the lady of Dunoyes for her dowrie whiche was assygned to her sixe thousande frankes And furthermore he shulde haue made another sale of all his landes in Heynaulte And the Duke of Thourayne to haue payde for that two hundred thousande frankes Howe be it therin the erle of Bloys reserued to knowe the erle of Heynaltes pleasure therin who was his naturall lorde to whom he owed faythe and homage for those landes Howe be it that kyng and the duke of Thourayn toke that charge on them and to discharge the erle what soeuer shulde fall after Thus or they departed they bounde the erle by promyse and by writynges sealed as they might well and easely do for he had there none of his couÌsayle saue Sohier who neuer was at scole nor knewe no letter on the boke Moche after this maner went this marchandise and I haue written this mater as iustely as I coude to th entent that herafter in tyme to come by reason of writyng the trouthe shulde be knowen For the erle Guye of Bloys my lorde mayster as he that was ignorant and yuell counsayled more by his wyfe and varlet Sohier thaÌ by any other made this yuell bargayne And whan these maters were concluded and surely made by the kyng the duke of Thourayne and their counsayle than the lordes toke their leaue and retourned in to FrauÌce Great brute was made of these sales in dyuers countries ¶ Howe sir Roger of Spaygne and sir Espaygne du Lyon spedde with the frenche kyng and his counsayle for the Vicount of Chastelons busynesse and howe howe he was sette in possession of the countie of Foiz of the money that he payde Cap. C.lxxxiii HOwe let vs soÌwhat speke of sir Roger of spaygne and of sir Espaygne du Lyon and shewe how they spedde aft they were retourned fro Tourle to go to Tholous to the bysshop of Noyon and to the lorde de la Ryuer So longe they iourneyd that they came thyder they were welcome for their coÌmynge was fore desyred There they shewed their letters and howe they had spedde By semblaunt the bysshoppe and the lorde de la Ryuer were ioyouse of that the herytauÌce shulde abyde with the Vycount of Chastellon on suche condycions as is before written Than sir Roger and his coÌpanyon thought to take some more payne as to ryde to the Vycount of Chastellon and to the counsayls of Foize and of Bierne to se that euery thyng be sette in good order Than they departed fro Tholous and rode to saynt Gracyens the Vicount was nat there but he was at the entre of Berne in a fayre castell called Pau and there they founde hym who was ioyfull of their coÌmynge And whan he knewe that the Frenche kyng had gyuen vp his tytell of the byeng of the couÌtie of Foiz he was gladder than he was before As for the money that he shulde paye he wyst well ynoughe where to haue it and moche more ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made at Amyence of the Frenche kynge and his counsayle and of the kynge of Englandes vncles on the treatie of peace Cap. C.lxxxiiii I Thynke I haue sufficiently treated of the busynesse of Bierne and of foiz for if I shulde reherse all thynges it wolde requyre long writyng therfore I wyll leaue spekyng therof and create of other maters Thus all thyngê coÌcluded the vicount of Chatellon was erle of Foiz and lorde of Berne in lyke maner as the older erle helde it and all suche as ought so to do made homage to hym he departed largely with ser yuan and sir Gracien tholde erles bastarde sones in suche wyse that they were content and payde to the FreÌche kyng all suche money as was êmised to be payde This mater was nat sone done somer was first well onwarde and the bisshop of Noyon and the lorde de la Ryuer taryed styll at Tholous tyll euery thyng was set in good order accordyng as they were charged Nowe let vs speke of thassemble of the lordes of FrauÌce and of Englande in the good cyte of Amyence on the treatie of a peace or of a truce as than beyng the yere of our lorde M.CCC.lxxx .xi. in the myddes of lent great prouision was made ther for these lordê or they caÌe thider First for the frenche kyng for his estate and for his thre vncles and also for other great lordes of FrauÌce euery man after his degre for it was said that kyng Richard of EnglaÌde shulde be there wherfore many desyred to se him such as had neuer sene him before how beit he came nat there yet he caÌe to Douer to th entent to haue passed the see his thre vncles with hym that is to say the dukes of LaÌcastre yorke Glocester whan they came to Douer they tooke aduyse whyder it were mete for the kyng to passe the see or nat All thynges consydred the counsayle of Englande was of opinyon that the kyng shuld byde at Douer the duke of Gloceter with him and the duke of Lancastre the duke of yorke therle of HuÌtyngton therle of Derby sir thomas Percy the bysshops of Durham London and other of the kynges couÌsaile to passe ouer so they came to Calais And whan the day aproched that they shulde mete at AmyeÌce they deêted fro Calysmo than .xii. C. horse it was a goodly syght to se theÌ ryde in good order The frenche kyng had ordayned that after thenglisshmen came out of Calis both goyng abyding returnyng all their costes and charges were borne of the frenche kyngê charge as mete driÌke lodgyng horse mete With the duke of LaÌcastre the duke of yorke there caÌe their cosyn dought to their suster to the lorde Coucy who was a faire yoÌg lady called the lady of yrelaÌde for she was wedded to the duke of yrelaÌde this lady caÌe to Amyens to se the lorde her father the lorde Coucy for she had nat sene hym moche before wherfore she hadde great desyre to se hym She came lyke a noble widowe hauyng but small ioye in her co age THe Frenche kyng had ordayned to make the Englysshe men as moche honour as coude be deuysed and to the foure dukes that is to saye The duke of Thourayn the Frenche kynges brother and the dukes of Burbon of Berrey and or Burgoyne lâpte on their horses and rode out of the towne to mete with the englisshmen acoÌpanyed with many other great lordes Fyrst mette with theÌ the duke Loys of Thourayn well acoÌpanyed and honorably receyued his colyns of Englande there coÌmuned a certayne space with theÌ than he toke his leaue and departed agayne with all his company and so rode streight to the cytie to the kynge his brother And the other thre dukes the kynges vncles Berrey Burbone Burgoyne mette with the Englysshe dukes in the felde and made great chere and honorable eche to other that ioye it was to se Than the geÌtyll
was made chefe ruler of all the meane Craftes in the towne of Gaunte whiche also was a great and a profytable offyce ⸫ ⸪ ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ Froyssart auctour of this cronycle departed out of Fraunce and wente to the erle of Foiz and the maner of his voyage Cap. xxi IT is longe nowe sith I made any mencion of the busynesses of farre Countreis for the busynesses nerer home hath ben so fresshe that I lafte all other maters to write therof Howe be it all this season valyant men desyring to auauÌce them selfe on the realme of Castell and Portyngale In Gascoyne in Rouergue in Quercy in Lymosyn and in Bygore Euery day they ymagined by what subteltie they coulde gette one of another by dedes of armes or by stealyng of townes castels fortresses And therfore I IohnÌ Froyssart who haue taken on me to cronycle this present hystorie at the reqÌst of the highe renomed prince sir Guy of Chatellon erle of Bloyse lorde of Dauesnes Beauuoys Destonhon of la Guede my souerayne mayster good lorde CoÌsydring in my selfe howe there was no great dedes of armes likely towarde in the parties of Picardy or FlauÌders Seyng the peace was made bytwene the duke and them of Gaunt And it greatly anoyed me to be ydell for I knewe well that after my deth this noble and highe hystorie shulde haue his course wherin dyuers noble men shulde haue great pleasure and delyte And as yet I thaÌke god I haue vnderstandyng and remembrauÌce of all thynges passed and my wyt quicke and sharpe ynough to conceyue all thinges shewed vnto me touchyng my princypall mater my body as yet able to endure and to suffre payne All thynges coÌsydred I thought I wolde nat lette to pursue my sayde first purpose And to ââtent to knowe the trouthe of dedes done in ãâã countrieâ I founde occasion to go to the ââghe and mighty prince Gascone erle of Foiz and of Byerne for I knewe well that if I might haue that grace to come in to his house and to be there at leysar I coude nat be so well enformed to my purpose in none other place of the worlde for thyder resorted all maner of knightes and straÌge squyers for the great noblenes of the sayd erle and as I ymagined so I dyd And shewed to my redoubted lorde the Erle of Bloyes myne entent and he gaue me letters of recoÌmendacions to therle of Foiz And so rong I tode without parell or domage that I caÌe to his house called Ortaise in the couÌtre of Berne on saynt Katheryns day the yere of grace M. thre hundred fourscore and eight And the sayd erle as soone as he sawe me he made me good chere and smylyng sayd howe he knewe me yet he neuer sawe me before but he had often herde spekyng of me and so he reteyned me in his house to my great ease with the helpe of the letters of credence that I brought vnto hym so that I might tary there at my pleasure there I was enfourmed of the busynesse of the realmes of Castyle Portyngale Nauar and Aragon yea and of the realme of Englande couÌtre of Burbonoyse and Galcoyne And the erle him selfe if I dyd demaunde any thyng of him he dyde shewe me all that he knewe Sayenge to me howe thy storie that I had begon shulde hereafter be more praysed than any other and the reason he sayd why was this Howe that .l. yere passed there had been done more marueylous dedes of armes in the worlde than in thre hundred yere before that Thus was I in the court of the erle of Foiz well cherysshed and at my pleasure it was the thyng that I moost desyred to knewe newes as touchyng my mater And I had at my wyll lordes knightes squiers euer to enforme me and also the gentle erle hym self I shall nowe declare in fayre langage all that I was enfourmed of to encrease therby my mater and to gyue ensample to theÌ that lyste to auaunce them selfe Here before I haue recounted great dedes of armes takynge and sautynge townes and castelles and batayles and harde encountrynges and yet here after ye shall here of many mo the whiche by the grace of god I shall make iust narracion ye haue herde here before that whan the lorde Edmonde sonne to the kynge of Englande erle of Cambridge was deerted fro the realme of Portingale and had take shypping at Lustbourke and howe he had made câuânant that Iohan to recouer our herytage So thus we become byder paradueÌture nat so many as ye wrote for but suche as I haue here be of suche good wylles that they dare well abyde the aduenture of batayle agaynst all those that be nowe present with the erle of Tryslmate and surely we shall nat be content with you without we haue batayle Suche wordes or lyke the Erle of Cambridge shewed to the kyng of Portingale or he departed the whiche kyng herde theÌ well howe be it he neuer durste gyue batayle on the playne of Saluence whafic he was before the spaynierdes nor they of the countre wolde nat gyue hym counsayle therto but sayde to hym Sir the puyssaunce of the kyng of Castell is as nowe so great and that by fortune or mysad âenture that ye lese the âelde ye lese than youre realme for euer Wherfore it were better ye suffred than to do a thyng wherby ye shulde haue domage and parell And whan tâe erle of Cambridge sawe it wolde be none otherwyse Here tourned to Lusenborne and aparelled his shyppes and toke leaue of the kyng of Portyngale and so toke the see with his company wolde nat leaue Iohan his sonne in Portingale with the kyng nor with the lady that he shulde mary with all The chylde was but yonge and so thus the erle reteurned in to Englande Thus was the dealyng as than of the iourney in Portyngale THe erle of Cambridge retourned in to Englande on the maner as ye haue her de before and shewed his brother the Duke of Lancastre all the dealynge of kynge Ferant of Portyngale The duke was sorie therof for he sawe thereby that his conquest of Castell was farre of and also kyng Richarde of Englande had abouth hâm câuÌsayle that were nat after his apetyte and specially theâle of Orâforde who was chefe in the kinges fauour This erle dyd set as great trouble bytwene the kyng and his vncles as he might and said oftentymes to the kyng sir âfye wyll folowe the myndes of your vncles the duke of Lancastre the crle of Cambridge it shall well cost all the treasure in Englande about their warre in Spayne and yet they shall ceÌquere nothyng It were better for you to kepe your owne people and your money than to spende it abrode where as ye can gette no profyte and kepe and defende your owne he rytage wherin ye haue warâe on all sydes as well by Fraunce as by Scotlande rather than to enploy your tyme in
discended fro hym Sir quod I all this might well be ther is no thyng but that may fall but they of Armynake are right stronge and so therby this countrey shal be euer in warre and stryfe but sir I pray you shewe me the iust cause why the warre first moued bytwene them of Foiz and Armynake I wyll shewe you ê the knight I ensure you it is a marueylous warre for as they saye eche of theÌ haue cause Sir aunciently about a huÌdred yere past there was a lorde in Byerne called Gascone a ryght valyant man in armes is buryed in the freres right solempnely at Ortaise and there ye may se what persone he was of stature and of body for in his lyfe tyme his pycture was made in latyn the whiche is yet there This Gascone lorde of Bierne had two doughters the eldest was maryed to the erle of Armynake that was thanÌe and the yongest to the erle of Foiz who as than was nephue to the kyng of Aragon and as yet therle of Foiz beareth his armes for he discended out of Aragon his armes are palle golde and goules And so it fortuned that this lorde of Biern had a gret warre agaynst the kynge of Spayne that was than who came through all Bisquay with a gret nombre of men of warre to entre in to Bierne The lorde Gascone of Bierne whan he was enformed of his comyng he assembled people on all sydes where he might get men of warre wrote letters to his two sonnes in lawe therle of Armynake and therle of Foiz that they shulde come to serue and ayde hym to defende his herytage These letters sene the erle of Foiz as sone as he myght asseÌbled his people prayed all his frendes so moche that he had a fyue huÌdred knightê and squiers armed and two thousande varlettes with speares dartes pauesses all a fote And so he came in to the countre of Bierne to serue his father who had of hym great ioye And so all they passed the bridge at Ortaise ouer the ryuer lodged bytwene Sanetere and thospytall the kyng of Spayne who had .xx. M. men was lodged nat far thens and ther the lorde Gascon of Bierne therle of foiz taryed for therle of Armynac thought euer that he wolde coÌe so taried for hi thre dayes and on the .iiii. day therle of Armynac sent his letters by an haraulde to the lorde Gascoine of Bierne and sente hym worde howe he myght nat come nor howe he hadde nothyng to do to beare armes for the countre of Bierne Whan the lorde Gascoyne herde those tidynges of excusacions and sawe howe heshulde haue none ayde nor conforte of the Erle of Armynake he was sore abasshed and demaunded counsayle of the erle of Foiz and of the other barones of Bierue howe they shulde maynteyne theÌ selfe Sir quod the erle of Foiz sithe we be here assembled let vs go and fight with our enemyes this counsayle was taken than they ordayned their people they were a twelfe huÌdred men of armes and sixe thousande men a fote The erle of Foiz tooke the first batayle and so came on the kyng of Spaygne and sette on his lodgynges And there was a great batayle and a fierse and slayne mo than ten thousande spayniardê and there therle of Foiz toke prisoners the kynge of Spaygnes sonne and his brother sent them to his father in lawe the lorde Gascoyne of Bierne who was in the areregarde there the spaynyerdes were so disconfyted that the erle of Foiz chased them to the porte saynt Adrian in Bisquay and the kynge of Spayne toke the abbey and dyde on the vesture of a monke or els he had ben taken Than the erle of Foiz retourned to the lorde Gascone of Bierne who made hym good chere as it was reason for he had saued his honour and kepte his countre of Bierne the whiche els was lykely to haue ben loste bycause of this batayle and disconfyture that the erle of Foiz made on the spaygnierdes and for the takyng of the kynges sonne and brother and the lorde of Bierne hadde peace with the spaygnierdes at his owne wyll And whan the lorde Gascoyne was retourned to Ortaise there before all the barons of Foiz and Bierne that were there present Hesayd to his sonne of Foiz Fayre sonne ye are my true and faithfull sonne ye haue saued myne honour and my couÌtrey The erle of Armynake who hath maryed myne eldest doughter hath ercused hym selfe fro this busynesse and wolde nat come to defeÌde myne herytage wherin he shulde haue part Wherfore I saye that suche parte as he shulde haue by reason of my doughter he hath forfait and lost it And here clerely I enheryte you my sonne of Foiz after my dyscease of all the hoole lande and to your heyres for euer And I desyre wyll and commaunde all my subiectes to seale accorde and agre to the same And all answered howe they were well contente so to do Thus by this meanes as I haue shewed you aunciently the erles of Foiz were lordes of the countre of Bierne and bare the crye armes name and had the profyte therof Howe be it for all this they of Arminake had nat their clay me quyte This is the cause of the warre by twene Foiz and Armynake By my faythe sir than quod I ye haue well declared the mater I neuer herde it before And nowe that I knowe it I shall putte it in perpetuall memorie if god gyue me grace to retourne in to my countrey But sir if I durste I wolde fayne demaunde of you one thynge by what insydent the erle of Foiz sonne dyed Thafie the knyght studyed a lytell and sayd Sir the maner of his dethe is right pytuous I wyll nat speke therof Whan ye come to Ortaise ye shall fynde theÌ that wyll shewe you if ye demaunde it And than I helde my peace and we rode tyll we came to Morlens ⸪ ⸫ Of the great vertuousnesse and largesse that was in therle of Foiz and the maner of the pytuouse dethe of Gascone the erles sonne Cap. xxvi THe next day we departed and roode to Dyner to MouÌtgarbell and so to Ercye there we dranke And by sonne setting we came to Ortaise The knight a lighted at his owne lodgynge I a lyghted at the Mone wher dwelte a squier of the erles Erualton de Pyne who well receyued me bycause I was of Fraunce Sir Spayne of Leon wente to the castell to therle and founde hym in his galarye for he had but dyned a lytell before For the erles vsage was alwayes that it was hyghe noone or he arose out of his bedde and supped euer at mydnight The knight shewed hym howe I was come thider and incontynent I was sente for to my ladgynge for he was the lorde of all the worlde that moost desyred to speke with strauÌgers to here tidynges Whan the erle sawe me he made me good chere reteyned me as
they were chased tyll they mette with the fote men who in lykewise than fledde and kepte none order and lepte into the Vynes and in to the dykes to saue themselfe The crosbowes that came out of Cleremount kepte better array than their company dyde For they close toguyder toke a vyne yarde and bent their bowes and made vysage of defence and kepte them selfe there tyll all the Englysshe menne were withdrawen backe agayne to Mountferant They of Cleremont lost tweÌtie of their men sixe slayne and fourtene taken Thus it fell of that enterprice and all that day euery maÌ trussed and made redy to departe the same nyght after and by sixe of the Clocke euery man hadde trussed vp their baggage and laded their horses and sette them selte a foote They past nat a threscore on horsebacke and so sette forwarde in the stretes their somers and caryages they hadde well a foure hundred horse charged with clothes naprie and furres and other thynges necessary They founde in the towne cofes and presses full of stuffe but they lafte them clene voyde They bounde their prisoners two and two toguyder And whan they were all redy and that it was nyght they opyned the gate and issued out They had taryed in Mount feraunt no more but eyghtene houres They sette their cariage before them and thaÌ their prisoners and foote men and the capitayns on horsebacke came after them The nyght was darke and the countrey nat aduysed of their departynge wherfore they were nat pursued and about mydnight they came to Ousacke fro whens they came the seconde day before there they rested them It was shewed me that they wanne by the same voyage a hundred thousande frankes besyde their prisoners Sir Peter of Gyache chauncelloure of Fraunce loste for his parte in redy money thyrtie thousande frankes or aboue THe companyons were well counsayled to leaue Mount feraunt in Auuergne so soone as they dyde For if they had taryed there two dayes lengar than they dyde they hadde nat departed without great daunger and paraduenture with losse of their lyues For all the knyghtes and squiers of the countrey gathered toguyder and came thyder with puyssaunce to haue layde siege to the towne and the lordes of the couÌtrey as ye haue herde before named none taryed behynde And the erle Dolphyn was come within two dayes iourney but than he herde tidynges howe the Englysshmen and gascoyns were departed to their owne forteresses and there the trouthe of the hole mater was shewed hym WhanÌe he knewe the trouthe he rode than more at his ease came to saynt Pursayne and fro thens to Moulyns in Burbonoyes And there he fouÌde the duches of Burbone his doughter who was sore a frayde of that aduenture Howe be it whan she knewe that the aduentures were gone she was gladde therof for thanne she thought her countrey more surer than it was before By my faythe quod the erle I wolde it had coste me greatly that they had taryed styll at Mount Ferant tyll I had come thyder For if they were there nowe they shulde haue an yuell ende We coulde nat haue had a better enterprise in all Auuergne wherby to haue recouered all the fortresses that they holde It semeth well they are skylfull men of warre that they taryed there no lengar they are gone to their owne holdes with all their pyllage and prisoners Thus the Erle and the duchesse his doughter coÌmuned toguyder And Perot le Bernoys and Olyue Barbe the Bourge of CoÌpayne the Bourg angloys Apthon Seguyn and the other capitayns of the fortresses whan they were coÌe to Ousacke they departed their botye pyllage and prisoners And some they raunsomed and the other they ledde to their fortresses Some to Carlat and some to Gaslucet All the countre of Auuergne toke better hede to they holdes than they hadde done before Howe be it the erle of Armynake and the erle Dolphyn sente to Perotte le Bernoys sayeng howe falsely and traytourously he had taken and stollen the towne of Mountferant and robbed it and ledde away the prisoners counsaylynge hym to make therof amendes Consydringe howe they were in treatie toguyder âor a peace Perotte aunswered and sayde Sauyng their graces as for my selfe and seuyn other Capitayns that were with me at the takynge of Mountferant were neuer at no maner of treatie with these Erles nor we toke nat this towne fraudulently nor stale it But I entred in at the gate whiche was opyned redy to receyue me If I and my company hadde been sworne to any treatie we wolde haue kepte it surely But we were neuer of that entencyon nor wyll be In this case the mater stoode and the lordes coude haue none other answere Sir Peter of Gyache was sore displeased for the losse that he hadde And as for them of Mounte ferant recouered them selfe as well as they myght Thus this aduentures fell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey maryed the lady Mary his doughter to the erle of Bloys sonne And howe the same yere the sonne of the duke of Berrey marryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yong kyng Charles of Fraunce Cap. C.xxiii IN the yere of our lorde God a thousande thre huÌdred fourscore and sixe in the moneth of August Guye the erle of Bloyes and the Lady Mary his wyfe departed fro the towne of Bloyes well acompanyed with knightes and squyes ladyes and damoselles to go in to Berrey and they had with theym their yonge sonne who hadde fyaunced the yere before Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey and the entencyon of the erle of Bloyes and of the couÌtesse his wyfe was that whan they shulde come to Burgus in Berrey to êcede to the sayd maryage In lykewise it was the entencyon of the duke of Berrey of the duches his wyfe Thus whaÌ all these êties were come togyder than these two chyldren were ioyned togider in mariage in the churche of saynt Stephyn in Burgus by a Cardynall the chauncellour of Berrey and the bysshoppe of Poyters had the yere before ensured theym toguyder It this maryage of Loyes of Bloyes and of the lady Mary of Berrey in the cytie of Burgus was made great feest and tryumphes with iustes turneyes This feest endured eight dayes whaÌ this was accomplysshed the erle of Bloyes and the countesse tooke leaue of the duke of Berrey and of the duchesse and so returned to Bloyes and hadde with them their yonge doughter Also in the same yere IohnÌ of Berrey sonne to the duke of Berrey called Erle of Mountpensier maryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yonge kynge of FrauÌce In the same yere that these Maryages were thus made In the tyme of lente the duchesse of Berrey and Mary of Fraunce her doughter and her sonne rode to the towne of Bloyes to se the Erle Bloyes and the countesse and their chyldren They were receyued in to the Castell of Bloyes with great ioye At all these maters I sir
they be nat of the power so to do nor to fyght with you sythe ye be so great a nombre as it is sayd in Englande that ye be Why quod the erle of Moret what nombre do they repute vs at Sir quod he it is sayd howe ye be a .xl. thousande men and .xii. hundred speares And sir if ye take the waye in to Gales they wyll go by Berwike and so to Donbare to Edenborome or els to Alquest and if ye take nat that waye than they wyll go by Carlyle and in to the mountayns of that countrey Whan the lordes herde that eche of them regarded other Than the Englysshe squyer was putte to the kepyng of the Constable of Gedeours and coÌmaunded that he shulde be surely kepte than in the same place they wente agayne to counsayle THe lordes of Scotlande were ryght ioyfull of that they knewe surely the entent of their ennemyes and than they demaunded counsayle what waye was best for them to take The moost wysest and best experte in warre spake fyrst and that was sir Archanbas Duglas and therle of Fenne sir Alysander Ramsey sir Iohan Saynt clere and sir Iames Lymsey They sayd for feare of faylynge of our entent we counsayle that we make two armyes to the entente that our ennemyes shall nat knowe whervnto to attende And lette the moost parte of our hoost and caryage go by Carleon in Galles and lette the other company of a thre or four huÌdred speares and two thousaÌde of other well horsed drawe towardes Newcastell vpon Tyne and passe the ryuer and entre in to the bysshorike of Durham and burne and exyle the countrey We shall make a great breull in Englande or our ennemyes be prouyded And if wese that they do folowe vs as they wyll do Than lette vs drawe all oure companyes toguyder and take a good place and fyght with them We doute nat but we shall haue honoure Than lette vs be reuenged of the dommages they haue done to vs. This counsayle was accepted and ordayned that sir Archanbas Duglas therle of Fenne the erle of Surlancke the erle of Monstres the erle of Mare therle of Astroderne sir Stephyn of Freseyle sir George of Donbare and sirtene other great lordes of Scotlande shulde lede the moost parte of the armye towardes Carlyle And the erle Duglas sir Orge erle of Mare and of Donbare and the erle Iohan of Morette These thre to be capitaynes of thre hundred speares of chosen men and of two thousande other men and archers and they to go towardes Newcastell and entre in to NorthuÌberlande Thus these two hoostes departed eche from other eche of them prayenge other that if the Englysshmen folowed any of their armyes nat to fyght with them tyll bothe their armyes were ioyned toguyder Thus in a mornyng they departed fro Gedeours and toke the feldes ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle Duglas wanne the penon of sir Henry Percy at the barryers before Newcastell vpontyne and howe the scottes brente the castell of Pondlen and howe sir Henry Percy and sir Rafe his brother toke aduyse to folowe the scottes to conquere agayne the penone that was lost at the scrimysshe Cap. C .xli. WHanÌe the Englysshe lordes sawe that their squier retourned at agayne at the tyme apoynted coud knowe nothynge what the scottes dyd nor what they were purposed to do than they thought well the their squyer was taken The lordê sent eche to other to be redy whan soeuer they shulde here that the scottê were a brode as for their messanger they thought hym but lost ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the erle Duglas and other for they had more to do than they that wente by Carlyle Whan the erles of Duglas of Moret of de la Mare and Donbare departed fro the great hoost they toke their waye thynkyng to passe the water and to entre in to the bysshoprike of Durham and to ryde to the towne and than to retourne brinnyng and exyling the countrey and so to come to Newcastell and to lodge there in the towne in the dispite of all the Englysshe men And as they determyned so so they dyde assaye to putte it in vre for they rode a great pase vnder couert with out doyng of any pyllage by the waye or assautyng of any castell towre or house But so came in to the lorde Percyes lande passed the ryuer of Tyne without any let a thre leages aboue Newcastell nat farre fro Braspathe and at last entred in to the bisshoprike of Durham where they founde a good countrey Than they beganne to make warre to slee people and to brinne vyllages and to do many sore displeasures As at that tyme the erle of Northumberlande and the other lordes and knyghtes of that countrey knewe nothyng of their coÌmyng Whan tidynges caÌe to Newcastell and to Durham that the scottes were abrode and that they myght well se by the fiers and smoke abrode in the countrey The erle sente to Newcastell his two sonnes and sente commaundemente to euery man to drawe to Newcastell sayenge to his sonnes ye shall go to Newcastell and all the countrey shall assemble there and I shall tary at Nymyche whiche is a passage that they muste passe by if we may enclose them we shall spede well Sir Henry Percy and syr Rafe his brother obeyed their fathers coÌmaundement and came thyder with them of the countrey The scottes rode burnynge and exylynge the countrey that the smoke therof came to Newe castell The scottes came to the gates of Durham and skrymysshed there but they taryed nat longe but returned as they had ordeyned before to do and that they founde by the waye toke and distroyed it Bytwene Durham and Newcastell is but twelue leages englyssh and a good countrey There was no towne without it were closed but it was brente and they repassed the Ryuer of Tyne where they had passed before than came before Newcastell and there rested All the Englysshe knyghtes and squyers of the countrey of yorke and bysshoprike of Durham were asseÌbled at Newecastell and thyder came the seneschall of yorke sir Rafe Mombraye syr Rafe Redmayne capytayne of Berwyke sir Roberte Angle syr Thomas Grey sir Thomas Holcon sir Iohan Felton syr Iohan Lyerborne syr Thomas Abyton the baron of Helcon sir Iohan Copuldyke dyuers other so that the towne was so full of people that they wyst nat where to lodge WHan these thre scottysshe erles who were chyefe capytaynes had made their enterprise in the bysshoprike of Durham and had sore ouer rynne the countrey than they retourned to Newcastell and there rested and taryed two dayes and euery day they skrymysshed The erle of Northumberlandes two sonnes were two yonge lusty knyghtes and were euer formaste at the barryers to skrymysshe There were many proper feates of armes done and archyued there was fyghtynge hande to hande Amonge other there fought hande to hande the erle Duglas and sir Henry Percy and by force of armes the erle Duglas
