their prisoner they make great ioye therof and wyll conuey hym in to Boesme or in to Austryche or in to Xasenne and kepe hym in some castell inhabytable They are people worse than sarazins or paynyms for their excessyue couetousnesse quencheth the knowledge of honoure Lette vs go and put the kynge in daunger amonge these people and if any thynge happen to fall a mysse as the chaunces of fortune are maruaylous what shall be sayde than howe we haue brought the kynge thyder to betray him and to the dystructyon of the realme and nat for the augmentynge therof God defende the realme fro all domage and parell If the kyng go he muste haue parte of his noble men with hym And if mysse fortune fall the realme of Fraunce is loste without recouery Therfore loke wysely if it be good to counsayle the kyng to go that voyage in to Almayne Than some other suche as had wysely coniected all parelles in their imagynacyons sayd In the name of god lette nother the kynge go nor yet sende thyder no puyssaunce For though the duke of Guerles who is but yonge and that youthe of wytte haue made hym to defye the kynge whiche was nat done by no greate wysdome nor good counsayle but rather done by folissh pride of yonge people who wolde flye or they haue wynges And sythe he hathe thus defyed the kynge lette hym alone and suffre hym to pursewe his desyaunce the realme of Fraunce is great if he entre in to the realme in any maner of wyse the kinge shall sone be enfourmed therof and than he shall haue a iuste cause to styre vp his people and to go and fyght agaynste hym where so euer he fynde hym or els to make hym flye or yelde hym in the felde and therby the kynge shall haue more honour and lesse charge than to go in to Guerles for suche as knowe the countrey saye that or we can come to the duke if he lyste we must passe a foure great ryuers the lyste of them as great as the ryuer of Loyre at Namurs or Charite Also they say it is a fowle countrey and yuell lodgynges THe noble men and counsaylouts of Fraunce were thus in dyuers imagynacyons on this voyage that the kynge wolde make in to Almayne and surely it had ben auaunsed the soner forwarde and they had nat douted the venym that myght growe by the occasyon of Bretayne and of the duke there that mater drewe theym a backe And indede they had good cause to doute it for the duke of Bretayne was well infourmed of the defyaunce that the duke of Guerles hadde made to the Frenche kynge and howe that the yonge kinge Charles wolde go in to Almayne The duke loked for nothyng els but that the kynge shulde be ones departed out of his Realme of Fraunce he hadde ordeyned and concluded bytwene hym and the englysshe men to suffre the englisshe army to entre in to his countrey And also he had by subtyle meanes drawen to his acorde the moste parte of the good townes of Bretaygne and specyally Nauntes Wennes Rennes Lentriguier Guerrādo Lambale saynte Malo and saynte Mathewe defyn poterne but the noble men he coulde nat gette to his opynyon Than the duke imagyned if the lordes shulde go with the constable of Fraunce in to Almayne thanne his warre and entente shulde the soner come to passe He caused his townes and castels to be well prouyded for with vytayles and artyllary and he shewed well howe he inclyned rather to the warre than to haue pease Also he had great alyaunce with Charles they yonge kyng of Nauerre and the duke promysed hym that if he might come to his entent to haue puyssaunce of men of armes and archers out of Englāde he wolde bringe them streight in to Normandy and recouer fyrst the good townes and castels that kynge Charles of Fraunce vncle to the kynge of Nauerre had taken fro hym by his men as the lorde of Coucy and outher Of this the kynge of Nauer had great trust and by reason therof he helde in humble loue the duke of Lancastre who was at Bayon for bytwene theym was great alyaunces And of all this I sawe great apparence as I shall shewe after IN the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and eyght the seuenth daye of Aprell it was concluded by the kynge of Englande and his counsayle and by his vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre that the erle Rycharde of Arundell shulde be heed and chefe of an army on the see with hym a thousande men of armes and thre thousande archers and to be at Hamton the fyftene day of May and there to fynde his nauy redy apparelled And euery man that was apoynted to go to be there redy at that daye And the kynge of Englande on saynte Georges daye nexte after helde a great feast at his castell of Wyndesore And there were the chefe lordes that shulde go with therle of Arundell and there they toke their leaues of the kynge and of the quene and of all other ladyes and so came to Hampton at their daye apoynted and entred in to their shyppes the twenty day of May whiche was a fayre clere day There was the erle of Arundell the erle of Notyngham the Erle of Deuonshyre syr Thomas Percy the lorde Clifforde sir Iohn̄ of Ware wyke sir Willyam de la Selle the lorde Cameux syr Stephyn de Libery syr Willyam Helman syr Thomas Moreaur syr Iohan Dambreticourt syr Roberte Sere sir Peter Mountbery sir Loys Clombo sir Thomas Coq syr Willyam Pulle and dyuers other They were of good men of armes a thousand speares and aboute a thre thousande archers They had with theym no horses for they trusted if they might come to their ententes to entre in to Bretayne and there to refresshe them where as they shulde fynde horses ynowe at a good price to serue them The daye that they departed fro Hampton was so fayre and peasable that it was meruayle they drewe towardes Normādy nat purposyng to lande in any parte but to passe by the fronters of Normandy and Bretayne tyll they herde other newes They had in their nauy certayne vessels called Ballengers who sayled on before to se if they myght fynde any aduenture in lyke maner as knyghtes do by lande go before the bataylles to dyscouer the coūtrey and enbusshes ¶ Nowe we shall leaue a season of spekynge of this army and speke somwhat of the busynesse of Guerles Brabant and shewe howe the siege was layde to Graue ¶ Howe the brabansoys layde siege to the towne of Graue And howe the constable of Fraunce toke saynte Malo and saynte Mathewes and set there men in garyson and howe the duke of Lancastre was at Bayon greatly dyscomforted in that he coulde gette no maner of ayde Cap. C.xxvi AS it hath been shewed here before of the auncyent dukes of Guerles howe the eldest sonne of the duke of
myght haue an answere Laurence sayd the duke or this tyme â–ª I haue shewed you and yet agayne I say it that your comynge and these tydynges doth me grete pleasure and ye shall not departe fro me tyll ye be satysfyed of all your requestes well answered in that ye be come for syr sayd the squyer I thanke you then the duke called for wyne spyces so toke theyr leue wente to theyr lodgynge to Arcorch to the house of the Fawcon in London there they were lodged with Thomelyn of Colebrunque ANd it was not longe after but that the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Cambrydge his broder had counsayle togyder of that busynes â–ª of Castell and Portyngale wherof the erle of Cambrydge was well contente for he had ben in that countrey before more then a yere and he was glad to here of the condycyons tytles of the kynge of Portyngale and of the quene of Castell and sayd to his broder syr when kynge Ferrant lyued the Chanon Robsart and syr Wyllyam Wyndesore and dyuers other knyghtes that were there with me shewed me as it is nowe fallen for they sayd how they had herde dyuers of the same couÌ„trey murmure on the quene of Castelles tytle to Portyngale therfore I toke away with me my sone had no grete affeccyon to that maryage In the name of god sayd the duke the squyer that is here of Portyngale hathe declared all the matter and I thynke we can not haue so fayre an entre in to Castell as by Portyngale for the royalme of Aragon is ferre of and also the kynge there and his chyldren haue alwayes ben more fauourable to the frensshe partye thenne to vs Therfore it were not good syth the kynge of Portyngale maketh for vs this good 〈◊〉 to refuse it So on a day for this matter there was a parlyament holden at Westmynstre there it was accorded that the duke of Lancastre sholde haue at the costes of the royalme bitwene a M. .xii. C. speres of chosen men .ii. M. archers a M. of other yomen they were all paydein hande for halfe a yere therwith all the kynges vncles were well contente specyally the duke of Lancastre to whom pryncypally the matter touched as he that sholde be chefe of the armye and to dyspatche these ambassadours of Portyngale the kynge of Englande wrote to the kynge of Portyngale louynge letters conteynyng grete amyte that he wolde bere to Portyngale grete gyftes were gyueÌ„ to the mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale to Laurence Fongase who was alwayes with the duke of Lancastre with the erle of Cambrydge so on a day these ambassadours toke theyr leue of the kyng his couÌ„sayle dyned that daye with the duke of Lancastre the erle of Cambrydge the nexte day they were delyuered as I vn derstode the duke of Lancastre sente letters to the kynge of Portyngale also by credence that he sholde sende a .vii. galeys an .xviii. or .xx. other vesselles to the porte of Brystowe on the fronters of Wales for hym his company to passe in to Portyngale so the ambassadoures departed wente to Hampton there founde theyr shyp that taryed for them so entred in to the see had wynde at theyr wyl so entred in to the hygh Spaynysshe see within .v. dayes they were in the hauen of the porte of Portyngale at whiche tyme the kynge was there and was ryght ioyfull of theyr comynge ANd there the grete mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale Laurence Fongase shewed the kynge his counsayle al that they had sene herde in Englande as well of the kynge as of his vncles delyuered theyr letters whiche certefyed al theyr saynges then anone after the kynge of Portyngale Who gretely desyred the ayde out of Englande to the entente to cause his enemyes to haue the more fere determyned with his couÌ„sayle that mayster Alphons Vâ—etat chefe patron mayster of all his shyppes and galeys in Portyngale that he sholde prepayre redy .vii. galeys and .xviii. other grete Chyppes to sayle in to Englande to fetche the duke of Lancastre his coÌ„pany so Alphons was coÌ„maunded thus to do he incontynent dyd so and so on a daye departed fro the porte of Portyngale and in .vi. dayes he arryued at Brystowe at whiche season the lordes of Englande for the moost parte were aboute the marches of Wales for the kynge was there when the duke of Lancastre knewe of the comynge of these shyppes he was ryght ioyfull Then knyghtes squyers and al suche as sholde go with hym were sente for so that in the porte of Brystowe there were CC. vesselles with the flete of Portyngale redy apparelled for the duke and his company and the dukes entencyon was to haue with hym his wyfe his chyldreÌ„ to make with them some good maryages in castel in Portyngale or his retourne agayne in to Englande for he thought not shortely to retourne for he saw the busynes in Englande lykely to be harde and sharpe how the kyng his neuewe was yonge and had aboute hym peryllous counsayle wherfore he was the gladder to be gone or he departed in the presence of his bretherne he ordeyned his sone the lorde Henry erle of Darby his lieutenaunt of all that he had in Englande set aboute hym wyse sad counsayle he was a lusty yonge knyght was sone to the duches of Lancastre the lady Blaunche doughter to quene Phylyp of Englande I neuer sawe .ii. better ladyes nor of more noble condycyon nor neuer shal thoughe I sholde lyue this thousande yeres whiche is impossyble WHen duke IohnÌ„ of Lancastre had ordred all his busynes in Englonde theÌ„ he toke leue of the kyng of his bretherne and so he wente to Brystowe there taryed a .xv. dayes shypped all his horses bagages mo then .ii. M. with hay lytter and fresshe water for them Then the duke entred in to a galey well apparelled had by hym a grete shyp yfnede were for hym for the duches Constaunce his wyfe who wente in this iourney with a good courage for she trusted then to recouer her herytage of Castell and to be quene there or she retourned agayne she had with her a doughter called Katheryne by her fyrst husbande .ii. other doughters Izabel and Phylyp whiche Phylyp was maryed to syr IohnÌ„ Holande who was constable of the oost the marshall was syr Thomas Morâ—aur who had also in maryage one of his doughters howbeit she was a bastarde was moder to the lady mercell damoysel Mary of saynt Hyllary of Hauman admyral of the dukes nauey was syr Thomas Percy also there was syr yon fythwaren the lorde of Lucy syr Henry Beaumond de poumins syr IohnÌ„ of But nuell the lorde Talbot the lorde Basset syr Wyllyam Beaâ—champ syr Wyllyam Wyndefore syr Thomas
Tracon syr Hughe Spenser the lorde Wylloughby the lorde Braston syr wyllyaÌ„ Fermiton sir IohnÌ„ Dambricourt syr Hughe Hastynges syr Thomas Wancestre syr Mauburyn Liniers syr Loys of Rochestre syr IohnÌ„ Soustre syr Phylyp Tacyel syr IohnÌ„ Bouboufer syr Robert Clycon syr Nycholas Trenton Hugyn of Caurele Dauyd Houlegiax Thomas Allerey Hobequyn Beaucestre and dyuers other all with penons besyde the barons they were a M. speres of knyghtes and squyers of good men of armes and .ii. M. archers and a M. of other tawle yomeÌ„ they had a fayre season as in the moneth of May whiche is lyghtly pleasaunt and peasyble and so they sayled coostynge the Ile of wyght and Gernsey tyll they came open on the coost of Normandy they were CC. sayles it was a grete beautye to se the galeys glyde on the see approchynge the lande full of men of armes and arches sekynge for some aduentures for it was sayd to them that the armye of Normandy was on the see and truely so they were tyll the Englysshe flete appered before the boundes of Ouarentyne but they knewe by theyr balengers that the armye of Englande was comynge and therfore they withdrewe themselfe in to the hauen of Harflewe THere is lyghtely nothynge but that it is knowen and specyally of dedes of armes for lordes knyghtes and squyers wyl gladly talke togyder therof When the dyscomfyture was at Iuberoth where as the kynge of Castell toke suche losse as ye haue herde tydynges therof came in to Franuce as it was reason for there were many there that had lost at the batayle theyr frendes and kynsmen and as then there was no warre so lykely to be as in Castell also they herde true reporte howe the duke of Lancastre claymed as his ryght enherytaunce the herytage of Castell and howe he had raysed in Englonde a grete armye to the entente to drawe in to Castell or in to Portyngale so then knyghtes squyers of the low marches to auaunce theyr honoure drewe sente eche to other to determyne howe they myght best drawe in to Castell some couÌ„sayled to go thyder by lande to eschewe the perylles of the see also to scape fro the encountrynge of the Englysshe nauye some sayd nay therto for they sayd the passage by lande was ouer longe And also they thought that the kynge of Nauare was not clerely fauourable to the frensshe partye for the frensshmen he loued but smally togyder for it was sayd true it was the frensshe men had taken fro hym all his enherytauÌ„ce in NormaÌ„dy howbeit I can not tell yf his quarel were iust or not so thus these coÌ„panyoÌ„s doubted gretely the perylles that myyght fall by goynge by lande as well for the kynge of Nauare as for other they thought they sholde neuer come there by the way thrugh Aragon so at last they concluded to go to Rochell as they dyd there to take these there they rygged an .xviii vesselles toke but fewe horses with them wheÌ„ they were all redy had wynde at theyr wyll they entred in to theyr vesselles so sayled towarde Bayon for that waye or nere therto they must nedes passe in that company there was the lorde of Coursey syr IohnÌ„ Handoy the vycouÌ„t of Verliere syr Peter of Vellamines syr Guy of Baueux syr IohnÌ„ of castell Morant the lorof saynt Liger syr Iames of Fougeres the lorof Bellannes syr Trystram of Langurant the lorde Bartoys of Barres dyuers other so that they were a CCC knyghtes squyers of chosen men desyrynge armes thus they sayled by the see had wynde and wether as they wolde wysshe so aryued without peryl or domage at the porte of saynt Andrewe in Bysquay in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxxx .vi. the .xiiii day of the moneth of May. WHen these knyghtes squyers of FrauÌ„ were aryued at saynt Andrewes there they refresshed them .ii. dayes in that space they drew out of theyr shyppes theyr horses bagages then they set forthe demaunded where they sholde fynde the kynge of Castell it was shewed them howe they sholde fynde hym in the cyte of Burgus in Spayne where as theÌ„ he had a grete counsayle for the busynes of his royalme These knyghtes squyers toke theyr way to Burgus so came thyder the kynge of Castell was ryght ioyfull of theyr comynge demauÌ„ded of them tydynges of Fraunce what way they came thyder They answered howe they came by the see fro Rochel how it was sayd in frauÌ„ce that the duke of Lancastre had a grete army of meÌ„ of armes archers to come the same season in to Castel or elles in to Portyngale also how the kynge of Portyngale had sent a noÌ„bre of galeys other shyppes in to EnglaÌ„de for hym of these tydynges the kyng of Spayne was more pensyue theÌ„ he was before how be it he made no semblaunt but well he thought he sholde haue sore warre in that season how be it he made good chere to these knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce thanked them gretely of theyr comynge And then he sayd to syr Robert of Braquemont and to syr IohnÌ„ his broder Syrs when ye departed fro me the yere that is past I desyred you that when soeuer ye retourned agayne hyder that ye sholde brynge with you tenyse balles of Parys for vs to play togyder how be it it had ben better I hadde charged you to haue brought good baâ—senetes good harneys for I thynke we shall fynde the season well to enploye them Syr sayd the knyght we haue brought of bothe syr alwayes we can not be armed nor alwayes play Thus the kynge of Castell made them ryght good chere then they had affeccyon to god on pylgrymage to saynt Iames syth they were in the countrey and some of them had auowed so to do so they rode all togyder for company and trussed with them all theyr harneys as thought they sholde haue gone to batayle they dyd wysely in theyr so doynge for it stode them in good stede or they retourned agayne as ye shall here after Nowe let vs retourne to the duke of Lancastres armye who were on the coost of Normandy IN lyke maner as by coÌ„paryson as fawcons pelegrynes that haue stande and â—ested longe on the perche hath grete desyre to flye abrode In lyke maner the knyghtes and squyers of Englonde desyred to fynde dedes of armes to auaunce themselfe and sayd eche to other Why do ye not aryue go se the boundes portes of Normandy there be knyghtes and squyers to awake vs and to fyght with vs these wordes multyplyed that it came to the dukes eyres and the duke or he departed out of Englonde knewe that syr IohnÌ„ of Malestroyt and the lorde of Cambor Morfonac and a grete nombre of knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne lay at the syege in bastydes before the castell of Brest by the commaundement of the constable of
we shal answere you shortely I am contente sayd the marshall then the capytayne entred in to the towne and caused euery man to come before hym Then wysely he shewed to them frome poynte to poynte as ye haue harde before and fynally they agreed to receyue the duke and the duches peasybly as theyr lorde lady and to abyde in theyr towne as longe as it pleased them without the puyssaunce of kynge IohnÌ„ dyd dryue them thens and also that wheÌ„ they had taryed there as it pleased them a yere or .ii. longer or shorter and that when they departed out of the countrey without they lefte there a suffycyent garyson to defende them fro theyr enemyes elles they to rendre it agayne to kynge IohnÌ„ or to his marshall yf they were soo commaunded and so they to be quyte of theyr fayth and promyse then made This treatye the marshall syr Thomas Moreaur accepted sayd how they sayd as they ought to do that the duke and the duches desyred nothynge elles of them Then the marshall retourned to his men so to the duke who taryed for hym in the feldes there he shewed the duke this trety wher with the duke was content soo in good ordre of batayle the duke rode to the towne of saynt Iames. WIthin .ii. lytell frensshe myles of saynt Iames in Galyce there came in processyon all the clergy of yâ— towne with crosses relykes meÌ„ women chyldren tomete with the duke the duches the men of the towne brought the keys with theÌ„ whiche they preseÌ„ted to the duke to the duches with theyr good wylles by all semblaunt I can not say if they dyd it with theyr good hartes or no there they kneled downe receyued theyr lorde lady they entred in to the towne of saynt Iames the fyrst voyage they made they wente to the chyrche all theyr chyldren made theyr prayers offrynge with grete giftes it was shewed me that the duke the duches theyr .ii. doughters Phylyp katheryn were lodged in an abbay there kept theyr house the other lordes as syr IohnÌ„ HolaÌ„de syr Thomas moreaux theyr wyues lodged in yâ— towne al other barons knightes lodged abrode in the felde in houses bowres of bowes for there were ynowe in the couÌ„trey they fouÌ„de there flesshe strong wyne ynough whereof the Englysshe archers draÌ„ke so moche that they were ofte tymes droÌ„ken wherby they had the feuers or elles in the mornyng theyr hedes were so cuyl that they coulde not helpe theÌ„ selfe all the day after ANd wheÌ„ the Barroys of barres IohnÌ„ of Castel morant the other knyghtes squyers as were in the castel of CouloÌ„gne herde how the duke duches were entred peasybly in to saynt Iames that they were there receyued theÌ„ they toke couÌ„sayle togyder what was best for theÌ„ to do sayd it was but foly to tary ther ony lenger for here we can haue no good adueÌ„ture let vs go to Burgus to the kynge se what he wyl do it can be none otherwyse but that he wyll go agaynst these Englysshmen for yf he suffre theÌ„ to lodge thus in rest by lytell lytell they shall coÌ„quere be lordes of Castell wherfore it is more honourable for vs to go thyder theÌ„ to abyde here this couÌ„sayle they helde for the best so they made theÌ„ redy to departe trussed that they had so yssued out of the castell of Coulongne toke theyr leue of them that they fouÌ„de there when they entred fyrst they toke gydes suche as knew yâ— couÌ„trey elles they had ben encouÌ„tred so they rode thrugh Bysquay costyng Galyce so came to Lyon in spayne as then the kynge the quene were there the kynge there welcomed the frensshe knyghtes as it was reason demaunded of theÌ„ tydynges howbeit he knew ynoughe al redy they shewed hym how they entred in to coulongne the same tyme that the englysshmen entred in to the hauen how the englysshmen fouÌ„de in the hauen .vii. galeys other vesselles of Bysquay laden with wynes whiche the englysshmen had to theyr profyte the merchauntes had sone solde it ye sayd the kynge so it goth by the warre they were not wyse to tary when they knew the army of Englonde on these they myght haue gone in to some other quarter syr sayd the knyghtes they were come thyder in trust of saufegarde for they sayd the wynes other marchaundyse that they had sholde go in to flaundres for they had her de wel by the maryners of saynt Andrewes that the englysshmen were on the see on the boundes coost of Bysquay true it is yâ— kynge of Portyngale sent to theÌ„ galeys gret shyppes thyn kynge how they wolde haue landed at the porte of Portyngale or at Lyxbone but they dyd the coÌ„trary as it appered for they entred in to Galyce by Coulongne Well syrs sayd the kynge among you knyghtes of frauÌ„ce who knoweth more of dedes of armes theÌ„ meÌ„ of this couÌ„trey for ye haue more haunted vsed the warre theÌ„ they haue how thynke you by the englysshmeÌ„ how haue they borne theÌ„selfe al this season syr sayd they they haue borne themselfe lyke good meÌ„ of warre for they be so close pryuy that harde it is to knowe what they entende to do but supposyng we thynke the duke of LaÌ„castre wyl abyde all this nexte wynter in saynt Iames towne his people theraboute ouer rynne the couÌ„trey of Galyce wyn the small holdes gete vytayles prouysyons tyl somer come by lykelyhode there shall be some treatye made bytwene hym the kynge of Portyngale or elles neuer there is one poynte that causeth vs to byleue that some alyaunces shal be coÌ„cluded bytwene theÌ„ that is the duke hath brought out of EnglaÌ„de with hym al his doughters maryed to mary he hath .ii. to mary we thynke the kyng of Portyngale your aduersary shal haue one of them wel sayd the kyng what thynge were best for me me to do syr sayd the knyght we shal shew you cause al your townes castels on yeâ—ronâ—er of galyce to be wel kepte suche as be of streÌ„gth suche as be of no strength cause theÌ„ to be beten downe it is shewed vs how men of the couÌ„trey do fortefy minsters chyrches steples bryng in to theÌ„ al theyr goodes syr surely this shal be the losse confusyon of your royalme for wheÌ„ the englysshmen ryde abrode these small holdes chyrches steples shal holde no while agaynst theÌ„ but they shal be refresshed nourysshed with suche prouysyon as they shall fynde in them whiche shal helpe to furteth them to wynne all the resydue therfore syr we say that ye do wel cause al suche holdes to be beten downe now why le ye haue leysure make a crye that wtout
