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
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
doughter to the erle of Boulonge to the duke of Berrey who wedded her in the towne of Ryon in Auuergne as it is conteyned here before in this hystorie for at all these maters I was present wherfore I maye well speke therof And whan I came to Parys I foūde there the gentyll lorde of Coucy a good lorde of myne who had newly maryed a yonge lady doughter to the duke of Lorayne Whiche lorde made me good chere and demaunded of me newes of the countrey of Foiz and Biern and of pope Clement beyng at Auygnon and of the maryage bytwene Berrey and Boulonge and of another great frende of myne and good lorde and mayster therle Beraunt dolphyn of Auuergne And to all his demaūdes I answered all that I knewe so that he was content Than he desyred me to go with hym in to Cambresys to a castell that the kynge had gyuen hym called Creue cure a two leages fro Cābrey and nyne leages fro Valensenes And so I rode in his cōpany And as we rode by the way he shewed me howe the bysshoppe of Bayeux and the erle of saynt Pole and other were at Boloyn sent thyder by the frēche kyng to cōclude the truce howe that for kyng Richarde kynge of Englāde there were at Calys the bysshop of Durham therle of Salisbury with other and howe they had been there the space more thanne a moneth abydynge for the ambassadours of Scotlande who were as than newly come thyder He sayde howe his cosyn the erle of saynt Pole had writen to hym therof and howe the frenche kynge had sente to the kynge of Scottes and to his counsayle that he shulde agree to the truce for the englysshe men wolde consente to no peace without the scottes were comprised in the same Thus we rode tyll we came to Creue cure and there I was with hym thre dayes Thā I toke leaue of hym and went to Valencennes and there I taryed fyftene dayes Than I wente in to Holande to se a gentyll lorde and good mayster of myne the erle of Bloyes and founde hym at Estōchoucke he made me good chere and demaunded of me some tidynges and I shewed him suche as I knewe I taryed with hym a moneth there and at Gede Than I retourned in to Fraunce to knowe the trouthe of the cōclusion that was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce at Balyngham Also I purposed to be at the feest that shulde be at Parys at the entre of the Frenche quene to knowe the trouthe of all these maters I retourned throughe Brabaunt and so came to Parys eyght dayes before the feest began Than I fell in company with the lordes of Fraunce and of Scotlande suche as had ben at the makynge of the truce bytwene Englāde and Fraunce And I fell in acqueyntaūce with sir Guyllyam of Melyn who shewed me all the hole mater and howe the Erle of saynt Pole was passed in to Englande to se kynge Rycharde and to confyrme the truce that was graunted for thre yeres and that he shulde retourne agayne to be at the said gret feest Than I demaūded of the said sir Guillyam what lordes of Scotlande had been at the sayd treatie I demanuded it bycause in my youthe I had ben in Scotlande and serched all the realme to the wylde scottes And while I was there I taried a space in that court of kyng Dauyd of Scotlande there I had acqueyntaūce of the most parte of the lordes knightes of Scotlāde therfore I demaūded who had been there And this sir Melyn answered me and saide howe there had ben the bysshop of Bredon sir Iames and sir Dauyd Lymsay and sir Water of saynt Clere. I bare his sayeng awaye and dyde putte in writynge all that I hadde sene and herde And shall shewe the trouthe what I sawe knewe of this feest and of the fyrst entryng of quene I sabell in to Parys ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the ordynaunce of the entre of quene Isabell in to the towne of Parys Cap. Clvii THe sonday the twētie daye of Iune in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande thre hundred foure score and nyne there was people in Paris and with out suche nombre that it was marueyle to beholde And the same sondaye in the mornyng there was assēble made in the churche of saynte Denyce of noble ladyes of Fraunce suche as shulde accompany the quene and of suche lordes as shulde assyst the quenes lytters other ladyes And there was of the burgesses of Parys twelue hundred an horsebacke raynged in the feldes on bothe sydes of the way aparelled in gownes of one sute of clothe of Baudkyn grene and crymosyn And the olde quene Iane and her doughter duchesse of Orlyance entred fyrste in to Parys one houre before noone in a lytter couered well a companyed with lordes and passed through the hyghe strete of saynte Denyce and so rode to the palays and there taryed for the kynge That day these two ladyes went no further Than the frenche quene and the other ladyes set forwarde as the duchesse of Berrey the duchesse of Burgoyne the duches of Thourayn the duches of Bare the countesse of Neuers the lady of Coucy and other ladyes and damoselles all in good ordre all their lytters were aparelled as richly as myghte be But the duches of Thourayne had no lytter she rode a lone vpon a fayre pal frey rychly aparelled and she rode on the one syde by the quenes lytter and it was assysted with the duke of Thourayne and the duke of Burbone at the fore heed on bothe sydes And in the myddes on bothe sydes the lytter were the duke of Berry and the duke of Burgoyne and at the fete was the lorde Peter of Nauer and therle of Ostrenaunt The quenes lytter was richely apparelled and discouert Than nexte folowed on a ryche apparelled Palfrey the duchesse of Berrey she was assisted with the erle de la Marche and with the erle of Neuers and she rydinge a softe pace bytwene them bothe Than̄e folowed the lytter all discouered and open of the duchesse of Burgoyne and Margarete of Heynalte her doughter coūtesse of Neuers That lytter was assysted with the lorde Henry of Bare and the yonge erle of Namure called sir Guylliam And than the lady of Orlyaunce on a palfrey richely apparelled and the lorde Iames of Burbone and the lorde Philyppe Dartoys assysted the lady of Orlyaunce Than another lytter with the duchesse of Bare and the doughter of the lorde of Coucy Of other ladyes and damoselles that came after in chariottes and palfrayes and knightes that folowed there was no mēcion made And as for sergeauntes and offycers of armes had busynesse ynoughe to do to make way and to breke the preace There was suche people in the stretes that it semed that all the worlde had ben there AT the fyrst gate of saynt Denice entryng in to Parys there was a Heuyn made full of sterres within it yonge chyldren
and at Dousacke and what answere he had of the capitayns than the Vicount praysed moche Perotte le Bernoyes and Olyue Barbe and was as than out of doute and so contynued their siege THe siege beyng before the Roche of Vandoys euery day there was scrimysshing often tymes some hurte with shotte of the genouoys cros bowes for the genouoys were good shoters Thus the siege coÌ„tynued a nyne wekes Thenterprice of the garyson was greatlye to the aduauntage of them within I shall shewe you the maner howe At certayne places they might issue out at their pleasure in dispyght of all their ennemyes for they shulde haue kepte them fro their issues they had nede to haue had mo than sixe M. men Thus durynge the siege Aymergot was ryght ymaginatife and consydred all thynges and sawe well howe he had nat done well but to tourne his dede in good maner and to th entent that the Roche of Vandoys shulde styll remayne with hym He sent in to Englande a varlet of his with letters of credence to the kynge of Englande and to the duke of Lancastre And of this purpose he brake his mynde to an vncle of his called Guyot du Sall a man of a thre score yere of age who had greatlye vsed dedes of armes and knewe moche of the worlde Whan Aymergote had shewed hym the maner howe he wolde sende in to EnglaÌ„de this Guyotte was well agreed therto and sayde howe to sende a wyse man thyder coulde do no hurte Than they sente a varlet who had ben brought vp among them Aymergot enstructed hym and sayde We shall sette the out of this house in saue garde out of all peryll and thou shalte haue golde and syluer ynoughe Thou shalte go in to Englande with these letters one to the kynge another to the duke of LaÌ„castre and the thirde to the kynges counsayle and all these letters are of credence Than they wyll demaunde of the the occasyon of thy coÌ„mynge thyder And after thou hast made thy recoÌ„mendacion thou shalte saye that Aymergot Mercell their poore soudyour and subiecte and redy with good wyll to do them seruyce is enclosed and beseged in a lytell fortresse parteyning to the feaultie of Lymosyn belongyng to the kynge of Englandes herytage And they that lye at the siege traueyleth taketh great payne daylye to wyn vs that dothe defende the fortresse And the capitayne of them without is a lorde cosyn to the lorde of Coucy called sir Robert vycount of Meaulx set there by the Frenche kyng Therfore desyre the kynge his counsayle and specially the duke of Lancastre who hath the souerayne gouernaunce in Burdeloys and of the kyng of EnglaÌ„des heritage in these ê‘ties That it wolde please them to write and to coÌ„maunde the vycount of Meaulx to deê‘te fro the siege and to reyse his army And to write to the Vycount that he is about to breke the peace that was taken at Balyngham bytwene Boloygne and Calays And bycause I am in doute what aunswere the vicount wyll make to these letters for he is somwhat stronge and fro warde Therfore desyre that I maye haue in lykewyse letters fro the kyng and his counsayle and fro the duke of Lancastre to the duke of Berrey For if the duke of Berrey wyll incontynent the siege shall be raysed And for the more suretie desyre to haue with the some knight of honoure of the kynges house or of the duke of Lancasters suche one as the duke of Berrey knoweth and the other lordes of Fraunce And shewe hym fro me that I shall gyue hym a C. frankes Remembre all these wordes and do thy message acordingly and shewe theÌ„ that thou spekest withall that this lytell fortresse that I haue fortified if it maye abyde styll Englysshe It shall come well to poynte and specially to theÌ„ that wyll make warre in these parties for the kynge of Englande for the fortresse staÌ„deth on the froÌ„ters of the countrey for therby maye be won at a season in Auuergne and Lymosyn two thousande frankes WHan Aymergot Marcell Guyotdu Sall his vncle had well enstructed this varlet and that the letters of credence were written and sealed and delyuerd The varlet departed by nyght and was well accompanyed and conueyed a fote to another fortresse ê‘teynynge to Aymergot called saint Soupery There he toke a horse suche as he wolde chose for he hadde a great iourney to ryde He rode forthe through the realme of FrauÌ„ce lyke a Frenche man of Auuergne and so came to Calais and acquaynted hym selfe with the Capitayne sir Iohan Beauchampe and shewed hym parte of his busynesse to the entent to haue the soner passage as he had So he came to Douer and than toke his iourney to LoÌ„don And it was his fortune that the kynge of Englande and his two vncles and the duke of Lancastre and the kynges couÌ„sayle were the same tyme at the palais of Westmynster in counsayling for maters of Northumberlande for the scottes helde nat well the truese as complayntes were made The same tyme Aymergottes varlet came to LoÌ„don and there toke his lodgynge and shewed his host parte of the cause of his commynge His host brought hym to Westmynster and caused hym firste to speke with the duke of Lancastre who was in his chambre it was or he went to the counsayle there the varlet delyuered hym his letters the duke toke reed them Than he drewe hym a parte demaunded what credence he had Than the varlet shewed hym all the hole mater as ye haue herde here before The duke herde hym well and demaunded if he had any mo letters and he sayd that he had letters to the kyng and to his counsayle that is well quod the duke I shall cause the to haue audyence than the duke went to the counsayle And whan he sawe the hour and tyme he moued the varlettes mater and by the dukes aduauncement the varlet was sente for Than he delyuered to the kyng and to his couÌ„sayle the letters they were opyned and reed and than he was demaunded what was his credeÌ„ce and the varlet who was hardy and nat abasshed shewed the businesse of Aymergot Marcell right sagely and the better assured bycause euery man gaue hym good audieÌ„ce Whan he had said as moche as he wolde thaÌ„ he was answered that the kyng wolde take couÌ„sayle in the mater and make an answere Than he went out of the counsayle chambre and taryed tyll he had an answere THe aunswere was that the kynge wolde write to the vycount of Meaulx and also to the duke of Berrey accordyng as Aymergot had requyred and in lykewise so promysed the duke of Lancastre and whan the letters were writen there was a gentylman of the duke of Lancastres apoynted to bere these letters So they passed the see and with them went Derby an heralde the better to forther the mater bycause he was aquaynted with the lordes of Auuergne and specially with the duke of Berrey The
