and achyued by yâ— warres of FraÌ„ce and Ingland shuld notably be inregisterd and put in perpetuall memory wherby the prewe and hardy may haue ensample to in courage them in theyr well doyng I syr JohnÌ„ Froissart wyll treat and recorde an hystory of great louage and preyse But or I begyn I require the sauyour of all the worlde who of nothyng created al thynges that he wyll gyue me suche grace and vnderstandyng that I may coÌ„tinue and ê‘ euer in suche wyse that who so this proces redeth or hereth may take pastauÌ„ce pleasure and ensample It is sayd of trouth that al buyldynges are masoned and wroughte of dyuerse stones and all great tyuers are gurged assembled of diuers surges and sprynges of water In lyke wyse all sciences are extraught and coÌ„piled of diuerse clerkes of that one wryteth another parauenture is ignorant But by the famous wrytyng of auncient auctours all thyngis ben knowen in one place or other Than to attaygne to the mater that I haue entreprised I wyll begyn Fyrst by the grace of god and of the blessed virgyn ourlady saynt Mary from whom all comfort consolation procedeth and wyll take my foundation out of the true cronicles somtyme coÌ„pyled by the right reuerend discrete and sage maister JohnÌ„ la Bele somtyme Chanon in saint LaÌ„bartis of Liege who with good herte and due diligence dyd his true deuoure in wrytyng this noble cronicle and dyd contynue it all his lyf dayes in folowyng the trouth as nere as he myght to his great charge coste in sekyng to haue the perfight knowledge therof He was also in his lyf dayes Welbeloued of the secret counsayle with the lorde sir JohnÌ„ of Haynaulte who is often remembred as reason requyreth here after in this boke For of many fayre and noble auentures he was chief causer And by whose meanes the sayd ser JohnÌ„ la Bele myght well knowe and here of many dyuers noble dedes The whiche here after shal be declared Trouth it is that I who haue entreprised this boke to ordeyne for pleasure and pastaunce to the whiche alwayes I haue ben inclyned and for that intent I haue folowed and frequented the company of dyuerse noble and great lordes as well in Fraunce Juglande and Scotland as in diuerse other countries and haue had knowledge by them And alwayes to my power iustly haue inquired for the trouth of the dedis of warre and auentures that haue fallen and specially syth the great batell of Poyters where as the noble kynge JohnÌ„ of France was takyn prisoner as before that tyme I was but of a yonge age or vnderstandyng Ho we be it I toke on me assoone as I came from scole to wryte and recite the sayd boke and bare the same compyled into Ingland and presented the volume therof to my lady Philypp of Heynaulte noble quene of Ingland who right amyably receyued it to my great profite auauÌ„cemeÌ„t And it may be so that the same boke is nat as yet eramyned nor corrected so iustely as suche a case requyreth For featis of armes derely bought achyued the honour therof ought to be gyuen truly deuided to them that by promes and hard trauayle haue deserued it Therfore to acquyte me in that bihalf and in folowyng the trouth as nere as I can I JohnÌ„ Froissart haue entreprysed this hystory on the forsaid ordynauÌ„ce and true fundacion at the instauÌ„ce and request of a dere lord of myn ser Robert of Namure knyght lord of Bewfort To whom entierly I owe loue and obeysyunce and god graunt me to do that thyng that may be to his pleasure Amen ¶ here spekethe the auctour of suche as were most valiant knyghtis to be made mencion of in this boke ¶ ap .ii. ALl noble hertis to encorage and to shewe them ensample and mater of honour I ser JohnÌ„ Froissart begynne to speke after the true report relation of my master JohnÌ„ la Bele somtyme Chanon of saynt Lambertis of Liege afâ—ermyng thus howe that many noble ê‘sons haue oft tymes spoke of the warres of France and of Ingland and ê‘auenture knewe nat iuslely the trouth therof nor the true occasions of the fyrst mouyngis of suche warres nor howe the warre at length contynued But now I trust ye shall here reported the true fouÌ„dation of the cause and to th entent that I wyll nat forget myuysshe or abrydge the hystory â—any thyng for defaute of laÌ„gage but rather I wyll multiply and encrease it as ner as I can folowynge the trouth from poynt to poynt in spekyng and the wyng all the aueÌ„tures sith the natiuite of the noble kyng Edward the .iii. Who reigned kyng of England and achyued many perilous auentures and dyuers great batelles addressed and other featis of armes of great proWes syth the yere of oure Lorde god M. CCC .xxvi. that this noble kyng was crowned in Ingland for generally suche as were with hym in his batels and happy fortunate auentures or with his peple in his absence ought ryght well to be takyn and reputed for valiant and worthy of renowne and though there were great plenty of sondrye parsonages that ought to be praysed and reputed as soueraignes yet among other and pryncipally ought to be renowmed the noble propre ê‘sone of the forsaid gentyll kyng Also the prynce of Walys his son the duke of Lancastre ser Reignold lorde Cobham syr Gualtier of Manny of Heynaulte knyght syr JohnÌ„ Chandos syr Fulque of Harle and dyuers other of whom is made mencion hereafter in this present boke bicause of theyr valyant prowes for in all batels that they were in most coÌ„monly they had euer the renowne both by land and by se accordyng to the trouth They in all theyr dedis were so valyant that they ought to be reputed as soueraignes in all chyualry yet for all that suche other as were in theyr companye ought nat to be of the lesse value or lesse set by Also in FrauÌ„ce in yâ— tyme there were fouÌ„de many good knyghtis stronge and well expert in featis of armes For the realme of Fraunce was nat so discomfited but that alwayes ther were people sufficient to fyght withall and the kyng Philyppe of Uaioyes was a ryght hardy and a valiant knyght And also kyng JohnÌ„ his soÌ„ne Charles the kyng of Behaigne the erle of AlaÌ„son the erle of Foyz syr Saâ—â—tre syr Arnold Dangle the lordes of Beamon the father and the sonne and dyuerse other the whiche I caÌ„ nat theyr names of whom hereafter ryght well shall be made mencion in tyme and place coÌ„uenient to say the trouth and to maynteigne the same all suche as in cruel batels haue ben seen abydyng to the discomfeture sufficiently doyng theyr deuour may wel be reputed for valyant and hardy what soeuer was theyr aduenture ¶ Here the mater speketh of some of the predecessours of kyng Edwarde of Ingland Cap. iii. FIrst the better to entre into the mater of this honorable