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
no man ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke of other busynesse as the mater requyreth ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the king of Englande gaue to the duke of Lancastre and to his heyres for euer the duchy of Acquytayne and howe the kyng prepared to go in to Irelande and the duke in to Acquytayne Cap. C.xcviii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Trewce was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce and there adhereÌ„ces and alyes bothe by see and by lande For all that yet there were robbers and pyllers in Languedocke whiche were straungers and of farre countreis As of Gascoyne of Bierne and of Almaygne And amonge other sir Iohan of Grayle bastarde sonne somtyme of the Captall of Beuses a yonge and an experte knyght was capitayne of the stronge castell of Bouteuyll These capitayns of the garysons in Bigore and marchynge on the realme of Arragone and on the fronters of Xaynton and in the marchesse of Rochell and of the garyson of Mortaygne were sore displeased that they myght natte ouer rynne to countrey as they were accustomed to do For they were straitlye commaunded on payne of greuous punysshment to do nothyng that shulde souÌ„de to the reproche of the peace IN this season it was agreed in Englande consyderynge that the kynge was yonge and that he hadde peace with all his ennemyes farre and nere excepte with Irelande For he claymed that lande of enherytauÌ„ce and his predecessours before him and was written kyng and lorde of Irelande And kynge Edwarde graunfather to kynge Rycharde made all wayes warre with the Irysshe men And to the entente that the yonge knyghtes and squyers of Englande shulde enploye them selfe in dedes of armes and therby to augment and encrease the honour of the realme It was concluded that kynge Rycharde of Englande shulde make thyder a voyage with puyssauÌ„ce of menne of warre And so to entre in to Irelande and nat to retourne agayne without they hadde an honourable composycion or conclusyon The same season it was concluded that the duke of Lancastre who had greatlye traueyled bothe by See and by lande for the augmentacyon and honour of the reralme of Englande shulde make another voyage with fyue hundred menne of armes and a thousande archers and to take shyppynge at Hampton or at Plommouthe and so to sayle to Guyane and to Acquitaygne And it was the entencyon of kynge Rycharde and by consent of all his counsayle that the duke of Lancastre shulde haue for euer to hym and to his heyres all the countrey of Acquitayne with the purtenaunces as kyng Edwarde his father had or any other kyngê or dukes of Acquitayne before tyme had holden optayned And as kyng Rycharde at that tyme had reserued always the homage that he shulde do to the kynge of Englande to any kynges to come after But as for all the obeysauÌ„ces rentes lordshypes and reuenewes shulde parteygne to the duke of LaÌ„castre and to his heyres for euer Of this the kyng made to hym a clere graunt confyrmed it vnder his writyng seale With this gyfte the duke of LaÌ„castre was well coÌ„tent good cause why For in that Duchy are landes and countreis for a great lorde to maynteygne his estate with all The Charter of this gyfte was engrosed and dewly examyned and paste by great delyberacyon and good aduyse of counsayle Beynge present the kynge and his two vncles the dukes of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre The erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre And also therle Marshall erle of Rutlande the erle of NorthuÌ„berlande the erle of Nottyngham the lorde Thomas Percy the lorde Spensar the lorde Beamonde the lorde Willyam of Arundell The archebysshoppe of Caunterbury and the archebysshoppe of yorke and the bysshoppe of London and other all these were presente and dyuers othe Prelates and barownes of Englande Thanne the duke of Lancastre purposed to make his prouisyon to passe the See to go in to Acquitayne to enioye the gyfte that the kyng hadde gyuen hym In lykewise great prouisyon was made for the kynges voyage in to Irelande and lordes and other were apoynted suche as shulde passe the See with the kyng had warnyng to make theÌ„ redy ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of Quene Anne of Englande wyfe to kynge Richarde doughter to the kynge of Boesme Emperour of Almaygne Capi. C.xcix THus as I haue shewed great preparacyons was made at the portes and hauyns where as the kynge shulde take shyppepynge for to go in to Irelande And in lykewyse there as the duke of Lancastre shulde passe to go in to Acquitayne Their voyage was lette and taryed the space of two monethes lengar than it shulde haue ben and I shall tell you why THe same season that all these preparacyons was made the Quene named Anne tooke a sickenesse wherby the kynge and all his lordes were ryght sore troubled for she was so sore sicke that she passed out of this worlde at the feest of Penthecost the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fourtene of whose dethe the kynge and all that loued her ladyes and damoselles were sore troubled and in great heuynesse She was buryed at Poules in London and her obseâ—es done after at good leysar for the king wolde haue it done sumptuously with great habuÌ„daunce of waxe tapers and torches so that the lyke hadde nat ben sene before The kynge wolde haue it so bycause she was the Emperours doughter of Rome and kyng of Almaygne The kynge loued her so entierly They were maryed yonge howe be it she dyed without issue Thus in one season the kynge the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Derby were wydowers And there was no spekynge of remaryeng nor the kyng wolde here no spekynge therof Thus the kynges voyage in to Irelande was somwhat retarded let howe be it the prouisyon and other lordes suche as shulde go with the kynge passed ouer the see and landed at Duuelyn whiche was alwayes Englysshe and there is an archebisshoppe who was with the kynge And anone after Mydsomer the kynge departed fro the marchesse of London and toke the waye throughe Wales huntyng and sportynge hym to forgette the dethe of his quene and suche as shulde go with the kynge sette forwarde Two of the kynges vncles Edmonde duke of yorke and Thomas duke of Gloucestre constable of Englande sette forwarde in great arraye so dyde other lordes as the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the erle marshall erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the lorde Wyllyam of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande lorde Percy lorde ThomÌ„s Percy his brother great Seneschall of Englande the erles of Deuonshyre and Notyngham and great nombre of other knightes and squiers Suche reserued as abode behynde to kepe the marchesse agaynst the scottes who were suche people as neuer kepte no truce nor promyse The lorde Iohan of Hollande erle of
other countreis The yonge kynge enclyned lightely to his wordes for he loued him with all his hart bicause they had been norisshed vp toguyder And this erle had great alyaunces with dyuers lordes and knightes of Englande for he dyde all his maters by the counsayle of sir Symon Burle sir Robert Treuelyen ser Nicholas Brambre sir Iohan Beauchampe sir Iohan Salisbury and sir Mychaell de la pole And also sir Thomas Tryuet and sir Wylliam Helmon were named to be of the same ê‘te so that by the dyffernes and discorde bitwene the kynge and his vncles and the nobles and commons of the realme many yuels came therby in EnglaÌ„de as ye shall here hereafter in this hystorie IT was nat longe after that the erle of Cambridge departed out of Portyngale but that the kynge Feraunt felle sicke and so contynued a hole yere and dyed than he had no mo chyldren but the Quene of Spayne Than kynge Iohan of Castell was enformed of his deth and howe that the realm of Portyngale was fallen in to his haÌ„des and howe that he was ryghtfull heyre thervnto by reason of the dethe of the kynge Sother was dyuers couÌ„sayls kept on that mater and some sayd howe that the Portingales were so harde harted people that they wold nat be had without it were by conquest And in dede whan the portyngales sawe howe they were without a kyng than they determyned by counsayle to sende to a bastarde brother of the kynges a sage and a valyant man called Deuyse but he was a man of relygton and was mayster of the hospytals in all the realme They sayd they had rather be vnder the rule of this maister Denyse than vnder the rule of the kynge of Castell for they reputed hym no bastarde that hath good corage to do well Whan this mayster Denyse vnderstode the coÌ„mens wyll of foure chiefe cyties of Portyngale for they hadde great affectyon to crowne hym kyng wherof he had great ioye and so wrote secretely to his frendes and came to Lurbone whiche is the kay of the realme The people of the towne receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym if they crowned him kyng wheder he wolde be good to theÌ„ or nat and kepe the lande in their fraunchese And he aunswered and sayd he wolde be to theÌ„ as they desyred and that they had neuer a better kynge than he wolde be Than they of Luxbone wrote to Connubres to Pount de portugale and to them of Dourke These were the kayes of the Realme and so they determyned to crowne to their kyng this mayster Denyse who was a sage a valyant man and of good gouernauÌ„ce and was brother to kyng Ferant for they sawe well the realme coude nat be longe without a kyng as well for feare of the spay mardes as of the myscreaÌ„tes of Granado and of Bongie who marched on them So these sayde townes and certayne of the lordes of the lande enclined to him but some of the lordê sayd that it was nat mete a bastarde to be crowned kyng And the people of the good townes said that it shulde be so for of necessyte they must so do sithe they had none other and seyng that he was a valyant and a sage man bothe in wyâ—te and in dedes of armes And they toke ensample by kynge Henry who was crowned kyng of Castell by electyon of the countrey and for the coÌ„mon profyte and that was done kynge Peter beynge a lyue So thus the electyon abode on this maister Denyse and solemynely he was crowned in the Cathedrall churche of Connubres by the accorde and puyssaunce of the coÌ„mons of the realme And there he sware to kepe iustyce to do ryght to his people and to kepe and maynteyne their frauncheses and to lyue and dye with them wherof they hadde great ioye Whan these tidynges came to the hearyng of don Iohan kyng of Castell he was sore displeased therwith and for two causes The one was bycause his wyfe was enheryter there the other bycause the people by election hadde crowned maister Denyse kynge there Wherfore this kyng Iohan toke tytell to make warr and to demauÌ„de of them of Luxbone the soÌ„me of two hundred thousande florens whiche Ferant promysed hym whan he toke his doughter to his wyfe So than he sende the Erle of Terme therle of Ribydea and the bysshoppe of Burges in to Portyngale as his ambassadours to them of Luxbone whan they were at saynt prayne the laste towne of Castell towarde Luxbone Than they sent an haraulde to the kyng and to them of Luxbone to haue a saue conducte to go and come and to furnysshe their voyage whiche was graunted lightly so they came to Luxbone and so the towne assembled their counsayle toguyder and the ambassadours shewed why they were come thyder and finally sayde ye sirs of Luxbone ye ought iustely nat to marueyle if the kyng our souerayne lorde demaundeth of you the soÌ„me of money that ye are bounde for And is nat coÌ„tent that ye haue gyuen the noble crowne of Portyngale to a clerke a man of relygion and a bastarde It is a thynge nat to be suffred for by rightfull election there is non nerer to the crowne thaÌ„ he And also ye haue done this without the assent of the nobles of the realme Wherfore the kyng our maister saythe that ye haue done yuell And without that ye shortely do remedy the make he wyll make you sharpe warâ— To the whiche wordes don Feraunt Gallopes de vyle fois a notable burgesse of the cyte answered and sayd Sirs ye reproche vs greatly for our electyon but your owne election is as moche reprouable for ye crowned in Spaygne a bastarde sonne to a iewe And it is clerely knowen that to the ryghtfull election your kynge hath no right to the realem of Portyngale for the right resteth in the doughters of kyng Peter who be in Englande maryed bothe ConstauÌ„ce and Isabell maryed to the duke of I an castre to therle of Cambridge Wherfore sers ye may departe whan ye wyll and retourne to them that sent you hyder and say that our electyon is good whiche we wyll kepe and other kyng we wyll haue none as long as he lyste to be our kyng And as for the soÌ„me of money that ye demauÌ„de of vs we say we are nothyng bouÌ„de therto take it of them that were bouÌ„de therfore and of suche as had the profyte therof At this answere the kynge of Portyngall was nat presentâ— howbeit he knewe well what shulde be sayd And whaÌ„ these ambassadours sawe they coude haue non other answere they toke their leaue and departed and retourned to Cyuell where they lafte the kyng and his couÌ„sayle to whom they shewed all the said answere Than the kyng of Spayne toke couÌ„sayle what was best to do in this mater Than it was determyned that the kyng of Portyngale shulde be desied and howe that the kyng of Spayne had a good
of all the formest company syr wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac were leders to exalte theyr honoure they departed in good araye all theyr companyes in good ordre THus whyles these knyghtes squyers of the royalme of fraunce prepayred theÌ„ to goo in to Castell suche as were fyrst redy fyrst departed specyally they that were of farre countreys for there were many that desyred dedes of armes the same season the englysshmen were on the see bytwene Englande Flaunders wherof Rycharde erle of Arundell was admyral in his coÌ„pany the erle of deuonshyre the erle of NotynghaÌ„ the bysshop of Norwyche they were a .v. C. men of armes M. archers they had lyen at ancre a grete season abydyng some adueÌ„ture often tymes refresshed theÌ„ on the cost of englande aboute the yles of Cornewall bretayne NormaÌ„dy they were sore dyspleased in that the flete of flaunders was scaped fro theÌ„ were gone to rochell specyally that the coÌ„stable of fraunce was gone fro Lentrygner to sluse passed by Calays met not with hym for gladly they wolde haue fought with hym yet the constable had as many shyppes as they but they passed by theÌ„ by reason of the wynde the fludde that they had in the nyght tyme the englysshe nauy lay at ancre before Mergate at the Tames mouthe towarde Sandwyche abydynge theyr aduenture specyally abydyng for the shyppes that were gone to Rochell for they thought they wolde shortly retourne so they dyd for when the merchauntes of flaunders of rochel of Haynalte other places who for doubte of the englysshmen were conioyned togyder departed out of flauders they ê“mysed eche other to go to retourne togyder to take eche others parte when they had all done theyr busynes in Rochel in the couÌ„trey of Xainton had charged theyr shyppes with wynes then as soone as they had good wynde they dysancred departed out of the hauen of Rochell toke theyr way by the see to goo in to flaunders to Sluse fro whens they departed they sayled so longe that they passed the rase saynt Mathewe in Bretayne without peryll or domage so costed base Bretayne theÌ„ nor mandy so came ryght ouer the Tames mouth where as the englysshe nauy lay the flemynges perceyued where they laye they in the hyghe shyppes sayd to theyr coÌ„pany syrs aduyse you wel we shall be met by the englysshe armye they they haue perceyued vs they wyl take the aduauÌ„tage of the wynde tyde we shal haue batayle or it be nyght that tydynges pleased not well al partyes specyally the merchauntes of flauÌ„ders of Haynalte of other countreys who had theyr merchauÌ„dyse there abrode they wolde gladly haue ben thens yf they myght Howbeit syth they sawe no remedy but fyght they ordred theÌ„ selfe therto they were crosse bowes and other meÌ„ harneysed defensably arayed mo theÌ„ .vii. C amonge theÌ„ there was a valyaunt knyght of flaunders who was theyr capytayne was as then admyrall of the see set there by the duke of Borbone called syr IohnÌ„ Bucke ryght sage hardy in armes had done before grete domage on the see to the englyghmen this syr IohnÌ„ Bucke set euery thyng in good ordre decked his shyppes wel wysely as he that coulde ryght wel do it sayd syrs be not abasshed we are meÌ„ ynowe to fyght with the englysshe army the wynde wyl serue vs that euer as we be fyghtyng we shal aproche nerer nerer to Sluse we shall coost flaundres some toke good coÌ„forte with those wordes some not so they put theÌ„selfe in good ordre defence made redy theyr crosse bowes gonues THe englysshe shyppes aproched they had certayne galays fournysshed with archers they came formest rowynge with owers and gaue the fyrst assaulte and archers shotte fyersly and lost moche of theyr shotte for the flemynges couered them vnder the deckes wold not apere but draue euer forth with the wynde and wheÌ„ they were out of the englysshe archers shot then they dyd let fly theyr quarelles wher with they hurted many then approched the grete shyppes of Englande the erle of Arundel with his company the bysshop of Norwyche with his so the other lordes they russhed in amonge the flemynges shyppes them of Rochell yet the flemynges crosse bowes defended theÌ„ selfe ryght valyauÌ„tly for theyr patron syr IohnÌ„ Bucke dyd euer comforte theÌ„ he was in a gret strong shyp wherin he had .iii. gonnes shotynso grete stones that where soeuer they lyghted they dyd grete domage euer as they fought they drewe lytell lytell towarde flaunders some lytell shyppes with theyr merchauntes toke the coostes of Flaunders the lowe water therby saued them for the grete shyppes coulde not folow them for lacke of water thus on the se there was a harde batayle shyppes broken sunken on bothe partyes for out of the toppes they cast downe grete barres of yron where as they wente to the botom this was an harde batayle well fought for it endured a .iii. or .iiii. houres when the day fayled they withdrewe eche fro other cast ancre there rested all nyght dressed theyr hurte men when the fludde came they dysancred drewe vp sayles and retourned agayne to the batayle with the englysshmen was Peter du Boys of Gaunt with a certayne archers maryners who made the flemynges moche a do for he had ben a maryner wherfore he knewe the arte of the see he was fore dyspleased that the flemynges merchauntes endured so longe alwayes the englysshmen wanne aduauntage of the flemynges so came bytwene Blanqueberg Sluse agaynst Gagant there was the dyscomfyture for they were not socoured by no creature nor also at that tyme there were noo shyppes at Sluse nor men of warre true it was there was a squyer a man of armes at Sluse called Arnolde the mayre when he harde howe there was batayle on the see bytwene the armye of Englande them of Flaunders he toke a barke of his owne and entred therin and with hym a certayne men of Sluse and twenty crosse bowes and rowed by force tyll he came to the batayle but that was at the poynte of the dyscomfyture for by that tyme the englysshmen were seased of the moost parte of the flemysshe shyppes and had taken syr IohnÌ„ Bucke theyr capytayne his shyp all that were within it and when this Arnolde the mayre sawe the maner of that batayle he made his crosse bowes to shote .iii. tymes then retourned and was chased into the hauen of Sluse but the englysshmennes shyppes were so grete that they coulde not approche so nere the lande as the barke dyd and therby he saued hymselfe and his company THe men of the towne of Sluse were sore abasshed when they
suche answere that ye shall be contented Sir ye saye well quod they it suffyceth vs. Than they departed and wente to their lodgynges At nyght they were desyred to dyne the nexte daye with the duke So the nexte daye they came to the duke and were well receyued and so wasshed and went to dyner satte downe Firste the bysshoppe of Langers bycause he was a prelate and than the duke than the admyrall of Fraunce and thanne sir Iohan de Beulle They hadde a great dyner and were well serued and after dyner they entred in to a counsayle chambre and there they talked of dyuers maters and herde mynstrelsy These lordes of Fraunce thought surely to haue hadde an answere but they hadde none Than wyne and spyces were brought in and so made collasyon and than toke their leaue and departed to their lodgynge The nexte daye they were apoynted to come to the duke and so they dyde and the duke receyued them swetely and at the laste sayd Sirr I knowe well ye looke to be aunswered for by the wordes that I haue herde you saye ye are charged by the kyng and his vncles to bring them an answere Wherfore I say to you that I haue done nothynge to sir Olyuer of Clesquyne wherof I shulde repente me sauynge of one thynge and that is That he hadde so good a markette as to escape a lyue And in that I saued his lyfe was for the loue of his offyce and nat for his persone For he hath done me soo many displeasures that I ought to hate hym deedly And sauynge the displeasure of the kyng and of his vncles and his coūsayle For all the takynge of sir Olyuer I haue nat therby broken their voyage by the see I wyll well excuse my selfe therin for I thought non yuell the daye that I toke hym a man ought to take his ennemy whersoeuer he fynde hym And if he were deed I wolde thynke the Realme of Fraunce to be as well ruled or better than it is by his counsayle And as for his castelles that I holde the whiche he hath delyuered me I am in possessyon of them and so wyll be withoute the puyssaunce of a kynge take them fro me And as for rendringe of his money I aunswere I haue had so moche to do in tyme paste by the meanes of this sir Olyuer of Clysquyn that I ranne in dette gretlye therby and nowe I haue payde them that I was bounde vnto by reason of this dette This was the answere that the duke of Bretaygne made to the kynges ambassadours Than they layde forthe other reasons to enduce the duke to some reasonable waye but all his answeres tourned euer to one conclusyon And whan they sawe none other waye they toke their leaues to departe and the duke gaue them leaue Than̄e they retourned and dyd so moch by their iourneys that they came to Parys to the house of Beautie besyde Wynsentes There was the kyng the quene and thyder came the duke of Berrey and the duke of Bourgoyne hauyng great desyre to knowe what answere the duke of Bretaygne haddemade THe aunswere ye haue herde here before I nede nat to shewe it agayne but the kyng and his counsayle were nat content with the duke of Bretaygne that his ambassadours hadde made no better exployte and they sayde howe the duke was a proude man and a presumptuous and that the mater shulde nat so reste in peace seynge the matter so preiudyciall for the Crowne of Fraunce And the entensyon of the kyng and his counsayle was to make warre agaynste the duke of Bretayne and the duke loked for nothynge elles For he sawe and knewe well howe he had greatly displeased the kyng and his counsell but he hated so mortally the constable that it toke fro hym the good order of reason for he repented hym sore that he had nat putte hym to dethe whan he hadde hym in his daunger Thus the mater contynued a longe season and the duke of Bretayne laye at Wannes and lytell and lytell rode ouer his countrey for he freared greatly embusshmentes He kepte styll in loue and fauour his cyties and good townes and made secrete treaties with the Englysshmen and made his castelles and forteresses to be as well kepte as thoughe he had had opyn warre and was in many imaginacions on the dede he had done Somtyme he wolde say he wolde he had nat taken the constable howe be it he sayd euer to stoppe mennes mouthes that sir Olyuer of Clesquyn had sore dishleased hym so that many a man sayd that elles he wolde neuer haue done it therby he brought his coūtre in feare for it is but a small signorie if a prince be nat feared and douted of his menne for and the worste fall he maye haue peace whan he lyst ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the duke of Bretaygne and let vs somwhat speke of the busynesse that was in the realme of Englāde whiche was in the same season horryble and marueylous ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the kyng of Englandes vncles were of one accorde and aliaūce agaynst the kyng and his counsaile and of the murmurynge of the people agaynst the duke of Irelande of the aunswere of the londoners to the duke of Gloucestre Cap. xcii YE haue herde here before howe the kyng of Englandes vncles the duke of yorke the duke of Gloucestre with therle of Salisbury and the erle of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Notyngham and the archebysshoppe of Caūterbury All these were of one alyaunce and accorde agaynst the kynge and his counsayle for these lordes and other were nat content with the kynges counsayle and sayd among them selfe This duke of Irelande dothe with the kynge what he lyste and with all the realme The kyng wyll nat be counsayled but by vnhappy men and of base lynage and taketh no regarde to the great lordes of his realme As longe as he hath suche counsayle about hym the busynesse of Englande can nat do well for a realme can nat be well gouerned nor a kynge well counsayled by suche vngracious people It is sene a poore man moūted in to gret estate and in fauoure with his mayster often tymes corrupteth distroyeth the people and the realme A man of base lynage canne nat knowe what parteyneth to honoure their desyre is euer to enryche and to haue all thēselfe lyke an Otter in the water whiche coueteth to haue all that he fyndeth Who hath any profyte by that the duke of Irelande is so great with the kyng we knowe full well fro whense he came yet we se that all the realme is ruled by hym and nat by the kynges vncles nor by none of his blode This ought nat to be suffred We knowe well ynoughe that the Erle of Oxenforde had neuer the grace to do any valyaunt dede in this realme his honour wysedome counsayle or gentylnesse is ryght well knowen and that was well knowen ones by sir Iohan Chandos in