the same opynion that the coÌ„mons were of in Englande and enclyned rather to the warre than to peace to the entent therby to susteyne their estate By the occasion therof the peace was the harder to driue yet the kynge the duke of Lancastre wolde fayne haue hadde peace for by their meanes that metynge at AmyeÌ„ce was apoynted howbeit they wolde nat displease the coÌ„mens of Englande The Englysshe men wolde gladlye haue hadde a peace so they myght be restored agayne to al suche landes as was agreed on at the treaty before Charters and that the Frenche men shulde paye fourtene hundred thousande fraÌ„kes whiche was vnpayed whan the warre began to renewe IN this season thus great coÌ„munycacion there was at the cytie of Amyence on treatie of peace and the lordes that were there on bothe parties toke great payne in the cause It myght well be marueyled why this peace toke none effecte for specialy the duke of Burgoyne dyd what he coude for the Frenche partie and the duke of Lancastre for the Englysshe partie Sauyng the charge that he had whiche he durst nat passe Whan these lordes sawe that they coulde come to no good conclusyon than the frenchemen somwhat to apease and to please the englysshmen and the rather therby to fall to some reason it was offred to them to enjoy styll peasably all that euer they were as than in possessyon of in Acquytayne and nyne dyoces to be quite delyuered without any resorte so that Calays myght be beaten downe And also they offred to paye in thre yere after the somme of .xiiii. hundred thousande frankes Than the duke of Lancastre and the englyssh counsayle answered and sayd Syrs we haue taried here a longe season and haue concluded nothyng nor we canne nat conclude tyll we be retourned in to Englande and than we shall shewe all your desyres and offers to the kyng our souerayne lorde and to the thre estates of the realme and of one thinge be you sure that as moch dyligence as I my brother of yorke can do shall be doone to bringe your desyre to passe except the beatyng downe of Calays we dare nat speke therof for if we dyd we shulde ryn in the indygnacyon and hatred of the most parte of all the realme of Englande and yet were we better to speke no worde therof these wordes somwhat contented the french kynge and his couÌ„sayle and desyred them that whan they were returned into England to do their dyligence in the mater they said they wolde do what they coude for the frenche party sayeng howe the warre had endured ouer longe and many yuell inconuenyentes hath ensued therby in the worlde than it was considred bytwene the parties bycause the truce fayled the next mydsomer after bytwene Englande and Fraunce to contynue it lengar the space of an hole yere bothe by lande and by see bytwene them their alyes and adherentes and therto the lordes of Englande were agreed Than the frenche kynges counsayle desyred to sende two french knightes to go with them into Englande and at their retourne to bringe worde what case they shulde fynde the realme of Englande in The duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke were contente therwith It was shewed me and also the apparaunce was great howe that the frenche kynge desyred greatly to haue peace for as than great brute ranne through Fraunce and other places howe that Lamâ—rabaquyn was entred with great puissaunce of turkes in to the realme of Hungry syr Boucyquant thelder marshall of Fraunce brought those newes and syr Iohan of Charon who were newely retourned fro the partyes of Grece and Turkey wherfore the frenche kynge in his youthe had great affectyon to go in voyage and to go and se the sayd Lamorabaquyn and to recouer the realme of Armony whiche the turkes had wonne fro the kynge Lyon of Armony who was the same tyme at Amyence and he shewed the cause of his comynge thyder to the duke of Lancastre and to the duke of yorke They knewe hym well for they had sene him before in the realme of Englande He was in Englande to treate for the peace whan the frenche kynge was at Sluse And consyderynge the kynge of Armonyes busynesse at the ende of their parlyamente the frenche kynge sayde to the duke of Lancastre Fayre nephewe if peace maye be had bytwene vs and the kynge of Englande we might than make a voyage in to Tukey comfortyng the kynge of Hungry and the emperour of Constantynople whome Lamorabaquyn dothe moche trouble and let vs recouer the realme of Armony whiche the turkes kepe We here saye that Lamorabaquyn is a valyaunt man and of great enterprise and agaynst suche persones as are contrary to our beleue and daily dothe trouble and greue vs we ought to enclyne our selfe to defende our crysten faythe wherfore fayre nephewe helpe you to prouyde for this voyage in the realme of Englande The duke of Lancastre promysed to do his deuoyre in that behalfe Thus they toke leaue eche of other THis counsayle at Amyence endured a fyftene dayes than the Englysshe men departed and had with them in writyng the coÌ„clusion of their treatie to shewe to the kynge of Englande and his counsayle Than the duchesse of Irelande departed fro AmyeÌ„ce and toke leaue of her father the lorde of Coucy and retourned with the englysshe lordes And fro that tyme that they departed fro Calais tyll they came thyder agayne they spent nothyng without they lyst for the french kynge made euery thynge to be payed bothe for them selfe and for their horses The duke of Burgoyne than retourned into Archoys to the cytie of Arras and there he founde the duchesse his wyfe who had vysited the countrey of Flaunders The duke of Thourayne the duke of Berrey and the duke of Butbone taryed with the kynge and the kinge purposed to go to Beamoys to Gysors to sporte hym there in the waye to Parys With the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke certayne knightes of Fraunce wente in to Englande as syr Iohan of Castell Morante sir Taupyns of Cantmell to bringe aunswere agayne out of England and sir Raynolde du Roy the lorde of Moncaurell and the lorde of the olde towne conueyed them to Calays and than toke their leaue and the englysshe men passed ouer the see to Deuer and there founde the kynge and the duke of Glocestre taryeng for them Whan the kyng sawe them he had great comunynge with them of the sâ—ate of the parlyamente of Amyence The kynge was well content with that his vncles had done but than the duke of Glocestre who was alwayes harde agaynst the treatie of peace sayd howe there coulde no good conclusyon be taken in this treatye tyll the mater were brought to Westmynster to a generall counsayle of all the thre astates of the realme and than to folowe their aduyses and none otherwyse The duke of Glocesters wordes were well herde no manne wolde saye agaynst hym
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
ye of London ought to feare for by reason of the laste rebellyon ye were in great paryll to haue been all vtterly dystroyed For whan yuell people be vp gouerne iustyce nor reason than hath no place Those wordes apeased greatly the Londoners were contented with the kynges answere and so retourned to the cytie of London And the kynge taryed at Eltham ryght pensyue and full of displeasure by reason of the wordes that he had herde and had stylle about hym his two bretherne and other suche as he trusted beste for he thought hym selfe natte well assured amogne his vncles For he sawe well howe they absented theym selfe fro his Courte and kepte them at home at their owne houses so that he was halfe in doute of them and specially of the duke of Gloucestre And so kepte dayly aboute hym a garde of a thousande archers YT was enformed the kynge of Englande of a suretie that his vncle the duke of Gloucestre and the Erle of Arundell purposed with puissaunce of people to take the kyng and the yong quene and to putte them in to a castell there to be kepte surely in an honest maner with meate drinke other necessaries And also howe there shulde be set four gouernours in the realme as the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke to rewle fro the Temmys northwarde vnto the ryuers of HuÌ„bre and Thyne of Thay ronnyng by the cytie of Warwyke comprehendynge all the signories of Northumberlande and the boundes of Scotlande And the duke of Gloucestre had all the rule of LoÌ„don and of the londoners and of Essexe coÌ„prehendyng all the boundes of the See and thider where as the ryuer of HuÌ„bre entereth in to the see and also of all the portes and hauyns aboue London to Hampton to Cornwall And the erle of Arundell he to haue the rule of the landes mouynge fro London bytwene Sussexe and Kent Arundell Surrey Deuonshyre and Barkeshyre and of all the hole signories bytwene the ryuer of Thamyse and Bristowe the ryuer of Syuerne whiche departeth Englande and Wales And they shall holde and do iustyce and reason to euery man But their entencyons is if they can fynde any reasonable waye to moue agayne and to renewe the warre bytwene Englande and Fraunce and that if the FreÌ„che kyng wolde haue agayne his doughter he shulde for sithe she is but eight yeres of age paradueÌ„ture whan she cometh to .xii. yeres she may repente her and refuce her mariage bycause she was maryed in her youth And also it was no reason to dismary her fro the heyr of Bretaygne as it was promised And if whan she cometh to perfyte age that she wyll nat refuce her maryage Than she must abyde by right styll quene of EnglaÌ„de and to haue her dowrye but in no wyse she shulde be crowned Quene And that if the kynge dyed or she came to laufull age than they purpose to sende her agayne in to FrauÌ„ce to her father This was shewed to the king for suche wordes were spoken by dyuers Englysshe men and specially by the londoners who coude nat loue the kynge And they repented them that whan the coÌ„mons of Sussexe Kent and Essexe were vp and came to London in that they dyde breake their purpose for as some of them coÌ„fessed they were in mynde to haue slayne the kyng the erle of Salisbury the erle of Oxenforde and all the kynges counsayle And if they hadde so done by meanes of the rebellyon the londoners thanÌ„e shulde soone haue made a newe heed And by meanes of the duke of Gloucestre to haue founde some person to haue had the crowne and gouernynge of the realme and therby to haue brought the realme into a better case thanÌ„e it was in as than Thus the londoners and suche other of their secte dayly murmured and had many secrete couÌ„sayls All this the kynge was enformed of and moost faute was layde vpon the duke of Gloucestre KIng Richarde was abasshed of tentymes whan he herde sawe suche couert hate and yuell wyll borne against hym Alwayes he made louynge countynaunce to his vncle of Gloucestre and to the loÌ„doners but it aueyled hym nothyng On a daye the kynge sayd to his other two vncles of Lancastre and of yorke Sirs on goddes name I requyre you to gyue me your aduise couÌ„sayls I am dayly enformed of asuretie that your brother myne vncle of Gloucestre the erle of Arundell and their complyces are mynded to take me ê‘force by the agrement of the londoners and purpose to close me in a Castell and to order my fyndynge by certayne porcion my wyfe s in lykewise who is but yonge and to seperate her fro me and to kepe her estate in another place Fayre vncles this is a cruell maner and it ought nat to be suffred as long as I maye withstande it ye haue doone me homage and sworne to be trewe to me in the presence of kynge Edwarde of good memorie my grauÌ„tfather at whiche tyme all the great prelates and lordê of this realme sware to kepe and maynteyn me as their kynge a .xx. yere paste Wherfore fayre vncles for loue and charyte and by the othe and promyse that ye haue made counsayle me trewly as ye are bounde to do For as farre as I can ymagin myne vncle of glocestre enteÌ„deth on none other thing but how he might renewe agayne the warre bitwene Englande and Fraunce And to breake the peace whiche we haue confyrmed bothe you and all other of the realme by sweryng and sealyng and by the same composycion I am ioyned in maryage to the doughter of FrauÌ„ce without thynkyng of any yuell ye knowe well that who soeuer dothe contrary to that he is sworne vnto hath sealed to the same so proued dothe yuell ought to be punisshed therfore bothe in body and goodes And also ye knowe well that I forbeare myne vncle of Gloucestre as moche as I may do and take no regarde to thretnyng whiche myght cost me derely Vncles ye are bounde to couÌ„saile me sithe I demaunde it with reason whan they herde the kyng speke thus sawe well howe the mater sore troubled his mynde and that it touched hym nere and also they know well moche of his sayenge was trewe they sayd Sir suffre and lette the tyme ryn and passe We knowe well our brother of Glocestre hath the moost paryllous heed brayne of any manne in Englande But we knowe well he can do no more than a man maye do if he buylde on the one syde we shall buylde on the other as long as ye wyll be ordred by our couÌ„saile ye shall nat nede to care for our brother He saythe often tymes many thyngê wherof foloweth none effecte He all alone nor they of his counsayle canne nat breke the peace that is taken nor can nat enclose you in any castell We shall neuer suffre that nor to be seperated fro your wyfe For if he saye so and