Leon who had ben before one of the erles chiefe counsaylours Thus as it was deuysed so it was done in a mornyng the frenche lordes entred and went streyght to yâ— castell and brake opyn the gates and ther toke therle MouÌ„tfort prisoner and ledde hym clene out of the cytie into their felde without doyng of any more hurt in the cyte This was the yere of our lorde god M. C C C .xli. about the feest of all sayntâ— ThaÌ„ the lordes of Fraunce entred into the cytie with great ioye and all the burgesses and other dyd fealtie and homage to the lorde Charles of Bloys as to their ryght souerayne lorde and there they taryed a thre dayes in gret feest Than sir Charles of Bloys was couÌ„selled to abyde ther about the cytie of Nauntes tyll the next somer and so he dyd and set captayns in suche garysons as he had won than the other lordes went to Parys to the kyng and delyuerd hym therle of Mountfort as prisoner The kynge set hym in the castell of Loure wher as he was longe I at last as I harde reported ther he dyed ¶ Nowe let vs speke of the countesse his wyfe who had the courage of a man and the hert of a lyon She was in the cytie of Renes whanne her lorde was taken and howe beit that she had great sorowe at her hert yet she valyantly recoÌ„forted her frendes and soudyers and shewed them a lytell son that she had called JohnÌ„ and sayd a sirs be nat to sore a basshed of the erle my lorde whom we haue lost he was but a man se here my lytell chylde who shal be by the grace of god his restorer and he shall do for you all I haue riches ynough ye shall nat lacke I trust I shall purchase for suche a capitayne that ye shal be all reconforted Whan she had thus conforted her frendes and soudyers in Renes than she weÌ„t to all her other fortresses and good townes and ledde euer with her JohnÌ„ her yonge sonne and dyd to theÌ„ as she dyde at Renes and fortifyed all her garisons of euery thyng yâ— they wanted and payed largely gaue frely where as she thought it well enployed Than she weÌ„t to Hanybout and ther she and her sonne taryed all that wynter often tymes she sent to byset her garysons and payed euery man full well and truely their wages ¶ Howe the kyng of Englande the thyrde tyme made warre on the scotes Cap. lxxiii YE haue harde here before that the siege beynge before Tourney howe the lordes of Scotland had taken agayne dyuers townes and fortresses fro thenglysshmen such as they helde in Scotlande Ther were no mo remayning in theÌ„glysshmens handes but onely the castell of Esturmelyne the cytie of Berwyke and Rousburge And the scottes lay styll at siege with certayne frenchmen with them suche as kyng Philyppe had sent thyder to helpe theÌ„ before Esturmelyne and they within were so sore constrayned yâ— they sawe well they coude nat long endure And whan the kynge of Englande was retourned fro the siege of Tourney and came into his owne realme he was couÌ„selled to ryde towarde scotlande and so he dyd he rode thyderwarde bytwene mighelmas and al sayntes coÌ„maundyng euery maÌ„ to folowe hym to Berwyke than euery man began to styrre and to drawe thyder as they were coÌ„maunded The kyng at last came to yorke and ther taryed for his people the lordes of Scotlande wer enfourmed of the coÌ„myng of the kyng of Englande wherfore they made sorer assautes to the castell of Esturmelyne and coÌ„strayned so them within with engyns and canons that they wer fayne to yelde vp the castell sauyng their lyues and membres but nothyng they shulde cary away These tidynges came to the kyng of Englande where as he was thanÌ„e he departed and drewe toward Esturmelyne and came to Newcastell vpon Tyne and ther lodged and taryed more than a moneth abydinge prouysion for his host the which was put on the see bytwene saynt Andrewes tyde and All sayntes but dyuerse of their shyppes were perysshed for they had suche tempest on the see that small prouysion came thyder Some were driuen into Hollande and into Fryse wherby theÌ„glysshe hoost had great defaute of vytayls and euery thynge was dere and wynter at hande So that they wyst nat wher to haue forage and in scotlande the scottes had put all their goodes into fortresses and the kyng of England had ther mo thaÌ„ vi M. horsmen and .xl. M. fotemen The lordes of Scotland after their wynning of Estur melyne they â—rue into the forestes of Gedeours and they vnderstode well howe the kyng of Englande lay at Newecastell with a great nombre to brenne and to exyle the realme of Scotlande Than they toke counsell what they shulde do they thought themselfe to small a company to mentayne the warr seyng howe they had coÌ„tynued the warres more than .vii. yere without heed or captayne And yet as thaÌ„ they coude parceyue no socoure fro their owne kyng than they determyned to sende to the kyng of Englande a bysshop and an abbot to desyre a truse the which messangers departed fro Scotland and came to