayd the duke and I were in lyke armes as these .ii. knyghtes be I wolde haue my helme as fast bocled as I coulde and I thynke here be many of the same oppynyon then the englysshe men spake no moo wordes and the ladyes and damoyselles sayd howe the knyghtes had iusted well and goodly and the kynge of Portyngale sayd the same and spake to syr IohnÌ„ Ferant and sayd syr IohnÌ„ in our countrey knyghtes iust not in this goodly maner syr sayd he these knyghtes do iust wel and syr I haue sene or this the frensshmen iust before the kynge your broder when we were at Elyres agaynst the kynge of Castell lyke iustes I sawe there bytwene syr wyllyam Wyndsore and another frensshe knyght but theyr helmes were faster tyed then this knyghtes helme is then the kynge regarded agayne the two knyghtes to se theyr thyrde course THus they ranne togyder the thyrde course and regarded eche other wysely to take theyr aduauntage they myght well so doo for theyr horses serued them at theyr wysshyng and so they strake eche other agayne on the helme in suche wyse that theyr eyen trimbled in theyr heedes and theyr staâ—es brake and agayne syr Raynoldes helme flewe of his heed and so eche other passed forth theyr course and demeaned themselfe fresshly so that euery man sayd howe they had nobly iusted but the englysshmen blamed gretely syr Raynolde du Roy in that his helme was no faster set on his heed but the duke of Lancastre blamed hym nothyng but sayd I thynke hym wyse that can in feates of armes seke his lawfull aduauntage it semeth well that syr Raynolde is not to lerne to iust he knoweth more therin then syr IohnÌ„ doth thoughe he haue borne hymselfe ryght well So thus after theyr courses with theyr speres they toke theyr axes and dyd theyr armes with them and gaue eche other .iii. grete strokes on theyr helmes then they fought with theyr swordes and after with theyr daggers when all was done there was none of them hurte The frensshmen brought syr Raynolde to his lodgynge and the Englysshmen syr IohnÌ„ Holande to his the same day the duke of Lancastre made a dyner to all the frensshmen in his lodgynge and the duches set at the table by the duke and syr Raynolde du Roy bynethe her after dyner they wente in to a counsayle chambre and the duches toke syr Raynolde by the hande and made hym to entre as sone as herselfe and there she comoned with hym and other of the frensshe knyghtes tyll it was tyme to call for drynke then the duches sayd to the frensshe knyghtes syrs I haue meruayle of you that ye do susteyne the wronge oppynyon of a bastarde for ye knowe well and soo dothe all the worlde that Henry that was somtyme called kynge of Castel was a bastarde therfore what iust cause haue you to susteyne that quarell and ayde to your power to dysheryte the ryght ayre of Castell for I knowe well and soo dothe all the worlde that I and my syster were doughters by lawfull maryage to kyng Peter Wherfore god knoweth what ryght we haue to the royalme of Castell the good lady wheÌ„ she spake of her fader she wepte then syr Raynolde du Roy made his obeysaunce and sayd Madame we knowe ryght well that all is of trouth that ye haue sayd howbeit the kynge our mayster is of the contrary oppynyon agaynst you and we be his subiectes and must make warre at his pleasure and go where as he wyl sende vs We maye not say nay
So the duches departed to the duke and the frensshe knyghtes dranke and then toke theyr leues and wente to theyr lodgynge and there euery thynge was redy to departe and then they mounted and departed fro Besances and rode the same daye to Noy and there they rested and then rode forth tyll they came to Valeolyue ¶ Howe the kynge of Portyngale and the duke of Lancastre determyned to entre in to the royalme of Castell Ca. lxxix AFter these dedes of armes done as I haue recorded The kynge of Portyngale the duke of Laucastre toke counsayle togyder and determyned to ryde and to entre in to Castell within a shorte space and that the kynge of Portyngale with all his power sholde ryde on the fronters and so to entre in to Castell and the duke and his rowte to entre on the boundes of Galyce and to conquere suche townes and fortresses as were agaynst hym and yf IohnÌ„ of Castell dyd assemble his oost agaynst them to make batayle theÌ„ bothe theyr oostes to drawe togyder It was thought moost necessary to haue theyr oostes a sondre tyll nede were rather then togyder to exchewe sykenes that myght fall to haue the more easyer lodgynge and foragynge in exchewyng of debates dyscordes for englysshmen be hasty prowde in the felde the Portyngales hote dysdaynful can not sustre but it was thought that in a grete iourney of batayle they sholde ryght wel agree togyder this couÌ„sayle was determyned the kynge sayd to the duke syr as soone as I haue knowledge that ye set forwarde I shall doo in lyke case for I and my men be redy they desyre nothynge elles but batayle syr sayd the duke and I shall not longe syr styll it is shewed me howe as yet there be certayne townes in Galyce that rebell agaynst vs I wyll goo and vysyte them and after that I wyll seke out for our enemyes whersoeuer I can fynde them Thus the kynge of Portyngale toke leue of the duke and duches and in lyke wyse so dyd the quene Phelyp and her yonge syster katheryne for it was ordeyned that the yonge lady sholde abyde al the warre season with her syster the quene at the cyte of Porte in Portyngale it was thought she coulde be in ony better kepynge and the duches retourned to saynt Iaques in Galyce so thus euery body departed thyder as they sholde doo the kynge to the cyte of Porte and the duches to the towne of saynt Iaques well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers and the duke taryed at Besances and there aboute and prepayred shortly to set forwarde he was desyrous to departe bycause it was in the ioly lusty moneth of Aprell at whiche season in Galyce the grasse is full growen and all theyr corne and herbes floures and fruytes redy rype the countrey is so hote that in the begynnynge of Iune haruest is past the duke thought the season goodly to set forwarde his army ¶ Nowe let vs somwhat speke of the orderynge of the frensshmen and of kynge IohnÌ„ of Castell as well as we haue done of the englysshe men ¶ Howe syr Wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac came to the ayde of kynge IohnÌ„ of Castell Ca. lxxx HEre before ye haue herde howe syr Wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac dyd so moche by theyr wyse entreatynge of the erle of Foyze that he suffred them peasybly to passe thrughe his countrey of Byerne to go in to Castel and besyde that the erle gaue them grete rewardes for there were noo knyghtes nor squyers straungers that came to se hym but that he wolde largely rewarde them accordynge to theyr degrees to some a C. floreynes to some CC. floreynes and .xxx. or .xl. so that this sayd fyrst passage of the Frensshe men cost the erle of Foyze as his owne treasourer shewed me the some of a M. frankes besyde horses and other thynges that he gaue to say trouth surely it is grete domage that suche a persone sholde be olde or dye he had no mermosettes aboute hym to say syr take here and gyue this and pynche pyl the people surely he had none suche aboute hym â— he dyd euery thynge on his owne mynde for naturally he had grete wysdome and coulde gyue where nede was and take as it became hym best and by reasan of his larges and grete expences somtyme he trauayled his subiectes for his reuenewes were not suffycyent to bere out his gyftes whiche were yerely .lx. M. frankes the whiche lyke haue not ben sene nor herde of ony other yet he assembled his treasoure for doubte of all aduentures in .xxx. yere .xxx. tymes a C.M. frankes and yet for all that his people alwayes prayde to god for his longe lyfe and I herde it reported howe when he dyed there were in Foyze and in Byerne .x. M. persones that sayd that they wolde gladly haue dyed with hym wherby it is to be thought that they sayd not so without it had ben for grete loue that they had to theyr lorde and surely if they loued hym they dyd but ryght and accordynge to reason for he alwayes maynteyned them in theyr ryght and kepte euer true iustyce for all his laâ—des and the people therin had as grete lyberte and fraunchesse and lyued in as good peas as thoughe they had ben in paradyse terrestre I say not this for flattery nor for fauour nor loue that I bere hym nor for the gyftes that he hath gyuen me but I can well proue all that I haue sayd for I am sure there be a M. knyghtes squyers wyll saye the same NOwe let vs retourne to syr Wyllyam of Lygnac and to syr Gaultyer of Passac who were capytaynes and souerayne leders of all the frensshe armye when they were passed the countrey of Bysquey and the pase of Rounceuall whiche cost them .iii. dayes a passynge The mountaynes were so full of snowe for all that it was in the moneth of Aprell yet they and theyr horses hadde moche payne to passe thrughe Then they came towardes Panpylona and there they founde the royalme of Nauare redy open for to suffre them to passe thrughe For the kynge of Nauare wolde not doo no dyspleasure to the kynge of Castell bycause his sone syr Charles of Nauare had to his wyfe as then the kynge of Castelles syster when the peas was made bytwene kynge Henry and the fader of kynge IohnÌ„ of Nauare they made and promysed grete alyaunce togyder whiche they longe kepte for the kynge of Nauare was not able to resyst the kynge of Castell without he had grete alyaunce and comforte of the kynge so Aragon or elles of the kynge of englande THese capytaynes of Fraunce came to Pampylona where the kynge of Nauare was who receyued them ioyfully made them to dyne with hym in his palays after dyner he led them in to his chambre and there comoned with them of dyuers thynges for the kynge there was
vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre and they were agaynst hym and all this varyaunce dyd ryse by the meanes of the duke of Irelande who bare all the chefe rule aboute the kynge and the comons of Englande in dyuers cytees knewe well of this dyscorde they that were sage men reputed it for a grete euyl and fered that moche trouble sholde growe therby but suche as were lyght persones made noo rekenynge therof some sayenge that it was for enuye that the kynges vncles hadde agaynst the kynge theyr nephewe and bycause they sawe howe the crowne of Englande began to growe farre of frome them and some other sayd how the kynge was but yonge and byleued yonge counsayle and howe that it were better for hym to byleue hys vncles who mente noo thynge to hym but al honoure and proâ—yte nor to the royalme of Englande rather then to be ruled by the prowde duke of Irelande who neuer sawe ony thynge perteynynge to honoure nor neuer was in ony batayle Thus euery man dyffered from other in the royalme of Englande Whiche trybulacyons were well knowen in Fraunce wherfore they made this grete prouysyon to goo thyder with all theyr puyssaunce thynkynge to doo a grete feate on the other syde the prelates of englande were in hatred one with another as the archebysshop of Cauntorbury who was of the Neuelles blood with the archebysshop of yorke And yet they were countrey men borne but they hated mortally eche other bycause the lorde Neuell hadde the rule and gouernaunce of Northumbrelande and soo to the marches of Skotlande aboue the erle of Northumbrelande and his chyldren the lorde Henry and the lorde Raffe of Percy whiche rule the lorde Neuelles broder had gotten hym for he was one of the chefe aboute the kynge with the duke of Irelande ¶ Of the grete dyscordes that were in Englande after the brekynge vp of the Frensshe armye armye and how the gouernours about the kynge were constrayned by the comons of the good townes to make accomptes of suche money as was come in to theyr handes the season that they ruled Ca. lxxxii AS sone as the englysshmen knewe that the voyage by the see that the frensshmen sholde haue made beynge at Sluse was dasshed and broken Then in Englande began dyuers murmuracyons in sundry places and suche as loued euyll rule rather then good sayd Where be nowe these grete entrepryses and these valyaunt men of englande that were in the dayes of kynge Edwarde the thyrde and with the prynce his sone we were wonte to go in to Fraunce and put backe our enemyes in suche maner that none durst make batayle with vs yf they dydde they were soone dyscomfyted O What a dede was that when the noble kynge Edwarde aryued in Normandy and in Constantyne and passed thrugh the royalme of Fraunce and what goodly entrepryse he acheued in his waye and after at Cressy he dyscomfyted kynge Phylyp and all the puyssaunce of Fraunce and or he retourned he wan the towne of Calays But as nowe the knyghtes and men of warre in Englande doo none suche feates ¶ Also the prynce of Wales sone to this noble kynge dyd he not take the Frensshe kynge IohnÌ„ and dyscomfyted his pyssaunce at Poycters with a smal nombre of people agaynste the people that kynge IohnÌ„ hadde In those dayes Englande was fered and doubted and were spoken of thrughe al the worlde for the floure of chyualry but as nowe no man speketh of vs for nowe there is noo warre made but at poore mennes purses therto euery man is enclyned in Fraunce as nowe the kynge there is but a chylde and yet he hath done more agaynst vs then ony of his predecessours And also he shewed grete courage to haue come in to Englande the lette therof was not by hym but by his men The tyme hath ben sene that yf suche an apparell of shyppes had ben made at Sluse they sholde haue ben foughten withall in theyr owne hauen and nowe the noble men of Englande are ioyfull when they maye sytre at rest and suffre them in peas but yet for all that they suffre not poore men to be in rest but put them to busynes to paye money The tyme hath ben that grete conquestes haue ben done in fraunce without payenge of ony money but suche ryches as hath ben gotten there it hath ben spred abrode in the royalme where is become the grete fynaunces and tayles that hath ben gadered in this royalme with the kynges rentes and accostomed reuenues outher they haue lost it or taken fro them it is behouable that it be knowen howe the royalme of Englande is gouerned and howe the kynge is ledde it were not good that it sholde be longe or it were knowen for this royalme of Englande is not soo ryche nor so puyssaunt to bere lyke charges as the royalme of Fraunce dothe ¶ Also it appereth wel that we in this royalme of englande are febled of wyttes and of grace We were wonte to knowe euery thynge that was done in Fraunce a thre or foure monethes or the case fell wherby we myght conuenyently make prouysyon and resystence but as nowe we knowe noo thynge But the Frensshe men knoweth all our secretes and counsayles we cannot tell in whome is the fawte it wyll be knowen vpon a daye There be some preuy traytours and it were better it were knowen betymes then to late for it maye be knowen soo laâ—e that it wyll be past remedy THus dyuersely men talked in Englande as well knyghtes and squyers as the comons soo that the royalme laye in a harde case and grete peryll And the grete assembly that the kyng and his vncles and his counsayle hadde made with grete expence in dyuers maners to resyst the frensshe kynge beynge a Sluse redy to entre in to Englande suche knyghtes and squyers and other as were in a redynes wolde as then be payde of theyr wages and so for that entente there was a parlyamente somoned to be holden at London by the nobles prelates and comons of Englonde and pryncypally it was ordeyned that there sholde be reysed a grete tayle and subsydye thrughe out the royalme of Englande the ryche to bere out the poore This parlyament was remoued to westmynstre and thyder came all suche as were sente for and many moo to here tydynges ¶ There was the kynge and his two vncles Edmunde and Thomas with many other nobles of the royalme And amonge other thynges yt was sayd that in the kynges treasoure there was substaunce skante to maynteyne the kynges estate soberly Wherfore they of his counsayle sayd howe there must be leuyed a subsydye thrughe out all the royalme of Englande yf suche costes and charges sholde be payde as hathe ben done for the defence of the royalme of englande agaynst the frensshe men To this agreed well they of the bysshopryche of Norwyche and also the archebysshopryche of Cauntorbury and the countye of Essex the countye of Hampton and
Warwykeshyre and the lande of the erle of Salysbury they agreed soner then they of ferther countreys as they of the north and marches of Wales and of Cornewall al these rebelled and sayd We haue not sene none of our enemyes come in to this countrey why sholde we be greued and haue done no fawte yes yes sayd some let the bysshop of yorke be spoken withall and the kynges counsayle and the duke of Irelande who hathe .lx. thousande frankes of the constable of fraunce for the redempcyon of Iohan of Bretayne this money ought to be tourned to the comon profyte of all Englande ye and speke with syr Symon Burle Syr Wyllyam Helmen Syr Thomas Branbe Syr Robert Tryuylyen and syr Iohan Beauchampe who haue gouerned the kynge and the royalme yf they make a good accompte of that they haue receyued and delyuer it the comons shall sytte in rest and euery thynge payde as it ought to be ¶ When these wordes came abrode and to the herynge of the kynges vncles they were ryght gladde therof for that made well for them for al those before named were agaynste them Nor they coulde bere noo rule in the courte for them Wherfore they ayded the people in theyr oppynyons and sayd These good men that thus speketh are well counsayled in that they desyre to haue accompte and wyll not paye ony more money For surely outher in the kynges treasure or elles in theyr purses that gouerne hym there must nedes be grete treasure Thus by lytell and lytell multyplyed these wordes and the people beganne to waxe bolde to deny to paye ony more money by reason that they sawe the kynges vncles of theyr accorde and susteyned them ¶ And the archebysshop of Cauntorbury the erle of Salysbury the erle of Northumbrelande and dyuers other lordes of Englande put of this taxe for that tyme and deferred theyr counsayle to Myghelmasse after at whiche tyme they promysed to retourne agayne but the knyghtes and squyers suche as had thought to haue had money for the arrerages of theyr wages hadde noo thynge Wherfore they were in dyspleasure with the kynge and his counsayle They were apeased as well as myght be euery man departed the kynge toke no leue of his vncles nor they of hym THen the kynge was counsayled to drawe in to the marches of Wales and there to tary tyll he herde other tydynges and soo he was contente to doo and departed fro London without leue takynge of ony man and toke with hym all his counsayle excepte the archebysshop of yorke who wente backe in to his â—â—ne countrey whiche was happy for hym for I thynke yf he hadde ben with the other he sholde haue ben serued as they were as ye shall here after But it is requysyte that I speke as well of Fraunce as of Englande for the matter requyreth it ¶ Howe the constable of Fraunce and dyuers other lordes and squyers of the royalme apparelled grete prouysyons to go in to Englande to wynne townes and castelles Ca. lxxxiii ANd when season of somer was come and the ioly moneth of Maye in the yere of our lorde god M.CCC foure score and .vii. In the same season that the duke of Lancastre was in Galyce and conquered there and that the kynge of Portyngale with grete puyssaunce rode abrode in Castell without ony withstandynge Thenne was it ordeyned in Fraunce as ye haue herde before howe the constable of Fraunce with one army and the erle of saynt Poule the lorde of Coucy and syr Iohan of Vyen with another armye the one at Lentrygnyer in Bretayne and the other at Harflewe in Normandy sholde the same season make a voyage in to englande with a .vi. thousande men of armes and two thousande crosse bowes and .vi. thousande other men of warre and it was ordeyned that none sholde passe the see to goo in to Englande without he were well armed and prouysyon of vytayles for the space of thre monethes with other prouysyon of hay ootes for theyr horses a daye was prefyxed amonge the capytaynes when they sholde departe and were determyned to lande in englande in two hauens at Douer and at Orwell thus the daye approched of theyr departure At Lentrygnyer prouysyon was made and put in to the shyppes for them that sholde passe from thens and in lyke wyse was done at Harflewe and euery man of war was payde theyr wages for .xv. dayes This iourney was soo farre forwarde that it was thought it coulde not haue ben broken ¶ Nor also it brake not by noo cause of the capytaynes that were ordeyned to goo in that voyage But it brake by another incydent and by a meruayllous matter that fell in Bretayne wherwith the Frensshe kynge and his counsayle were soore dyspleased but they coulde not amende it wherfore it behoued them wysely to dyssymule the matter for it was no tyme then to remedy it ¶ Also other tydynges came vnto the Frensshe kynge out of the partyes of Almayne as I shall shewe you hereafter when tyme and place shall requyre it But fyrst we wyll speke of the matters of Bretayne before them of Almayne for they of Bretayne fell fyrste and were worste reputed thoughe other cost more YF I sholde saye that suche matters fell in that season and not open clerely the mater whiche was grete peryllous and horryble it myght be a cronycle but nâ—o hystory I myght let it ouerpasse yf I lyst but I wyll not doo soo I shall declare the case syth god hathe gyuen me the knowledge therof and tyme and leysure to cronycle the matter at lengthe ¶ ye haue herde here before in dyuers places in this hystory howe syr IohnÌ„ of Mountforde named duke of Bretayne and surely so he was by conquest and not by ryght lyne howbeit alwayes he maynteyned the warre and oppynyon of the kynge of Englande and of his chydren agaynst the frensshe kynge Also he had good cause soo to doo on his partye for without the ayde of englande he hadde not atteyned as he dyd nother before Alroy nor in other places Also ye haue herde here before howe the duke of Bretayne coulde not haue his entente of all the nobles of his countrey nor of all the good townes specyally of syr Bertram of Clesquy as longe as he lyued nor of syr Olyuer of Clysson constable of Fraunce nor of the lordes de la Vale and of Beawmanoyre nor the lorde of Rase of Dygnant the vycount of Rohan nor of the lorde of Rochforde for whereas these lordes enclyned nyghe all Bretayne folowed They were contente to take parte with theyr lorde the duke agaynst all maner of men excepte agaynst the crowne of Fraunce And surely I can not se nor ymagyne by what waye but that the Bretons pryncypally regarded euer the honoure of Fraunce it maye well appere by that that is wrytten here before in this hystory I saye not this by noo corrupcyon nor fauoure that I haue to the erle Guy of Bloys who hath