eche of them knewe other they sawe well they shuld haue batayle Than the frenchmen valiantly set fote to the erthe and approched their ennemyes and the gauntoyse in lykewise set on them There they beganne to shole and to fight eche with other they were on suche a place that the gauntoyse coude nat passe at their aduauÌ„tage there was a sore batayle and many feates of armes done on bothe partes and dyuers caste to the grounde Sir Riflart of Flaunders was theâ— a good knight and dyd valiantly The knightes and squyers fought valiantly with the gauÌ„toyse so it behoued them to do for there was no raunsome But finally the gauntoyse were of suche nombre that they obteyned the place and the frenchmen were constrayned to lepe on their horses or els they had been all lost for the gauntoyse surmounted them And there was slayne sir IohnÌ„ Varlet sir Peter of Bailleule Bell Forrier Philyppe of Gancy Raolen dela Foley and dyuers other whiche was great domage And the other were fayne to flye and to entre in to ArdcÌ„bourcke or els they had ben deed without recouerie And after this aduenture the vycount of Meaulx was sent in garyson to Ardenbourcke with a certayne nombre of men of armes and they newly repayred the towne and he had with hym a huÌ„dred soeares of good men of armes And as than sir Iohan of Ieumont was great baylye of Flaunders so he had ben two yere before He was greatly douted in all the countre of Flaunders bycause of his valyantnesse And whan he might get any of the gauntoyse there went no raunsome for them For he outher putte them to dethe or els cutte of their handes and fete or putte oute their eyen and sende them home to gyue ensaÌ„ple to the other gauntoyse He was so renoumed in Flaunders to do iustyce without pytie in correctyng the gauntoyse that there was no spekyng in all Flaunders but of hym THus in euery Realme the worlde was in trouble as well bitwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande as Castell and Portyngale for theâ— the warre was newly renewed and the lady of Auiowe who wrote her selfe quene af Naples and of Hierusalem was come to Iuygnon to the pope and there kepte her house and her son Loyes with her who was called kynge of Cecyle the whiche his father hadde conquered The quenes entencyon was to make warre in Prouence without they of that countre wolde take her for their lady and become vnder her obeysauÌ„ce And sir Bernarde de la Salle was entred in to Pronence and made warre there in her quarell The same season the lorde of Coucy was also at Auygnon and had layen a .xv. wekes in his bedde of a hurte that he hadde on his legge with rennyng of a horse And whan he was hole than he oftentymes dyde vyset the quene and recoÌ„forted her the whiche he coulde do rightwell The quene taryed therefor to abyde for the duke of Berrey who was also comynge to Auignon to speke with the pope and to ayde his suster the quene The frenche kyng and his vncles hadde sente in to Prouence sir Loyes of Sanxere marshall of Fraunce with fyue huÌ„dred men of armes to warre in that couÌ„tre without they wolde come to obeysaunce vnder the quene Some submytted themselfe but nat all howe be it the cytie of Marcell and the grettest parte of the countre yelded them to the quene but the cytie of Ayes in Prouence and Tarraston and dyuers knyghtes of the countre wolde nat yelde them to the quene sayeng howe she had no ryght to demaunde the countie of Prouence tyll she were peasably receyued for lady and her sonne as kynge of Pulle and Calabre in Naples and Cecile and whan she hath possession of these than ProueÌ„ce shall obeye her as reason requyreth In those matchesse there made warre for the erle Sir Charles dela Paâ—â—e the erle Conuersaunt and sir Iohan of Luzenbourge his sonne And with me quene at Auignon as chefe of her counsayle was sir Iohan of Baylleule IN the same season there fell in Lombardye a marueylous insydence which was moche spoken of throughe out all the worlde and that was of the Erle of Vertus called sir Galeas and of his brother sir Barnabo the grettest in all Lombardy They had raygned longe and gouerned all LoÌ„bardy lyke two bretherne The one of them ruled nyne cyties and the otehr tenne the cyte of Millayne was gouerned one yet by the one thother yere by the other Whan sir Galeas dyed he left behynde hym a sonne who was than erle of Vertus named like his father sir Galeas but than swaged the loue bitwene him and sir Barnabo his vncle for than sir Galeas doughted hym of sir Barnabo his vncle leest that he wolde take away his laÌ„des fro him lyke as he dyde fro his father For his vncle of olde tyme toke awaye the lande fro their brother sir Mauffe and caused him to dye So thus therle of Vertus douted hym greatly of his vncle howe be it he wrought subtelly to bringe hym selfe insuretie I shall shewe you howe Sir Barnabo had in vsage that all suche landes as he had rule of he raunsomed theÌ„ so greuously and wolde taxe the men two or thre tymes in a yere to paye the halfe or thirde parte of their goodes and none durst saye agaynst hym for feare And sir Galeas erle of Vertus dyde otherwyse for the entent to gete loue he toke none ayde of his men but lyued all onely by his reuenewes And that rule he kept a fyue yere after the dethe of his father so that he had the loue of all Lombardy and euery man said they wolde be gladde to lyue vnder hym And euery man spake yuell of ser Barnabo priuely as they durst bycause he toke so excessyuely of them So finally the Erle of Vertus thought to execute his entent as he that doughted greatly his vncle and as it was sayde he sawe some lykelyhode On a day he sente secretely for suche as he trusted best And to some he shewed his entent but nat to all for feare that his purpose shulde be knowen And so it fortuned that sir Barnabo on a daye rode forthe fro one Castell to another to sporte hym The erle of Vertus his nephewe knewe therof and layde for hym thre busshemeutes to the entent that his vncle shulde nat scape for he must nedes at least passe by one of them The erle coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take hym but nat to slee him without he made great defeÌ„ce So as sir Barnabo roode forthe and thought none yuell nor was in no feare of his nephewe So he fell in the daunger of one of the busshmentes the whiche opyned and approched hym with their speres couched in the rest sir Barnabo had with hym a squyer of Almaygne who came to hym and sayd Sir saue your selfe for yonder company maketh but yuell countenaunce agaynst you they are parteyning to youre nephewe sir Galeas Sir Barnabo aunswered I
bicause they be enuyous ouer straÌ„gers And moreouer he sayd that he had rather be erle of Sauoy or erle of Arthoyse than to be kyng of scottes and sayd howe he hadde sene all the power of Scotlande in one daye to gyder as the scottes sayd them selfe and yeche neuer sawe togyder past fyue hundred speares and about a .xxx. thousande other men of warr the whiche nombre agaynst Englisshe archers or agaynst a thousande of other good men of armes coude not longe endure Than the admyrall was demaunded if he had sene the puyssaunce of Englande He answered yea For on a day quod he whan I sawe the scottes flye awaye for feare of the Englysshmen I desyred them to bring me where as I might se and aduyse the Englysshe hoost and so they dyde I was set in a straite passage where as they must nedes passe and to my demyng they were a .ix thousande men of warre And the scottes sayd that it was all the power of England and that there were none abydinge behynde Than the kyng and his counsayle studyed a lytell and at laste sayd It is a great thyng of threscore thousande archers of sixe or seuyn thousande men of armes It maye well be quod the Constable that they may make that nombre but yet I had rather fight with theym at home in their owne marches than with halfe the nombre here and so I herde my maister saye often tymes whan I was yonge By my faithe quod the admyrall if ye had ben there with a great nombre of men of armes as I supposed ye shulde haue beÌ„ I thynke we hadde famysshed all Scotlande Thus the constable and admyrall deuysed toguyder and they sette the duke of Burgoyne in great desyre to make an armye in to EnglaÌ„de ¶ Nowe let vs leaue a lytell to speke of theÌ„ and retourne to the busynesse of Flaunders IT is of trouthe the duke of Burgoyn had ymagined in his mynde to make the nexte Somer folowynge whiche shulde be in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fyue a great army and to moue the frenche kyng as moche as he might to go into Englande And also the constable of FraÌ„ce who was an expert knight and well beloued in the realme of FrauÌ„ce and had ben brought vp in his youthe in the realm of Englande He in lykewise gaue counsayle to the same enterprise and so dyde the lorde dela Tâ—emoyle And bycause that the duke of Berrey was in Poictou and Lymosyn and knewe nothynge of this counsayle the duke of Burgoyne who was chiefe about the kynge he had dyuers ymaginacions he thought well that as long as the warre contynued in FlauÌ„ders the voyage ouer the see in to Englande coude nat well be done Wherfore he was more troubled with them of Gaunte and enclyned rather to their desyres for he knewe well how they were alyed to thenglysshe men And howe they had in Gaunte a knight of Englande called sir Iohan Bourchier sent thyder by kyng Richarde to gouerne the towne and to counsayle theym Howe be it the gauntoyse desyred to haue peace for they were so ouerlayd by the warre that the moost ryche and notablest persones of the towne were nat maisters of their owne goodê for the wylde soudyours gouerned them And the wyse men sawe well that at length it coude nat endure but that they were all in great parell And whan they were toguyder dyuers of ten tymes marueyled howe they had endured so longe as they hadde done they sawe well it was rather by force than by loue For Peter de Boyse alwayes parceyuered in his yuell opynions and domages So that non durst speke before hym of peace for if he knewe any ê‘sone though he were neuer so sage that spake of any treatie of peace incoÌ„tynent he was slayne and murthered without pytie or remedy THis warre that they of Gaunte hadde maynteyned agaynst their lorde therle Loyes of Flaunders and the Duke of Bourgoyne had endured a seuyn yere wherby ther was suche hurte done that it were great marueyle to reherse The turkes paynims and sarasyns sorowed that warre For of trouthe the marchaundyses of eightene realmes arryued lightely at Sluse and had their delyueraunce at Danne or at Bruges whiche was all let by this warre Than beholde and coÌ„sydre if these farre ê‘ties sorowed this warre Moche more ought to be sorie the landes nexte adioynynge therto there was none coude fynde any meane of peace And so firste by the grace of god diuyne inspyracion and by the huÌ„ble prayers of good folkes that god opened their eares had pytie of the poore people of Flaunders And how the peace came by them I shall shewe you fro poynt to poynt as I shewed you before the begynning so shall I declare the endynge The begynnyng of the hatte was by IohnÌ„ de Bare Iohan Piet Gylbert Mathue Iohan Lion and suche other and I desyre you to herken thervnto ¶ How by the grace of god two burgesses of Gaunt enteredde to treate with the duke of Burgoyne for peace And howe they gaue the charge therof to a knight of Flaunders and what aunswere the duke gaue vnto them Cap. xviii IN this season in the towne of Gaunt was sir Iohan Bourchyer ruler there vnder the kynge of Englande and Peter de Boyse dyd assyst hym and susteygned all their yuell opinyons Ther were some wysemen right sore displeased with the dysceÌ„cion bytwene their naturall lorde and the towne how be it they durst nat shewe forth the ententes of their hartes but one of them to another as they durst secretely For if Peter de Boyse had knowen that they had made any â—â—blant of peace they shulde haue ben slayne wtout mercy In lyke maner as he and Philyppe Dartuell had slayne sir Symon Becâ—e and sir Gylbert Brute and to kepe the people of GauÌ„t in feare He had caused dyuers to be slayne in that season In that season afore or Fraunces Atremau was putte oute of the towne of Dan by the frenche kyng and had distroyed the couÌ„trey of the foure maysters and that the kynge was returned agayne in to Fraunce as ye haue herde before They of GauÌ„t began to dout and the notable men of the towne supposed that the nexte Somer the frenche kynge wolde retourne agayne and besiege the towne but Peter de Boyse and suche other of his secte made but lyght therof Sayenge howe they wolde gladly se the kynge before their towne for they sayd they had suche alyaunce with the kyng of EnglaÌ„de that they shulde soone be ayded and conforted In this season there was in the towne two valyant men of good lyfe and of good conuersacyon of a meane lygnage nat of the best nor of the worst Whiche ê‘sones were sore displeased to se the discorde bytwene the towne and their naturall lorde howe be it they durste nat speke therof for feare of Peter de Boyse One of them was a maryner
castell Nantylleur standyng on these laundes nere to the castell Lameu And as he wente thyderwarde one shewed hym that the castell Nantylleur was voyde and they departed that kepte it ThanÌ„e sir Garses taryed in the selde deuysed what was best than to do Than the seneshall of No besen sayd sir this castell of Nantylleur is in my bayliwyke and it ought to parteyne to the erle of Foiz I praye you let me haue it and I shall make it to be so kepte on my proper coste and charge that no man that wyll any hurte to the contrarye shall neuer entre therin Sir quod they of Tholous he sayeth well and he is a valyant man it were better he had it than another Well quod sir Garses I am content Thus the castell of NaÌ„tylleur was delyuered to the seneschall of Nobesen who incontynent rode thyder and founde it clene voyde Than he newly fortifyed that was broken and heset therin a capitayne a squyer of the countre called Fortefey saynt Poule than he retourned to the siege of Maluoysen where the duke was and also thyder was come sir Garses all his company and shewed the duke all that he had done This siege endured about a .vi. wekes and nighe euery day there was scrimysshinge at the barryers at laste they withoute stopped their water so that their sesterns began to drie and in sixe wekes their fell nat a droppe of rayne the season was so drie and hote and they wtout had ease ynoughe by reason of the fayre ryuer Whan they wtin sawe what case they were in they were sore abasshed for they sawe well they coude nat long endure Wyne they hadde plentie but fresshe water fayled them ThanÌ„e they aduysed to fall in treatie with the duke so they dyde And Raymonde de lespee purchased a saue conduct to go in to the hoost to speke with the duke and so he dyd and sayd Sir if ye wyll be courtesse to me and to my company I shall render in to youre handes the castell of Maluoysen What curtesy wolde ye quod the duke that I shulde shewe you Departe your waye you and all yours in to your owne couÌ„treis and entre nat in to no forteresse that holdeth agaynst vs for if ye do and if I get you or any of you I shall delyuer you to Ioselyn that shall make your beerdes without any rasoure Sir quod Raymonde if we shall deê‘te shall we haue with vs all our bagges