Newecastell wher they founde the kynge These messangers shewed to the kynge and to his counsayle the cause of their coÌ„myng so than it was agreed a trewse to endure foure monethes on the condycion that they of Scotlande shulde sende sufficyent embassadours into France to kyng Dauyd that without he wolde come within the moneth of May next folowing so puyssantly as to resyst and defeÌ„de his realme els they clerely to yelde themselfe englysshe and neuer to take hym more for their kyng So thê° these two prelates retourned agayne into Scotlande and incontynent they ordayned to sende into Fraunce sir Robert â—ersay and sir Symon Fresyll and two other knyghtes to shewe to their kynge their apoyntment The kynge of Englande agreed the soneâ— to this truse bycause his hoost lacked vytayll so he came backe agayne sent euery man home The scottysshe messangers went towarde Fraunce and toke shypping at Douer ¶ Nowe kynge Dauyd who had ben a seuyne yere in France and knewe well that his realme was sore distroyed ThauÌ„e he toke leaue of the frenche kyng to go home into his owne contre to confort his people so he toke shypping with his wyfe and suche coÌ„pany as he had at a port and dyde put hymselfe vnder the guyding of a maryner Rychard Flamont and so he aryued at a port of Moroyse or euer that any in Scotlande knewe therof Nor he knewe nothyng of the messangers that were gone into France to speke with hym nor they knewe nat of his retournyng home ¶ Howe kyng Dauyd of Scotlande came with a great hoost to Newcastell vpon Tyne Ca. lxxiiii WHan that yong kyng Dauyd of Scotlande was come into his countrey his men came about hym with great ioye and solem puyte and brought hym to the towne of saynt JohnÌ„s thyder
maister hath sende me and other to this towne and commaunded vs to kepe it to his behofe in suche wyse that we take no blame nor to hym no dammage and we haue done all that lyeth in oure power Nowe our socours hath fayled vs and we be so sore strayned that we haue nat to lyue withall but that we muste all dye or els eâ—rage for famyn without the noble and gentyll kyng of yours woll take mercy on vs the which to do we requyre you to desyre hym to haue pyte on vs and to let vs go and depart as we be and lette hym take the towne and castell and all the goodes that be therin yâ— whiche is great habundaunce Than sir Gaultyer of Manny sayde 〈◊〉 we knowe somwhat of the entencyon of the kynge our maister for he hath shewed it vnto vs surely knowe for trouth it is nat his mynde that ye nor they within the towne shulde departe so for it is his wyll that ye all shulde put your selfes into his pure wyll to ransome all suche as pleaseth hym and to putte to dethe suche as he lyste for they of Calays hath done hym suche coÌ„traryes and dispyghtes and hathe caused hym to dyspende soo moche good and loste many of his menne that he is sore greued agaynst them than the captaynesayde sir this is to harde a mater to vs we arhere within a small sorte of knyghtes and squyers who hath trewely serued the kynge our maister as well as ye serue yors In lykâ— case and we haue endured moche payne and vnease but we shall yet endure asmoche payne as euer knyghtâ— dyd rather thaune to consent that the worst ladde in the towne shulde haue any more yuell than the grettest of vs all Therfore sir we pray you that of your humylite yet that ye woll go and speke to the kynge of Englande and desyre hym to haue pytie of vs for we truste in hym somoche gentylnesse that by the gace of god his purpose shall chaung Sir Gaultier of Manny and sir Basset retourned to the kynge and declared to hym all that hadde ben sayde the kynge sayde he wolde none otherwyse but that they shulde yelde theym vp symply to his pleasure than sir Gaultyersayde sir sauyng your dyspleasure in this ye may be in the wronge for ye shall gyue by this an yuell ensample if ye sende any of vs your seruauntes into any fortresse we woll nat be very gladde to go if ye putte any of theym in the towne to dethe after they be yelded for in lyke wise they woll deale with vs if the case fell lyke the whiche wordes dyuerse other lordes that were there present sustayned and maynteyned Than the kynge sayde sirs I woll nat be alone agaynst you all therfore sir Gaultyer of Manny ye shall goo and say to the capytayne that all the grace that he shall fynde nowe in me is that they lette sixe of the chiefe burgesses of the towne come out bare heâ—â—ed bare foted and bare legged and in their shertess with haulters about their neckess with the 〈◊〉 of the towne and castell in their handes anâ— lette they in siâ—e yelde themselfe purely to my wyll and the resydewe I wyll take to mercy Than sir Gaultyer retourned and founde sir JohnÌ„ of Uyen â—â—yll on the wall abydinge for an answere â—hanne sir Gaultier shewed hym all the grace that he coulde gette of the kynge well 〈◊〉 sir Johan sir I requyre you tary here a certayne spacetyll I go in to the towne and shewe this to the commons of the towne who sent me hyder Than sir JohnÌ„ went vnto the market place and so wned the coÌ„mon bell than incontynent men and women assembled there than the captayne mane reporte of all that he had done and sayde sirs it wyll be none otherwyse therfore nowe take aduyse and make a shorte aunswere Thanne all the people beganne to wepe and to make such sorowe that there was nat so hard a hert if they had sene theÌ„ but that wolde haue had great pytie of theym the captayne hym selfe wepte pytâ—onâ—â—y At last the moost riche burgesse of all the towne called Ewstace of saynt Peters rose vp and sayde openly Sirs great and small great myschiefe it shulde be to suffre to dye suche people as be in this towne other by famyn or otherwyse whan there is a meane to saue theym I