duke and the duchesse And the duke caused to be proclamed a feest and a iustes to be holden at Dygnon and knightes squiers of Burgoyne of Sauoy and of other marches adioyning were requyred to be at this feest And so euery man ordred themselfe accordingly THus whyles the kynges prouisyon was a makyng to go to Auignon to Languedocke The duke of Burgoyne on his parte made great prouisyon to receyue the kynge and so dyde euery man in their marchesse that purposed to be at the feest at Dignon The same season other maters fell in Fraunce ye haue herde howe the duke of Irelande who was called erle of Oxenforde was banysshed oute of Englande by the vncles of kyng Richarde and speciallye the duke of Gloucestre had grettest dyspleasure to hym so that to saue hym selfe he was fledde in to Hollande and taryed there but a small season in the towne of Dordregh for he was fayne to departe thens For duke Aubert who was lorde of that towne and of Holande denyed hym the taryeng in his couÌtrey for he wolde nat kepe hym agaynst the wyll of his cosyns germayns of Englande for all that the kynge of Englande had written for hym yet he was fayne to departe and to go to Trecte a fraunches towne for all maner of people payeng for that they take And the duke of Irelande had ynoughe to paye For besyde that he brought with him he had threscore thousande frankes out of Fraunce fro the Constable for the redempcion of Iohan of Bretayne And he was come to the FreÌche kyng vnder saueconducte and was there with hym more than a yere The kyng made hym good chere bycause he was a strauÌger Howe be it trewe it was thoughe this duke was with the kyng yet the lorde of Coucy hated hym in his herie for he had good cause For though the duke in all affayres was prouyded of wytte honoure eloquence and of great largesse yet he had greatly trespassed agaynst the lorde of Coucies doughter who was his wyfe laufully spoused And forsoke her without any tytell of reason but by false and yuell temptacyon and disceyte was disceyued And toke another wyfe a damosell of the quene of Englandes of the countrey of Boeme the kyng and the quene of EnglaÌde synfully consented therto And was dispensed by pope Vrbane of Rome at the instauÌte desyre of the kynge and quene of Englande This synne greued greatly the conscience of the duke of Irelande And bycause the lorde of Coucy who was of the counsayle of FrauÌce and well worthy so to be for he had done good seruyce was well able to do He êcured so moche by meanes of his frendes as sir Olyuer of Clysson and the lorde de la Ryuer sir Iohan Marcyer and other That it was sayde to the duke of Irelande that he shulde departe out of Fraunce and to go and chose hymselfe another place to abyde in where he lyst so that it be nat in the realme of FrauÌce and thyder he shulde surely be coÌueyed The duke of Irelande sawe well howe he was dayly in paryll by meanes of the lorde of Coucy and his lygnage Wherfore he thought it shulde be beste for hym to go farre of rather than to abyde nere than he aduised to drawe in to Brabant and desyred the kyng to write to the duchesse of Brabant that it wolde pleace her to suffre hym pesably to abyde in her couÌtrey The kynge wrote to his aunte the duchesse of Brabant and she condisceÌded to the kynges desyre The duke of Irelande was conducted by men of the kynges to Louayne and there he taryed and somtyme he went to a castell nat farre of fro the towne of Louaygne the whiche he had borowed of a knyght of Brabant With the duke of Irelande was the archebysshop of yorke who in lykewise was banysshed out of Englande all for one cause This bysshoppe was one of the Neuelles of Englande who in the countrey of NorthuÌberlande were puissaunt men bothe of landes and of lynage There taryed these two lordes at Louayne or there about as I herde saye as longe as they lyued For they coude neuer come to mercy nor peace with the kynge of Englandes vncles I can no farther speke of them ABout the feest of saynt Mychell the FreÌche kyng departed fro his house of Beautie besyde Parys and lefte there the quene and toke his waye by Troy in Champayne to go in to Burgoyne his vncle the duke of Burbone and duke Loyes of Thourayne and the lorde of Couây and many other lordes and knyghtes in his company The kynge rode so longe that he came to Dignon The duke of Burgoyne and the erle of Neuers his sonne were come before to the Chatelon on the ryuer of Sayne whaÌ the kyng was come to Dignon the duchesse of Burgoyne and the couÌtesse of Neuers her doughter receyued the kyng ioyfully and all other lordes for loue of the kyng And to his welcomynge to Dygnon many ladyes and damosels were come thyder to se hym there was the lady of Sully the lady of Vergy the lady of Pagny and dyuers other fayre ladies and fresshe and well apparelled Than began feestynge daunsynge and carolynge These ladyes enforsed themselfe to daunce to syng and to make ioye for loue of the kyng and the duke of Thourayne the duke of Burbone of the lorde of Coucy Monday tuesday and wednisday all thre dayes ther was goodly iustes and prices gyuen to the best doers The kynge was eight dayes in the towne of Dignon in great triuÌphe and sporte The x. daye he toke leaue of his vncle the duke of Burgoyne and of the duchesse and their children Th entent of the duke of Burgoyne was shortely after to folowe the kyng his nephue and to go with hym that iourney The kyng deêted fro Dignon whan he had taken his leaue of all ladyes and damoselles and rode so long by his iourneys that he came to Vile neufe besyde Auignon There his house royall was apparelled for hym there was the cardynals of Amyens of Aigreuell of saint Marcell of Chatell neufe and mo than xiii other came and mette the kyng in the felde all were gladde of the kynges coÌmyng THe duke of Berrey was come to Auygnon and was lodged in the popes palais but he caÌe to Vyle neufe to the kynge and laye in the lyuere of arras called Amontays in the way to Mountpellyer The duke of Burgoyne arryued there the next day that the kyng came thyder by the water of Rone for the duke toke a barge at Lyonsur le rone Thus the kynge and these four dukes were togyder Than they determyned to passe the bridge of Auignon and to go se the pope And about .ix. of the clocke in the mornyng the kyng passed the bridge acompanyed with his brother and his thre vncles and .xii. cardynalles and so went to the popes palays and pope Clement was redy in his chambre of
ê he howe be it ye shall abyde here all this daye and refresshe your selfes and to morowe ye shall departe they obeyed and taryed that daye and the nyght at their pleasure and the erle deuysed with theym sagely craftely for he was a man by reason of his fayre langage to drawe out by one meanes or other the secretes of on s herte The nexte daye they toke leaue eche of other and rode so long that the same day they came to Tholouse and founde the kinge playenge at chesse with his vncle the duke of Burbone Than the kynge demaunded of them alowde and sayde Syrs howe saye you wyll the erle come or no. yes sir quod the lorde de la Ryuer he hath gret affection to se your grace he wyll be here with you within these foure dayes Well quod the kynge and we wyll gladly se hym The two knightes departed fro the kynge and lefte hym playeng went to their supper and to reste them for they had rydden that daye a great iourney The erle of Foiz who was at Nasyers remembred well the voyage that he had to do He made hym redy and sente before to Tholous for his êuisyon acordingly He had sent in to Bierne for knightes and squiers for mo than two hundred to serue and to accompany hym that voiage THe daye that the erle of Foiz had apoynted he entred in to the Cytie of Tholous with mo than syxe hundred horses and well acompanyed with knyghtes and squyers There was with hym BoÌnuquell and sir IohaÌ his brother sir Roger of Spaygne his cosyn the lorde of Courase the lorde of ValeÌtyne the lorde of quare the lorde of Burnge sir Espaygne du Lyon the lorde of Roquepayre the lorde of Lane the lorde of Besache the lorde of Perle sir Peter of Cabestayne sir Monaunt of Nonnalles sir Richarde de la Meete sir Arnolde of saynt Basyll and dyuers other Sir Peter of Byerne and sir Arnolde his two bretherne and his two bastarde sonnes sir Iobbayne and sir Gracyen of Foiz The entencion of the erle was to enherite those two his sonnes in to the moost parte of all the lande of Bierne Of the whiche lande he myght do therwith at his pleasure for he helde it fraÌke and free holdynge of no man but of Godde Thus the erle toke his lodgynge at the Freers preachers There he kept his house and his men lay as nere there about as myght be The burgesses of Tholous made him great chere for they loued him well for alwayes he had been their good neyghbour curtesse and tretable For he neuer suffred any of his coÌpany to do them any displeasure nor vyoleÌce wherfore they loued hym moche the better They gaue him many fayre pÌsentes of wyne and other thynges so that he was well contente He entred in to Tholous whan it was nere nyght The nexte daye about ten of the clocke he toke his horse suche other of his company as pleased hym mo than two hundred knyghtes and squyers men of honour And in that estate he rode a long through the stretes to the Castell where the kynge was Than he a lyghted in the fyrst court entryng in to the castell Than the erle mouÌted vp the greces in to the great hall The freÌche kyng was come out of his chambre in to the hall and there taryed for the Erle and had great desyre to se hym for his great valure and renome that ran on hym Th erle of Foiz who was a goodly prince and of a formall stature beare heeded entred in to the hall And whan he sawe the kynge and other lordes of FrauÌce the kynges brother his vncle he made his reuerence to the kyng and to none other and kneled downe on his one knee than he a rose and passed forthe and at the thirde tyme he kneled nere to the kynge The kyng toke hym by the hande and enbrased him and toke hym vp and sayde Erle of Foiz my fayre cosyn ye be right welcome your coÌmyng greatlye reioyceth vs. Sir quod the erle I thaÌke your grace that it please you to say so There the kynge and the Erle talked toguyder the whiche wordes I herde nat all ThanÌe the kynge went to dyner At the kynges table at the vpper ende sate the archbisshop of Tholous than the kynge and his vncle the duke of Burbone than nexte the erle of Foiz than sir IohnÌ of Burbone erle of Marche and of Vandone At that table sate no mo At the seconde table satte sir Iohan de la Brethe erle of Harcourte sir Philyppe of Bare foure knightes of the erle of Foiz And at another table there sate the marshall sir Loyes of sanxere sir Roger of Spayne and eyght other knightes of the erles This was a great dyner and well stuffed of all thynges and after dyner and grace sayd they toke other pastymes in a great chaÌbre and heryng of instrumentes wherin the erle of Foiz greatly delyted ThanÌe wyne and spyces was brought The erle of Harecourt serued the kynge of his spyce plate And sir Gerrarde de la pyerserued the duke of Burbone And sir Monnaunt of Nonnalles serued the erle of Foiz Thus about four of the clocke the erle tooke leaue of the kyng and of the other lordes He issued out of the hall and in the courte were his hourses redy and his men The erle mouÌted and all suche as accompanyed hym and so retourned to his lodgynge and was well contente with the chere that hadde ben made to hym and his and praysed it moche to his knightes TThus bytwene the Frenche Kynge and the Erle Gascoyne of Foize beynge at Tholous There was dyuers treaties and apoyntmentes of loue and the marshall of Fraunce and the lorde de la Ryuer dyde their payne to helpe it forwarde The erle of Foiz made a dyner to the duke of thou rayne and to the duke of Burbone to therle de la Marche and to other great Lordes of Fraunce This dyner was great and sumptuous and syttyng at the tables mo than .ii. hundred knightes And or the dyner was fullye ended the Frenche kyng who had dyned in the castell and with hym sir Charles de la Brethe and sir Philyppe of Bare and his two cosyn germayns Than the kyng sayde Go we thyder and so he dyde but with .xii. in his company The erle of Foiz was greatlye reioysed in that it pleased the kyng to coÌe to his lodgyng and so was all the company There was sporte after dyner of wrestlyng and castynge the barre the stone the darte bytwene the Frenche men and the Gascoyns Thus they passed the tyme tyll it was nerehande nyght Than the kynge and the other lordes retourned The erle of Foiz gaue the same daye to the kynges knightes and squyers and to the duke of Thourayne and to the duke of Burbone mo thaÌ threscore coursers palfrayes and mulettes all with whyte sadels redy drest to apoynt Also he gaue to the kynges mynstrelles
and other two hundred crownes of golde And to the heraudes and offycers of armes other two hundred crownes so that euery man praysed the larges of the erle of Foiz The fourthe daye after the erle came to the kynges palais well acompanyed with lordes and knyghtes of Byerne and of Foiz to se the kynge and to do as he was requyred that is to saye to do his homage for the countie of Foiz with the appendauntes reseruyng the lande of Bierne Before that secretely there had been great treaties bytwene the kynge and the erle of Foiz by meanes of the lorde de la Ryuer sir Iohan Mercier and the bysshoppe of Noyon who was newly come thyder fro Auygnon It was sayd that the erle desyred of the kyng that his sonne Iobbayne of Foiz myght after the erles discease enheryte the countie of Foiz By that the erle whan soeuer he dyed shulde leaue to the kyng a huÌdred thousande frankes in money And sir Gasyon his brother to haue the land of Ayre in Bierne with the Cytie and the Mounte of Marcen and all other landes that the Erle of Foiz hadde bought in Bierne shulde retourne to the herytauÌce of the vycount of Castyllon These assygnementes were in debate and in dyfference bytwene the erle and the barones and knightes of his countrey Some sayde he coude nat do thus with a generall consent of all Byerne and Foize And bycause that the meane homage of the countie of Foize was dewe to the Frenche kyng therfore the kyng sayde to the Erle and to the barons of Foiz Sirs I holde in my handes the homage of the lande of Foiz and if it be so in our dayes that the lande of Foiz be vacant by the dethe of our cosyn the erle of Foiz than we shall so determyne and apoynt by the aduise of good counsayle that Iobbayns of Foiz and all other men of the couÌtie of Foiz shall holde theÌ content Those wordes well coÌtented therle of Foiz and the other lordes and knyghtes of Foiz that were there present These ordynaunces written and sealed the erle toke his leaue of the kynge and of all other great lordes but that daye he dyned with the kyng than went to his lodgyng The nexte day he departed fro Tholous and lefte his furriers behynde hym to paye for euery thyng The erle passed the ryuer of Gyronde by the bridge of Tholous and retourned in to his countrey by the mount of Marsen and so to Ortayes Than he gaue leaue to euery man to departe sauyng his ordynarye It was shewed me and I beleue it well that the coÌmynge of the frenche kyng in to LaÌguedocke in to Tholous in to those marchesse cost the erle of Foize more than threscore thousande frankes The erle was so lyberall that whatsoeuer it cost hym he payde it wyllyngly ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the feate and couenaunt that was don bytwene the kyng and the duke of Thourayn his brother whiche of them shulde sonest come to parys fro MonÌtpellyer whiche is a huÌdred and fyftie leages a sondre eche of them but with one knyght Cap. C.lxv. THe Frenche kynge being at Tholous he ordred all his businesse and remoued renewed seneschales and officers and reformed the countrey in to good estate so that euery maÌ was well contented And on a day the kyng present his brother his vncle of Burbone the lordes of FrauÌce and Gascoyne to th entent to haue a perpetuall memorie gaue to his cosyn germayne sir Charles de la Brethe for the augmentacion of his honour two quarters of armes of FrauÌce with floure delyces for a fore the lordes de la Brethe bare alwayes in their armes a felde of goules playne without any other thyng nowe they be quartred with the armes of FrauÌce whiche thyng the lorde de la Brethe toke for a great gyfte whiche lorde made the same daye a great dyner whiche cost hym more than a thousande frankes and he gaue to heraudes mynstrels .ii. hundred frankes Anone after it was ordayned that the kyng shulde departe fro Thoulous to retourne in to Fraunce euery man made hym redy and toke leaue of the kynge the bysshop of Tholous the seneschall the burgesses and lordes and damoselles of the towne The kynge deêted rode that nyght to the newe castell of Alroy and so forwarde euery daye so that he came to MouÌtpellyer where he was ioyfully receyued there taryed thre dayes for the ladyes and damosels there pleased hym moche Than he had gret defyre to returne to Paris to se the quene on a daye as he coÌmuned in sporte with his brother of Thourayne he sayd Fayre brother I wolde that you and I were at Paris and all our estate here styll as it is for I haue great desyre to se the quene and your fayre suster of Thourayne than the duke sayde Sir we can nat be there with wysshing it is a farre iourney hens that is true ê the kyng yet I thynke I might besoone there I wolde ye ê the duke with helpe of good horses for so coude I be but my horse must beare me well quod the kyng laye a wager you and I who shall be there sonest I am content ê the duke for he was euer redy to wyn money of the kyng The wager was layde bitwene the kynge the duke that who soeuer of theÌ twayne came sonest to Paris shulde wyn fyue thousande fraÌkes of other to departe the nexte day all at one hour eche of them to take but one knight or seruauÌt with them there was no man that durst breke their wager the nexte day they departed as it was ordayned The lorde of GaraÌciers rode with the kyng and the lorde of Viefuyll was with the duke of Thourayn thus these four rode night day lyke yong lusty galaÌtes they chauÌged many horses thus they rode in post the duke of burbone retourned by Puy in Auuergne rode to se his grauÌtfather by the way therle Dolphyn of Auergne the countesse their chyldren of whoÌ there were to the noÌbre of eight what soÌnes what doughters all bretherne susters to the duches of Burbone his wife but that was by reason of two maryages Thus the frenche kyng and his brother the duke of Thourayne rode in great hast eche of theÌ to wyn the wager CoÌsyder well the great payne of these two great riche lordes youthe lybertie of corage made theÌ to do that enterprice their estates abode behynde The frenche kynge made it foure dayes a halfe or he came to Paris and the duke of Thourayne no more but four dayes a quarter of a day they folowed eche other so nere the duke wan the wager by reason that the frenche kynge rested himself about .viii. of the clocke at Trois in ChaÌpayne and the duke toke a barge in the ryuer of Seyne and went a longe the ryuer to Melyn and there toke his horse rode so tyll he
soueraygne of the armye for that voyage and to whome euery man shulde obey The duke of Thourayne of his owne voluÌtary wyll offred hym selfe to go but the kyng and his vncles wolde in no wyse agree therto sayenge howe it was no voyage for hym and they consydred well howe that genouoys desyred outher to haue him or els one of the kynges vncles Than it was agreed that the duke of Burbone vncle to the kynge shulde be souerayne and chefe of that armye shulde haue in his company the lorde of Coucy Whan the ambassadours of Gene were aunswered that it was concluded without fayle that they shulde haue ayde of knightes and squyers of Fraunce and the kynges vncle the duke of Burbone to be souerayne and chefe capytayne wherof these ambassadours were well contente and toke their leaue of the kynge and of his counsayle and retourned in to their owne couÌtrey Tydinges anon spred abrode in that realme of Fraunce af this voyage into Barbary To some it was plesaunt and to some nat delectable and many that wolde haue gone wente nat There was none that went but on their owne charge and coste No lorde sente any but of their owne seruauntes Also it was ordeyned that none shuld passe of the nacyon of Fraunce without lycence of the kynge for the kynge wolde nat that so many shulde haue gone to leaue the realme destitute of knyghtes and squyers Also it was agreed that no varlettes shulde passe but all gentle men and men of feate defence Also to please all other nacyons knyghtes squiers straungers had fre lyberty to come and to entre into this honorable voyage wherof all knyghtes straungers greatly praysed the frenche kynge and his counsayle for that dede The duke of Burbone who was one of the chefe of the realme sent incontynent his officers to Gennes to make prouysyon acordynge to his astate The gentle erle of Auuergne sent also to Gennes to make his prouysions and the lorde of Coucy was nat behynde Also syr Guy de la Tremoyle and sir Iohan of Vyen admyrall of Fraunce and all other lordes and knightes suche as were ordeyned to go in that voyage sent to make their prouysions euery man after his degre Also so dyd sir Philyppe de Arthoys erle of Eawe and sir Phylip of Bare the lorde of Harcourt sir Henry Dantoinge Also out of Bretayne and Normandy many lordes other aparelled them selfes to go into Barbary Also of Haynalt the lorde of Ligne the lord of Haureth and for theÌ of Flaunders there was great êuysion made Also the duke of LaÌcastre had a bastard sonne called Henry of Lancastre he had deuocion to go in the same voyage he prouyded him of good knightes and squyers of Englande that acompanyed hym in that voyage The erle of Foiz sent his bastarde sonne called Iobbayne of Foiz well prouyded with knightes squiers of Bierne Euery man prouyded them selfes nobly and eche for other and about the myddes of May the that were furthest of fro Gene set forwarde to come to Gennes whereas the assemble was apoynted and where as all their galees and vesselles were assembled It was a moneth or they coude all assemble there The genouoys were right ioyfull of their comyng and gaue great presentes to the chiefe lordes the better therby to wynne their loues They were nombred whan they were togyther by the marshals xiiii hundred knyghtes and squyers Than they entred in to the galees and vesselles that were prouyded for them well furnisshed of all thynges necessary Thus they departed fro the porte of Gennes aboute the feest of mydsomer in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and ten GReat pleasure it was to behold their departynge and to se their standardes getorns and penons wanynge in the wynde and shynynge against the sonne and to here the trompettes claryons sownyng in the ayre with other mynstrelsy The fyrste night they lay at ancre at the entryng in to the high see all varlettes horses abode behynde a horse that was worthe fyfty frankes at their departyng was solde for ten frankes for there were many knyghtes and squiers that wyste nat whan they shulde returne they coulde nat haue fyue horses kept at Gennes for a franke a daye and therfore at their departynge they made money of them and that was but lytell There were a huÌdred galees garnisshed with men of warre crosbowes pauesses and mo than a C. of other vessels laden with êuysion other necessaryes The next day at the breke of the daye they weyed ancres and rowed all that day by force of owers and the nyght folowynge costyng the laÌde The thyrde day they came to Portefyn and there cast ancre and taryed there all that night and the next day they came to another porte towne called the porte VeÌder and there taryed and refresshed them The next day they passed further into the gret see in the name of god our lady and saynte George firste they founde the isle of Dable and than that isle of Guerfe the isle of Argenen and the isle of Sardyns passed the Gulfe of the Lyon which was a daungerous a doutfull passage but they coulde nat eschewe it the waye that they toke they were there in great parell all to haue ben lost the season was so troublus tempestes so terryble that the wysest maryner that there was coulde gyue no couÌsaile but to abyde the adueÌture the wyll of god wherby the flete departed a sonder some here and some there they wyst neuer where This tempest endured a day a night whan this teÌpest was sest and the wyndes pacifyed than the patrons pylottes set their courses to drawe to the isle of CoÌmeres a .xxx. myle fro Auffryke and fro the towne thyder as they entented to go For at the goynge out of the Gulfe of Lyon the patrones sayde one to a nother if it fortune that we be driuen a sonder by force of wynde and wether than lette vs drawe to the isle of CoÌmeres and there lette vs tary eche for other And as they hadde deuysed so they dyd for the fyrst that came thyder taryed tyll the last came and or all coulde assemble there togyder it was a nyne daies This isle of CoÌmeres is a pleasauÌt isle thought it be nat gret There the lordes refresshed theym and thanked god whhan they sawe they had loste none of their company Thanne the lordes and patrons toke counsayle what was best for them to do consyderinge they were so nere the towne of Aufryke ¶ Nowe I wyll leaue to speke of these lordes of Fraunce for a season and speke of other maters that was done in that season in FrauÌcel and specyally in the countrey of Auuergne in the marches of the lande of the erle Dolphyn who was forthe in the sayd voyage ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of a capytayne a robber and a pyller of the countrey called Aymergot Marcell who helde a stronge
Aufryke and bycause I myght truely write the maner and fascion of this enterprice Alwayes I desyred suche knyghtes and squyers as had ben at the same voyage to enforme me of euery thyng And bycause I had been oftentymes in my dayes at Calays I demaunded also of suche there as had ben at the sayde voyage And it was shewed me of a suretie that the sarazyns amonge them selfes sayde howe the Christen men that were there were expert and subtyle men of armes Whervpon an auncyent sarazyn sayd to all his company Sirs all thynges coÌsydred it is best that the Christen men at the begynnyng se nat our strength and puissaunce nor also we haue nat men suffycieÌt to fyght with them but daylye men wyll coÌe to vs. Wherfore I thynke it best to sufâre theÌ to take laÌde they haue no horses to ouer ron the countrey they wyll nat sprede abrode but kepe togyder for feare of vs. The towne is stronge ynoughe and well prouyded we nede nat feare any assautê The ayre is hote and wyll be hotter They are lodged in the sonne and we in the shadowe and they shall dayly wast their vitaylles and shal be withâute hope to recouer any newe and they lye here any long season And we shall haue pleÌtie for we be in our owne countrey and they shall ofteÌtymes be awaked and scrimysshed withall to their doÌmage and to our aduauntage Lette vs nat fight with them for other wyse they can nat disconfyte vs. They haue nat ben vsed with the ayre of this countrey whiche is contrary to their nature I thynke this the best waye TO the saieng of this auÌcient knight sarazyn all other agreed ThanÌe it was coÌmaunded on payne of dethe that no man shulde go to the see syde to scrymysshe with the Christen men without they were coÌmaunded but to kepe them selfe close in their lodgynges suffre the christen men to take lande This determynacion was vp holde none durst breke it And they sent a certayne of their archers in to the towne of Aufryke to ayde to defende it The Sarazyns shewed theme selfes nothyng as though ther had been no men in the countrey The Christen men lodged all that night in the mouthe of the hauyn of Aufryke and the nexte mornynge the wether was fayre and clere and the ayre in good temper and the sonne rose that it was pleasure to beholde ThanÌe the Christen men began to styrre and made theÌ redy hauynge great desyre to approche the towne of Aufryke and to take lande Than trumpettes and claryons began to sowne in the Gallees and vesselles and made great noise and about nyne of the clocke whan the christen men had taken a lytell refress hynge with drinke than were they reioysed lighted And accordyng as they had apoynted before they sent in fyrst their lyght vesselles called Brigandyns well furnisshed with artyllary They entred in to the hauyn and after them came the armed Galees and the other shyppes of the flete in good order and tournyng towardes the lande by the see syde ther was a strong castell with hyghe towres and specially one towre whiche defended the see syde and the lande also And in this towre was a bricoll or an engyn whiche was nat ydell but styll dyde cast great stones amonge the Christen mens shyppes In lyke wise in euery towre of the towne agaynst the See syde there were engyns to caste stones the sarazyns had well prouyded for their towne for they loked euer longe before whane they shulde be besieged Whan the Christen men entred in to the hauen of Aufryke to take lande it was a plesaunt syght to beholde their order and to here the claryons and trumpettes sounde so hyghe and clere dyuers knightes and valyaunt men of the realme of FrauÌce sprede abrode that day their baners with dyuers other newe made knyghtes The lorde Iohan of Lignye was there firste made knight He was of the countrey of Chauny He was made by the handes of a cosyn of his named sir Henry Dantoygne and there he sprede abrode first his baner The felde golde a bende of goules And in his companye was his cosyn germayne the lorde of Hauret in Chauny Thus the lordes knyghtes and squyers with great desyre auaunced them toke lande and lodged on the lande of their enemyes in the sight of the false sarazyns on a wednisdaye in the euenyng of Mary Magdaleyne in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore And as they toke laÌde they were lodged by their marshalles The sarazyns that were within the towne praysed moche the christen meÌnes order and bycause that the great Galees coulde nat aproche nere to the lande the men yssued out in bottes and toke lande and folowed the baner of our lady THe Sarazins that were within the towne and suche as were abrode in the countrey suffered the Christen men pesably to take lande for they sawe well it shulde nat be for their aduauntage to haue fought with them at their landyng The duke of Burbone who was as chefe of the christen armye there was lodged in the myddes of his company ryght honorably his baner displayed poudred full of Floure du Lyces with an ymage of our Lady in the myddes and a scochynne with the armes of Burbone vnder the fete of the ymage ¶ Fyrste on the ryght hande of the duke there was lodged his brother sir Guylliam of Tremoyle with his penon and the lorde of Bordenay with his baner and sir Helyon of Lygnacke with his penon the lorde of Tourse with a penon And than the Henowers with the standerde of the lorde Wyllyam of Heynaulte as than erle of Ostrenaunt eldest sonne to the duke Aubert of Bauyere erle of Heynaulte Of Hollande and of zelande the deuyse in the standerde was a Herse golde standyng on a bell goules There was the lorde of Haureth with his baner the lorde of Ligny with his baner and than sir Philyppe Dartoys erle of Ewe with baner the lorde of Mateselon with baner the lorde of Calam with penon the Seneschall of Ewe with penon the lorde of Lynyers with baner the lorde of Thune with baner the lorde of Ameuall with baner sir Water of Champenon with penon sir Iohâ of the Castell Morant with baner the marshall of Sanxeres brother with penon the lorde of Coucy with baner beste apoynted nexte the duke of Burbone sir Stephyne of Sanxere with penon Than the FreÌche kynges penon with his deuyce and therby was sir Iohan of Barroys with the penon of his armes Than sir Guylliam Morles with baner and the lorde of LoÌgueuall with penon sir Iohan of Roye with baner the lorde of Bourse with penon the Vycount Dausney with baner the lorde admyrall with baner called Iohan of Vyen ¶ Nowe here after foloweth they on the dukes lyfte hande ON the lyfte hande of Loyes duke of Burbone were lodged as foloweth First the lorde of Ausemont of Bauyere and sir