and baggages for that we haue wonne it by armes in great aduenture Than the duke studyed a lytell and sayd I am content that ye bere with you as moche as ye may beare in males and somers and none otherwise And if ye haue any prisoners that ye delyuer them to vs. I am coÌ„tent ê™ Raymonde Thus all they within deê‘ted and yelded vp the castell to the duke of Anto we But Raymonde de lespe tourned and be came frenche and serued the duke of Aniowe longe tyme after and went with him in to Italy and there dyed in ascrimysshe before Naples whan the duke of Aniou the duke of Sauoy made their voyage Howe the garison castell of Lourde was cast downe and disconfyted by the great dilygence that the Erle of Foiz made Cap. xxiiii THus quod the knight the duke of Aniou gatte the castell of Maluoysen wherof he great ioye and made it to be kepte by a knyght of Bygore called sir Cyquart of Luperier after he gaue it to the erle of Foiz who kepeth it yet and wyll do as longe as he lyueth And he hath made capitayne there a knyght of Bygore one of his owne lynage called sir Raymon de Lane and whan the duke of Aniou had the possessyon of Maluoysen and had delyuered his countrey fro the Englysshmen and fro the pyllers of the conntre Than he wente and layd seige before the castell of Lourde Than therle of Foiz douted greatly the duke of Aniou bycause he cam so nere hym and wyste nat what he entended Than therle of Foiz assembled togyder knightes and squyers and sent theÌ„ aboute to dyuers garysons and sette his Brother sir Arnolde Guyllame in the towne of Morlens with two hundred speares in the towne of Panne and sir Peter of Cabeston in to the cite of Lestrade with other two hundred speares and sir Monant of NoÌ„nalles went in to the towne of Hart let with a hundred speares and Arnolde Gehe rell in to the towne of Montgeberell with a huÌ„dred speares sit Foulquant Dortery in to the towne of Sanetere with a hundred speares I Espaygne of Lyon was sente to the Mount Marson with two hundred speares There was no castell in all Bierne but that was well prouyded with men of warre and the erle himselfe laye styll at his Castell of Ortayse by his florens Why sir quod I hath he so great plentie of florens sir quod he at this houre I thynke he hath well to the noÌ„bre of .xxx. tymes a hundred thousande There is no lorde lyuenge as now that is so large and lyberall in gyueng of gyftes as he is Than I demaunded of hym to what maner of people he was so lyberall he answered and said to straungers to knightes and squyers comyng through his countre and to haraldes and mynstrels and to euery man that speketh with hym there is none departeth fro him without some reward for if any refuse his gyfte he is nat content A saynt mary sir ê™ I to what entent kepeth he so moche money wher dothe he get it Is his renenues so great to gader toguyder suche treasure sir I wolde gladly knowe this if it pleased you Well sir ê™ the knight ye shall know it but ye haue demauÌ„ded of metwo thynges First ye haue demauÌ„ded of me to what entent he kepeth suche treasure I shall shewe you Th erle of Foiz alway douteth of the warre that he had with therle of Arminake also for the busynesse of his neighbours the frenche kyng and the kynge of Englande whom he wolde nat wyllingly displease For he hath alwayes dissymuled bytwene them duryng all the wary season vnto this present tyme for he neuer armed hym selfe for any of their parties He hath alwayes been euer in good case with bothe parties I saye to you so ye shall saye youreselfe whanÌ„e ye haue ones knowlege of hym and herde him speke ones knowe the order and state of his house ye shall se that he is at this daye the moost sage prince in the worlde And there is none so great a lorde nother the frenche kyng nor the kyng of Englande that wyll wyllingly haue his yuell wyll as for his other neighbours as the kyng of Arragon or the kyng of Nauer he estemeth them but lytell for he wyll fynde mo men of armes by reason of suche frendes as he hath gote with his giftes and money that he hath in treasure than bothe those kynges can do For I haue herde hym
all men that wolde do any wrong therto reseruyng all onely the frenche kynges persone Than he sette men of warr to watche the wayes and passages where as these robbers pyllars vsed to passe on a daye he toke slewe and drowned of them at Robeston in Tholousin mo than four huÌ„dred wherby he gate great grace and honoure of them of Tholous and of Carcassone of Besyers and Mountpellyer and of other good townes there about so that the renome ran in Fraunce howe they of Languedoke were tourned and had taken to their lorde the erle of Foyz And the duke of Berry who was souerayne there toke therat great displeasure and had therle of Foiz in great hate bycause he medled so farre in the busynesse of Fraunce and wherby he maynteyned them of Tholous styll in their rebellyon agaynst him Than he sente men of warre in to the countre but they were fiersly driuen backe agayne by the erles men so that wheder they wolde or no they were fayne to drawe backe orels they had loste more than they shulde haue wonne With this the duke of Berrey was sore displeased with the erle of Foiz he sayd Howe therle of Foiz was the most presumptuous proudest knight of all the worlde The duke as than coude suffre no good to be spoken of hym howe be it he made hym no warre for the erle of Foiz had alwayes his townes and castelles so well prouyded for that none durste entre in to his lande But whan the duke of Berry came in to Languedocke than he left his rule for he wolde thaÌ„ no lengar exercyse agaynste the duke but the displeasure rested styll after a certayne space But nowe shall I shewe you by what meanes the peace was norisshed bytwene them IT was a ten yere paste that the lady Ellyanour of Comynges as nowe couÌ„tesse of Bouloyne and nere cosyn to therle of Foiz and right enherytour to the countie of Comynges thoughe that the erle of Armynake hadde it in possession She came to Ortaise to therle of Foiz and brought with her a yonge doughter of thre yere of age Th erle her cosyn made her good chere and he demaunded her of her busynesseâ—and wheder she was goynge Sir quod she I am goynge in to Arragon to myne vncle and Aunte the erle of Vrgell and there I purpose to abyde For I haue great displeasure to abyde with my husbande sir Iohan of Boloyne for I thought he wolde haue recouered myne enherytaunce of Comynges fro the erle of Armynake who kepeth it fro me And he hath my suster in prisone and he wyll do no thyng in the mater He is so softe a knight that he wyll do nothynge but take his ease and eate and drinke and to spende that he hath folysshlye and I thynke whan he is erle he wyll take his pleasure more Therfore I wyll no lengar abyde with hym and I haue brought with me my doughter whom I wyll delyuer in to your handes prayenge you to kepe and to norisshe her vp for I trust by reason of her lygnage ye wyll nat fayle thus to do for I haue hoope in you that ye wyll kepe her I had moche payne to gette her awaye out of the countrey and out of the handes of my husbande her father But bycause I take theÌ„ of Armynake myne aduersaries and yoursâ— who wolde gladly steale my doughter awaye bycause she is enherytour of Comynges therfore I haue brought her vnto you Wherfore sir I requyre you fayle me nat at this busynesse And I am sure her father my husbande whan he knoweth that I haue lefte her with you he wyll be right ioyfull â–ª For he hath sayd often tymes to me that this his doughter shulde put hym to great doute And whan the erle had well herde the wordes of the lady Elyanour his cosyn he was right ioyfull And ymagined in him selfe howe that childe after shuld do hym some pleasure as by the meanes of her mother to haue a ferme peace with his enemyes or els to marry her in so highe a place that his ennemyes shulde doute hym therby Than he answered the lady and said Madame and cosyn all that ye desyre I shall do it with right a good wyl for I am bounde therto by lynage and as for your doughter my cosyn I shall kepe her as well as though she were myne owne proper chylde Sir quod she I thanke you Thus the yong doughter of Bouloyne abode with the erle of Foiz at Ortaise and she neuer departed thens sithe and the lady her mother went to Arragon She hath been sithe ones or twyse tose her doughter but she neuer desyred to haue her agayne for therle kepte her as well as if she were his owne chylde And to the purpose as to the meane of the peace that I shewed you the erle ymagined to gette by her the loue agayne of the duke of Berrey And as nowe at this present tyme the duke of Berry hath gret desyre to be marryed and I thynke by that I herde at Auygnon by the Pope who is cosyn germayne to the ladyes father He shewed me howe the duke of Berrey desyreth to haue her in maryage Ah saynt Mary sir quod I howe your wordê be to me right agreable for it hath done me great pleasure all that euer ye haue shewed me whiche shall nat be loste for it shall be putte in remeÌ„braunce and cronycled if god wyll sende me the grace to retourne to the towne of ValenceÌ„nes where as I was borne But sir I am sore displeased of one thynge What is that ê™ he I shall shewe you By my faithe that so hyghe and valyant a prince as the Erle of Foiz is shulde be without laufull issue sir quod the knight if he had one as ones he had he shulde be the most ioyouse prince of the worlde and so wolde be all the couÌ„tre Why sir than quod I is his lande than withoute an heyre Nay sir ê™ he the Vycount of the castell Bone his cosyn germayne is his heyre Is he a valyant man in armes quod I Nay be my faythe sir quod he and therfore the Erle loueth hym nat and thynketh to make his two bastarde soÌ„nes who be right valyant his heyres thynketh to marry them in an highe lygnage for he hath golde and syluer ynough wherby he thynketh to gette theym wyues suche as shall ayde and conforte them Sir quod I it maye well be Howe be it the thyng is nat reasonable that bastardes shulde be made herytours of landes Wherfore nat sir quod he if there lacke good heyres Se you nat howe the spaynierdes haue crowned Henry a bastarde to be kyng and also they of Portyngale crowned a bastarde to their kynge It hath been sene in the worlde in dyuers realmes that bastardes by force hathe reygned Was nat Wyllyam Conquerour bastarde sonne to a duke of Normandy who conquered all Englande and was kynge there so that all the kynges syth are
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
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
worlde whome the Englysshmen hated moost was syr Olyuer of Clysson constable of fraunce For in dede syr Olyuer of Clysson euer studyed nyght and daye howe he myght doo dyspleasure to the Englysshe men and the duke knewe ryght well of the armye that was made to god in to Englande bocke at Harflew and at Lentrygnyer then he sayd vnto hymselfe to the entente to please the Englysshe men and to shewe that he dyd not set moche by the Frensshe men he founde the meanes to breke that voyage not in commaundynge his men of Bretayne on payne of lesynge of theyr herytage not to go in to Englande nor to ayde the frensshe partye this he dyd not but he shewed outwardly that the warre was for hym but he dyd his entrepryse more couertly he caste in his ymagynacyon that he myght not doo more honourably nor more to his profyte then to take the constable of Fraunce prysoner or elles to slee hym therby he knewe well he sholde please the Englysshe men for they hated hym for he thought yf he were out of the waye he cared not for the resydue of his lygnage for he knewe well they were not able to make hym warre for the constable hadde but two doughters the one was maryed vnto IohnÌ„ of Bretayne and the other doughter was maryded vnto the erle of Rohans sone he thought to withstande them wel ynoughe and all his lygnage for yf he hadde slayne hym he sayd he hadde slayne but a baron and that there were none that wolde make hym ony warre for his sake ¶ Howe the duke of Bretayne sente for all his lordes and knyghtes to come to counsayle vnto wannes and after counsayle he desyred the constable to goo and se his castell of Ermyne and howe he toke hym there prysoner and the lorde of Beaumanoyre with hym Ca. lxxxiii ON this foresayd ymagynacyon the duke of Bretayne rested and to come to his entente he somoned his counsayle to come to Wannes and desyred all the lordes and knyghtes of Bretayne effectuously for to come thyder and he dyd sende out his letters vnto them and specyally he requyred syr Olyuere of Clysson Constable of Fraunce that he sholde not fayle but for to be there sayenge howe he wolde gladlyer se hym then ony other The constable wolde not exscuse hymselfe bycause the duke of Bretayne was his naturall lorde and was gladde to haue his good wyll and soo he came to Wannes and soo dydde a grete nombre of other lordes of Bretayne ¶ This counsayle was longe and many matters debated therin touchynge the duke and his countrey without ony worde spekynge of the voyage that they were in purpose to make in to Englande The duke dyssymuled the matter This counsayle was in the cyte of wannes in a castell called the Mote ¶ The duke made all the lordes a grete dyner and fedde them with fayre louynge wordes tyll it was nere nyght and then they retourned to theyr lodgynges in to the subbarbes withoute the cyte And the constable of Fraunce to please the knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne he desyred them all the nexte daye to dyne with hym some dyd soo and some departed to theyr owne howses to take leue of theyr wyues parentes for the constable was purposed as soone as hâ— departed thens strayght to goo vnto his nauâ—e at Lentrygnyer the duke of Bretayne knewe it ryght well but spake noo worde therof makynge semblaunte as thoughe he knewe noo thynge Soo this dyner ended where as were the moost parte of the barons of Bretayne and sodaynly vnto them came