thynke he or they shulde haue great merytte of our lorde god that myght kepe theym fro suche myschieâ—e as for my parte I haue so good truste in our lorde god that if I dye in the quarell to saue the restdewe that god wolde pardone me Wherfore to saue them I wyll be the first to putte my lyfe in teopardy Whan he had thus sayde euery man worshypped hym and dyuers kneled downe at his fete with sore wepyng and sore sighes ThaÌ„ another honest burgesse rose and sayâ—e I wyll kepe company with my gossyppe Ewsface he was called JohnÌ„ Dayre than rose vp Jaques of Wyssant who was riche in goodes and herytage he sayd also that he wolde holde company with his two cosyns in likwyse so â—yd Peter of Wyssant his brother and thanÌ„e rose two other they sayde they wolde do the same thanne they went and aparelled them as the kyngâ— besyred Than the captayne went with them to the gate ther was great lameutacyon made of men women and chyldren at their departyng than the gate was opyned and he yssued out with the. vt burgesses and closed the gate agayne so 〈◊〉 they were bytwene the gate and the barriers Than he sayd to sir Gaultier of MaÌ„ny sir I 〈◊〉 here to you as captayne of Calays by the hole consent of all the peple of the towne these six buâ— gesses and I swere to you truely that they be were to day moost honourable riche and most notable burgesses of all yâ— towne of Calys wherfore geÌ„tyll knyght I requyre you pray the kyng to haue mercy on theym that they dye nat ê™ sir Gaultier I can nat say what the kyng wyll do but I shall do for them the best I can thanÌ„e the barryers were opyned the sixe burgesses went towardes the kyng and the captayne entred agayne into the towne Whan sir Gaultier preseÌ„ted these burgesses to the kyng they kneled downe and helde vp their handes and sayd gentyll kyng beholde here we sixe who were burgesses of Calays and great marchantes we haue brought to you the kayes of the towne and of the castell and we submyt oure selfe clerely into your wyll and pleasure to saue the resydue of the people of Calays who haue suffred great payne Sir we bescche your grace to haue mercy and pytie on vs through your hygh nobles than all the erles barownes and other that were therâ— wept for pytie The kyng loked felly on theym for greatly he hated the people of Calys for the greâ— damages and dyspleasures they had done hym on the see before Than he coÌ„mauÌ„ded their heedes to be
the kyng of Englande sayd to the erle of PeÌ„broke before all his barons and knyghtes that were ther assembled in counsayle JohnÌ„ fayre sofie I ordayne you to go in to Poictou in the company of sir Guyssharde Dangle And ther ye shall be souerayne and gouernour of all the men of warre that ye fynde there wherof there be great pleÌ„tie as I am surely enformed and also of all theym that gothe with you The erle kneled downe before the kyng and sayd Sir I thanke your grace of the highe honoure that ye putte me to sir I shall gladly be there to do you seruice as one of your leest marshals So thus brake vp the counsayle and the kynge retourned to wyndsore and had sir Guyssharde Dangle with hym and spake to hym often tymes of the besynesse of Poicton and of Guyen and sir Guyssharde sayd to him Sir assoone as my lorde the erle of Penbroke be ones arryued there we shall make good warre for we shall be to the nombre of foure or fyue hundred speares all obeyng to you so they may be well payed their wages Than the kyng answered Sir Guysshard care you nothyng for hanyng of golde or syluer whan ye come there to make warr withall for I haue ynoughe And I am well content to enploy it on that marchandyse sythe it toucheth me and my realme ¶ Howe the erle of Penbroke departed out of Englande to go into Poyctou and howe the spanyerdes fought with him in the hauyn of Rochell Cap. C C lxxxxvii THus with suche wordes the kynge past the tyme often with sir Guysshard DaÌ„gle whoÌ„ he loued and trusted as reason was So the season caÌ„e that therle of PeÌ„broke shulde departe and so tooke his leaue of the kyng and all his company And ser Others of Grauntson was ordayned to go with hym he had no great company with hym but certayne knyghtes by the enformacyon of sir Guissharde Dangle But he had with him suche certayne somme of money to pay the wagê of thre thousande men of warre And soo they made spede tyll they came to Hampton there taryed .xv. dayes abydinge wynde than had they wynde at wyll and so entred ito their shippes and deê‘ted fxo the hauyn in the name of god and saynt George toke their course towarde Poitou Kyng Charles of Frauce who knewe the most ê‘te of all the couÌ„sell in England I caÌ„ nat tell howe nor by whoÌ„e But he knewe well how sir Guysshard DaÌ„gle was gone into England to th eÌ„tent to get of the kyng a good capitayne for the couÌ„tre of Poytou also he knew howe therle of Penbroke shulde go thyder and all his charge The frenche kyng was well aduysed therof and secretly sent an army of men of warre by the see of spanyerdes at his desyre bycause his owne men were gone to kyng HeÌ„ry of Castell bycause of the confederacyon and alyaunce that was bytwene them The spanyerves were fourtie gret shyppes and .xiii. barkes well purueyed and decked as these spaynysshe shyppes be And soueraynes and patrones of that flete were four valyaut capitayns Ambrose de Boucquenegre Cabesse de Uacadent Ferrant de Pyon and Radygo de la Rochell These spanyerdes had lyen a great space at ancre in thesce abydinge the retournyng of the poicteuyns and comyng of therle of PeÌ„broke For they knewe well howe their enteÌ„tes were to come to Poitou therfore they lay at ancre before the towne of Rochell And so it happed that the day before the vigyll of saynt Johan Baptyst the yere of our lorde god M .iii. hundred .lxxii. The erle of Penbroke and his coÌ„pany shulde arryue in the hauyn of Rochell but there they founde the foresayde spaignyerdes to lette them of their arryuyng who were gladde of theyr comynge And whanne the englysshemen and poicteuyns sawe the spaignyerdes ther and parceyued howe they must nedes fight with them they conforted themselfe howbeit they were nat agally matched nother of men nor of shyppes Howe be it they armed them and putte them selfe in good order their archers before them redy to fight And thaÌ„ the spaynisshe shyppes who were well prouyded with a great nombre of men of warre and brigantes with arbalasters and goÌ„nes and with great barres of yron and plomettes of leed to cast downe Anone they began to aproche makyng great noyse the great shyppes of Spaygne toke the wynd to fetche their tourne on the englysshe shyppes Whome they but lytell feaced and so came with a full sayle on them So thus at the beginnyng ther was great cry and noyse of the one and other and the englisshmen bare them selfe right well And there the erle of Pebroke made certayne of his squyers knightes to honour Ther was a great batayle and a harve the englysshmen hadde ynough to do for the spanyerdes that were in the great shyppes hadde great barres of yron and great stones and dyde cast them downe to perse the englysshe shyppes hurte therwith many a man right yuell And amonge the knyghtes of Englande Poictou great noblenesse of knight hode and prowes was shewed The erle of PeÌ„broke fought and receyued his enemyes ryght fersly dyde that day many a noble feat of armes with his owne handes and in lyke maner so dyde sir Othes GrauÌ„tson sir Guissharde daÌ„gle the lorde of Pynan and all other knightê ¶ Howe they of Rochell towne wolde nat socour the erle of Penbroke howe the seueschall of Rochell the lorde of Tanyboton and other came to socour hym Cap. CC lxxxxviii ANd as I haue herde reported by theym that were there at the same batayle that the englysshmen and poyctenyns that were there desyred greatly to coÌ„quer laude prayse in armes For there were neuer men that dyde more valyantly for they 〈◊〉 but a fewe people in regarde to the 〈…〉 des and also farr lasse nombre of shyppes and lesse of quantyte Therfore it myght well be marueyled howe they endured so long but the noble knightode that was in them reconforted them and helde theÌ„ in their strength For if they hadde ben lyke in shyppes the spanyerdes hadde taken but lytell aduauntage of them They helde them selfe so close toguyder that none durst abyde their strokes withoute they were well armed and pauessed but the castyng downe of plommes of leed great stones and barres of yron hurte and troubled theym marueylously sore And hurt and wounded dyuers knightes and squyers The people of the towne of Rochell sawe well this batayle but they neuer auaunsed them to come to helpe the erle of Penbroke and his company who so valyantly there fought with their ennemyes but dyde lette theÌ„ alone Thus in this batayle and stryfe they endured tyll it was night and than they departed eche fro other and cast their ancres but this first day the englysshmen lost .ii. barges laded with their ê“uisyon and all that were within putte to dethe The same night sir Johan of Hardan who as
armes of therle of Buckynghams the lordes demaunded of them what they wolde they answered and sayd howe they were sente to speke with the duke of Burgoyne IN the same season that these harauldes shulde haue done their message the duke of Burgoyne and the lordê with hym were be sy to sette their men in ordre of batayle The englisshmen thought verely to haue had batayle wherfore ther were made newe knyghtê Fyrst sir Thomas Tryuet brought his baner rolled vp toguyder to the erle of Buckyngham and sayd Sir if it please you I shall this day display my baner for thanked be god I haue reuenues sufficyent to mayntayne it withall It pleasethe me ryght well ê™ the erle Than the erle toke the baner delyuered it to sir Thomas Tryuet and sayde sir Thomas I pray god gyue you grace to do nobly this day and alwayes after Than sir Thomas toke the baner and displayed it and delyuered it to a squier whome he trusted well And soo went to the vowarde for he was ordayned so to do by the capitayue the lorde Latymer and by the marshall the lorde Fitz water And ther were made newe knyghtes as sir Peter Berton sir JohnÌ„ and sir Thomas Paulle sir JohnÌ„ Syngule sir Thomas Dortyngnes sir JohnÌ„ Uassecoq sir Thomas Brasey sir Johan Brauyne sir Henry Uernyer sir Johan Coleuyll sir Wylliam Eurart sir Nycholas Styngule and sir Hughe Lunyt And all these went to the fyrste batayle bycawse to be at the first skrimysshe Than the erle called forthe a gentyll squyer of the countie of Sauoy who had ben desyred be fore to haue ben made knight both before Arde saynt Omers This squier was called Rafe of Gremers sonne to the erle of Gremers The erle of Buckyngham sayd to him Sir if god be pleased I thynke we shall haue this day batayle wherfore I wyll that ye be a knight The squier excused hym selfe and sayde Sir god thanke you of yâ— noblenes that ye wolde put me vnto But sir I wyll neuer be knyght without I be made by the handes of my naturall lorde the erle of Sauoy in batayll and so he was examyned noo farther It was great pleasure to be holde the Englisshmen in the felde and the frenchmen made their preparacyon in their bastyde for they thought well at the leest to haue some scrymishe Thinkyng that suche men as thenglisshmen were wold neuer passe by without soÌ„e maner of face or skrimysshe The duke of Burgoyne was there without the towne armed at all peces with an are in his hande and soo all knyghtes and squiers passed by hym to the bastyde so that there was