gathered their company togyder and departed aboute mydnyght and rode a rounde pase too this towne and had guydes that brought them to Seaule by that tyme it was daylight Than they rested them apoynted what they wolde do And as it was shewed me syr Geruays with .xxx. speares went on before for to wynÌ„e the gate and sir Willyam of Tremoyle to folowe after bycause they feared if they shulde haue rydden all togyder to haue been spyed but they thought how they of the towne shulde thynke none other but that they shulde be a certayne nombre of men of armes sent thyder by the duke of Guerles to refresshe the garyson Thus this knyght sir Geruays with .xxx. speares rode before to the towne of Seaulle In the mornynge they founde men and women goynge to the towne for it was markette day they saluted theym in the langage of Almayne and rode forthe The poore men went surely they had been men of the countrey perteynynge to the duke of Guerles that were rydynge to the garyson Syr Geruays and his company rode forthe tyll they came to the gate and founde it open with a small warde it was so erly that the moste parte of the people were in their beddes They rested there and were lordes of the gate Than incontynent sir Willyam of Tremoyle and his route came galopynge thyder as faste as they myght and entred into the towne cryed their cryes Thus the towne was wonne without any defeÌ„ce for the men of the towne thought full lytle that the freÌ„chmen wolde haue done such an enterprise and the moste parte of theÌ„ were in their beddes ¶ Howe the frenche men after they had brente and ryfeled the towne of Seaulle retourned to their garyson and of the ioy that the duke of Burgoyne and the duches of Brabante made for that dede howe sir IohnÌ„ Boesme launce discomfyted the englysshmen Cap. C.xvii THis enterprise was done on the nyght of saynt Marten in wynter and a thre dayes before there came thyder a knyght of EnglaÌ„de with ten speares and .xxx. archers sente by the kynge of Englande This knyght was called syr Guylliam Fykaole Whan the larum began he was rysinge out of his bed He herde that the towne was wonne and demauÌ„ded by whome he was aunswered that it was done by bretons Ah ê™ the knight bretons are yuell people they wyll burne and pyll the towne than departe What crye do they crye syr ê™ they they crye on Tremoyle Than the englysshe knyght closed the castell and helde hym selfe his company within to se if any reskewe came but euery man was so abasshed that they fled hyther thyder The poore people fledde in to the mynster and some auoyded the towne by another gate the frenchmen sette fyre in the towne in dyuerse places howe be it there were many howses of stone and bricke that the fyre coulde nat lighty burne them The moste parte of the towne was brent pylled and robbed so that nothyng was lefte that was good the rychest men of the towne taken prisoners The englysshe knyght was taken at laste For whan he sawe that all was lost he opened the howse that he was in for he douted the fyre whan he sawe the flames and smoke in euery corner of the towne and so came out with his penon before hym and his company archers and other and there valiauntly defended them selfes a longe season But fynally he was taken and yelden prisoner to sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and all his company taken but fewe slayne Whan the frenchemen had done their wylles with the towne of Seaulle in Guerles and their varlettes driuing their pyllage before them they departed for they thought it foly too a byde there and went to their garison fro wheÌ„ce as they came Thus the duke of Guerles had the first buffet and domage wherwith he was sore dyspleased whan he knewe therof and so came thyder with a great nombre of menne of warre and thought well to haue founde there the frenche men but they were gone Than he newe renpayred the towne and furnished it with newe men of warre who were more dilygeÌ„t to kepe the towne thanne they that were there before Thus daily the adueÌ„tures of warre fell some loste one daye and some another The duches of Brabante and all tho of her countrey were gretly reioysed of this aduenture and sir Gillyam of Tremoyle and syr Geruais of Merande atchyued great grace Than they of the countrey sayde that in the nexte sommer folowyng they wolde wynne it agayne Whan the duke of Burgoyne herde these tydinges and howe that his men that were in garyson in Brabant dyd well and valyauntly he was gladde therof and to incorage theym he wrote pleasaunt letters often tymes to syr Guylliam his knyght Thus they taryed there all that wynter kepinge well their fronters defendynge them selfe fro domage And after the castelles and forteresses of Guerles were better taken hede vnto than they were before Nowe shall I shewe you of another enterprise that Perote of Bernois dyde in Auuergne where he gate gret profite and by what meanes he dyd it I shall shewe we you at lenght IT fortuned the same yere and season aboute the tyme of the myddes of Maye a .xl. companyons aduenturers issued out of Caluset the whiche Perot of Bernoys helde This fortresse stode in Lymozyn These companyons rode forthe at aduenture in to Auuergne and a Gascoyne squyer was their capytayne called Geronet Durante an experte man of armes And bycause the countrey was alwayes in doute of the men of warre that were on the fronters of Burbonoys there was a knyght of the duke of Burgoynes called syr Iohan Boesme Launce a gracyouse and an amorous knyght hauynge great corage to auaunce hymselfe Whyle these englysshe men rode a brode he demanÌ„ded what nombre they were of And it was shewed hym howe they were aboute a .xl. speares What quod he it is lytell to regarde for .xl. speares I wyll set as many against them and so departe fro thence as he was as than and went there as his chefe charge was and that was before Vandachor He gate togyder a .xl. or a fifty speares of Lymozyn and Auuergne and Burbonoyse and with hym there was a knyght called sir Loys Dambter and also sir Loys Dabton and the lorde of saynte Obyse And so toke the feldes without kepyng of any high way they knewe the countrey came to a passage where their enemyes muste nedes passe by reasone of the mountaynes and ryuers whiche were greate and depe by occasion of the snowe fallyng fro the mountayns They had nat ben there halfe an hour but that thenglysshment came thyder and was nat ware of that rencountre Than Boesme launce and his coÌ„pany cauched their speares and came agaynst their enemyes and cryed their cryes whan the englisshment sawe howe they must nedes fight they turned their faces to their enemyes defended them selfe There was a sore rencountre
their prisoner they make great ioye therof and wyll conuey hym in to Boesme or in to Austryche or in to Xasenne and kepe hym in some castell inhabytable They are people worse than sarazins or paynyms for their excessyue couetousnesse quencheth the knowledge of honoure Lette vs go and put the kynge in daunger amonge these people and if any thynge happen to fall a mysse as the chaunces of fortune are maruaylous what shall be sayde than howe we haue brought the kynge thyder to betray him and to the dystructyon of the realme and nat for the augmentynge therof God defende the realme fro all domage and parell If the kyng go he muste haue parte of his noble men with hym And if mysse fortune fall the realme of Fraunce is loste without recouery Therfore loke wysely if it be good to counsayle the kyng to go that voyage in to Almayne Than some other suche as had wysely coniected all parelles in their imagynacyons sayd In the name of god lette nother the kynge go nor yet sende thyder no puyssaunce For though the duke of Guerles who is but yonge and that youthe of wytte haue made hym to defye the kynge whiche was nat done by no greate wysdome nor good counsayle but rather done by folissh pride of yonge people who wolde flye or they haue wynges And sythe he hathe thus defyed the kynge lette hym alone and suffre hym to pursewe his desyaunce the realme of Fraunce is great if he entre in to the realme in any maner of wyse the kinge shall sone be enfourmed therof and than he shall haue a iuste cause to styre vp his people and to go and fyght agaynste hym where so euer he fynde hym or els to make hym flye or yelde hym in the felde and therby the kynge shall haue more honour and lesse charge than to go in to Guerles for suche as knowe the countrey saye that or we can come to the duke if he lyste we must passe a foure great ryuers the lyste of them as great as the ryuer of Loyre at Namurs or Charite Also they say it is a fowle countrey and yuell lodgynges THe noble men and counsaylouts of Fraunce were thus in dyuers imagynacyons on this voyage that the kynge wolde make in to Almayne and surely it had ben auaunsed the soner forwarde and they had nat douted the venym that myght growe by the occasyon of Bretayne and of the duke there that mater drewe theym a backe And indede they had good cause to doute it for the duke of Bretayne was well infourmed of the defyaunce that the duke of Guerles hadde made to the Frenche kynge and howe that the yonge kinge Charles wolde go in to Almayne The duke loked for nothyng els but that the kynge shulde be ones departed out of his Realme of Fraunce he hadde ordeyned and concluded bytwene hym and the englysshe men to suffre the englisshe army to entre in to his countrey And also he had by subtyle meanes drawen to his acorde the moste parte of the good townes of Bretaygne and specyally Nauntes Wennes Rennes Lentriguier Guerrādo Lambale saynte Malo and saynte Mathewe defyn poterne but the noble men he coulde nat gette to his opynyon Than the duke imagyned if the lordes shulde go with the constable of Fraunce in to Almayne thanne his warre and entente shulde the soner come to passe He caused his townes and castels to be well prouyded for with vytayles and artyllary and he shewed well howe he inclyned rather to the warre than to haue pease Also he had great alyaunce with Charles they yonge kyng of Nauerre and the duke promysed hym that if he might come to his entent to haue puyssaunce of men of armes and archers out of Englāde he wolde bringe them streight in to Normandy and recouer fyrst the good townes and castels that kynge Charles of Fraunce vncle to the kynge of Nauerre had taken fro hym by his men as the lorde of Coucy and outher Of this the kynge of Nauer had great trust and by reason therof he helde in humble loue the duke of Lancastre who was at Bayon for bytwene theym was great alyaunces And of all this I sawe great apparence as I shall shewe after IN the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and eyght the seuenth daye of Aprell it was concluded by the kynge of Englande and his counsayle and by his vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre that the erle Rycharde of Arundell shulde be heed and chefe of an army on the see with hym a thousande men of armes and thre thousande archers and to be at Hamton the fyftene day of May and there to fynde his nauy redy apparelled And euery man that was apoynted to go to be there redy at that daye And the kynge of Englande on saynte Georges daye nexte after helde a great feast at his castell of Wyndesore And there were the chefe lordes that shulde go with therle of Arundell and there they toke their leaues of the kynge and of the quene and of all other ladyes and so came to Hampton at their daye apoynted and entred in to their shyppes the twenty day of May whiche was a fayre clere day There was the erle of Arundell the erle of Notyngham the Erle of Deuonshyre syr Thomas Percy the lorde Clifforde sir Iohn̄ of Ware wyke sir Willyam de la Selle the lorde Cameux syr Stephyn de Libery syr Willyam Helman syr Thomas Moreaur syr Iohan Dambreticourt syr Roberte Sere sir Peter Mountbery sir Loys Clombo sir Thomas Coq syr Willyam Pulle and dyuers other They were of good men of armes a thousand speares and aboute a thre thousande archers They had with theym no horses for they trusted if they might come to their ententes to entre in to Bretayne and there to refresshe them where as they shulde fynde horses ynowe at a good price to serue them The daye that they departed fro Hampton was so fayre and peasable that it was meruayle they drewe towardes Normādy nat purposyng to lande in any parte but to passe by the fronters of Normandy and Bretayne tyll they herde other newes They had in their nauy certayne vessels called Ballengers who sayled on before to se if they myght fynde any aduenture in lyke maner as knyghtes do by lande go before the bataylles to dyscouer the coūtrey and enbusshes ¶ Nowe we shall leaue a season of spekynge of this army and speke somwhat of the busynesse of Guerles Brabant and shewe howe the siege was layde to Graue ¶ Howe the brabansoys layde siege to the towne of Graue And howe the constable of Fraunce toke saynte Malo and saynte Mathewes and set there men in garyson and howe the duke of Lancastre was at Bayon greatly dyscomforted in that he coulde gette no maner of ayde Cap. C.xxvi AS it hath been shewed here before of the auncyent dukes of Guerles howe the eldest sonne of the duke of
duke of Bretaygne sawe howe his excuses coude nat be taken nor herde sayde Well sirs if I go to Parys it shal be greatlye agaynst my wyll and to my preiudyce For whan I come there I shall fynde and se daylye before me sir Olyuer of Clyssone whom I can nat loue nor neuer dyde nor he me who shall attempte me with rygorous wordes My lordes regarde well what inconuenyentes shall ensue of my goynge thyder Sir ê™ the duke of Burgoyne fayre cosyn haue ye no dout therin for we shall swere solempnely to you that withoute it shall be your owne pleasure ye shall nouther se nor speke with the Constable nor with Iohan of Mountforde as longe as ye shall be there Of this sir ye shall be sure but ye shall se the kynge who desyreth to se you and other lordes knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce who shall make you good chere And whanne ye haue done that ye loke for ye shall retourne agayne without peryll or dommage Wherto shulde I make longe processe So moche the duke of Bretayne was desyred with faire wordes that he consented to go to Parys on the promyse that the Constable nor Iohan of Mountforde shulde nat come in his preseÌ„ce the whiche the dukes sware faythfully to vpholde and thervpon he ê“mysed to go to Parys A fyue dayes these dukes were at Bloyes and eche of them feested other ryght nobly and the couÌ„tesse and her chyldren in lyke maner And whan euery thyng was accomplysshed the two dukes toke leaue of the duke of Bretaygne and retourned to Parys But sir Wylliam of Heynaulte retourned nat to Parys with the duke of Burgoyne his faire father but rode first with the countesse of Bloyes who made hym right good chere and taryed there a thre dayes than toke his leaue and retourned in to Fraunce by the Castell Dune and Bonyuall ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Lewes kyng of Cycyle entred in to Parys in estate royall and howe the duke of Bretayne entred on the nyght of saynt IohnÌ„ the Baptyst The yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore seuyn and of a dede of armes doone before the kyng at Mountereau faulte you bytwene a knyght of Englande called sir ThomÌ„s Harpingham and a frenche knyght named sir IohnÌ„ de Barres Cap. C.xxxi THe duke of Bretaygne rode to Boygency on the ryuer of Loyre there he ordered his businesse to go to Parys The same tyme before the duke of Bretaygne entered in to Parys there entred the quene of Cycyll and of Hierusalem somtyme wyfe to the Duke of Aniou who was called kynge of those countreis and also of Naples and with her was her yonge sonne Lewes who was as thanne in all Fraunce named kynge of all the said landes And in their company was Iohan of Bretaygne brother to the lady She sente worde before of her coÌ„mynge to the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne aduertysyng theÌ„ howe she brought in her company her yonge son Lewes their nephue desyring to knowe whether he shulde entre into Paris as a kynge or elles symply as Lewes of Aniou The two dukes sente her worde aduisynge and couÌ„sayling her that he shulde entre as kyng of Naples of Cycyle and of Hierusalem And sente her worde that thoughe he were nat as thanne in possessyon of the Realmes yet they wolde entyse the Frenche kyng that he shulde ayde hym to conquere them for so they sware to do to their brother kyng Lois After this maner the lady prepared for her selfe and came and entred in to Parys and made her sonne to ryde throughe the hyghe stretes by saynt Iaques so to his lodgynge in grene in estate royall accompanyed with Dukes erles and prelates a great nombre There the lady taryed with her sonne and thanne wente to se the kynge at his castell of Loure abydinge there the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Bretaygne entred in to Parys and came to the castell of Loure to the Frenche kynge Cap. C.xxxii WHan the duke of Bretayne aproched nere to Parys he rested one nyght at the quenes Bourge and the nexte daye he entred in to Paris great lokyng for hym was in Paris bycause he had before putte in daunger the Constable of Fraunce and had ben sente for dyuers tymes and wolde neuer come tyll than Men spake therof dyuersly and on a sondaye beynge Mydsomer daye at tenne of the clocke afore noone the duke of Bretaygne entred the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and eight in to Parys at hell gate and passed a long the strete of the Harpe and ouer the bridge saynt Michell and so before the palais well accompanyed with lordes and knyghtes There was sir Wyllyam of Heynaulre erle of Ostrenaunt his faire brother Iohan of Burgoyne and before him roode sir Wyllyam of Namure Thus he came to the Castelle of Loure and there alyghted as he rode throughe the stretes he was greatelye regarded of the common people And whan the duke was a lyghted and entred in at the gate he remembred what he shulde do and saye And before hym was the lorde of Coucy the erle of Sauoy sir IohnÌ„ of Vyen sir Guye de la Tremoyle sir IohnÌ„ of Vernayle the erle of Meauir sir Iohan of Voye sir Iohan of Barres and nere to hym was sir Wyllyam of Namure Iohan of Burgoyne and the erle of Ostrenaunte And behynde hym the lorde Mountforde of Bretayne and the lorde of Malestroyt they were of his kynne and priuy couÌ„sayle there was great preace to se hym and the halle but lytell and the boordes were couered for the kynge to go to dyner And the kynge stoode there redy before the table and his .iii. vncles besyde hym dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone As soone as the duke was entred euery man made place so that the duke myght se the kynge Firste he made one curtesy and so passed forthe a renne or .xii. paces Than he made the seconde curtesy and rose agayne and so passed forthe tyll he came before the kynge Than the thirde tyme he kneled downe bare heeded and saluted the kyng and sayd Sir I am come to se your grace god maynteyne youre prosperyte I thanke you sir quod the kyng and we haue great desyre to se you We shall se and speke with you at more leysar and therwith toke hym vp by the armes Than the duke enclyned hym self to all the other princes eche after other than he stode styll before the kynge without spekynge of any worde The kyng sore behelde hym Thanne the Stewardes and offycers came forthe with water and the kyng wasshed and the duke of Bretaygne putte his hande to the bason and to the towell And whan the kyng was sette the duke toke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule with other lordes conueyed hym in to the court where his horses were and there