the duke of Bretayne ryght amorously by semynge but he thought otherwyse in his harte None knewe therof but suche as he hadde dyscouered his mynde vnto As soone as he entred in to the constables lodgynge some sayd beholde here cometh the duke then euery man rose as reason was and swetely receyued hym as they ought for to doo theyr lorde and he delte ryght getylly and he sate downe amonge them and ete and dranke and kepte good company and shewed them more tokens of loue then euer he dydde before and he sayd vnto them fayre lordes my louers and frendes god sende you well to goo and well to come agayne and sende you ioye and that you maye doo suche dedes of armes as maye please you and that it maye be honourable vnto you all and when they herde these swere wordes of the duke they all answered and sayd Syr we thanke you and god rewarde you of your grete kyndnesse that it pleaseth you to come and se vs at our departynge THis same season the duke of Bretayne was makynge of a Castell nere to Wannes called the castell of Ermyne the whiche as then was nere furnysshed and to the entente to attrappe the constable there he sayd vnto hym and vnto the lorde de la vale and to the lorde of Beawmanoyre and to other lordes that were there Syrs I requyre you or ye departe to come and se my newe castell of Armyne ye shall se howe I haue deuysed it and also howe I purpose for to doo ¶ They all agreed vnto hym bycause they sawe hym come soo louyngly amonge them for they thought none euyll And soo the moost parte of them mounted on theyr horses and rode forth with the duke to the castel of Armyne Than the duke the constable the lorde de la vale and the lorde of Beawmanoyre and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes alyghted of theyr horses and entred in to the castell and the duke ledde the constable by the hande fro chambre to chambre and in to euery house of offyce and made them drynke in the seller Then the duke brought them to the chefe towre and at the dore therof he sayd to the constable Syr Olyuere I knowe noo man on this syde the see that knoweth more in buyldynge then ye doo wherfore I praye you mounte vp the stayres and beholde the buyldynge of the towre yf it be well I am contente and yf ony thynge be amysse yt shall be refourmed after your deuyse the constable thynkynge none euyll sayd Syr with ryght a good wyl please it you to goo before and I shall folowe you naye syr sayd the duke goo your waye vp alone and in the meane tyme I wyll talke with the lorde de la vale the constable wente vp the stayres and when he was aboue and paste the fyrste stage there were meÌ„ in a chaÌ„bre layde in a busshment and they opened the dore and some wents downe and dyd shote the dore bynethe and the other wente vp all armed to the constable there they toke and ledde hym in to a chambre and fetered hym with .iii. boltes of yron and sayd to hym Syr pardon vs for we must nedes do that we do we be thus commaunded by our lorde the duke of Bretayne yf the constable were abasshed at that tyme it was no meruayle THe coÌ„stable ought not to haue grete meruayle of the chaunce for after that the dyspleasure
his leaue departed and rode to Chasteaulx and iourneyed so long that he came to the cite of Naūtes and there refresshed hym And than he demaūded where the duke was and it was shewed hym howe he was in the marches of Wēnes therefoūde the duke who receyued him ioyously for they were nere cosyns togider The erle of Stampes who right well coude acquyte hymselfe amonge great princes and ladyes for he had been brought vp amonge theym in his youthe acquytedde hym selfe right sagely with the duke And shewed nat the princypall affectyon of his corage at his fyrste commynge but dissymuled two or thre dayes and whan he sawe his tyme he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the duke the rather therby to drawe hym to his entent and than sayd Sir and my right dere cosyn ye ought nat to marueyle thoughe I am come so farre of to se you for greatlye I haue desyred it And than notably he shewed hym the charge that he hadde to saye to hym on the behalfe of the duke of Berrey of the whiche wordes the duke made light And for resolucion of answere at that tyme the duke sayde Cosyn we knowe well this that ye haue sayde is trewe I shall remembre me and ye shall abyde here with vs as long as it shall please you for your comyng dothe vs great pleasure Other aunswere the erle coulde nat haue as at that tyme. The erle taryed there a fyftene dayes and the duke shewed hym gret loue and shewed hym the fayre castell of Ermyn whiche was nere to Wannes the whiche the duke had newely made and there he toke parte of his pastaūce And alwayes whanne he sawe a conuenyente tyme he shewed swetely and sagely the cause of his comyng And euer the duke aunswered hym so couertly that the erle coulde haue no suretie in any aunswere to make any restytucion of a hundred thousand frankes nor of the castels that he helde of the constables the whiche yet at the ende he dyd and that was without request of any persone whan it was leste loked for as I shall shewe you hereafter as I was enfourmed Whan the erle Stampes sawe that he laye there in vayne than he thought to take his leaue and to retourne in to Fraunce and so he dyd The duke gaue hym leaue and at his departynge gaue hym a fayre whyte palfrey aparelled and it had ben for a kynge and gaue hym a fayre rynge with a stone well worthe a thousande frankes Thus the erle departed and retourned by Anger 's and there founde the quene of Napoles and Iohan of Bretayne who greatly desyred to here tydynges and sayd Fayre cosyn I thynke ye haue sped well for ye haue taryed longe out Than the erle shewed parte of his busynesse but fynally howe he had spedde nothynge Whan he had taryed there a day he departed and went to Towrs and at last came in to Berrey and founde the duke at Mehyn a castell of his whiche he had newly made and had workemen dayly theron Whan the duke of Berrey sawe the erle of Stampes he made hym good chere and demaunded tydinges of Bretayne There he declared fro poynt to poynte all that he had sente and herde and sayde howe in no wyse he coulde breke the duke of Bretayne fro his purpose The duke of Berrey passed the mater lyghtly whan he sawe it wolde be none otherwyse And so retourned in to Fraunce to the king and to the duke of Burgoyne his brother and shewed theym howe he had sente in to Bretaygne to the duke his cosyn the erle of Stampes and declared in euery poynt howe he had spedde Thus the mater rested whan they sawe none other remedy ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe after the departynge of the duke of Lācastre all that euer he had wonne in Galyce the frenchmen recouered it in lesse than fyftene dayes and howe the englisshmen that had ben there ī that warre defamed and spake yuell of the coūtrey of Galyce and howe the frenche kynge sent for the duke of Irelande Ca. C.xxiiii IT hath been resyted here before in this hystory howe the englisshmen dyd in Galyce howe the duke and the duchesse and his doughter came to the Porte of Portyngale and there taryed a season with kynge Iohan of Portugale and with the yonge quene doughter to the duke of Lancastre as ye haue herde here before It anoyed greatly the duke and nat without a cause in that he had done nothynge for his profyte all that season in Castyle but that he hadde done was to his great domage his men deed of sykenes of the best of his company knyghtes and squyers And suche conquest as he hadde made with great payne and cost he sawe well it shulde besoone recouered agayne by the kynge of castell And in dede so it was for as sone as he was departed and entred in to Portugale and that the spanyardes and knyghtes of Fraunce suche as were taryed there with syr Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Castyle sawe that the duke of Lancastre was departed and that in maner all his englysshe men were departed fro hym Than they sette forwarde to reconquere agayne all that had ben loste of the realme of Castyle the whiche was sone done for they of the townes castels cyties in Galyce had rather to haue ben vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Castyle than vnder the duke of Lancaster without he had been able to haue kepte the felde to haue defended the countrey For they of Castyle Lombardy and of Italy of vsage euer they saye Lyue he that is strongest and he that wynneth All that euer the duke of Lancastre had wonne fro the feast of Easter to the begynnynge of Iuly all was wonne agayne and refresshed with newe frenchmen and men of Castyle and the englysshmen that were left there by the duke in garysons who thought to haue taryed there peasably all the wynter were sone put out outher by fayre meanes or perforce and some slayne suche as wolde nat yelde vp and some returned by sauecōducte to passe by Portugale so to Bayon or to Burdeaux And of all this the duke of Lancastre was well aduertysed he beynge in the cytie of Porte in Portugale but he coude nat remedy it whiche was ryghtsore dypleasaunte to his herte It is nat to be beleued the contrary for the more noble valyaunt and sage that a man is displeasures to hym be the more bytter and paynefull howe be it the duke wolde say often tymes and bare out a good face If we haue lost this yere by the grace of god a nother season shall be for vs. the fortunes of this worlde are meruaylous they can nat be always permanente Also the kynge of Portugale gaue hym alwayes good comforte and sayde Syr ye may abyde here and kepe your astate and wryte to youre bretherne and frendes in Englande that they maye sende you this nexte Marche a fyue or syre hundred speares and two thousande archers and I shall
gather to gyder my power and people who haue good myndes to make warre into Castyle so we shall make a good warre somtyme one countrey wynneth and a nother leseth The duke of Lancastre thanked the kynge of Portugale of his good comforte and offre Howe beit for all that the kyng was the dukes sonne in lawe and had maryed his doughter and that he sayde was of a good wyll yet for all that the duke discouered nat all his corage for he knewe well Englande was in trouble and great debate a monge the lordes and howe the lordes hadde maters yno we to attende vnto as well for the kepynge of the fronters agaynst Scotlande as for to treate with the duke of Bretaygne And the kyng knewe well that whan the duke came out of Englande there was a do to sette forwarde his armye wherfore he thought it shulde be harde to get any newe ayde thence seinge the realme at so many great charges all redy and also he thought well that suche englysshmen as were retourned wolde no more come thyder agayne but thought rather that they shulde dyscorage other to come the duke considered all these maters in his mynde and whan he had ben a season at the cytie of Porte with the kynge of Portugale than on a daye he sayd Syr it shulde be for my profyte to retourne to Bayon and to the marches of Burdeaulx for dyuerse reasons He sawe well his beynge in Portugale coulde do him lytell aduaūtage for there he was nat on his herytage that he desyred but he sayde his goynge in to the archebysshoppriche of Burdeaux and of Aulose and so to retourne by Bygore and so by the lande of the lombrisience of the countie of Foyze and countie of Armynake and so by Garonne Dordone and entrynge in to Pier gourte and Querchyn Rochelloys Xayntone Cristynge Poictou Auuergne and Lymosyn wherin were many garysons and castels holden of the englisshe parte who wolde all make warre for his sake Wherfore he sayd it were better for hym to be amonge theym to counsaile and encorage them than to be in any other place And also he sayde howe Portugale was farre of to here any newes out of Englande and also he knewe well that the englyssh men wolde be lothe to come thyder bycause of the long voyage by see and also he knewe well that shyppes of Spaygne of Galyce and of Castyle were goynge and comynge on the see in and out to Flaunders with their marchandyses whiche was also great daunger for encountrynge of them All these thynges consydred the duke of Lancastre prepared for his departynge and had shyppes apoynted hym by the kynge and a patrone called Alphons Bretat Whan these galyes were redy and the wynde good the duke and the duches and her doughter toke leaue of the kynge of Portugale and of the quene and so toke shyppynge and entred on the see abydynge goddes pleasure and wyndes They had wynde and wether at pleasure so that they aryued at Bayon of whose comynge they of the countrey were ioyfull desyringe sore to se them Whan the duke and the duches and their doughter were aryued at Bayon Tydynges therof spredde abrode and they of Burdeloys were ryght ioyfull therof Than sir Iohan of Harpdame senesshall of Burdeaux and the senesshall of the landes came thyder to se the duke and so dyd other gentlemen of the countrey as the lorde of Mucydente the lorde of Duras the lorde of Rosem the lorde of Landuras the lorde Lespare the lorde of Newechasteaur and other knyghtes and squyers of the countrey Thus they came dayly some at one tyme some at another all they offred hym their seruyce as they ought to do to their lord Thus the duke taryed at Bayon and often tymes sente in to Englande to the kynge his nephewe and to his other bretherne But for all his writynge he was nothynge comforted nother with men of armes nor archers for as the worlde wente than the dukes busynesse was lytell taken hede vnto nor lorde knyght nor squyer to make any hast to auaunce forwarde to the ayde of the duke of Lancastre for suche as had ben in Portugale made suche reporte through the realme of Englande that no man had corage to auaunce thyder but euery man said the voyage in to Castyle is to farre of fro vs. It is more profytable for vs to haue warre with Fraunce for that is a good swete countrey and temperate and good lodgynges and fayre swete ryuers And in Castyle