so great prease that no man coulde go forewarde nor the harauldes coulde nother go forwarde nor backewarde wherby they coulde nat come to yâ— duke to do their message as they were coÌ„maunded BEsyde the erle of Buckynghams commaundemeÌ„t to the two harauldes there were dyuers other that sayd to them Sirs ye shall go forth and do your message and besyde that say to the duke of Burgoyne Howe that the duke of Bretayne and the countrey there hath sent to the kyng of Englande to haue comforte and ayde agaynst a certayne barons and knyghtes of Bretayne rebels to the duke who wyll nat obey to their lorde as the moost parte of the countrey dothe But make warre in the countre shadowe them selfe vnder yâ— frenche kyng And bycause the kyng of Englande wyll ayde the duke and the countrey he hath nowe specially sent one of his vncles the erle of Buckyngham with a certayne nombre of men of warr to go in to Bretayne to confort the duke and the countre Who arryued at Calays and hath taken their way to passe throughe the realme of Fraunce so they be forwarde in their iourney hyder to the cytie of Troyes where as they knewe well there is a great nombre of lordes specially the duke of Burgoyne sonne to the french kyng disseased and brother to the kyng that nowe is wherfore ye may say to him howe sir Thomas erle of Buckyngham sonne to the kyng of Englande disseased and vncle to the kyng that nowe is desireth of him batayll The harauldes or they went they demaunded to haue hadde letters of credence consernynge that mater and they were answered how they shulde haue had letters the next day but in the moruynge they had taken other counsayle and sayde Howe they wolde sende no letters but badde them dept and sayd Go your wayes say as ye haue ben enformed ye are credable ynough if they lyst to beleue you So the haraldes departed as ye haue herde before and the newe englysshe knyghtes hadde begon the scrimysshe so that all was in trouble And certayn knightes and other of Fraunce sayd to the haraudes Sirs what do you here get you hens ye be here in great parell for here be yuell people in this towne Whiche doute caused the haraldes to retourne agayne without any thyng doyng of their message ¶ Nowe let vs shewe what was done in this scrimysshe FIrst ther was an englisshe squyre borne in the bysshoprike of LyncolnÌ„ an expert man of armes I can nat se whyder he coude se or nat but he spurred his horse his spear in his hande and his targe about his necke his horse came russhyng downe the way and lepte clene ouer the barres of the barriers and so galoped to the gate where as the duke of Burgoyn and the other lordes of Fraunce were who reputed that dede for a great enterprise The squier thought to haue returned but he coulde nat for his horse was stryken with speares and heaten downe the squier slayne wherwith the duke of Burgoyne was ryght sore displeased that he had nat ben taken a lyue as prisoner Therwith the great batayll of the erle of Buckynghams came on a foote towarde these men of armes in the bastyde the which was made but of dores wyndowes and tables And to saye the trouth it was nothyng to holde agaynst suche men of warre as the englisshmen were wherfore it coulde nat longe endure Whan the duke of Burgoyne sawe them comyng so thicke and so great a nombre consideryng howe his nombre was nat sufficyent agaynst them coÌ„maunded euery man to entre in to the towne except crosbowes and so they entred in at the gate lytell and lytell and whyle they entred the genowayes cros bowes shot continually and hurte dyuers of the englisshmen There was a sore scrymishe but anone the bastyde was conquered it coulde nat endure agaynst englisshmen So the frenchmen entred agayne in at yâ— gate as they entred they set theÌ„selfe in ordre in the stretes There was the duke of Lorayne and the lorde Coucy the duke of Burbon dyuers other bytwene the gate and the barryers there was many a feate of armes done some slayne hurt and taken Whan the englisshmen sawe the frenchmen withdrawe backe they in lykewyse reculed backe and stode styll in ordre of bataile
And specially by the archebysshop of Caunterbury his chauÌ„celler wherof they wolde haue accompt This knight durst do none otherwise but so came by the ryuer of Thames to the towre The kynge and they that were with hym in the towre desyrynge to here tidynges seyng this knyght comyng made him way and was brought before the kynge in to a chambre And with the kynge was the princesse his mother and his two bretherne therle of Kent and the lorde JohnÌ„ Holland the erle of Salisburye the erle of Warwyke the erle of Oxenforthe the archebysshop of Caunterbury the lorde of saynt Johans ser Robert of Namure yâ— lorde of Uertaigne the lorde of Gomegynes sir Henry of Sauselles the mayre of London and dyuers other notable burgesses This knight sir Johan Moton who was well knowen amonge theÌ„ for he was one of the kynges offycers He kneled downe before the kynge and sayd My right redouted lorde lette it nat displease your grace the message that I must nedes shewe you For dere sir it is byforce and agaynst my wyll Sir JohnÌ„ sayd the kyng say what ye wyll I holde you excused Sir the commons of this your realme hath sente me to you to desyre you to come and speke with them on Blacheth for they desyre to haue none but you And sir ye nede nat to haue any dout of your persone for they wyll do you no hurte for they holde and wyll holde you for their kynge But sir they say they wyll shewe you dyuers thynges the whiche shall be ryght necessarie for you to take hede of whanne they speke with you Of the whiche thynges sir I haue no charge to shewe you But sir it may please you to gyue me an answer suche as may apease theÌ„ and that they may knowe for trouth