mounted and so returned to his lodgynge in the strete of that Harpe and none taryed with hym of them that conueyed hym but suche as came with hym out of Bretaygne to Parys AFter all this the duke of Bretaygne spake at leysar with the kynge his vncles so that euery man was well contente with hym and he tooke well euery thynge that had ben promysed to hym for he sawe nouther the constable nor Iohn̄ of Bretayne Whan the lordes sawe that euery thyng was in good state and that they neded nat to doute the duke of Bretaygne seynge they had hym at Paris for they thought he shulde nat departe thens tyll he had done in maner euery thyng as the kynge wolde than it was thought good tyme to ordeyne forth for the voyage in to Guerles whyder the kyng had great affection to go to subdue the duke of Guerles who had so shamfully defied the kyng the whiche cōsydred was nat thoght good to be suffred Than it was ordayned that the lorde of Coucy shulde drawe to the marches of Rennes and Chalous in Champayn and to regarde for the kynges passage that waye and to moue the knyghtes squyers in Bare and in Lorayne to go with him whyder he wolde lede them nat spekynge of the kyng but bearyng them in hande that he wolde go to recouer his ryght in Austryche The lorde of Coucy thus departed fro Parys and wente to Chalous in Champayne and there taryed a moneth and retaygned on all partes knyghtes and squyers ī Bare and in Lorayne in Champaygne and in Retheloys And the Frēche kyng departed fro Parys whan he had cōmuned with the duke of Bretaygne of dyuers maters and nat fully accomplysshed For the sute in the courte of Fraunce is longe whan they lyste and right well they canne foode forthe the people to make theym spende moche and bringe lytell to effecte The kynge came to Moustreau on faulte you in the marchesse of Brie and Gastenoys and there he helde his courte and of ten tymes chased hartes and other wylde beestes in the forest of Brie The same seasone there was a dede of armes done there bitwene an Englisshe knight who was there with the duke of Irelande called sir Thom̄s Harpyngham and sir Iohan of Barres wherof great brute was made in Fraunce and other places Their chalenge was fyue courses with a speare fyue strokes with the sworde fyue with a daggar and fyue with the axe and if any of their weapons brake than they to gette newe tyll their chalenge were accōplysshed These two knyghtes on a day lept on their horses well armed as appertayned The kynge and all other lordes beyng present and moche people and ranne toguyder foure courses ryght valiauntly and as me thought the vsage was than̄e their Helmes were tyed but with a lace to the entente the speare shulde take no holde the fyrst course sir Iohan of Barres strake the Englysshe knyght on the targe in suche wyse that he bare hym ouer the horse crope so that he laye stonyed on the grounde and moche payne to releue Than they perfourmed forthe all the reste of their chalenge in so goodly maner that the kyng and all the other were well cōtent with them ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Arundell beyng on the see more than a moneth came to the hauyn of Marante a lytell fro Rochell And howe he sent a messāgere to Perotte le Bernoys that he and other capitayns shulde kepe the feldes Cap. C.xxxiii IT is long sythe I made any mencyon of the Englysshe armye on the see wherof Rycharde Erle of Arundell was capitayne and with hym many knyghtes squyers and archers of Englande I shall nowe somwhat speke of hym for the mater requyreth it yE haue herde here before of the treatie that the kyng of Englande made with the duke of Bretaygne This nauy on the see all this season laye euer coostynge the fronters of Bretaygne and Normādy if ioynde and wether draue thē thens they euer came thyder agayne And they had in their flete some small vesselles called Balyngers who wente euer and scoured the see The flete had layne at ancre more than a moneth agaynst the ysle of Breshatte in Bretayne And there they herde tidynges howe the duke of Bretaygne was gone to Bloyes to speke with the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne And howe they were so agreed that the duke was gone to Parys And the renoeranne throughe Bretaygne howe the duke hadde good chere of the Frenche kynge and was welcome to hym and to all his cousayle at Parys and shulde nat departe thens tyll the maters were in good estate Whanne the erle of Arūdell herde those tidynges he was pensyue and wente to counsayle what was best to do whyder they were best to drawe to enploye their season Than they determyned to drawe to Rochellois though they had no castelles there yet they hadde men ynowe there to kepe the Felde and to abyde all the puyssaunce of Xaynton and of Poyctou so that they shulde signify their estate in to Auuergne and in to Lymosynne so that they myght sende to passe throughe Bretaygne As than the treuse was nat confyrmed on the ryuer of Loyre but they were a treatynge to begynne the fyrste daye of Auguste And sir Helyon of Lignacke was goyng or cōmyng as the erle of Arundell ymagined outher to the duke of Lancastre to Bayone or elles retournynge in to Fraunce They hadde in their nauye a Breton bretonaunt of the nacyon of Wannes seruaunt to sir Wyllyam Helmon who coude speke well foure maner of languages That is to saye Bretysshe Englysshe Spaynysshe and Frenche and gaue hym in commaundement to go a lande and sayde to hym Go thou the moost preuyest wayes thou canste thou knowest all the preuy wayes of the countrey and gette the to the garyson of Chaluset and haue vs all recommaunded to Perotte le Bernoys and shewe hym fro vs that he sette forthe a company of men of armes suche as be in garysons forthe kynge of Englande and make warre in his tytell thou shalte beare no letters for feare of takynge Thou mayest go lyke a marchaunt of Rochell to by wynes and saye to Perot that he reyse vp these men of warre and kepe the coūtreys of Berrey Auuergne and Lymosyn in doute and kepe the feldes for we shall lande in Rocelloyes and shall make there suche warre that it shal be herde of and well knowen The Breton sayde he shulde do his message if he hadde no great lette by the waye He was set a lande on the sandes and as he that knewe all the countrey of Bretayne went of from all the great townes and passed by the countrey of Poyctou and entred in to Lymosyn and so came to Chalucet wherof Perot le Bernoys was capitayne The messangere came to the barryers and gaue knowledge of his cōmynge to them of the garyson After he had ben examyned at the gate he was lette in and so
four tymes aboute in the syght of all the people and there was openly red and publysshed all their dedes and thaÌ„ beheeded and quartered their quarters sent to the four chefe gates of the cytie Thus Alayne and Peter Rour lost shamfully their lyues the castell of Vanchadore ¶ Of the dedes of armes at saint Ingylvertes contynuyng thyrty dayes agaynste all coÌ„mers of the realme of Englande and other countreys euery man thre courses Ca. C.lxviii IN this seasone and in the meane tyme that the truese was thus bytwenene Englande and Fraunce bothe by lande and by see though the kinges and their subgiettes helde well the peace yet was there certayne pyllers robbers in Auuergne who made warre to the poore men on bothe sydes the ryuer of Dordone but the capytayns that had gyueÌ„ vp their fortresses by reason of that treatie dyssymuled the matter By reason of their dissymulacion the couÌ„trey of Auuergne receyued great domage so that the complaintes therof came to Parys Than the french kyng was counsayled to sende to the kynge of Englande signyfyenge hym of the state of these robbes that made warre thus in the countrey vnder coloure of their patesynge the which ought nat to be done I thinke the king of Englande excused hym selfe of the mater And to prouyde therfore the same season the thre fore sayd knyghtes that is to say the yonge Bouciquant Raynolde of Roy the lorde of saint Pye who had enterprised to do armes about the marches of Calays nere to saynte Ingilbertes made them redy to a coÌ„plysshe their desyre to fulfyll their promesse the right of armes for it was openly declared publysshed and specyally in the realme of Englande in the which realme there were knyghtes squyers quyckened to the mater and were in gret imagynacioÌ„s to knowe what they might best do Some said it shuld be greatly to their blame and reproche such an enterprise taken so nere to Calays without they passed the see loke on those knightes that shulde do armes there Suche as spake most of the mater was first syr Iohan of Holande erle of Huntyngdon who had great desyre to go thyder also sir Iohan courtney sir Iohan Traicton sir Iohan Golouffer syr Iohan Russell syr Thomas Shyrborne syr Willyam Clyfton sir Willyam Clynton sir WillymÌ„ Taylboys sir Godfrey Seta syr Willyam hacquenay syr Iohan Vobeas syr Iohan Dambretycourt syr Henry Beamond and dyuers other mo than a huÌ„dred knightes and squters all these sayd Let vs prouyde to go to Calays for the knightes of Fraunce hath nat ordayned that sporte so nere our marches but to the entent to se vs there and surely they haue done well and do lyke good companions and we shall nat fayle them at their busynes This matter was so published abrode in Englande that many suche as had no desyre to do dedes of armes theym selfe yet they sayd they wolde be there to loke on them that shulde Suche as thought to be there sent afore to Calays to make prouysion to kepe their astate and sente ouer their horse and harnes bothe for peace and warre Whan the day aproched sir IohnÌ„ HolaÌ„de brother to the kyng of EnglaÌ„de fyrst passed the see mo than .lx. knightes squiers with hym aryued at Calys there toke vp their lodgyngê At thentryng in of the ioly fresshe moueth of May these thre yong knyghtes of FrauÌ„ce suche as shulde do dedê of armes at saynt Ingilbertê thus first they caÌ„e to Boloyne taryed there a season than came to thabbay of same Ingilbertê Than they vnderstode how there were a great noÌ„bre of knyghtes squyers coÌ„e out of Englande to Calays wherof they were ryght ioyfull And to the entent that the brute shulde coÌ„e to Calays they ordayned in a fayre playne bytwene Calays and saynt Ingilbertes thre fressh grene pauilyoÌ„s to be pyght vp and at the entre of euery pauylyon there hanged two sheldes with the armes of the knightes one shelde of peace another of warre and it was ordayned that suche as shulde ryn do dedes of armes shulde touche one of the sheldes or cause to be touched whiche as pleaseth them and he shulde be delyuered acordyng to his desyre to speke of this mater I shall shew you The .xxi. day of the moneth of May acordyng as it had ben publisshed these thre freÌ„ch knyghtes were redy in the place to furnysshe their interprice And the same day knightes squyers issued out of Calays suche as wolde iust and also suche other as had pleasure to regarde that sporte and they came to the sayde place apoynted and drewe all on the one parte The place to iust in was farre grene playne Syr Iohan Holande first sente to touche the sheld of warre of sir Boucyquant who incontynent issued out of his pauylyon redy mounted with shelde speare These two knightes drewe fro other a certayne space and whan eche of them had well aduysed other they spurred their horses came togyther rudely and Boucyquante strake the erle of Huntyngton through the shelde and the spearcheed glente ouer his arme dyd hym no hurt and so they passed forthe and tourned and rested at their pase This course was greatly praysed The seconde course they met without any hurte do ynge and the thyrde course their horses refused and wolde nat cope The erle of Huntyngton who had gret desyre to iust and was somwhat chafed came to his place abydynge that sir Boucyquant shulde take his speare but he dyd nat for he shewed that he wolde no more tynne that day agaynst therle And whan the erle sawe that he sent his squyer to touche the shelde of warre of the lorde of saynt Pye And he that wolde nat refuse issued out of his pauylion and toke his horse shelde and speare And whan the erle sawe that he was redy spurred his horse and saynt Pye in lykewyse they couched their speares but at the metyng their horses crossed but with the crossynge of their speares the erle was vnhelmed Than he retourned to his men and incontynent he was rehelmed and toke his speare and saynt Pye his and than ran agayne and met eche other with their speares in the myddes of their sheldes so that nere hande they were bothe borne downe to their erthe but they gryped fast their horses with their legges and so saued them selfes and retourned to their places and toke their brethes Syr Iohan Holande who had great affection to do honorably toke agayne his speare spurred his horse and whan the lorde of saynt Pye sawe hym comyng he dasshed forth his horse to encountre hym eche of them strake other on their helmes that the spre flasshed out With that ataynt the lorde of saynt Pye was vnhelmed and so they passed forthe and came agayne to their owne places This course was greatly praysed and both frenche and englysshe sayd that those thre knyghtes the erle of Huntyngton sir Bouciquant and the
perfyte Nowe in the same season there happed to fall a great lette and trouble in this matter wherby all was nyghe at a poynte to haue been broken and made voyde and it is reason I tell you the cause to the entent that the hystory be playne and trewe YE haue herde here before how the frenche kyng had great pleasure to lye at Abbeuyle and also to be nere to here dayly howe the treatie wente forwarde at Balyngham And whan the four dukes were at a poynt as ye haue herde at the conclusyon of the mater the dukes of Lancastre and Gloucestre sayd howe that it was the entensyon of kynge Rycharde kynge of Englande and his counsayle that pope Bonyface beynge at Rome whome the Romayns almayns hungaryons lumbardes venysyans and all the nacyons of the worlde chrystened helde to one pope and he that named hym selfe Clement degraded and condeÌ„pned that they shulde desyre the frenche kynge to take the same way Whan the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne vnderstode those wordes the duke of Burgoyne to the entent somewhat to please his cosyns of Englande and to the entente that their treatie of peace shulde nat be hyndred therby sayd Fayre cosyns we desyre you to haue some respyte to take counsayle vpon that mater whiche was graunted them And thervpon they toke counsayle and than aunswered and the Duke of Burgoyne spake and sayd Fayre cosyns the mater and questyon of the two popes is nat couenable to be moued nor spoken of here amonge vs and we marueyle why ye put this mater in coÌ„munycacion for at the fyrst begynnyng of our treatie ye refused to se or to speke with the Legate de la Lyne who is as yet in Abbeuyle wherfore we rest vs on that Whan the cardynalles at Rome dyd chose pope Vrbayne and after his dyscease pope Bonyface none of our party nor yet of yours were called to that electyon and in lykewyse we saye of Clement who is at Auygnon We saye nat agaynst but that it were great almes to a pease theym and to vny the churche who so myght entende to do it but lette vs leaue that mater and lette the vnyuersitees and clerkes determyne it and whan all our busynesse is concluded and a ferme peace ratifyed than by the counsayle of our cosyn the kynge of Almayne we shall entende therto gladly on our partye and in lykewyse do you on your partie With this aunswere the dukes of Englande were well content for it semed to them reasonable Than they aunswered and sayde Fayre cosyns ye haue sayde very well we are content with the same Thus that mater rested Than there fell a nother great lette and trouble for the frenche kynge who had layne at the towne of Abuyle a great season bycause of the great disportes pleasure and pastyme that he fouÌ„de there sodaynly he fell agayne in to his maladye of fransy in lyke maner as he had ben the yere before He that fyrst perceyued it was syr Willyam Martell a knyght of Normandy who was alwayes nere to the kynges persone in his priuy chambre The same seasone the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne were at Boloyne or at Balyngham vpon th ende of their parlyament and they had in a manerall concluded for that seasone And as soone as the duke of OrlyauÌ„ce brother to the kynge knewe of this chaunce of the kynges sycknesse and that he had sene hym he sente a secrete squyer of his named Bonyface to his vncles to Boloyne aduertisynge them secretly of the kynges dysease Whanne the dukes knewe that they were ryght sorye and departed for they had all redy taken their leaues of their cosyns of Englande who were also departed to Calays and taryed there to here tydynges fro the kyng of Nauerte and fro the duke of Bretaygne for they hadde moued in their treatie that the castell of Chyerbourge standynge on the seesyde vpon the close of Constantyne in Normandy whiche the kynge of Englande had in gawge and in kepynge as I was enfourmed for the soÌ„me of threscore thousande nobles of Englande that the frenche kynge shulde paye the sayd somme and the castell to retourne to the Kynge of Nauerre and also the stronge castell of Brest that the englysshe men helde shulde retourne to the duke of Bretaygne The dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne abode nat the conclusyon of that matter but came to Abbeuyle and founde the kynge in ryght yuell estate of his helthe where of they were sory The kynges sycknesse was kepte secrete as longe as it myght be but it was nat very longe for suche aduentures are soone spredde abrode Thus all the lordes that had been in Abbeuyle departed one after another euery man home to his owne howse Than it was determyned that the kynge shulde be caryed in an horse lytter to the castell of Crayll vpon Oyse where he had been before Thyder he was conueyed by nyght tyme and the daye tyme he rested for the heate of the sonne The duke of Berrey and the duke of Orlyaunce rode to Crayell with the kynge and the duke of Burgoyne rode in to Arthoys and in to Flaunders vysitynge his countreys and founde the duchesse his wyfe at the castell of Hedyn As than there was no mo wordes spoken of the lorde de la Ryuer nor of syr Iohan Mercyer they were as than all forgoten no man spake of their greuaunce nor of their delyueraunce This seconde malady that Charles the frenche kynge was fallen in dyd put away greatly the speakynge of the people The wyse and sage men of Fraunce feared before greatly this chaunce for they sawe the kynge was lykely to fall in to that malady by reason of the great excesse that he had vsed in tymes paste and through the feblenesse of his heed mayster WillmÌ„ of Harsley was as than newly deed and suche as were nere about the kyng coude nat tell where to haue a good sure phisicyon to wayt vpon the kyng howbeit they that were about him dyd the best they coude deuise ¶ Of the dethe of pope Clement at Auygnon and of the lectyon of pope Benedic Cap. C.xcvi IN that tyme in the moneth of Septembre passed out of this worlde at Auygnon Roberte of Geneue named pope Clement and it came by hym as he had alwayes said before whan any man spake of the peace and vnyâ—n of the church he wolde say alwayes howe he wolde dye pope and so he dyd in maner as ye haue herde here before wrongfully or ryghtfully I wyll nat determyne Than the Cardynalles there were sore abasshed and studyed whome they myght chose to be pope The same tyme the Frenche kynge retourned agayne to his helth wherof all suche as loued him had great ioye and specyally the good quene who had gyuen moche almesse and done many pylgrymages for the kynge and caused generall processyons to be made in Parys As I was enfourmed the cardynals at Auygnon dyd electe and chose to be pope the cardynall de la