Iohan of Beauforde bastarde sonne to the duke of Lancastre with his baner displayed sir Iohan Butler Englysshe with a penon sir Iohan of Crama with a baner the Souldyche of Lestrade with penon sir Iohan Harcourt with baner and the lorde Beraulte erle of Cleremount and the Dolphin of Auuergne with baner and sir Hugh Dolphyn his brother with penon the lorde of Bertencourt with penon the lorde Pyer Buffyer with baner the lorde of saynt Semere with baner the lorde of Lauuart marshall of the hoost with baner the lorde Bergue of Beausse with penon the lorde of Louuy with baner sir Gerarde of Lymoâyn his brother with penon the lorde of saynt Germayne with baner And than the penon and staÌderde with the deuyce of the duke of Burgoyn sir Philyppe of Barre with baner sir Geffray of Charney with baner sir Loyes of Poicters with penon sir Robert of Calabre with penon the vycount of Ses with baner the lorde Montague with baner the lorde of Vyle Neufe with penon sir Wyllyam of Molyne with penon the lorde of LoÌgny with penon sir Angorget Damboyse with penon sir Aleyne of ChaÌpayne with penon all these baners and penons were sette in the front before the towne of Aufryke and besyde that a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers ryght valyaunt men and âfhighe corage were lodged abrode in the felde I cannat name them all also it wolde be to long a writyng There were a fourtene thousande all gentylmen It was a companye to do a great feate and to susteyne a great batyle if the sarazyns had come forthe to haue gyuen them batayle whiche they dyd nat for as on that day they shewed no maner of defence but castyng out of their towres great stones WHan the Christen men were lodged as well as they myght refresshed them selfes with suche as they had brought with them for they myght nat ryn abrode in the countrey to gather bowes of trees to make with all their lodgynges âor it had ben to their domage if they had aduentured themselfe abrode The lordes had tentes and pauilioÌs that they had brought with them fro Geane Thus they lodged in good order the crosbowes of the genouoys were lodged on the wynges and closed in the lordes They occupyed a great space of grouÌde for they were a great nombre all their prouisyons were in the galees and all the day the maryners conueyed their stuffe to âande by bottes And whan the christen ysles adioynyng as Naplesâ Cicyll and also the mayne landes as Puylle and Calabre Whan they knewe howe the Christen men had besieged the strong castell of Aufryke they dyd what they coude to vitayle the christen army some to haue aduauÌtage therby and some for loue and affection that they had to the genouoys fro the ysle of Caude came to them the good malueysies in great plenty without whiche conforte they coude nat longe haue endured for they were a great nombre and good drinkers and good caters Howe be it their prouisâons came nat alwayes to theÌ in lyke maner for somtyme they had plentie and some season they wanted ¶ Nowe I shall somwhat speke of the sarazyns aswell as I haue done of the christen men as it is reason to coÌclude all thynges Trewe it was that they of Aufrike and of Barbary knewe longe before howe the genowayes hadde thretned them and they loked for none other thyng but the same yere to be besieged as they were in dede They hadde made prouisyon to resyst agaynst it whan the tidynges were sprede abrode in the countrey howe that the christenmen were come to Aufryke they were in dout for he is nat wise that feareth nat his ennemyes thoughe they be neuer so fewe Howe be it the sarazyns reputed the christen men right valyant good men of warre wherfore they greatly douted them and to the entent to resyst to defende the fronters of their countreys they assembled toguyder of dyuers parties as they of the lande and seignorie of Aufrike and of the realme of Maroche and of the realme of Bougye the best men of warre in all those countreis and suche as leest feared dethe Thus they came and lodged on the sandes agaynst the christen men and they had behynde them an highe wode to th entent that they shulde receyue on that syde no doÌmage by meanes of busshmentes or scrimysshes These sarazins lodged them selfes right sagely surely they were of men of warre a .xxx. thousande good archers and ten thousande horsemen and mo Howe be it the Christen men coude neuer knowe surely what nombre they were for they supposed they had a greater nombre lodged in the woodes whiche myght ryght well be For they were in their owne couÌtre and might go and come in to their host at all houres without paryll or dommage at their owne lybertie They were often tymes refresshed with newe vitayls brought to them on somers and camelles And the secoÌde day that the Englysshe men had been a lande in the mornyng at the breke of the day and that the same nyght the lorde Henry Dautoygne had kepte the watche with two hundred men of armes and a thousande crosbowes genowayes The sarazyns came to awake and to scrimysshe with theym whiche endured the space of tow houres There were many dedes of armes atchyued but the sarazins wolde nat ioyne to fyght hande to hande but they scrimysshed with castyng of dartes and shotynge and wolde nat folysshely aduenture theÌselfes but wisely and sagely reculed the christen hoost than apparelled them to go to the scrimysshe and some of the great lordes of Fraunce came thyder to se the deme anour of the sarazyns therby to know a nâther tyme their maner in skrymysshynge Thus the sarazyns drewe to their lodgynge and the crysten men to theirs And durynge the siege the crysten men were neuer in suretie nor rest for outher euenynge or mornynge the sarazyns wolde awake them and skrymysshe Amonge the sarazyns there was a yonge knight called Agadingor Dolyferne he was alwayes well mounted on a redy and a lyght horse it semed whan the horse ranne that he dyd flye in the ayre The knyght semed to be a good man of armes by his dedes he bare always of vsage thre fedred dartes and ryght well he coulde handle them and acordynge to their custome he was clene armed with a long whyte to well aboute his heed His aparell was blacke and his owne coloure browne and a good horseman The crysten men sayde they thought he dyd suche dedes for the loue of some yonge lady of his countrey And trewe it was that he loued entyrely the kynge of Thunes doughter named the lady Azala she was enherytour to the realme of Thunes after the discease of the kyng her father This Agadingor was sonne to the duke of Olyferne I can nat tell if they were maryed togyther after or nat but it was shewed me that this knyght for loue of
alwayes he had auaunsed his sonne of Ostrenaunt towardes the kyng and his couÌsaile This mater was nat forgotten but incontinent the Frenche kyng wrote sharpe letters to therle of OstrenauÌt who was at quesnoy in Heynaulte coÌmaundyng hym to come to Parys to do his homage before the kynge and the other peeres of Fraunce for the coutie of Ostrenaut or els the kyng wolde take it fro hym and make hym warre Whan the erle had well ouersene these letters and parceyued howe that the Frenche kyng and his counsayle were displeased with hym to make his answere he assembled his counsayle as the lorde of Fountayns the lorde of Gomegynes sir Wyllyam of Hermes the lorde of Trassegnies the bayly of Heynaulte the lorde of Sancelles sir Rase of Montigny the abbot of Crispyne Iohan Sulbart Iaquemart Barrier of Valencennes These wysemen counsayled togider what answere might be made to the kynges letters There were many reasons alleged at last all thynges consydred they thought it for the best to write to the Frenche kynge and to his counsayle to take a daye to answere clerely to all maner of demaundes by the mouthe of certayne credyble êsons and none by writyng And in the meane season they sente certayne notable personages to the erle of Heynaulte and duke Aubert of HolaÌde to haue their couÌsayles what answere to make Thus they dyde They wrote swetely and courtesly to the kynge and to his counsayle so that with those fyrst letters the kyng and his couÌsayle was well content Than therle and his couÌsayle sent in to Hollande the lorde of Trassegines and the lorde of Sancelles Iohan Semart and Iaques Barrier They rode to the erle of Heynault and shewed hym the state of the countie or Heynault and the letters that the Frenche kyng hadde sent to his sonne the erle of Ostrenaunt the erle of Heynaulte had marueyle of that mater and said Sirs I thought neuer otherwyse but that it shulde come thus to passe Wyllyam my sonÌe had nothyng to do to go in to EnglaÌde I haue delyuered hym the rule and gouernaunce of the couÌtie of Heynaulte he might haue done vsed hym selfe accordyng to the counsayle of the countrey Sirs I shall tell you what ye shall do Go to my fayre cosyn the duke of Burgoyn for it lyeth well in his power to regarde and to sette an order in all thynges demaunded by the Frenche kynge I canne gyue you no better counsayle With this answere they departed out of Hollande and came in to Heynault and there shewed what answere they had wherwith the erle his counsayle were content There was assigned to go in to FrauÌce to the duke of Burgoyne the lorde of Trassegnies sir WyllmÌ of Hermyes sir Rase of Montigny Iohan Semart and Iaques Barrier To shewe and declare all the processe and sute that they made at the Frenche courte shulde be ouer longe to resyte But finally all thynges concluded for all that the duke of Burgoyne coude do there was non other remedy but that the erle of Ostrenaunt must come personally to Parys and to knowe his homage due to the Frenche kyng for the countie of Ostrenaunt or els surely to haue warre The lorde of coucy sir Olyuer of Clysson toke great payne for the erles sake but sir IohnÌ Mercier and the lorde de la Ryuer labored on the contrarye syde as moche as they might ¶ Nowe let vs leaue to speke any more of this mater and retourne to speke of the lordes knyghtes of Fraunce who were at the siege before the strong towne of Aufryke agaynst the sarazyns ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe and by what incydent the siege was reysed before the towne of Aufryke and by what occasyon and howe euery man retourned to their owne countreis Cap. C.lxxiiii YE haue herde here before howe the christen men had besieged the stronge towne of Aufryke by lande by see Settyng all their ententes howe to conquere it for they thought if they might wyn it the brute therof shulde sounde to their great honours and prayse and howe they myght there kepe them selfe toguyder and to resyst agaynst their ennemyes sayenge howe they shulde alwayes haue conforte of the Christen men and specially of the Frenche kyng who was yong and desyrous of dedes of armes consydring howe he had truce with the Englysshmen for two yeres to coÌe the sarazyns feared the same wherfore dayly they made prouysyon for the towne and refresshed alwaies their towne with newe fressh men hardy aduenturers accordynge to their vsage Thus the season passed on and after the christen men hadde suffred the great losse of their companyons with lytell wynnynge or aduauntage on their partye all their hole hoost were in a maner dyscomforted for they coulde nat se howe to be reuenged Than many of theym beganne to murmure sayenge we lye here all in vayne as for the skrymysshes that we make therby shall we neuer wyn the Towne of Auffryke for if we slee any of them for eche of them they wyll gette agayne ten other They be in their owne countrey they haue vytayles and prouysyons at their pleasure and that we haue is with great dauÌger and parell What shall we thynke to do if we lye here all this wynter longe and colde nyghtes we shal be morfounded and frosen to dethe Thus we shall be in a herde case by dyuers wayes first in wynter no man dare take the see for the cruell and tyrryble wyndes and tempestes of the see for the sees and tempestes are more fierser in wynter than in somer and if we shulde lacke vytayles but eight dayes togyther and that the see wolde suffre none to come to vs we were all deed and lost without remedy Secondly though it were so that we had vytayles and all thynges necessary with out daunger yet howe coulde our watche endure the payne and traueyle contynually to watche euery night the parell and aduenture is ouer herde for vs to beare for our enemyes who be in their owne countrey and knowe the countrey may come by nyght and assayle vs to their great aduauntage and do vs great domage as they haue done all redy Thyrdly if for faute of good ayre of swete fresshe meates wherwith we haue been norysshed that mortalyte hap to fall in our hoost we shall dye euery man fro other for we haue no remedy to resyst agaynst it Also furthermore if the genouoys turne agaynst vs which are rude people and traytours they may be nyght tyme entre in to their shyppes so leue vs here to pay for the scotte All these doutes are to be consydred by our capytaynes who lye at their ease and regarde nat the case we be in ⪠and also some of the genouoys spared nat to speke and sayd in raylynge to the crysten men What men of armes be ye frenche men whan we departed fro Genne we thought that within fyftene dayes that ye had layen at siege before the towne of Aufryke ye shulde haue conquered
and lordes of Spaygne drewe toguyder and determyned to crowne the yonge herytoure the prince of Galyce This prince Henry was crowned the nynth yere of his age and his wyfe doughter to the duke of Lancastre was a fyfteene yere of age Thus the dukes doughter by the lady Custaunce was quene of Castyle and lady and heritour to all the landes and seignories that kyng Dompeter kyng Henry and kyng Iohan helde excepte that the duke of LaÌcastre her father and his wyfe her mother had durynge their lyues whiche was a pensyon of a hundred thousande doreyns by yere And foure of the best erles of Spayne were pledges and dettours for the same Thus the duke of Lancastre sawe his two doughters one quene of Spaygne the other quene of Portugale bestowed ¶ Nowe lette vs speke of the yonge erle of Armynake and of the voyage he made in to Lombardy for the matter requyreth it and we shall leaue to speke of the kynge of Castyle ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the army of the yonge erle Iohan of Armynake and of the vyage that he made in to Lombardy And howe he dyed at the siege before the towne of Alexandre Ca. C .lxxvii. IT hath been shewed here before what great of fectyon the yonge Erle of Armynake had to go in to Lombardy with menne of warre to ayde and assyste his suster germayne and his brother in lawe her husbande the lorde Barnabo eldest sonne to the lorde Barnabo whome the duke of Myllayne had caused to be slayne marueylouslye And this duke of Myllayne was erle of Vertues and named Galeas Whose doughter the duke of Orlyaunce hadde to wyfe This sayd lady who was doughter to the olde erle of Armynake and suster to the yonge erle was greatly abasshed and disconforted and had no truste but on her brother She signified to hym all her estate her pouertie and necessyte and doÌmage that she suffred And humbly requyred her brother that he wolde helpe to kepe and defende her agaynst the tyraunt the erle of Vertues who wolde disheryte her without any tytell of reason And to the request of his suster the erle of Armynake condiscended and sayde That what soeuer it shulde coste hym he wolde do his deuoyre to ayde his suster And all that he promysed he accoÌplisshed in dede for he had by the ayde of the erle Dolphyne of Auuergne made dyuers treaties in Auuergne Rouergue Quercy Lymosyn Piergourte Engoulmoys and Agenoyes and had bought certayne fortresses whiche had been kepte by the Englysshe men gascoyns and bretons suche as hadde made warre agaynst the realme of Fraunce vnder colour of the kyng of Englande and all suche as he hadde agreed withall hadde their pardons of the Frenche kyng and besyde that the kyng gaue golde and syluer to be gyuen amonge theym But they were all bounde to the erle of Armynake to go with hym in to LoÌbardy to ayde hym in his warres there And euery man shewed hym selfe therto well wyllynge euery man drewe to the ryuer of Rosne and to the ryuer of Sosne The duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyne suffred them in their countreys to take vitaylles at their pleasure for they wolde gladly haue had them clene delyuered out of the countre And in that season vnder the kyng there ruled in the Dolphynry the lorde Engueram Durdyn And the kynge had written to hym commaundyng that these men of warre parteynyng to the erle of Armynake shulde pesably passe throughe the countrey and to haue that they neded for their money WHan the erle of Foiz beynge in Byerne in his castell of Ortays vnderstode howe the erle of Armynake assembled men of warre toguyder he began to muse for he was a man greatly ymaginatife Well he had herde howe the brute was that the erle of Armynake made this assemble to go in to LoÌbardy agaynst the lorde of Myllaygne But bycause in tyme past the erle of Armynake and his predecessours before him and his brother Bernarde of Armynake had made hym warre therfore he douted lest the sayde assemble shulde tourne agaynst hym wherfore he thought he wolde nat be vnprouyded but prepared his fortresses with men of warre and made suche prouysion that if he were assayled to resyst it with all his puissaunce But the erle of Armynake nor his brother were nothynge of that purpose but thought surely to vpholde the treuce that was bytwene them and to atcheue his enterprice in to Lombardy There were many knyghtes and squyers Englysshe gascoyns bretons and other that were bounde to serue the erle of Armynake in his warres But if he shulde haue made warre agaynst the erle of Foiz they wolde haue taken the erle of Foiz parte and haue forsaken the erle of Armynake the erle of Foiz was so welbeloued with all men of warre for the wysedome largesse and prowesse that was in hym And whanÌe the duchesse of Thourayne was enfourmed howe therle of Armynake was redy to passe ouer the mountayns to entre in to Lombardy with puissaunce of men of warre to make warre agaynst the duke of Myllayne her father And howe that the FreÌche kyng and his vncles the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne consented therto bycause they wolde haue their countreis clene auoyded of the coÌpanyons and routes of pyllars suche as had often tymes greued sore their couÌtreys this lady thought nat to forgette the matter but wrote to her father the duke of Millayne all that she knewe to the entente that he shulde take hede to hym selfe and to his countrey The lorde of Myllayne was well enformed of the busynesse and prouyded for menne of warre where he might gette them and refresshed his townes cyties and castelles with vitayle and other munysioÌs of warre and loked surely to haue warre with the erle of Armynake as they hadde in dede ABout the myddes of the moneth of Marche the moost parte of these coÌpanyons were assembled toguyder in the marchesse of Auignon all a longe the ryuer of Rosne to the nombre of fyftene thousande horses and passed the ryuer and so entred in to the Dolphynny of Vyen and lodged abrode in the vyllages and some passed forwarde to haue the more easy passage thoroughe the mountayns whiche were peryllous to passe bothe for man and horse The erle of Armynake and his brother with certayne other knyghtes wente to Auygnon to se hym that was called pope Clemente and the cardynalles there And offred their seruyce to the pope to ayde hym agaynst the tyrantes the lombardes for whiche offre they were thanked And whan they had ben there an eight dayes and that great parte of their company were paste forwarde They tooke their leaue of the pope and of the cardynalles and prepared to folowe their men there the two bretherne departed a sondre the erle Iohan of Armynake and sir Bernarde his brother Than the Erle sayde Brother ye shall retourne backe to Armynake and kepe our herytage of Comynges and Armynake For as yet all the fortresses
than but pacyentely suffred howe be it he thought the more and at nyght came to his wyfe to supper shewed her more token of loue than euer he dyd befor and he dyd somoche with fayre wordes that the duchesse shewed him all the matter and howe that she knewe it by syr Peter of Craon than the duke spake no more at that tyme. that nyght passed and the nexte day about nyne of the clocke he toke his horse and rode fro the howse of saynte Poll to the castell of Lowre where he founde the kynge his brother heryng of masse The kyng swetelye receyued hym for he loued hym entyerly and the kynge sawe well by the dukes maner that he had some dyspleasure in his mynde and said Ah fayre brother what is the mater it semeth ye be troubled Syr quod he good cause why Wherfore quod the kynge I praye you shewe me The duke who wolde hyde no thynge fro the kynge shewed hym all the hole mater and complayned greatly agaynst syr Peter of Craon and sayd Syr by the faythe that Iowe to god and to you if it were nat for your honoure I wolde slee hym We shall do well ynough quod the kynge he shall be warned by our counsayle to auoyde our house and seruyce and in lykewyse cause him to auoyde your house and company I am well content with this ê the duke The same day the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan Mercyer sayd vnto syr Peter of Craon on the kynges behalfe that he shulde auoyde the kynges courte and seruyce and go where he lyste In lykewyse syr Iohan of Buell and the lord of Dernaulx seneschall of Thourayne gaue hym lyke commaundement on the duke of Thourayns behalfe Whan syr Peter of Craon sawe this he was abasshed and tooke it in great dyspyte and coude nat ymagyn why it shulde be And trewe it was he desyred to come in to the kinges presence and the dukes to know the cause of their dyspleasure But he was aunswered that nother the kynge nor the duke wolde nat here hym speke Whan he sawe none other remedy he apparelled hym selfe and departed out of Parys in great displeasure in his hert and so rode into Aniou to a castell of his owne called Sable and taryed there a season fore troubled in his mynde He sawe well he was chased out of the frenche courte and out of the house of Thourayn and also out of the house of the quene of Naples and Iherusalem than whan he parceyued these thre howses closed fro hym he thought to go to the duke of Bretaygne his cosyn and to shewe hym all his aduentures so he dyd and rode in to Bretayne and founde the duke at Wannes who made hym good chere and knewe somwhat before of his trouble And than this syr Peter shewed hym all the case Whan the duke of Bretaygne had well herde all the mater he sayde Fayre cosyn recomforte your selfe all this is surely brought aboute by syr Olyuer of Clysson THis rote and foundacyon of hatred multyplyed greatly after as ye shall here in this hystory Syr Peter of Craon taryed so longe with the duke of Bretaygne that he forgate Fraunce for the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and the kynges counsayle were agaynste hym and also they were nat contente with the duke of Bretayne in that he kepte sir Peter Craon in his house As for the duke of Bretaygne cared nat greatly neyther for the good wyll nor yuell wyll of the Frenche kynge he prouyded suffyciently for his cyties townes and castelles in suche wyse that he loued as well warre as peace And all that euer he dyd was well knowen in Fraunce and with the kinges counsayle and suche as were nexte aboute the kynge reputed the duke of Bretaygne prowde and presumptuous and thretened him greatly but the duke dyde sette lytell therby and sayde that he wolde make warre agaynst the erle of Pointhieur in a iuste quarell for the erle of Pointhyeur our cosyn wryteth and nameth hym selfe Iohan of Bretayne as though he were herytour of this countrey I wyll he be called Iohan for that is his name and erle of Pointhieur and I wyll he put out of his armes the Ermyns and write himselfe Iohan of Bloys or of Chatellon and none other and if he wyll nat do thus I shall cause him to do it and take fro hym his lande for he holdeth it by faythe and homage of vs as for the herytage of Bretaygne he hathe nothynge to do therwith so that it shulde returne to him for I haue bothe sonnes and doughters that shall be myne heyres Let hym purchase hym landes in some other place for as of this he hath fayled Thus often tymes the duke of Bretayne wolde deuyse with sir Peter of Craon who wolde nat replye agaynst his pleasure but rather dyd further it and all for the yuell wyll that he bare to the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and to the counsayle of Fraunce ⸪ ¶ Nowe let vs leaue spekynge of this mater and treate a lytell of another pytuous mater concernynge the erle Guy of Bloys of whom mencyon is made here before in this hystory ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of the yonge erle Loyes of Chastelone sonne to the erle Guy of Bloys Cap. C.lxxix IT hath been shewed here before in this hystory whanÌe I spake of the alyauÌce and maryage of Lois of Chatellon sonne to the erle of Bloys maryed to the lady Marye doughter to duke Iohan of Berrey and at the confyrmacyon of this maryage the duke of Berrey prouyded greatly for his doughter for she was assigned for her dowry in the couÌtie of Bloys the somme of syxe thousande pounde money corante in Fraunce to be payed in florayns if the foresayd Loys of Bloys dyed before his wyfe than all the countie of Blois to be bouÌde to pay these foresayd syre thousande frankes And so it fortuned that about the feest of saint Iohan the Baptyste in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and a leuen this yonge Loys of Bloys sonne to the erle Guy departed fro his father fro the castell of Moltyz in Bloys to go in to Haynalt to se his mother and wyfe and whan he came to Beaumonte in Haynault he fell sycke of a feuer by reason that he had rydden great iourneys and the season was boote and he was but yuell kepte and but tendre of age as of xiiii yeres by whiche syckenes he dyed with out helpe for the physycions coulde nat put a way his hote feuer ye maye well knowe that the father and mother were ryght soroufull whan they knewe of the dethe of thier sonne and heyre In lykewyse so was his wyfe the yonge lady of Berrey who loued hym entierly and thought her selfe hyghtly maryed specyally the trouble of the father was right gret for he ymagyned that the duke of Berrey was ryght couetouse and feared leste he wolde entre in to the countie of Bloys
at Towers in Thourayn bytwene the Frenche kynge and the duke of Bretayne and of the mariage of the doughter of Fraunce to the lonne of Bretayne and of IohnÌ of Bretayne erle of Pointhieur and the doughter of the duke of Bretaygne Cap. C.lxxxi YE haue herde here before in dyuers places in this hystory howe the duke of Bretayne and syr Olyuer of Clysson as than constable of Fraunce hated mortally eche other and besyde the hatred that the duke had to syr Olyuer he had gret enuy that he was so great with the kinge and so secrete of his counsayle and gladly he wolde haue troubled hym but he doughted the kynges displeasure and often tymes the duke repented hym that he had nat slayne hym whan he had hym in prisone in the castell of Ermyn for he thought if he had slayne hym than he shulde neuer haue had more trouble by hym The yuell wyll that he had to hym caused hym to be harde mynded to be obedyente to the crowne of Fraunce howe be it he knewe well he dyd yuell therfore he suffred all thynge to passe at aduenture and helde in his loue the englysshe men and prouyded suffycyently his townes and fortresses with artyllery vytayles and sent priuely in to Englande for men of armes and archers dyd set them in his garysons and made to be beleued that he loked to haue warre but his men knâwe nat with whome howe be it all that euer he dyd was knowen in FrauÌce and many spake largely against him He knewe well that certrayne lordes of Fraunce were nat contente with hym but he dyd set lytell therby but so passed on his tyme. He had great affyaunce in his cosyne the duchesse of Burgoyne as it was reason for he had of her a specyall supporte and ayde for the lady bycause of lygnage loued hym and bycause that the erle of Flaunders her father who was cosyn germayne to the duke had alwayes loued and comforted hym in all his trybulacyons This lady of Burgoyne was a good lady so that the duke her husbande wolde nat gladly displease her and good cause why for the duke by her helde great herytages and had by her fayre chyldren all the realme of Fraunce was bounde to loue her and she had nat ben great dyscensions had moued bytwene the parties for natwithstandynge that the duke of Bretayne had ben at Paris with the french kyng and made to hym homage yet I can nat well say if it was with good herte or no for as sone as the duke was retourned in to Bretaygne there apered in hym but small amendemente he had sworne obeysaunce and to be obedyent to the pope at Auignon but he was nat for rather he dispysed hym in his wordes Nor also he wolde suffre no man to be promoted in his countrey by that popes bulles but helde hym selfe newter in dyuers thynges wolde gyue the benefyces hym selfe No clerke coulde atteygne to any promocyon of any benefyce in his countrey without he had ben well pleased therwith Also any coÌmauÌdements that came out of the parlyament chambre of Parys he sette nothynge therby The prelates and bysshoppes of Bretayne lost great parte of their iurisdictions by this duke so that great complayntes therof was made in the parlyament of Parys but they hadde small remedy And whan he was sent for to come to Parysê or els to sende thyder some able personages to make aunswere to suche matters as shulde be aledged agaynste hym and whan any of the kynges offycers came in to Bretaygne to somon hym to apere thanne he wolde nat be spoken withall but euer made sondry seues And whan the kinges officers dyd departe againe thens than he wolde say I wyll go to Parys to se what ryght I shall haue there It is nat yet thre yeres sence I was there to se what ryght I shulde haue but I coulde se nor here of no ryght there mynystred the lordes of the parlyament tourne euery thynge as they lyst They reken me very yonge and ignorante to be ledde as they lyst but I wolde they knewe that if all my men of the duchy of Bretaygne were all of one accorde and obedyent to my pleasure as they ought to be I wolde gyue the realme of Fraunce so moche to do that I wolde bringe theym that be vnreasonable to reason and suche as hath done trewly shulde be rewarded acordyngly and suche as haue deserued to haue iustyce shulde haue as they haue deserued and suche as wolde haue right shuld haue it Thus many complayntes were made often tymes to the kynge and suche as were of his secrete counsayle said This duke is ryght presumptuous and proude sythe he wyll be brought to no reason and if he shulde be thus suffred in his lewde opinyon it shulde greatly enfeble the noblenesse of this realme for by hym other lordes shall take ensample to do yuell and therby the iurysdictyon of the realme lytell and lytell shall be loste Than it was deuysed to withstande and to fynde remedy for suche inconuenyentes and to sende swetely to hym to come to Towrs in Thourayne and there to mete with the french kyng and with the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyne the bysshop of Charters the bysshoppe of Dothune These four were specyally named bycause the duke loued them best aboue all other lordes of Fraunce excepte the erle of Estampes and the lorde Coucy THus there was sente in to Bretayne to the duke the erle of Estampes and mayster Iue of Noyent They toke great payne and traueyle to moue the duke to mete with the frenche kynge at Towrs they spake so fayre with fresshe coloured wordes armed with reason that the duke agreed to go to Towrs but further he sayd in no wyse he wolde go and also that he shulde nat se his enemy syr Olyuer of Clysson in no wyse All this was acorded agreed or he wolde come to Towrs These ambassadours retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the kynge and his counsayle howe they had spedde They were contente therwith sythe they coulde brynge hym to none other purpose The kynge and his couÌsayle made them redy to go to Towrs and to tary there a two or thre monethes for they thought their treatie with the duke of Bretayne shulde nat sone be acomplisshed Thus the frenche kinge the duke of Thourayne his brother the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne and Iohan of Burgoyne his sonne the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy the erle of Marche the Erle of saynte Poll and other of the counsaile of FrauÌce came to Towrs in Thourayn Also thyder came the constable of FrauÌce and Iohan of Bretayne his sonne in lawe and their counsayles for they hadde maters there to do And a fyftene dayes after thyder came the duke of Bretayne or he came it was sayd he wolde nat come for he had thre tymes sent to excuse hym selfe sayenge he was speke and coude nat ryde how be it finally