that I haue spoken with you for they haue my chyldren in hostage tyll I retourne agayne to theym And without I retourne agayne they wyll slee my chyldren incontynent Thasie the kyng made hym an answere and sayd Sir ye shall haue an answere shortely Than the kyng toke counsayle what was best for hym to do it was anone determyned that the next mornyng the kynge shulde go downe the ryuer by water and without fayle to speke with theÌ„ And whan sir Johan Moton herde that answere he desyred nothynge els And so toke his leaue of the kyng and of the lordes and retourned agayne in to his vessell and passed the Thames went to Blackeheth where he had left mo than threscore thousande men and ther he answered theÌ„ that the next mornynge they shulde sende some of their counsayle to the Thames and ther the kyng wolde come and speke with them This answere greatlye pleased theym and so passed that night as well as they might And yâ— fourthe part of them fasted for lacke of vitayle for they had none Wherwith they were sore displeased whiche was good reason ALl this season therle of Buckynghame was in Wales for there he had fayre herytages by reason of his wyfe who was doughter to yâ— erle of NorthuÌ„berlande and Herforde but the voyce was all through London howe he was amonge these people And some sayd certaynlye howe they had sene hym there amonge them And all was bycause there was one Thomas in their companye a man of the countie of Cambridge that was very lyke the erle Also the lordes that lay at Plummouth to go in to Portyngale were well infourmed of this rebellyon and of the people that thus began to ryse Wherfore they douted lest their vyage shulde haue bene broken or els they feared lest the comons about Hampton Wynchestre and AruÌ„dell wolde haue come on them Wherfore they wayed vp their ancres and yssued out of the hauyn with great payne for the wynde was sore agaynst them and so toke thesee and there cast ancre abyding for the wynde and the duke of Lancastre who was in the marches of Scotlande bytwene Morlane and Roseburg entreatyng with the scottes where it was shewed hym of the rebellyon Wherof he was in doute For he knewe well he was but lytell beloued with the comens of Englande Howe be it for all those tidynges yet he dyde sagely demeans hym selfe as touchynge the treatie with the scottes The erle Duglas therle of Moret the erle of Surlant and therle Thomas Uer say and the scotes that were there for the treatie knewe right well yâ— rebelly on in Englande howe the comen people in euery parte began to rebell agaynst the noble men wherfore the scottes thought that Englande was in great daunger to be lost and therfore in their treaties they were the more styffer agayne the duke of Lancastre and his counsayle ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the commons of Englande and howe they perceyuered ¶ How the coÌ„mons of Englande entred in to London and of the great yuell that they dyde and of the dethe of the bysshoppe of CauÌ„terbury and dyuers other Cap. CCClxxxiii IN the mornyng on corpus christy day kynge Rycharde herde Masse in the towre of LoÌ„don and all his lordes and than he toke his barge with therle of Salisbury therle of Warwyke yâ— erle of Suffolke certayn knightê so rowed downe a longe Thames to Redereth wher as was disceÌ„ded downe the hyll a .x. M. men to se yâ— kyng and to speke with him And whan they sawe the kynges barge comyng they beganne to showt and made suche a crye as though all the deuylles of hell had ben amonge them and they had brought with them sir Johan Moton to the entent that if the kynge had nat coÌ„e they wolde haue stryken hym all to peces so they had promysed hym And whan the kynge his lordes sawe the demeanour of the people The best assured of them were in drede And so the kynge was counsayled by his barownes nat to take any landynge there but so rowed vp and downe the ryuer And the kyng demaunded of them what they wolde and sayd howe he was come thyder to speke with them And they said all with one voyce we wolde that ye shulde coÌ„e a lande and than we shall shewe you what we lacke Than the erle of Salisbury aunswered for the kyng and sayd Sirs ye be nat in suche order nor array that the kynge ought to speke with you And so with those wordes no more sayd And than the kyng was counsayled to returne agayne to the towre of LoÌ„don and so he dyde And whan these people sawe that they were enflamed with yre and retourned to the hyll where the great bande was And ther shewed theÌ„ what answere they had and howe the kynge was retourned to the towre of London Than they cryed all with one voyce Let vs go to London and so they toke their way thyder And in their goyng they beate downe abbeyes and houses of aduocates of men of the court and so came in to the subbarbes of LoÌ„don whiche were great and fayre and ther bete downe dyuers fayre
hymselfe so on a day he caused to be armed a .xii. hundred and so yssued out than they herde howe the englysshmen that made theÌ„ warre were about saynt Clude Than they departed them into two companyes to the entent that their ennemyes shulde nat scape them and poynted to mete togyder at a certayne place besyde saynt Clude So they went by two wayes the one partie went all day about Mount Marter and coude nat fynde their enemyes and the prouost who had the lesse part about noone returned and entred into Parys at the gate saynt Martyne and had done nothynge The other company who knewe nat of the prouostes returnyng taryed styll in the feldes tyll it was to wardes night ThanÌ„e they retourned homewarde without array or good order for they thought than to haue no trouble and so they went weryly by heapes some bare his salette in his hande some on his backe some drewe their