but right iustyce Than a seuyn of them all with one voyce answered and sayde Right redouted souerayne sayng your gracyous displeasure as for iustyce in your realme is right feble your grace knoweth nat all nor canne nat knowe your grace nouther demaundeth for it nor enquereth therfore and suche as be of your couÌ„sayle forbere to shewe it you bycause of their owne profyte For sir it is no iustyce to cutte of heedes handes and fete suche maner of punysshmentes be nat laudable But sir good iustice is to kepe your people in ryght and to sette suche wayes and order as they myght lyue in peace that they shulde haue none occasyon to grudge or to make any commosyon And sir we saye that ye sette vs to longe a daye as to Mighelmas sir we may be neuer so well eased as nowe Wherfore sir we saye all by one assente that we wyll haue accompte and that shortely of them that hath gouerned your realme sythe your Coronacyon And we wyll knowe Where youre Reuenewes is become with all the taxes tayles and subsydies this nyne yeres paste and wheron they haue been bestowed If suche as are your treasourers make a good accompte or nere thervnto we shall be ryght ioyouse and suffre them to gouerne styll And if they can nat acquyte them selfe therin trewly they shal be refourmed by youre deputyes establysshed to that purpose as my lordes your vncles other With those wordes the kynge behelde his vncles helde his peace to se what they wolde saye Than sir Thomas duke of Gloucester sayde Sir in the request and prayer of these good people the commons of your realme I se nothynge therin but ryght and reasone Sir quod the duke of yorke it is of trouthe and so sayde all the other prelates and barons that were there present Than the duke of Gloucester sayde agayne Sir it is but reason that ye knowe where your good is become The kyng sawe well howe they were all of one accorde and sawe howe this chafe Marmosettes durst speke no worde for there were to many gret men agaynst them Well quod the kyng I am content Lette them be rydde awaye for sommer season cometh on and huntynge tyme whervnto we wyll nowe entende Than the kynge sayd to the people Sirs wolde ye haue this mater shortely dispatched yea sir quod they and that humbly we beseche your grace And also we beseche all my lordes here and specyally my lordes your vncles to be there at We are content quod they for the apeysyng of all parties as well for the kynge as for the Realme for oure parte lyeth therin Than they sayde agayne We desyre also the reuerende father in god the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury the bysshoppe of Lyncolne and the bysshoppe of Wynchester to be there They aunswered and sayde they were content so to be Than agayn they desyred all other lordes to be there that were there present as the erle of Salisbury and the Erle of Northumberlande sir Reynolde Cobham sir Guy Brian sir IohnÌ„ Felton sir Mathewe Gourney and moreouer they sayd they wolde ordayne that of euery good cytie and towne in Englande there shulde be a thre or four notable persons and they shulde determyne for all the hole coÌ„montie of Englande Than this mater was determyned and to assemble the vtas of saint George at Westmynster And there all the treasourers collectours and offycers of the kynges to be there and to make there accomptes before these sayd lordes The kyng was content therwith and was brought to it by fayrenesse and nat byfore by the desyre of his vncles and other lordes It semed to hym behouable to knowe where his treasoure was become Thus amiably euery man deê‘ted fro Wyndsore and the lordes went to London the treasourers and other offycers were sende for throughout the realme to come with their full accomptes on payne of dishonourynge losse of all that they had and lyfe ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the day of accompte came and there the officers appered in the presence of the kynges vncles commens of EnglaÌ„de and howe sir Simon Burle was prisoner iÌ„ the toure of London and howe sir Thomas Tryuet dyed Cap. xciii THe day prefixed came that all ê‘tes apered at westmynster suche as shulde make their accomptes apered before the kynges vncles and suche other prelates and lordes with other as were assigned to here theÌ„ This accompte endured more than a moneth and some there were that made their accomptes nother good nor honourable suche were punisshed bothe by their bodyes and by their goodes sir Symon Burle was cast in arerage of .ii. C. and l. M. frankes bycause he was one of the gouernours in the kynges youthe And he was demaunded where this good was bestowed he excused hym selfe by the bysshop of yorke sir Wylliam Neuell sayeng howe he dyde nothyng but by their counsayle and by the kynges chamberleyns ser Robert Tryuilyen sir Robert Beauchampe sir Iohn Salisbury sir Nycholas Braule sir Peter Goufer and other And whan they were demauÌ„ded therof before the counsaile they denyed the mater layd all the faute in hym And the duke of Irelande sayd to hym priuely bytwene them two Sir Symon I vnderstande ye shal be arested and sette in prison and holde there tyll ye haue payed the soÌ„me that is demaunded nothyng shal be abated Go your waye whether soeuer they sende you I shall rightwell make your peace thoughe they had all sworne the contrary I ought to receyue of the constable of FrauÌ„ce threscore M. frankes for the raunsome of Iohan of Bretaygne sonne to saynt Charles of Bloys the whiche soÌ„me ye knowe well is owyng to me I shall present the counsayle therwith at this tyme. And fynally the kyng is our soueraigne lorde he shall pardon and forgyue it you clerely for the profet ought to be his and no mannes els Syr ê™ sir Symon Burle if I thought nat that ye shulde helpe agaynst the kynge and to beare out my dedes I wolde departe out of Englande and go in to Almayne and to the kyng of Beame for thyder I coulde be welcome and so let the mater rynne a season tyll the worlde be better apeased Than the duke sayde I shall neuer fayle you we are companyons and all of one sect ye shall take day to pay their demauÌ„de I knowe well ye maye pay and ye lyste in redy money more than a hundred thousande frankes ye nede nat feare the dethe ye shall nat be brought to that poynte ye shall se the mater otherwise chaunge before the feast of saynt Michell whan I haue the kyng ones at my wyll wherof I ame sure For all that he dothe now at this tyme is by force and agaynst his wyll We muste apease these cursed londoners and lay downe this slaunder brute that is nowe raysed agaynst vs and ours SIr Symon Burle had a lytell truste on the wordes of the duke of Irelande and so came before the lordes
of Englande dukes erles barons and counsayle of the good townes Than it was sayde to hym Sir Symon ye haue alwayes ben a notable knight in the realme of EnglaÌ„de and ye were well beloued with my lorde the prince And ye and the duke of Irelande haue had in a maner the gouernynge of the kyng We haue sene all your maters and well examyned them the whiche be nother good nor faire which gretly displeaseth vs for your owne sake It is clerely determynyd by the hole generall counsayle that ye must go to prison in to the towre of London there to remayne tyll ye haue brought into this chambre the money of the kynges and of the realmes that ye haue gathered the whiche as it apereth by the treasourers rolles draweth to the some of two hundred and fyfty thousande frankes Nowe loke what ye wyll say Than syr Symon was halfe discomforted and said Sirs I shall with a good wyll And also it behoueth me so to do to fulfyll yoâ— coÌ„maundement I shall go where as ye commaunde me But my lordes I require you let me haue a clerke assigned to me that he maye write all suche expenses as I haue layde oute in tyme past in Almayne in Beame in procurynge the kinges maryage And if there be any reast I beseche you let me haue the kynges grace and yours that I may haue reasonable dayes to pay it Sir quod the lordes we are content Thus syr Symon Burle was in prison in the towre of London THan the constable spake of ser Willyam Helmon and of sir Thomas Tryuet for they were nat greatly in the fauour of some of the barones of Englande nor of the commontie of the realme for the vyage that they made in to Flaunders For it was sayd that neuer Englysshmen made so shamefull a vyage The bysshoppe of Norwyche and sir Hughe Caurell that was as than capitayne of Calais were excused layde to the others charge howe they hadde taken money for the gyueng vp of Burbourcke and Grauelyng Some sayd that that dede was trayson they were sent for and sir Wylliam Helmon came but sir Thomas Tryuer was excused I shall shewe you howe ¶ The same weke that he was sente for beyng in his owne house in the Northe ê‘te he rode out into the feldes vpon a yonge horse that he hadde and spurred hym so that the horse ranne awaye with hym ouer busshes and hedges and at laste fell in a dyke and brake his necke and so sir Thomas Triuet dyed whiche was great doÌ„mage and his dethe was greatlye complayned with many good menne of the realme yet for all that his heyres were fayne to paye a certayne somme of Floreyns to the Counsayle to the kynges behoue as they sayde But the chiefe encytyng of those maters came by the kynges vncles and by the generall counsayle of the couÌ„trey as it appered after in Englande For of trouthe thoughe the duke of Gloucestre was the yongest brother in age yet he was moost auncyent in the busynesse of the realme for he drewe to that opinyon that moost of the noble menne and prelates and the commons helde Whan that sir ThemÌ„s Tryuettes coÌ„posicion was made after his dethe by the maner as ye haue herde here before therby the penauÌ„ce of sir Wylliam Helmon was greatly asswaged He entred with the counsayle and by the meanes of the valyantnesse of his body and the good seruyce that he had done dyuers tymes for Englande as well in Bourdeloyes as in Guyen and in Picardye where he was alwayes proued a good knight There was nothynge layde to his reproche but takynge of the money for the delyuerauÌ„ce of Burborcke and Grauelynge Than he excused hymselfe with fayre and swete wordes and made dyuers reasonable reasons sayd My lordes who so euer were in lyke case as we were in that tyme in the garyson of Bourburke I thynke wolde do as we dyd I haue herde sir IohnÌ„ Chandos and sir Gaultier of Manny say dyuers tymes who were right wyse and of gret valure Howe that a man ought of two or iii. wayes chose the best waye and wherby most to endomage his enemyes And thus sir Thomas Tryuet and I beyng in the garysons of Bourburke and Grauelyng and sawe howe we were enclosed on all parties and no conforte aperyng to vs from any parte And parceyued well howe we coulde nat endure many assautes for they that laye about vs were as chosen men of armes as euer I sawe or I trowe any other Englysshemenne For as I knewe iustely by the reporte of our harraude they were at leest a syxtene thousande men of armes knyghtes and squyers and a .xl. thousande of other And we were nat paste a thre hundred speares and as many archers And also our garysone was of suche cyrcuyte that we coude nat enteÌ„de on euery place And that we well ê‘ceyued by an assaut that was made vs on a daye For whyle we were at oure defence on the one parte they caste in fyre on the other parte wherby we were gretly abasshed and that our ennemyes right well parceyued And therfore to saye the trouthe the Frenche kyng and his counsaile wrought by great geÌ„tylnesse seyng the case that we were in to gyue vs trewse For if they had gyuen vs another assaute the nexte daye as they were ordayned to do I thynke they hadde taken vs at their pleasure yet for all this they courtesly treated with vs by the meanes of the duke of Bretayne who tooke great payne in that mater And where as we shulde haue gyuen theym money for our raunsommes if we hadde ben taken as it was lykely they gaue vs money wherby we dyde them dommage and it was in them to haue endomaged vs. We thought we conquered greatly on them whan we had of their money and departed oure selfe safe and withoute trouble and hadde with vs all that we had won in all the warre tyme on the fronters of FlauÌ„ders And my lordes besyde that to pourge me of all blame if there be any ê‘sone in Englande or without knight or Esquyer Except the ê‘sons of my lordes the dukes of LaÌ„castre yorke Glocester that wyll saye and abyde therby that I haue done any vntrouthe to the kynge my naturall lorde or accuse me of any trayson I am here redye to receyue his gauge and to putte my body in aduenture by dedes of armes to proue the coÌ„trarye as the Iudge therto assigned shall ordayne These wordes and suche other and the valyauntnesse of the knighte excused hym greatlye and saued hym frome the parell of dethe And afterwarde he retourned agayne in to his fourmer estate and was after that a ryght valyaunt knyght and auaunsed in to the kynges Counsayle But as at that tyme sir Symon Burle was nat delyuered out of prisone for the kynges vncles hated hym gretlye and soo dyde all the commontie of Englande The kyâ—ge dyde all that he myght to haue hadde hym delyuered all the
nat what to say nor do for he knewe well all the people that he had assembled there were nat all of one corage wherfore he wyst nat wheder it were better to retourne to the kyng or to abide there He toke counsayle with his knyghtes fynally their couÌ„sayle rested that sythe the kyng had ordayned hym to be Constable ouer all his people and to correcte and to punysshe all rebelles that he shulde kepe the felde for if he shulde do otherwyse it shulde be to his great blame and rebuke and to bring him in to the indignacion of the kyng and to shewe that his quarell were nother good nor right And also they said that it was better for him to dye with honour and to abyde the aduenture than to shewe any false corage but they counsayled hym to sende worde what case he was in to the kyng to Bristowe As yet they sayd blessed be god they kepte the feldes and none to recouÌ„tre them So thus the duke sent to the kyng desyring hym to sende hym more ayde which the kyng dyde daylye Tidynges came to the kynges vncles being at LoÌ„don that the duke of Irlande with his company were in the marchesse of Oxenforde There they toke counsayle what was best for them to do There was with the kynges vncles the archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury the erle of Arundell the erle of Salysbury the Erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes of EnglaÌ„nde and the rulers of London There it was ordayned by the duke of Gloucester that without delay they shulde issue out in to the feldes that the mayre of London shulde putte in to harnesse all the people in euery warde suche as wolde ayde them Sayeng surely howe they wolde go and fyght with the duke of Irlande whersoeuer they coude fynde hym the mayre of London was as than a man of armes He toke chosen men bytwene the age of twentie yeres and .xl. And the lordes were a thousande men of armes They departed fro London and went and lodged at Braynford and there about and the nexte daye at Colebroke and dayly the nombre encreased and so toke the waye to Redyng to passe the temmes there aboute for the bridges bytwene Wyndsore and Stanes were broken by the coÌ„maundement of the duke of Irelande So long they iourneyed that they aproched nere to Oxenforde tidynges therof a none came to the duke of Irelande than he beganne to dout and toke counsayle Than he was couÌ„sayled to take the feldes and to put his people in order of batayle and to display that kynges baners sayeng by the grace of god and saynt George the iourney shulde be his As it was deuysed so it was doone Than they sowned their trumpettes and euery man armed hym and issued out of Oxenforde in order of batayle with the kynges baners displayed the day was fayre clere and a pleasaunt season ⸪ ⸪ ¶ How the kynges vncles wan the iourney agaynst the duke of IrelaÌ„de and howe he fledde dyuers other of his company Cap. xcix TIdinges came to the duke of Gloucester beyng within thre leages of Oxenforde by a ryuer syde whiche falleth in to the teÌ„mes a lytell besyde Oxenforde howe that the duke of Irelande was drawen in to the feldes in order of batayle wherof the duke of Gloucester had great ioye sayde howe he wolde fyght with hym if he myght passe the ryuer Than trumpettes sowned the dislodging and ordered them selfe redy to fyght They were within two leages of their ennemyes sertched to passe the ryuer and sente oute people to sertche the depnesse of the water and they fouÌ„de the ryuer in suche apoynt than in .xxx. yeres before it was nat so base And so the scurers passed at their ease and rode and aduysed the maner of their ennemyes and than retourned to the duke of Gloucester and sayd Sir god and the ryuer is this daye on your parte for the ryuer is so lowe that it is nat to the horse bely And sir we haue sene the maner of the duke of IrelaÌ„de they be redy raynged in the felde in good maner We can nat saye if the kyng be there or no but the kyngê baners be there with the armes of Englande and of Fraunce and none other Well ê™ the duke a goddes name so be it of that armes I and my brother haue parte auauÌ„ce forward in the name of god and saynt George let vs gose theÌ„ nerer Than euery man rode forthe with great courage whan they knewe they myght passe the ryuer at their ease so shortlye all their hoost passed the ryuer TIdynges came to the duke of IrelaÌ„d howe the kynges vncles were passed the ryuer of TeÌ„mes how they shulde haue batayle brefely Than the duke of Irelande was abasshed for he knewe well if he were taken the duke of Glocester wolde cause hym to dye shamefully that nouther golde nor syluer shulde raunsome hym Than he sayde to sir Peter Golofer to sir Mychaell Pole sirs surely my corage beareth yuell agaynst this iourney nor I dare nat abyde the bataile agaynst the kynges vncles for if they take me I shall dye shamefully Howe the deuyll is it that they be passed the ryuer of TeÌ„mes It is but a poore token for vs. Why sir quod the two knyghtes what wyll ye do I wyll saue myself and you also quod the duke and the rest saue them who can Well sir quod the knyghtes than lette vs drawe our selfe out a syde on a wynge and so we shall haue two strynges on our bowe We shall se howe our men do if they do well than we shall abyde for the honour of the kyng who hath sent vs hither if they be discoÌ„fited we shall take that feldes take the aduauntage by flyeng saue our selfe where we may This couÌ„sayle was holden good Than the duke and these two knyghtes rode a long their batayle made good vysage and sayd Sirs kepe your batayls in good order and by the grace of god and saynt George we shall haue this daye a fayre iourney for the ryght is ours it is the kynges quarell therfore we shall spede the better Thus they rode vp and downe dissymulynge at laste they gette them selfe out of the prease and so came to one of the corners of the batayle and made a wynge and therwith there came on the duke of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre and other lordes with their baners displayed makyng great noyse with trumpettes And as soone as the duke of Irelandes company sawe them coÌ„mynge in so good order and so fiersly They were so abaâ—shed that they helde none arraye but tourned their backes and fledde For the noyse ran howe the duke of Irelande and his couÌ„sayle were â—edde and gone And so than euerye man fledde some hyther and thyder they wyste nat whyder without makynge of any defence And the duke of Irelande and the two knyghtes of his counsayle fledde biforce of their horses