were in great daunger and also it was sayd that by their counsaile the kyng toke on hym the iourney in to Bretaygne wherby he fell in to that maladye of Fransey and had gyuen hym drinkes of poyson at their pleasure and howe that the kynges phisycions coude nat be herde nor beleued by reason of them Suche maters were layde to the lorde de la Ryuers charge and to sir Iohan Mercyer that they were delyuered out of the Castell of Loure in to the handes of the prouost of Paris and putte in to the castell of saynt Anthony in the kepyng of the Vicount of Achy who as than was Chateleyne there Whan it was knowen that they were there thaÌ the coÌmon brute ran that they shulde be executed to dethe But to saye trouthe there was no cause why to trouble them For suche as hated them coude fynde in their conscyence no cause why they ought to dye But euery daye they were borne in hande and it was sayd to theym Sirs thynke on youre soules for as for your bodyes are but loste for ye are iudged to dye and for to be beheeded In this case they were in Prisone a greate space The Begue of Vyllayns a ryght valyaunt knyght in armes of the countrey of Beance who was in prisone also for the same cause He had suche frendes and was so ayded that he was delyuered out of prison and was clene pardoned of all thynges And suche as were of his lynage as sir Barroys other counsayled hym to go in to Castyle where as he had fayre herytages by reason of his wyfe countesse of Ribydewe and as he was counsayled so he dyede And as soone as he might departed out of Fraunce went in to Castyle and the other two knightes remayned styll in prison in daunger of losyng of their lyues ALl the mouable and vnmouable godes and possessions parteyninge to sir Iohan Mercyer within Parys and without in the realme of Fraunce that myght be layde hande on was taken as goodes forfaite and gyuen to other persons his fayre house of the bridge of Aubumen in the dioces of Laon whiche had cost hym a great good was gyuen to the lorde Coucy with all the appurtenauÌce I knowe nat wheder the lorde of Coucy desyred it or nat but sir Iohan Mercier was disheryted he and his heyres for euer Also the lorde de la Ryuer was sore handled Trewe it was all his mouables was taken awaye and suche landes as he had bought reseruynge to the lady of Mans his wyfe all her herytages whiche came by her by father mother Also he had a yonge damosell to his doughter of .x. yere or age who was maryed to a yonge gentylman called Iaques of Chastellon sonne to sir Hugh of Chastellon who had ben before maister of the crosbowes of Fraunce and he was heyre to his father and had fayre herytages and was lykely to enioye more howe be it agaynst the yonge mannes mynde he was dismaryed And maryed agayne to another gentylwoman at the pleasure of the duke of Burgoyne and of the lorde de la Tremoyle who toke on them that quarell more ouer the lorde de la Riuer had a sonne to his heyre whiche sonne was maryed to the doughter of the erle Dampmartyne And the erle had no mo children nor was nat lyke to haue whiche doughter was his heyre And the duke wolde haue broken that maryage haue maryed her vnto an heyre of blode But the erle Dampmartyne lyke a valyaunt knight wolde nat but sayd As long as the lorde de la Ryuers sonne hadde lyfe in his body his doughter shulde haue none other husbande and sayde he wolde putte her herytage in to suche meÌnes handes that he trusted suche as wolde wroÌgfully haue it shulde nat attayne therto Whan the erles mynde was knowen they let hym alone So that maryage stode styll but the fyrst maryage was broken and pope Clement made a dispensacyon wheder he wolde or nat for as at that tyme the pope had no more puissaunce in Fraunce Than suche as the gouernours wolde consente to The churche was so subiecte what by reason of the Scisme and by them that gouerned Fraunce Many men specially in the realme of FrauÌce excused greatly the lorde de la Ryuer but all that wolde nat serue For none durst speke thoughe they sawe the mater neuer so clere Except all onely the valyaÌt lady Iane of Boloyne duchesse of Berrey Oftentymes the good lady wolde fall on her knees before her husbande holdynge vp her handes and sayeng Ah sir ye suffre to moche the enuyous to enforme you so wrongfullye agaynst the valyaunt knight The lorde de la Ryuer he hath clerely wronge there is none that dare speke for hym but I. And sir I wyll ye knowe that if he dye thus I shall neuer haue ioye in this worlde but I shall alwayes contynue styll in sorowe and heuynesse for he is a trewe and a valyant knight Ah sir ye coÌsyder but lytell the fayre seruyce that he hath done to you or this tyme the paynes and traueyle that he hath hadde for you and for me to bring vs togyder in maryage I saye it nat for any thyng of bostyng of my selfe for I am but lytell worthe in comparyson to you But whan ye wolde nedes haue me ye remembre howe harde the erle of Foiz was to you with whom I was brought vp And if the swete wordes and wyse demeanour of the lorde de la Ryuer had nat been I had neuer come in to your company but I had ben rather as nowe in EnglaÌde For the duke of LaÌcastre wolde haue had me for his sonne the erle of Derby and the erle of Foiz enclyned rather that waye thaÌ to you Right dere sir ye ought to remeÌbre this for all that I say is true Wherfore I requyre you right huÌbly that this gentyll knight who brought me to you haue no doÌmage of his body nor of his membres The duke of Berrey who sawe his wyfe fayre and gentyll and loued her with all his hert and also knewe well that all she had sayd was true it molifyed greatly his herte towardes the lorde de la Ryuer and to apease his wyfe because he sawe she spake with good herte sayd vnto her Dame as god helpe me I wolde it had cost me .xx. thousaÌde frankes on the condycion the lorde de la Ryuer had neuer made forfette to the crowne of Fraunce for before this malady came to the kynge I loued hym entierly and tooke hym for a wyse and a sage knyght but sythe ye desyre so effectuously for hym I wyll do no dyspleasure to hym he shall fare moche the better at your instaunce and for your sake I shall do as moche for hym as my power may extende and rather at your desyre than and all the realme had spoken for hym for surely I se well it is almes to helpe hym and I beleue he hath no aduocate but you Thus
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 adhereÌces 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 souÌde 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 enherytauÌce 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 puyssauÌce 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 obeysauÌces rentes lordshypes and reuenewes shulde parteygne to the duke of LaÌcastre 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 LaÌcastre was well coÌtent 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 NorthuÌberlande 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 obseâes done after at good leysar for the king wolde haue it done sumptuously with great habuÌdaunce 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 ThomÌs 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
had had greatier puissaunce than he had And whan the lorde of Coucy came first vpon the fronters of the ryuer of Geane where the entrees are stronge to conquere if there be made any defence Some lordes of the genowayes suche as fauoured the lorde Coucy and had enformed the duke of Orlyaunce wherby he sente thyder the lorde of Coucy They entreated him amiably and brought hym to their couÌtreis and offred to hym their castels The lorde of Coucy who was sage subtyle and ymaginatyfe and knewe right well the nature of the lombardes and genowayes wolde nat trust them ouermoche nor haue to great confydence in their offers and promyses but alwayes wysely he helde them in loue and amyte as longe as he was amonge them and ledde them forthe with fayre wordes and treaties They had many coÌmunycacyons in the felde toguyder but neuer in no fortresse and euer the more he comuned with theym the lesse he conquered or gate the genouoys made to him sygne of loue and promysed hym many thynges and wolde haue had hym to haue gone in to the cytie of Gennes or to Porte Vender but the lorde of Coucy durst neuer assure hym in their offers The conclusyon of his voyage was suche that he gate nothynge and whan he sawe that he coulde nat atcheue his busynesse he signyfied his estate to the duke of Orlyance whervpon he was remaunded and so he retourned to Parys and came thyder the same season that all the busynesse was for the iourney goynge in to Hungery The duke of Burgoyne reioysed greatly of his retourne and he and duchesse sente for hym to their house of Arthoyse in sygne of great loue than they sayd to him Syr we trust moche in you we haue caused Iohan our sonne and heyre to take on hym an enterprise in the honour of god and of all christendome and we knowe well that aboue all other knyghtes of Fraunce ye are the moste vsed and expert in all thynges wherfore derely we requyre you that ye wolde be companion with our sonne in this voyage and his chyefe counsaylour wherof we shall thanke you and deserue it to you and yours Than the lorde of Coucy said my lorde you madame your wordes and requestes ought to be to me a coÌmaundement in this voyage I shall go if it please god for two causes First for deuocyon to defende the faythe of Ihesu Christ Secondly in that ye do to me somoche honour as to gyue me charge of my lorde Iohan your sonne and I shall acquyte me truely to him to my power howe be it of this dede ye may well dyscharge me and to charge specyally his cosyn and nere kynesman my lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce and his other cosyn the erle of Marche bothe two ought to go with hym in this voyage for they be both nere of his blode Than the duke sayd My lorde of Coucy ye haue moche more sene than these other twayn haue and knowe better the orderynge of an army in straunge countreys than outher our cosyn of Ewe or of March therfore we charge you and praye you to execute our requestes Than he aunswered and sayd my lorde your prayer is to me a coÌmaundement and I shall do it sythe it pleaseth you with the ayde and helpe of my lorde Guye of Tremoyle and of my lorde Guillyam his brother and of the admyrall of Fraunce Of this answere the duke and duchesse had great ioye THese lordes prepared them selues to go in this iourney into HuÌgery and lordes knyghtes and squyers were desyred to go in their company and many desyred themselfe to go Some were retaygned and some went without maysters and some consyderynge the voyage in to Hungery and fro thence in to Turkey to be ouer longe and chargeable for them beynge nat retaygned waxed colde in their enterpryse For the settynge forwarde of this yonge Iohan of Burgoyne nothynge was spared horse harnesse fresshe clothes riche vessell and plate of golde and syluer and offycers apoynted to do their atendauÌce and money delyuered and werke men payed Than all barones knightes and squiers for the honour of IohnÌ of Burgoyne and also for the auauncement of their bodies enforced them to make them redy The lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys ordeyned hym so puyssauntly that nothynge was spared and wolde go in that voyage as Constable of Fraunce And the frenche kynge who loued him entierlye helped hym moche towarde his charges and so he dyd to the lorde Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce The duke of Burgoyne consydered that this voyage of his sonnes shulde coste ouermoche fynaunce and he thought it conuenyent that the state of his sonne shulde be mayntayned and to fynde syluer to mayntayne it withall he fouÌde out subtelly a backe tayle for by a former tayle all the countreys cyties and fortresses had ben tayled And the said backe tayle mounted in Burgoyne of the chyuallry syxe hundred thousande crownes of golde And agayne the duke made it to be tolde to all knyghtes and ladyes that helde of him in fee yonge and olde that they shulde go in to Hungery in their owne propre persones with his sonne or els to paye a taxe of syluer so they were taxed some at a thousande pouÌde the other at fyue hundred frankes eche man after his goodes and valure of his landes Ladyes and auncyent knyghtes remembringe the traueyle of their bodyes and were nat shapen nor made to endure suche payne conpouÌded and payed at the wyll of the Duke The yonge knyghtes and squyers were forborne payeng of any money but it was said to them that they shulde go with the lorde Iohan at their owne coste and charge and otherwyse nat Of this backe tayle the duke reysed .lx. thousaÌde crownes and so none was forborne THe tydynges of this voyage spredde abrode and whan it came in to the countrey of Haynalt knyghtes and squyers suche as desyred auauncement spake togyther and sayde A this were a mete voyage for my lorde of Ostrenant who is yonge and for his brother the erle of Neuers and if any of them wente we myght well go in their company The erle of Ostrenant beynge at that tyme at Quesnoy vnderstode what the knyghtes and squyers of his countrey sayde and he thought no lesse thaÌ they dyd and had great affectyon to go in this voyage whan he herde any spekyng of that mater he wolde answere but lytell but dyssymuled the mater but he was in good entencyon to speke with duke Aubert of Bauyer erle of Haynalt and to do as he wolde counsayle hym Within a whyle after the Erle of Ostrenant came in to Hay in Holande where his father was with the duchesse his wyfe Than he sayd to his father my lorde suche tydinges rynneth abrode that my fayre brother of Neuers hathe enterprised this soÌmer to go into Hungery and fro thens in to Turkey whereby all lykelyhode great dedes of armes shall be atchyued and syr as at
this tyme I wotte nat where better to enploye myselfe in any dede of armes wherin I wolde gladly knowe youre pleasure I wolde go in that honourable voyage with a hundred knyghtes and beare company with my fayre brother the duke of Burgoyne and my lady the duches shall can me gret thanke and many knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt wyll gladly holde me company Than duke Aubert as a man redy purueyed of aunswere sayd Guylliam what haste or wyll haue you to go in this voyage in to Hungery and in to Turkey to seke armes vpon people and countrey that neuer dyd vs any forfeyte thou hast no tytell of reason to go but for the vayneglory of the worlde Lette Iohan of Burgoyne and our cosins of Fraunce do their enterprise and do thy dedes aparte go thou in to Frese and conquere our herytage that these fresones by pride and rudenes do witholde fro vs and wyll come to none obeysaunte and to do this I shall ayde the. The wordes of the father to the sonne lyghtened greatly the herte of therle of Ostrenant who aunswered and sayd My lorde ye saye well and if it please you that I shall do that voyage I shall do it with ryght a good wyll ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Ostrenant enterprised to go in to Frese Cap. CC.vii THese wordê bytwene the father the sonne multyplyed so moche lytell and lytell that the voyage in to Frese was taken and enter prised and one thynge helped moche the matter forwarde and that was The erle of Ostrenant had at that tyme aboute hym and nere of his counsayle a squyer of Haynalte called Ferebrase otherwise called the bastarde Vertayne a wyse man and a subtyll in feates of armes so that whan he herd of this he said to the erle Syr my lorde your father speketh well it is better for your honour that ye make this voyage rather than in to Hungery and ordayne you therto and ye shall fynde knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt and elswhere that wyll be gladde to kepe you company and shall ayde you to their powers to do this enterprise and if ye haue mynde thus to do I wyll counsayle you to go in to EnglaÌde and to signyfy your enterprise to the knyghtes and squyers there and pray the kynge of Englande your cosyn that he wyll gyue lycence to knyghtes squyers and archers to go with you in to Frese at your wages englysse men be men of dedes and if ye haue them ye shall do your businesse the better And if ye may haue by prayer your cosyn therle of Derby in your company your voyage shall be moche the fayrer and your enterprise the more renomed The erle enclyned to those wordes for it semed to hym that his counsayle was good In lykewyse the lorde Gomegynes gaue hym counsayle and so dyd dyuers other These wordes anone spredde abrode in Haynalte Than there was acommaundement made to all knyghtes and squiers in Heynalt that none of theym shulde go out of the couÌtrey to go in to Hungrey nor in to no place els bycause the erle of Ostrenant shulde ocupy them another waye and shulde leade them in to Frese We shall leaue speakynge of this busynesse and retourne to the voyage in to Hungery THus knyghtes and squiers in many parties had cause to awake and to take corage for the warres that were towarde in that season as well for the voyage in to Hungery as in to Frese The erle of Neuers auaunced his iourney and all knyghtes and Squyers were named and written that shulde go with him prouision was great and well ordeyned and for that he wolde be renomed in this voyage he was lyberall and mad great larges to many knyghtes and squyers that shulde go in his bande for the voyage was long and costely wherfore it was nedefull for theÌ to haue some ayde towardes their charges and the other lordes as the constable of FrauÌce and the erles of Ewe and Marche the lordes Henry and Phylippe of Bare the lorde of Coucy the lorde Guy of Tremoyle the lorde Iohan Vyen admyrall of Fraunce Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce and Raynolde du Roy the lordes of saynt Powle of Mutterell and of saynte Pye the Hasell of Flaunders the lorde Loys of Brese his brother le Bourge of Montquell and other they were to the nombre of a thousande knyghtes and a thousande squyers all valyaunt men Euery man departed fro their owne houses about the myddes of marche and so rode forth by companyes and alwayes they founde the wayes open for the kynge of Almayne had coÌmauÌded through all his realme of Almayne and Boesme that they shulde haue all thynges necessary and that no vytayle shulde be witholden fro them These lordes of FrauÌce thus rode forwarde to the ayde of the kyng of Hungery who shulde haue batayle with the great turke puyssaunce agaynst puyssaunce the twenty day of the moneth of May. These lordes passed Lorayne the countie of Bare the countie of Mountbelyart and the duchy of Burgoyn and entred into Ausay and passed the couÌtrey and the ryuer of Rynâââ many places and the countie of Fierte and so entered in to Austriche whiche is a great couÌtrey and the entres and issues stronge and great desertes but they went with so good wyll and corage that payne and traueyle greued them nothyng The duke of Austriche made capytaynes in his countrey suche as made the lordes good chere and specyally to IohnÌ of Burgoyne who was chiefe of that army All these lordes were apoynted to assemble in a cytie in Hungery called Bode ¶ Nowe let vs speke of other maters yE haue herde here before howe the kynge of England had sente in the same season suffycient ambassade to the frenche kyng and to his counsayle to haue to his wyfe Isabell the doughter of Fraunce whiche ambassadours were the archebysshop of Duuelyn the bysshoppe of Wynchester the erle Marshall the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the lorde Henry Clyfforde the lorde Beamonde the lorde Spenser and many other the frenche kyng had made them good chere and all his vncles and counsayls whiche ambassade were retourned in to Englande vpon good hope to atayne to their desyres The kynge of Englande for his parte all the wynter folowynge often tymes sent to the frenche kynge consernynge the sayd maters who was well enclyned to haue peace and to haue ende of the warre whiche had ouer longe endured These pursutes and treaties toke suche effect and the two kynges had writen so solemply eche to other that their maters drewe nere to apoynte so that suche ambassadours as were fyrst sent out of Englande in to Fraunce were than sente agayne and came to Parys and were lodged at the crosse of Tyroner and their men in the streat there aboute They were to the nombre of syxe hundred Thus they soiourned at Parys more than thre wekes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the iudgemeÌt made in the parlyament for the quene
of Napoles agaynst syr Peter of Craone Cap. CC.ix. THe same seasone that the Englysshe men were at Paris quene Iane duches of Aniowe who wrote her selfe quene of Napoles and of Iherusalem was at Parys and pursued dylygently her busynesse She was a lady of great corage she pleted in parlyament for two causes The fyrst was for the herytage of the countie of Roussey agaynst the Erle of Brayne for Loys the duke of Aniou her lorde husbande had bought it and payed for it to a lady that was couÌtesse of Roussey somtyme wyfe to the lorde Loys of Namure but afterwarde she was deuorsed fro hym for a reasonable cause as it was sayde The seconde sute this quene had was agaynst syr Peter of Craon she demaunded of hym the soÌme of a hundred thousande frankes whiche she was redy to proue that he had receyued it in the name of his lord and mayster Loys kyng of Napoles Cysyll and Iherusalem her husbande whiche money was delyuered hym to haue payed in to Powell and or it was payed he herde howe his sayd mayster my husbande was deed Than he iourneyed no further but returned agayne in to Fraunce and kept styll the sayd soÌme of money to his owne profyte and neuer made acompte to the sayde quene therof nor to her chyldren Loys and Charles but spente and wasted the money in pride and bobbans The quene layde to his charge that for faute of payment of the sayd money the realme of Napoles was loste and conquered by Margarete of Duras and by the heyres of the lorde Charles de la Paix by reason that suche soudyours as her husbande had to mayntayne his warres in Puell Calabre were nat payed their wages wherby many tourned to the Erle of saynt Seuyre and to Margarete of Duras and other departed and lefte the warres All these causes were put in to the Parlyament chambre at Parys where all causes were preposed shewed and demaunded and all the defences and aunsweres herde on all partyes Their plee had endured the space of thre yeres And though syr Peter of Craon were absent fro the parlyament yet his aduocates defended his cause and sayd though he had recyued the sayd soÌme in the name of his lorde and mayster yet his mayster was as moche bounde to him as that soÌme came to and more for the good seruyce that he had done to him This plee had endured so longe that it was necessary to haue a conclusyon and the lady made importunate sewte to haue iudgement The lordes of the parlyament consydred all thynges and sayd they wolde gyue no iudgement without both parties were present and syr Peter of Craon durste nat well apere in Parys bycause of the Kynges dyspleasure and the duke of Orlyance for the offence that he had doone to syr Olyuer of Clysson constable of Fraunce and without he were present they wolde gyue no sentence defynityue wher vpon the sayd lady pursewed to set hym clere in Fraunce and by her meanes he was pardoned so that he myght ryde and go where he lyst without any daunger except the sute that was bytwene her and hym for the sayd soÌme of money So he was clerely dyscharged of all other charges and lordes ladyes made hym good chere I wote nat whether it were by dissymulacyon or otherwyse thus he was agayne at Parys holdynge as great estate as euer he dyd The same tyme he was apoynted to be one of theym to receyue and bringe the englysshe ambassadours to the kynge for he was a knyght that hadde sene moche and knewe moche honoure Than the daye was prefyxed that the iudgement concernynge the quenes maters shulde be determyned at whiche day there were present in the parlyament great nombre of the lordes of Fraunce to the entent that the maters shulde be the more autentyke There was the quene of Cicyll and Iherusalem and her sonne Charles prince of Thaurent and Iohan of Bloys called Iohan of Bretaygne erle of Ponthyeure and of Lymogynes and the dukes of Orlyaunce Berrey Burgoyne and Burhone and the erle of Brayne and the bysshoppe of Laon. And before theym the lady was herde to laye her tytell for the countie of Roussey And on the other parte there was syr Peter of Craon and many of his lygnage Fyrste iudgement was gyuen for the countye of Roussey and that was the herytage was remyssed and iudged in to the handes and possessyon of the erle of Brayne and to the heyres that shulde dyscende of the ryght braunche of Roussey reserued that the quene shulde haue agayne repayed to her all the money that kynge Loys her husbande hadde payed to the countesse of Roussey laste deed Of this iudgement the enherytours of the countie of Roussey to whom the herytage pertayned thanked greatly the lordes of the parliament Than suche as were ordayned to gyue the seconde sentence arose vp and sayde howe that by the sentence of the parlyament sir Peter of Craon ought to pay to the quene of Napoles duchesse of Aniowe the somme of a hundred thousande frankes in redy money or els his body to go to prysone tyll she were contented and satysfyed Of this iudgement the sayde lady thanked the lordes of the parlyamentâ and in contynent at the coÌplaynte of the lady handes was layde on him by the kynges commaundement and so was ledde to the castell of Loure and there surely kepte So the lordes departed fro the parlyament Thus these two iudgementes were gyuen by the princypall occasyon of this lady duchesse of Aniou ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the conclusyon of the maryage âaken at Parys bytwene the kynge of Englande Isabell eldest doughter to the frenche kynge and howe the duke of Lancastre remaryed Cap. CC.x. THe ambassadours of Englande were with the frenche kynge at Parys a xxii dayes and they had as good chere as coulde be deuysed and their maters tooke suche effecte that it was agreed that the kyng of Englande shuld haue in maryage Isabell the eldest doughter of kynge Charles and by vertue of procuracyon the erle Marshall fyaunced and espoused her in the name of the kinge of Englande and so she was called fro thens forthe quene of Englande And as I was enfourmed it was a goddly syght to se her behauour for all that she was but yonge ryght plesauntly she bare the porte of a quene ⪠Than all this mater concluded the englysshe men tooke their leaue of the frenche kynge and of the quene and of their doughter quene of Englande and of all other lordes and so departed fro Parys and retourned to Calays and so in to Englande The Kynge and other of his opynyon were glad of their retourne But who so euer was gladde of that maryage the duke of Gloucestre vncle to the kynge made no ioye there of for he sawe well that by reasone of that maryage and alyaunce peace shulde be bytwene the kinges and their realmes whiche greued hym without it shulde be greatly to the honour of the
THan at last dyed this lorde Galeas and after hym reigned his sonne erle of Vertues named Galeas in great puyssauÌce and at the begynnyng of his reigne he gate him great loue in Lombardy and or dred hymselfe after a goodly maner and like a wyse man He put downe all suche yuell customes as his father had reysed in LoÌbardy He was so well beloued and of so good renome that euery man sayd well of hym but at laste whanÌe he sawe his tyme he spytted out his venyme whiche he had longe borne in his hert For he made on a day in the feldes a great busshement wherby the lorde Bernabo his vncle was takeÌ who thought none yuell nor knewe nat but that he was welbeloued and in great fauour with his nephue And at his takyng it was sayd to hym One lorde is ynough to reygne in Lombardy he coude haue none other grace for it laye nat in hym as thanÌe to make resystence So he was ledde to a castell and there his nephue caused hym to dye but in what maner I can nat shewe you This sir Bernabo had two fayre chyldren of whom the Frenche quene was doughter to one of his doughters whiche was wedded to the duke of Osrtenaunt of Bauyere This Galeas putte in prisone all his vncles chyldren suche as he coulde gette and tooke possessyon of all his vncles seignories and ioyned theÌ to his owne so reigned in great puyssaunce richesse for he reysed vp suche maters wherby he gathered toguyder great rychesse As Imposycions gabels subsydies dysmes and all other extorcyons wherby he was moche more dreed than beloued He helde the errour and opynyon of his Father that was Howe one shulde nother honoure nor worshyppe god He tooke fro abbeyes and priories moche of their reuenewes and toke them to hym selfe He sayd the monkes were to delyciously norisshed with good wynes and delycious metes By whiche superfluyteis he sayd they coude nat ryse at mydnight nor do their seruyce as they shulde do He sayde saynt Benet helde nat the order of his relygion after that maner And so he said he wolde make them to lyue with egges and small wyne to clere their voyces to syng the higher These lordes in their dayes lyued lyke popes they dyde great dispytes in their tyme to men of holy churche They sette nothyng by the popes curse and specially after the cisme began and that there was two popes that the one cursed the other assoyled The lordes of myllayne dyde but mocke at their doynges and so dyd many other lordes through the worlde The doughter of this lorde Galeas duke of Myllayne was duches of Orl auÌce whose condycions were lyke to her fathers and nat to her mothers who was doughter to kyng Iohan of Fraunce This lady was of high mynde enuyous and couytous on the delytes state of this worlde Gladly she wolde haue sene the duke her husbande to haue attaygned to the crowne of Fraunce she had nat cared howe A generall fame and sclaunder ran vpon her that all the infyrmiteis the kyng had whiche no phisycion coude remedye came all by her sortes and artes and the chiefe discouerynge of her workes wherby she was had in great suspecte was this THis duchesse of Orlyaunce named Valantyne had a sonne by the duke her husbande a fayre chylde of the age of the Dolphyn sonne to the kynge On a tyme these two chyldren were playeng toguyder in the duchesse of Orlyaunce chambre and sodaynly there was caste downe an apple full of poyson on the pauement on the same syde that the dolphyn was on to th entent that he shulde haue taken and eaten it But as grace was he dyd nat for the duches sonÌe ran after the apple and toke it and ete therof wherwith he was poysoned and dyed nothynge coude saue hym And suche as hadde Charles the yong dolphyn to kepe toke hym thens and he neuer came after in the duches chambre Of this adueÌture great brute and murmuracyon ran throughe all the cytie of Parys and in other places Thus it was sayde by her of all the people so that the duke her husbande parceyued it well for brute ranne through Parys that if her husbande dyde nat putte her awaye out of the kynges courte they wolde fetche her awaye byforce and cause her to dye For the people said she wolde enpoyson the kyng and his chyldren and that she hadde enchaunted the kyng for the kyng in all his infyrmyteis wolde nat se the quene nor none other woman but all onlye this duchesse of Orlyaunce Vpon whiche sayeng and for doute therof her husbaÌde had her awaye and put her out of the house of saynt Poule in Parys and sente her to a castell besyde Parys vpon the waye of Beauoyes called Asynyers And there she was kepte a longe season and neuer wente out of the castell and at last she was sent fro thens to Newcastell on the ryuer of Loyre And the duke of Orlyaunce had great displeasure to her bycause of the adueÌture of the dethe of his son but by reason that he had other chyldren by her soÌwhat it brake his displeasure These tidynges came to Myllayne and the lorde Galeas was enfourmed howe his doughter was in trouble and in great daunger wherof he was sore displeased with the Frenche kyng and his counsayle Than he sent a suffycient messanger as sir Iaquemont of Weryne and other to Parys to the kyng and his counsayle in excusyng his doughter sayeng that if any persone wolde accuse her of trayson he shulde be fought with all at vttrauÌce in that quarell Whan these messangers caÌe to Parys the kynge was in good helth but he tooke no hede of those messangers nor of their excuse and so they were shortely aunswered nothyng to their pleasure So they retourned in to Lombardy and declared to the duke of Myllayne all that they had sene and done Than the duke was in gretter displeasure than he was before and reputed it a great iniury and than sent his defyaunce to the Frenche kynge and to all the hole Realme of Fraunce And whan his defyaunces were brought to Parys the lordes knightes with the Frenche armye were as than in HuÌgry and entred in to Turkey And for the dispyte and hate that the duke of Myllayne had to the Frenche kynge and to some of his counsayle therfore he helde in amyte and alyaunce the great Turke and shewed hym of the secretes of FrauÌce ¶ Nowe we shall leaue spekynge of the duke and speke of the great Turke and of the barons of Fraunce and of other Christen knyghtes that were as than in Turkey ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the great turke desyred the soudan and many other kynges sarazyns to ayde hym with menne of warre to resyst agaynst the christen men and howe many valyant sarazyns came to hym out of farre countreis Cap. CC.xi. IT was nat longe after but that the great Turke departed fro Quayre fro the Soudan who promysed