tyme I demaunded thē of their beleue wherwith they were nat content and sayd howe they beleued on god and on the trynite aswell as we Than I demaūded on what pope was their affection The aunswered me on hym of Rome Than̄e I demaunded if they wolde nat gladly receyue the order of knyghthode and that the kyng of Englande shulde make thē knyghtes accordynge to the vsage of Fraūce and Englande and other countreis they aunswered howe they were knyghtes all redye and that suffyced for theym I asked where they were made knyghtes and howe and whan They answered that in the age of seuyn yere they were made knyghtes in Irelande And that a kynge maketh his sonne a knyght and if the sonne haue no father alyue than the nexte of his blode maye make hym knyght And than̄e this yonge knyght shall begyn to iuste with small speares suche as they maye beare with their case and rynne agaynst a shelde sette on a stake in the felde and the more speares that he breaketh the more he shal be honoured I knewe their maner well ynough though I dyde demaūde it But than I sayd that the knighthode that they had taken in their youthe suffyced nat to the kynge of Englande But I sayde he shulde gyue theym after another maner They demaunded howe I aunswered that it shulde be in the holy churche whiche was the moost worthyest place Than they enclyned somewhat to my wordes Within two dayes after the erle of Ormonde came to thē who coude right well speke the langage for some of his landes laye in those parties He was sente to them by the kynge and his coūsayle They all honoured hym and he them Than he fell in swete communycacion with them and he demaunded of them howe they lyked me They aunswered and sayde well for he hath well shewed vs the vsage of this countrey wherfore we ought to thanke him and so we do This aunswere pleased well the erle of Ormonde Than he entred lytell and lytell to speke of the order of chiualry whiche the kyng wolde they shulde receyue He shewed it them fro poynt to poynt howe they shulde behaue them selfe and what parteygned to knyghthode The erles wordes pleased moche these four kynges whose names were these Fyrst the great Ancle kyng of Mecte The seconde Brine of Thomōde kynge of Thomonde The thyrde Arthure of Mackequemur kynge of Lynster The fourthe Conhue kyng of Cheueno Darpe They were made knightes by kyng Richarde of Englande in the Cathedrall churche of Duuelyn dedycate of saynt Iohan Baptyst It was done on our lady day in Marche as than it fell on a Thursday These four kynges watched all the night before in the churche and the nexte daye at highe masse tyme with great solēpnyte they were made knightes and with them sir Thomas Orphen sir Ioatas Pado and sir Iohan Pado his cosyn These kynges sate that day at the table with kyng Rycharde They were regarded of many folkes bicause there behauyng was straunge to the maner of Englande and other countreis and euer naturally men desyre to se newelties Than I sir Iohn̄ Froissart sayde Henry I beleue you well I wolde it had cost me largely that I had been there And surely this yere past I hadde come hyder and it hadde nat been for that I herde of the dethe of quene Anne of Englande whiche dyde lette me But one thynge I wolde desyre of you to knowe howe these four kynges of Irelande came so soone to the kynge of Englandes obeysaunce whan kynge Edwarde the kynges graunfather who was so valyaunt a prince and so redouted ouer all coude neuer subdue them nor putte them vnder and yet he had alwayes warre with thē and in that they are subdued nowe ye sayd it was by treatie and by the grace of god In dede the grace of god is good who so can haue it it is moche worthe But it is sene nowe a dayes that erthely princes getteth lytell wtout it be by puissaūce I desyre to know this for whan I shall cōe in to Heynalt of which countrey I am of I shal be examyned of this and many other thynges bothe by duke Aubert of Bauier erle of Heynalte of Holande and of zelande and also by his sonne Wyllm̄ of Bauyere who writeth hym selfe lorde of Frese whiche is a great countrey and a puissaunt whiche coūtrey the sayd duke and his sonne claymeth to haue by ryght successyon and so dyde their predecessours before them but the Fresons wolde neuer fall to any reason nor come vnder obeysaūce nor as yet do nat vnto this day than answered sir Henry Christall sayd Sir Iohan to shewe you the very trouth I can nat but as many a one saythe it is to suppose that the great puissaūce that the kyng had ouer with him and taryed there in their countrey nyne monethes and euery man well payed abasshed the yrisshe men Also the see was closed fro them on all partes wherby their lyuēges and marchaūdises myght nat entre in to their countreys thoughe they that dwell farre within the realme cared lytell for it for they knowe natte what marchaundyse meaneth nor they lyue but grosely and rudely like vnto beestes yet suche as lyueth on the marchesse of England and by the See coost vse feate of marchaundyse with vs and in to other places Kynge Edwarde of noble memorie in his tyme had to answere so many warres what in Fraūce Bretayne Gascone and Scotlande so that his people were deuyded in dyuers places sore occupyed wherfore he coude nat sende no great nombre in to Irelande But whan the Irysshmen sawe the great nombre of men of warre that kyng Rycharde hadde in Irelande this laste iourney The yrisshmen aduysed them selfe and came to obeysaūce And in dede of olde tyme there was a kyng in Englāde named Edwarde who is a saynt and canonysed and honoured through all this realme In his tyme he subdued the Danes disconfyted them by batayle on the See thre tymes And this saint Edwarde kyng of Englande lorde of Irelande and of Acquitayn the yrisshmen loued and dredde hym moche more than any other kyng of Englande that had been before And therfore our souerayne lorde kyng Richarde this yere past whan he was in Irelande in all his armories and deuyses he lefte the beryng of the armes of Englande as the lybardes flour delyces quarterly and bare the armes of this saynt Edwarde that is a crosse patent golde and goules with four white martenettes in the felde wherof it was said the yrisshmen were well pleased and the soner they enclyned to hym For of trouthe the predecessours of these four kynges obeyed with faithe and homage to the sayd kyng Edwarde and they repute kynge Richarde a good man and of good cōscience and so they haue done to hym faithe homage as they ought to do and in like maner as their predecessours sōtyme dyde to saynt Edwarde Thus I haue shewed you
this tyme I wotte nat where better to enploye myselfe in any dede of armes wherin I wolde gladly knowe youre pleasure I wolde go in that honourable voyage with a hundred knyghtes and beare company with my fayre brother the duke of Burgoyne and my lady the duches shall can me gret thanke and many knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt wyll gladly holde me company Than duke Aubert as a man redy purueyed of aunswere sayd Guylliam what haste or wyll haue you to go in this voyage in to Hungery and in to Turkey to seke armes vpon people and countrey that neuer dyd vs any forfeyte thou hast no tytell of reason to go but for the vayneglory of the worlde Lette Iohan of Burgoyne and our cosins of Fraunce do their enterprise and do thy dedes aparte go thou in to Frese and conquere our herytage that these fresones by pride and rudenes do witholde fro vs and wyll come to none obeysaunte and to do this I shall ayde the. The wordes of the father to the sonne lyghtened greatly the herte of therle of Ostrenant who aunswered and sayd My lorde ye saye well and if it please you that I shall do that voyage I shall do it with ryght a good wyll ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Ostrenant enterprised to go in to Frese Cap. CC.vii THese wordê bytwene the father the sonne multyplyed so moche lytell and lytell that the voyage in to Frese was taken and enter prised and one thynge helped moche the matter forwarde and that was The erle of Ostrenant had at that tyme aboute hym and nere of his counsayle a squyer of Haynalte called Ferebrase otherwise called the bastarde Vertayne a wyse man and a subtyll in feates of armes so that whan he herd of this he said to the erle Syr my lorde your father speketh well it is better for your honour that ye make this voyage rather than in to Hungery and ordayne you therto and ye shall fynde knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt and elswhere that wyll be gladde to kepe you company and shall ayde you to their powers to do this enterprise and if ye haue mynde thus to do I wyll counsayle you to go in to EnglaÌ„de and to signyfy your enterprise to the knyghtes and squyers there and pray the kynge of Englande your cosyn that he wyll gyue lycence to knyghtes squyers and archers to go with you in to Frese at your wages englysse men be men of dedes and if ye haue them ye shall do your businesse the better And if ye may haue by prayer your cosyn therle of Derby in your company your voyage shall be moche the fayrer and your enterprise the more renomed The erle enclyned to those wordes for it semed to hym that his counsayle was good In lykewyse the lorde Gomegynes gaue hym counsayle and so dyd dyuers other These wordes anone spredde abrode in Haynalte Than there was acommaundement made to all knyghtes and squiers in Heynalt that none of theym shulde go out of the couÌ„trey to go in to Hungrey nor in to no place els bycause the erle of Ostrenant shulde ocupy them another waye and shulde leade them in to Frese We shall leaue speakynge of this busynesse and retourne to the voyage in to Hungery THus knyghtes and squiers in many parties had cause to awake and to take corage for the warres that were towarde in that season as well for the voyage in to Hungery as in to Frese The erle of Neuers auaunced his iourney and all knyghtes and Squyers were named and written that shulde go with him prouision was great and well ordeyned and for that he wolde be renomed in this voyage he was lyberall and mad great larges to many knyghtes and squyers that shulde go in his bande for the voyage was long and costely wherfore it was nedefull for theÌ„ to haue some ayde towardes their charges and the other lordes as the constable of FrauÌ„ce and the erles of Ewe and Marche the lordes Henry and Phylippe of Bare the lorde of Coucy the lorde Guy of Tremoyle the lorde Iohan Vyen admyrall of Fraunce Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce and Raynolde du Roy the lordes of saynt Powle of Mutterell and of saynte Pye the Hasell of Flaunders the lorde Loys of Brese his brother le Bourge of Montquell and other they were to the nombre of a thousande knyghtes and a thousande squyers all valyaunt men Euery man departed fro their owne houses about the myddes of marche and so rode forth by companyes and alwayes they founde the wayes open for the kynge of Almayne had coÌ„mauÌ„ded through all his realme of Almayne and Boesme that they shulde haue all thynges necessary and that no vytayle shulde be witholden fro them These lordes of FrauÌ„ce thus rode forwarde to the ayde of the kyng of Hungery who shulde haue batayle with the great turke puyssaunce agaynst puyssaunce the twenty day of the moneth of May. These lordes passed Lorayne the countie of Bare the countie of Mountbelyart and the duchy of Burgoyn and entred into Ausay and passed the couÌ„trey and the ryuer of Rynâ—â—â— many places and the countie of Fierte and so entered in to Austriche whiche is a great couÌ„trey and the entres and issues stronge and great desertes but they went with so good wyll and corage that payne and traueyle greued them nothyng The duke of Austriche made capytaynes in his countrey suche as made the lordes good chere and specyally to IohnÌ„ of Burgoyne who was chiefe of that army All these lordes were apoynted to assemble in a cytie in Hungery called Bode ¶ Nowe let vs speke of other maters yE haue herde here before howe the kynge of England had sente in the same season suffycient ambassade to the frenche kyng and to his counsayle to haue to his wyfe Isabell the doughter of Fraunce whiche ambassadours were the archebysshop of Duuelyn the bysshoppe of Wynchester the erle Marshall the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the lorde Henry Clyfforde the lorde Beamonde the lorde Spenser and many other the frenche kyng had made them good chere and all his vncles and counsayls whiche ambassade were retourned in to Englande vpon good hope to atayne to their desyres The kynge of Englande for his parte all the wynter folowynge often tymes sent to the frenche kynge consernynge the sayd maters who was well enclyned to haue peace and to haue ende of the warre whiche had ouer longe endured These pursutes and treaties toke suche effect and the two kynges had writen so solemply eche to other that their maters drewe nere to apoynte so that suche ambassadours as were fyrst sent out of Englande in to Fraunce were than sente agayne and came to Parys and were lodged at the crosse of Tyroner and their men in the streat there aboute They were to the nombre of syxe hundred Thus they soiourned at Parys more than thre wekes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the iudgemeÌ„t made in the parlyament for the quene
where as he laye his hedde on a blacke quisshen his visage open some had on hym pytie soÌ„e none but sayd he had long a go deserued dethe Now coÌ„syder well ye great lordes kynges dukes erles baroÌ„s prelates all men or great lynage puissauce se beholde how the fortunes of this worlde are marueylous turne diuersly This kyng Richarde reigned kynge of EnglaÌ„de .xxii. yere in great prosperite holdyng great estate signorie There was neuer before any kyng of Englande that spente so moche in his house as he dyd by a. C.M. florens euery yere For I sir IohnÌ„ Froissart chanon treasourer of Chinay knewe it wel for I was in his court more tha a quarter of a yere togider he made me good chere bycause that in my youthe I was clerke seruauÌ„t to the noble kynge Edwarde the thirde his grautfather with my lady Philyp of Heynault quene of EnglaÌ„de his grandame and whan I deê‘ted fro hym it was at Wynsore and at my departynge the kyng sent me by a knight of his called sir IohnÌ„ Golofer a gob let or syluer gylte weyeng two marke of siluer within it a C. nobles by the which I am as yet the better and shal be as long as I lyue wherfore I am bouÌ„de to praye to God for his soule with moche sorowe I write of his dethe But bicause I haue coÌ„tynued this historie therfore I write therof to folowe it In my tyme I haue sene two thingê though they differ yet they be true I was in the cytie of Burdeux sytting at the table whaÌ„ kyng Richarde was borne the whiche was on a tuisday about .x. of the clocke The same tyme there caÌ„e there as I was sir Richarde PouÌ„tcardon marshall as than of Acâ—tayne he said to me Froissart write put in memorie that as nowe my lady pricesse is brought abeed with a fayre son on this twelfe daye that is the day of the thre kynges and he is son to a kynges son shal be a kyng This geÌ„tyll knight said trouthe for he was kynge of Englande xxii yere But whan this knyght sayd these wordes he knewe full lytell what shulde be his conclusyon And the same tyme that kynge Richarde was borne his father the prince was in Galyce the whiche kyng Dompeter had gyuen him and he was there to coÌ„quere the realme Vpon these thyngê I haue greatlye ymagined sythe for the fyrst yere that I caÌ„e in to EnglaÌ„de in to the seruyce of quene Philyppe Kynge Edwarde and the quene and all their chyldren were as than at Barcamstede a maner of the prince of Wales be yonde London The kynge and the Quene were came thyder to take leaue of their sofie the prince and the priÌ„cesse who were goyng in to Acquitayne And there I herde an auÌ„cient knyght deuyse amonge the ladyes and sayde There is a booke whiche is called le Brust and it deuyseth that the prince of Wales eldest son to the king nor the duke of Clarence nor the duke of Glocestre shuld neuer be kyng of EnglaÌ„de but the realme crowne shuld returne to the house of Lacastre There I Iohan Froissart auctour of this cronycle coÌ„sydring all these thynges I say these two knyghtes sir Richarde Pountcardon sir Bartylmewe of Bruels layd bothe trouthe For I sawe and so dyde all the worlde Rycharde of Burdeaux .xxii. yere kyng of Englande and after the crowne retourned to the house of Lancastre And that was whan kyng HeÌ„ry was kyng the which he had neuer ben if Richarde of Burdeaux had dalte amyably with hym for the Londoners made hym kyng bycause they had pytie on hym and on his chyldren Thus whan kynge Richarde had layne two houres in the chare in Chepe syde than they draue the chayre forwarde And whan the foure knyghtes that folowed the chare a sote were without London they lept than on their horses whiche were there redy for them And so they rode tyll they caÌ„e to a vyllage called Langle a .xxx. myle from LoÌ„don and there this kyng Richarde was buryed god haue mercy on his soule Tydinges spredde abrode howe kyng Richarde was deed he taryed euery daye for it for euery man myght well consydre that he shulde neuer come out of prisone a lyue His dethe was long kepte and hydde fro his wyfe The Frenche kynge and his counsayle were well enformed of all this and the knightes and squyers desyred nothyng but the warre that they myght ryde vpon the fronters Howe be it the counsayls as well of the one realme as of the other toke their aduyse and thought it best to vpholde styll the truse that was taken before they thought it more ê“fitable than the warre And a newe treatie was deuysed to be in the marches of Calais bycause the freÌ„che kyng was nat in good case nor had nat been sythe he knewe of the trouble that kyng Richarde was in And yet his sickenesse doubled whaÌ„ he knewe that he was deed so that the duke of Burgoyne had the chefe rule of the realme And he came to saynt Omers to Burbourâ— where the duke of Burbone was sir Charles de la Brest and Charles of Hangeers Iohan of Castell Morant and of prelates the patriarke of Ierusalem and the bysshoppes of Paris and of Beauoyes And on the Englysshe partie there was the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Rutlande the erle of Deuonshyre and the lorde Henry Percy the erles sonne and yuan of Fitzwaren and prelates there were the bysshoppes of Wynchester and of Ely The frenche men demauÌ„ded to haue agayne delyuered the yong quene of Englande but the Englysshe men wolde in no wyse delyuer her but sayd she shulde lyue styll in EnglaÌ„de vpon her dowrie and that though she had lost her husbande they wolde prouyde for her another that shulde be fayre yong gentyll with whom she shuld be better pleased than with Richard of Burdeaux for he was olde and this shuld be the prince of Wales eldest sofie to kyng Henry To this the Frenchmen wolde nat agre for they wolde nat consent therto without liceÌ„ce of the kyng her father who as than was nat in good poynt for he was farrÌ„ out of the way no medysyn coude helpe hym So that mater was layde aparte and the treatie of truse went forwarde in suche wyse that by coÌ„sent of bothe parties they sware and were bouÌ„de to kepe the truse .xxvi. yere more to the four yeres that it had endured the whiche in all was .xxx. yere accordynge to the fyrst couenauÌ„t and vpon this writynges were made and sealed by procuracyons of bothe kyngê this done euery man returned to their own countreis ¶ I haue nat as yet shewed you what became of therle Marshall by whom fyrst all these trybulacyons began in the realme of Englande but nowe I shall shewe you He was at Venyce and whaÌ„ he knewe that kyng Henry was kyng and kynge Rycharde taken deed He toke therof so great displeasure and sorowe that he layde hym downe on his bedde and fell in a fransy and so dyed Suche mischeuousnesse fell in those dayes vpon great lordes of Englande ¶ And in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande four hundred one lesse Pope Benedic at Auignon who had ben susteyned long by the Frenche men was as than deposed And in lykewise so was the kynge of Almaygne for his yuell dedes For the clectours of the Empyre and all the dukes and barons of Almaygne rose agaynst hym and sente hym in to Boesme where as he was kyng and they chose another a valyaunt and a wyseman to be kyng of Almayne and he was one of the Bauyers and was called Robert of Heleberge And he came to Coloygne where he was crowned with the crowne of Almayne for they of Ayes wolde nat open their towne to hym nor the duke of Guerles wolde nat be vnder his obeysaunce This newe kynge of Almaygne promysed to bring the churche to a vnyte and peace Howe be it the FreÌ„che kynge and his counsayle treated with the legeoys who helde with the pope at Rhome And they dyde so moche by the meanes of sir Baudwyn of Mount Iardyne who gouerned a great parte of the bysshoprike of Liege who was a knyght of the Frenche kynges so that by his meanes at the desyre of the freÌ„che kyng the countrey of Liege tourned to become neuter so that the Legeois sente to Rome for all the clergy that were there of their countrey to come by a certayne day or els to lese all their benefyces in the countre Whan they herde that they returned fro Rome and caÌ„e to Liege And pope Bonyface who lost moche by that transmutacion sente a legate in to Almaygne to preche amonge them to cause them to retourne agayne to his parte but the legate durst nat passe Coloigne and sent letters to Liege Whanne those letters were reed the messanger was aunswered that on payne of drownyng he shulde no more comeon suche message For they sayd as many messanger as cometh with any suche message shal be drowned in the ryuer of Moeuze Finis totius Froissart ¶ Thus endeth the thirde and fourthe boke of sir IohnÌ„ Froissart of the cronycles of Englande FrauÌ„ce Spayne Portyngale Scotlande Bretaygne Flaunders and other places adioynynge Translated out of Frenche in to maternall Englysshe by IohnÌ„ Bourchier knyght lorde Berners deputie generall of the kynges towne of Calais and marches of the same At the hyghe commaundement of our moost redouted souerayne lorde kyng henry the eight kyng of Englande and of Fraunce and hyghe defender of the christen faythe c. The whiche two bokes be coÌ„pyled in to one volume fynysshed in the sayd towne of Calais the .x. day of marche in the .xvi. yere of our said souerayne lordes raigne Imprinted at London in Fletestrete by Rycharde Pynson printer to the kynges moost noble grace And ended the last day of August the yere of our lorde god M.D.xxv. ¶ Cum priuylegio a rege in dulto