the kyng and there shewe hym what case the busynesse of his realme is in recoÌ„maunde vs to hym shewe hym in our behalfe that he gyue no credence of lyght enformacion agaynst vs He hath beleued some to moche for his owne honour and for the ê“fyte of his realme And saye also to hym that we requyre hym and so do all the good people of London that he wolde come hyder he shal be welcome receyued with gret ioye we shall set such couÌ„saile about hym that he shal be well pleased And we charge you retourne nat agayne withoute hym and desyre hym nat to be displeased thoughe we haue chased awaye a meny of traytours that were about hym for by them his realme was in great paryll of lesynge The bysshop sayd he shulde do ryght well his message and so departed and rodde forthe lyke a great prelate and so came to Bristowe and the kynge was there but with a priuye coÌ„pany For suche as were wont to haue ben of his counsayle were deed and fledde awaye as ye haue herde before The bysshop was in the towne two nightes and a day or the kyng wolde speke with hym He was so soore dyspleased with his vncles for driuynge awaye of the duke of Irelande whome he loued aboue all men and for sleeynge of his knyghtes Finally he was so entysed that he consented that the archbysshop shulde come in to his presens Whan he came before hym he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the kynge and there shewed the kyng euery worde as the kynges vncles had gyuen hym in charge And shewed hym that if it were his pleasure to come to Londou to his palys of Westmynster his vncles and the mooste parte of all his realme wolde be ryght ioyeouse elles they wyll be ryght sorte and yuell displeased And sayde sir Without the comforte ayde and accorde of your vncles and of your lordes knyghtes and prelates and of your good cyties and townes of EnglaÌ„de ye canne nat come to any of youre ententes He spake these wordes boldelye and sayde moreouer Sir ye canne nat reioyse so moche youre ennemyes as to make warre with youre frendes and to kepe youre Realme in warre and myschiefe The yonge kynge by reasone of the bysshoppes wordes beganne to enclyne howe be it the beheedynge of his knyghtes and counsaylours came sore in to his courage So he was in dyuers ymaginacions but finally he refrayned his displeasure by the good meanes of the quene the lady of Boesme and of some other wise knightes that were about hym as sir Rycharde Stoner and other Thanne the kyng sayd to the bysshoppe Well I am content to go to LoÌ„don with you wherof the bisshop was right ioyous and also it was to hym a great honoure that he hadde spedde his iourney so well WIthin a shorte space after the kyng departed lefce the quene styll at Bristowe and so came towardes London with the archbysshoppe in his company and so came to Wyndsore and there the kyng taryed a thre dayes Tidynges came to London howe the kynge was commynge euery manne was gladde Than it was ordayned to mete hym honourablye The daye that he departed fro Wyndsore the way fro Braynforde to London was full of people on horse backe and a foote to mete the kynge And his two vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Gloucester and Iohan sonne to the duke of yorke the erle of Arundell the erle of Salisbury the erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes and prelates departed out of London mette with the kyng a two myle fro Braynforde There they receyued hym swetely as they ought to do their soueraygne lorde The kynge who bare yet some displeasure in his herte passed by and made but small countenaunce to theÌ„ and all the waye he talked moost with the bisshop of LoÌ„don at last they came to WestmiÌ„ster The kyng alyghted at his palis whiche was redy apparelled for him There the kyng dranke and toke spyces and his vncles also and other Prelates lordes and knyghtes Than some tooke their leaues The kynges vncles and the archebysshoppe of Caunterburye with the counsayle taryed styll there with the kyng some in the Palais and some in the abbey and in the towne of westminster to kepe the kynge company and to be nere toguyder co commune of their busynesse there they determyned what shulde be done ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe by the kynge and his vncles all the lordes of Englande were sente for to come to westmynster to a generall counsayle there to be holden Cap. C.i. A Generall Parlyament was ordeyned to be holden at Westmynstre and all prelates Erles Barons and knyghtes and the counsayles of all the good townes and cytees of EnglaÌ„de were sent for to be there and all suche as helde of the kyng The archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury shewed to the kynges vncles counsayle that when kynge Rycharde was crowned kynge of Englande and that euery man was sworne and made theyr releues to hym and that whaÌ„ he receyued theyr faythes and homages he was within age and a knyge ought nat to gouerne a royalme tyll he be xxi yeres of age and in the meane season to be gouerned by his vncles or by his nexte kynne and by wyse men The bysshop sayd this bycause the kynge as then was but newlye come to the age of .xxi. yeres wherfore he counsayled that euery man shulde be newe sworne and renewe their releues and euery manne newe to knowledge hym for their soueraygne lorde This counsayle was excepted of the kynges vncles and of all other of the couÌ„sayle And for that entent all prelates and lordes and counsayles of good cyties townes were sent for to come to Westminster at a daye assigned Euery man came thyder none disobeyed so that there was moche people in London and at Westmister And kyng Richarde was in his chapell in the palys rychely apareyled with his crowne on his heed and the archebysshoppe of CauÌ„terbury sang the masse And after masse the bisshoppe made a collasyon And after that the kyngê vncles dyde their homage to the kyng kyssed hym and there they sware and ê“mysed hym faithe and homage for euer And than all other lordes sware and prelates and with their handes ioyned togyder they dyde their homage as it aparteyned and kyst the kynges cheke Some the kyng kyst with good wyll some nat for all were nat in his in warde loue but it behoued hym so to do for he wolde nat go fro the counsayle of his vncles But surely if he might haue had his entent he wolde nat haue done as he dyde but rather haue taken crewell vengeaunce for the deche of sir Symon Burle and other knyghtê that they had putte fro hym and slayne without desert as he thought Than it was ordayned by the couÌ„sayle that the archebysshop of yorke shulde come and pourge hym selfe for he hadde alwayes been of the duke of Irelandes parte agaynst the kynges vncles
sir Launcelotte of Voy and he was called sir IohnÌ„ of Voy but howe he dyed I shall tell you He was in a towne of Castyle called Seghome and laye there in garyson he had an Impostume in his body and he was yonge lusty and tooke no hede therof but on a day lept on a great horse and rode out in to the feldes spurred his horse so that by gambaldyng of the horse the impostume brake in his body and whan he was retourned to his lodgynge he was layde on his bedde sicke and that semed well for the fourthe daye after he dyed wherof his frendes were right soroufull ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe sir Iohan HolaÌ„de the duke of Lancastres constable toke his leue of the duke and he and his wyfe retourned by the king of Castyle who made hym good chere and howe sir Iohan Dambreticourt wente to Parys to acomplysshe a dede of armes bytwene hym and Bouciqualt Cap. C.vi YE maye well knowe that euery man eschewed this sickenesse that was amonge the Englysshmen and fledde therfro asmoche as they myght All this season sir Iohan Holande the dukes constable was still with the duke certayne knightes and squyers seynge the season of warre paste thynkynge to eschewe the peryll of the sickenesse sayd to the constable Sir let vs retourne we wyll go to Bayone or to Burdeux to take fresshe ayre and to esche we this sickenes for whan so euer the duke of Lancastre wyll haue vs agayne lette hym write for vs and we shall soone be with hym whiche were better than to kepe vs here in daunger and parell They called so often on hym that on a day he shewed the duke their murmuraryons Than the duke sayde Syr Iohan I wyll ye retourne and take my men with you and recomende me to my lorde the kyng and to all my bretherne in Englande With right a good wyll sir quod the constable But syr though sycke men haue had great curtesy by the constable of Castyle as in suffering them to entre to a byde there at their case tyll they recouer their helthes yet they maye nat retourne agayne to you in to Castyle nor in to Portugale and if outher they or we take our waye to Calays throughe Fraunce than we must be bounde to beare none armure in syxe yere after against the realme of FrauÌ„ce without the kynge our souerayne lorde be present in propre persone Than the duke sayd Syr Iohan ye knowe well that the frenchemen will take on you and on our men in case they se them in daunger all the vauÌ„tage they can do Therfore I shall shewe you whiche way ye shall passe curtesly through the realme of Castyle And whan ye come in to the entre of Nauarre sende to the kynge he is my cosyn and in tyme past we hadde great alyaunce to guyder whiche are nat as yet broken for sith the warre began bytwene the kyng of Castyle and me we haue amiably written eche to other as cosyns frendes nor no warre hath ben made by see bitwene vs but the freÌ„chmen haue wherfore I thynke he wyll lightly suffre you to passe through his realme whan ye be at saynt Iohan Pie de porte than take the waye to Bisquay and so to Bayon than ye be in our herytage And fro thens ye may go to the cytie of Burdeux without daunger of the frenche men and there refresshe you at your ease And whan ye haue wynde and weder at wyll than ye maye take the see lande in Cornwall or at Hampton or there as the wynde wyll serue you Than sir Iohan said your counsayle shal be fulfylled without any faute IT was nat long after but that the Constable and his company departed and there taryed with the duke and duches no mo but his owne housholde seruauntes And sir Iohan Holande had his wyfe with hym and so came to the cytie of Camores and there he founde the kynge of Castyle sir Gaultier of Passacke and sir WyllmÌ„ of Lignacke who made hym good chere as lordes and knyghtes do whan they mete eche with other And truely the kyng of Castyle was gladde tose the departyng of the Englysshmen for than it semed to hym that his warre was at an ende and thought that there wolde neuer issue agayne out of Englande so many good men of warre in the duke of Lancasters tytell to make warre in Castyle Also he knewe well howe there was great trouble and dyscorde within the realme of Englande Whan the tidynges sprede abrode in Castile in the good cyties and townes where as the Englysshe men lay sicke and were there to seke for their helthe howe that sir Iohan Hollande was â—ome thyder to retourne agayne in to EnglaÌ„de They were ryght gladde therof and so drewe to hym to the entent to retourne with hym As the lorde of Chameulx sir Thomas Percy the lorde Lelynton the lorde of Braseton and dyuers other to the nombre of a thousaÌ„de horses suche as were sicke thought them selfe halfe hole whan they knewe they shulde retourne their voyage paste was so paynfull to them WHan sir Iohan Hollande toke leaue of the kyng of Castyle the kyng gaue to hym and to his coÌ„pany great giftes with mules and mulettes of Spaygne and payde for all their costes And than they rode to saynt Phagons and there refresshed theÌ„ thre dayes and in euery place they were welcome and well receyued For there were knyghtes of the kynges that dyde conducte theym and payde alwayes for their costes So longe they code that they passed Spaygne and came to Naueret where as the batayle had ben before and so to Pauyers and to Groyne and there rested for as than they were nat in certayne if the kynge of Nauerre wolde suffre them to passe throughe his realme or nat Than they sent to hym .ii. knightes sir Peter Bysset and sir Wylliam Norwiche They founde the kynge at Tudela in Nauer and there spake with hym spedde so well that they had grauÌ„t to passe through Nauer payeng for that they shulde take by the way and as soone as these knyghtê were retourned they departed fro Groyne and so came to Pampylona passed the mountains of RouÌ„ceaux and lefte the way in to Bierne and entred in to Bisquay so to go to Bayon at last thyder they came and there sir Iohan Holande taryed a long space with his wyfe and other of the Englysshmen rode to Burdeaux Thus this armye brake vp So it was in the season whyle these warres endured in Castile that that englisshmen kepte the feldes The lorde Bouciqualt the elder of the .ii. bretherne sent by an herault to sir Iohan DaÌ„breticourt desyring to do with hym dedes of armes as thre courses with a 〈◊〉 thre with an axe and thre with a dagger all or 〈…〉 the knight was agreed therto And after that sir Iohan Dambreticourt sent dyuers tymes to accoÌ„plysshe their feate but Bouciqualt came nat forwarde I can not tell what
brought before Perotte and dyde well his message wherof Perot had great ioye For he greatly desyred to here tidynges of the army on the see Than he sayd to the Breton thou arte welcome Bothe I and all my companions haue great desyre to ryde forthe abrode and so shall we do and accomplysshe that thou hast shewed vs. THus Perotte le Bernoys made hym prest and sente to Carlate to the Bourge of Champaygne to the capitayne of Ousacke Olyue Barbe and to the capitayn of Aloyse besyde saynt Floure Aymergotte Marcell and to other capitayns a longe the countrey in Auuergne an Lymosyn oesyryng all these to make theÌ„ redy for he wolde ryde oute abrode for he sawe it than a good season for them coÌ„maundynge them to leaue sure men in their garisons tyll their returne These companyons who hadde as great desyre to ryde abrode as Perot for they coulde nat ware ryche withoute some other loste made theÌ„ redy and came to Chalucet where they assembled They were well to the nombre of foure hundred speares they thought themselfe suffycient to do a great feate they knewe no lorde in the countrey as than able to resyste them nor to breke their enterprice for the siege of Vandachore of sir Wyllyam of Lignacke nor of Boesme LauÌ„ce was nat defeated as than Thus they rode forthe and were lordes of the feldes and passed Auuergne on the ryght hande and tooke the ryght waye to Berrey for they knewe well the duke was nat as than there but was in Fraunce with the kyng at MouÌ„tereau or faulte you ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of Perot le Bernoys and of his enterprice and speke of the erle of Arundell and of his armye on the see and shewe howe he perceuered after he was departed fro the cost of Bretayne WHan the erle of Arundell suche lordes as were with hym were departed fro the cost of Bretayne they sayled with good wynd and wether for the tyme was fayre pleasunt and goodly to beholde the shippes on the see They were a sixscore one and other with baners and stremers wauynge in the wynde glytrynge with the lordes armes agaynst the sonne Thus they went saylyng by the see fresshly like a horse newe coÌ„myng out of the stable brayeng and cryeng and fomyng at the mouth The see was so prompt and so agreable to theÌ„ as thoughe by fygure the see shulde haue said to them be mery sirs I am for you and I shall bring you to good porte and hauen without peryll Thus these lordê sayled frontyng Poyctou and Xaynton cast ancre before Rochell in the hauen towarde Marant Than some of their coÌ„pany seyng the fludde coÌ„myng entred or it were full water in to bottes mo than two hundred one and other and arryued nere to the towne of Marant The watche of Marant had spied the Englysshe flete and sawe howe the bottes were commyng to lande warde with the fludde Than he blewe his truÌ„pe and made great noyse to awake the men of the towne to saue them selfe so that many men and women toke their goodes and wente and saued them in the Castell the whiche came well to passe for them or els they had lost all Whan they sawe the Englysshmen come at their he lys they toke that they had and lefte the rest and saued their bodyes The Englysshe archers and other entred in to the towne fell to pyllage therfore they came thyder but lytell they founde there sauyng coffers voyde and emptye all their goodes was withdrawen in to the Castell As for Corne wyne salte becone and other prouision they fouÌ„de ynoughe for there was more than four hundred tonne of wyne in the towne Wherfore they determyned to abyde there a certayne space to kepe that prouisyon It came well to passe for them for they sayde if they shulde departe thens all shulde be withdrawen in to the fortresses and caryed awaye by the ryuer to Fountney as moche as they myght and the reste distroyed They taryed all that night in the towne They came thyder in the euenyng and sente worde to them on the see what case they were in and the cause why they taryed The erle of Arundell and the other lordes sayde howe they had done well This nyght passed The nexte mornynge whan the tyde began to retourne they disancred all their small vesselles and euery man wente in to them and putte all their harnesse in to bottes and barges and lafte their great shippes styll at ancre for they coude nat cum nere to the lande for lacke of water and they laste an hundred men of armes and two hundred archers styll there to kepe their shippes whiche laye at the mouthe of the hauyn thaÌ„ with their smalle vesselles they arryued at Marant and toke lande at their leysar and so lodged all bytwene Marant and the towne of Rochell the whiche was but four leages fro thens Tidynges spredde abrode in the countrey howe the Englysshe men were arryued at Barante a four hundred fightyng men the playne countrey the good townes and castelles were a srayde and made good watche Than they of the vyllages fledde amaye and caryed their goodê in to Forestes and in to other places as shortely as they myght ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe they of Marroys and Rochellois were sore afrayed of the Englysshmen that were a lande how they of Rochell made a serimysshe with them and howe after the Englysshmen had pylled the countrey about Marant they drewe agayne to the see with their pyllage whiche was great Cap. C.xxxiiii IF the Englysshmen had ben furnysshed with horses it had been greatly to their profyte for the countrey as than was vnproâ—â—ded of men of warr namely of suche as were able to haue merre with them True it was the lord of Parteney the lorde of Pons the lorde of Lymers that lorde of Tanyboton sir Geffray of Argenton the lorde of Montendre sir Aymery of Roch chouart the vycont of to wars and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers of Poictou and of Xaynton were as than in the countrey but they were nat toguyder for euery man was in his owne fortresse for they were nat ware of the Englysshe mens commynge thyder If they hadde knowen a moneth before that the Englysshe menne wolde haue ryued there they wolde haue prouyded therfore but they knewe it nat This fell sodaynly wherfore they were the more afrayde and euery man toke hede to kepe his owne the men of the countrey to gette in their cornes for it was about the begynnynge of Auguste Also there was no heed Capitaygne in the countrey to bringe menne toguyder The duke of Berrey who was cheife soueraygne of Poittou was but newely gone to Parys The seneschall of Xaynton was nat in the countrey And the Seneschall of Rochell sir Helyon of Lignacke was nat at Rochell nor in the countrey He was in great busynesse to ryde in and out bytwene the duke of Berrey and the duke of Lancastre By
and the lorde of Mountcombre a valyaunt knyght of Scotlande fought togyther hande to hande ryght valyauntly without lettynge of any other for euery man had ynough to do So longe they two fought that perforce of armes syr Henry Percy was taken prisoner by the sayde lorde of Mountcomber THe knyghtes squiers of Scotlande as sir Mare Adremench sir Thomas Auernesquyn syr Willyam syr Iames and sir Alysander Lymsey the lorde of Faulcon for Iohan of saynte de Laur syr Patryke of Donbare sir Iohan and syr Water Saynte clere sir Iohan Makyrcll sir Guystewarde syr Iohan Halebreton syr Alysaunder Ramsey Roberte Colounnie and his two sonnes Iohan and Roberte who were there made knyghtes and a hundred knyghtes and squyers that I can nat name All these ryght valyauntly dyd acquyte them selfe And on the englysshe parte before that the lorde Percy was taken and after there fought valyauntly syr Rafe Longeble syr Mathewe Redman syr Thomas Ogle sir Thomas Gray sir Thomas Hekon sir Thomas Abreton sir Iohan Lyerbon sir Willyam Walsyngham the baron of Helcon sir Iohan of Culpedup the seneschall of yorke and dyuers other fotemen Wherto should I write longe proces this was a sore batayle and well foughten And as fortune is alwayes chaungeable though the englisshmen were more in nombre than the scottes and were ryght valyaunt men of warre and well experte and that at the fyrste fronte they reculed backe the scottes yet fynally the scottes optaygned the place and vyctory and all the foresaid englysshmen taken and a hundred mo sauynge sir Mathewe Rodman capytayne of Berwyke who whan he knewe no remedy nor recoueraunce and sawe his company flye fro the scottes and yelded theym on euery syde than he toke his horse and departed to saue hym selfe The same season aboute the ende of this dyscomfyture there was an englysshe squyer called Thomas Veleton a goodly and a valyant man and that was well sene for of all that nyght he wolde nother flye nor yet yelde hym It was sayd he had made a vowe at a feest in Englande that the first tyme that euer he sawe englisshe men scottes in batayle he wolde so do his deuoyre to his power in suche wyse that eyther he wolde be reputed for the best doer on bothe sydes or els to dye in the payne he was called a valyaunt and a hardy man and dyd so moche by his prowes that vnder the baner of the erle of Morette he dyd suche valyauntnesse in armes that the scottes hadde maruayle therof and so was slayne in fyghtynge The scottes wolde gladly haue taken hym alyue but he wolde neuer yelde he hoped euer to haue been rescewed And with him there was a scottysshe squier slayne cosyn to the kynge of scottes called Symon Glaudyn His dethe was greatly complayned of the scottes This batayle was fierse and cruell tyll it came to the ende of the discomfyture but whan the scottes sawe the englysshmen recule and yelde theÌ„selfe than the scottes were curtes and sette theym to their raunsome and euery manne sayde to his prysoner Syrs go and vnarme you and take youre case I am your mayster and so made their prisoners as good chere as though they had ben brethren without doyng to theÌ„ any doÌ„mage The chasâ—â—ndured a fyue englysshe myles and if the scottes had been men ynowe there had none scaped but outher they had ben taken or slayne And if Archambault Duglas and the erle of Fen the erle Surlant and other of the great coÌ„pany who were gone towardes Carlyle had ben there by all lykelyhode they had taken the bysshoppe of Durham and the towne of Newcastell vpon tyme. I shall shewe you howe The same euenyng that the Percyes deê‘ted fro Newcastell as ye haue herde before the bysshop of Durham with the rerebande caÌ„e to Newcastell supped And as he satte at the table he had ymagmacion in hym selfe howe he dyd nat acquite hym selfe well to se the Englysshe men in the felde and he to be within the towne Incontynent he caused the table to be taken away and coÌ„maunded to sadell his horses and to sowne the truÌ„pettes called vp men in the towne to arme them selfe and to mount on their horses and foote men to order them selfe to departe And thus euery man departed out of the towne to the nombre of seuyn thousande two thousande on horsebacke and Fyue thousande a fote They toke their waye towarde Ottenbourg where as the batayle had ben and by that tyme they hadde gone two myle from Newcastell tidynges came to theym howe their men were fightynge with the scottes Ther with the bysshoppe rested there and incontynent came mo flyeng faste that they were out of brethe Than they were demauÌ„ded howe the mater wente they aunswered and sayde Right yuell We be all disconfyted Here cometh the scottes chasynge of vs. These tidynges troubled the Englysshmen and began to doute And agayne the thirde tyme men came flyeng as fast as they might WhanÌ„e the men of the bysshoprike of Durham herde of these yuell tidynges they were abasshed in suche wise that they brake their array so that the bysshoppe coude nat holde togyder the nombre of fyue huÌ„dred It was thought that if the scottes had folowed them in any nombre seyng that it was night that in thentryng in to the towne the Englissh men so abasshed the towne had ben won The bysshope of Durham beyng in the felde had good wyll to haue socoured the englysshmen recoÌ„forted his men asmoche as he coude but he sawe his owne men flye as well as other Than he demaunded cousaile of sir Wyllyam Lussey and of sir Thomas Clyfforde and of other knyghtes what was was best to do These knyghtes for their honoure wolde gyue hym no counsayle For they thought to retourne agayne and do nothyng shulde sowne greatly to their blame and to go for the myght be to their great doÌ„mage and so stode styll wolde gyue none answere and the lengar they stode the fewer they were for some styll stale awaye Than the bysshoppe sayd Sirs all thynges considred it is none honour to putte all in parell nor to make of one yuell dommage twayne We here howe our company be disconfyted we can nat remedy it For to go to recouer them we knowe nat with whom nor with what nombre we shall mete Lette vs retourne fayre and easely for this night to Newcastell and to more we lette vs drawe toguyder and go loke on our enemyes Euery man answered as god wyll so be it Therwith they retourned to Newcastell Thus a man maye consyder the great defaute that is in men that be abasshed and disconfyted For if they had kepte them togyder and haue turned agayn suche as fledde they had disconfyted the scottes This was the opynion of dyuers And bycause they dyde nat thus the scottes had the vyctorie ¶ Howe sir Mathue Reedman deê‘ted fro the batayle to saue hym selfe and howe sir Iames Lymsaye was taken