ye shall be than of the puyssaunce to oppresse all your rebelles for the frenche kynge if nede be shall ayde you of this ye maye be sure In the name of god ye saye well and thus shall I do THe erle of saynt Powle was lodged at London and often tymes went to Eltham to se the kynge and the duke of Lancastre and had often tymes coÌmunycacion on this maryage Th erle of saint Poule sayde howe the frenche kynge shulde come to saynt Omers and his vncles and bring with hym his doughter so that the kynge of England wolde come to Calais and so bytwene saynte Omers and Calays the two kynges shulde mete and speke togyther wherby by reason of syght and spekynge togyther shulde encrease loue and amyte and there these two kinges and their vncles shulde speke togyder without any other companye on the forme of the peace and if they conclude nat on some peace yet at leste the trewce myght be relonged to endure for thyrty or .xl. yere bytwene the two realmes and their alies This deuyse semed right good to the kyng and to his counsayle and hervpon the kynge and other lordes sente to Calays to make prouysyon and the kynge desyred his vncle the duke of Gloucestre to go with hym in that iourney and the duches his wyfe and his chyldren and in lyke wyse the Dukes and duchesses of yorke and Lancastre And so whan euery thynge was redy the kynge and the erle of saynt Powle departed fro Eltham and rode towardes Caunterbury and after them folowed all other lordes suche as shulde go in this voyage and suche as had been desyred The erle of saynt Powle passed the see fyrst to the entent to aduertyse the Frenche kynge and so passed to Boloyne and so to Paris and there declared to the frenche kynge and to his vncles howe he had spedde wherwith they were well content and so departed fro Paris and lytell and lytell aproched to the cytie of Amyence and the kynge of Englande and his vncles came to Calais with many lordes and ladyes And the duke of Burgoyne one of the frenche kynges vncles came to saynt Omers and by the meanes of the Erle of saynt Powle and Robert the hermyte the duke of Burgoyne came to Calays to se the kynge of Englande and his vncles ⪠where he was nobly receyued and there they couÌsayled togyther on certayne artycles of the peace wherto the kynge of Englande lyghtly enclyned and for to say trouth he cared nat what he dyd so he myght haue his wyfe WHan the duke of Burgoyne had ben at Calais two dayes and had coÌmuned with the kynge of Englande on the artycles of the peace the kynge sayd howe he wolde sende all the processe of the artycles ouer the see in to Englande to beshewed and declared there to the people for he sayde that nouther he nor all the lordes that were there of Englande coulde nat conclude fermely on no peace without the generall consentment of the people of Englande And more ouer the kynge sayde howe that he must fyrst go ouer agayne hym selfe and so retourne and therby make but one iourney That is well said quod the duke of Burgoyne for than at youre retourne euery thynge shall be concluded and perfourmed Thus the duke of Burgoyne and the erle of saynt Powle departed fro Calays and retourned to saynt Omers and fro thens to Amyence where they fouÌde the kyng and the quene and their doughter who shulde be quene of Englande The same tyme there was the dukes of Bretaygne and of Berrey in great araye And the kynge of Englande and his vncles and other lordes retourned in to Englande and their wyues taryed styll at Calays tyl their retourne ¶ In this meane season the voyage was made in to Frese by them of Haynalte Fyrst the erle of Heynalte Holande and of zelande and his sonne the Erle of Ostrenaunt as ye shall here after in this hystorie ¶ Howe the erle of Heynalt and the erle of Ostrenante his sonne made a great army of men of armes knyghtes and squyers to go in to Frese Cap. CC.xiiii Ye haue herde here before howe duke Auberte of Bauyer and Guylliam his sonne erle of Ostrenant had gret desyre to go in to Frese to conquere that countrey wherof the sayde duke Aubert by ryght succession of herytage shulde be erle and lorde therof and to auaunce the same iourney the erle of Ostrenant had sent Fyerebrace of Vertayne to haue some ayde of the englysshe men who spedde hym so well that kynge Rycharde of Englande for the honour of his cosyns sent certayne men of armes with two hundred archers vnder the guydyng of thre gentlemen one called Cornewayle another Colleuyll knyghtes the thyrde asquyer I knowe nat his name but I was well enfourmed that he was a valyaunt man of armes he hadde his chynne cutte of in a fray a lytell before and he had a chynne made of syluer tyed aboute his heed with a lase of sylke These englysshmen came to Encuse at their tyme prefyxed This duke Aâberte and his sonne had a valyaunt man of their couÌsayle called Gylliam of Croenbourge who greatly exorted theym to the warre for he hated greatly the fresones and had doone them many dyspyghtes and dyd after as ye shall here Thus the duke Aubert departed fro the Haye in Holande with Gyllyam his sonne erle of Ostrenant and so came in to his countrey of Haynalte to the towne of Monts and there he assembled togyther the thre estates of the countrey and there shewed vnto them the great desyre that he had to go in to Frese and the rightfull occasion that he had so to do and caused there to be openly shewed certayne letters patentes apostolykes and imperyalles ryght noble and autentyke sealed vnder leade lyole and entre by the whiche apered euydently the ryght and tytell that he had to the signory of Frese and than he sayd openly Lordes and valyaunt men my subgettes ye knowe well that euery man ought to kepe and defeÌde his herytage and that a man may laufully moue warâ to recouer his lande and herytage ye knowe also the fresons ought by right to be our subgiettes and they be inobedyent and rebell agaynst vs and our sygnory as people without lawe or faythe and therfore good and dere frendes ye know well that without your ayde bothe with bodyes and goodes we canne nat fournysshe to bringe to execusyon so hygh an enterprise wherfore we desyre you in this busynesse to ayde vs that is to say with money and with men of warre to the entent that these inobedyent fresons maye be subdued and brought to obedyence These wordes or suche lyke spoken by the duke the thre estates by a coÌmune acord grauÌted their lordes petycyon and request lyke suche people as greatly desyred and alwayes had done to do obedyent seruyce and pleasure to their lorde and prince And as I was enfourmed they caused him to haue in redy money
to Fraunce with letters of credence to our father in lawe the Frenche kynge and to our frendes his brother vncles And shewe them fro vs that in no wyse they conclude any treatie or alyaunce of maryage with suche a traytour as is the erle of Derby who wolde betray his naturall souerayne lorde And for the remynaunt of the mater ye are wyse ynough do so therin that I maye can you thanke and that the maryage maye be broken The erle of Salisbury sayde Sir I shall do ryght well your coÌmaundement But sir if it myght be broken by some other meanes or by some other persone I requyre youre grace it maye so be Sir quod the kynge excuse you natte for I wyll and also I praye you do this message whatsoeuer shall fall therof I shall sustayne you Well sir quod the erle sithe ye coÌmaunde me so specially and that I se the mater toucheth you nere I shall do it thoughe I be lothe therto ye shall go quod the kynge and make haste or this alyaunce be concluded Than the Erle prepared for his departure The letters of Credence written and sealed he departed fro the kynge who was at that tyme at Leades and the Quene also The erle made haste and came to Douer and so toke the See and arryued at Calays and there founde the erle of Huntyngton who was capitayne of Calais and brother to the kynge The Erle shewed vnto hym all his busynesse and so taryed nat longe at Calays but roode to Amyence and so to Parys and all they waye that he rode he hadde good chere and was lodged at the whyte horse And whan he had chauÌged him he wente to the kynge and to the quene and to that other lordes and delyuered his letters of credence Whan the kyng had reed the letters he toke the erle aparte and demaunded what was his credence The erle at length shewed his charge and named the Erle of Derby traytour agaynst his naturall lorde Whan the Frenche kyng herde those wordes he was in great displeasure for he loued so the erle of Derby that he wolde here none yuell spoken of him and toke the letters of credence agayne to the erle of Salisbury and sayd Erle we beleue you well ynoughe but our sonne of Englande is to sore moued agaynst oure cosyn of Derby and we marueyle greatly that his yuell wyll contyneweth so longe for we thynke he shulde be the better furnysshed if he were about hym and to be nexte of his counsayle Sir quod the erle of Salisbury I do but as I am coÌmaunded That is trewe quod the kyng we are nat displeased with you paraduenture our sonne of Englande knoweth more than we do do your message as ye were charged and so he dyde and to the duke of Berrey also The duke gaue none aunswere therto but wente to the kyng and demaunded of hym what newes he hadde out of Englande The kynge shewed hym all as the erle of Salisburye had sayde Vpon those newes the kyng and his vncles assembled togyder secretely than the Frenche kynge sayd The kynge of Englande by lykelyhode douteth greatly therle of Derby or elles paradueÌture he knoweth suche thynges as we knowe nat nor can nat come to oure knowledge And we ought rather to owe our fauoure to the kynge of Englande thanÌe to the erle of Derby sythe the kynge is ioyned with vs by maryage And he wyll take it in great disdayne sythe we be enfourmed of his pleasure if we shulde do the contrary and marry the erle of Derby to the countesse of Ewe It behoueth vs rather to dissymule kepe these newes secrete tyll the erle of Salisbury be retourned Vpon this peynt the kyng and his vncles rested WHan the erle of Salisbury had done his message he tooke his leaue and departed The Frenche kynge was more displeased with his coÌmyng than ioyfull for he delyuered agayne the erle of Salysbury his letters of credence and wolde nat kepe them he loued so well the erle of Derby who knewe of the erle of Salysburies beynge at Parys but he sawe hym nat for he was departed without spekyng with him and retourned to Calays and to in to Englande and shewed the kynge of Englande howe he hadde spedde Whan the erle or Derby knewe that the erle of Salisbury was departed fro Parys without spekynge with hym in his mynde he was soore displeased and thought the matter went nat well than his counsayle sayde to hym Sir shortely ye shall parceyue some other maters that ye haue nat herde of as yet thoughe it be kepte priuye fro you These Frenchmen are wyse and close It maye be so that the kyng of Englande and suche as be of his secte are displeased with that the Frenche kyng maketh you so good chere as he dothe And paradueÌture it is spoken in Englande howe ye shulde mary the duke of Berryes doughter whiche pleaseth nat the kynge of Englande and therfore he wyll do what he can to breke that maryage and if it be so ye shall shortly here therof LOoke as they ymagined so it was for within a moneth after the erle of Salisbury was departed fro Parys suche of therle of Derbies parte as had the treatie of the sayde maryage in hande They spake agayne of the mater to the duke of Berryes counsayle who had their charge what they shulde answere They sayd sirs Whan my lorde the erle of Derby is in the kynges presence and the duke of Orlyaunce and his vncles presente than lette my lorde the erle of Derby speke hym selfe for we can saye no more to the mater Th erle of Derby who thought none yuell but thought those wordes hadde ben spoken to the entent to haue proched nerer to the poynt for the kynge and his counsayle made hym as good chere thanne as euer they dyde before The Erle thought to speke in the mater whan he sawe conuenyent tyme. And on a daye whanÌe he sawe the kyng and the lordes togyder he began to speke of this maryage Than the duof Burgoyne who hadde the charge to aunswere hym sayde Cosyn of Derby we haue nothynge to do to gyue in maryage ouer cosyn to a traytour With that woorde the erle of Derby was greatly abasshed chauÌged colour sayd Sir I am here in the kynges presence I wyll answere to this I was neuer traytour nor neuer thought trayson if there be any persone that wyll charge me with trayson I am redy to answere nowe or whaÌ it shall please the kynge here beyng present Nay cosyn quod the kyng I beleue ye shall fynde no man in Fraunce that wyll chalenge your honoure for the wordes that myne vncle hath spoken came out of Englande than the erle kneled downe and sayd Sir I beleue it well But god defende me and all my frendes and confounde all myne ennemyes The Frenche kynge toke vp the erle sayd Cosyn apeace your selfe euery thynge shall tourne to the best And
shulde nat be for their welthe but to their great doÌmage for the kynge was sore enformed against them Whan they had this warnynge they stopped their coÌmyng to the kyng and nat without good cause For they were shewed that if they came they shulde be in ieopardye of their lyues Whan the kynges counsayle sawe that therle and his sonÌe came nat they sayd to the kyng Sir nowe ye maye se whyder we dyde enforme you of the trouthe or nat ye maye se therle and his sonne disdayneth to serue you for they wyll nat come at youre coÌmaundement and that shall ye se if ye sende for them And I shall sende for them quod the kyng Than letters were written sente by notable messangers to therle to the lorde Henry Percy his son The content of the letters was that incontynent without delaye vpon the sight of those letters that they shulde come to the kyng and do their duetie as they were bounde to do These messangers iourneyed so longe that they came to fayre castell of the erles standyng on the fronter of Scotlande The messanger acquyted hym well in doynge of his message as he was coÌmauÌded Th erle reed his letters at length and than shewed them to his sonne Than they toke aduise to make the messanger good chere and to write agayn to the kynge in excusynge of them selfes howe they coulde nat come out of their countrey as at that tyme and howe that the kyng had men ynowe to acoÌplysshe his iourney besyde them The messangers retourned to the kynge and delyuered the erles lettre The kynge redde it the whiche answere was nothynge pleasaunt to the kynge nor to his counsayle and thanne for this cause and for other thynges that were layde to the Erles charge and to his sonnes they were openly banysshed the realme of Englande tyll the kyng dyd repeale them agayne This was publysshed through out all the cyties and good townes of Englande and specyally in London wherof the londoners had great marueyle nor they coulde nat knowe iustly for what cause it was for the erle and his sonne were reputed for noble and as valyaunt men as any within the realme Some sayd it coÌmeth by some of the kynges counsayle that hateth them whiche counsayle wyll distroy the kyng at last peraduenture the erle and his sonne haue spoken some wordes vpon the kynge and his counsayle for the yuell gouernynge of the realme coulde nat be herde though they said the trouth and for their true sayeng nowe they be punisshed but we thinke herafter they wyll be punysshed that nowe iudge them Thus the londoners and other spake of this mater The erle had a brother a valiaunt knight sir Thomas percy who had of a longe tyme done many noble seruyces to the kynge of Englande whan the erle knewe that he and his sonne were banysshed the realme he toke it for an vnreasonable punysshment without cause Than he sente for all his frendes in the countrey suche as he coulde get togyther for many of his lygnage were with the kynge to go in to Irelande The erle toke counsayle of them what was best to do sythe the kynge had banysshed hym without cause Than he was counsayled to sende in to the realme of Scotlande and to desyre the king there that he and his sonne might abyde peasably in Scotlande tyll the kynge of Englande were apeased of his dyspleasure Thus therle sent to kynge Robert of Scotlande and the kyng the erle Archambalt Duglas and the other lordes of Scotlande condiscendyd lyghtly to the erles desyre sent the erle worde howe they shulde be gladly receyued and also if they neded of fyue or syre hundred speares if they were signyfied of the tyme they shulde be redy to serue them This message pleased greatly the erle and his lygnage and so the erle taryed styll in his countrey amonge his frendes for kynge Rycharde and his counsayle had so moche to do in sorte season after that they had no layser to do any dyspleasure to the erle nor to his sonne as ye shall here after in this hystory KInge Rycharde thus beynge aboute Bristowe than the state generally of all men in Englande began to murmure and to ryse one agaynst another and mynystrynge of iustyce was clene stopped vp in all courtes of Englande wherof the valyaunt men and prelates who loued reste and peace and were glad to paye their duetyes were greatly abasshed for there rose in the realme companyes in dyuers rowtes kepynge the feldes and hygh wayes so that marchauntes durste nat ryde abrode to excercyse their marchaundyse for doute of robbynge and no man knewe to whome to coÌplayne to do them ryght reasone and iustyce whiche thynges were ryght preiudyciall and dyspleasaunt to the good people of Englande for it was contrary to their accustomable vsage for all people laborers and marchauntes in Englande were wonte to lyue in rest and peace and to occupy their marchaundyse peasably and the laborers to labour their landes quyetly and than it was contrary for whan marchauntes rode fro towne to towne with their marchaundyse and had outher golde or syluer in their purces it was taken fro them and fro other men and labourers out of their houses these companyons wolde take whete ootes bufes muttons porkes the pore men durste speke no worde these yuell dedes dayly multyplyed so that great complayntes and lamentacyons were made therof through out the realme and the good people sayde the tyme is chaunged vpon vs fro good to yuell euer sythe the dethe of good kynge Edwarde the thyrde in whose dayes iustyce was well kepte and mynystred In his dayes there was no man so hardy in Englande to take a hen or a chekyn or a shepe without he had payed trewly for it and nowâ a dayes all that we haue is taken fro vs and yet we dare nat speke these thinges canne nat longe endure but that Englande is lykely to be loste without recouery We haue a kynge nowe that wyll do nothyng he entendeth but to ydelnesse and to acomplysshe his pleasure and by that he sheweth he careth nat howe euery thynge gothe so he maye haue his wyll it were tyme to prouyde for remedy or els out enemyes wyll reioyse mocke vs our kynge hath sette his brother the erle of Huntyngdon at Calais therby peraduenture may be made some yuell treatie and bargayne for the towne of Calays with the frenche men and rendre in to their handes that thynge that is most necessary for the realme of Englande for if Calays were rendred to the Frenche men Englande was neuer so abasshed as it shulde be than and good cause why for than shulde be lost the chiefe key of Englande THus multyplyed the lamentacyons and murmurynge in Englande and the prelates and other ryche men of the realme came to London to dwell there to be in the better suretie They of the lygnages of suche lordes as the kynge had put to dethe and banisshed
the realme they were gladde of all this and wolde that more trouble had ben in the realme and the cytezins of LoÌdon who were ryche and lyued by their marchaundyse as well coraunt by see as by lande and kepte therby great estate and by ensample of them all the remnauÌt of the realme lyghtly folowed they sawe well that as great myschiefe was lykely to folowe in the realme as was sometyme in kynge Edwarde the secondes dayes whan the lorde Spencer caused the kynge to put out of the realme the quene Isabell and Edward her sonne and wolde haue distroyed them and wyste nat why and so were out of the Realme more than thre yere but fynally whan the men in Englande and specyally the londoners sawe howe that the kynge was so asotted on this syr Hugh spenser they prouyded for a remedy for they sente secretly to the quene Isabell that if she coulde get thre hundred men of warre to come in to Englande she shulde fynde the greatest parte of the realme and the londoners redy to receyue her and to put her in possessyon of the realme whervpon the quene founde the lorde Iohan of Haynalt lorde of Beaumont and of Chynay and brother to the erle Guillyam of Haynalte who what for loue and pytie toke on him the vyage to brynge the quene and her sonne in to Englande with four hundred men of warre and so aryued in Englande and by the ayde of the londoners the quene atchyued her enterprise for without their ayde it wolde haue ben hard to haue come to passe and so kynge Edwarde was taken at the castell of Bristowe and set in prisone in the castell of Berkley and suche as fauoured him slayne and put to execusion and Edwarde his sonne crowned kynge at Westmynster All this the londoners ryght well remembred for they that were yonge herde this reported of their elders and some founde it in writynge and they sayd secretly one to a nother Our fathers and antecessours of olde tyme prouyded for these greate mischiefes and we thinke there was neuer greater cause than nowe at this present tyme for suffer this kyng Rycharde to haue his wyll and he wyll waste and dystroy all for sythe he was kynge there hath nat been in Englande suche prosperyte as was before he sheweth nat that the prince of Wales shulde be his father for if he had he wolde haue folowed his condicions and haue taken great pleasure in his prowes and nat to lyue in reste and ease as he dothe for he loueth nothynge but sporte and ydelnesse with ladyes and to be alwayes in their company and to beleue men of small reputacyon and to gather great rychesse and distroy the realme whiche thynges ought nat to be suffred And bycause that valyaunt man the duke of Gloucestre sawe clerely that the maters in Englande went nat as they shulde do by right and sawe howe dayly it was worse and worse and bycause he spake playnely therof the traytours that be about the kinge caused hym to be murthered and in lykewyse the good erle of Arundell and haue driuen out of the realme that valyaunt yonge knight Henry of Lancastre erle of Derby by whome the realme myght and ought to be counsayled and susteyned and by his four sonnes that he hath And yet for more crueltie besyde the doÌmage that they cause the father to suffre out of the realme they dysenheryte the chyldren and the herytage that was their auntes the lady dame Blanche of Lancastre is dayly gyuen awaye to them that are nat worthy to haue theym And also bycause the erle of Northumberlande and his sonne the lorde Henry Percy haue somwhat spoken acordynge to reasone kynge Rycharde hath banysshed them it is well apparauÌt that with in a shorte tyme there shall neuer a valyaunt man be lefte in the realme wherfore all wyll rynne to nought without remedy be founde shortely and we thynke the best remedy were to sende for the erle of Derby who leseth his season in Fraunce and whan he is come lette hym haue the gouernaunce of the realme that he may refourme all yuell and bringe it in to good state and lette them be punysshed that haue deserued and let Richarde of Burdeaux be taken and sette in the towre of London and all his fautes put in writynge in artycles of the whiche there wyll be founde a great nombre and by that tyme they be examined it shall be sene clerely that he is nat worthy to beare a crowne nor to kepe a realme for his owne de des shall confounde hym ¶ Howe the archebysshop of Caunterbury was sente in to Fraunce to the erle of Derby fro the londoners and other counsayls of Englande to haue him to returne in to Englande Cap. CC.xxxviii THus the londoners coÌmunded togyder and nat al onely they but also in dyuers other places of the realme but the chyefe murmuracyon that the people were in was by the first set rynge on of them of London for the coÌmons of London were as chefe and by them lyghtly all other coÌmons wold be ruled and vpon the myschiefe that they sawe apparaunt in Englande they had dyuers secrete counsayles to gyther and with them certayne prelates and other knyghtes of the realme and they concluded to sende in to Fraunce for the erle of Derby and were determyned whan he were come to shewe hym the yuell gouernynge of kynge Rycharde and to put to hym the crowne and gouernynge of the realme of Englande and so to make hym kynge and his heyres for euer so that he wyll kepe the realme in all good vsages Than it was thought that he that shulde go in that message must be a wyse man and of good credence for they thought it shulde be a great mater to gette the erle of Derby out of FrauÌce for they said that for any symple wordes of a meane messanger or for any letters he wolde gyue no faythe there to but rather thynke it shulde be to betraye hym Than the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury a man of honoure and prudence was desyred to do that message who for the coÌmon profyte of the realme acorded to go at their desyres and ordeyned for his departure so wysely that none knewe therof but suche as ought to knowe it and so he toke a shyppe at London and but seuen all onely with hym and so past without any parell and came to Sluse in Flaunders and fro thens to Ardenbourge and so to Gaunte to And warpe to A the in Brabant to Conde and so to Valencennes and there toke his lodgynge at the signe of the Swanne in the market place and there taryed a thre dayes and refressed himselfe He rode nat lyke no bysshop but lyke a monke pylgryme and dyscouered to no man what he was nor what he entended to do The fourth day he departed and toke a man to be his guyde to Parys sayenge howe he wolde go a pylgrymage to saint More He dyd so moch that he came
where as he laye his hedde on a blacke quisshen his visage open some had on hym pytie soÌe none but sayd he had long a go deserued dethe Now coÌsyder well ye great lordes kynges dukes erles baroÌs prelates all men or great lynage puissauce se beholde how the fortunes of this worlde are marueylous turne diuersly This kyng Richarde reigned kynge of EnglaÌde .xxii. yere in great prosperite holdyng great estate signorie There was neuer before any kyng of Englande that spente so moche in his house as he dyd by a. C.M. florens euery yere For I sir IohnÌ Froissart chanon treasourer of Chinay knewe it wel for I was in his court more tha a quarter of a yere togider he made me good chere bycause that in my youthe I was clerke seruauÌt to the noble kynge Edwarde the thirde his grautfather with my lady Philyp of Heynault quene of EnglaÌde his grandame and whan I deêted fro hym it was at Wynsore and at my departynge the kyng sent me by a knight of his called sir IohnÌ Golofer a gob let or syluer gylte weyeng two marke of siluer within it a C. nobles by the which I am as yet the better and shal be as long as I lyue wherfore I am bouÌde to praye to God for his soule with moche sorowe I write of his dethe But bicause I haue coÌtynued this historie therfore I write therof to folowe it In my tyme I haue sene two thingê though they differ yet they be true I was in the cytie of Burdeux sytting at the table whaÌ kyng Richarde was borne the whiche was on a tuisday about .x. of the clocke The same tyme there caÌe there as I was sir Richarde PouÌtcardon marshall as than of Acâtayne he said to me Froissart write put in memorie that as nowe my lady pricesse is brought abeed with a fayre son on this twelfe daye that is the day of the thre kynges and he is son to a kynges son shal be a kyng This geÌtyll knight said trouthe for he was kynge of Englande xxii yere But whan this knyght sayd these wordes he knewe full lytell what shulde be his conclusyon And the same tyme that kynge Richarde was borne his father the prince was in Galyce the whiche kyng Dompeter had gyuen him and he was there to coÌquere the realme Vpon these thyngê I haue greatlye ymagined sythe for the fyrst yere that I caÌe in to EnglaÌde in to the seruyce of quene Philyppe Kynge Edwarde and the quene and all their chyldren were as than at Barcamstede a maner of the prince of Wales be yonde London The kynge and the Quene were came thyder to take leaue of their sofie the prince and the priÌcesse who were goyng in to Acquitayne And there I herde an auÌcient knyght deuyse amonge the ladyes and sayde There is a booke whiche is called le Brust and it deuyseth that the prince of Wales eldest son to the king nor the duke of Clarence nor the duke of Glocestre shuld neuer be kyng of EnglaÌde but the realme crowne shuld returne to the house of Lacastre There I Iohan Froissart auctour of this cronycle coÌsydring all these thynges I say these two knyghtes sir Richarde Pountcardon sir Bartylmewe of Bruels layd bothe trouthe For I sawe and so dyde all the worlde Rycharde of Burdeaux .xxii. yere kyng of Englande and after the crowne retourned to the house of Lancastre And that was whan kyng HeÌry was kyng the which he had neuer ben if Richarde of Burdeaux had dalte amyably with hym for the Londoners made hym kyng bycause they had pytie on hym and on his chyldren Thus whan kynge Richarde had layne two houres in the chare in Chepe syde than they draue the chayre forwarde And whan the foure knyghtes that folowed the chare a sote were without London they lept than on their horses whiche were there redy for them And so they rode tyll they caÌe to a vyllage called Langle a .xxx. myle from LoÌdon and there this kyng Richarde was buryed god haue mercy on his soule Tydinges spredde abrode howe kyng Richarde was deed he taryed euery daye for it for euery man myght well consydre that he shulde neuer come out of prisone a lyue His dethe was long kepte and hydde fro his wyfe The Frenche kynge and his counsayle were well enformed of all this and the knightes and squyers desyred nothyng but the warre that they myght ryde vpon the fronters Howe be it the counsayls as well of the one realme as of the other toke their aduyse and thought it best to vpholde styll the truse that was taken before they thought it more êfitable than the warre And a newe treatie was deuysed to be in the marches of Calais bycause the freÌche kyng was nat in good case nor had nat been sythe he knewe of the trouble that kyng Richarde was in And yet his sickenesse doubled whaÌ he knewe that he was deed so that the duke of Burgoyne had the chefe rule of the realme And he came to saynt Omers to Burbourâ where the duke of Burbone was sir Charles de la Brest and Charles of Hangeers Iohan of Castell Morant and of prelates the patriarke of Ierusalem and the bysshoppes of Paris and of Beauoyes And on the Englysshe partie there was the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Rutlande the erle of Deuonshyre and the lorde Henry Percy the erles sonne and yuan of Fitzwaren and prelates there were the bysshoppes of Wynchester and of Ely The frenche men demauÌded to haue agayne delyuered the yong quene of Englande but the Englysshe men wolde in no wyse delyuer her but sayd she shulde lyue styll in EnglaÌde vpon her dowrie and that though she had lost her husbande they wolde prouyde for her another that shulde be fayre yong gentyll with whom she shuld be better pleased than with Richard of Burdeaux for he was olde and this shuld be the prince of Wales eldest sofie to kyng Henry To this the Frenchmen wolde nat agre for they wolde nat consent therto without liceÌce of the kyng her father who as than was nat in good poynt for he was farrÌ out of the way no medysyn coude helpe hym So that mater was layde aparte and the treatie of truse went forwarde in suche wyse that by coÌsent of bothe parties they sware and were bouÌde to kepe the truse .xxvi. yere more to the four yeres that it had endured the whiche in all was .xxx. yere accordynge to the fyrst couenauÌt and vpon this writynges were made and sealed by procuracyons of bothe kyngê this done euery man returned to their own countreis ¶ I haue nat as yet shewed you what became of therle Marshall by whom fyrst all these trybulacyons began in the realme of Englande but nowe I shall shewe you He was at Venyce and whaÌ he knewe that kyng Henry was kyng and kynge Rycharde taken deed He toke therof so great displeasure and sorowe that he layde hym downe on his bedde and fell in a fransy and so dyed Suche mischeuousnesse fell in those dayes vpon great lordes of Englande ¶ And in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande four hundred one lesse Pope Benedic at Auignon who had ben susteyned long by the Frenche men was as than deposed And in lykewise so was the kynge of Almaygne for his yuell dedes For the clectours of the Empyre and all the dukes and barons of Almaygne rose agaynst hym and sente hym in to Boesme where as he was kyng and they chose another a valyaunt and a wyseman to be kyng of Almayne and he was one of the Bauyers and was called Robert of Heleberge And he came to Coloygne where he was crowned with the crowne of Almayne for they of Ayes wolde nat open their towne to hym nor the duke of Guerles wolde nat be vnder his obeysaunce This newe kynge of Almaygne promysed to bring the churche to a vnyte and peace Howe be it the FreÌche kynge and his counsayle treated with the legeoys who helde with the pope at Rhome And they dyde so moche by the meanes of sir Baudwyn of Mount Iardyne who gouerned a great parte of the bysshoprike of Liege who was a knyght of the Frenche kynges so that by his meanes at the desyre of the freÌche kyng the countrey of Liege tourned to become neuter so that the Legeois sente to Rome for all the clergy that were there of their countrey to come by a certayne day or els to lese all their benefyces in the countre Whan they herde that they returned fro Rome and caÌe to Liege And pope Bonyface who lost moche by that transmutacion sente a legate in to Almaygne to preche amonge them to cause them to retourne agayne to his parte but the legate durst nat passe Coloigne and sent letters to Liege Whanne those letters were reed the messanger was aunswered that on payne of drownyng he shulde no more comeon suche message For they sayd as many messanger as cometh with any suche message shal be drowned in the ryuer of Moeuze Finis totius Froissart ¶ Thus endeth the thirde and fourthe boke of sir IohnÌ Froissart of the cronycles of Englande FrauÌce Spayne Portyngale Scotlande Bretaygne Flaunders and other places adioynynge Translated out of Frenche in to maternall Englysshe by IohnÌ Bourchier knyght lorde Berners deputie generall of the kynges towne of Calais and marches of the same At the hyghe commaundement of our moost redouted souerayne lorde kyng henry the eight kyng of Englande and of Fraunce and hyghe defender of the christen faythe c. The whiche two bokes be coÌpyled in to one volume fynysshed in the sayd towne of Calais the .x. day of marche in the .xvi. yere of our said souerayne lordes raigne Imprinted at London in Fletestrete by Rycharde Pynson printer to the kynges moost noble grace And ended the last day of August the yere of our lorde god M.D.xxv. ¶ Cum priuylegio a rege in dulto