place with the banner of Flaunders before theym And they wyll crye through the towne the Lyon of FlauÌ„ders lorde of this countre hath gyuen peace to the towne of Gaunte and hath ê‘doned all trespasses What shall we do The kynge of Englande shall nat be thanÌ„e obeyed without we preuent them and putte them out of our iurysdyctions What is best than to do quod sir Iohan Bourchier Than aunswered Peter and sayd It behoueth that to morowe in the mornyng we assemble in harnes all our men in the house de la Vale And than let vs go throughe the towne with the kynge of Englandes baner before vs and lette vs crye also The Lyon of Flaunders kynge of Englande lorde of this countrey and towne of Gaunte And whan we come in to the market place suche as be on our partie wyll drawe to vs and than lette vs flee all the other treatours It is well deuysed ê™ sir Iohan Bourchier lette it so be done ¶ Nowe beholde if god dyde nat moche for these two Roger and Iaques For they were enfourmed of Peter de Boyse deuyse whan they knewe it they were nat abasshed But late in the euenynge they sente to all their frendes that where as they shulde be the nexte daye in the market place by eight of the cloke in any wyse they desyred them to be there by seuyn of the clocke and that they dyde to preuent Peter de Boyse To this poyntment euery man was agreed and on the monday in the mornyng sir Iohan Bourchyer and his company came to the house called de la Vale with hym a threscore and Peter de Boyse came thyder with a xl there they armed theÌ„ in good ordynaunce sette them selfe forwarde And Roger and Iaques assembled their frendes togyder and the moost parte of the aldermen and burgesses of Gaunt came to them Than they toke the erles baner and went through the towne cryeng the foresaid crye and suche as herde the crye and sawe the aldermen of their craftes and the baners of the erle they folowed after and came to the same coÌ„pany And so by seuyn of the clocke they came to the market place and there set theÌ„ selfe in good order with therles baners before them and euer there came mo and mo to them These tidynges came anone to sir Iohn Bourchier and to Peter de Boyse who were assemblynge of their people Than they went forthe with the baners of EnglaÌ„de before them and as they wente they cryed their cryes before deuysed And so they came to the said market place and there araynged them selfe before the other but euer suche as came the moost parte went to the Erles baners so that if a hundred came fourscore went thyder In so moche that all the place was full of men of armes and so they stode eche regardyng other WHan Peter de Boyse sawe howe the aldermen of the craftes drewe to Roger and Iaques he was sore abasshed and douted greatly of his lyfe For he sawe suche as were wont to serue hym flye awaye fro hym and so priuely he stale awaye oute of the prease and hydde hym selfe for feare of dethe And whan Roger and Iaques sawe that nighe all the people drewe to their parte they were right ioyouse and well coÌ„forted and nat without good cause For than they sawe well that the people of Gaunt wolde be in peace with their lorde Than they departed with a certayne of their company with the baners of Flaunders before them and so came to sir Iohan Bourchyer and to the Englysshemen who were nat very sure of their lyues whan they sawe them come towarde them Than Roger demauÌ„ded of sir Iohan Bourchier wher Peter de boyse was and what was his entent and whyder he was their frende or enemy The knight answered and said I thynke Peter de Boyse be here by me and whan he sawe that he was gone he sayd I knowe nat wher he is become I went he had been in my company But as for me I am and wyll be seruaunt to my naturall lorde the kyng of Englande who sende me hyder at your owne desyres if ye well remembre It is true quod they for if ye had nat ben desyred to come hyder by the towne of Gaunte ye shulde haue ben slayne But for the honour of the kynge of Englande who sende you hyder at our request ye shall nat nede to feare nor non of yoâ—s ye shall haue no hurte We shall saue you from all domages and conducte you to the towne of Calayes Wherfore departe to your lodgynges peasably and â—lyrre nat for any thynge ye here or se For we wyll be vnder the obeysauÌ„ce of oure naturall lorde the duke of Burgoyne and wyll make no more warre The knyght was ryght Ioyouse of that aunswere to be so quyte and sayd Sir sythe it wyll be none otherwyse so be it and I thanke you of that ye offre me at this tyme. ⸪ ⸫ ¶ Howe sir Iohan Dell came to gauÌ„t to the markette place where as Roger and Iaques and the aldermen of the cytie where and howe he delyuered them letters fro the duke of Burgoyne and howe they of Gaunt sent to Turney and of the confyrmacion of the peace and of the charters that were made therof Cap. xx THan sir Iohan Bourchier departed peasably fro the place with all thenglissh men and suche Gauntoyse as were in his Companye fledde awaye and hydde theÌ„ selfe And anone after entred in to the towne sir Iohan Delle and came in to the market place with the dukes letters sende thyder by the duke And there they were opyned and reed to all the people whiche gretlye pleased theym Than Fraunces Atreman was sent for fro the castell of Gaure who incoÌ„tynent came to them and agreed to the treatie and sayd it was well And so thervpon sir Iohan Delle was sente agayne to the duke who was as than at Arras shewed hym all the demeanour of the gauntoyse And howe that Peter de Boyse had as than no rule nor audyence in the towne and howe that if he had ben fouÌ„de he had been slayne and howe that FrauÌ„ces Atreman dyde acquyte hym selfe valyaÌ„tly and confyrmable to the Peace All these thynges pleased moche the duke and so he sealed a charter of peace and a truse to endure vntyll the firste day of Ianuarye and in the meane season a counsayle to be had for that matter in the cytie of Tourney And all the sir IohnÌ„ Delle brought agayne with hym to Gaunte wherof all the people had great ioye For they shewed than howe they had great desyre to haue peace All this season sir Iohan Bowser and the Englysshe men and Peter de Boyse were styll in Gaunte but there was no man wolde do any thynge after them and Peter de Boyse lyued styll in rest With that he sware that he shulde nat procure nor moue any thynge that shulde cause any warre bytwene the towne and their naturall
quarell to moue the warre for dyuers reasons So than kyng Denyse was defyed all his helpers in Portyngale Than the kyng of Spayne made a gret soÌ„mons of men of warâ— to lay siege to the cytie of Luxbone the kyng sayd he wolde neuer departe thens tyll he had it for they had answered hym so proudely that they shuld derely repent it if he might ouercoÌ„e them Thus the king of Castell with all his puissauÌ„ce came to saynt yrayne At that season there was a knight chased â—ut of his court who was called sir Nauret For if the kyng myght haue gette hym it shulde haue cost hym his hâ—ed the knight had knowledge therof for he hadde many good frendes So he auoyded the Realme of Castell and came to Luxbone to the kyng of Portyngale who had great ioye of his comynge and retayned hym made hym a great capitayne and he dyde after moche hurte to the spayniardes The kynge of Castell departed fro saynt yrayne and came and layde siege before the cytie of Luxbone and enclosed therin the kynge of Portyngale The siege endured more than a hole yere and constable of the host was the erle of Longueuyll and Marshall of the hoost was sir Raynolde Lymosyn he was a knight of Limosyn who long before came in to Spaygne with sir Bertram of Clesquy in the firste warres that he made in Spaygne This sir Raynolde was a valiant knight and well proued And the kynge had well maryed hym to a fayre lady to a fayre herytage And by her he had two sonnes Raynolde and Henry And he was greatly praysed in the realme of Castell for his prowes and with the kynge of Castell there was Dagheynes Mandake sir Dygo Persement don Peter Roseament don Maryche de Versaulx portugaleys who were turned spaynisshe and the great mayster of Calestrane and his brother a yong knyght called don Dighemeres Pier Goussart of selme Iohan Radigo de Hoyes the great mayster of saint Iaques The kyng had well with hym a thyrtie thousande men There were dyuers assautes and scrimysshes and many feates of armes done on the one parte and on the other The spaygnierdes knewe well that the kynge of Portyngale shulde haue none ayde of the nobles of his realme for the commons had made hym kyng agaynst their wylles So the kyng of Castell had intensyon to coÌ„quere Luxbone and all the countre or he retourned for he sawe well they shulde haue none ayde without it were out of Englande wherof he had moost doute And yet whan he had well ymagined â–ª he sawe well the Englysshe men were farr of and he had herde howe they kynge of EnglaÌ„de and his vncles were nat all of the best acorde wherfore he thought hym selfe the more of surâ—tie at his siege whiche siege was right plentyfull of all thynges There was in no market in Castell more plentie than was ther And the kyng of Portyngale lay styll in the cytie of Luxbone at his case for they coude nat take the See fro hym And he deimyned to sende in to EnglaÌ„de to the kyng and to the duke of Lancastre trustie ambassadours to renewe the aliances made before bytwene the kyng and kyng Ferant his brother And also the ambassadours had in charge to shewe the duke of Lancastre that in maryage he wolde gladly haue his doughter Philyppe and to make her quene of Portyngale and to swere and seale a ê‘petuall peace and alyance bytwene them And also promysynge hym that if he wolde come thyder with two or thre thousaÌ„de men of warre and as many archers to helpe and ayde hym to coÌ„quere his enherytaunce of Castell On this message was apoynted two knightes sir Iohan Rade goe sir IohnÌ„ Tetedore and an archedeaken of Luxbone called Marche de la Fugyre So they made them redy and toke the see and had good wynde and so sayled towarde the fronters of Englande On the other ê‘te the kyng of Castell laye a siege and he was counsayled to write in to Fraunce and in to Gascoyne for some ayde of knightes squyers for the spaynierdes supposed well that the kynge of Portyngale had sende for socoure in to Englande to reyse their siege they thought they wolde nat be so taken but that their puissauÌ„ce might be stronge ynoughe to resyst the Englysshmen and portugaleyse And as he was counsayled so he dyde and sende letters and messangers in to Fraunce to dyuers knyghtes and squyers suche as desyred dedes of armes and specially in the countrey of Byâ—rne in the countie of Foiz for there were plentie of good knightê desyring dedes of armes For though they had ben brought vp with the erle of Foiz as than there was good peace bitwene hym and therle of Armynake So these messages of these two kyngê were nat sone brought about howe be it the warres in other places ceased neuerthelesse as in Auuergne in Tholousyn in Rouergue and in the lande of Bygore ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the busynesse of Portyngale a lytell and speke of other maters ¶ Howe the prince of wales and the princes came to Tarbe and of the request that the couÌ„tesse of Armynake made to the prince and princesse and howe the countre of Gascoyne was newly agayne in warre Cap .xxii. BItwene the countie of foiz and the countre of Bierne lyeth the couÌ„tie of Bigore whiche countie ê‘teyned to Fraunce and marchesed on the couÌ„tre of Tholousin on the one parte and on the countie of Conâ—uges and of Bierne on the other parte And in the countie of Bygore lyeth the strong castell of Lourde whiche was englysshe euer sythe that the countie of Bigore was yelded to the kyng of England and to the prince for the redempcion of kynge Iohan of FrauÌ„ce by the treatie and peace made at Bertigny before Charters and after confyrmed at Calais as it hath ben shewed before in the other hystorie Whan the prince of Wales was come out of Englande and that the kyng his father bad gyuen hym in herytage all the lande and duchy of Acqustayne wherin there were two archebisshoppes and .xxii. other bysshoppes that he was come to Burdeaâ—x on the ryuer of Gyrone had taken the possessyoÌ„s of all these landê and lyen there a yere Than he the princesse were desyred by the erle Iohan of Armynake that they wolde come in to the countre of Bigore in to the cytie of Tarbe to se that couÌ„tre whiche as than he had nat sene before And the erle of Armynake thought that if the prince and princesse were in Bygore that the Erle of Foiz wolde come and se them and wher as he dyd owe hym for his raunsome two hundred fyftie thousande frankes he thought he wolde desyre the prince and princesse to requyre the erle of Foiz to forgyue hym the same soÌ„me or parte therof So moche dyd the erle of Armynake that at his instance the prince and princes caÌ„e to the cytie of Tarbe This towne
his counsayle was to take the see at Sluse so to entre in to englande to distroy the countrey they that were ryche men in the royalme of frauÌ„ce to the ayde of this voyage were taxed tayled to the .iii. .iii. parte oâ— theyr goodes many payde more theÌ„ they were worth besyde to accoÌ„plysshe the payment for men of warre FRo Spayne fro the porte of sybyll to Pruce there was no grete shyp on the see that the frensshmen coulde lay theyr handes on nor vnder theyr owne obeysaunce but were reteyned for the frensshe kynge his men prouysyon came fro al partyes aryued in flaunders both wyne salte flesshe hay in tonnes otes ony on s bysket floure egges in pypes of al maner of thynges that coulde be deuysed so that in tyme to come it coulde not be byleued but by theÌ„ that sawe it lordes knyghtes squyers men of war were wryten vnto desyred to come serue the kyng in his iourney as out of Sauoy Almayne fro yâ— sone goynge downe to the lande of the erle of Amynacke so these lordes of farre countreys as the erle of Sauoy was reteyned with .v. C. speres also the erle of armynacke the dolphyn of Awuergne these lordes thoughe they were of farre couÌ„treys knew not what ende this warre sholde come to yet they made theyr ê“uysyons so grete costly that it was gret meruayle to thynke therof it was wonder to consyder fro whens all suche prouysyon came what by lande by see in to flauÌ„ders as to bruges to dan to Sluse so there was sent for in to HolaÌ„de zelande meldebourge zerechyel dourdrest stonehone to all other townes on the see coost to the ryuers entryng in to the see for al maner of shyppes that coulde do ony seruyce al were brought to Sluse but the holanders the zelanders sayd to theÌ„ that reteyned theÌ„ yf ye wyâ— haue our seruyce pay vs our wages clerely or elles we wyl go to no parte so they were payde wherin they dyd wysely I trowe syth god created the worlde there was neuer sene so many grete shyppes togyder as was that yere at sluse at Blanquerge â—or in the moneth of septeÌ„bre in the sayd yere they were nobred a .xii. C. lxxx.vii shyppes at Sluse there mastes semed in the se lyke a grete wood the coÌ„stable of Fraunce shyp was apparelled at Lentregmer in bretaygne also the coÌ„stable caused to be made in bretaygne of tymbre a closure of a towne or lyke a parke that wheÌ„ they had takeÌ„ lande in englade to close in theyr felde to lodge theriÌ„ more at theyr case wtout waking or skries wheÌ„soeuer they sholde remoue theyr felde yâ— closure was so made that they myght take it a sonder in peces a grete nombre of carpeÌ„ters other receyned in wages to atende thereon I herde not that the duke of bretaygne made ony prouysyoÌ„ to go in this iourney nor the duke of Tourayne the kynges yonger broder nor the erle of Bloys al myght not go for some must abyde behynde to kepe the royalme WHo so had ben yâ— seasoÌ„ at bruges at dan or at sluse sene the busynes there in chargynge of shyppes with hay sackyng of bysket ladyng in of onyons peson benes barley candelles hosen shoos spurres knyues daggers axes of war axes to hew wtal mattockes nayles beddes couches horseshoos pottes paÌ„nes caÌ„delstyckes al maner of necessaryes for kechyn botery al other oâ—â—yces of euery thyng that coulde be thought of necessary to serue maÌ„ horse al was had in to shyppes in one thyng or other who so euer had sene it if he had ben seke I thynke he wolde clene haue forgoten al the payne the coÌ„panyons of frauÌ„ce rekened none otherwyse amonge theÌ„selfe wheÌ„ they spake togyder but that the royalme of englaÌ„de sholde clene haue ben lost exyled wtout recouery al the men women chyldreÌ„ therin slayne taken caryed in to frauÌ„ce in seruytude OF this grete apparel thus made to come in to englande the kyng of englaÌ„de his couÌ„sayle were wel enfourmed therof it was surely affyrmed that the fensshmeÌ„ wolde come thyder for so they had surely sworne it was no meruayle though this grete apparel somwhat at the begynnyng abasshed the englysshmeÌ„ also yâ— matter was shewed moche more then it was in dede also that englysshmen were in no sure cerâ—aynte whether this preparacyon was to come in to Englande or elles to lay syege to Caleys bothe by lande by see for the englysshmeÌ„ knewe wel that of all the townes in the worlde the frensshmen most desyred to haue caleys wherfore the kyng of englande sent to Caleys grete prouisyon of whete other cornes salte flesshe fysshe wyne bere other thynges and thyder was sent syr Thomas HolaÌ„de erle of kente syr Hughe Caurell syr wyllyaÌ„ Helman syr Dangouses syr water of Vurnes syr Water paulle syr WyllyaÌ„ Toucet syr Loys of Mountalban syr Colars of DaÌ„brychcourte .v. C. men of armes .v. C. archers the erle Rycharde of AruÌ„del syr Henry spenser were ordeyned to kepe the see with .xl. greteshyppes wel decked with men of armes archers to the nombre of CCC men of armes .vi. C. archers ON the other syde it was sayd in dyuers places in fraunce in haynalte in pycardy that the freÌ„sshe armye that was thus apparelled in flauders was nother to go in to englande nor to Calays but rather to retourne al the matter set on the towne of Gaunte as it was enfourmed the towne of Gaunte yâ— same season doubted gretely that all the apparell was for to come on theÌ„ but they were in a wronge byleue for the duke of Borgoyne theyr lorde wolde nothyng to theÌ„ but good rest peas thoughe that Frauncis Atreman were slayne anone after the makyng of the peas at Tournay for of his deth the duke was nothyng to blame nor the duke had none euyll wyl to hym though in the season of war he dyd many feates of armes for the towne agayÌ„st the duke as it hath ben declared more playnly here before for though he came to an euyl ende it was his owne defaulte for if he had byleued Peter du boys it had ben otherwyse with hym for when the peas was made bytwene the duke of Borgoyne them of Gaunt when he retourned fro Tournay to Gaunt that Peter du boys made hym redy to go in to Englande with syr IohnÌ„ Bourser then Peter sayd to hym FrauÌ„cis what wyll ye do wyl ye go in to Englande with vs then he sayd he wolde abyde styll in Gaunt why sayd Peter thynke you to abyde here in peas there is grete hatred agaynst you me I wyll abyde for nothynge here it is not to tryst in the comontye ye haue herde how they of Gaunt slue murdred the valyaunt Iaques of Artuell