tyme there rose suche a tempeste that it sperkled abrode the englysshe nauy in suche wyse that the hardyest marynere there was sore abasshed so that perforce they were constreyned to seke for lande And the erle of Arundell with .xxvii. vesselles with hym whether they wolde or nat were fayne to caste ancre in a lytell hauen called the Palyce a two small leages fro Rochell and the wynde was so streynable on see borde that they coude nat departe thence Whanne tydynges therof came to Rochell they were in great dought at the fyrste leste the englisshmen wolde come on them and do them great domage and closed their gates and helde them shytte a day and a halfe Than other tydynges came to them fro them of Palyce howe the englysshemen were but .xxvii. vesselles and came thyder by force of wynde and wether and taryed for nothynge but to de parte agayne and that the Erle of Arundell was there and the lorde Henry Beamonde sir Willyam Helmen mo than thyrty knyghtes of Englande Than they of Rochell tooke counsayle what thynge was beste for them to do and all thyng consydered they sayd howe they shulde but easly acquyte themselfe if they went nat to skrymysshe with them The same season before the castell of Bouteuyll was syr Loys of Xansere mershall of FrauÌ„ce and had besieged within the fortresse Gylliam of saynt Foye a gascon and with the marshall a great company of Poictoâ— of Xayntone of Piergourt of Rochell and of the lowe marches for all were nat gone in to Almayne with the knig This sir Loys was soueraygne capytayne ouer all the fronters bytwene Mountpellyer and Rochell tyll the retourne of the lorde Coucy They of Rochell sent worde to the marshall of the englysshmens beynge at Palyce Whan he herde therof he was ryght ioyfull and sent to theym that they shulde make redy seuen or eyght galees and to man them forthe for he wolde come by lande and fyght with the Englisshmen They of Rochell dyd as they were commaunded and sir Loys departed fro his siege and brake it vp for he thought it shulde be more honorable for hym to fyght with the erle of Arundell and the englysshe men rather thanne to contyne we styll his siege Thus be wente to Rochell and all knyghtes and squyers folowed hym I can nat tell by what inspyracyon the erle of Arundell had knowledge howe the marshall of Fraunce with a greate puyssaunce of knyghtes and squyers was comynge to fyght with hym at Palyce whiche tydynges were nat very pleasaunte to the erle of Arundell howe be it the wynde was some what layde and the see aueyled Than the erle wayed vp ancres and sayled in to the see in suche good season that if he had taryed longe after he had been enclosed in the hauen and euery man taken for in contynent thyder came the galees of Rochell well manned and furnysshed with artyllery and gonnes and came streyght to the hauen of the Palyce and fouÌ„de the englisshe men departed They pursued after a two leages in the see and shotte gonnes howebeit they durst nat longe folowe for feare of enbusshmentes on the see Than the frenche shippes returned and the marshall of Fraunce was sore dyspleased with theym of Rochell that they sente hym worde so late The erle of Arundell toke the waye by the ryuer of Garon to come to Burdeaux and therby the siege before Bowteuyll was defeated for Gillonet of saynt Foy prouyded his garyson of that he neded in the meane tyme the the marshall went to fyght with the englysshe men NOwe let vs retourne somwhat to speke of the duke of Lancastre howe he was in treatie with the spanyardes and also with the Duke of Berrey for the maryage of his doughter The kynge of Castyle treated with hym for his sonne the prince of Castyle to the entent to haue a peace with the englisshe men Also the duke of Berrey treated to haue the duke of Lancasters doughter for hymselfe for he had great desyre to be maryed And the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage imagynatâ—â—e prince sawe well howe it was more profitable for Englande and for hym to mary his doughter in to Castyle rather than to the duke of Berrey for therby he thought to recouer the herytage of Castyle in tyme to come for his doughter And if he shulde gyue her to the duke of Berrey and the duke fortune to dye his doughter than shulde be but a poore lady to the regarde of other bycause the duke of Berrey had chyldren by his fyrst wyfe who shulde haue all the profyte Also the duchesse of Lancastre enclyned to the kynge of Castyles sonne So that whan sir Helyon of Lignac was departed fro the duke of Lancastre and retourned to the duke of Berrey beynge as that in Almayne than the king of Castyls messaÌ„gers were well herde in suche wyse that their wordes were noted and their offers accepted and the couenaunte made and sworne bytwene Kateryn of Lancastre and the kynge of Castylles sonne and writynges and publike instrumentes and oblygatory bondes made and concluded with out reâ—le or repentaunce So that the duches of LaÌ„castre after euery thyng set in ordre shulde bring her doughter Kateryn in to Castyle All this season the frenche kynge was styll in the fronters of Iulyers concludynge with the duke of Guerles as ye haue herde before and howe they departed And as the frenche men retourned it fortuned on the fronteres of Almayne on a nyght aboute mydnyght as the mone â—hone fayre certayne almayns robbers and pyllers that dyd sette nother by peace nor warre but alwayes sought for their aduauntage some pertaynynge to the lorde of Blaqueneuen and to sir Peter of Conebech they were well horsed and came and aduysed the french hoost and where they might haue most profyte and aduauntage and so passed by the lodgyng of the vycount of Meaulx and sawe no styringe and returned without any noyse makynge outher passynge or retournynge and came agayne to their enbusshe and shewed them what they had sene and foundeâ— and incontynente these almayns came and entred at their aduauntage in to the frenchmens lodgynges and ouerthrewe I can nat tell howe many and toke .xiiii. menne of armes prisoners There was taken the lorde of Viesuile and the lorde of Mountkarell This aduenture the frenche men hadde the same nyght by reason they made but easy watche and were but yuell ordred The next day whan these tydinges were knowen howe the lorde of Viesuille and the lorde of Mountkarell were taken the frenche men were sore displeased and toke better hede after Whan the frenche kynge departed fro the countrey of Iulyers none taryed behynde euery man drewe to their garysons sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and sir Geruays Furrande and all other and the braban soys by the waye euery man wente home And in the retournynge of the frenche men it was ordeyned by great delyberacion of couÌ„sayle that the frenche kynge who had ben vnder the
Englysshe men for he had ben dyuers tymes amonge them Thanne sir Wyllyam of Haynaulte purposed whyle he made his prouisyon to go in to Hollande to se his father Auberte erle of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande to the entente to speke with hym and to take leaue to go in to Englande He deê“ted fro Quesnoy in Haynault and rode tyll he came to Haye in Hollande where the erle his father was at that tyme. and there he shewed his father his purpose that he was in to go in to Englande to se the countrey his cosyns whom he had neuer sene Than therle his father answered and sayd Wyllyam my fayre son ye haue nothyng to do in EnglaÌ„de for nowe ye be by couenaunt of maryage alyed to the realme of Fraunce and your suster to be maryed to the duke of Burgoyne wherfore ye nede nat to seke none other alyaunce Dere father quod he I wyll nat go in to Englande to make any alyauÌ„ce I do it but to feest and make myrthe with my cosins there whom as yet I neuer sawe bycause the feest whiche shal be holden at London is publisshed abrode wherfore syth I am signifyed therof shulde nat go thyder it shulde be sayd I were proude presuptuous wher fore in the sauynge of myne honoure I wyll go thider therfore dere father I requyre you agree therto Sonne quod he do as ye lyste but I thynke surely it were better that ye taryed at home Whan the erle of Ostrenaunt sawe that his wordes contented nat his father he wolde speke no more therof but fell in other coÌ„municacion But he thought well ynough what he wolde do and so dayly sent his prouisyon towardes Calais Gomegynes the heraulde was sente in to Englande fro therle of Ostrenaunt to gyue knowlege to kynge Rycharde and to his vncles howe that he wolde come honorably to his feest at London Of those tidynges the kynge and his vncles were ryght ioyouse and gaue to the heraulde great giftes whiche after stode hym in great stede For after in the ende of his dayes he fell blynde I can nat tell if god were displeased with hym or nat in his dayes he lyued marueylously wherfore in his olde dayes and that he hadde loste his syght there were but fewe that were sorte therof Thus the erle of Ostrenaunt departed from Haye in Hollande and toke leaue of his father and so retourned to Quesnoy in Heynaulte to the couÌ„tesse his wyfe THis noble feest wherof I make meÌ„cyon was publysshed and cryed in dyuers places wherby knyghtes squyers and other aduaunsed them selfes to go thyder The erle Walleran of saynt Pole who as than had to his wyfe kyng Richarde of Englandes suster He prepared greatly to go in to Englande and so came to Calys And also the erle Ostrenaunt departed fro Heynaulte well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers and so passed throughe the countrey of Arthoys and came also to Calis and there he founde the erle of saynt Poule and the shyppes passagers of Douer were there redy and whan the shippes were charged and the wynde good these lordes tooke the see howe be it as it was shewed me and I thynke it true that therle of saynt Poule passed first in to Englande before the erle of Ostrenaunt And whan he came to London he founde there the kyng and his brother in lawe sir Iohan Hollande and other lordes and knyghtes of Englande who receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym tidynges of the realme of Fraunce He aunswered well wysely Than therle of Ostrenaunt passed ouer on a thursdaye and so caÌ„e to Cauterbury and on the friday he visyted saint Thomas shrine and offred there in the mornyng and laye there all that daye the nexte day rode to Rochester And bycause he had so gret a company and cariages he rode but small iourneys to ease his horse And on the sondaye he rode to dyner to Dertforde after dyuer to London to be at the feest whiche began the same sonday ON the sonday nexte after the feest of saynt Michaell this feest and tryuÌ„phe shulde begyn and that daye to be done in Smythfelde iustes called the chalenge So the same sonday about thre of the clocke at after noone there issued out of the towre of London first threscore coursers apparelled for the Iustes and on euery one a squier of honour ridyng a softe pase Than issued out threscore ladyes of honour mounted on fayre palfreys ridyng on the one syde richely apparelled and euery lady ledde a knight with a cheyne of syluer which knightes were apparelled to iust Thus they cam ridynge a longe the stretes of London with great nombre of trumpettes and other mynstrelles And so came to Smythfelde where the quene of Englande and other ladies and damoselles were redy in chaÌ„bres richely adorned to se the iustes and the king was with the quene And whan the ladyes that ledde the knyghtes were come to the place they were taken downe fro their palfreys they mouÌ„ted vp in to chambres redy aparelled for theÌ„ Than the squiers of honour alighted fro the coursers the knightes in good order mouÌ„ted on them than their helmes were sette on and made redy at all poyntes Than thyder came the erle of saynt Poule nobly accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers all armed with harnesse for the iustes to begynne the feest whiche incontynent beganne and there iusted all knyghtes straungers suche as wolde and hadde leysar and space for the nyght came on Thus these iustes of chaleng began and coÌ„tynued tyll it was night Than knyghtes and ladyes withdrue them selfes the quene was lodged besyde Poules in the bysshoppes palace and there was the supper prepared The same euennynge came therle of Ostrenaunt to the kyng who was nobly receyued ¶ Nowe for these iustes on the sonday For the aunswerer without The erle Walleran of saynt Poule had the price And of the chalengers the erle of Huntyngdon There was goodly dauÌ„syng in the quenes lodgyng in the presence of the kynge and his vncles and other barons of Englande and ladyes and damoselles contynuyng tyll it was daye whiche was tyme for euery persone to drawe to their lodgynges except the kyng and the quene who lay there in the Bysshoppes Palays for there they laye all the feestes and iustes duryng ON the nexte day whiche was mondaye ye myght haue sene in dyuers places of the cytie of London squyers and varlettes goynge aboute with harnesse and doynge of other busynesse of their maisters After noon kynge Richarde came to the place all armed richely apparelled accompanyed with Dukes erles lordes and knyghtes He was one of the inner partie Than the quene well accompanyed with ladyes and damosels came to the place where the iustes shulde be and mounted in to chaÌ„bres and scaffoldes ordayned for theÌ„ Than came in to the felde the erle of Ostrenaunte well accoÌ„panyed with knyghtes of his couÌ„trey and all were redy to iuste Than came the
a voyage for you thanne to go to Rome with a great puyssaunce of men of armes and pull downe and dystroy that antepaye whome the romayns by force hath created and set in the seate cathedrall of saynt Peter if ye wyll ye maye well accomplysshe this voyage and we suppose ye can nat passe your tyme more honorably And syr ye maye well know that if this antepape and his cardynals knowe ones that ye be mynded to come on them with an army they wyll yelde them self aske mercy The kynge remēbred hym selfe a lytell and sayd howe he wolde do as they had deuysed for surely he said he was moche bounde to pope Clement for the yere past he had ben at Auygnon where as the pope and his cardynals made hym ryght honourable chere and had gyuen more than was demaunded bothe to hym selfe to his brother and to his vncles wherfore the kynge sayd it hadde deserued to haue some recompence and also at his departure fro Auignon he had promysed the pope to helpe to assyst hym in his quarell At that season there was at Parys with the kyng the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne than it was agreed and concluded that the nexte Marche after the kynge shuld departe fro Parys and take the way towardes Sauoy and Lombardy and the erle of Sauoy to sende his cosyn Germayne with hym and the kynge to haue vnder his charge the duke of Tourayne his brother with four thousande speares and the duke of Burgoyne with two thousande speares and the duke of Berrey two thousāde the constable of Fraunce two thousande speares with the bretons raintoners and lowe marches the duke of Burbon a thousāde speares the lorde of saynt Poll and the lorde of Coucy a thousande speares all these men of armes to be payed in hande for thre monethes and so fro terme to terme And whan those tydynges were knowen in Auignon pope Clement and his cardynals were greatly reioysed and thought in a maner their enterprise atcheued Also the kinge was coūsayled nat to leaue the duke of Bretayne behynde hym but to sende and to desyre hym to prepare hym selfe to go with him in this voyage The kyng wrote notably to hym and sent his letters by a man of honour an offycer of armes signyfyenge the duke in his letters the state of this voyage Whan the duke had red these letters he turned hym selfe smyled and called to hym the lorde of Mountboucher and sayd Syr harke and regarde well what the frenche kyng hath written to me he hath enterprised to departe this next Marche with a great puissaunce to go to Rome and to distroy suche as take parte with pope Bonyface As god helpe me his iourney shall tourne to nothynge for in shorte space he shall haue more flax to his dystaffe than he can well spynne I thynke he wyll leaue soone his folyssh thought And also he desyreth me to go with hym with two thousande speares howebeit I wyll honour him as I ought to do and I wyll write to him ioyously bycause he shall be contente and shewe hym howe if he go in this voyage he shall nat go without me seyng it pleaseth him to haue my company howe be it sir of Moūtboucher I say vnto you I wyll nat traueyle a man of myne for all that the kyng hath purposed and sayd nothynge shall there be done in that behalfe The duke of Bretayne wrote goodly letters and swete to the frenche kynge and the officer of armes returned with theym to Parys and delyuered them to the kynge who redde them and was well contented with the aunswere ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the Englysshe knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the frenche kynge fro the kynge of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Cap. C .lxxv. THe wyll and purpose of the frenche kynge none wolde breke for it pleased greatly all the knyghtes squyers of Fraunce bycause they wyst nat where better to enploy their season and euery man prepared towardes that voyage and namely the clergy of all the prouynces of the realme ordayned and graunted a tayle to sende at their costes and charges men of warre with the kynge Howe be it this voyage tourned to nothynge as the duke of Bretayne had sayd before and I shall shewe you by what incidence About the feest of Candelmas came other tydynges to the Frenche kyng and to his counsayle whiche they loked nothynge for Certayne of the kynge of Englandes coūsayle and suche as were of his priuy chambre were sent nobly to Parys to the frenche kyng and they that were chefe of this legacyon was syr Thomas Percy syr Loys Clyfforde and sir Robert Briquet with dyuers other knyghtes in their company but I herde as than no mo named Whan these thre knyghtes were come to Parys to hym than the french kyng was desyrous to knowe what it myght meane that the kynge of Englande dyd sende so hastely of his counsayle to hym These knyghtes of Englande syr Thomas Percy and other alyghted in Parys in the streate called the Crosse at the signe of the castell The frenche kynge as than lay in the castell of Lowere his brother the duke of Tourayne with hym and his other thre vncles in other lodgynges in the cytie and the cōstable syr Olyuer Clysson It was nere hāde noone whan the englysshe men came to Parys and they kept their lodgynge all that day nyght after and the next day aboute nyue of the clocke they lept on their horses ryght honorably and rode to the castell of Loure to the kyng where he with his brother and vncles the Erle of saint Poll the lorde of Coucy the constable of Fraūce sir Iohan of Vien sir Guy de la tremoyle with dyuers other barons of Fraunce were redy to receyue the englysshe ambassadours who alyghted at the gate and entred in and there receyued them the lord de la Ryuer syr Iohan Mercyer sir Lyon of Lignach sir Peter Villers sir Willyam of Tremoyle and syr Marcell there they receyued them honourably and brought theym in to the chambre where the kynge taryed for them Than they dyd of their bonettes and kneled downe syr Thomas Percy hadde the letters of credence that the kynge of Englande had sente to the frenche kynge he delyuered them to the kyng who tooke them and caused the knyghtes to stande vp than they stepe some what backe The kynge opyned the letters and red them and sawe well that they had credence than he called to hym his brother and his vncles and shewed them the letters than his vncles sayd Syr call forthe the knyghtes and here what they wyll say Than they aproched and were cōmaunded to declare their credence than si◠Thomas Percy spake and sayd Dere sir the entencyon of our souerayne lorde the kinge of Englande is that he wolde gladly that suche of his specyall counsayle as his vncles dukes of Lancastre yorke and Glocestre and other prelates of
Englande suche as his specyall 〈…〉 might come in to your presence and to your counsayle as shortely as myght be to treate for a maner of peace so that it he and you togyther myght couenably and resonably be conâ—oyned and meanes sounde to haue a conclusyon of peace he wold be therof right ioyfull and for that entente he wolde nouther spare his owne payne and laboure nor yet none of his men nother to come hym selfe or to sende suffyciente persones ouer thesee to the cytie of Amyence or to any other place assigned And syr we be come hyder for this entente to knowe your pleasure in this behalfe Than the kynge aunswered and sayde Syr Thomas Percy you and all your company are ryght hertely welcome and of youre comynge and wordes we are ryght ioyfull ye shall â—ary here in Paris a season and we wyll speke with our counsayle and make you suche a couenable answere or ye depart that it shall suffyce you With this answere the englysshe men were well content Than it was nere dyner tyme and the englysshe men were desyred to tary to dyne And so the lorde of Coucy brought them in to a chambre and the lorde de la Ryuer There they dyned at their layser and after dyâ—er they retourned in to the kynges chambre and there had wyne and spyces and thanne toke their leaue of the kynge and wente to their lodgynge THe comynge of syr Thomas Percy and his company in to FrauÌ„ce and the tydynges that they brought pleased greatly the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne and dyuers of his counsayle but nat allâ— and specially suche as ayded to sustayne pope Clementes quarell for they sawe well by these tydynges that if the frenche kynge enclyned to this treatie that it shulde greatly let hynder the voyage that was mynded to go to Rome to distroy pope Bonyfacâ— and his cardynals or els to bringe them to the beleue of pope Clemente But the mater of treatie of peace was so â—egh and touched so moche the welthe and prefyte all crystendome so that no persone durst speke against it The duke of Burgoyn and his counsayle with the kynge and his brother and the duke of Burbone were all of one acorde The kyng made good chere to ser Thomas Percy to the englysshmen but amonge them there was one knyght called sir Robert Briquet wheme the frenche kynge loued nat he was a frenche man borne but alwayes he helde him selfe outher naueroys or englysshe and as than he was one of the king of Englandes priuy chambre The frenche kynge dissymuled with hym sagely for whan he spake to theym alwayes the kynge wolde tourne his selfe to syr Thomas Percy or els to syr Loys Clyfforde and sayd Syrs we wolde gladly se this peace to be had bytwene vs and our aduersary the kynge of Englande for the quarell and warre hath to longe endured bytwene vs. and one thinge I wyll ye knowe that it shall nat be hyndred on out parte though it be gretly to our cost Sir quod they the kyng our souerayne lorde who hath sent vs hyther hathe great affection to haue peace and saythe that it shall nat be let on his parte and hath marueyle that the warre and dyscensyon bytwene your landes hath endured so longe and that no good amyable meanes hathe been had or this tyme. Than the frenche kynge answered and sayd we shall se the good affection that he hath thervnto THese englysshemen taryed at Parys vi dayes and euery day dyned with one of the dukes of Fraunce and in the meane season it was determyned that the frenche kynge his vncles and his priuy counsayle shulde be at Amyence by the myddes of Marche next after there to abyde the coming of the kynge of Englande his vncles and his counsayle if they wolde come thyder And the englysshe knyghtes sayd they made no doute but at the lest the kynge of Englandes vncles shulde be at the day assigned at Amyence this was the conclusyon of this treatie The daye before that they shulde departe out of Parys the kynge came to the palays where his vncles were and there he made a dynner to the Englyssh knightes and caused sir Thomas Percy to sytte at his borde and called hym cosyn by reason of the Northumberlandes blode at which dyner there was gyuen to sir Thomas Percy and to the englyssh knightes and squiers great gyftes and fayre iewels but in the gyunge of them they ouer slypte syr Robert Briquet and syr Peter Villers chefe steward with the frenche kynge delyuered the gyftes and be said to syr Robert Briquet Sir whan ye haue done suche seruyce to the kynge my maister as shall please hym he is ryche and puisaunt ynough to rewarde you With whiche wordê sir Robert Briquet was sore abasshed and parceyued well therby that the kyng loued hym nat but he was fayne to suffre it after dyner mynstels began to play that pastyme ones past sir Thoms Percy caÌ„e to the kyng sayd Sir I and my company haue great marueyle of one thing that ye haue made vs so good chere and gyuen vs so great gyftes that sir Robert Briquet hath nothynge who is a knight of our maisters preuy chambre Sir we desyre to knowe the cause why therto answered the frenche kyng and sayd Sir Thomas the knyght that ye speke of syth ye wyll knowe that mater he hath no nede to be in batayle agaynst me for if he were taken prisoner his raunsome shulde soone be payde and therwith the kyng entred in to other coÌ„munycacion Than wyne and spyces were brought forthe and so tooke leaue retourned to their lodgynge and made a reconyng and payde for euery thyng The nexte daye they departed spedde so in their iourneys that they arryued in EnglaÌ„de and shewed the kyng and his vncles howe they had spedde and greatly praysed the freÌ„che kyng and the chere that he had made them shewed of the gyftes and iewels that he had gyuen them ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue a lytell to speke of the Englysshe men and some what shewe of kyng Iohan of Castyle ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of kyng IohnÌ„ of Castyle and of the crownyng of kynge Henry his sonne Cap. C .lxxvi. YE haue herde here before in this hystorie how peace was made bytwene the kynge of Castyle and the duke of Lancastre who chalenged to haue ryght to the realme of Castyle by reason of the lady Custaunce his wyfe doughter to kyng DoÌ„peter And by meanes of a fayre doughter that the duke of Lancastre had by the sayde lady Custaunce the peace was made and confyrmed For the sayde kynge Iohan of Castyle had a sonne to his heyre called Henry who was prince of Galyce This Henry was maryed to the duke of Lancasters Doughter wherby good peace was made bytwene Englande and Castyle and within two yeres after this maryage kynge Iohan of Castyle dyed and was buryed in Burgus in Spaygne Anone after his dethe the prelates