Xancere and of the departyng of the erle of Arundell Cap. C .l. ¶ Howe the admyrall of Fraunce was ordayned by the Frenche kynge and his counsayle as ambassadour to go to the kynge of Castile and howe the duke of Berrey sent to the erle of Foize to treate for a maryage bytwene the duke of Berrey the erles doughter of Bolonge Cap C .li. ¶ Howe Geffray Tete Noyre dyde chose a capitayne ouer his company and howe he made his testament and so dyed And howe the duke of Guerles departed fro his countrey to go in to Pruce and of the incydence that fell to hym in the lande of the duke of Stulpe where he was taken prisoner and disconfyted Cap. C .lii. ¶ Howe sir Johan of Vyen dyde his message to kyng Johan of Castyle fro the frenkynge and his counsayle and what answers the kynge of Castyle made to hym Capi. C .liii. ¶ Howe sir Loyes of Xancere went to se the erle of Foize at Orthays and howe before the duke of LaÌcastre at Burdeux there were dedes of armes done bytwene fyue Frenche men and fyue Englysshe men and howe the duchesse of Lancastre went with her doughter in to Castyle to kyng JohnÌ Cap. c .liiii. ¶ Howe the duchesse of Lancastre departed fro the kyng of Castyle and wente to Mantuell to bring her fathers bones to Ciuyle howe the Frenche kyng sent ambassadours to the erle of Foize to treate for the mariage of the duke of Berrey his vncle with therie of Boloyns doughter Cap. C .lv. ¶ Howe certaygne wyse men treated for a peace to endure for thre yere bytwene FrauÌce and Englande and all their alyes aswell on the one parte as on the other by laÌde and by see Cap. C .lvi. ¶ Of the ordynaunce of the entre of quene Isabell in to the towne of Paris Ca. c .lvii. ¶ Howe the lorde of Castell morant whom therle of saynt Poule had lefte behynde him in Englande retourned in to Fraunce with the charter of the truse sealed by kynge Richarde his vncles to endure thre yere by see and by lande Cap. C .lviii. ¶ The maryage of kynge Loyes sonne to the duke of Aniou to the doughter of kynge Peter of Arragone and howe he went with the quene of Naples his mother to Auignon to se pope Clement Cap. C .lix. ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng had desyre to go and visyte the farre partes of his realme and howe he went fyrste in to Burgoyne and to Auignone to se pope Clement Cap. c.lx. ¶ Howe sir Peter Courtney caÌe in to FrauÌce to do armes with sir Guye of Tremoyle and howe the lorde of Clary conueyed hym and by what occasyon he dyde armes with hym in the marchesse of Calis Cap. c.lxi ¶ Howe the iustes at saynt Inguelyert otherwyse called Sandyngfelde were enterprised by sir Raynolde of Roye the yonge sir BouciquauÌt and the lorde of saynt Pye Capi. C .lxii. ¶ Of the complayntes made to the Frenche kynge by the people of Languedocke in the towne of Besyers agaynst Beusache treasourer to the duke of Berrey of the great extorcyons that he had made and of his contessyon and of the cruell dethe that he hadde in the sayd towne Cap. C.lxiii ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng beynge at Tholous sent for the erle of Foize who came thyder and dyd homage to the kyng for the couÌtie of Foize Cap. C.lxiiii ¶ Of the feate and couynauÌt that was done bytwene the kynge and the duke of Thoutayne his brother whiche of them shulde sonest come to Parys fro Mountpellyer whiche is a hundred and fyftie leages a sonder eche of them but with one knight Capi. C .lxv. ¶ Of the dethe of pope Vrbayne of Rome called the Antepape howe pope Clement wrote to the Frenche kyng and to his vncles and to the vnyuersite and of the electyon of pope Bonyface by the cardynals of Rome Capi. C .lxvi. ¶ Of the yeldynge vp and takynge of the stronge castell of Vanchadore in Lymosyn of olde parteyninge to sir Geffray Teate Noyre Cap. C.lxvii ¶ Of the dedes of armes at saynt Ingylbertes continewyng thyrtie dayes agaynst all coÌmers of the realme of Englande other countreis euery manne thre courses Capi. C .lxviii. ¶ Of the enterprise and voyage of the knyghtes of Fraunce and Englande and of the duke of Burbone who was as chiefe of that armye at the request of the genouoys to go in to Barbary to besiege the stronge towne of Affryke Cap. C.lxix ¶ Of a capitayne a robber and a pyller of the countre called Aymergot Marcell who helde a strong castell in the marchesse of Rouergne called the Roche of Vandoys and howe it was besieged by the vicount of Meauix and of the takyng therof and howe Aymergot was taken and brought to Parys Capi. C .lxx. ¶ Howe the Christen lordes and the genoââys beyng in the ysle of Conymbres at ancre departed thens to go and lay siege to the strong cytie of Affryke in Barbary howe they maynteyned the siege Cap. C.lxxi ¶ Howe after this aduenture and doÌmage that fell to the christen men by reason of this assaute before the towne of Affryke that so many knyghtes and squyers were deed they maynteygned them selfe more wiselyer after than they dyde before and contynued their siege a longe season after Cap. c.lxxii ¶ Of a feest and iustes made by the kyng of Englande in London whyle the Christen knyghtes and squyers were at the siege before the towne of Affryke agaynst the sarasyns and howe this feest was publisshed in dyuers countreis landes Cap. C.lxxiii ¶ Howe and by what indydent the siege was reysed before the towne of Affryke and by what occasyon and howe euery man recourned to their owne countreis Cap. c.lxxiiii ¶ Of thenglyss he knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the Frenche kyng fro the kyng of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Capi. C.lxxv ¶ Of the dethe of kynge Iohan of Castyle and of the crownynge of kynge Henry his sonne Cap. C.lxxvi ¶ Of the army of the yonge erle Iohan of Armynake and of the voyege that he made in to Lombardy howe he dyed at the siege before the towne of AlexaÌdre Cap. c.lxxvii ¶ Howe sir Peter of Craon fell in the Frenche kynges displeasure and in the Duke of Thourayns and after he was receyued by the duke of Bretayne Cap. C.lxxviii ¶ Of the dethe of the yonge erle Loyes of Chastellon sonne to therle Guye of Bloys Cap. C.lxxix ¶ Of the sodayne dethe of the erle Gascone of Foize and howe the erle of Chastellon caÌe to his enherytaunce Cap. C.lxxx ¶ Howe the treatie of peace renewed at Towers in Thourayne bytwene the Frenche kynge and the duke of Bretayne and of the maryage of the doughter of Fraunce to the sonne of Bretayne and of Iohan of Bretayne erle of Ponthieur and the doughter of the duke of Bretayne Cap. C.lxxxi ¶ Howe the erle of Bloyes Mary of Namure his wyfe solde the countie
language as moche as they myght lyke rude people without hououre as they be All thynges consydered It was to great an armye of so many noble men to come in to Scotlande and knewe no reason why a twentie or thrittie knyghtes of Fraunce had been better than all that nombre of fyue huÌdred or a thousande and the cause why is this ¶ In Scotlande ye shall fynde no man light lye of honoure nor gentylnesse They be lyke wylde and sauage people They wyll be with no man acquaynted and are greatly enuyous with the honoure or profyte of any other man and they dought euer to lese that they haue for it is a poore countre And whan the Englysshe men maketh any roode or voyage in to the couÌtrey as they haue done often before this tyme If they thynke to lyue they muste cause their prouysion and vitayle to folowe theym at their backe for they shall fynde nothyng in that couÌtrey but with moche payne Nor they shall fynde none yron to showe their horses nor leddar to make harnesse sadelles or bridelles For all suche thynges cometh to them redy made oute of Flaunders And whan that prouisyon fayleth there is none to gette in the countrey Whan the barownes and knightes of Fraunce who were wonte to fynde fayre hostryes halles hanged and goodly castelles and softe beddes to reste in Sawe them selfe in that necessite they began to smyle and said to the admyrall Sir What pleasure hath brought vs hyder We neuer knewe what pouertie ment tyll nowe We fynde nowe the olde sayengê of our fathers and mothers true WhanÌe they wolde saye Go your waye and ye lyue long ye shall fynde harde and poore beddes whiche nowe we fynde Therfore lette vs go oure voyage that we be come for Lette vs ryde in to EnglaÌde The longe taryenge here in Scotlande is to vs nother honourable nor profytable The admyrall apeased them as well as he myght sayde Sirs it behoueth vs to suffre a lytell and to speke fayre sithe we be in this daunger We haue a great longe waye yet to passe and by Englande we can nat retourne Therfore lette vs take in gree that we fynde We can nat be alwayes at Parys or Dygeon at Beautie or at Chalous It behoueth them that wyll lyue in this worlde thynkynge to haue honoure to suffre somtyme as well pouertie as welth THus sir Iohan of Vien admyrall of Fraunce apeased to his companyons with these wordes and suche other whiche I can nat all reherce They acquaynted them as mothe as they might with the barownes of Scotlande but they were visyted by them but very lytell For as I haue sayde before there is in theÌ lytell honour of all people yuell to be aquaynted withall The moost company that the frenche men had was the erle Duglas and the erle Morette These two lordes dyde theym more solace than all the resydue of Scotlande yet there was another thyng that was right harde to the frenchmen For whan they were in Scotlande and wolde ryde they fouÌde horses to dere for that that was nat worthe tenne florens they coude nat bye vnder threscore or a huÌdred and yet with moche payne to gette any for money and yet whan they had any horses than hadde they nother harnesse sadell nor bridell without they had brought it with them out of FlauÌders In this trouble and daunger were the frenchemen yea and moreouer WhanÌe their varlettes went forthe a forragynge and hadde charged their horses with suche as they coulde gette In their retouruynge home the scottes them selfe laye in wayte for theym and all that they had taken from them and they well beten and some slayne so that there was none that durste go a forragynge for feare to be slayne For in a moneth the frenche men loste of their varlettes mo than a hundred For if they went forthe thre or foure toguyder they neuer returned agayne Thus the frenche men were handeled And besyde that the kynge of Scottes was desyred to comeforthe and so were the other lordes knightes and squyers of the realme But they aunswered and sayd Howe they wolde make no warre in to Englande as at that tyme. And that they sayd to th entent that the Frenche men shulde paye well for their comyng For or the kyng wolde come out of the wylde scottysshe to Edenboroughe he demauÌded to haue a great somme of money for hym and for his people And the admyrall of FrauÌce was sayne to promyse and to seale that the kynge shulde haue a certayne somme of money or he and his company auoyded the Realme It he had nat done thus he shulde haue hadde none ayde of the scottes He was fayne to make that marchaundise or elles a worse And yet whan he had made the best accorde and aâoyntment that he coude make with theym he hadde by them but lytell profyte nor helpe as ye shall here further in the hystorie ¶ But nowe a lytell I wyll retourne and tell of the aduentures of Flaunders and of the maryage of the yonge frenche kyng and howe Ardenbourcke hadde nere been taken by stelthe where as the Vycont of Meaulx and sir IohnÌ of Ieumont laye in garyson AFter the disconfyture that sir Ryflarte of Flaunders had made in the lande of the foure craftes with out Gaunt than he came to ArdeÌbourcke And thyder was sente in garyson sir Robert of Bethune vycouÌt of Meaulx and there he fouÌde sir Iohan of Iumont and his company And thyder was sente a .xl. speares knightes and squiers suche as desyred to seke aduentures WhanÌe the Vycount was come thider he entended to fortify and repayre the towne in all poyntes Fraunces Atreman and they of Gaunte subtelly ymagyned night and day howe they might anoye and do domage to their enemyes as they shewed rightwell to their neighbours as And warp TeremoÌde Ardenbourcke Bruges Danneâ and Scluse They euer ymagined howe to wynne any of them by crafte And to say the trouth they had suche coÌpany as were mete to execute suche dedes So it fortuned about the ende of Maye FrauÌces Atreman and a seuyn thousande with hym departed fro Gaunt to th entent to wynne Ardenbourke by stelth and all the knightê and squyers therin And specially they desyred to haue the capitayne sir Iohan Iumont bycause he had done them many great domages as in takyng and sleyng and puttyng out of their cyen and cuttyng of handes fete and eares of their men So thus on a Wednisdaye aboute the dawnynge of they day they came to ArdeÌbourcke and had with them scalynge leddars redy The Vycounte of Meaulx sir Iohan Iumount sir Ryflarte of Flaunders the lorde of Damert sir Tercelette of Montigny and sir Parducas of Pount saint Marke the lorde of Langueuall and sir Iohan his sonne sir Hewe Desnell the lorde de Lalayne sir Reynolde of LoÌmye and dyuers other lay slepyng in their beddes on trust of the watche Nowe beholde what adueÌture they were in The watche
saye that whan the kyng of Cyper was in his countre of Byerne and moued him to haue gone to the voiage of the holy Sepulture He hadde thought the same tyme to haue made suche a iourney that if the frenche kyng or the kyng of Englande had taken that enterprise howe ther shulde haue ben no lorde shulde haue brought suche a company as he wolde haue done and as yet he is of the same mynde and in parte that is one of the causes that he gadereth suche treasure tHe prince of Wales the season that he raigned in the countre of Acquitayne beyng at Burdeux on the ryuer of Geronde thought to haue made hym warre The prince manassyde him for the couÌtre of Bierne and wolde haue had hym to haue holde his couÌtre of hym and the erle sayd he wolde nat and sayd howe his countre of Bierne was so free a lande that it ought to do homage to no man of the worlde And the prince who at that tyme was great and sore feared said howe he wolde compell hym êforce for therle of Armynake the lorde Dalbret who loued nat therle of Foiz bycause of suche victories as he hadde won on them before They tytled the prince euer in his eare and entysed hym to haue made warre agaynst the erle of Foiz but the voiage that the prince made in to Spayne brake his purpose Also sir IohnÌ Chandos who was chefe of couÌsayle with the Prince was agaynst it that the prince shulde make any watre to the erle The erle of Foiz loued right well sir Iohan Chandos and he hym but the erle douted the prince bycause he was fierse and coragious and therfore he gadered togyder as moche treasure as he coude gette to th entent therwith to defende hym if nede were And so he set great tayles taxes in all his couÌtre and in euery towne whiche as yet endureth and shall do as long as he lyueth He had of euery fyre euery yere two fraÌkes and the ryche to beare out the poore therby he gadered and yet dothe great riches and the people payeth it with a marueylous good wyll For by reason therof there is nother Englysshe nor frenche nor robbers nor reyuers that dothe them any hurte to the value of one peÌny And so his countre is in sauegarde and iustice truely kepte for in doyng of iustyce he is right cruell he is the moost rightfull lorde that is nowe lyueng And so with these wordes we came to the towne of Turney where as we shulde rest all night So than the knight seased of his talkyng and I remembred well where we lefte agaynst the next day and we were lodged at the signe of the Starre and toke our ease And at supper tyme the capitayne of Maluoysin called sir Raymonde of Lane came to se vs supped with vs and brought with hym four flaggons of the best wyne that I draÌke of in all my iourney those two knightes talked long togider and whan it was late the knight departed and retourned to the castell of Maluoysin and the next mornyng we mounted on out horses and departed fro Tourney passed by a gyde the ryuer of Lysse and rode towarde the cytie of Tarbe entred in to Bigore And we lefte the waye to Lourde to Bagueres and to the castell of Mountgaylliard on the lyfte hande And we rode towarde a vyllage called Teracimytat and dyd coost it and came to a wode in the lande of the lorde of Barbasan and we came nere to a castell called Matheras at the entre of the countre of Layre Than the knight said to me Sir Iohan beholde here the place of Layre and beholde it well aduyse the couÌtre which semed to me right straÌge I thought my selfe but as lost ther if I had nat ben in the company with that knight Than I remeÌbred the wordes that this knight had shewed me .ii. or thre dayes before of that countre of Layre and of the MeÌgeant of Lourde Than I sayd to hym Sir ye shewed me the last daye that whan we shulde be in the couÌtre of Layre that ye wolde shewe me the maner of the MeÌgeant of Lourde and howe he dyed It is true sir ê the knyght come on ryde by me and I shall shewe you Than I rode nere hym to here his wordes and than he sayde Sir in the season that Peter Danchyne helde the castell and castell of Ortyngas as I haue shewed you before this tyme. They of the garison of Lourde soÌtyme rode forthe at aduenture farre fro their garyson howe be it they had nat alwayes the aduauntage for ye maye beholde here the castell of Barbason and the Castell of Martheras wherin there was alwayes many men of warre there and in other garysons as Bagueces Tourney Mountgalyarde Salenges Benache Gorre and Tarbe all frenche townes and garysons And whan these garysons knewe that they of Lourde rode outher towardes Tholous or Carcassone ThaÌ they wolde laye busshementes for them and somtyme take fro them of Lourde their praye and pyllage somtyme they scaped without any rencounter And on a tyme it fortuned that Eruaulton of saynt Colombe and the Mengeant of saynte Cornyle and to the nombre of sixscore speares of good men of warre departed fro Lourde about the mouÌtayns bytwene these two ryuers Lysse and Lesse and so rode nere to Tholous and at their retournyng they founde in the medowes a great nombre of beestes oxen keen hogges mottons and lambes and also they toke dyuers of the good men of the countre prisoners and so droue all their pray before them Than it was shewed to the capitayne of Tarbe a squyer of Gascoyne called Erualton Bysette an experte man of armes Howe they of the garyson of Lourde were abrode and were comyng homewarde with a great praye than he sente to the lorde of Benache and to Enguerose eldest sonne to sir Raymonde and also to the lorde of Barbason Certifyeng them howe he wolde ryde out agaynst theym of Lourde The knyghtes and squyers of the countrey of Bigore agreed to ryde forthe and assembled to guyder at Tourney and with them ther was the Bourcke of Spaygne who came fro his garyson of saynt Bearte So they were to the nombre of two hundred speares and they had their spyes abrode in the Countrey to knowe what they of Lourde dyde On the other syde they of Lourd had abrode their spies to knowe if any men of warre were abrode to lette them of their enterprise And so moche dyde these that eyther partie knewe what other dyde WhanÌe they of Lourde knewe howe they of the frenche garysons were abrode and taryed for them at Tourney Than they were in doute and toke couÌsayle what they might best do to saue their pray Than they determyned to departe their company in two The one company to driue before them their praye with all their varlettê and to go couertly by the lane of Bourge and so to passe
of his house wher me was bycause I had brought with me a boke whiche I made at the conteÌplacion of Vmslance of Boesme duke of Luzenbourge and of Brabant Whiche boke was called the Melyader conteyninge all the songes baladdes rundeaux and vyrelayes whiche the gentyll duke had made in his tyme whiche by imagynacyon I had gadered toguyder whiche boke the erle of Foiz was gladde to se And euery night after supper I reed theron to hym and whyle I reed there was none durst speke any worde bycause he wolde I shulde be well vnderstande wherin he tooke great solace And whan it came to any mater of questyon than he wolde speke to me nat in Gascoyne but in good and fayre frenche And of his estate and house I shall somewhat recorde for I taryed thereso long that I might well parceyue and knowe moche This erle Gascone of Foiz with whom I was at that tyme he was of a fyftie yere of age and nyne and I say I haue in my tyme sene many knightes kynges princes other but I neuer sawe none lyke hym of personage nor of so fayre forme nor so well made His vysage fayre sanguyne smylyng his eyen gray and amorous where as he lyst to set his regarde in euery thyng he was so parfite that he can nat be praised to moche He loued that ought to be beloued hated that ought to be hated He was a wyse knyght of highe enterprise and of good counsayle he neuer had myscreant with hym He sayd many orisons euery daye a nocturne of the psalter matyns of our lady of the holy goost and of the crosse and dirige euery day he gaue fyue florens in small money at his gate to poore folkes for the loue of god he was large and courtesse in gyftes He coulde ryght well take where it parteyned to hym and to delyuer agayne where as he ought He loued houÌdes of all beestes wynter and somer He loued huntyng he neuer loued folly outrage nor foly larges Euery moneth he wolde knowe what he spended He tooke in his countre to receyue his reuenewes and to serue him notable êsons that is to saye .xii. receyuouts and euer fro .ii. monethes to two monethes two of them shulde serue for his receyte For at the two monethes ende he wolde change and put other two in to that offyce and one that he trusted best shulde be his comptroller and to hym all other shulde accompt and the comptroller shulde accoÌpt to hym by rolles and bokes written and thaccoÌptes to remayne styll with therle he had certeyne cofers in his chambre out of the whiche ofte tymes he wolde take money to gyue to lordê knyghtes and squyers suche as came to hym for none shulde departe fro him without some gift and yet dayly multiplyed his treasure to resyst the adueÌtures and fortunes that he douted He was of good and easy acquayntance with euery man and amorously wolde speke to theÌ He was shorte in counsayle and answers He had four secretaries and at his risyng they must euer be redy at his hande without any callynge And whan any letter were delyuered him and that he had reed it than he wolde calle them to write agayne or els for some other thynge In this estate therle of Foiz lyued at mydnight whan he came out of his chambre in to the hall to supper he had euer before hym .xii. torches brennyng borne by .xii. varlettes standyng before his table all supper they gaue a gret light and the hall euer full of knightes and squyers many other tables dressed to suppe who wolde There was none shulde speke to hym at his table but if he were called his meate was lightlye wylde soule the legges and wyngê alonely and in the day he dyd but lytell eate and drike He had great pleasure in armony of instrumeÌtes he coude do it right well hym selfe he wolde haue songes song before him he wolde gladlye se conseytes and fantesies at his table And whan he had sene it than he wolde sende it to the other tables bruely all this I consydred aduised And or I came to his court I had ben in many courtes of kynges dukes princes erles and great ladyes but I was neuer in none that so well liked me nor ther was none more reioysed dedes of armes than the erle dyde There was sene in his hall chaÌbre and court knightes and squyers of honour goyng vp downe and talkyng of armes and of amours All honour ther was founde all maner of tidyngê of euery realme and countre ther might be herde for out of euery couÌtre there was resort for the valyantnesse of this erle Ther I was enfourmed of the moost parte of the dedes of armes that was done in Spayne in Portyngale in Aragon in Nauar in Englande in Scotlande and in the fronters and lymitacions of LaÌgue docke For I sawe come thyder to therle while I was there knightes and squyers of all nacyons And so I was enformed by them by the erle him selfe of all thynges that I demauÌded Ther I enqÌred howe Gascon therles son died for ser Espayn of Leon wolde nat shewe me any thing therof somoch I enqÌred that an auÌcient squyer a notable maÌshewed the mater to me began thus True it is quod he that the erle of Foiz and my lady of Foiz his wife agreeth nat well toguyder nor haue nat done of a long season And the discorde bytwene theÌ first moued by the kyng of Nauar who was brother to the lady For the kyng of Nauar pledged him selfe for the lorde Dalbret whom the erle of Foiz had in prisone for the soÌme of fyftie thousande frankes And the erle of Foiz who knewe that the kyng of Nauarr was craftie malycious in the beginnyng wolde nat trust hym wherw t the countesse of Foiz had great displeasur and indignacyon agaynst the erle her husbande sayd to hym Sir ye repute but small honour in the kyng of Nauar my brother whaÌ ye wyll nat trust hym for fyftie M. frankes thoughe ye haue no more of the armynakes nor of the labrisyence than ye haue it ought to suffyce also ser ye knowe well ye shulde assigne out my dower whiche mouÌteth to fyftie thousande fraÌkes whiche ye shulde put in to the haÌdes of my brother the kyng of Nauarr Wherfore sir ye can nat be yuell payed Dame quod he ye saye trouthe but if I thought that the kyng of Nauarr wolde stoppe the payment for that cause the lorde Dalbret shulde neuer haue gone oute of Ortayse and so I shulde haue ben payed to the last penny And sithe ye desyre it I wyll do it nat for the loue of you but for the loue of my sonne So by these wordes and by the kyng of Nauars oblygacion who became dettoure to the erle of Foiz the lorde Dalbret was delyuered quyte and became frenche was maryed in FrauÌce to the suffer of the duke
armes to be taken Cap. xxx THan agayne I demaunded of hym where Rambalt an expert squier and a great capitayne of meÌ of Warr was becoÌe bycause I sawe him ones in Auignon in great aray I shall shewe you quod the Bastot of Manlyon In tyme past whan sir Seguyn of Batefoyle helde Bride in Velay a ten myle fro Puy in Auuergne and that he had made warre in the countre conquered moche than he retourned in to Gascon gaue to Loyes RaÌbalt to another coÌpanyon of his called Lymosin Bride Anse on the water of SoÌme the countre as than was so desolate full of coÌpanyons in euery corner that noue durst go out of their houses bitwene Bride in Auuerne Anse is more than .xxvi. myle a couÌtre full of mouÌtayns and whan Loyes Rambalt wolde ryde for his pleasure fro Bride to Anse he rode without doute or feare for he helde dyuers fortresses in the countie of Forestes and therabout wher he refresshed hym For as thaÌ the gentylmen of Auuergne of Forestz of Velaye and the fronters were sore traueyled and ouer layde with the warre they were so taken and raunsomed that they doughted the warre For there was none of the great lordes of FrauÌce that sente any men of warre in to the couÌtre for the frenche kynge was yonge and had moche a do in dyuers êtes of the realme for in euery parte the companyoÌs and companyes rode and dyd moche hurte so that the realme coude nat be quyte of theÌ And also dyuers of the lordes of Fraunce were in Englande in hostage and in the meane season their countreys men were pylled and robbed and had no remedy for the men of the countre were without corage to defende themselfe And so it was that Rambalte and Lymosin who were companyons in armes fell out I shall shewe you howe LOyes Rambalte had at Bride a fayre woman to his louer whome he loued parfitely and whan he rode fro bride to Anse he coÌmaunded Lymosin to take good hede to her And Lymosin who was his companyon in armes and in whome he moost trusted he toke so good hede to the damosell that he had his pleasure of her whan he lyste so that Loyes Rambalte was enfourmed therof and he coude suffre it no lengar So that he toke suche a hate agaynst his companyon that he caused hym to be taken by his seruauntes made hym to be driuen all naked saue a breche about the towne and beaten with scourges and truÌpettê to be blowen before him And at certayne places his dede to be openly cryed than banisshed the towne lyke a treatour and in a symple cote putte out This dispyte dyd Loyes Rambalte to Lymosin whiche dispyte Lymosin toke greuously and sayd Howe he wolde be reueÌged if euer it laye in his power as he was anone after And this Lymosin whyle he was in prosperite in ridyng bytwene Bride and Anse he euer forbare the landes of the lorde of Voult dwellyng on the ryuer of Rone for he had serued him in his youthe Than he thought to go to hym and to crye hym mercy to desyre hym to make his peace in FrauÌce and so in his cote a fote he went to Voulte for he he knewe ryght well the way and so went in to a house whan he sawe his tyme he wente to the castell and the porter wolde nat suffre hym to entre but at last he spake so fayre that the porter dyde lette him in and coÌmaunded hym to go no farther in wtout he were coÌmaunded and he obeyed Whan the lorde was vp he went downe in to the court to sporte hym and so came to the gate Than Lymosin felle downe on his knees and sayde sir do ye nat knowe me by my faithe quod the lorde no He thought lytell it shulde haue been Lymosin and whan he had well aduysed hym he sayd Thou resemblest well Lymosin who was ones my seruaunt Sir quod he â Lymosyn I am and your seruaunt than he cryed him mercy for all thynges paste before and shewed hym fro poynt to poynt all his busynesse and howe Loyes Rambalte had dalte with hym at the ende Than the lorde sayd Lymosyn Is it as tho sayest and that thou wylte becoÌe good frenche I shall make thy peace By my faith sir quod he I neuer dyde so moche hurte to the realme of FrauÌce but I shall do agayne more êfyte therto that wolde I se gladly quod the lorde of Voult the lorde kept him in his house tyll he had made his peace in euery place and whaÌ Lymosin myght in suretie ryde than the lorde of Voult armed hym and brought hym to the seneshall of Velay and acquaynted hym there and ther he was examyned of the state of bride and of Loyes Rambalte and whan he rydeth what waye he taketh and than he sayd Whan Loyes rydeth he hath nat with him past a .xxx. or a .xl. speares and the wayes that he kepeth I knowe them by harte For with hym without hym I haue rydden them ofte tymes And sir if ye wyll sende forthe a company of men of armes on ieopardy of my heed ye shall haue him within fyftene dayes The capitayns ther toke hede to his sayeng and sent out spyes and Rambaulte was spyed as he was rydinge fro Bride to Anse besyde Lion on the ryuer of Rone Whan Lymosin knewe it he shewed it to the lorde of Voult and sayd Sir Loyes RaÌbalte is nowe at Anse and at his retournyng I shall bring you to a streight wher as he must nedes passe by Than the lorde of Voult made an assemble and was capitayne hymselfe and sente for the bayly of Velay the lorde of Mountelan sir Gerarde of Salyers and his sonne sir PlaÌseart of Vernet the lorde of Newcastell for other men of armes therabout so that he was a thre C. speares and they all assembled at Nonnay and by the couÌsaile of Lymosin they made two busshmentes the vicouÌt of Polygnac the lorde of Chalencon had the rule of the one and the lorde Voulte and the lorde of Mount Clan had the guydynge of the other busshment and with them sir Loyes of Tornon and the lorde of Salyers and they hadde equally deuyded their company The firste company kepte the pase nere to saynt Rambart in Forestes wher as Loyes Rambalte shulde passe the ryuer of Loyre or els he muste haue gone by Guyde or Pynne And whan Loyes Rambalt had done that he came for to Anse he departed with a .xl. speares and thought nat to haue any rencounter and douted nothynge of Lymosin it was the leest thought he had And lightely euer the way that he rode outwarde he wolde nat come homewarde And as he came outwarde he caÌe by saynt Rambalte and at his retourne he toke another waye toke the mountayns aboue Lyon and aboue Vyenne and vnder the Burge Darlentall And rode streyght towarde the Mounastier a thre lytell myle fro Puye