who had done so moche good to the towne bothe in counsayle in armes for a lytell cause the vyllaynes slue hym the honest men of the towne dyd not saue hym but rather dyssymuled was glad of his dethe in lykewyse Frauncis wyll they do with you me yf I abyde here but as for me I wyll not tary therfore adue ¶ Why sayd Frauncis the duke of Borgoyne hath pardoned all thynges hath reteyned me yf I wyll to go with hym to be as a squyer of his stable with .iiii. horses he also syr Guy of Tremoyll sheweth me grete sygne of loue In the name of god sayd Peter du boys I speke not of my lorde the duke of Borgoyne nor of his knyghtes I thynke they wyll kepe well the peas but I speke of the comons of Gaunt there be some that ye haue not alwayes pleased remembre ye not of the lorde of Sargelles whom ye made to be slayne other knowe for trouth that these passed hatredes wyl contynue in theyr hartes yf ye abyde amonge thē yet it were better for you to go dwell with the duke of Borgoyne Well sayd Frauncis I shal take aduyse but in to Englande I wyl not go Thus Frauncis Atreman abode styll peterdu boys wente with syr Iohn̄ Bourser anone after that the peas was cryed publysshed in all the partyes of Flaunders then there was made a crye that none sholde bere ony armure or sworde after hym Frauncis Atremā who was styll in Gaunt had kepte a grete estate the warre durynge thought to contynue somwhat his honestye euer where he went he had a .iii. or .iiii. seruauntes waytynge on hym armed beryng swordes other wepons on thē when this crye was made in the dukes name he thought it sholde not rynne on hym nor none of his seruauntes he thought hymselfe soo well in fauoure with them of the towne but he was deceyued for within a .vii. or .viii. dayes after the cry was proclamed the dukes baylyffe came personally to hym sayd Fraūcis ye put my lorde the dukes offycers in grete suspecte why do you go aboute in the towne in harneys your seruauntes beryng swordes wepons of defence as thoughe it were in y◠tyme of war whiche pleaseth not vs Wherfore we cōmaunde you in the dukes name to lay them downe Frauncis who thought none euyll in that he dyd but to maynteyne his estate answered sayd syr baylyffe I wyll obey as it is reason and I thanke god I hate no persone nor wolde not that ony sholde haue ony hurte for my sake howbe it I had thought to haue had that aduaūtage in the towne of Gaunt that I myght haue had my seruaūtes were theyr swordes after me Nay sayd the baylyffe not so for suche of the towne as ye haue done seruyce vnto speke theragaynste haue meruayle therof demaunde of me why I do suffre it they saye it semeth that I wolde renewe agayne the olde warre whiche they wyll not suffre Wherfore Fraūcis I pray you do so that I here no more therof for yf ye wyll not obey I must repute you as an enemy to my lorde the duke to my lady of borgoyne so the baylyffe departed fro hym frauncis wente to his lodgynge caused his seruauntes to lay downe all theyr armure so entred in to suche a fantasye that moost parte after he wente in the towne all alone or but one with hȳ chylde or seruaunt So it was on a daye there was a feest kepte without the towne of Gaunt in the abbey of saynt Peters Frauncis Atre man wente thyder and but one seruaunt with hym without armure or wepyn he was spyed poursued with a bastarde sone of the lorde of Harzelles whom he had caused to be slayne be fore wherfore thē his sone thought to be reuenged of his faders deth this bastarde was prouyded for the matter poursued Frauncis tyl he came out of the towne farre fro ony company and cryed on hym and sayd A thou Frauncis Atremā thou shalte dye thou caused my fader to be slayne and I shall slee the as Fraūcis tourned hym the bastarde strake hym on the heed with his sworde so weyghty a stroke that he claue his heed to the tethe and so fell downe deed to the erthe the bastarde wente his way fayre and easely no man poursued hym so this Frauncis Atreman was wel worthy to dye in that he wolde not byleue Peter du Boys and when tydynges came in to englande that Peter du boys knew therof he toke but smal thought for hym sayd or I departed fro Graunt I well aduysed hym let vs se nowe who wyll amende it not they that duryng the warre dyd gretely honoure hym for suche doubtes I byleued syr Iohn̄ Bourser came in to englande NOwe let vs retourne to the prouisyons that were made at this season at Dan at Sluse it is not had in remembraūce of mā nor by wrytynge neuer none lyke sene nor herde of Golde syluer was no more spared then thoughe it had rayned out of the clowdes or scomed out of the see the grete lordes of fraunce sent theyr seruauntes to Sluse to apparell make redy theyr prouysyons shyppes and to furnysshe them of euery thynge nedefull the kynge hymselfe as yonge as he was had more wyl to this iourney then ony other that he alwayed shewed to the ende therof euery mā helped to make prouysyō for other to garnysshe theyr shyppes to paynte them with theyr armes paynters had as then a good season for they wan had what soeuer they desyred yet there coulde not ynow be gotē for money they made baners penons standerdes of sylke soo goodly that it was meruayle to beholde thē also they paynted theyr mastes of theyr shippes fro the one ende to the other glyteryng with golde deuyses armes specyally it was shewed me that the lorde Guy of tremoyle garnysshed his shyp rychely the payntynges that were made cost more then .ii. M. frankes whatsoeuer ony lorde coulde deuyse for theyr pleasure made in shyppes the pore people of the royalme payde for al for the tallages were there so grete to fournysshe this voyage that they that were most ryche sorewed for it and the poore fled for it ALl that euer was done in Fraunce in flaūders and other places for this voyage was wel knowen in Englande it was made moche gretter then it was in dede wherof the people in dyuers places of the royalme were sore abasshed there were made generall processyons in euery good towne cyte by prelates men of the chyrche .iii. tymes euery weke whiche were made in grete deuocyon with the hartes with holy prayers orysons to god to delyuer them fro y◠peryll howbeit there were in englande a C.M. that desyred hartely that the frensshmen myght come aryue in
of Sauoy the erle Dalphyn of Awuergne the erle of Geneue the erle of saynt Poule the erle of Ewe the erle of Longueuyle and other grete lordes of Fraunce in suche nombre that I can neuer name them all it was sayd there sholde passe in to Englande .xx. M. knyghtes squyers whiche to say trouth is a fayre company also .xx. M. crosse bowes with the Geneways and besyde them other .xx. M. of other men of warre and as then syr Olyuer Clysson was in Bretayne and ordeyned therfore his busynes and nauye and sholde brynge with hym the closure of the felde made of tymbre whiche they ordeyned to be set vp euery nyght when they were ones in Englande and with syr Olyuer Clysson constable of Fraunce sholde come out of Bretayne the best knyghtes squyers therin as the vycount of Rohan the lorde or Rays the lorde of Beawmanoyre the lorde de la Vale the lorde of Rochforte the lorde of Malestroyt syr Iohn̄ of Malestroyte and a .v. C. speres Brerons chosen men of warre for it was the constables entencyon that no mā sholde entre in to englande without he were a mā of armes chosen he gaue charge to the admyral sayng take hede ye charge not our shyppes with varlettes and boyes for they shall do vs more domage then profyte so that .ii. or .iii. knyghtes without they were grete maysters thoughe they hyred shyppes for theyr money yet they sholde haue but one horse ouer one varlet to say trouthe they ordeyned al theyr busynesses in good ordre and it was the opynyon of dyuers that yf they myght aryue all togyder in Englande where as they entended to lande that was at Orwell hauen howe they sholde sore abasshe the countrey so they sholde without doubte for the grete lordes spyrytuall and temporall and the people of the good townes were in grete doubte but the comons poore companyons cared nothynge therfore no more dyd pore knyghtes and squyers for they desyred the warre outher to wynne or to lose all and they sayd one to another god hath sent to vs a good season syth the frensshe kynge wyll come in to this coūtrey he is a valyaunt kyng we thynke this CCC yere passed there was not in fraunce a kyng of that courage as he is of he maketh his men good mē of warre blessyd maye he be syth he wyll come to vysyte vs for nowe we shall dye or elles be ryche it can be none otherwyse ¶ Howe the frensshe kynge taryed at Sluse with his grete oost to the entente to entre in to Englande Ca. iv IF the apparell for this voyage was grete and sumptuous in Flaunders and at Sluse in lykewyse was it in Englāde I haue shewed you somwhat therof here before wherfore I passe it ouer breuely yf the taxes and tallages were grete in fraunce in lykewyse they were in englande so that many a man sorowed longe after but bycause the comons sawe it was nedefull sayd it is not agaynst reason thoughe we be taxed nowe to gyue of our goodes to knyghtes and squyers to defende theyr herytages and ours There was raysed the same tyme in Englande for the defence of the countrey more then .ii. mylyons of floreyns and receyuours therof were the archebysshop of yorke broder to the lorde Neuell the erle of Oxenforde syr Nycholas Branbre syr Myghell Polle syr Symon Burle syr Peter Gauloufer syr Robert Tryuylyen syr Iohn̄ Beauchamp Syr Iohn̄ Salysbury and other of the kynges pryuy counsayle as for the kynges vncles there was nothynge done by them nor they wolde not medle therwith nor brynge the royalme in trouble but they toke good hede to maynteyne the honoure of the royalme to kepe the passages portes for they byleued surely to haue y◠same yere the frensshe kyng with his puyssaūce to aryue in Englande so these sayd lordes and knyghtes receyued the taxes and dyd what they lyst the chefe of them he that had moost profyte was the erle of oxenforde for by hym euery thynge was done and without hym nothyng done so that after whē theyr busynesses were passed the people made trouble to knowe where the money became and some of the cytees good townes of Englande wolde haue accomptes therof with the ayde of the kynges vncles as ye shal here after when tyme shall be to speke therof for it shall not be forgotten out of the hystory ¶ Howe syr Symon Burle wolde haue had by his counsayle saynt Thomas of Cauntorburyes shryne remoued to the castell of Douer wherby he acheued grete hate Ca. lv SIr Symon Burle was capytayne of the castel of Douer and he herde often tymes newes out of Calays by the fysshers for they kepte styll theyr custome of fysshynge Somtyme before Boloyne before the porte of Whytsande and when other frensshe fysshers met with them they wolde tel eche other tydynges somtyme more then they knewe for the fysshers of the see what soo euer warre was bytwene Englande and Fraunce they dyd no hurte one to another but were as frendes aydynge eche other and bought solde eche with other fysshe if one sped better then another for yf they sholde haue made war one with another there durst none haue gone a fysshynge wtout conduyte of men of warre thus syr Symon Burle vnderstode by the fysshers that surely the frensshe kynge wolde passe ouer in to Englande and take landyng at Douer and at Sandwytche syr Symon byleued wel those wordes and thought it was true and so dyd all englande so on a daye he came to Cauntorbury and wente to the abbaye and there they demaunded of hym tydynges and he shewed as moche as he knewe and by his wordes he shewed that saynt Thomas shryne whiche is goodly and ryche was not there in surety bycause the towne was not stronge and he sayd that if the frensshemen sholde come thyder whiche by all lykelyhode they wolde do for Couetyse of wynnynge the robbers pyllers wolde robbe that towne and abbey chyrche and all they wyll cary awaye with them the shryne yf they fynde it here wherfore I wolde counsayle and aduyse you to cary it to the castell of Douer there it shal be in suretye thoughe al englande were lost then the abbot and all the couent toke his counsayle though he ment well in grete dyspyte and dyspleasure sayenge syr Symon wyll ye depose our chyrche fro our sygnory yt ye be afrayde make yourselfe sure for thoughe ye close yourselfe with in the castell of Douer forfere yet the frensshmen shall not be so hardy to come hyder to vs and so Symon Burle multyplyed so moche inwardes in maynteynynge his request the the comons of the countrey were sore displeased with hym and reputed hym not profytable for that countrey and ryght well they shewed after theyr dyspleasure as ye shall here in the story So syr Symon Burley wente to Douer agayne THe frensshe kynge came to Lysle to
yf I may gete them they shall be hanged other payment gete they none of me but all the dyffyculte is how to gete them out of theyr garyson syr sayd syr Raymon that shall be done ryght well let them alone Well sayd the kynge doo as ye thynke best I wyll medle no more therin but that I wolde they were delyuered out of the countrey then on a day syr Raymon gathered a company togyder of men of armes a .v. hundred speres secretly and made a squyer of Gascoyne capytayne a valyaunt man of armes called Nandon Seghen and layde them in a busshment within a lytell myle of Dulcen sayd to them syrs when they of the garyson yssue out do so that they may all be taken or slayne that the countrey maye be clene ryd of them Then syr Raymon sente to them of Dulcen that they sholde lepe on theyr horses and yssue out and rynne before the towne of Perpyghnen to put the vyllaynes therof in fere elles they wolde not obey nor gyue nothynge They of Dulcen were ryght ioyfull of these tydynges thynkynge that all had ben trouth and so armed them the same day that the busshment was layde for them so departed fro the garyson and rode towarde Perpyghnen and so came to the barryers and made theyr musters and in theyr retournynge thynknge to haue passed surely in peas when they were in the myddes of the way they were sodaynly encountred by Nandon Seghnen his company to the nombre of .v. C. speres so dasshed in amonge them then they saw wel howe they were dysceyued and trapped and then they drewe togyder and fought as longe as they myght endure whiche was not longe for there were many of them were euyll armed and so shortely they were dyscomfyted There was slyne Geffray chastelyer Hauge desorge Guyot Moresque IohnÌ„ de Guenlant many other there was taken Peter of Mountfawcon Amlardan of saynt Iust a .xl. other and brought prysoners to Perpyghnen as they passed thrughe the stretes they of the towne yssued out of theyr houses halowed after them as thoughe they had ben wolues and so they were set in prysones The same season the duke of Berre was come to Carcassone on the fronters of Aragon he came fro Auygnyon fro the pope and there he herde howe they of Dulcen were slayne and taken then he wrote to the kynge of Aragon and to his cosyne yosant of Bare desyrynge them to sende Peter of Mountfawcon and his company who incontynent were delyuered and sente to the duke of Berre that grace that duke dyd to them or elles they had all dyed ¶ Howe a batayle of armes was done at Burdeaus before the lene shall there dyuers other Ca. lxii THe same season there was at Burdeaus a feate of armes done before the seneshall syr IohnÌ„ Harpedon other bytwene the lorde of Rochfoucaulte a frensshmaÌ„ sone to the captall of Buze 〈◊〉 and syr wyllyam of Mountferant an Englysshman to rynne .iii. courses with .iii. speres .iii. strokes with a sworde .iii. with a dagger and .iii. with an axe This dede of armes was done before the lordes and ladyes of the countrey then beynge at Burdeaus The erle of Foys sente thyder knyghtes of his house to serue to counsayle the lorde of Rochfoucaulte sone to his cosyn germayne and also he sent to hym good hoâ—â— harneys spere heedes daggers â–ª wordes aâ—es Howbeit he was ryght wel purueyed of them before on a day these .ii. knyghtes armed them wel accompanyed with grete cheualry on eyther partye The lorde of rochfoncaulte has in his company a CC. knyghtes and squyers all of his lygâ—age and syr wyllyam of Mountferant had as many or mo with hym was the lorde of Rohen the lorde of 〈…〉 lorde Duras the lorde of Curton 〈…〉 of Languras the lorde de la Barde the lorde of Mountcroy at in Pyergourt and all 〈◊〉 of his lyguage ¶ Bycause this feate of 〈◊〉 sholde be done bytwene suche .ii. noble 〈…〉 knyghtes many came thyder 〈◊〉 them farre nere when these two knyghtes were mountedon theyr horses with theyr 〈◊〉 and targes redy apparelled theyr speres were 〈◊〉 them ranne togyder fyersly 〈…〉 eche other on theyr helmes that the 〈…〉 and theyr helmes stryken of theyr heedes in to the felde and so passed forth theyr course bare heeded excepte theyr coyues TheÌ„ all the lordes and ladyes sayd and euery man to other howe they hadde nobly encountred at theyr fyrst metynge then theyr helmes were newe set on and fastened and so they ranne valyauntly theyr .ii. course and also the .iii. breuely al theyr feates were nobly accomplysshed to the grete pleasure of all the lordes and ladyes and other regarders and euery man sayd howe eche of them hadde valyauntly acheued theyr feates and the seneshall of Burdeaus syr IohnÌ„ Harpedon gaue the same daye a supper to them and to al the lordes and ladyes that were there presente And the nexte daye euery man wente to theyr owne herytages the lorde of Rochfoncaulte prepayred hymselfe to go in to Castell for the kynge IohnÌ„ there had sente for hym and the season drewe nere syr wyllyam of Mountferant ordeyned to go in to Portyn gale for the kynge there had also sent for hym IN suche a noble hystory as this is whiche I syr IohnÌ„ Froysart haue pursued hytherto and that god hath sent me that grace to lyue so longe to se so many thynges as I haue done then it were noo reason that I sholde forgete out ony thynge that I haue knowen to be done and bycause that by the warres of Brytayne the .ii. sones of Charles of bloys who of longe season called hymselfe duke of Bretayne by maryage of the lady Iahan of Bretayne who ought to haue ben ryghtful enherytour of Bretayne as it hath ben shewed before in this hystory whose sones were in Englande in hostage for theyr fader as yet I haue made no mencyon of them where they became nor how they came out of pryson and daunger of the kynge of Englande wherin theyr fader the lorde Charles of Bloys had lefte them ye knowe wel and it hath ben wryten here before howe kynge Edwarde of englande to make his warre of frauÌ„ce the fayrer and stronger he alyed hymselfe with the erle of Montforde and alwayes dyd counsayle and ayde hym to his power and dyd soo moche that the erle of Monforde came to his entente and was duke of Bretayne otherwyse he coulde neuer haue come therto for in Bretayne the lorde Charles of Bloys of .vii. he had euer .v. on his party it hath ben shewed before howe in the yere of our lorde a M.CCC and xlvii there was a grete batayle in Bretayne before the Ree doryent where the countesse of Mountfordes party as syr IohnÌ„ of Harcell and other dyscomfyted syr Charles of Bloys and there he was taken prysoner led in to englande where he had good chere for the quene of
of all the formest company syr wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac were leders to exalte theyr honoure they departed in good araye all theyr companyes in good ordre THus whyles these knyghtes squyers of the royalme of fraunce prepayred theÌ„ to goo in to Castell suche as were fyrst redy fyrst departed specyally they that were of farre countreys for there were many that desyred dedes of armes the same season the englysshmen were on the see bytwene Englande Flaunders wherof Rycharde erle of Arundell was admyral in his coÌ„pany the erle of deuonshyre the erle of NotynghaÌ„ the bysshop of Norwyche they were a .v. C. men of armes M. archers they had lyen at ancre a grete season abydyng some adueÌ„ture often tymes refresshed theÌ„ on the cost of englande aboute the yles of Cornewall bretayne NormaÌ„dy they were sore dyspleased in that the flete of flaunders was scaped fro theÌ„ were gone to rochell specyally that the coÌ„stable of fraunce was gone fro Lentrygner to sluse passed by Calays met not with hym for gladly they wolde haue fought with hym yet the constable had as many shyppes as they but they passed by theÌ„ by reason of the wynde the fludde that they had in the nyght tyme the englysshe nauy lay at ancre before Mergate at the Tames mouthe towarde Sandwyche abydynge theyr aduenture specyally abydyng for the shyppes that were gone to Rochell for they thought they wolde shortly retourne so they dyd for when the merchauntes of flaunders of rochel of Haynalte other places who for doubte of the englysshmen were conioyned togyder departed out of flauders they ê“mysed eche other to go to retourne togyder to take eche others parte when they had all done theyr busynes in Rochel in the couÌ„trey of Xainton had charged theyr shyppes with wynes then as soone as they had good wynde they dysancred departed out of the hauen of Rochell toke theyr way by the see to goo in to flaunders to Sluse fro whens they departed they sayled so longe that they passed the rase saynt Mathewe in Bretayne without peryll or domage so costed base Bretayne theÌ„ nor mandy so came ryght ouer the Tames mouth where as the englysshe nauy lay the flemynges perceyued where they laye they in the hyghe shyppes sayd to theyr coÌ„pany syrs aduyse you wel we shall be met by the englysshe armye they they haue perceyued vs they wyl take the aduauÌ„tage of the wynde tyde we shal haue batayle or it be nyght that tydynges pleased not well al partyes specyally the merchauntes of flauÌ„ders of Haynalte of other countreys who had theyr merchauÌ„dyse there abrode they wolde gladly haue ben thens yf they myght Howbeit syth they sawe no remedy but fyght they ordred theÌ„ selfe therto they were crosse bowes and other meÌ„ harneysed defensably arayed mo theÌ„ .vii. C amonge theÌ„ there was a valyaunt knyght of flaunders who was theyr capytayne was as then admyrall of the see set there by the duke of Borbone called syr IohnÌ„ Bucke ryght sage hardy in armes had done before grete domage on the see to the englyghmen this syr IohnÌ„ Bucke set euery thyng in good ordre decked his shyppes wel wysely as he that coulde ryght wel do it sayd syrs be not abasshed we are meÌ„ ynowe to fyght with the englysshe army the wynde wyl serue vs that euer as we be fyghtyng we shal aproche nerer nerer to Sluse we shall coost flaundres some toke good coÌ„forte with those wordes some not so they put theÌ„selfe in good ordre defence made redy theyr crosse bowes gonues THe englysshe shyppes aproched they had certayne galays fournysshed with archers they came formest rowynge with owers and gaue the fyrst assaulte and archers shotte fyersly and lost moche of theyr shotte for the flemynges couered them vnder the deckes wold not apere but draue euer forth with the wynde and wheÌ„ they were out of the englysshe archers shot then they dyd let fly theyr quarelles wher with they hurted many then approched the grete shyppes of Englande the erle of Arundel with his company the bysshop of Norwyche with his so the other lordes they russhed in amonge the flemynges shyppes them of Rochell yet the flemynges crosse bowes defended theÌ„ selfe ryght valyauÌ„tly for theyr patron syr IohnÌ„ Bucke dyd euer comforte theÌ„ he was in a gret strong shyp wherin he had .iii. gonnes shotynso grete stones that where soeuer they lyghted they dyd grete domage euer as they fought they drewe lytell lytell towarde flaunders some lytell shyppes with theyr merchauntes toke the coostes of Flaunders the lowe water therby saued them for the grete shyppes coulde not folow them for lacke of water thus on the se there was a harde batayle shyppes broken sunken on bothe partyes for out of the toppes they cast downe grete barres of yron where as they wente to the botom this was an harde batayle well fought for it endured a .iii. or .iiii. houres when the day fayled they withdrewe eche fro other cast ancre there rested all nyght dressed theyr hurte men when the fludde came they dysancred drewe vp sayles and retourned agayne to the batayle with the englysshmen was Peter du Boys of Gaunt with a certayne archers maryners who made the flemynges moche a do for he had ben a maryner wherfore he knewe the arte of the see he was fore dyspleased that the flemynges merchauntes endured so longe alwayes the englysshmen wanne aduauntage of the flemynges so came bytwene Blanqueberg Sluse agaynst Gagant there was the dyscomfyture for they were not socoured by no creature nor also at that tyme there were noo shyppes at Sluse nor men of warre true it was there was a squyer a man of armes at Sluse called Arnolde the mayre when he harde howe there was batayle on the see bytwene the armye of Englande them of Flaunders he toke a barke of his owne and entred therin and with hym a certayne men of Sluse and twenty crosse bowes and rowed by force tyll he came to the batayle but that was at the poynte of the dyscomfyture for by that tyme the englysshmen were seased of the moost parte of the flemysshe shyppes and had taken syr IohnÌ„ Bucke theyr capytayne his shyp all that were within it and when this Arnolde the mayre sawe the maner of that batayle he made his crosse bowes to shote .iii. tymes then retourned and was chased into the hauen of Sluse but the englysshmennes shyppes were so grete that they coulde not approche so nere the lande as the barke dyd and therby he saued hymselfe and his company THe men of the towne of Sluse were sore abasshed when they