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
the firste all abasshed for if I had sene any auncyent knyght that had ben with kyng Edwarde or with the price I had ben well reconforted and wolde haue gone to hym but I coulde se none suche Than̄e I demaunded for a knyght called sir Rycharde Seury whyder he were a lyue or nat and it was shewed me yes but he was at London Than I thought to go to the lorde Thom̄s Percy great seneschall of Englade who was there with the kyng so I acquaynted me with hym and I founde hym right honorable and gracyous And he offred to present me and my letters to the kynge wherof I was right ioyfull for it behoued me to haue some meanes to bringe me to the presence of suche a prince as the Kynge of Englande was He wente to the kynges Chambre at whiche tyme the kynge was gone to slepe and so he shewed me and badde me retourne to my lodgynge and come agayne and so I dyde And whan I came to the bysshoppes palays I founde the lorde Thomas Percy redy to ryde to Ospring And he counsayled me to make as than no knowledge of my beynge there but to folowe the court and sayd he wolde cause me euer to be well lodged tyl the kyng shulde be at the fayre castell of Ledes in Kent I ordered me after his coūsayle and rode before to Ospring by aduēture I was lodged in an house where was lodged a gentyll knyght of Englande called sir Wyllyam Lysle He was taryed there behynde the kynge bycause he had payne in his heed all the nyght before He was one of the kynges preuy chambre And whan he sawe that I was a straunger and as he thought of the marchesse of Fraūce bycause of my langage We fyll in acquayncaunce toguyder for gentylmen of Englande are curcesse treatable and gladde of acquayntaunce Than he demaunded what I was and what busynesse I had to do in those parties I shewed hym a great parte of my cōmynge thyder and all that the lorde Thomas Percy hadde sayd to me and ordred me to do He than answered and sayde howe I coulde nat haue a better meane and that on the Friday the kyng shulde be at the castell of Ledes And he shewed me that whan I came there I shuld fynde there the duke of yorke the kynges vncle wherof I was ryght gladde bycause I had letters dyrected to hym and also that in his youthe he hadde sene me in the courte of the noble kyng Edwarde his father and with the quene his mother Than on the Friday in the mornyng sir Wylliam Lysle and I rode toguyder and on the waye I demaunded of hym if he had been with the kynge in the voyage in to Irelande He answered me yes Than I demaunded of hym the maner of the Hole that is in Irelande called saynt Patrykes purgatorie if it were trewe that was sayde of it or nat Than he sayde that of a suretie suche a hole there was and that he hym selfe and another knyght of Englande hadde ben there whyle the kynge laye at Duuelyn and sayd howe they entred in to the hoole were closed in at the sonne goynge downe and abode there all nyght and the nexte mornyng issued out agayne at the son risyng Than I demaūded it he had any suche strāge sightes or vysions as was spoken of Than he sayd howe that whan he his felowe were entred and past the gate that was called the purgatorie of saynt Patryke and that they were discended and gone downe thre or four paces discendyng downe as in to a cellar a certayne hoote wapure rose agaynst them and strake so in to their heedes that they were fayne to syt downe on the steres whiche are of stone And after they had sytte there a season they had great desyre to slepe and so fell a slepe and slepte there all nyght Than I demaūded that if in their slepe they knewe where they were or what visyons they had he answered me that in slepyng they entred in to great ymaginacyōs and in marueylous dremes otherwyse than they were wont to haue in their Chambres and in the mornynge they issued out and within a shorte season clene forgate their dreures visyons wherfore he sayde he thought all that mater was but a fantasy Than I lefte spekyng any further of that matter bycause I wolde fayne haue knowen of hym what was done in the voyage in Irelande And I thought as thā to haue demaūded what the kyng had done in that iourney but than company of other knyghtes came and fell in communycacion with hym so that I lefte my purpose for that tyme. Thus we robe to Ledes and thyder came the kyng and all his cōpany and there I founde the lorde Edmonde duke of yorke Than I went to hym and delyuered my letters fro the erle of Heynaulte his cosyn and fro the erle of Ostrenaunt The duke knewe me well and made me good chere and sayde Sir Iohan holde you alwayes nere to vs and we shall shewe you loue and courtesy we are boūde therto for the loue of tyme past and for loue of my lady the olde Quene my mother in whose courte ye were we haue good remembraunce therof Than I thanked hym as reason requyred So I was aduaunsed by reason of hym and sir Thomas Percy and sir William Lysle By their meanes I was brought in to the kynges chambre and in to his presence by meanes of his vncle the duke of yorke Than I delyuered my letters to the kyng and he toke and reed thē at good leysar Than he sayd to me that I was welcome as he that hadde ben and is of the Englysshe courte As on that daye I shewed nat the kynge the boke that I hadde brought for hym he was so sore occupyed with great affayres that I had as than no leysar to present my boke The kyng was sore busyed there in counsayle for two great mightye maters First was in determynynge to sende sufficient messangers as therle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne and the erle Marshall the archbysshoppe of Dublyn the bysshoppe of Ely the lorde Loys Clyssorde the lorde Henry Beaumonde the lorde Hughe Spensar and many other ouer the See to Charles the Frenche kynge to treate with hym for a maryage to be hadde bytwene the kyng of Englande and the Frenche kynges eldest doughter named Isabell of the age of eyght yeres The secōde cause was the lorde de la Barde the lorde of Taryde the lorde of Pyntherne the lorde of Newcastell the lorde of Nesque the lorde of Copane and the counsaylours of Burdeux Bayon and of Daxe were come in to Englande and had quickely pursued their mater sythe the kynges retourne out of Irelande to haue an answere of the requestes and processe that they had put forthe to the kyng on the gyfte that the kynge had gyuen to his vncle the duke of Lācastre of the landes seignories lordshippes and baronyes in Acquytayne whiche they verifyed
to pertaygne to the kynge and realme of Englande They hadde alleged to the kynge and his counsayle that his gyfte myght nat passe so bycause it was vnprofytable and mutyle For they sayd all those landes helde of right and of the demayne of the crowne of Englande Wherfore they sayde they wolde nat disioyne nor disceuer theÌ„ fro the crowne They alleged furthermore many other reasonable causes as ye shall here after in this processe But thus to haue coâ—sayle of those two great matters the kynge had sente for the moost parte of the prelates and lordes of Englande to be at the feest of Maudelyntyde at a manner of the kynges called Eltham a seuyn Englysshe myles fro London And whan they had taryed at Ledes a four dayes the kyng retourned to Rochester and so to Elthame so I rode forthe in the kynges company ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the refuce of them of Acquytayne made to the duke of Lancastre and howe they sent in to Englande to the kynge and his counsayle shewyng hym the wyll of the hole couÌ„trey of Acquytayne Cap. CC.i. IN rydynge the waye bytwene Leades and Eltham I demaunded of syr Willyam Lysle and of syr IohnÌ„ of Graily capitayne of Bouteuyll the cause why the king drewe to London warde and why that great counsayle shulde assemble at Eltham They tolde me and specially syr Iohan Graily rehersed to me playnly why the lordes of Gascon were come thyder and the counsaylours of the good townes and cyties thus I was enfourmed by this knight who knewe the trouth for he was often tymes amonge theym they and he were in a maner all of one countrey and fronter he sayde thus Surely whan the Duke of Lancastre came fyrst in to Acquytayne suffycyently fournysshed with charters and wrytinges engrosed and sealed with the great seale of Englande and enrolled and fermely decreed with full accorde of all prelates and lordes of Englande and also by consente of the duke Edmonde of yorke and Erle of Cambridge and of Thomas duke of Gloucestre though the sayd herytages might by succession haue come to them for Kynge Rycharde of Englande their nephue had as than no chyldren and these sayd two dukes were brethern germayns of father and mother to the duke of Lancastre whiche duke anone after he was come in to Acquytayne sente some of his counsayle to the cytie of Burdeaux to shewe to the Mayre counsaylours of the towne the fourme and tenoure of his request and for what cause he was come in to the countrey Whan they herde this they greatly marueyled howe be it they ioyfully receyued the kynges and dukes coÌ„myssioners for the honoure of the kynge to whome they ought their seruyce and obeysaunce Than they desyred to take couÌ„sayle and so they dyd Than after they aunswered and said that the duke of Lancastre sonne to kynge Edwarde who had ben their lorde was welcome amoÌ„ge them and none otherwyse for they sayde they had nat so farre forthe taken counsayle as to receyue hym to their souerayne lorde for they sayd that to kyng Rycharde their soueraygne lorde they had done feaultie and homage and as than he had made them no quytaÌ„ce Than aunswered the coÌ„myssioners and sayd Syrs feare nat but that ye shall haue suffycient dyscharge in that behalfe so ye take the duke to your souerayne lorde for ye shall se by the content of the kinges charters that there shall neuer questyon be made therof in tyme to come WhanÌ„e they of Burdeaux sawe they were so nere touched they founde theym another socoure and sayd Fayre lordes your coÌ„myssion extendeth nat all onely vpon vs but in lykewyse to them of the cytie of Bayon and to the prelates and barones of Gascoyne and to all that be vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande ye shall drawe you towardes them and as they do and ordre theÌ„ we shall folowe the same Other aunswere the coÌ„myssioners coulde nat haue at that tyme of them of Burdeauâ— Than they departed and rode to Lyborne where the duke of Lancastre laye WHan the duke herde their aunswers he imagyned in hymselfe that the â—â—synesse that he was come thyder for shulde nat be so sone atcheued as he trusted it shulde haue ben Than he sent his couÌ„sayle to the cytie of Bayon and as they sped in Burdeaux so they dyd there other answere coude they haue none And fynally all the prelates and noble men counsaylours of cytes good townes in Gascoyne vnder the obeysaunce of the kyng of Englande conioyned them togyder and concluded in the forme and manner as I shall shewe you They sayde they wolde gladly receyue the duke of Lancastre in to their cytâ—es townes and castelles as the sonne of kyng Edwarde and vncle to kinge Rycharde of EnglaÌ„de so that at his entringes he shulde solemply swere that pesably and in good maner he and his shulde entreat the people with out enforsynge of any thynge and to pay reasonably for euery thynge that they shulde dispende and also to swere that he shulde nat oppresse nor cause to be oppressed the iurysdictyon of the Crowne of Englande by no maner of waye nor accyon The duke aunswered to this and sayd that he was nat come in to the countrey to greue or oppresse the people but wolde rather kepe and defende them agaynst all men as his herytage and desyred and requyred theym that the coÌ„maundement of the kynge of Englande myght be obserued and acomplisshed Than the hole countrey by a comune voyce sayd that in no wyse they wolde departe fro the crowne of Englande and that it was nat in the kynge of Englandes power to gyue them away to another lorde nor to put them fro the crowne of Englande These demaundes and denyenges were longe a debatyng bytwene the duke of Lancastre and the lordes and townes of Gascon And whan the duke sawe none other remedy than he made request to the countrey that the prelates and noble men and couÌ„saylours of the good townes shulde sende suffycient personages to the kynge of Englande and to his counsayle and howe he wolde sende in lykewyse notable persones of his counsayle and loke what so euer the kyng and his counsayle shulde determyne in that cause he promysed surely to abyde ther by whether it were with hym or agaynst him Than they of Gascon consydred well that his request was reasonable and agreed to do as the duke had desyred Than the duke rode to Burdeaur and was lodged in the abbey of saint Andrewes where he had ben lodged before tyme. Than they of the cytie of Bayon and Dar apoynted suffycient personages to sende in to Englande and the barons of Gascon vnder the kinges obeysaunce sent in lyke wyse Also ye shall knowe that whan the frenche kyng and his vncles vnderstode that the duke of Laucastre was peasably entred in to the cytie of Burdeaux and knewe nat for what entent nor whether he wolde kepe or breake the trewce Than he and his counsayle
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
kynges opynyon to haue peace were at Balyngham in the treatie holden there the kynge sayd to Robert Our counsayle as nowe is nat here they be at Balyngham ye shall abyde here with me and whan they be retourned I shall speke with myne vncle of Burgoyne and with our chauncelloure and than we shall do in this mater as they shall aduyse me syr quod this Robert as god wyll so be it THe same weke the Frenche kynges counsayle returned fro Balyngham to Abbeuyle and brought with them the artycles of the maner of the peace whiche the englysshe men had deuysed and the maters were so weyghty that the treatie was put ouer tyll another daye vnto suche tyme as bothe kynges were aduertysed of eche others demaundes and their pleasures therin to be knowen Than on the frenche partie the frenche kynge drewe a parte his vncle of Burgoyne and the chauncellour and shewed them what enfourmacyon Robert the Hermyt had made vnto him and the kynge demaunded of them if it were a thynge lysytte and lawfull to beleue They studyed a lytell and at last sayde Syr we requyre youre grace lette vs se this hermyte and here hym speke and thervpon we wyll take aduyse Than he was sent for Whan he came before the kynge he made his reuerence Thanne the kynge sayd Roberte shewe vs here at length all the hole mater as ye enfourmed me before Sir quod he gladly Than as he that was nothynge abasshed rehersed all the hole mater as ye haue herde before Whan he had doone he departed Than the kynge asked of his vncle what was best to be done Syr quod he the chauncellour and I shall take aduyse agaynst to morowe Well quod the kynge so be it Than the duke and the chauncellour counsayled togyther on this mater They sawe well the kynge greatly enclyned to this Robertes wordes therfore they thought it good to aduyse the kynge to ioyne this Robert in coÌ„myssion with them to go agayne to Balyngham to the treatie of peace for they thought his langage so fayre and so swete that he shulde styrre the hartes of them that shulde here hym speke to haue peace and to shewe the deuyne vysion that he had to the lordes of Englande This they thought lawfull ynough to be done and the nexte day they shewed this to the king And than after whan the duke and the chauncellour wente agayne to Balyngham they had this Roberte with them And whan all the lordes frenche and englysshe were assembled togyder in counsayle than this Robert came before them and there well and wisely he declared all the vysion that he hadde on the see and affermed that it was inspyracyon deuyne sente by god bycause he wolde it shulde be so Some of the lordes of Englande toke good hede to this mater and enclyned therto as the duke of Lancastre the erle of Salysbury the lorde Thomas Percy and other the bysshops of Lyncolne and London but the duke of Gloucestre and the erle of Arundell toke no hede nor set nothynge therby Whan they were in their lodgynges they sayd they were but fantasies and wordes fayned by the frenchmen to abuse them all howe be it they determyned to write to kynge Rycharde the maner and sayenge of this Robert the Hermyte and thervpon sent a knyght called Rycharde Credon to kynge Rychardeê who he founde in Kent at the castell of Leades and delyuered him letters sent fro his ambassadours in the marches of Calays wherin was conteyned the hole sayenge of this Robert The kynge tooke great pleasure in these letters and sayd howe he wolde gladly speke with this Robert the hermyte he beleued this vysion to be of trouthe Than the kyng wrote agayne to the duke of Lancastre and to the erle of Salysbury that if it myght be by any meanes that a good peace myght be taken bytwene hym and the frenche kynge their realmes and alyes for he sayde surely he thought that the warre had ouerlonge endured and that it was tyme to haue peace And ye haue herd here before howe the treaters bare them and how the lordes departed one fro another and howe the treuce was taken to endure for foure yere This was the entent of the lordes of the englyssh party except the duke of Gloucestre for he thought whan so euer he came in to Englande neuer to agree to any peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande He dyssimuled as moche as he might to th entent to please the king and his brother of Lancastre Thus by this meanes Roberte le Hermyte came to knowledge ANd as ye haue herde here before how the erle of Rutlande therle Marshall the archebysshop of Dunelyn the lorde Hugh Spenser the lorde Lewes Clyfforde and other had been sent in to Fraunce to treate for kynge Rychardes maryage and were retourned agayne in to Englande and brought the kynge good tydynges so that the kynge was well pleased as ye haue herde before Than Mychelmas came and the generall couÌ„sayle began suche as englysshe men call the terme wherin all maters be debated and at the begynnynge of the sayd terme the duke of Lancastre returned out of Gascon in to Englande and had nat ben receyued there as he thought he shulde haue been as ye haue herde before So whan the duke of Lancastre was retourned the kyng made hym good chere Tydinges anone came in to Fraunce howe the duke of Lancastre was retourned in to Englande than the frenche kynge and his counsayle determyned to sende Robert the Hermyte into Englande with letters to the kynge who desyred to se hym and that the erle of saynt Poll shulde acquaynte hym with the kyng and with the lordes that they myght here hym speake of the busynesse of Surey and Tartary and of the greate Turke and Turkey where he had ben longe for it was thought that the lordes of Englande wolde gladly here speakyng of suche maters Than this Robert the Hermyte was warned to make hym redy to go in to Englande in coÌ„myssion wherof he greatly reioysed bycause he had neuer been there before So he had letters delyuered hym dyrected to the kyng of Englande and to his vncles Thus Robert departed fro Parys with seuen horses at the cost and charge of the frenche kynge and rode tyll he came to Boloyne and there tooke the see and aryued at Douer and spedde so in his iourneys that he came to Eltham and founde the kynge there and the Duke of Lancastre the erles of Salysbury and Huntyngdon the lorde Thomas Percy and for the honour of the frenche kynge he was well receyued and specyally of the kynge who desyred greatly to se hym Than he delyuered his letters of credence whiche were redde ouer by the kynge and the other lordes The duke of Gloucestre was nat theâ— he was in Essex at a Castell of his called Plasshey Whan this Robert had been with the kynge and with the duke of Lancastre at Eltham a fyue daies he departed thens to gose the