archers and euery man payed for a quarter of a yere Howe be it they reserued that yf any accydent touchynge the realme of EnglaÌde by the meanes of FrauÌce or Scotlande shulde happen to falle before their departure in to Portingale than to tary The duke agreed therto sythe he sawe it wolde be none otherwyse And than as ye haue herde before whanÌe the duke of Lancastre was redy with all his men at Hampton to take his voyage in to Portyngale that the ambassadurs were retourned and had brought worde in to Portyngale howe the duke of Lancastre was comyng with suche a nombre of men of warre Than the portyngalois had great ioye So it fortuned than that a lette fell in Englande whiche taryed the duke of Lancastre for a season for the admyrall of Fraunce sir Iohan of Vien with a thousande speares of good men of armes toke shippyng at Scluse and sayled in to Scotlande and made warre in to Englande so that all the realme came to resyst theÌ All this is shewed here before in this hystorie wherfore I nede nat to speke therof agayne but I wyll speke of the siege of Lixbone and of the kynge of Spayne of whome I shall make true relacyon accordynge as I was enformed Kynge don Iohan of Castell beyng at siege before Lixbone tidynges came in to his hoost by marchauntes of his countrey that came fro Flaunders howe the duke of Lancastre with a great nombre of men of warre were comynge thyderwarde to reyse the siege theâ These tidynges were well beleued for the spanyardes knewe well howe the duke of Lancastre wolde do his payne and dilygence to make warre on the realme of Castell bycause he claymed part therof by the ryght of his wyfe howe be it the kyng helde styll his siege and he had sent messangers and letters to haue ayde out of FrauÌce and specially he sent in to the couÌtre of Bierne and in to the lande of the erle of Foiz And out of Byerne there issued in a four dayes respyte a thre hundred speares of chosen men of armes and there was come to Ortaise out of the realme of FrauÌce to go into Castell to serue the king there Sir Iohan of Rue burgonyon and sir Geffray Richon breton sir Geffray de Partenay and eche of theÌ had a company by them selfe Than they of Bierne made theÌ redy as the lorde of Lynguasshe a great barone companyon to the erle of Foiz and sir Peter Lyer sir Iohan de Lespres the lorde of Bordes sir Bertrande of Baruge the lorde of Moriage sir Raymonde Dansac sir IohnÌ of Salagre sir Monan of Saruen sir Pyer of Robier sir Stephyn of Valentyne and sir Raymonde of Rarasse sir Peter of Hanefan sir Ogert of domesson and dyuers other And sir Espayngnolet of Spaygne eldest sonne to sir Roger of Spaygne cosyn of lygnage and armes to the erle of Foiz he went in the company of them of Bierne These lordes and knightes of Bierne made their assemble at Ortaise and therabout and it was shewed me by them that sawe them deête fro Ortaise howe that they were the best armed and apoynted company that wente out of Byerne many a daye before And whan the erle of Foiz sawe surely howe they wolde deête to go in to Spaygne thoughe at the begynnynge he somwhat consented therto and that they shulde receyue the kyng of Castelles wages yet he was angry and soroufull of their departyng for he sawe well that his countre was sore febled therby Than he sent sir Espaygne de Leon and sir Cabestan to these sayd lordes knightes and squyers desyringe them to come toguyder to his castell of Ortaise to the entent to gyue theym a dyuer to their farewell The knightes obeyed as it was reason and came to Ortaise to se the erle who receyued them with gladde chere and after masse caused theÌ all to come to him in to his secrete chambre and than in maner of counsayle he said to them sirs it is than your ententes to deête out of my countre and to leaue in my handes the warre with the erle of Armynake and ye to go make warre for the kyng of Spayne This departure toucheth me right nere Sir quod they we muste nedes go for to that entent we haue receyued the kyng of Castels wages And sir the warre bytwene Spayne Portyngale ones atchyued than we shall retourne agayne in sauegarde atchyued ê therle nay nat so soone for as nowe it dothe but begyn for there is a newe kynge in Portyngale and he hath sent for ayde in to Englande therfore this warre is likely to endure a long season ye to kepe the felde for ye shall nat be fought with tyll the duke of Lancastre and his coÌpany be come thyder and so ye shall derely bye the wages ye haue receyued Sir ê they sythe we haue done so moche we must nedes parforme our voyage Well god spede you quod the erle let vs go to dyner it is tyme. and than therle with these lordes and knightê went in to his hall and there the tables were There they had a great dyner at great leaser and was serued with euery thyng that to that day êteyned And after dyner therle ledde with hym all this coÌpany in to the galarye than he entred in to comunyng with them and sayd Fayre lordê and frendes it shall greue me to se your departynge out of my countre nat for that I am dyspleased with your auauncementes honours for in all cases I wolde gladly augment and exalte your honours profyte But I haue great pytie of you for ye are the chefe flour of chiualry of my countre of Bierne and ye thus to go in to a straunge countre I wolde couÌsayle you yet agayne to leaue this voyage and to let the kynge of Castell and the kynge of Portyngale make their warre bytwene theym selfe for ye are nat bounde none otherwyse Sir ê they sauynge your displeasure we can nat do thus And sir ye knowe more than ye speke of We haue taken wages and gyftes of the kyng of Castell wherfore we must nedes deserue it Well quod therle yespeke well but I shall shewe you what shall come of this vyage Outher ye shall retourne so poore and so naked that lyfe shall straÌgle you or els ye shal be all slayne or taken The knightes began to laughe and sayd Sir we must abyde the aduenture Than therle fell in other talkyng and lefte that in rest and that than he shewed them in maner of communycasion all the nature of the Spanyardes howe they be sluttysshe and lousy and enuyous of other mennes welthe Wherfore quod he I reed you take good counsayle and than he demaunded for wyne and spyce and he made euery maÌ drinke and than toke euery man by the hande and badde them farewell and departed fro theÌ and went in to his chambre And at the fote of the castell the knightes mouÌted on their
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 MouÌtforde 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 ameÌde 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 ãâã 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 ClyuÌon 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 âreted 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
Whan that bysshop of yorke herde of this he douted hym selfe for he knewe well he was nat in the fauour of the kynges vncles Therfore he sente his excuse by a nephue of his sonne to the lorde Neuell and he came to London and came first to the kynge and shewed hym his vncles excuse dyde his homage in the bysshoppes behalfe The kyng toke it well for he loued hym better than the bysshoppe of Caunterbury and so he hym selfe excused the bysshoppe or elles it had ben yuell with him but for the kynges loue they forbare hym toke his excuse and so he taryed styll in his bysshoprike a longe space and durste nat lye at yorke but taryed at New castell on the ryuer of Tyne nere to his brother the lorde Neuell and his cosyns In this estate was at that tyme the busynesse of Englande and so of a longe space the kyng was nat mayster ouer his counsayle but his vncles and other bare all the rule Nowe we wyll leaue to treat of the maters of EnglaÌde and speke of the busynesse of the kyng of Castyle and of the kynge of Portyngale and of their warres ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the kynge of Portyngale with his puissanÌce assembled with the duke of Lancastre and his puyssaunce howe they coude nat passe the ryuer of Derne howe a squyer of Castyle shewed theÌ the passage Cap. C.ii. IT is reason sythe the mater so requyreth that I retourne agayne to the duke of LaÌcastres iourney and howe he êceyuered al this season in Galyce I shall begyn there as I lefte for I haue great desyre to make an ende of that storie Whan the duke of Lancastre had won and conquered the towne and castell of Dauranche in Galyce and brought it vnder his obeysaunce and refresshed hym there foure dayes for there he founde well wherwith Than the fyfthe day he departed and sayde he wolde go to the castell of Noy and so he dyde and lay four dayes in a fayre medowe alonge a ryuer syde But the grounde was dried vp by reason of the heate of the sonne and the water corrupted so that their horses wolde nat drinke therof and suche as dyde dyed Thanne it was ordayned to dislodge thens and to tourne agayne to Auranch for sir Richarde Burle and sir Thomas Morryaulx marshalles of the hoost sayd it was nat possyble to get the strong rastell of Noy but by longe siege by great wysedome and dispence and moche artillary And also tydinges came to the duke of Lancastre that the kynge of Portugale approched with all his hoost to the nombre of a thousande speares and tenne thousande able men So that the two hoostes togyder were lykely to do a great dede for the duke of Lancastre hadde a fyftene hundred speares knightes and squiers and a sixe thousande archers These tydinges reioysed greatly the duke of Lancastre and so dislodged fro Noy and wente agayne to Auranche in Galyce and the duke sente for the duchesse his wyfe and the other ladyes and damoselles for the duke sayd he wolde abyde there for the kynge of Portugale and so he dyde _yE shall knowe that whan kyng Iohan of Portugale and his marshalles had take the towne of Feroullê they rode and aproched Auranch to come to the duke of LaÌcastre And in their way they founde the towne of Padrone whiche rebelled against theÌ but at their first comyng they yelded them to the kynges obeysaunce The kynge taryed there and in the marches there about a fyftene dayes and wasted greatlye the countrey of vitayls yet they had great plentie comyng dayly fro Portugale Thus these two great hoostes were in Galyce and greatly impouerysshed the countre and the dayes waxed so hote that no man coude styrre after nyne of the clocke without he wolde be brent with the sonne The duke of LaÌcastre and the duchesse were at Aurache and their men abrode in the countrey in great pouerie for lacke of vitayls for theÌ selfe and for their horses Nothynge that was good or swete coulde growe out of the grounde it was so drie and brent with the soÌne and that grewe was lytell worthe for the season was so hote that all was brent And the Englysshe men if they wolde haue any thynge for them selfs or ⪠for their horses it behoued them or their seruauntes to go a forragyng a .xii. sixtene or twentie myles of which was great payne and daunger And the Englysshmen founde the wynes there so stronge hoote and brynning that it corrupted their heedes and dried their bowelles and brente their lightes and lyuers they had no remedy for they coude fynde but lytell good waters to temper their wynes nor to refresshe them whiche was coÌtrary to their natures For Englysshe men in their owne couÌtreis are swetely norisshed and there they were breÌt both within with out they endured great pouertie The great lordes wanted of that they were accustomed vnto in their owne countreis _wHan the knyghtes and squyers and other of Englande sawe the daunger and myschefe that they were in and were likely to be what for lacke of vytayle and heate of the sonne whiche dayly encreased Than they began to murmure and to saye in the host in dyuers places We feare our iourney wyll come to a smal effect ende We lye to long in one place that is true sayd other There is two thynges greatly contrarye for vs. We leade in our company women and wyues who desyreth nothyng but rest for one dayes iourney by their wylles they wolde reste fyftene This distroyeth vs and wyll do for as soone as we came to Coulongne if we had gone forwarde we had spedde well and brought the countre to good obeysaunce for none wolde haue ben agaynst vs. But the longe taryeng hath enforced our ennemyes for nowe they haue prouyded them of men of warre out of Fraunce And by theÌ their townes cyties and passages be kepte and closed agaynst vs. Thus they disconfyted vs withoute batayle They nede nat to fyght with vs for the realme of Spayne is nat so pleasaunt a lande to traueyle in as is Fraunce or Englande wherin are good villages fayre couÌtreis and swete ryuers faire medowes and attemperate ayre for menne of warre and here is all the contrarye What ment oure lorde the duke of Lancastre if he thought to wynne this countrey to leade in his company women and chyldren This is a great let and without reason for it is knowen in all Spaygne and els where that he and his bretherne are the true enherytours of the countrey at leest their wyfes doughters to kyng Don Peter As for doyng of any conquest or tournyng of any townes the women do lytell therin THus as I haue shewed you the people langled in the duke of Lancasters hoost one to another Than tidynges came to the duke that the kyng of Portugale aproched nere wherof he was ioyfull And whan the kynge was within two leages the duke with his knyghtes
had fayre herytage and had the language of that countre And he neuer had wyll to mary in FrauÌce layde his eare glad lye to this treatie and sawe well he myght therby haue great possessioÌs in the marches that he loued beste And also the knyghtes of Hollande that were of his counsayle counsayled hym therto So he accepted that maryage but first or he wolde conclude he sayd he wolde ryde in to Heynault and Quesnoy to speke with his cosyn the duke Auberte to se what counsayle he wolde gyue hym But to saye trouthe duke Aubert wyst nat what to counsayle hym And if he dyd he made no semblaunt therof but dissymuled the mater a lytell So that sir IohnÌ of Bloyes wolde no lengar tarye to haue his counsayle But toke his horse and retourned as soone as he coude in to Guerles and wedded this lady and dyd put her in possession of the countre But some there were that wolde nat receyue hym to their lorde nor her to their lady For the moost parte of the knyghtes and squiers and good townes of the countre helde with the duchesse of Iulyers for that lady hadde fayre chyldren wherfore they of Guerles loued her the better THus sir IohnÌ of Bloys had his wyfe and possessyons whiche cost hym moche after For the erle Loys his brother dyed And than he was erle of Bloyes lorde Dauenes in Heynault and had all the landes in Hollande and zelande had in the sayd couÌties great herytage alwayes his couÌsayle counsayled hym to pursue for his ryght that he ought to haue by his wife in Guerles so he dyde to his power But the almayns are so couetous they wolde make no warre for hym no lengar than his money endured and the chalenge that he made to the duchy of Guerles dyd him neuer êfyte but great domage Than dyed this gentyll knight sir Iohan of Bloyes in the castell and towne of Eslone Houe the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and one in the moneth of Iune and was buryed in the freres at Valencenes besyde sir Iohan of Heynault his And than was his brother sir Guy of Bloyes erle and helde all the landes by ryght successyon that his two bretherne had helde aswell in Fraunce Picardy Heynalt Hollande and zelande as in the countie of Bloyes I Knowe nat howe many yeres after the lady dyed who had ben wyfe to therle IohnÌ of Bloys her suster the duches of Iuliers abode pesably duches of guerles It was ordayned by thaccorde of the countre and at the request of the knightes good townes of the duchy of Guerles that they shulde take to their lorde sir WillmÌ of Iuliers eldest son to the duke of Iuliers for the laÌde came to hym rightfully by succession of his vncles and by reason therof duke Aubert and the duches his wyfe gaue hym there doughter in maryage who before had ben maried to sir Edward of Guerles Thus the lady was doughter of Heynault and duches of Guerles and whan she maried the duke of Guerles sonne to the duke of Iulyers they were bothe of one age wherfore the maryage was the more agreable This yong duke of Guerles helde hym in his owne countrey and thelder he waxed the more he loued dedes of armes as iustes and tourneys and alwayes the duke was rather Englysshe than treÌche and that he shewed well as long as he lyued And alwayes he bare in his mynde the yuell wyll that his predecessours had to the duchy of Brabant alwayes he sought occasion how he might make warre there for two reasoÌs the one bycause he was alyed by faythe and homage to kyng Richarde of Englande the other was bycause Wyncelant of Boesme duke of LuseÌburge and of Brabant had bought of therle of Mors a great lorde in Almayne the thre foresaid castelles the whiche I shall name agayne to quicken the mater Gaulech Buch and Nulle on the othersyde of the ryuer of Muse in the lande of Falquemount whiche castels aunciently êteyned to the duke of guerles and was enherytour to theÌ And therfore the yoÌg duke WillmÌ of Iuliers duke of guerles was sore displeased that he might nat recouer his herytage as long as duke Wyncelant of BrabaÌt lyued he spake no worde therof Nowe shall I shewe you howe it fortuned to th entent the mater shulde be the clerer to be vnderstanded ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe these castelles of Gaulech Bâth and Null came to the duke of Brabant and howe the duke of Iuliers susteyned the linfars in his couÌtre Who robbed all maner of people And of the great assemble that the duke of Brabant made to go to Iulyers and howe he was discoÌfyted Cap. C.xiii. SO it was that duke Reynolde of Guerles cosyn germayne to the prince of Guerles and his brother had before that enguaged the threfor said castels for a soÌme of florens to an high baron of Almayn called therle of Mors. This erle helde these castels a season and whan he saw that he coude nat get his money that he had lende on them He was sore displeased and sent suffycient soÌ monynge to the duke Raynolde of Guerles The duke made no compte therof for he had nat wherwith to redeme them agayne the erle of Mors sawe that he came to the duke of Brabant treated with hym to haue agayn his money for the sayde castelles The duke herde hym well bycause the castels marched on the lande of FaulquemouÌt of the whiche laÌde he was lorde for the duke was glad to encrese his enheritauÌce as he that thought wel to ouer lyue the lady Iane duches of Brabant his wife soe he gate iÌ to his possession the said thre castelles And in the first he set the lorde of Kalle to be as chefe souerayne and whan this duke of Guerles was deed than sir Edwarde of Guerles toke on hym the herytage and sent to the duke of Brabant ambassadors desyring hym that he might haue agayne the thre castelles for the money that was payde for theÌ The duke wolde make no suche bargayne but denyed it With whiche answere sir Edwarde of Guerles was nat content dalte hardely with the wydowe the lady Isabell of Brabant yonger suster to the duches whiche lady had wedded the duke Raynolde of Guerles but thus he troubled her for her dowrie The lady wente in to Brabant and complayned her to the duke of Brabant her brother and to the duchesse howe that sir Edwarde of Guerles dyde her great wronge iniury And bycause there was a grudge bytwene the Brabansoys and the guerloys for the lande and towne of Grance whiche was in Brabant on that syde the ryuer of Muese Therfore the duke and the brabansoys were more enclyned to ayde the lady and on a day there were assembled togyder at the callyng of the duke of Brabant a great noÌbre of men of warre a .xii. hundred speares And sir Edwarde of Guerles made his assemble on
the lorde of Graunt and with hym a foure hundred speares but they came to late for they knewe nat the daye of the busynesse that I shall shewe you wherwith they were sore dyspleased whanne they herde that the mater was done without them The duke of Brabant beinge at Trect herde but lytell newes of his enemyes Than he departed fro Trect the wednysdaye and wente and lodged in the lande of his enemyes and there lay all that nyght and the thursday tyll he herde certayne tydynges It was shewed hym by his corours that his enemyes were abrode Than he rode forwarde and coÌmaunded to burne in the duke of Iuliers land and the thursday toke his lodginge betymes And the vowarde kept the erle Guy of Ligney erle of saynt Pole and sir Valeran his sonne who as than was but yong of a sixtene yere of age and there he was made knyght The duke of Iuliers came the same thursday and lay nere one to another and by all lyklyhode the almaynes knewe the demeanour of the brabansoys better than they dyd theirs for on the fridaye betymes whan the duke of Brabant had herd masse and that all were in the felde thought nat to haue fought so soone Than came redy the duke of Iuliers and sir Edwarde of Guerles well mounted with a great batayle Than one sayd to the duke of Brabante syr beholde yoÌder your enemys put your helmes on your heedes in the name of god and saynt George Of that worde the duke had great ioye The same day he had by him four squiers of great price worthy to serue an hyghe prince and to be aboute hym for they had sene many dedes of armes they were called Iohan de Valcon Baudwyn of Beauforde Gyrarde of Byes and Roulande of Colongne Aboute the duke were the bruselloys some a horsebacke with their varlettes behynde them with botelles of wyne trussed at their sadelles and pastyes of samonde troutes and elys wraped in towels These horsemen greatly combred the place so that there was such prease that no man coude styrre Than Gyrarde of Biââ said to the duke siâ coÌmaunde these horses to a voyde the place they shall greatly let vs we can nat se aboute vs nor haue knoledge of your reregarde nor vowarde nor of your marshall sir Roberte of Namure So let it be quod the duke I commaunde so Than Gyrarde toke his glayue in his handes and so dyd his companyons and began to stryke on their helmes and on their horses so that a none the place was voyded of them for no man was glad to haue his horse slaine or hurte Than the duke of Iuliers and ê Edwarde of Guerles their company came on theym and founde the erle of saynt Poule and his sonne in the vowarde and dasshed in so fersely amonge them that anone they were broken and discomfited and there were many slayne taken and hurte that was the batayle that had moste to do There was slayne Guy the erle of saynte Poule and sir Valeran his sonne taken The batayle tourned to a herde parte for the duke of Brabante and for them that were with him for of men of honour there were but a fewe saued but outher they were slayne or taken The duke of Brabante was taken and syr Roberte of Namure and syr Loys of Namure his brother and sir Willyam of Namure sonne to the erle of Namure and many other Also on the duke of Iulyers parte there were some slaine and hurte but ye know well it is a generall rule the great losse euer resteth on them that be disconfyted howe be it for all the domage the duke of Brabante had in that iourney yet they hadde one great poynte of remedy comforte for sir Edwarde of Guerles was wounded to dethe And this I saye bycause it was the opinyon of dyuerse that if he had lyued he wolde haue rydden so forwarde that with puyssauÌce he wolde haue come to Bruselles and conquered all the couÌtreye for none wolde haue resysted hym He was hardy and fierse and hated the brabansoys bycause of the thre castels that they helde agaynst hym This iourney and victory had the duke of Iulyers in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre huÌdred and a leuen on saynt Bartylmewes euyn on a fridaye THe duches of Brabant purchased her frendes and had counsayle of Charles the frenche kyng who was nephue to the duke of BrabaÌt an all his bretherne for they were chyldren of his suster she was counsayled by the kynge to go to the kynge of Almayne emperoure brother to the duke of Brabante for whose sake the duke her husbande had taken all that domage The lady dyd so and came to Conualence on the ryuer of the Ryne there founde the Emperoure And there wysely she made her complaynte The emperoure herde her well the whiche he was bouÌde vnto by dyuerse reasons The one bycause the duke was his brother and another bycause he had institude hym to be his vycare and souerayne regarder of the Languefryde he comforted the lady and sayd that at the next soÌmer he wolde fynde some remedy The lady retourned into Brabante well comforted And the emperour sir Charles of Boesme slept nat his busynes but waked the mater as ye shall here For as soone as wynter was past he aproched to the noble cytie of Coloyne there made his prouysion in suche wyse as though he wolde go to conquere a realme of defence and wrote to his dukes erles that helde of hym and commaunded them at the thyrde day of Iune they shulde be with hym at Ayes with fyfty horse a pece on payne of lesyng of their landes and specially he coÌmaunded thre as duke Auberte erle of Haynalte that he shulde come to Ayes with fyfty horse and so he dyd Whanne these lordes were come there was moche people And than syr Charles his sonne sayde that he wolde go and entre in to the landes of duke Iulyers destroy it bycause of the great outrage that he had done as in enteryng in to the felde with an army against the emperours vycaire his brother this senteÌce was gyuen by playne iudgement in the emperours chambre Than to that mater regarded the archebysshoppe of Treues the archbysshoppe of Coloyne the byssop of Marauce the bysshoppe of Liege the duke Aubert of Bauier the duke Oste his brother and diuerse other barons of Almayne that thought to dystroy the landes of so valyaunt a knyght as was the duke of Iulyers shulde be yuell done and also he was nere of their kynne They sayde it were better fyrste to sende for hym that he myght come to obeysaunce That apoyntment was holden for the best for the loue of bothe partyes Than duke Auberte and his brother came to Iuliers and found there the duke who was abasshed and wyste nat what counsayle to beleue for it had ben shewed him that the assemble that the emperour had made was to come on hym without his
Guerlâs of whome I treat at this present tyme was maryed to the doughter of Berthalce of Malynes therby to bringe him out of daunger and to redeme againe his herytage the whiche was in sore trouble before and the duke of Guerles sonne to the duke of Iulyers to entertayne and to kepe the towne of Graue agaynst the brabansoys as he had cause and iuste tytle Whan he sawe howe he coulde nat gette agayne his thre castels Gauleth Buth and Nulle on the ryuer of Muse pertaynynge to his herytage and to the countrey of Guerles thought than to attrybute the towne of Graue to his herytage for euer this duke had a bastarde doughter maryed to the sonne of the lord Bruke who was enherytour to the towne of Graue So there was an amyable treatye bytwene them as bytwene the fader and the sonne and there the lorde of Bruke gaue the towne and sygnory of Graue to the duke of Guerles in presence of the knyghtes of Guerles and Iuliers and for that cause the duke of Guerles dyd recompence the lorde of Bruke with the landes of Bresde on the ryuer of Lighen in the duchy of Guerles marchyng on the countrey of Holande aboue Brabaunte At this towne of Bresde there was a fayre castell and the towne great and profytable how be it the towne of Graue was better This the duke of Guerles dyd to the entent to haue a iuste tytle to kepe the towne of Graue agaynst the brabansoys The duches of Brabant and the brabansoys said howe the lorde of Bruke had it but to pledge and that they myght quyte it out whan they wolde but the duke of Guerles sayd nayetherto By reason wherof the warre moued So that in the moneth of May the brabansoys came and layde syege to the towne of Graue with many lordes knyghtes and squyers and with the puyssaunce of other good townes in Brabante And thyder they brought engyns springals and other habylimentes of warre They were a .xl. thousande one and other there was skrymysshynge dayly The towne of Graue standeth on the ryuer of Muese on the syde of Brabante and there is a bridge ouer the ryuer to go in to the countrey of Guerles At this siege euery thynge was plenty and as good chepe of euery thynge as though they had been before Brusels Euery day there was skrymysshynge at the barryers of Graue of suche as wolde aduenture them selfe Sometyme they were put a backe and some tyme they droue their enemyes in to their towne as chaunce of aduenture fell The duke of Guerles was well infourmed of this siege He laye a foure leages fro Nymarse and wrote often tymes in to Englande where he trusted to haue socoure by reason of the englysshe army wherof the erle of Arundell was capytayne on the see as sone as wynde and wether wyll serue them to come to Guerles to reyse the syege before Graue The duke of Guerles knewe well that the towne of Graue was strong and well forty fyed so that he thought it coulde nat be wonne by none assaute but outher by trayson or by treatye He trusted theym of Gruae to be sure and faythfull to hym Thus the siege endured longe before Grane And the erle of Arundels army was on the see and tooke no lande but styll kepte on the fronters of Normandy So that the normans fro agaynst Mounte saynte Mychell and downe alonge to Depe to saynt Valery and to Croty were nat well assured wherto they shuld take hede The portes and hauens of Normandy were refresshed by the frenche kynge with good men of armes and crose bowes to resyste agaynste all parelles And by the marshall of Blankewyll was sette in the towne of Carentyne standyge on the see whiche before of olde tyme pertayned to the herytage of kynge Charles of Nauerre the lorde of Ambre and the lorde Coucy two gret lordes of Normandy And the Constable of Fraunce toke the towne of saynte Malo and the towne of saynte Mathews and as soone as they knewe that the englysshe men were on the see they sette men in to those townes in the name of the frenche kyng In this season they thought surely to haue open warre with the duke of Bretayne for the knyghtes and squyers sayde that the armye on the see of the englysshmen were sente thyder for none other purpose but sente for by the duke of Bretayne to lande in his countrey They sayd it was none other lykely for alwayes the shyppes kepte on the coste of Bretaygne without force of wethersome tyme caused them to departe yet alwayes breuely they retourned agayne to the same coste yE haue herde here before howe the duke of LaÌcastre was departed out of the realmes of Castyle and Portugale the imagynacyons that he had turned hym to great dyspleasure for he sawe well his busynesse was sore troubled and darked as fortune often tymes falleth in sondrie êsons somtyme good somtyme yuell whan it is lest thought on For whan the duke of Lancastre departed out of the realme of Englande acoÌpanyed with good meÌ of armes and archers he thought than to haue sped otherwise than he dyde He sawe and herde howe that in xv dayes he had loste all Galyce whiche was a long season or he had won it the space of xvi wekes And besyde that his men deed sparcled abrode some here and soÌe there and hoped of no conforte out of EnglaÌde for the Englysshmen were wery of the warre of Spaygne They thought it ouer long and farre of fro them So the duke of Lancastre thought his busynesse in a harde case seyng no comforte he spake lytell but he thought moche more In his ymaginacyon he lyconed his iourney to the voiage that the duke of Aniou made in to the realme of Naples For whan he departed out of the realme of Fraunce he was well furnysshed of all maner of thyng and wente with great richesse puissaunce a great nombre of noble men of armes knightes and sââuiers at the ende all were slayne and lost Thus the duke of Lancastre reckoned his vâyage to come to nothynge by reason of suche disconforte as he had The erle of Foiz Who was in his countre of Bierne and was eight sage and ymaginatyue sayd and accompeed the duke of Lacasters vyage but lost as inrecoueryng of the realme of Castyle whiche he chalenged The duke of Lacastre who was a sage and a wise prince and valyaunt amonge all his disconfytures yet somtyme he toke coÌforte to hym selfe I shall shewe you howe and by what meanes He sawe well he had a fayre doughter by the lady Custaunce his wyfe doughter to done Peter kyng of Castyle in whose right and clayme he made his warre in Castyle He thought thoughe fortune were agaynst hym at that tyme yet it myght tourne good to his doughter who was fayre and yonge for she had ryght to the heritage of Castyle by reason of her mother and thought that some valyaunt man of Fraunce wolde