squyers that Iusted WIth suche tryumphes Iustes sportes as ye haue harde the quene of Portyngale was receyued at her fyrst comynge in the cyte of Porte and these feestes endured more then .x. dayes and the kynge gaue grete gyftes to all the straungers so that they were well contente Then the knyghtes of Englande toke theyr leue of the kynge and of the quene and retourned to the cyte of saynt Iames to the duke and duches who of them demaunded tydynges they shewed all that they had sene and harde and howe the kynge of Portyngale and the quene dyd commaunde them to them and sayd syr the last worde that the kynge sayd to vs was howe he desyreth you to drawe in to the felde when it please you for in lykewyse so wyl he do and drawe in to Castell These be good tydynges sayd the duke Thus aboute a .xv. dayes after the constable and admyral were retourned fro the kynge of Portyngales maryage the duke of Lancastre prepayred for his iourney to go and conquere castells and townes in Galyce for as then the duke was not lorde of all the townes in the countrey and it was ordeyned that when the duke sholde departe fro saynt Iames that the duches and her doughter Katheryne sholde in lykewyse departe and goo to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale to se the kynge and the yonge quene theyr doughter and the towne of saynt Iames was delyuered to the kepynge of an englysshe knyght called syr Loys Clyfforde and .xxx. speres with hym an C. archers ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre and his men rode towardes the cyte of Besances and howe the towne made composycyon with them Ca. lxxv THus the duke Lancastre departed and all his mē and suche as were ordeyned to abyde in garyson abode and the duke and the duches rode towardes Besances one of the last townes bytwene Galyce and Portyngale the ryght waye to Porte and to Connymbres and bycause the duches of Lancastre and her doughter sholde go to se the kynge of Portyngale therfore they helde that way when they of Besances knewe that the duke was comynge on them with all his oost then they drewe to counsayle and were of many oppynyons Fynally they determyned for the best and sent to the duke and duches .vi. of the chefe of the towne to desyre and trete for an abstynence of warre for .viii. dayes in the meane seaseon they to sende to the kynge of Castell shewynge hym without he came soo stronge to fyght with the duke to yelde vp theyr towne without ony other meane Then there departed fro Besances .vi. men rode to mete with that englysshmen Fyrst they encountred with the vowarde whiche the marshall led There they were stopped and demaunded what they were and what they wolde they answered how they were of Besances and that by appoyntemente of the towne they were charged to goo and speke with the duke the marshall sayd to syr Iohn̄ Soustre syr go and brynge these men to the duke in saufgarde for fere lest our archers do slee them and then he sayd to them syrs goo your wayes this knyght shal be your guyde so they rode forthe and at the last founde out the duke and duches and her doughter and syr Iohn̄ Holande syr Thomas Percy dyuers other with them sportynge them vnder the shadowe of the fayre Olyue trees they behelde wel syr Iohn̄ Soustre comynge to themwarde Then syr Iohn̄ Holande demaunded of hym and sayd syr Iohn̄ are those your prysoners nay syr sayd he they be no prysoners they are men of Besances sent by the mershall to speke with my lorde the duke as I thynke they wyll make some tretye the duke and the duches herde al those wordes Then syr Iohn̄ Soustre sayd to them ye good men auaunce forth beholde here your lorde lady ▪ Then these .vi. men kneled downe sayd My ryght redoubted lorde and lady the comonaltye of the towne of Besances haue sente vs to your presence syr they vnderstande howe ye are comynge or sendynge your armye agaynst thē they desyre of your specyal grace to forbere them these .ix. dayes and in the meane season they wyll sende to the kynge of Castell to the towne of Valcolyue and shewe hym what daūger they be in and syr without there come with in these .ix. dayes suche socoure to them as to fyght with you they wyll yelde them vnto your obeysaunce and yf ye lacke ony prouysyon of vytayles or ony other thynge in the meane season ye shall haue out of the towne for your money at your pleasure for you for all your men Therwith the duke stode styll and spake noo worde and suffred the duches to speke bycause it was in her countrey then she behelde the duke and sayd syr what say you madame sayd he and what say you ye are herytoure her that I haue is by you therfore ye shall make them answere wel syr sayd she me thynke it were good to receyue them as they haue demaunded for I byleue the kynge of Castell hathe as nowe noo grete desyre so shortly to fyght with you I can not tell sayd the duke wolde to god he wolde come shortely to batayle then we sholde be the soner delyuered I wolde it sholde be within .vi. dayes wherfore as ye haue deuysed I am contente it so be then the duches tourned her towarde the .vi. men and sayd syrs departe when ye lyst your matter is sped soo that ye delyuer in hostage to our marshall .xii. of the best of your towne for suretye to vpholde this tretye well madame sayd they we are contente syr Iohn̄ Soustre was commaunded to shewe this tretye to the marshal and so he dyd wherwith the mershall was well contente and the .vi. men retourned to Besances and shewed howe they had sped then .xii. men of the moost notablest of the towne were chosen out and sente to the marshall Thus the towne of Besances was in rest and peas by the foresayd tretye Then they of the towne sente the same .vi. men that wente to the duke to the kynge of Castell and his counsayle The kynge as then knewe nothynge of that composycyon nor howe the englysshe men were before Besances IN the meane season that these syxe men were goynge to the kynge of Castell the duke ordeyned that the duches and her doughter Katheryne sholde goo to the cyte of Porte to se the kynge of Portyngale and the yonge quene her doughter and at theyr departynge the duke sayd to the duches ¶ Madame Costaunce salute fro me the kynge and the quene my daughter and all other lordes of Portyngale shewe them suche tydynges as ye know and howe they of Besances be at composycyon with me and as yet I knowe not wheron they grounde themselfe nor whether that our aduersary Iohn̄ of Trystmor haue made them to make this tretye or wyl come and fyght with vs or no I knowe well they
but right iustyce Than a seuyn of them all with one voyce answered and sayde Right redouted souerayne sayng your gracyous displeasure as for iustyce in your realme is right feble your grace knoweth nat all nor canne nat knowe your grace nouther demaundeth for it nor enquereth therfore and suche as be of your couÌ„sayle forbere to shewe it you bycause of their owne profyte For sir it is no iustyce to cutte of heedes handes and fete suche maner of punysshmentes be nat laudable But sir good iustice is to kepe your people in ryght and to sette suche wayes and order as they myght lyue in peace that they shulde haue none occasyon to grudge or to make any commosyon And sir we saye that ye sette vs to longe a daye as to Mighelmas sir we may be neuer so well eased as nowe Wherfore sir we saye all by one assente that we wyll haue accompte and that shortely of them that hath gouerned your realme sythe your Coronacyon And we wyll knowe Where youre Reuenewes is become with all the taxes tayles and subsydies this nyne yeres paste and wheron they haue been bestowed If suche as are your treasourers make a good accompte or nere thervnto we shall be ryght ioyouse and suffre them to gouerne styll And if they can nat acquyte them selfe therin trewly they shal be refourmed by youre deputyes establysshed to that purpose as my lordes your vncles other With those wordes the kynge behelde his vncles helde his peace to se what they wolde saye Than sir Thomas duke of Gloucester sayde Sir in the request and prayer of these good people the commons of your realme I se nothynge therin but ryght and reasone Sir quod the duke of yorke it is of trouthe and so sayde all the other prelates and barons that were there present Than the duke of Gloucester sayde agayne Sir it is but reason that ye knowe where your good is become The kyng sawe well howe they were all of one accorde and sawe howe this chafe Marmosettes durst speke no worde for there were to many gret men agaynst them Well quod the kyng I am content Lette them be rydde awaye for sommer season cometh on and huntynge tyme whervnto we wyll nowe entende Than the kynge sayd to the people Sirs wolde ye haue this mater shortely dispatched yea sir quod they and that humbly we beseche your grace And also we beseche all my lordes here and specyally my lordes your vncles to be there at We are content quod they for the apeysyng of all parties as well for the kynge as for the Realme for oure parte lyeth therin Than they sayde agayne We desyre also the reuerende father in god the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury the bysshoppe of Lyncolne and the bysshoppe of Wynchester to be there They aunswered and sayde they were content so to be Than agayn they desyred all other lordes to be there that were there present as the erle of Salisbury and the Erle of Northumberlande sir Reynolde Cobham sir Guy Brian sir IohnÌ„ Felton sir Mathewe Gourney and moreouer they sayd they wolde ordayne that of euery good cytie and towne in Englande there shulde be a thre or four notable persons and they shulde determyne for all the hole coÌ„montie of Englande Than this mater was determyned and to assemble the vtas of saint George at Westmynster And there all the treasourers collectours and offycers of the kynges to be there and to make there accomptes before these sayd lordes The kyng was content therwith and was brought to it by fayrenesse and nat byfore by the desyre of his vncles and other lordes It semed to hym behouable to knowe where his treasoure was become Thus amiably euery man deê‘ted fro Wyndsore and the lordes went to London the treasourers and other offycers were sende for throughout the realme to come with their full accomptes on payne of dishonourynge losse of all that they had and lyfe ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the day of accompte came and there the officers appered in the presence of the kynges vncles commens of EnglaÌ„de and howe sir Simon Burle was prisoner iÌ„ the toure of London and howe sir Thomas Tryuet dyed Cap. xciii THe day prefixed came that all ê‘tes apered at westmynster suche as shulde make their accomptes apered before the kynges vncles and suche other prelates and lordes with other as were assigned to here theÌ„ This accompte endured more than a moneth and some there were that made their accomptes nother good nor honourable suche were punisshed bothe by their bodyes and by their goodes sir Symon Burle was cast in arerage of .ii. C. and l. M. frankes bycause he was one of the gouernours in the kynges youthe And he was demaunded where this good was bestowed he excused hym selfe by the bysshop of yorke sir Wylliam Neuell sayeng howe he dyde nothyng but by their counsayle and by the kynges chamberleyns ser Robert Tryuilyen sir Robert Beauchampe sir Iohn Salisbury sir Nycholas Braule sir Peter Goufer and other And whan they were demauÌ„ded therof before the counsaile they denyed the mater layd all the faute in hym And the duke of Irelande sayd to hym priuely bytwene them two Sir Symon I vnderstande ye shal be arested and sette in prison and holde there tyll ye haue payed the soÌ„me that is demaunded nothyng shal be abated Go your waye whether soeuer they sende you I shall rightwell make your peace thoughe they had all sworne the contrary I ought to receyue of the constable of FrauÌ„ce threscore M. frankes for the raunsome of Iohan of Bretaygne sonne to saynt Charles of Bloys the whiche soÌ„me ye knowe well is owyng to me I shall present the counsayle therwith at this tyme. And fynally the kyng is our soueraigne lorde he shall pardon and forgyue it you clerely for the profet ought to be his and no mannes els Syr ê™ sir Symon Burle if I thought nat that ye shulde helpe agaynst the kynge and to beare out my dedes I wolde departe out of Englande and go in to Almayne and to the kyng of Beame for thyder I coulde be welcome and so let the mater rynne a season tyll the worlde be better apeased Than the duke sayde I shall neuer fayle you we are companyons and all of one sect ye shall take day to pay their demauÌ„de I knowe well ye maye pay and ye lyste in redy money more than a hundred thousande frankes ye nede nat feare the dethe ye shall nat be brought to that poynte ye shall se the mater otherwise chaunge before the feast of saynt Michell whan I haue the kyng ones at my wyll wherof I ame sure For all that he dothe now at this tyme is by force and agaynst his wyll We muste apease these cursed londoners and lay downe this slaunder brute that is nowe raysed agaynst vs and ours SIr Symon Burle had a lytell truste on the wordes of the duke of Irelande and so came before the lordes
seasone that he laye at Shene but his counsayle said it myght nat be for his rekenynges were nat clere Than the kynge departed and the duke of Irelande in his company and rode towardes Bristowe and the Quene with other ladyes and damoselles with her ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the kynge of Englande departed from London and howe syr Symon Burle was beheded at LoÌ„don and his nephue also and howe the duke of Lancaster was dyspleased Cap. xciiii FOr all that the Kynge departed from the marchesse of London yet the kynges vncles nor their counsayle departed nat but taried styll about London ye haue herde often tymes sayde that if the heed be sicke all the membres can nat be well the malady must first be pourged I saye it bicause this duke of Irelande was so great with the kyng that he ruled hym as he lyste He and sir symon Burle were two of the princypall couÌ„saylours that the kynge had for they hadde a longe season gouerned the kynge and the realme And they were had in suspecte that they hadde gadered richesse without nombre and the renoume ranne in dyuers places that the duke of Irelande and sir Symon Burle had a long season gathered toguyder money and sente it in to Almayne For it was come to the knowledge of the kynges vncles and to the counsaylours of the good cyties and townes of Englande that helde of their partie howe they had sente out of the castell of Douer by see in the night tyme in to Almayne certayne cofers and chestes full of money They sayd it was falsely and felonously done to assemble the rychesse of the realme and to sende it in to other strauÌ„ge couÌ„treys wherby the realme was greatly impouerysshed and the people were soroufull and sayde that golde and syluer was so dere to gette that all marchandyse were as deed and loste and they coulde nat ymagin how it was but by this meanes THese wordes multiplied in suche wise that it was ordayned by the kynges vncles and by the counsayles of the good townes that were anneâ—ed vnto them that ser Symon Burle had deserued punisshment of dethe And also the archbysshoppe of Caunterbury sayd that in the season whan the freÌ„che kyng shulde haue come with his armye in to Englande this sir Symon Burle gaue counsayle that the shrine of saynt ThomÌ„s of CauÌ„terburye shulde haue been taken downe and brought in to Douer castell And the noyse was that he wolde haue had it so to th entent that if he had ben in any daÌ„ger to haue taken and stollen it and conueyed it out of EnglaÌ„d These maters were so layde to his charge that none excuse coulde be herde but on a daye he was brought out of the towre and beheeded lyke a traytour god haue mercy on his soule To write of his shamefull dethe ryght sore displeaseth me howe be it I must nedes do it to folowe the hystorie Greatly I complayne his dethe for whanÌ„e I was yonge I founde hym a gentyll knyght sage and wyse but by this enfortune he dyed HIs nephewe and heyre sir Richarde Burle was with the duke of Lancastre in Galyce the sameseason that this case fell in Englande and one of the most renoumed in all his hoost nexte the Constable for he was as souerayne Marshall of all the hoost and was chiefe of couÌ„sayle with the duke ye may well beleue that whan he knewe of the dethe of his vncle he was sore displeased And also this geÌ„tyll knight sir Richarde Burle dyed in the same iourney on his bedde by reason of sickenesse as many other dyde as ye shall here after at place and tyme conuenyent Whan kynge Rycharde knewe of the dethe of this knyght as he was in the marchesse of Wales he was sore dyspleased and sware howe the mater shulde nat passe sithe they had so put to dethe his knyght without good reason or tytell of right The quene also was sorie and wepte for his dethe bycause he fetched her oute of Almaygne Suche as were of the kynges couÌ„sayle douted greatly as the duke of Irelande sir Nicholas BraÌ„ble sir Thomas Tryuilyen sir IohnÌ„ Beauchampe sir Iohan Salisbury and sir Mychaell de la Poule Also the kyngê vncles had put out of offyce the archebysshoppe yf yorke named Wylliam Neuell brother germayne to the lorde Neuell of NorthuÌ„berlande whiche bysshoppe had longe ben treasourer of all Englande And the duke of Gloucestre had charged hym to medell no more with the busynesse of the realme on payne of his lyfe but that he shulde go to yorke or therabout wheâ— it pleased hym in his benifyce and dwell ther and medell no further And also it was shewed hym howe the honoure of his lynage in that he was a preest excused hym of many great maters sore preiudiciall to his honour And also it was shewed hym that the moost parte of the counsayle of the coÌ„montie wolde haue had him disgrated and putte to dethe in lyke maner as sir Symon Burle was So he departed fro London and wente in to the Northe to dwell on his benifyce with this he all his lynage were sore dyspleased and thought surely that the erle of Northombrelande had brought that mater to passe for all that he was of his lygnage and were neyghbours In to his rome was chosen a right valyant a wyse a sage clerke the archebysshop of Caunterbury who was gretely in the fauour of the kynges vncles He was come of the Mountague and Salysburies and was vncle to the erle of Salysbury there was made of the kynges counsayle by the aduyse of all the comons therle of Salysbury the erle Rycharde of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Deuonshyre the erle of Notyngham the bysshop of Norwyche called sir Henry Spenser the bysshop of Wynchestre chauncellour of Englande abode styll in his offyce and was with the kynges vncles the most renomed man in the counsayle nexte the duke of Gloceste was syr Thomas Mountague archbisshop of CauÌ„terbury and well he was worthy for he was a dyscrete prelate toke grete payne to reforme the royalme and to brynge it in to the ryght waye and that the kynge shulde put from hym the marmosettes that troubled all the royalme often tymes he wolde speke with the duke of yorke in that matter the duke wolde saye to hym syr bysshop I trust the matters shall otherwyse fall lytell and lytell then the kynge my nephewe and the duke of IrelaÌ„de thinketh but it must be done accordynge to reason and to abyde the tyme to be to hasty is no good meane for surely yf we hadde nat perceyued them be tymes they wolde haue brought the kynge and the royal me in suche case that it shulde haue ben at the poynte of lesynge The Frensshe kynge and his counsayle knewe ryght well our dealyng and what case we were in and that caused that frensshe men to auaunce themselfe to haue come hyder so puyssauntly as they wolde haue done to haue