a porte in Surey besyde the isle of Rodes Than he declared all his hole vysion the rather therby to moue the dukes herte to pytie and reason but this duke was herde herted agaynst the peace and kept styll his opynion and by his wordes condempned and dispysed greatly the frenche men for all that euer Robert the Hermyte coude say but bycause that this Robert was a strauÌ„ger and shewed by his wordes and werkes that he wolde all were well and also bycause the duke sawe that the kyng his nephue enclyned to haue peace he dyssymuled and spake fayre what so euer his herte thought Two dayes this Robert taryed at plasshey with the duke and had good chere and the thyrde day departed and retourned to London and fro thence to Wyndesore where the kynge made hym good chere for loue that the frenche kyng had sent him thyder and bycause he was wyse and eloqueÌ„t and of swete wordes and honest It is nat to be doubted but that the kynge demauÌ„ded of hym howe he founde his vncle the duke of Glocestre And Robert answered him well to the poynte The kyng knewe well his vncle of Gloucestre enclyned rather to warre than to peace wherfore he fauoured moche better his other two vncles dukes of Lancastre and yorke whan Robert the hermyte had ben a moneth with the king he toke his leaue and at his departynge the kynge gaue hym great gyftes and so dyd the dukes of Lancastre and yorke and the erles of Huntyngdon and Salysbury and the lorde Thomas Percy The kynge caused hym to be conueyed to Douer and there passed ouer in to Fraunce and he founde the frenche kyng and the quene and his vncles at Paris and there shewed the kinge all his voyage and what good chere he had in Englande Thus dayly messangers went in out bytwene these two kynges and amyable letters sent bytwene them the kynge of Englande desyred nothyng so moche as to come to this maryage and semblably the frenche kynge had lyke desyre for he thought his doughter shulde be a great estate if she might be quene of Englande ¶ Of the delyueraunce of the lorde de la Ryuer and of syr Iohan le Mercyer and howe they were put out of prisone Cap. CC.v. YE haue herde here before howe the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan le Mercyer were in ieoperdy of their lyues and remoued fro prison to prison at laste delyuered to the prouost of the Chatelet of Parys and were at the poynte to lose their lyues and all for hate enuye that the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne and their counsayle had to them They were in this daunger more than two yere The kyng socoured theÌ„ for always he stopped the execusion and that the dukes of Berrey Burgoyne sawe well and also they perceyued that the duke of Orlyaunce ayded them as moche as he might also the duches of Berrey was a good meane for them and specially for the lorde de la Ryuer and also the one coulde nat be condempned without the other for they were accused all for one cause The prayers of good folkes and their ryght togyther ayded theym Than it was regarded by many of the high barones of FrauÌ„ce who had pytie on them and sayd they had suffred prisonement ouerlonge and that it was tyme to shewe them grace for this Iohan le Mercyer had so moche wept in prison that his syght was sore decayed so that he coude scant se the brute ranne through the realme that he was blynd Than at last they had sentence gyuen them of grace by the kynge and there the lorde de la Ryuer was restored agayne to all his landes and castels as the fayre castell of Aniou but he was charged on payne of his lyfe that whan he was ones in his castell of Aniowe that he shuld neuer after repasse the ryuer of Sayne without he were coÌ„maunded by the kynges owne mouthe And syr Iohan le Mercyer to retourne to PouÌ„te de Nonnon in to his fayre house in Laonnoys and he nat to repasse the ryuer of Oyse of Marne nor of Seyne without he were in lykewyse called by the kynges owne mouth Thus they bounde them selfe to take this prisonment and thought they had a great grace to scape so well were ryght ioyouse whan they were delyuered fro the Chatelet They trusted whan they came out of prison to haue spoken with the kynge and to haue thanked hym of his grace but they coulde nat be suffred but were coÌ„maunded to auoyde out of Parys and to resorte thyder as they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded Thus they were delyuered wherof their frendes had great ioy ¶ Of the peace that was hadde bytwene the duke of Bretayne and sir Olyuer Clysson Cap. CC.vi. yE haue herde howe the duke of Bretayne and syr Olyuer of Clisson warred longe togyther mortally for bytwene them they toke none to mercy and surely syr Olyuer of Clysson and his partie bare them so valyauÌ„tly that of thre he had twayne for the lordes of Bretaygne dyssimnied with the duke and men of the cyties and good townes sayde howe they must nedes lyue and vse their marchaundyse what so euer warre was bytwene the duke and syr Olyuer of Clysson for they sayd it touched them nothinge wherfore they wolde nat entermedâ—e bytwene them but euer the Vycount of Rohan the lorde de Leoâ— and the lorde of Dignan treated for a peace to be had bytwene them So moch they pursewed that the duke promysed to be entreated so that the myght se syr Olyuer in his presence and speke with him and thervpon these lordes on a day rode to a fortresse of syr Olyuers to speke with him and there they shewed him for what cause they weâ— come thyder and howe they had got grauÌ„t of the duke to sende to him a safeconducte safely to go and come to speke with hym sayeng that surely they thought if he were ones in his presence all the yuell wyll and displeasures shulde be clerely pardoned Than sir Olyuer sayd Sirs ye are all my frendes and louers and I trust great lye in you and beleue that the duke hath promysed as you saye and I thynke he wolde gladly se me in his preseÌ„ce But so good helpe me and saynt yues vpon his worde and promise I ensure you I wyll nat ones issue out of my house But I shall tell you what ye shall saye to hym that if he wyll haue me to come to hym let hym sende hyder in pledge his eldest sonne and whan he is here thanÌ„e I wyll go and speke with hym suche ende as I shall make his sonne shall make yf I retourne he shall do in lykewise and if I abyde he shall abide Whan these lordes sawe they coude haue none other ende they tooke their leaue and retourned to Wannes where the duke was and shewed euery thynge as they had herde The duke coude haue none other waye This sir Olyuer bare hym selfe so valyauntly
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
the see and entred in to the realme of Fraunce fro Calayesê and so wente a longe in to the realme and fouÌ„de none to with stande me nor none that durst fyght with me in lyke wyse so dyd syr Robert Canoll and sir Hugh Caurell and Thomas of GrauÌ„tsome and syr Phylyppe Gyssarde and yet they had nat the nombre that I had with me and yet they were before Parys and demaunded batayle of the frenche kynge but they coulde neuer be aunswered nor founde any person that sayd any thyng to them and so they rode into Bretayne and so a longe through the realme of Fraunce fro Calais to Burdeaux without hauynge of any batayle or rencountre but I thynke surely who so wolde nowe make any suche iourney they shulde be fought with all for he that calleth hym selfe kynge in Fraunce is yonge hote and of great corage and enterprise he wolde surely fight what ende so euer fell therof and that is the thynge we desyre for we loue nothynge so well as to haue batayle for without it be by batayle and victory vpon the frenche men who be ryche els we shall haue no recouery but suffre with the losse as we haue done euer sythe my nephewe was kyng of Englande This thyng can nat longe endure in this estate but at laste the realme of Englande shall perceyue the mater repente it for the kyng taketh and shall take and reyse great tayles of the marchauntes wherwith they be nat content and yet they can nat tell where the good becometh Thus the kynge enpouereth the realme of Englande and gyueth to one and other largely and there as it is but yuell bestowed and his people vyeth the bargayne whiche shortely wyll growe to a rebellyon within the realme for the people begyn to clater and to murmure therat sayeng howe they wyll no leÌ„ger suffre nor beare it he sayeth to stoppe the peoples rumure that the trewce ones concluded bytwene him Fraunce that than he wyll make a voyage in to Irelande and enploye there his men of armes and archers and there he hath ben but with a small conquest for IrelaÌ„de is no lande of great conquest nor profyte the people they are but rude and yuell and a right poore countrey and inhabytable and looke what is wonne there in one yere is loste in another Laquynay Laquynay quod the duke all that I haue sayde is of trouth THus the duke of Gloucestre deuysed with his knyght with suche wordes and other as it was well knowen after He hated the kynge and coulde speke no good worde of him and though he were with his brother the duke of LaÌ„castre as one of the greatest rulers of the Realme he toke no care therof And whan the kyng dyd sende for him he wolde come at his pleasure and sometyme nat a whyt And whan he came to the kynge he wolde be the laste shulde come and the first that wolde departe and in counsayle what he had ones sayd of his opynion he wolde haue it taken and accepted els he wolde be displeased and somtyme take his leaue and departe to his maner in Essex called Plasshey there was his chiefe abydynge This duke was a great prince and might well spende by yere a threscore thousande ducates he was duke of Gloucestre erle of Essex and of Buckingham and constable of Englande He was of so marueylous condycyons that the kynge douted hym more than any other of his vncles for in his wordes he wolde nat spare nor forbeare the kynge The kynge alwayes was humble and meke to hym and whatsoeuer he wolde demaunde the kynge wolde graunte it hym This duke had caused in EnglaÌ„de to be done many cruell and hasty iugementes for he had caused to be beheeded withoute tytell of any good reasone that noble knyght syr Symon Burle and dyuers other of the kynges counsayle and chased out of Englande the archebysshop of yorke and the duke of Irelande bycause they were so nygh of the kinges counsayle and layde to their charge that they had counsayled the kynge wronge and ledde hym as they lyst and had spente the reuenewes of Englande at their pleasures This duke had two bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke These two were euer about the kynge wherat this duke of Gloucestre hadde great enuy wolde say to dyuers as to suche as he trusted as Robert bysshop of London and to other whan they came to him to Plasshey Frendes my two bretherne ouerchargeth greatly the kynges house it were better they were at home at their owne houses this duke by subtyle couerte wayes drewe to his acorde the londoners for he thought if he might be sure of them he shulde sone haue all the rest of the realme to his acorde This duke had a nephue sonne to the doughter of his elder brother called Lyonell duke of Clarence whiche doughter was maryed into Lombardy to the sonne of syr Galeas duke of Myllayne This duke Lyonell dyed in the cytie of Aste in Piemounte So this duke of Gloucestre wolde gladly haue sene his nephue sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence called Iohan erle of Marche to haue ben kynge of Englande and to haue had his nephue kynge Rycharde deposed for he sayd howe the kynge was nat worthy to holde nor to gouerne the realme of Englande This he wolde say to them that he trusted and he dyd so moch that he caused the erle of Marche to come to his house and than and there he dyscouered to hym all his entent and secretnesse and sayde howe he had determyned to make hym kynge of Englande and kyng Richarde to be put downe and his wyfe also and to be kept in prison dutynge their lyues and so he desyred effectuously the erle to accept his offre and good wyll sayenge howe he wolde do the beste he coulde to bringe it aboute and that he had of his acorde and alyaunce the erle of Arundell and therle of Warwyke and dyuers other prelates and lordes of Englande The erle of Marche was sore abasshed whan he herde the duke his vncle speke suche wordes howe be it lyke a yonge man he dissymuled the mater and aunswered wysely to th entent to please the duke and said howe he wold be glad to be ruled as he wolde haue hym but he sayd he wolde be well aduysed or he accepted suche promisse to sone and wolde take therin aduyse and delyberacyon And whan the duke of Gloucestre sawe the maner of the erle than he desyred him to kepe the mater secrete The erle answered so he wolde do Than therle departed as sone as he coude and so wente in to Irelande to his herytage and after he wolde neuer entende to the dukes treatie but alwayes excused him selfe wysely yet euer he kept the mater secrete for he sawe well the conclusyon shulde nat be good IT was sayd howe the duke of Gloucestre sought all the wayes he coude to set a trouble in Englande and to styrre the
doughter of the duke of Lācastre he was erle of Huntyngdon and chamberlayne with the kynge it was he that slewe the sonne of Rycharde erle of stafforde as ye haue herde here before in this hystorie The sayde Rycharde erle of Stafforde had a squyer to his sonne who was with the duke of Gloucestre This erle of Huntyngdon moste cōmonly was euer in the courte with the kynge his brother and he knewe more of the dealynge of the duke of Gloucestre than any other dyd for couertely and wysely he made enquery and also he douted greatly the duke for he knewe he was fell and sodayne and hyghe mynded and sawe howe he kept his enemye aboute hym for the dethe of the yonge Stafforde and the peace therof was neuer made but the grudge therof contynued styll The kynge loued well his brother and bare him against euery man and the kynge sawe well howe his vncle the duke of Gloucestre was euer contrary to hym and was euer about to conspyre agaynst him and to styrre the realme to rebellyon so the kynge and his brother of Holande wolde often tymes comune togyther The same seasone the frenche kyng had sent the erle of saynt Powle in to Englande to se the kyng and his doughter the quene and to norisshe loue for the truce was made in suche maner and cōdycion that their subgiettes myght repayre eche to other in dyspyte of all their yuell wyllers the kynge and the erle of Huntyngdon made them good chere as well for the honoure of the Frenche kynge as for that he had wedded their suffer At that tyme the Dukes of Lancastre nor of yorke were nat with the kynge for they began somwhat to dissymule for they sawe well that the people in Englande beganne to murmure in dyuers places on the state and rewle that the kynge kept and that the maters were lykely to go yuell They thought they wolde nat be at the kinges cōmaundement nor at the peoples And all this came by reasone of the duke of Gloucestre and his company The kynge of Englande spared nat to shewe therle of saint Powle the state that Englande stode in and howe he founde alwayes his vncle the duke of Gloucestre harde and rebell agaynst hym and shewed hym all thynge that he knewe Whan the erle of saynt powle herde the kynge say in that wyse he had great marueyle therof and sayde howe it ought nat to be suffred and sayd Syr if ye suffre this they wyll dystroy you it is sayd in Fraūce howe the duke of Gloucestre entendeth to nothynge but to breake the peace and to renewe the warre agayne and that lytell and litell he draweth the hertes of yonge men of the realme to his parte for they desyre rather warre than peace so that the auncyent wyse men if the warre beganne to styrre they shulde nat be herde nor beleued for reason right nor iustyce hath no place nor audyence where as yuell reygneth therfore prouyde therfore rather betymes than to late it were better ye had theym in daunger than they you These wordes of the erle of saynte Powle entered greatly in to the kynges hert and made hym sore to muse and after that the erle of saynt Powle was retourned in to Fraunce the kyng of Englande shewed all this mater to his brother the erle of Huntyngdon who said to the kynge Syr my fayre brother of saynt Powle hath shewed you the trouth therfore take good aduyse in this mater ANd as I was enfourmed aboute a moneth after that the erle of saynte Powle had ben in Englande and retourned in to Fraunce a paryllous fame and renome ranne vpon the kynge in Englande and in a maner there was a generall brewte that the erle of saynt Powles cōmynge in to Englande was to treate with the the kynge that the frenche men myght haue Calayes in to their handes This brute greatly troubled and moued the people in Englāde in so moche that certayne of London roode to Plasshey to the duke of Gloucestre and shewed hym of that matter The duke apeased nat their wordes but rather augmented it more and more Sayenge howe he coulde nat do therwith But sayd he was sure that the frēche men wolde it hadde coste theym all their kynges doughters so that they might haue Calais at their pleasure This answere set the Londoners a fyre and sayde howe they wolde speke with the kynge and shewe hym howe the realme was nat cōtent Well quod the duke shewe it hym in good maner and make doute that the people wyll nat be contente And marke well what answere he maketh and shewe me therof the nexte tyme I speke with you and thervpon I shall gyue you counsayle what ye shall do farther It maye well be that there be some false traytours counsayleth the Kynge to the same There is the erle Marshall who is Capytayne of Calays who hath been two tymes in Fraūce and taryed at Parys and he was one of the chiefe procurers in the treatie for the kynges maryage with the doughter of Fraunce And these Frenche men are ryght subtyle and can driue their purpose a farre of and lytell and lytell pursue their ententes and wyll gyue largely to bringe about their purpose ACordynge to the dukes counsayle the Londoners on a daye wente to Eltham to the kynge at whiche tyme there was the kynges two bretherne the erle of Kent and therle of Huntyngdon the erle of Salisbury and the archebysshoppes of Caūterbury and of Duuelyn his confessour the lorde Thomas Percy the lorde Lysle Richarde Credon Iohan Boulofer and dyuers other knyghtes of the kynges chambre There these londoners right wisely shewed the kynge their ententes in a meke hūble maner and sayde howe the brute ranne that the kynge was about to delyuer vp Calais into the Frenche mennes handes The kyng had great marueile of these newes for it touched hym nere to the hert But right sagely he dissymuled the mater for that tyme and apesed the Londoners and sayd howe all that noise was wronge for it was nothyng so But for trouthe he said the erle of saynt Poule was come in to Englande for none other entente but to sporte hym and was sent thider by the Frenche kynge to se hym and the quene his wyfe Other marchaundyse the kynge sayde there was none bytwene them and that the kynge sware by the faythe that he owed to god and to the crowne of Englāde and said howe he had great marueyle wherof suche wordes shulde ryse Than̄e the erle of Salisbury sayde Sirs ye good men of London Go home to youre houses and be well assured that the kynge and his Counsayle wyll do nor entende to do any thynge but that that shal be for the honour and profite of this his realme of Englande And who so euer hath fyrst brought vp these wordes are yuell coūsayled and shewe well howe they wolde gladly haue this realme in trouble to haue the people to ryse agaynst the kyng whiche thynge
he hadde dyned and was aboute to haue wasshen his handes There came in to the chambre foure men and caste sodaynlye a towell aboute the dukes necke two at the one ende and two at the other and drewe so sore that he fell to the Erthe and so they strangled hym and closed his eyen whan he was deed they dispoyled hym and bare hym to his beed and layde hym bytwene the shetes all naked and his heed on a softe pyllowe and couered with clothes furred And than they yssued out of the chambre in to the hall well determyned what they wolde saye and sayde openly Howe a palueysye hadde taken the duke of Gloucestre the same night sodaynly and so dyed These wordes anon were abrode in the towne of Calais Some beleued theym and some natte Within two dayes that the duke was thus deed the erle marshall appareled hym selfe in blacke bycause he was his nere cosyn and were many other knyghtes and squyers that were in Calays His dethe was sooner knowen in Fraunce and in Flaunders than in EnglaÌ„d The Frenche men were gladde therof For there was a coÌ„mon brute that there shulde be no good peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande as long as he lyued And in all treaties bytwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande he was euermore harder and obstynaier thanÌ„e any other of his bretherne wherfore they cared nat for his dethe In lykewise many men in Englande bothe knyghtes squyers and other officers of the kynges who were in feare of hym bycause of his crueltie All suche were gladde of his dethe They toke to recorde his cruell dedes by the duke of IrelaÌ„de whom he had exyled out of Englande Also of the deth of that valyant knight sir Symon Burle and of sir Robert Triuylien sir Nicholas Bramble sir Iohan Standysshe dyuers other The dukes dethe was but lytell regarded in Englande excepte but with suche as were of his opinyon Thus this duke dyed in Calais his body was enbaumed and seared in leed and couered and so sente by See in to Englande And the Shyppe that caryed hym arryued at the Castell of Hadley vpon Thamyse syde and fro thens caryed by chariot symply to his owne place at Plasshey and there buryed in the Churche Whiche the sayde duke hadde founded in the honoure of the hooly Trynite wherin were twelue Chanonnes to synge diuyne seruyce YE maye well knowe that the duchesse of Gloucestre and Affren his sonne and his two susters were sore discoÌ„fyted whan they sawe the duke brought thyther deed The duchesse had double sorowe for Richarde erle of Arundell her vncle was be heeded openly by the kynges coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in Chepesyde there was no lorde durst speke to the contrary the kynge beyng presente at the same iustyce doynge It was done by the erle Marshall who hadde to wyfe the doughter of the sayde erle of Arundell and yet he bounde his eyen hym selfe The erle of Warwyke was in great daunger to be beheeded but the erle of Salisbury who was in the kynges fauour desyred the kynge for his lyfe and so dyde dyuers other barons prelates in Englande The kynge enclyned to their requestes so that he myght be banysshed and putte in suche a place as he shulde natte come fro for the kyng wolde nat clerely forgyue hym He sayde he had well deserued to dye bycause he was of counsayle with the duke of Gloucestre and with the erle of Arundell to haue brokeÌ„ the peace and truce taken bitwene Fraunce Englande For the whiche artycle the kyng sayd they had deserued to dye for the peace was taken bytwene the ê‘ties on suche coÌ„dycion that who so euer dyde breake it shulde be worthy to dye The erle of Salisbury who had ben the erle of Warwykes companyon dyuers tymes in excusyng of him said Howe he was an olde man and was desyred by the duke of Gloucestre by his fayre wordes Wherfore he sayd that he dyde was natte of his owne mocyon but by theirs Affyrming howe there was neuer none of the Beauchampes that euer dyd trayson agaynst the crowne of Englande Thus the erle of Warwyke for pytie was respyted fro dethe He was banysshed in to the ysle of Wyght And it was sayde to hym Erle of Warwyke ye haue deserued to dye as well as the erle of Arundell but for the great seruyce that ye haue done in tyme past to kynge Edwarde and to the prince his sonne and to the crowne of Englande aswell on this syde the see as byonde hath done you great ayde for the kyng hath pyte on you and hath grauÌ„ted you your lyfe But it is ordayned by iudgement that ye shall go in to the ysle of Wight and lyue there as longe as ye can and shall haue suffycient of your owne to maynteyne there your estate soberly but ye maye neuer departe thens The erle toke this punysshement a worthe and thaÌ„ked the kyng and his counsayle for sauyng of his lyfe and so made hym redy to go thyder at the daye apoynted In the whiche ysle was space sufficient for a lorde to kepe his estate enuyroned with the See Thus passed forthe these Iudgementes in Englande at that season whiche multiplyed dayly worse worse as ye shall here after WHan the dethe of the duke of gloucestre was knoweÌ„ by the dukes of Lancastre and of yorke incoÌ„tinent they knewe well that the kynge their nephue had caused hym to be slayne and murdered at Calays As than these two dukes were nat toguyder eche of theÌ„ were at their owne plates They wrote eche to other to knowe what were best to do and so they came to London For they knewe well that the londoners were nat content with the dethe of the duke their brother Whan they mette there toguyder they tooke couÌ„sayle and sayd Suche dedes ought nat to be suffred as to putte to dethe so hyghe a priÌ„ce as was their brother for ydell wordes and false reportes For they sayd though he spake oftentymes of the breakyng of the peace yet he neuer brake it And bytwene sayenge and doyng is great difference for by reason of wordes he ought nat to deserue dethe by suche cruell punycion these two dukes were in the case to haue put all Englande to great trouble and there were ynowe redy to counsayle them therto and specially them of the erle of Arundelles lynage and of the erle of Staffordes whiche was a great kynred in Englande The kyng as than was at ElthaÌ„ and had sente for all suche as helde of hym in chiefe And he had redy assembled toguyder about London in Kent and Essexe mo than ten thousande archers And sir Iohan Hollande his brother was with hym and therle Marshall and the erle of Salisbury and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes the kyng sent to theÌ„ of London that they shulde nat receyue the duke of Lancastre They answered and sayd They knewe no cause that the duke hadde done why they shulde refuce hym The duke of Lancastre was at LoÌ„don and