there is no thynge but harde rockes and Mountaynes whiche are nat good to eate and an vntemperate ayre and troubled ryuers and dyuerse meates and stronge wynes hote and poore people rude and yuell arayed farre of fro our maner wherfore it were folly to go thyder for if we entre in to any great cytie or towne there wenynge to fynde maruayles we shall fynde nothynge but wyne larde and empty cofers This is contrarye to the realme of Fraunce for there whan it is fortune to wyn any towne or cytie we fynde suche rychesse that we be a basshed therof and it is good to make warre where we may haue profyte let vs aduenture there and leaue the vnhappy warre of Castyle and Portugale where is no thynge but pouuertye and domage Thus the englysshe men sayde in Englande suche as had been in Castyle so that the lordes perceyued well howe that voyage was out of the fauoure of the englysshe men Also the realme was in trouble and the iustyce of Triuylyen and outher but newly done and the duke of Irelande departed out of the Realme and kynge Rycharde came to the guydynge of newe counsayle the whiche he hadde nat well lerned So by reason of suche insydentes the matters abode in harde case for the duke of Lancastre beynge in the cytie of Bayon where he helde all that season ALl these busynesses as well in Castyle and Portugale as in Englande and of the departyng of the duke of Irelande was well knowen with the frenche kynge and his counsayle Than to haue more parfyte knowledge it was ordayned by the frenche kynge and by his vncles to sende to Trecte to the duke of Irelande where as he was and to gyue hym a sure saueconduct to come into Fraunce and to tarye there as longe as bothe partyes were pleased It was behouable to sende for hym by specyall messangers and sure wrytyng fro the kyng or els the duke of Irelande wolde nat haue come there for he knewe well that he was out of the loue and fauoure of the lorde Coucy who was a great baron in the realme of Fraunce and was of a great lynage He had no cause to loue hym as ye haue herde before for acordynge to the trouthe the duke had nat well acquyted hymselfe to his wyfe who was doughter to the lorde Coucy And certaynly it was the principall thing that toke awaye the good renome of his honour bothe in Fraunce and in other places And in lykewyse he
supped and some layde downe to their rest and were wery of trauaylynge and sautynge of the castell all that day and thought to ryse erly in the mornyng in cole of the day to gyue a newe assaute Therwith sodenly the englysshmen came on them and entred in to the lodginges wenyng it had ben the maisters lodgynges and therin were but varlettes and seruauntes Than the englysshmen cryed Percy Percy and entred into the lodgynges and ye knowe well where suche affray is noyse is sone reysed and it fortuned well for the scottes for whan they sawe the englysshmen came to wake them than the lordes sente a certayne of their seruauntes of fotemen to skrymysshe with the englysshmen at the entre of the lodgynges and in the meane tyme they armed and aparelled them euery man vnder his baner vnder his capytaynes penon The night was farre on but the mone shone so bryght as and it had ben in a maner daye it was in the moneth of August and the wether fayre and temperate THus the scottes were drawen to gyder and without any noyse departed fro their lodgynges went aboute a lytell mountayne whiche was greatly for their aduauntage for all the day before they had well aduysed the place and sayd amonge them selfe If the englysshemen come on vs sodaynly than we wyll do thus thus for it is a ioperdous thyng in the nyght if men of warre entre into our lodgynges if they do than we wyll drawe to suche a place therby outher we shall wyn or lese Whan the englysshmen entred in to the felde at the first they soone ouercame the varlettes and as they entred further in alwayes they fouÌ„de newe men to besy them and to skrymysshe with them Than sodaynly came the scottes fro aboute the mountayne and sette on the englysshmen or they were ware and cryed their cryes wherof the englysshe menne were sore astonyed Than they cryed Percy and the other partye cryed Duglas There began a cruell batayle and at the fyrst encountre many were ouerthrowen of bothe partyes And bycause the englisshmen were a great nombre and greatly desyred to vanquysshe their enemyes and rested at their pas and greatly dyd put a backe the scottes so that the scottes were nere dyscomfyted Than the erle Iames Duglas who was yonge stronge and of great desyre to gette prayse and grace and was wyllynge to deserue to haue it and cared for no payne nor trauayle came forthe with his baner and cryed Duglas Duglas And sir Henry Percy and syr Rafe his brother who had great indygnacion agaynst the erle Duglas bycause he had wonne the penon of their armes at the barryers before Newcastell came to that parte and cryed Percy their two baners mette and their menne there was a sore fyght The englysshmen were so stronge and fought so valyauntly that they reculed the scottes backe There were two valiaunt knightes of scottes vnder the baner of the erle Duglas called syr Patryke of Helborne and syr Patryke his sonne they acquyted them selfe that day valy auntly the erles baner had ben won and they had nat ben they defended it so valyauntly and in the rescuynge therof dyd suche feates of armes that it was greatly to their recommendacyon and to their heyres for euer after IT was shewed me by suche as had been at the same batayle as well by knyghtes and squyers of Englande as of Scotlande at the house of the erle of Foiz for anone after this batayle was done I met at Ortays two squyers of Englande called Iohan of Newecastell and Iohan of Cauteron also whan I retourned fro Auignon I founde also there a knyght and a squyer of Scotlande I knewe them and they knewe me bysuche tokens as I shewed them of their countrey for I auctor of this boke in my youthe had rydden nygh ouer all the realme of Scotland and I was as than a fyftene dayes in the house of erle wyllyam Duglas father to the same erle Iames of whome I spake of nowe In a castell a fyue leages fro Edenboro win the countrey of Alquest the same tyme I sawe there this Erle Iames a fayre yonge chylde and a suster of his called the lady Blaunche and I was enfourmed by bothe these parties how this batayle was as sore a batayle fought as lyghtly hath been harde of before of suche a nombre and I beleue it well for englysshmen on the one partye and scottes on the other party are good men of warre for whan they mete there is a harde sight without sparynge there is no hoo bytwene them as longe as speares swordes ares or dagers wyll endure but lay on eche vpon other and whan they be well beaten and that the one parte hath optaygned the victory they than glorifye so in their dedes of armeâ— and are so ioyfull that suche as be taken they shall be raunsomed or they go out of the â—elde so that shortely eche of them is so contente with other that at their deparrynge curtoysly they wyll saye god thanke you But in fyghtynge one with another there is no playe nor sparynge and this is trewe and that shall well apere by this sayd rencountec for it was as valyauntly foughten as coulde be deuysed as ye shall here ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle Iames Duglas by his valyaÌ„tnesse incouraged his men who were reculed and in a maner discomfyted and in his so doynge he was wounded to dethe Cap. C.xliii KNyghtes and Squyers were of good corage on bothe parties to fyght valyauntly cowardes there had no place but hardynes rayned with goodly feates of armes for knyghtes and squiers were so ioyned to gyder at hande strokes that archers had no place of nother party There the scottes shewed great hardynesse and feught meryly with great desyre of honour the englysshmen were thre to one howe be it I say nat but englysshmen dyd nobly acquyte them selfe for euer the englysshmen had rather ben slayne or taken in the place than to flye Thus as I haue sayd the baners of Duglas and Percy and their men were met eche against other enuyous who shulde wynne the honoure of that iourney At the begynnynge the englysshemen were so stronge that they â—eculed backe their enemyes Than the Erle Duglas who was of great harte and hygh of enterprise seynge his men recule backe than to recouer the place and to shewe knightly valure he toke his are in bothe his handes and entred so in to the prease that he made hym selfe waye in suche wyse that none durste aproche nere hym and he was so well armed that he bare well of suche strokes as he receyued thus he wente euer forwarde lyke a hardy Hector wyllynge a lone to conquere the felde and to dyscomfyte his enemyes But at laste he was encountred with thre speares all at ones the one strake hym on the shulder the other on the breste and the stroke glented downe to his bely and the thyrde strake hym in the thye and sore
erle Dolphyn of Auuergne who had ben as an hostager in Englande and moche in the duke of Lacasters company and loued hym very well He came and humbly saluted the duke of Lancaster Whan the duke sawe him he enbrased hym in great token of loue and spake toguyder a lytell Than the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne came to them the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy and therle of â—aynt Poule came to the duke of yorke the erle of Huntyngton and to sir Thomas Percye and so â—ode talkyng togyder with amorous wordes tyll they aproched the cytie of Amyence Than the duke of Lancastre rode bytwene the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyn Thus they rode all thre in a front makyng honour eche to other tyll they came to the bysshoppes palais where the kynge the duke of Thourayne was There they a lighted and the two dukes ledde the duke of Laâ—castre vp the steres and the other dukes and lordes folowed Than the Frenche lordes came in to the kynges presence made their reuerence and lefte the Englysshe dukes standyng alone Than a lytell they enclined them selfe to the kyng than the kyng caâ—e to them and toke them by the handes lytte them vp and spake swetely to them they to hym and other lordes of Fraunce fell in talkynge with the other lordes of Englande whan they had coÌ„maned a season they toke their leaue of the kyng his brother vncles and departed were conueyed to their lodgynges by the coÌ„stable of Fraunce the lorde Coucy the erle of saynt Poule sir Iohan of Vyenne and other Lordes of the realme of Fraunce Than they toke their leaues deê‘ted agayne to the kyng and the lady of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy was lodged in her fathers lodging all her coÌ„pany IT was ordayned by the freÌ„che kyng his counsayle before thenglysshe lordê came to the cytie of Amyence whiche ordynauÌ„ce was publysshed and proclamed openlye to th entent that no ê‘sone shulde be ignorant therof but euery man to beware of â—re kyng of any artycle in the proclamacion on payne of lefyng of their heedes First that no maner of person make any riot or gyue any riotous wordes to any Englysshman also that no knight nor squier speke or make any chalenge of armes to any englysshman on payne of the kynges highe displeasure they to company with the with swete wordes and goodly behauour in that towne lodgyngê or felde nor that the Frenche pages make any debate nor riotte in any place on payne of dethe And what soeuer any englysshman demauÌ„deth to suâ—â—re them pesably to haue it that no hoâ—t nor vitayler demaunde any money outher for meate or drinke nor for other suche coÌ„men charges Also it was ordayned that no knight nor squyer of Fraunce shuld go by night tyme without torche or torches and that the englysshmen shulde go at their pleasure without any coÌ„trolement that if any freÌ„chman mete any Englysshman in the night in any strete that they shulde swetely gently conuey him or theÌ„ to their lodgyng or to their company Also it was ordayned that in four places of the cyte four watches to be set of a thousande men in euery watche and that if any fyre happe to fall in the nyght by any incydence the watche in no wyse to remoue for no maner of cause but at the so wnynge of a bell all other people to drawe to queÌ„che the fyre Also it was ordayned that no freÌ„ch knight nor squier for no maner of cause shulde presume to speke to the king wtout the kyng fyrst dyde call hym Nor also that the knightes nor squyers of Fraunce shulde talke nor comune toguyder as long as any of the Englysshe men were present But to fynde comunynge and pastyme with theym Also it was ordayned that all hostes and their seruauntes in anywyse shulde nat conuey or hyde any Bowes or Arrowes or any other thynge parteyninge to the Englysshe men without makynge of large amendes without it were gyuen them by the Englysshmen of their curtesy than to take it or els nat All these thynges were determyned by delyberacyon or good counsayle to do the Englysshe men the more honoure for they trusted of a good conclusyon of peace Nighe euery day a fiftene dayes toguyder these lordes were in counsayle and brought nothyng to coÌ„clusyon for their demaundes were greatly different The Frenche men demaunded to haue Calais rased and beaten downe in suche wyse that no persone shulde dwell there after The Englysshe men wolde in no wyse agree to that treatie for it ought to be beleued that Calais was the towne of the worlde that the coÌ„mons of Englande loued best for as longe as they be lordes of Calays They sayde they bare the kayes of Fraunce vnder their gyrdell Thoughe the lordes departed euery daye vnagreed yet they departed a soÌ„der right amiably for euery daye they poynted to were agayne the nexte day bothe parties trustyng at last to coÌ„clude on some good poynt The frenche kyng made thenglysshe men in that space thre notable dyners at his palais In lykewise so dyde the duke of Thourayne the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule Eche of these made the Englysshe men a great dyner And for euery thyng that the Englysshmen toke in the towne was payd for and clerkes apoynted by the kynge and his counsayle to write euery thyng and euery man apoynted for their money to the chambre of accomptes It ought to be knowen that Iohan duke of Lancastre and his brother the duke of yorke for all that they were come thyder on trust of peace yet they had charge of the kyng of Englande and of his counsayle that what soeuer treatie they made in no wise they shulde nouther gyue nor take any maner of thynge MAny were of the opynion that the coÌ„mynaltie of Englande rather enclyned to warre than to peace for in the tyme of good kyng Edwarde the thirde and of his sonÌ„e the prince of Wales they had so many fayre and highe vyctories on the frenche men and so great conquestes with so moche money for raunsomes sellyng and patesynge of townes countreis that they were become marueylous riche for many suche as were no gentylmen of byrthe by reason of their hardynesse and valyaunt aduentures wan and conquered so moche golde and syluer that they became noble and rose to great honour And so such as folowed after wolde folowe the same lyfe how beit after that dayes of the sayd kyng Edwarde and the prince his sonne by the wysdome and highe enterprice of sir Bertram of Clesquy and by the ayde of other good knyghtes of FrauÌ„ce The Englysshmen were than agayne sore put backe The duke of Gloucestre sonne to the sayde kynge Edwarde and vncle as than to kyng Richarde than beyng at Amyence dyuers other lordes knightes and squyers were of