hym selfe well fro fallynge for he had suche a stroke that he sore reuersed howbeit he releued and passed forthe but he lost his spere The next course they meete rudely on their helmes so that the fyre flasshed out The .iii. course Sequaqueton was vnhelmed so that bothe he his horse were astonyed and retourned to his company and iusted no more that day nor no man els for the night aproched than the Englysshe men retourned to Calys and the freÌ„chmen to saynt Ingylbertes ye may well knowe that Charles the frenche kyng was sore desyrous to be at those iustes he was yonge lyght of spiryte glad to se newe thynges It was shewed me that fro the begynning to thendyng he was there present disgysed as vnknowen so that none knewe hym but the lorde of Garasyers who caÌ„e also with hym as vnknowen and euery day returned to Margison Than on the wednisday the englisshmen rode fro Calais and came to the place of the iustes Than a squier of Englande called IohnÌ„ Sauage sente to touche the shelde of warre of sir Raynold of Roy the knight was redy in his pauylion issued out and mouÌ„ted on his horse thaÌ„ they came togider with great randon and strake eche other on their sheldes in suche wise that if their sheldes had nat broken outher one of the men or bothe had ben striken to the grouÌ„de This was a goodly a daungerous course howbeit the knightê toke no doÌ„mage Their speres brake to their haÌ„des the heedê stacke styll in their sheldê euery man fered they had ben hurt so euery ê‘tie caÌ„e to their coÌ„pany whan it was knowen that they had no hurt euery man was ioyfull and sayd howe they had done ynough for that day but those wordes pleased nothyng Iohan Sauage for he sayd he was nat come ouer the see to ryn but one course Those wordê were shewed to sir Raynolde du Roy and he answered sayd It is reason that he be aunswered outher by me or by some of my coÌ„pany Than they toke newe sheldes and speares and ran agayne toguyder â–ª but at the cope their horses crossed and so fayled ech other wherwith they were sore displeased for angre cast awaye their speres toke newe And at the thirde course they taynted eche other in the syght of their helmes in suche wyse that bothe were vnhelmed euery man praysed that course The englysshe men came to Iohan Sauage said howe he had ryght honorably acquyted hymselfe that daye howe he had done ynough for there were other to ryn He obeyed ran no more and a lyghted of his horse and lept on a small hackeney to so other rynne THan a Squyer of Englande came forthe cosyn to the erle Marshall called Wyllyam Basquenaye He touched the shelde of sir Bouciquant The knyght was redy to answere They came togyder as streyght as they coude deuyse and strake eche other in the syght of the helmes in suche wyse that bothe were vnhelmed they passed forthe their course fraÌ„ke and frely Anone they were agayne helmed and ran togider and strake eche other on their sheldes and brake their speares withoute any other domage the thirde course they crossed wherwith they were sore displeased The fourthe course WyllmÌ„ Basquenay was agayne vnhelmed so ran no more that daye Than another Englysshe squyer called Scot ran agayne the lorde of saynt Pye the fyrst course they encouÌ„tred so rudely that their horses stakered the speres helde yet they lost their speres Than they made them redy to ryn the seconde course they met in suche wyse that the lorde of saynt Pye was vnhelmed the squier moche praysed for that course Agayne the thirde course they encouÌ„tred eche other on the sheldes in suche wyse that IohnÌ„ Scot was stryken downe ouer his horse crope thus the lorde of saynt Pye was reueÌ„ged TheÌ„glyssh squyer was releued brought to his coÌ„pany and ran no more that day Than another englysshe squyer called Bernarte Stapleton he touched the shelde of the lorde of saynt Pye they came togider and taynted eche other on their helmes that the fyre flasshed out so passed by without any other doÌ„mage and kepte styll their speres the .ii. course they mette in their sheldes rudely yet they kept their horses so passed forth their course The thirde course they vnhelmed eche other thenglyssh squyer ran no more that daye Than stepte forthe a gentyll knyght of Englande yonge and fresshe a iolly dauÌ„cer and synger called sir IohnÌ„ AruÌ„dell he ran agayne ser Raynold du Roy. At the first course they mette rudely strake eche other on their sheldes but they helde them selfes without fallynge passed forthe their course but they lost their staues The .ii. course they attaynted eche other on their helmes that sparcles of fyre flewe out without other doÌ„mage The .iii. course they crossed and loste their staues the .iiii. course they taynted on their helmes The .v. course they brake their speres on their sheldes and than sir IohnÌ„ AruÌ„dell ran no more that day Than another squyer of EnglaÌ„de called Nicholas Scon a proper man of armes ran agaynst sir BouciquaÌ„t The first course they strake eche other on their helmes a great attaynt the .ii. course they strake eche other on their sheldes in suche wyse that their horses were astonyed and lost their speares the .iii. course they strake eche other on the helmes Nicholas Seon was vnhelmed and ran no more Than another squyer came forthe called IohnÌ„ Marshall ran agaynst sir Bouciquant for he was redy lokyng for nothyng but to iust he toke his speare and couched it in the rest The first course they mette rudelye on their sheldes lost their staues the seconde course they taynted on their helmes the third course they aduysed well eche other and met rudely Iohan Marshall brake his staffe in thre peces sir Boucyquant strake hym on the helme in suche wyse that he was vnhelmed and so returned and ran no more that day Than caÌ„e forthe a lusty yonge knight of Englande who desyred greatly to wyn honour called sir IohnÌ„ Clinton he bare syluer broken with azure a molet syluer in the chefe He touched the shelde of sir Reynold du Roye who was redy to answere and was gladde of the coÌ„mynge of that knyght they came to their places and toke their speares the fyrst course they taynted on the helmes and passed forthe The seconde course they strake eche other on their sheldes and passed by and lost their staues The thirde course they taynted on their Helmes so that the fyre flewe oute the fourthe course they crossed the fythe course was well enployed for eche of them brake their speares The two knyghtes were sore chafed and shewed well howe they had gret desyre to proue their selfes The sixte course eche of theÌ„ vnhelmed other that course was greatly praysed The Englysshe knight ran no more that daye for he had done
Than the vycount and the lorde of the towre syr Roberte Dolphyn and other came before the fortresse as nere as they myght aporche and thyder was brought Guyot du Sall and his company Than the vycount spake and sayd to Guyot du Sall. Guyot and all other of your company knowe we for trouthe that incontynent all your heedes shall be stryken of without ye yelde vp the fortresse of the Roche of Vandoys and if ye wyll rendre it vp we shall suffre you to go quyte Nowe aduyse ye well what way ye wyll take other lyfe or deth Of those wordes Guyot his company were sore abasshed at last they thought it was best for them to saue their lyues Than Guyot answered and sayde Syr I shall do the best I canne that the fortresse may be yelden to you Than he came to the barryer and spake with them that were within who rekened themselfes clene dyscomfyted seynge they hadde lost their two maysters and the best of their company As soone as Guyot hadde spoken with theym and declared what case they stode in they agreed to yelde vp the fortresse condicionally that they myght departe with bagge and baggage as moch as they coulde cary and to haue respyte for a moneth to withdrawe them whyther they lyste All this was graunted to them and a sute saueconducte made and sealed Thus the frenche men had the Roche of Vandoys delyuered by reason of their good fortune of their last skrimysshe wherfore it is comenly sayde that all fortunes good and yuell falleth often tymes in armes to them that foloweth warre WHan the Roche of Vandois was yelded vp to the lordes of Fraunce and Auuergnâ— they of the countrey were ryght ioyous therof and the lordes helde well and truely the promesse that they had made to Guyot du Sall â–ª whan they had caryed away as moche as they coulde do than they departed with good assuraunce for a moneth to go whyder it pleased them Than the vycount of Meaulâ— abandoned the Roche of Vandoys to the men of the countrey who incontynente dyd rase it downe in suche wyse that they lefte no wall hele nor house nor stone vpon stone but all was reuersed to the erthe The frenche men that were they in the kinges seruice with the vycount toke their leues of the knyghtes and squyers of Auuergne so they departed and they of Auuergne and Lymosyn went to their owne houses The vycount of Meaulâ— gaue leaue to parte of his company he went to Rochell and lodged at saint Iohans Dangle to kepe there the fronter for in the couÌ„trey there were some pyllers and robbers that ran sometyme in to Xantoigne whan they sawe their aduauntage In the maner and fourme as I haue shewed you the fortresse of the roche of Vandoys was coÌ„quered and rased downe wherof all the countrey was ioyfull for than they were in better suretie than they were before For to say the trouth if it had coÌ„tynued it wolde haue done them many displeasurs Tydynges of this dede came to the knowledge of the duke of Berrey to Cautelon a place of his owne standynge bytwene Charters and Mount le Herrey a nyne leages fro Parys he cared nothing for it for he was as than but colde to are any grace of the kynge for Aymergot Whan Derby the haraulde was infourmed by some of the dukes knyghtes howe the Roche of Vandois was taken beten downe than he sayde to the squyer that came thyder with hym syr ye haue lost a hundred frankes that Aymergot had promysed to you Howe so quod the squier Surely quod the harauld the Roche of Vandoys is gyuen vp and rendred the frenche men haue wonne it therfore lette vs take our leaue of the duke of Berrey and retourne in to Englande we haue nothynge here to do Well quod the squyer sythe it is so I accorde therto Than they toke their leaue of the duke Than the duke wrote to the kynge of Englande and to the duke of Lancastre and gaue to the haraulde at his departynge .xl. frankes and to the squyer a horse Thus they departed and toke the next waye to Calays and so in to Englande Than tydinges came to Aymergot Marcell where he was purchasyng of frendes to haue reysed the siege before the fortresse of Vandoys that it was gyuen vp Whan he herde therof he demaunded howe it fortuned It was shewed hym howe it was by reason of a skrymysshe and by the issuyng out of his vncle Guyot du Sall vnaduysedly Ah that olde traytour ê™ Aymergot by saynte Marcell if I had hym here nowe I shulde sle hym myne owne handes he hath dyshonoured me and all my companyons At my departynge I straytely enioyned hym that for no maner of assaute or skrymysshe made by the frenchmen he shulde in no wyse open the barryers and he hath done the contrary this domage is nat to be recouered nor I wote nat whether to go they of Caluset and they of Dousac wyll kepe the peace and my companyons be spredde abrode lyke men dyscomfyted they dare neuer assemble agayne togyther and though I had them togyther yet I wote nat whyder to bring them Thus all thynge consydred I am in a harde parte for I haue gretly dyspleased the french kynge the duke of Berrey and the lordes of Auuergne all the people of the countrey for I haue made them warre the peace durynge I had trusted to haue won but I am nowe in a great aduenture to lese nor I wotte nat to whom to resorte to are counsayle I wolde nowe that I and my goodes with my wyfe were in Englande there I shulde be in surety but howe shulde I get thyder and cary all my stufe with me I shulde be robbed twenty tymes or I coulde gette to the see for all the passages in Poictou in Rochell in Fraunce in Normandy and in Pycardy are straytely kept it wyll be harde to scape fro takyng and if I be taken I shall be sente to the Frenche kynge and so I shall be loste and all myne I thynke the surest waye for me were to drawe to Burdeaulr and lytell and lytell to get my good thyder and to abyd there tyll the warre renewe agayne for I haue good hoope that after this treuce warre shall be open agayne bytwene Englande and Fraunce Thus Aymergot Marcell debated the matter in hym selfe he was heuy and sorowfull and wysâ—e nat what waye to take outher to recouersoÌ„e fortresse in Auuergne or els to go to Burdeaux to sende â—or his wire thider and for his goodes lytell and lytell secretely if he hadde done so he had taken the surest waye But he dyde contrary and therby lost all lyfe godes Thus â—ortune payeth the people whan she hath sette theÌ„ on the highest parte of her whele for sodainly she reuerseth them to the lowest parte ensample by this Aymergotte It was sayd he was well worthe a hundred thousande frakes and all was lost on a daye
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
they be courtoys people they wyll do vs no hurte yf we receyue them curtoysly to this they were all agreed then there yssued out of the towne a fyfty persones of them that were moost noble as soone as they knewe that the englysshe men approched they yssued out and aboute a quarter of a legge of they taryed for the Enghysshe men TIdynges came to the Englysshe men howe they of the towne of Maures we re yssued out not to fyght but to yelde them the keyes of the towne whiche they brought with them Then the lordes rode on before to se what the matter was and caused all the archers oost to tary behynde then the Galycyens came forthe and it was sayd to them Syrs beholde here the lordes of Englande sente by the duke of Lancastre to conquere this countrey speke to them yf ye lyst Then they all kneled downe sayd Syrs we be of the poore men of Maures whoâ—wyllyngly wyll be vnder the obeysauÌ„ce of the duke of Lancastre and of my lady the duke of Lancastre and of my lady the duches wherfore we desyre you to accepte vs to mercy for all that we haue is yours the .iii. lordes of englande by eche others aduyse answered and sayd ye good people of Maures we shall go with you in to the towne and parte of â—ur oost not al and there ye shal make promyse othe as good people ought to do to theyr lorde and lady syrs sayd they this shall we doo with good wylles Then sayd the lordes go your wayes on before and open the gates for ye are and shall be receyued to mercy then they wente to theyr towne and opened theyr gates and barryers and suffred the constable and the other lordes to entre and a .iiii. C. speres with them and the resydue of the oost lodged without in the feldes had prouysyon out of the towne suffycyent the lordes lodged within the towne and toke the othes of them of the towne of Maures as it is sayd before ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre sente for the admyrall and mershal and his other offycers to come to the weddynge of his doughter and the kynge of Portyngale Ca. lxxiiii THe nexte daye after the towne of Maures was gyuen vp and that euery man made them redy to go to the cyte of Besances there came tydynges and letters fro the duke of Lancastre commauÌ„dynge them on the syght of his letters what so euer estate they were in to repayre to his presence certefyenge them that he loked in a shorte season for the archebysshop of Braghes and for syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de Sar ambassade fro the kynge of Portyngale who were comynge to wedde his doughter by procuracyon and to lede her to the cyte of Porte where the kynge of Portyngale taryed for her When these lordes vnderstode these tydyÌ„ges they retourned theyr waye and sayd it was requysyte for the duke to haue his lordes and counsayle aboute hym at the receyuynge of these ambassadours and so retourned and lefte men of warre in the garysons that they had wonne and so came to the towne of saynt Iames as the duke had commaunded them and within .iii. dayes after thyder came the bysshop of Braghes syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de Sar with a. CC. horses they were all well lodged then when they were redy apparelled the ambassadours and other lordes in theyr company wente to the duke to the duches in good aray where they were receyued with grete ioy and there declared the cause of theyr comynge The duke herde them well was wel reioyced therw t bycause of the auauntement of his doughter and for the alyaunce of the kynge of Portyngale whiche he thought ryght behouable for hym yf he wolde entre to conquere Castell the bysshop shewed the duke and the duches and theyr counsayle howe he had auctoryte by procuracyon personally to wed the lady Phylyp of Lancastre in the name of the kynge of Portyngale wherwith the duke and duches were well contente thus syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de sar by vertue of procuracyon wedded the lady Phylyp of Lancastre in the name of kynge of Portyngale and the bysshop of Braghes wedded them soo were layde curtoysly in bed as husbande and wyfe ought to be and the nexte day after the lady with all her company were redy to departe and so toke leue of her fader moder and systers with ladyes damoyselles with her and her bastarde syster wyfe to the marshall with her and with her went syr IohnÌ„ Holande syr Thomas Percy and syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte and. C. speres and. CC. archers and so rode to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale AGaynst the comynge of the yonge quene of Portyngale yssued out of the cyte of Porte to do her honoure and reuerence prelates of the chyrche as the bysshops of Lyxbone of Deure of Connymbres and of Porte and of temporall lordes the erle Dangose the erle of Nouayre the erle of Lescal Galope Ferant Patryke Pymasse Martyne de Marlo and mo then .xl. knyghtes grete nombre of theyr people and many ladyes and damoyselles and all the clergy reuested in habytes of processyon thus the lady Phylyp of Lancastre was brought in to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale soâ— to the kynges palace there the kynge toke her by the hande and kyssed her and all the other ladyes and damoyselles that were come with her and brought her in to her chambre and then toke leue of all the ladyes the lordes of englande that were there lodged at theyr ease all theyr men in the cyte of Porte for it is a grete cyte that nyght they kepte the vygyll of the feest to the nexte day the ladyes daunsynge and passynge theyr tyme that nyght and on the Tuysdaye the kynge of Portyngale with the prelates and lordes of his countrey were redy in the mornynge and kepte on theyr horses at the palays and so rode to the cathedrall chyrche called saynt Maryes and there caryed for the quene who came accompanyed with ladyes and damoyselles and thoughe syr IohnÌ„ Radyghos de Sar had wedded her before in the kynges behalfe yet then agayne openly there the kynge wedded her and so retourned to the palays there was made a grete feest and a solempne and after dyner Iustes and tournays before the kynge and quene and at nyght the pryse was gyuen of theÌ„ without to syr IohnÌ„ Holande and of the chalengers a knyght of the kynges called syr IohnÌ„ Tet dore had the pryse so that day and nyght they perceyuered in grete tryumphe and ioye and the kynge lay with the quene and as the reuome ranne in the countrey courte the kynge was as then a clene mayde the nexte daye the feest renewed and newe Iustes and the pryse of the chalengers had Vas Martyne of Merlo and of them without syr IohnÌ„ Dambretycourte and the nyght there was grete daunsyng syngynge and sportynge and euery day there were knyghtes and