the erle of Derby his sonne and also the duke of yorke and his sonne Iohan erle of Rutlande The kyng loued the erle of Rutlande beyonde measure who dissymuled the dethe of his vncle the duke of Gloucestre shewed howe he wolde gladly se a good peace bytwene the parties said howe he knew well that his vncle dyde wronge oftentymes agaynst the kynge The londoners in lykewyse consydred the great myschiefe that myght fall in Englande by the discencyon bytwene the kynges vncles the kyng and their alyaunces Also they consydred syth the myschefe was fallen of the duke of Gloucestres dethe that there was no recouery therin they knewe well it was bycause the duke of Gloucestre had been to lauesse of his tonge and wolde haue styrred the realme to haue broken the trewce bytwene Englande and Fraunce Wherfore suche as were wyse men in the cytie dissymuled the mater and thought it was no tyme to a mende it as than they feared the puyssaūce of Fraunce and lesynge of their marchaundyse Than beganne to treate and went as a meane bytwene the king and the duke of Lancastre who was in many imagynacions for the dethe of his brother troubled him sore Also he sawe howe his nephue kynge Rycharde was alyed by mariage with the frenche kyng Also the duke of Lancastre had .ii. of his doughters out of the lande one quene of Spayne a nother quene of Portugale by whome he thought he shulde haue great ayde if he made warre agaynst his nephue kynge Rycharde All thynges consydred the duke chaunged his courage at the desyre of the londoners and of other prelates of Englande who were meane bytwene the kyng and hym and by their meanes the kynge was agreed with the duke and peace made with that the kinge promysed fro thens forwarde to be gouerned by the duke of Lancastre and to do nothyng but by his counsayle and aduyse whiche promesse the kynge nothynge fulfylled but was counsayled by yonge and wylde coūsayle whiche was to his hurte and great dōmage as ye shall here after in this hystory THus the kyng of Englande had peace with his vncles bycause of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre Than he beganne to reygne more fiersly than he dyd before The kynge went and lay in Essex where as the duke of Gloucestre had the chiefe rule whiche ought to haue pertaygned to Affcen his sonne and heyre but the kynge toke all for the ordynaunce in Englande was the kynge to haue the warde of all herytours chyldren orphelyns vnder the age of .xxi. yeres and than they to haue their herytages Thus the kinge tooke the wardeshyppe of his cosyn the duke of Gloucestres herytour and the kynge toke the possession profyte of all the dukes lande and kepte the chylde with hym And the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters were with the quene The duke of Gloucestr◠by enherytaunce was constable of Englande the kynge toke that offyce fro the right heyre and gaue it to his cosyn the erle of Rutlande The kynge than kept greate state than euer he dyd nor there had nat ben no kynge before in Englande that spente so moche yerely by a hundred thousande nobles as he dyd In lyke wyse the kynge had with hym the heyre of the erle of Arundell who was beheeded at London And bycause a knyght that was belongyng to the duke of Gloucestre called Cerbe spake at a tyme certayne wordes agaynst the kynge and his counsayle he was taken and beheeded Syr Iohan of Quynghay was in great parell but whan he sawe that the maters went so dyuersely as they dyd he dyssymuled as moch as he might and departed fro the duchesse of Gloucestres house and wente and dwelt in other places ¶ In those dayes there was none so great in Englande that durst speake agaynst any thynge that the kyng dyd or wolde do He had counsayle mete for his appetyte who exhorted hym to do what he lyst The kynge kept styll in his wages ten thousande archers night and day that wayted on him for he reputed himselfe nat parfytely sure of his vncles nor of the lygnage of Arundell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns as well by the emperour as of the realme of Fraūce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great assēble of gret lordes in the cytie of Reynes what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce to the entent to bring the churche to a peace and reste for the frenche kynge dyd so moche that at his request his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by twent the popes the one at Rome and the other at Auygnon they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of the marques of Blācquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne The frenche kyng lay at the archebysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of Orlyaūce Berrey and Burbon therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie all the lordes and prelates and kynge Charles of Nauer who was in lykewyse there went to mete with hym and receyued hym honourably Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Remy there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kynges cost The almayns had euery day delyuered theym ten tonne of herynge for it was in Lent tyme and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes whiche was a great charge WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy and so brought him to the kynges palays Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other and great reuerence and specyally the frenche kynge for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered without it be to take their profyte therto they be experte and redy ynough All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with other with louyng wordes and countinaunce and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Almayne and his company a great dyner at one table there sate fyrst the patryarke of Iherusalem than the king of Almayne the frenche kynge and the kynge of Nauer there sate no mo at that table At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne No lorde of Fraūce sate that day but sarued To the kynges borde the meate was brought by the dukes of Berrey of Burbone the erle of saynt Powle and by other great lordes of Fraūce The duke of Orlyaūce set euery man
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
thyder where as the erle of Derby was at a place called vyncetour besyde Parys Whan the erle of Derby sawe the bysshop of Caunterbury cōmynge to him his herte and spyrites reioysed and so dyd all suche as were aboute him for he thought well than to here some newes oute of Englande The bysshoppe shewed nat as than the cause of his cōmynge but dissymuled bycause euery man shuld nat knowe his entent and therfore to couer his busynesse he sayd openly he was come on pylgrymage to saynt Mors. All suche as were aboute the erle thought it had ben so Whan the bysshop sawe his tyme he toke a parte the erle of Derby alone in to a chambre and closed the dore to them Than the bysshop shewed the erle the debylyte of the realme of Englande and of the desolacyon therof and howe iustyce had no place to reygne for faute of a good kinge and howe certayne valyaunt men and prelates with the londoners and other ingenerall had deuised a remedy and for that cause he was sente thyder to hym to desyre him to retourne in to Englande and they wolde make hym kynge bycause that Rycharde of Burdeaulx had doone and consented to be done so many yuell dedes that all the people sorowed it and are redy to ryse agaynst hym and therfore syr nowe is the tyme or neuer for you to seke for your delyueraūce and profyte and for the welth of your chyldren for if ye entende nat to helpe your selfe and theym also none other wyll for Rycharde of Burdeaux gyueth to them of his chambre to other dayly parte of your enherytaūce and of your chyldrens of the whiche many valyaunt men and the londoners were sore dyspleased therwith if they coude amended it but they durst neuer speke tyll nowe But bycause the kynge hath yuell vsed hym selfe agaynst you and agaynst your vncle the duke of Gloucestre who was taken by nyght and conueyed to Calays and there murdered and the erle of Arundell beheeded without tytell of any good reason and the erle of Warwyke exyled and you banysshed and thus the realme of Englande is nere dysheryted of all noble men by whome the realme shulde be susteyned And also the kynge hath banysshed the erle of Northumberlande and the lorde Percy his sonne bycause they spake somewhat agaynst the kynges gouernaunce and his counsayle Thus they dayly encrease in doynge yuell and none dare speke agaynst it great parte of the realme haue pytie therof and therfore they desyre you to slepe no lenger but to take leaue of that frenche kynge and retourne in to Englande there shall you be receyued with ioy and all this that I haue sayd they wyll fyrmely vpholde for they desyre to haue none other kynge but you ye are so well beloued in the realme WHan the erle had herde the bysshops wordes at length he was nat hasty in gyuenge of aunswere but leaned out at a wyndowe lokynge downe in to a gardeyne and studyed a certayne space and had many imagynacions at last he tourned hym to the archebysshop and sayd Syr your wordes causeth me to study Lothe I wolde be to take on me this enterprise and lothe I wolde be to leaue it for I knowe well that it wyll be longe or I canne retourne in to Englande without it be by the same meanes as ye haue declared Lothe I wolde be to enclyne to your wordes for the Frenche kynge here and the frenchmen do to me and haue done wyll do if I lyst here to tary all the honour and curtesye that I canne desyre And if so be by reasone of your wordes and promesse of the londoners my good frendes that I shulde apply and agree to their wylles and desyre and that therby kynge Rycharde shulde be taken and dystroyed I shulde in that case beare great blame wherof I wolde be tyght lothe if any other meanes might be founde Sir quod the bysshoppe I am sent hyther to you in hope of all goodnesse call to you your counsayle and shewe them what I haue sayd and I shall also shewe them the cause of my cōmynge and I thynke they wyll nat counsayle you to the contrary That shall I do quod the erle for suche a weyghty mater requyreth counsayle Than the erle called to hym his counsayle suche as he trusted best Whan they were before hym than the erle caused the bysshop to shewe them all the mater and the cause of his commynge thyder Than the erle demaūded counsayle what was beste for hym to do They all aunswered with one voyce syr god hathe taken pytie of you howe so euer ye do refuse nat this bargayne for ye shal neuer haue a better and surely who so euer wyll enquyre of your lygnage and fro whence ye dyscended ye are of the ryght stocke and generacyon of saynt Edwarde somtyme kynge of Englande syr thanke the londoners your good frendes who wyll helpe to delyuer you out of daunger and haue pytie on your chyldren and of the desolacyon of the realme of Englande and syr remembre well what wrōges and iniuryes this Rycharde of Burdeaux hath done to you and dothe dayly for whan the maryage bytwene you and the countesse of Ewe was nere at a poynte dyd nat the erle of Salysbury breke it and called you traytoure in the presence of the frenche kynge and other lordes whiche wordes are nat to be pardoned but ye ought to desyre howe to be reuenged Sir if ye wyll nat helpe yourselfe who shulde helpe you syr take good aduyse herin ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby toke leaue of the frenche kyng and went to his cosyn the duke of Bretaygne Cap. CC.xxxix WHanne the erle herde his coūsaylours so ernestly counsayle him his spyrites opened and sayd Syrs I wyll do as ye wyll haue me for to haue your counsayle was the entente that I sent for you Syr quod they ye saye well and syr we counsayle you trewly to our power and as the matter requyreth Than as secretly as they coude they ordeyned for their departure Than it was deuysed howe they might passe the see or any knowledge therof shulde come in to Englande They deuysed that of two wayes they muste take one outher to go into Haynalte and in to Holande and there take the see at Dordright or els to go in to Bretaygne to the duke and there to take the see and so to lande at Plummouth or where as god wolde in Englande All thynges consydred they sayd the best way shulde be by Bretaygne and than they sayd to the erle syr go and take your leaue of the frenche kynge and thanke hym of the curtesy that he hath shewed vnto you and take leaue of the duke of Orlyance and of the kynges vncles and other and thanke theym all of the good chere they haue made you and desyre of the kinge to haue conducte to go in to Bretaygne sayenge that ye wyll go se the duke your cosyn to tary there a
his herte and sayd he wolde do as they counsayled hym as he that sawe hym selfe in great daunger and than he sayd to them that kepte hym howe he wolde gladly speke with his cosyn of Lancastre ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Kynge Rycharde of Englande resigned the crowne and the realme in to the handes of the erle of Derby duke of Lancastre Cap. CC.xliiii IT was shewed the duke of Lancastre howe Rycharde of Burdeaux desyred to speke with hym The duke in an euenynge toke a barge and went to the towre by water went to the kynge who receyued hym curtesly and humbled hym selfe greatly as he that sawe hym selfe in great daunger and sayd Cosyn of Lancastre I regarde and consydre myne estate whiche is as nowe but small I thanke god therof As any more to reygne or to gouerne people or to beare a crowne I thynke it nat and as god helpe me I wolde I were deed by a naturall dethe and that the frenche kinge had agayne his doughter we haue had as yet no gret ioy togyder nor syth I brought her in to Englande I coulde neuer haue the loue of my people as I had before Cosyn all thynges cōsydred I knowe we well I haue greatly trespassed agaynst you and agaynst other noble men of my blodde by dyuers thynges I perceyue I shall neuer haue pardone nor come to peace wherfore with myne owne free and lyberall wyll I wyll resygne to you the herytage of the Crowne of Englande and I requyre you take the gyfte therof with the resignacyon Whan the duke herde that he sayd syr it is conuenyent that parte of the thre estates of the realme be called to these wordes and I haue sent all redy for some noble men prelates and counsaylours of the good townes of Englande and I truste they wyll be here within this thre dayes suffycient of them for you to make a dewe resygnacion before them and by this meanes ye shal greatly apease many men within the realme For to withstande suche enormyties and yuels as haue ben vsed in the realme for faute of iustyce who had no place to reygne I was sent for fro beyond the see and the people wolde crowne me for the renome rynneth through Englande that I haue more ryght to the crowne than ye haue for whan our grauntfather kynge Edwarde the thyrde dyd chose and make you kynge the same was as than shewed hym but he loued so his sonne the prince that none coude breake his purpose nor opinyon but that you shulde be kynge and if ye wolde haue folowed the steppes of your father the prince and haue beleued his counsayle as a good sonne ought to haue done ye myght haue ben styll kyng and haue contynued youre estate but ye haue alwayes done the contrary so that the cōmon renome rynneth through England and in other places that ye were neuer sonne to the prince of Wales but rather sonne to a preest or to a chanon for I haue herde of certayne knightes that were in the Princes howse myne vncle howe that he knew well that his wyfe had nat truely kepte her maryage your mother was cosyn germayne to kynge Edwarde and the kynge beganne to hate her bycause she coulde haue no generacion Also she was the kynges gossyp of two chyldren at the fonte And she that coulde well kepe the prince in her bandon by crafte and subtylte she made the prince to be her husbande and bycause she coulde haue no chylde she douted that the prince shulde be deuorsed fro her she dyd so moch that she was with chylde with you and with another before you as of the fyrst I can nat tell what to iudge but as for you bycause your cōdicyons haue ben sene contrary fro all nobles and prowes of the prince therfore it is sayd that ye be rather sonne to a prest or to a chanon for whan ye were gotten and borne at Burdeaux there were many yonge preestes in the princes house This is the brute in this countrey and your workes haue well folowed the same for ye be alwayes enclyned to the pleasure of the french men and to take with them peace to the confusyon and dy shonoure of the realme of Englande And bycause myne vncle of Gloucestre and the erle of Arundell dyd coūsayle you truly and faythfully to kepe the honour of the realme and to folowe the steppes of your auncestours ye haue traytoursly caused them to dye As for me I haue taken on me to defende your lyfe as longe as I may for pytie and I shall pray the londoners and the herytours of them that ye haue slayne and banysshed to do the same Cosyn I thanke you quod that kynge I truste more in you than in any other It is but ryght that ye so shulde do for if I had nat ben ye had ben taken by the people and deposed with great confusyon and slayne by reasone of your yuell workes Kynge Rycharde herde well all the dukes wordes and wyst nat what to saye agaynst it for he sawe well that force nor argumentes coulde nat auelyle him but rather mekenesse and humilyte wherfore he humbled hym and prayed the duke to saue his lyfe WHan the duke of Lancastre had ben at the towre two houres with kynge Rycharde had shewed hym parte of his fautes than he retourned And the next day he sent forthe mo cōmaundementes in to all parties of the realme to cause noble men and other to come to London His vncle the duke of yorke came to London and the erle of Rutlande his sonne the erle of Northumberlande and the lorde Thomas Percy his brother The duke of Lancastre made them good chere Thyder came also great nombre of prelates and abbottes And on a day the duke of Lancastre acompanyed with lordes dukes prelates erles barones and knyghtes and of the notablest men of London of other good townes rode to the Towre and there alyghted Than kynge Rycharde was brought in to the hall aparelled lyke a kynge in his robes of estate his septer in his hande and his crowne on his heed Than he stode vp alone nat holden nor stayed by no man and sayde a loude I haue been kynge of Englande duke of Acquytany and lorde of Irelande aboute xxii yeres whiche sygnory royalte cepter crowne and herytage I clerely resygne here to my cosyn Henry of Lancastre and I desyre hym here in this open presence in entrynge of the same possessyon to take this septour and so delyuered it to the duke who toke it Than kynge Rycharde toke the crowne fro his heed with bothe his handes and set it before hym and sayd Fayre cosyn Henry duke of Lancastre I gyue delyuer you this crowne wherwith I was crowned kyng of Englande and therwith all the right therto dependyng The duke of Lancastre tooke it and the archebysshop of Caunterbury toke it out of the dukes handes this resygnacion thus done the duke of Lancastre called a notary and demaunded to haue
for kynge Rycharde was norysshed amonge them therfore they loued hym and whyle he was kynge if any of Burdeloys came to hym they were well receyued and alwayes the kinge was redy to fulfyll their desyres wherfore they sayd whan they knewe the trouth Ah Richarde gentle kyng ye were as noble a man as euer reigned in any realme this trouble that londoners haue caused for they coulde neuer loue you specyall sythe ye were alyed by maryage with the frenche kyng this myschiefe is so great that we can nat suffre it They haue holden you kynge this .xxii. yere and nowe to condempe you to the dethe for sythe ye be in prison haue crowned the duke of Lancastre they wyll surely put you to deth So they of Burdeloys made great lamentacyons in so moche that the seneschall of Burdeaux a ryght valyaunt knyght of Englande wrote letters therin conteynynge the wordes and lamentacyons of them of the cytie of Burdeaulx of Bayon and of Dax Also he wrote howe they were nere at the poynte to yelde vp their townes to the frenche kyng He sent this lettre by a trusty seruauÌ„t of his by the see who had good wynde and aryued at Cornewayle in EnglaÌ„de and than he rode so longe that he came to London there he fouÌ„de kynge Henry and delyuered his letters whiche were dyrected to the kynge and to the londoners They were opened and reed and the kynge and the londoners tooke counsayle vpon that mater They of London aunswered lyke theym that were nothyng abasshed of that tydynges but sayde as for these townes wyll neuer tourne frenche for they can nat lyue in their daunger nor they canne nat suffre the extorcion and pollinge of the frenchmen for vnder vs they lyue franke and free and if the frenche men shulde be lordes ouer them they shulde be taxed and tayled retayled two or thre tymes in a yere the whiche they are nat nowe acustomed vnto whiche shulde be a harde thyng nowe for them to begynne Also these thre cyties are closed in rouÌ„de about with great lordes who are good englysshe and longe haue been as the lorde Pyuiers the lorde Musydent the lorde Duras the lorde Landuras the lorde Copane the lorde Rosem the lorde Logeren and dyuers other barones and knyghtes by whome they shulde haue warre at their handes for they shulde nat issue out of their cities but they shulde be taken For all the seneschalles wrytynge we haue no doute that they shulde become frenche howe be it good it is to sende thyder some valyaunt wyse man that is beloued amonge theym some suche as hath gouerned there or this and that is the lorde Thomas Percy Thus as it was deuysed it was acomplysshed he was desyred to go thyder and to take hede of that couÌ„trey He fulfylled the kynges coÌ„maundement and made hym redy to departe it was about Christmasse at whiche tyme the wyndes be sore and ieoperdous he toke shyppynge in Cornewayle He had with him two hundred men of armes and four hundred archers And with hym was his nephue Hugh Hastynges Thomas Colleuyll Gyllyam Lysle Iohan Graily bastarde sonne to the Captall of Beufz Guillyam Traicton Iohan Danbreticourt and diuers other and also the bysshop of London and mayster Rycharde Doall They taryed tyll it was mydde Marche or they toke the see and or they came to Burdeaux the duke of Burbon was come to the cytie of Dagen to treate with theym of Burdeloys and he dyd so moche by his fayre wordes and good assuraunce that the counsayles of Burdeaux of Bayon and of Dax were sent to the cytie of Dagen The duke receyued them frendly and gaue them fayre wordes and many promyses and shewed them that if they wolde turne frenche and be vnder the obeysaunce of the frenche kynge what so euer they wolde demaunde shulde be graunted them and sealed perpetually to endure Many thynges they promysed and sware to seale and to kepe for euer They aunswered whan they were retourned agayne in to their cyties they wolde shewe all this to the people and so take counsayle and than gyue answere Thus they departed fro Dagen and fro the duke of Burbon and retourned to their townes and shewed all this to the people but all tourned to nothynge for the comynaltyes of the sayde cyties consydred the busynesse and knewe well howe the realme of Fraunce was vexed and troubled with tayles and fowages and shamfull exaccions all to get money than they sayd if the frenche men gouerne ouer vs they wyll bringe vs to the same vsage yet it is better for vs to be englysshe for they kepe vs franke and free If the londoners haue deposed kynge Rycharde crowned kinge Henry what is that to vs we haue and shall haue alwayes a kynge and we vnderstande that the bysshop of London and syr Thomas Percy shortely wyll be here they shall enfourme vs of the trouthe we haue also more marchaundyse of woll wyne and clothe with the Englysshe men than with the frenchmen let vs be ware we make no treatie wherby we shulde repent vs after Thus the treatie with the frenche men was broken and lefte of Than anone after the bysshop of London and the lorde Percy with their charge of men of warre aryued at Burdeaux wherof moche people were greatly reioysed and some displeased suche as had rather haue been frenche than englysshe All these englysshe lordes were lodged togyther in the abbey of saint Andrewe and whan they sawe their tyme they shewed to the people the state of Englande and the cause why they were sent thyder and they dyd so moche that euery thynge was apeased bothe there and in all other places For harde it was to haue caused them to haue tourned frenche THan it was determyned by the counsayle of Fraunce sithe the kyng was in sycknesse by reason of the displeasure that he toke for the deposyng of his sonne in lawe kynge Rycharde that they shulde sende some notable wyse personage in to Englande to knowe the state of the quene to do this message was apoynted syr Charles de la Brethe and Charles of Hangers who as they were coÌ„maunded departed fro Parys and came to Boloygne and there taryed for they had sent an haraulde to kynge Henry for without assurauÌ„ce they durst nat go for all the truce that was bytwene bothe realmes Kynge Henry who thought hym selfe moche bounde to the Frenche kynge for the chere that he hadde in Fraunce toke counsayle and concluded and so the haraulde was answered that it was the kynges pleasure that they and their company shulde come in to Englande and to come the streyght way to the kyng and nat to ryde out of the way without lycence The haraulde retourned to Boloyne and shewed what he had done wherwith they were content and so shypped their horses and toke the see and aryued at Douer where they founde redy a knyght of the kynges howse â—oho receyued theym they had sene hym before with kyng