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
horse and rode to London and the erle of Derby abode styll with the lordes that daye and the nexte daye Thus they of Acquytayne coulde haue none expedicyon nor delyueraunce I Haue delyght to write this mater at length bycause to enfourme you of the trouthe for I that am auctour of this hystory was presente in all these maters and this valyaunt knyght syr Rycharde Surye shewed me euery thynge And so it was that on the sonday folowynge all suche as had ben there were departed and all their counsaylours except the duke of yorke who abode styll about the kynge and the lorde Thomas Percy and syr Rycharde Sury shewed my busynesse to the kynge Than the kynge desyred to se my booke that I had brought for hym So he sawe it in his chambre for I had layde it there redy on his bedde Whanne the Kynge opened it it pleased hym well for it was fayre enlumyned and written and couered with crymson veluet with ten botons of syluer and gylte and Roses of golde in the myddes with two great clapses gylte rychely wrought Than the kyng demaunded me wherof it treated and I shewed hym howe it treated of maters of loue wherof the kynge was gladde and loked in it and reed it in many places for he coulde speke and rede Frenche very well And he tooke it to a knyght of his chambre named sir Rycharde Creadon to beare it in to his secrete chambre And the same sonday I fell in acquayntaunce with a Squyer of Englande called Henry Castyde an honest man and a wyse and coude well speke Frenche He coÌ„panyed with me bicause he sawe the kyng and other lordes made me good chere and also he had sene the boke that I gaue to the kynge Also sir Richarde Sury had shewed hym howe I was a maker of hystories Than he sayd to me as here after foloweth ⸫ ⸫ ¶ The deuyse and of the conquest that kyng Richarde had made in IrlaÌ„de and howe he brought in to his obeysaunce four kynges of that couÌ„trey Cap. CC.ii. SIr Iohan quod he haue ye nat founde in the kynges courte sythe ye came hyder no man that hath tolde you of the voyage that the kyng made but late in to Irlande and in what maner the foure kynges of Irelande are come in to the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande And I aunswered no. Than shall I shewe you ê™ the squyer to the entent that ye maye putte it in perpetuall memorie whan ye retourne in to your owne countrey and haue leysar therto I was reioysed of his wordes and thanked hym Than he began thus and sayd Sir Iohan it is nat in memorie that euer any kyng of Englande made suche appareyle and prouision for any iourney to make warre agaynst the yrisshmen nor suche a nombre of men of armes nor archers The kyng was a nyne monethes in the marchesse of Irelande to his great cost charge to the realme for they bare all his expeÌ„ses And the marchauÌ„tes cyties and good townes of the realme thought it well bestowed whan they sawe the kynge retourne home agayne with honour The nombre that he had thyder getylmen and archers were foure thousande knyghtes and .xxx. thousande archers well payde wekely that euery manne was well pleased but I shewe you bycause ye shulde knowe the tronthe Irelande is one of the yuell countreis of the worlde to make warre vpon or to bring vnder subiection For it is closed strongely and wyldely with highe forestes and great waters and maresshes and places inhabytable It is harde to entre to do them of the countrey any doÌ„mage nor ye shall fynde no towne nor persone to speke with all For the men drawe to the woodes and dwell in caues and small cotagê vnder trees and among busshes and hedges lyke wylde sauage beestes And whan they knowe that any man maketh warre agaynst theÌ„ and is entred in to their couÌ„treis than they drawe toguyder to the straytes and passages and defende it so that no man can entre in to theÌ„ And whan they se their tyme they wyll sone take their aduauntage on their enemyes for they knowe the countrey and are lyght people For a man of armes beyng neuer so well horsed and ron as fast as he can the yrisshe men wyll ryn a fote as faste as he and ouertake hym yea and leape vp vpon his horse behynde hym and drawe hym fro his horse for they are stronge men in the armes and haue sharpe weapons with large blades with two edges after the maner of darte heedes wherwith they wyll slee their enemy they repute nat a man deed tyll they haue cutte his throte and opyn his bely and taken out his herte and cary it awaye with theÌ„ some saye suche as knowe their nature that they do eate it and haue great delyte therin they take no man to raunsome And whanÌ„e they se at any encountre that they be ouermatched than they wyll departe a sonder and go and hyde theym selfe in busshes wodes hedges and caues so that no man shall finde theym Also syr Wylliam of Wyndsore who hath moste vsed the warres in those parties of any other englysshe man yet he coulde neuer lerne the maner of the countrey nor knowe their condycions They be herde people and of rude engen and wytte and of dyuers frequentacyons and vsage they sette nothyng by iolyte nor fresshe apparell nor by noblenesse for though their rleame be soueraynly gouerned by kynges wherof they haue plentie yet they wyll take no knowledge of gentylnesse but wyll contynewe in their rudenesse acordynge as they are brought vp Trouthe it is that foure of the princypall kynges and moste puyssaunt after the maner of the countrey are come to the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande by loue and fayrenesse and nat by batayle nor constraynte The erle of Ormonde who marcheth vpon them hath taken great payne and hath so treated with them that they came to Duuelyn to the kynge and submytted them to hym to be vnder the obeysaunce of the crowne of Englande wherfore the kyng and all the realme reputeth this for a great and an honourable dede and thynketh this voyage well be stowed for kynge Edwarde of good memory dyd neuer so moche vpon them as kynge Rycharde dyde in this voyage The honour is great but the profite is but lytell For though they be kynges yet no man can deuyse nor speke of ruder personages I Shall shewe you somwhat of their rudenesse to the entente it maye be ensample agayne people of other nacyons I knowe it well for I haue proued it by them selues For whan they were at Duuelyn I hadde the gouernaunce of them about a moneth by the kynges commauudement and his counsayle to th entent that I shulde lerne them to vse them selfe accordyng to the vsage of Englande bycause I coulde speke their language as well as Frenche or Englysshe for in my youthe I was brought vp amonge theym I was with the erle of Ormonde
kynge and the realme of Englande and that the Englysshe men myght be in the same case or better in the parties of Gascoyne as they were or the warres renewed agayne And of this matter he wolde often tymes speke with his brother the duke of yorke and drewe hym as moche as he coulde to his opynions for he was but a softe prince but to the Duke of Lancastre his eldest brother he durste nat speke ouer largely for he sawe well he was of the kynges opynion and was well pleased with the Kynges maryage princypally for the loue of his two doughters the quene of Spaygne and the quene of Portugale The same season the duke of Lancastre remaryed agayne the thyrde tyme to a lady doughter to knyght in Haynalte called syr Paon of Ruette he had ben in his tyme with noble quene Phylyp of Englande who was of the nacyon of Haynalt she was called Katheryn and was brought vp in her youthe in the duke of Lancasters howse with the duchesse Blaunce of Lancastre And after the dethe of this lady Blaunce the duke maryed the lady Custaunce of Spaygne and in her dayes the duke kepte to his concubyne this lady Katheryne of Ruet who hadde maryed a knyght of Englande who was as than deed and the duke had by her thre chyldren two sonnes and a doughter the eldest called Iohan otherwyse lorde Beauforde of Lancastre the duke loued hym entyerly the other was called Thomas the duke brought him vp at Asque he was a good clerke and connynge in bothe lawes he was a great iuryst and legyst and was after bysshoppe of Lyncolne The duke of Lancastre for the loue he had to his chyldren he wedded their mother the lady Katheryn of Ruet wherof there was moche marueyle bothe in Englande and in Fraunce for she was but of a base lynage in regarde to the two other wyues And whan the knowledge of the maryage of the duke to this lady Kateryne of Ruet was come to the great ladyes of Englande as the duchesse of Gloucestre the countesse of Derby the countesse of Arundell and other ladyes dyscended of the blode royall of Englande they meruayled moche and layd gret blame to the duke for that dede and sayde howe the duke of Lancastre was greatly to dysprayse to mary his concubyne for by reason therof she shulde be the seconde person in honoure in Englande wherby they sayd the quene shulde be shamefully acompanyed and sayde howe surely they wolde nat come in to no place where she shulde be presente and more ouer they sayde it shulde be a great shame for theym that suche a duchesse come of so base a blode and concubyne to the duke in his other wyfes dayes shulde go and haue the preemynence before them they sayde their hertes shulde breke for sorowe bothe the duke of Gloucestre and the duchesse his wyfe spake of this mater and sayd howe the duke of Lancastre was nat wyse but fowle ouersene to marry his concubyne and sayde they wold neuer do her honoure nor call her suster The duke of yorke passed it ouer lyghtly ynough for he was euer lyghtly resydente aboute the kynge and with the duke of Lancastre The duke of Gloucestre was of a nother maner for he sette by no man though he were yongest brother he was orgulous and presumptuous of maner and therto be enclyned his nature and alwayes agaynst the kynges opynions and his counsaylours Thus this lady Kateryne of Ruet was duchesse of Lancastre and was as the seconde persone in Englande and was moche aboute the kynge as she that knewe moche honour for in her youth and all her dayes she had ben brought vp therin and the Duke loued greatly the chyldren that he had by her and that he shewed well in his lyfe and after his dethe YE haue herde here before howe iugement of the parliament was gyuen agaynst syr Peter of Craon and howe he was condempned in a hundred thousande frankes to be payed to the Quene of Napoles Whan the sayde syr Peter sawe howe he was condempned he was sore abasshed for outher he muste paye the sōme or els abyde styll prisoner Than he was counsayled by the duke of Burgoyne and by the duchesse that he shulde requyre the yonge quene of Englande to be meane for hym to the quene of Napoles that he myght be released oute of prysone fyftene dayes to go abrode in Parys to sewe to his frendes to pay his fynaūce or els to fynd sureties for him tyll he myght go in to Bretaygne to gather amonge his frendes the same sōme So at the desyre of the yonge quene of Englande the quene of Napoles was contente that he shulde go all the day abrode in Paris and at nyght alwayes to yelde hymselfe prisoner in to the castell of Lowre and there to remayne all the night After this rate he went abrode and sewed to many of his blode and frendes but he coulde fynde none that wolde abyde there prisoner for hym the sōme was so great And at the ende of the fyftene dayes he was fayne to returne prisoner bothe day and nyght and was kept streyghter than he was before at his cost and charge NOwe lette vs a lytell speke of the iourney of therle of Neuers and the lordes of Fraunce and what they dyd the same sōmer in Hungery And after we shall speke of the goynge in to Frese of the erle of Haynalte and the erle of Ostrenaunt The erle of Neuers and his company with many valyaunt men that he had of Fraunce and of other countreys whan they were come in to Hungery in to a great cytie called Bode the kyng of Hungery made them good chere and well they deserued it for they were come farre of to se him The entensyon of the kynge was that or he sette forwarde with his puyssaunce and with the ayde of Fraunce to entre in to the felde to here fyrste some newes fro the great turke called Lamorabaquy who had sent hym worde in the moneth of February that surely he wolde be in Hungery or the ende of the moneth of Maye and that he wolde passe the water of Dunce of whiche message many had great marueyle And some sayde that there is in a manner nothynge but that man maye do it consyderynge that the turke is valyaunt and puyssaūt and desyreth moche dedes of armes therfore sythe he hath said it by all lykelyhode he wyll do it and if he passe nat the Dunce to come hyther to this syde than lette vs passe ouer and entre in to Turkey with puyssaūce for the kynge of Hungery with suche ayde as he hath of straungers shall well make an hundred thousande men and suche a nombre of suche men are well able to conquere all Turkey and to go in to the empyre of Perce and if we may haue one iourney of vyctory vpon the great turke we shall do after what we lyst and shall conquere Surey and all the holy lande of