swerdes after them naked and some in the shethes They toke their way to entre into Parys by the gate saynt Honoure and sodenly as they went they founde thenglysshmen in a lowe way they were a foure hundred well apoynted Whan they saw the frenchmen they sette on them and at the first metyng they beate downe mo than two huÌ„dred than the freÌ„chmen fledde and were beate downe lyke beestes Ther were slayne in that chase mo than sixe hundred and they were pursued to the barryers of Parys of this aduenture the prouost was greatly blamed of the commons they sayd howe he had betrayed them The next day in the mornynge the frendes of them that were slayne yssued out of Parys to seke the deed bodyes to bury them and the englysshmen hadde made abusshment and there agayne they slewe hurt mo than sixscore Thus in this myschiefe and trouble were they of Parys they wyst nat of whom to beware they were night and day in great feare also the kyng of Nauerre began to waxe colde in aydinge of theÌ„ bycause of yâ— peace that he had sworne to the duke of Normandy And also for the outrage that they of Paris had done to thenglysshe soudyers wherfore he well consented that they shulde be chastysed also the duke of Normandy dyd suffre it bycause the ê“ uost of the marchantes had yâ— gouernyng of the cytie The prouost and his sect were natte all in suretie for the coÌ„mons spake shamefully of theÌ„ as they were enfourmed ¶ Of the dethe of the prouost of the marchauntes of Parys Cap. C .lxxxvii. THe prouost and his sect had among themself dyuers counsaylles secretly to know howe they shulde mayntene theÌ„selfe for they coude fynde by no meanes any mercy in the duke of Normandy for he sende worde generally to all the commens of Parys that he wolde kepe with them no lenger peace without he had delyuerd into his handes twelfe of Parys suche as he wolde chose to do with them his pleasure The which thyng gretly abasshed the prouost and his company finally they sawe well that it were better for them to saue their lyues goodes and frendes ratherr than to be distroyed And that it were better for theym to slee thanÌ„e to be slayne than secreatly they treated with thenglysshmen such as made warre agaynst Parys And they agreed bytwene theym that the prouost and his sect shulde be at the gate saynt Honoure and at the gate saynt Anthoyne at the houre of mydnight and to lette in the englysshmen and naueroyse prouyded redy to ouerr ronne the cytie and to dystroy and robbe it clene Ercept suche houses as hadde certayne signes lymyted among theym and in all other houses without suche tokens to slee menne womenne and chyldren The same nyght that this shulde haue been done god enspyred certayne burgesses of the cytie suche as alwayes were of the dukes partie as Johanne Mayllart and Symonde his brother and dyuers other Who by dyuyne inspyracion as hit ought to be supposedde were enfourmed that Parys shulde be that nyght distroyed They incontynent armed theym and shewed the mater in other places to haue more ayde and a lytell before mydnight they came to the gate saint Anthoyne and there they founde the prouost of the marchauntes with the kayes of the gates in his handes Thanne JohnÌ„ Mayllart sayde to the prouoste callynge hym by his name Stephyne what do you here at this houre the prouost answered and sayd JohaÌ„ne what wolde ye I am here to take hede to the towne wherof I haue the gouernynge by god sayde JohnÌ„ ye shall natte go so ye are nat here at this houre for any good and that may be sene by the kayes of the gates that ye haue in your handes I thynke it be to betray the towne Quod the prouost Johanne ye lye falsely Nay sayd JohaÌ„n Stephyn thou lyest falsely lyke a treatour and therwith strake at hym and sayd to his company slee the treatours ThanÌ„e euery man strake at theym the prouost wolde a fledde but JohnÌ„ Mayllart gaue him with an are on yâ— heed that he fyll downe to the yerthe and yet he was his gossyppe and lefte nat tyll he was slayne and sixe of theym that were there with hym and the other taken and putte in prison ThanÌ„e people began to styre in the stretes and JohnÌ„ Mayllart and they of his acorde went to yâ— gate saynt Honoure and there they founde certayne of the prouostes secte and there they layde treason to theÌ„ but their excuses auayled nothyng There were dyuers taken and send into dyuers places to prison and suche as wolde nat be taken were slayn without mercy The same night they weÌ„t and toke dyuers in their beddes suche as were culpable of the treason by the confessyon of suche as were taken The next day JohnÌ„ Mayllart assembled the moost parte of the commons in the markette hall and there he mounted on a stage and shewedd generally the cause why he hadde slayne the prouoste of the marchauntes And ther by the couÌ„sayle of all the wysmen all suche as were of the sect of the prouost were â—â—ged to the dethe and so they were executed by dyuers tourmentes of dethe Thus done JohnÌ„ Mayllart who was thanÌ„e greatly in the grace of the commons of Parys and other of his adherentes sende Symonde Mayllart and two maisters of the parlyament sir JohaÌ„n Alphons and maister JohnÌ„ Pastorell to the duke of Normandy beyng at Charenton They shewed the duke all the mater and desyred hym to come to Parys to ayde and to counsayle them of the cytie fro thens forthe sayeng that all his aduersaryes were deed The duke sayde with ryght 〈◊〉 good wyll and so he came to Parys and with hym sir Arnolde Dandrehen the lorde of Roy and other knyghtes and he lodged at Lour ¶ How the kyng of Nauer defied the realme of France the kyng beyng prisoner in England Cap. C .lxxxviii. WHan the kynge of Nauerr knewe the trauth of the dethe of the prouost his great freÌ„de and of other