than dissymuled the mater as moche as he coulde and suffred them to make their prouysyon where they lyst THe newes spredde abrode in dyuers countreys of the defyaunce bytwene the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall Many men spake therof in dyuers maners and specyally in Fraunce They sayd lette theym alone the knyghtes of Englande are ouer proude at length they wyll dystroy eche other for it is the worste nacyon in the worlde vnder the sonne for in that realme dwelleth the moste presumptuous people that canne be Other there were that spake more so berly and sayde that the kynge of Englande shewed no wysdome nor was nat well counsayled whanne for wylde wordes he to suffre suche two noble men of his blode to enterprise armes in defyaunce he shulde rather whan he herde the wordes fyrste haue sayde to them bothe ye are two lordes of my blode and lygnage wherfore I cōmaunde you bothe to be in peace and lette nouther hate nor rancoure engendre bytwene you but be frendes louers and cosyns togyther and if this lande canne nat contente you go in to what countrey ye wyll and seke aduentures of armes there If the kynge had sayde those wordes and apeased these lordes thus than he had done wysely The duke of Lancastre was sore dyspleased in his mynde to se the kynge his nephewe mysse vse hym selfe in dyuers thynges as he dyd he consydred the tyme to come lyke a sage prince and somtyme sayd to suche as he trusted best Our nephue the kynge of Englande wyll shame all or he cease he beleueth to lyghtly yuell counsayle who shall distroy hym and symply if he lyue longe he wyll lese his realme and that hath been goten with moche coste and trauayle by our predecessours and by vs he suffreth to engendre in this realme bytwene the noble men hate and dyscorde by whom he shulde be serued and honoured and this lande kepte and douted He hath caused my brother to dye whiche is one thynge to be noted and the erle of Arundell bycause they shewed hym trouthe but he wolde nat here them nor none other that wolde coūsayle hym agaynst his appetyte He canne nat better dystroye his realme than to put trouble and hatred bytwene the noble men and good townes the frenche men are right subtyle for one myschiefe that falleth amonge vs they wolde it were ten for otherwyse they canne nat recouer their dōmages nor come to their ententes but by our owne meanes and dyscorde bytwene our selfe And wese dayly that all realmes deuyded are dystroyed it hath been sene by the realme of Fraunce Spayne Naples and by landes of the churche as we maye se dayly by the two popes whiche is and shall be to their dystructyon also it hath been sene by the countrey of Flaunders howe by their owne meanes they are distroyed Also presently it is sene by the lande of Frece with whome our cosyns of Haynalt are in warre and howe the frenche men amonge theym selfe are dystroyed in lykewyse amonge ourselfe without god prouyde for vs we shall dystroy our selfe the apparaunce therof sheweth greatly Nowe the kynge suffereth that my sonne and heyre shall do batayle for a thynge of nought and I that am his father maye nat speake to the contrary for myne owne honoure and for my sonnes for my sonne hathe the body of a knyght mete to entre in to armes agaynst the erle Marshall howe be it take the best therof they shall neuer loue agayne togyder as they dyd before Thus said the duke of Lancastre ALl the seasone that these two lordes dyd prouyde to do dedes of armes at vtteraunce the duke of Lancastre came neuer at the kyng nor but lytell at his sonne and that he dyd for a polycy for the Duke knewe well that his sonne was marueylously well beloued in Englande both with noble men and with other and specyally with the londoners for they had promysed and sayd to hym Syr be ye of good comforte in this busynesse for howesoeuer the matter tourne ye shall scape with honour whether the kynge wyll or nat or all the Marmosettes aboute hym for we knowe well this mater is made and conueyed by enuy to the entente to driue you out of the realme bycause ye be well beloued with many men and if so be that ye departe in trouble ye shall entre agayne with ioye for ye ought rather to rule than Rycharde of Burdeaulx for they that wyll seke out the profoundenesse of the mater maye well knowe fro whence ye came and fro whence he came wherby they maye knowe that ye be more nerer to the crowne of Englande than Rycharde of Burdeaulx though we haue made to hym faythe and homage and haue helde hym for our kyng more thanne this twenty yere but that was by fauour and purchase of his grauntfather good kynge Edwarde who douted of this poynte that we nowe speke of and on a tyme great question was made bytwene kyng Edwarde your grauntfather by youre father syde and duke Henry of Lancastre your grauntfather by your mother syde the Lady Blaunche of Lancastre but the lordes of Englande that than reygned apeased the matter for kynge Edwarde was so valyaunt a man and so happy in all his enterprises that he had the loue of all his people poore and riche nor also your grauntfather of Lancastre wolde nothynge to the Kynge but well and good and serued the kynge in his tyme nobly and trewly so that he is as yet to be recommaunded These maters well consydred by kynge Rycharde he myght well repente hym that he is no better gouerned than he is Suche wordes these londoners spake thoughe they knewe but lytell of the trouth that they spake was of a synguler fauoure The erle of Derby receyued their wordes well a worthe and dayly prepared for the batayle and he desyred his frendes to be at that iourney and so euery man prepared hymselfe accordynge to the Erles desyre THe kynge all the season that these two lordes prepared for their batayle he had many ymagynacyons whether he shuld suffre them to fyght or nat Thoughe he were kynge of Englande and more douted than any other kynge before hym yet nyght and daye he kept about hym a garde of two thousande archers who were payed their wages wekely for the kynge trusted nat greatly in theym that were nexte of his blode excepte his brother the erle of Huntyngton and the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne sonne to the duke of yorke who was well in the kynges fauoure and certayne knyghtes of his chambre as for all other he cared lytell for Whan the day aproched that these two lordes shulde do their dedes of armes as they hadde promysed and had euery thynge redy prepared Than on a daye certayne of the kynges counsayle came to the kynge and demaunded what was his entencyon that these two lordes shulde do and sayde Sir wyll ye suffre theym to fyght ye truelye
whanÌ„e euery thynge is agreed and at peace thanÌ„e we maye well speke treate of maryage but fyrst ye must take possession in the duchy of Lancastre for that is the vsage in Fraunce and in dyuers countreis on this syde the See That if a lorde shall marry by the consent of his soueraygne lorde he must endowe his wyfe and therwith they had spyces and wyne and cessed of that coÌ„munycacion and euery man departed to their owne lodgynges WHan the erle of Derby was coÌ„e to his lodgyng he was sore displeased and nat without a cause Whan he who was reputed one of the trewest knyghtes of the worlde in the preseÌ„ce of the frenche kyng who loued hym well had shewed him many curtesies shuld be reputed as a traytour and that those wordes shulde coÌ„e out of Englande and brought by the erle of Salisburye He was therwith in a great malencoly his counsayle apeased hym as well as they coude sayd Sir he that wyll lyue in this worlde must endure somtyme trouble Confort you for this tyme and be pacient and parauenture herafter ye shall haue great ioye and glorie And sir of al the lordê on this syde the see the frenche kyng loueth you best and we se well he wolde enploye his payne to briÌ„ge you to ioye and sir ye ought to gyue him and his vncles great thaÌ„ke in that they kept this mater secrete tyll the erle of Salisbury was deê‘ted yea sirs quod the erle I thynke it had ben better it had ben shewed me in his presence that I myght haue made a sufficieÌ„t excuse before that kyng and all the lordes thus I shall abyde styll in blame tyll the mater be otherwyse declared Sir quod they all trespasses can nat be amended at the fyrst daye Sir suffre let the tyme ryn we beleue your busynesse in Englande dothe better than ye be ware of The loue that is in the hertes of the people in Englande towardes you with their good prayers by the grace of god shall shortely delyuer you out of all daungers This they sayd to recoÌ„fort their lorde who was sore disconforted and their sayeng was soner trewe than they were ware of ANone it was knowen in Englande howe therle of Salisbury had ben in FrauÌ„ce with the frenche kynge his vncles and borne letters thyder conteynyng howe the erle of Derby was falsely ê‘iured and a traytour Of the whiche dyuers noble men and prelates were sore troubled and were nothynge contente with the erle of Salisbury and said generally that he was soore to blame to take on hym the charge to beare in to Fraunce any suche wordes vpon as trewe a man as lyued A daye wyll come that he shall repent the tyme that euer he spake the worde ye maye well knowe the Londoners were greatly displeased and murmured agaynst the kyng and his counsayle sayd A geÌ„tyll knight erle of Derby great enuy is there agaynst you It is nat suffycient for the kynge and his counsayle to driue you out of the realme but also to accuse you of trayson to putte you to the more shame rebuke Well euery thynge muste haue his tourne Alas quod the people What faulte or trespasse hath your children done that the kynge taketh thus awaye fro theÌ„ their herytage whiche ought to be theirs by ryght successyon This thynge can nat longe abyde in this case without chaunge nor we can nat suffre it Thus anone after the retourne of the erle of Salisbury out of Fraunce kyng Richarde caused a iustes to be cryed and publysshed throughe out his realme to Scotlande to be at Wynsore of .xl. knyghtes and xl squyers agaynst all coÌ„mers And they to be aparelled in grene with a whyte faucon the quene to be there well acoÌ„panied 〈◊〉 a dyes damosels This feest thus holden the quene beyng there iÌ„ gret neblenes but there were but fewe lordes or noble men for mo thaÌ„ .ii. ê‘tes of the lordes knightes other of the realme of Englande had that kyng in suche hatered what for the banysshyng of the erle of Derby and the iniuryes that he had done to his chyldren and for the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre who was slayne in the castell of Calais and for the dethe of the erle of AruÌ„dell who was beheeded at LoÌ„don The kynred of these lordes came nat to this feest nor but fewe other And at the same feest the kynge ordayned to go in to Irelande to enploy his men in that voyage and so he departed and lefte the Quene with her trayne styll at Wyndsore and the kynge rode to Bristowe and there made all his prouysion and he had ten thousande knightes and squiers and ten thousande archers WhanÌ„e the Londoners knewe that the kyng was goyng in that voyage they began to murmure and said amonge themselfe Nowe gothe Richarde of Burdeaux the waye to Bristowe and so in to yrelande whiche wyll be to his distruction He shall neuer retourne agayne with ioye no more than dyde kynge Edwarde the seconde his great grauntfather who was folysshely gouerned by to moche beleuyng of the SpeÌ„sers In lykewise Rycharde of Burdeaulx hath belued so moche yuell counsayle that it can nat be hydden nor suffred any lengar ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe kynge Richarde ordayned to go in to the marchesse of Irelande Cap. CC.xxxvii THere were many knightes and squyers in the kynges company that shulde go with hym in to IrelaÌ„de that were nat coÌ„tent with hym and wente in maner with an yuell wyll sayd oftentymes one to another Our kynge gouerneth hym selfe folisshely and beleueth yuell counsayle Suche wordes were so multiplyed that the lorde Henry Percy and sir Henry his sonÌ„e spake certayne wordes whiche came to the kynges knowlege and to his counsayle and it was sayd to the kyng Sir the wordes ought nat to be suffred that the erle of Northumberlande and his sonÌ„e hath spoken for it is to sette your subiettes agaiÌ„st you It must behoue you to correcte all these rebelles one after another wherby they that be greattest shall doute you and take ensample That is trewe quod the kyng but than what is beste to do Sir quod they they be nat here with you but they ought to come whan they become call them before you and than by the erle of Salisbury and by some other as it shall please you lette it be rehersed to them the yuell wordes that they haue spoken against you and your couÌ„sayle ThaÌ„ shall you here what answere they wyll make and thervpon ye maye taken aduyse wheder ye wyll correcte them by prison or other wyse Well sirs quod the kynge ye say well this shal be done The erle of Northumberlande and his sonÌ„e had good frendes in that armye so that some of them knewe the kynges entent And they sent suche worde to the erle and to his sonne that they shulde natte come in the kynges preseÌ„ce nor to go in that iourney For they hadde worde that if they dyde it