be gladde to couet to haue her in maryage as well for the right that she hadde to the realme of Castyle as for her hyghe lynage For it myght well be sayde that her extraction was of the hyghest lynage of Christendome Wherfore the duke of LaÌcastre wolde gladly haue had some treatie of mariage with some noble maÌ of Fraunce He knewe well the FreÌche kyng had a yong brother called the duke of Towrayne who he thought shulde be able to recouer his doughters ryght in Castyle For he knewe well that the puyssaunce of Fraunce helde in his aduersaries in the herytage of Castile wherfore he thought that if they wolde take his parte they myght lightly putte his doughter in possessyon of the realme of Castyle if he myght marry her to the Frenche kynges brother ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey sent letters to the duke of Lancastre to Bayon and howe the duke sent the copye of the same letters in to Foiz in to Nauer to th entent to haue them publysshed in Spayne And howe the duke of Bretayn demauÌded couÌsayle of his men in all his busynesse Cap. C.xxvii ON this ymaginacyon rested the duke of Lancastre nat all onely on the duke of Towrayne but also on the duke of Berrey For as ye haue herde here before the duke of Berrey and his sonne were wodowers bothe their wyues deed This mater I the auctour of this boke knewe of suretie for the same tyme I was on the fronters of Berrey Poitou in the countie of Bloys with the right honorable lorde Guy erle of Bloys by whom and at his desyre I folowed the coÌtynuauÌce of this historie The duke of Berrey set all his entencion and pleasure to be agayne maryed And ofteÌ tymes he wolde say among his men howe that a lorde was lytell worthe without a lady nor another maÌ with out a wyfe Than some of his couÌsayle sayd to hym Sir marry agayne your son therby your house shal be the more ioyfull Asirs ê the duke my sonne is yong Why sir ê they haue ye nat sene howe the Erle of Bloyes hath maryed his sonne who is as yonge as he to your doughter That is trouthe quod the duke let se name a wyfe for him sir quod they we shall name the duke of Lancasters doughter With that worde the duke studyed a season and gaue none answere and ymagined sore and than to suche as were of his secrete counsayle he sayd ye speke to mary Iohan my sonne to my cosyn the duke of Lancasters doughter by saynt Denyce ye haue well deuysed but she shulde be a good wyfe for our selfe and shortely I shall write to our cosyn the duke of Lancastre He is at Bayone as I am enformed I wolde sende hym worde howe I shall sende shortely to hym some of my counsayle to treate of this maryage But I saye nat for my sonne I shall marry hym in some other place Whan his couÌsayle herde hym saye so they smyled Than the duke demaunded wherat they smiled Sir ê they we laught at that ye had rather haue a good tourne your selfe than your sonne shulde by my faythe ê the duke and good reason why For my fayre cosyn of Lancastre wyll nat so soone agre to my sonne as to my selfe Than incontynent letters were written in to highe Gascoyne to Bayon to the duke of LaÌcastre and sente by honourable messangers Whan they came to the duke they delyuered their letters The duke toke and reed theÌ and whan he had well parceyued theffecte of the mater he was right ioyfull and made good chere to the messaÌgers and shewed that he was well content therwith and wrote agayne by them other letters ryght amiably Certifyeng the duke of Berrey howe he was right ioyfull of his letters These messangers returned and fouÌde their lorde in Poitou preparyng hym selfe to go in to Fraunce for the FreÌche kyng and the duke of Burgoyne had sent for hym for to coÌmune of the state of Bretayne Than he oppned the letters that his cosyn the duke of Lancastre had sente hym and had ioye of the answere thought surely to pursue the matter to effecte but he myght nat leaue his voyage in to Fraunce and so went thyder as shortely as he coulde Thanne he wrote to a knyght of his called sir Helyon of Lignacke who as than was seneschall of Rochell and of the countre of Rocheloys CoÌmaundyng hym that incouâynent on the sight of his letters he to sette all thyng there in good order and than to come to hym to Parys withoute fayle Whan sir Helyon of Lignac who was at Rochell vnderstode those tidynges parceyued by the duke of Berreys letters howe he was sent for in all hast he made hym redy and in his absence he made two capitayns at Rochell two valyaunt men to be gouerners of all Rocheloys They were of the countre of Becaulse the one called sir Peter of yon the other sir Peter of Tayllepy This done sir Helyon tooke his waye in to Fraunce the shortest way he coude for he knewe nat what the duke wolde do with hym that he sente for hym so hastely NOwe let vs soÌwhat speke of the duke of Lancastre who was at Bayon and had great ymaginacions of that busynesse that his cosyn the duke of Berrey had written to hym of First he wolde nat that it shulde be hydden but rather publysshed abrode to the entent that his ennemyes shulde knowe it specially in the house of kynge Iohan of Castyle And so the duke of Lancastre wrote to dyuers and sent them the copye of the duke of Berreys letters Shewynge by his writyng that he had great affectyon to treate of the maryage bytwene his doughter and the duke of Berry First he sent his letters to the erle of Foiz bycause he knewe well that to the erles house prepared all maner of gentylmen knightes and squyers as well coÌmyng goynge to the kyng of Spayne as on pylgrimage to saynt Iames. Also he wrote to the kyng of Nauer who had to his wyfe the kyng of Castels suster and had by her many chyldren to th entent that the brute therof shulde the better be certifyed in the kyng of Castels court rather than by flyeng wordes also the duke wrote of his mater to the kyng of Portugale but he wrote no worde therof iÌ to England to the kyng nor to his bretherne for he knewe well he shulde haue no thanke for his enterprice as they were nat content in dede as ye shall here after whan the mater requyreth it In the meane season we shall speke of other maters as of the duke of Bretayne the mater lyeth there after WHan the duke of Berrey was come into Fraunce to the kyng and to the duke of Burgoyne his brother and to other of his counsayle As the bysshoppe of Langers the bysshoppe of Laon the lorde of Coucy and other barons of FrauÌce than beyng thereof the kynges secrete counsayle They had
nat to hastely his entente but sayd Sirs it wyll be very harde to make peace in that place where as great hatered and warre is resydent and specially with them that be disheryted and kepte from their herytage Sayeng howe he wolde nat leaue the warre withoute he myght haue the crowne of Castyle the whiche he sayde was his right The frere and the bisshoppe sayd Sir bytwene your right and the ryght of the kynge our lorde there is but one meane and we haue founde it if it may please you What waye is that quod the duke Sir quod they it is this ye haue by my lady youre wyfe a feyre yonge lady to marry and the kynge of castile our souerayne lorde hath a feyre yong sonne if they two myght mary toguyder the realme of Castyle shulde be in peace and all that is your right shulde retourne to you sir better can ye nat bestowe your heyre who is disceÌded of the right lyne of Castyle The entent ye arme you fyght aduenture youre selfe and traueyle your body is all onely for the right of your heyre That is trewe ê the duke but than I wyll that the costes that I haue susteyned in the pursute there be recompeÌsed For I wyll ye knowe it hath cost me and the realme of Englande fyue hundred thousande fraÌkes wherof I wolde gladly se som recouerauÌce Sir quod the frere if our treatie be agreable to you we trust to fynde such a meane that the mater shall take good effect Well quod the duke ye be welcome and how soeuer it be or howe soeuer it shal be or I retourne in to Englande outher in to Castyle or in to Fraunce I shall mary my doughter for I haue dyuers offres moued vnto me but maters of so great a weyght are nat lightly coÌcluded at the first tyme. For my doughter whome I repute as rightfull enheritour to spayne I wyll knowe him well that shall haue her in maryage that is but reason quod the frere Thus as I haue shewed you this treatie began bytwene the duke of LaÌcastre and these parties as well of Castyle as of FrauÌce He made euery partie good chere made no full answere but in his ymaginacion the treatie of Spayne the kynges sonne to mary his doughter semed best to his purpose bicause in tyme to come his doughter shulde be quene of Castyle also the duches his wyfe enclyned moost to that treatie ¶ Nowe let vs leaue to speke of the duke of Lancastre of all these treatyse and retourne to speke of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne departed to go to Bloys and howe the duke of Bretayne caÌethyder and howe the dukes dyde so moche that they had hym to Parys in maner agaynst his wyll Cap. C.xxx AS I haue shewed you here before the duke of Bretayne made good chere to the French ambassadours and specially to the lorde of Coucy For as I was enformed he was the chiefe that brake the duke fro his purpose by reason of his fayre and swete wordes Howe be it the lorde Iohan of Vyen and the lorde dela Ryuer dyde ryght well their deuoyre but often tymes great princes and lordes wyll soner be entreated by one man rather than by another Moche payne it was to cause the duke of Bretayne to agre to go to the towne of Bloys to mete there the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne but he was brought thyder by fayre wordes And he sayde surely he wolde go no further thanne to the towne of Bloys and the lorde of Couey sayd he desyred nothynge elles These the lordes were with the duke of Bretaynge certayne dayes and than toke their leaues and retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the dukes of Berry and of Burgoyne howe they hadde spedde Thervpon these two dukes made them redy to go to Bloyes to mete there with the duke of Bretaygne and sente thyder before to make prouisyon as apertayned Firste thyder came the duke of Berrey and he was lodged in the Castell and there he founde the countesse her sonne and her doughter They receyued hym honourably The erle Guye of Bloys was as than in his owne countrey at the castell Reygnaulte and made no greate counte of the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne he thought it sufficyent that his wife and chyldren were there Than thyder came the duke of Burgoyne with a goodly trayne and in his company came sir WyllmÌ of Heynaulte and his sonne erle of Ostrenante and Iohan of Burgoyne sonne to the duke called erle of Neuers The duke lodged also in the castell and there helde his estate Than after came the duke of Bretaygne with no great trayne other than of his house He passed nat a thre huÌdred horses for his enteÌcyon was that whan he had ones sene the two dukes and spoken with them to retourne in to his owne countre without goynge any further in to Fraunce But the entente of the other two dukes was otherwise for they said whyder he wolde or nat he shulde go to Parys THe duke of Bretaygne hym selfe lodged in the castell of Bloyes in a chanons house of saynt Sauyour and his men lodged downe in the towne so dyd the other of all the dukes seruauntes but the lordes laye in the castell the whiche was fayre great and stronge one of the fayrest castelles in all the realme of Fraunce There these Dukes made good there togyder and shewed great ãâã and they thanked the duke of Bretayne of his coÌmyng to the towne of Bloyes And the duke answered and sayde howe he was come thyder for the loue of them with great payne for he fayned hym selfe nat well at ease Than these two dukes fell in communynge with the duke of Bretayne shewyng hym sithe he was come so farr forwarde that he had done nothyng without he went to Parys to se the kynge who greatly desyred to se hym The duke of Bretaygne began greatlye to excuse hym selfe of that voyage and layde many reasons sayd howe he was nat well at his case to make so longe a iourney nor also he was nat accompanyed therafter Than he was swetely answered that sauyng his displeasure he shulde nede no great trayne to go se his soueraygne lorde and as for his rydinge he shulde lacke nouther chayre nor lytter to labour at his ease For they said he was bounde to do homage to the kynge for as than he had nat done it before The duke sayd excusynge hymselfe that whan the kynge were come to his laufull age and had the hole Realme in his owne gouernaunce than he wolde come to Parys or whyder to shulde please the kynge and than do his homage acordyng to reason The other dukes sayd that the kynge was of age wysdome suffycient to receyue homage and howe that all other lordes of the realme excepte he had done their homage and made reliefe affyrmynge howe the kynge was .xxi. yere of age Whan the
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 coÌmaundynge 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 LauÌce 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 MouÌtereau 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 coÌmyng 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 coÌpany seyng the fludde coÌmyng 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 truÌpe 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 fouÌde 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 vnproââded 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
well the scottes Than the lordes and knyghtes of Scotlande determyned ones agayne to reyse vp an army and to make a iourney in to Englande they sayde it was as than good tyme and houre for they sawe the Englysshmen were nat all of one accorde And where as often tymes past they had receyued great buffettes than they sayd it was good tyme for them to be reuenged And to the entent that their purpose shulde nat be knowen they ordayned a feest to be holden on the fronter of the wylde scottes at a cytie called Berdane where assembled in maner all the lordes of Scotlande At this feest they concluded and made full promyse that in the myddes of August the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore ano eight They shulde mete all with their puyssaunce on the fronters of Gales at a castell in the hyghe forest called Gedeours Thus at that tyme they departed eche fro other And of this couenauÌt there was none of them that made their kyng priuy therto For they sayd amonge themselfe their kyng was no manne of warre There came to Gedeours at the day apoynted first the erle Iames Duglas sir Iohan of Morette erle of Marche and or Donbare sir Wyllyam de Fu and sir Stephyn Erle of Monstres sir Aucebauce of Duglas sir Robert Auerceque sir Marke Odremneu sir Wyllyam Lymsey sir Iames his brother Thomas of Berry sir Alysaunder Lymsey the lorde of Sechyn sir Iohan of Sobelas sir Patryke of DoÌbare sir IohnÌ Senclere sir Patryke of Hoteborne sir Iohan sonne to the lorde Momogomercy sir Adam of glas diuyn sir Wyllyam Reduryn sir Wyllyam Stonacke sir IohnÌ of Halpe breton sir Alider and sir Robert Lander sir Stephyn freseyle sir Alysander Ramsey and sir Iohan his brother sir WyllmÌ Morbereth sir Maubert Here sir Wylliam of Waleran sir IohnÌ Amonstan and Dauy his sonne Robert Colemney and dyuers other knightes and squiers of Scotlande In threscore yere before there was nat assembled toguyder in Scotlande suche a nombre of good meÌ they were a .xii. huÌdred speares and .xl. thousande men besyde with their archers but iÌ tyme of nede the scottes can lytell skyll with their bowes They rather beare axes wherwith they gyue great strokes WHan they were thus mette togyder in the marchesse of Gedeours they were mery and sayd they wolde neuer entre againe in to their owne houses tyll they had ben in Englande and done suche dedes there that it shulde be spoken of .xx. yere after And to the entent to make sure poyntment they assigned a daye to mete at a churche in a fayre lauÌde called zedon Tidynges came in to Northumberlande as nothynge can be hydde if men putte to their dilygence to knowe bothe to therle and to his chyldreÌ to the seneschall of yorke and to sir Mathue Redman capitayne of Berwike of this gret feest that had ben at Bredane And to theÌrent to knowe wherfore it was these lordes sente to sertche couertly by heraudes mynstrels The scottes coude nat do their maters so secrerly but the lordes of EnglaÌde knewe howe men rose in scotlaÌde how they shulde mete agayne at Gedeours Brute of this came to Newcastell vpontyne And whan the lordes knewe of this euery man toke good hede to his charge and prouyded them selfe redy to assemble if nede were and this they dyde secretly bycause their enterprice shulde nat be broken Euery man helde hym selfe in their owne houses and were determyned to mete toguyder as soone as they knewe that the scottes came forwarde and sayd If the scottes come forthe we shall haue knowlege therof If they drawe towardê Carlyle we shall entre at another parte in to their countrey and we shall do them more dommage than they can do vs for their countrey is all open We maye go where we lyst and our countre is strong and the townes and castelles well closed And the better to knowe the state of the scottes they sent a gentylman of EnglaÌde who knewe ryght well the marchesse of Scotlande and specially the forest of Gedeours where the scottes shulde assemble And the Englisshe squyer went so forwarde that without espyeng he came to the churche of zedon where the scottyss he lordes were And he encred in amonge them lyke one of their seruauntes and there he herde and knewe a great parte of thententes of the scottes and at th ende of their counsayle the squyer went to a tree where he hadde tyed his horse and thought to haue fouÌde him there but he was gone for a scotte who be great theues had stollen hym awaye He durste nat speke for hym but so went forthe a fote boted and spurted And whan he was gone fro the churche two bowe shotte than there were two scottyss he knyghtes deuysed bytwene them selfe and sayd one to another felowe I haue sene a marueyle beholde yonder a man gothe alone and as I thynke he hath lost his horse for he came by and spake no worde I wene he be none of our company lette vs ryde after hym to proue my sayeng They rode after hym and soone ouertoke hym WhanÌe he sawe them coÌmynge he wolde gladly haue ben thens They came to hym and demaunded whether he wolde and from whens he came and what he had done with his horse He began to varry in his sayeng and answered nat directely to their purpose They turned hym and sayde he shulde go and speke with their lordes They brought hym again to the churche of zedon and presented hym to the erle Duglas and to other lordes they examyned hym and parceyued well he was an Englysshe man Than they sayde they wolde knowe the trouthe why he came thyder He was yuell wyllynge to shewe the trouthe but they handled hym in suche wise that he was fayne to shewe all the mater for they bare hym in hande withoute he wolde shewe the trouthe incoÌtynent he shulde lese his heed and if he wolde shewe the trouthe he shulde haue none yuell There they knew by hym that the lordes of Northumberlande had sente hym thyder to knowe the estate of their entÌprice and whiche waye they wolde drawe Herof the scottes were right ioyous and wolde nat for a great good but that they had spoken with this squyer Than they demaunded agayne of hym in what parte the Englysshe lordes were and whyder there were any aparence that they wolde assemble toguyder and what wayâ they wolde take to entre in to Scotlande Outher by the see syde by Berwyke or els by Donbare or els the highe waye by the countie of Monstres towarde Streuelyn The squyer answered and sayde Sirs sithe it behoueth me to say the trouthe I shall Whan I departed from them fro Newcastell there was none aparence of their assemblyng but they be on a redynesse to departe as well to daye as to morowe And as soone as they knowe that ye set forwarde and entre in to Englande they wyll nat come to mete with you for
wanne the penon of syr Henry Percyes wherwith he was sore dyspleased and so were all the englysshmen and the erle Duglas sayd to sir Henry Perey syr I shall beare this token of your prowes in to Scotlande and shall sette it on hyghe on my castell of Alquest that it may be sene farre of Syr quod sir Henry ye maye be sure ye shall nat passe the boundes of this countrey tyll ye be met withall in such wyse that ye shall make none auaunte therof Well syr ê the erle Duglas come this nyght to my lodgynge and seke for your penon I shall sette it before my lodgynge and se if ye wyll come to take it away As than it was late and the scottes withdrewe to their lodginges and refresshed them with such as they had they had fleshe ynough They made that nyght good watche for they thought surely to be a waked for the wordes they hadde spoken but they were nat For syr Henry Percy was counsayled nat soo to do The nexte day the scottes dyslodged and returned towardes their owne countrey and so came to a castell and a towne called Pouclan wherof ser Haymon of Alphell was lorde who was a ryght good knyght There the scottes rested for they came thyder by tymes and vnderstode that the knyght was in his Castell Than they ordeyned to assayle the castell and gaue a great assaute so that by force of armes they wan it and the knyght within it Than the towne and castell was brent and fro thens the Scottes wente to the towne and castell of Combur and eyght englysshe myle fro Newe castell and there lodged That day they made none assaut but the next mornyng they blewe their hornes and made redy to assayle the castell whiche was stronge for it stode in the maresse That daye they assauted tyll they were wery and dyd nothynge Than they sowned the retrayte and retourned to their lodgyng Than the lordes drewe to counsayle to determyne what they shulde do The moste parte were of the acorde that the next day they shuld dyssoge without gyuynge of any assaute and to drawe fayre and easly towardes Carlyle but therle Duglas brake that counsayle and sayd in dispyte of sir Henry Percy who sayd he wolde come and wynne agayne his penon let vs nat departe hence for two or thre dayes lette vs assayle this castell it is prignable we shall haue double honour and than lette vs se if he wyll come and fetche his penon he shall be well defended Euery man acorded to his sayeng what for their honour and for the loue of hym Also they lodged there at their ease for there was none that troubled theym they made many lodgynges of bowes and great herbes and fortityed their campe sagely with the maresse that was therby and their caryages were sette at the entre in to the maresses and had all their beestes within the maresse Than they aparelled for to saute the next day this was their entensyon NOwe lette vs speke of sir Henry Percy and of sir Rafe his brother and shewe some what that they dyd They were sore dyspleased that therle Duglas had wonne the penon of their armes also it touched gretly their honours if they dyd nat as syr Henry Percy sayd he wolde For he had sayd to the erle Duglas that he shulde nat cary his penon out of Englande and also he had openly spoken it be fore all the knyghtes and squiers that were at Newcastell The englysshmen there thought surely that therle Duglas bande was but the scottes vangarde and that their hoost was lefte behynde The knyghtes of the countrey suche as were well experte in armes spake agaynst sir Henry Percyes opinyon and sayd to hym Syr there fortuneth in warre often tymes many losses if the Erle Duglas haue wonne your penon he bought it dere for he came to the gate to seke it and was well beaten Another day ye shall wynne as moche of hym or more Syr we saye this bycause we knowe well all the power of Scotlande is abrode in the feldes and if we issue out and be nat men ynowe to fyght with them and peraduenture they haue made this skrimysshe with vs to the entent to drawe vs out of the towne and the nombre that they be of as it is sayd aboue xl thousande men they maye soone inclose vs and do with vs what they wyll yet it were better to lese a penon than two or thre hundred knyghtes and squyers and put all our countrey in aduenture These wordes refrayned syr Henry and his brother for they wolde do nothynge agaynst counsayle Than tydynges came to theym by suche as had sene the Scottes and sene all their demeanoure and what waye they toke and where they rested ¶ Howe syr Henry Percy and his brother with a good nombre of men of armes and archers went after the scottes to wynne agayne his penon that the erle Duglas hadde wonne before Newcastell vpon Tyne and howe they assailed the scottes before Mountberke in their lodgynges Cap. C.xlii. IT was shewed to sir Henry Percy to his broder and to the other knightes and squyers that were there by suche as had folowed the scottes fro Newecastell and had well aduysed their doynge who said to sir Henry and to syr Rafe Syrs we haue folowed the scottes priuely and haue discouered all the countrey The scottes be at Pountclan and haue taken syr Haymon Alphell in his owne castell fro thence they be gone to Ottenburge and there they laye this nyght what they wyll do to morowe we knowe nat They are ordayned to abyde there and sirs surely their great hoost is nat with them for in all they passe nat there a thre thousaÌde men Whan sir Henry herde that he was ioyfull and sayd Syrs let vs leape on our horses for by the faythe Iowe to god and to my lorde my father I wyll go seke for my penon and dyslodge theym this same nyght Knyghtes and squiers that herde him agreed therto and were ioyous and euery man made hym redy The same euenynge the bysshop of Durham came thyder with a good company for he herde at Durham howe the scottes were before Newcastell and howe that the lorde Percies sonnes with other lordes and knightes shulde fight with the scottes Therfore the bysshoppe of Dutham to come to the reskewe had assembled vp all the countrey and so was comynge to Newcastell But sir Henry Percy wolde nat abyde his comynge for he had with hym syre hundred speares knightes and squiers and an eight thousande fotemen they thought that sufficyent nombre to fyght with the scottes if they were nat but thre hundred speares thre thousande of other Thus they departed fro Newcastell after dyner and set forth in good ordre and toke the same way as the scottes had gone and rode to Ottebourge a seuen lytell leages fro thence and fayre way but they coulde nat ryde faste bycause of their fotemen And whan the scottes had
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 theÌselfe 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 doÌmage The chasâândured 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 coÌpany 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 deêted fro Newcastell as ye haue herde before the bysshop of Durham with the rerebande caÌe 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 coÌmaunded to sadell his horses and to sowne the truÌpettes 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 demauÌded 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 WhanÌe 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 huÌdred 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 recoÌforted 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 doÌmage 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 deêted fro the batayle to saue hym selfe and howe sir Iames Lymsaye was taken
Mare and Donbare and he greatly praysed the sayd erle for he suffred hym to passe in maner as he desyred hym selfe Thus these men of warre of Scotlande departed and raunsomed their prisoners as soone as they myght ryght curttesly and so retourned lytell and lytell in to their owne countreis And it was shewed me and I beleue it well that the scottes had by reason of that iourney two hundred thousande frankes for raunsomyng of prisoners For sythe the batayle that was before Streuelyne in Scotlande where as sir Robert of Breuce sir Wyllyam Duglas sir Robert Versey sir Symon Freseyle and other scottes chased the Englysshmen thre dayes they neuer had iourney so êfytable nor so honorable for theÌ as this was Whan tidynges came to the other company of the scottes that were besyde Carlyle howe their company had distressed the Englysshe men besyde Octeburgh they were greatly reioysed displeased in their myndes that they had nat ben there Than they determyned to dislodge and to drawe in to their owne countreys seynge their other company were withdrawen thus they dislodged and entred in to ScotlaÌde ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the scottes and of the Englysshe men for this tyme and lette vs retourne to the yonge Charles of Fraunce who with a great people wente in to Almaygne to bringe the duke of Guerles to reason WHan the Frenche kynge and all his armye were paste the ryuer of Muese at the bridge of Morsay they tooke the waye of Ardayn and of Lusenbourgh and alwayes the pyoners were before beatynge woodes and busshes makynge the wayes playne The duke of Iulyers and his countrey greatly douted the comyng of the Frenche kynge For they knewe well they shulde haue the fyrst assault and beare the fyrst burdone and the lande of Iulyers is a playne couÌtrey In one day the men of warre shuld do moche doÌmage there and distroye wast all excepte the castelles and good townes Thus the Frenche kyng entred in to the couÌtrey of Lusenbourgh and came to an abbey where as Vyncelant somtyme duke of Brabant was buryed there the kyng taryed two dayes Than he departed and toke the waye throughe Basconque and lodged within a leage where as the duches of Brabant laye Sâe sent worde of her beyng there to the duke of Burgoyn and he brought her in to the felde to speke with the kynge who receyued her right honourably and there coÌmuned togyder Than the duches retourned to Basconque and thyder she was conueyed with sir IohnÌ of Vyen and sir Guy of Tremoile And the next daye the kyng went forwarde aprochyng to the lande of his enemyes and came to theÌ cryng in to Almayne on the fronters of the duchy of Iulyers but or he came so far forwarde Arnolde bisshop of Liege had been with the kyng and had greatly entreated for the duke of Iuliers that the kyng shulde nat be miscontent with hym though he were father to the duke of Guerles for he excused hym of the deflauÌce that his sonne had made affyrmyng how it was nat by his knowlege nor consent Wherfore he sayd it were pytie that the father shulde beare the defaut of the sonne This excuse was nat suffycient to the kyng nor to his vncles For the entent of the kyng and his couÌsayle was without the duke of Iulyers wolde come and make other maner of excuse and to yelde hym selfe to the kynges pleasure his countrey shulde be the first that shulde beare the burdone Thanne the bysshoppe of Liege and the lordes of Hasbane and the counsayls of the good townes offred to the kynge and his counsayle holly the bysshoprike of Liege for his armye to passe and repasse payeng for their expenses and to rest and refresshe them there as long as it pleased them The kyng thanked them and so dyde his vncles and wolde nat refuse their offre for he knewe nat what nede he shulde haue after ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Iulyers came and excused hym selfe of the defyauÌce that his sonÌe the duke of Guerles had made to the Frenche kyng and so became his subiecte of dyuers feates of armes done bytwene the frenchmen and the almayns before Rencongne Cap. C.xlviii THus the bisshoppe of Liege retourned to the duke of Iullyers and to the archebysshoppe of Coloigne and shewed theÌ what he had done and thervpon they toke aduyse The duke of Iuliers had great dout of cryling wastyng of his countrey and sent for the knightes of his countrey to haue their counsayle aduyse and dayly the Frenchmen aproched The lorde of Coucy who was in the vowarde and with hym a thousande speares and the duke of Lorayne with hym and the vicount of Meaulx with two huÌdred speares Whan the Frenche men aproched the fronters of Almayne than they rode toguyder in good order and lodged wisely for there were a thre huÌdred speares of lynsars almayns beyond the ryuer of Ryne gathered toguyder And they be noted to be the greattest pyllers and robbers of all the worlde And they alwayes pursued and coosted the Frenchmen to fynde them dispurueyed to do them doÌmage The Frenche men douted the same and durst neuer go â forragyng but in great companyes And as I vnderstode sir Boucequant the elder and sir Loyes of Grache were retayned and brought to Nimay these sayd almayns rode alwayes couertly lyke byrdes flyeng in the ayre sekyng for their praye This made the Frenche men wyse and to be well ware Thus whan the Frenche kyng was come so forwarde as to the entre of the duchy of Iulyers The duke of Iulyers who wolde nat lese his countrey beleued the couÌsayle of the archebysshoppe of Coloyne and the bysshop of Liege These two entreated for hym to the kynge and brought the mater to that poynt that his laÌdes were in rest and peace by meanes of suche condycions as foloweth These two prelates dyde so moche that they brought the duke of Iulyers in to the kynges preseÌce and before his vncles the duke of Lorayne and other great lordes of Fraunce of the blode royall And whan he was before the kyng he kneled downe and wisely excused him of the defyauÌce that his sonne had made and sayd howe his sonne was a foole and that he had neuer counsayle of hym to do as he dyde but dyde it of his owne wyll and offred the kyng sayeng Sir to the entent to bring hym to the knowledgynge of reason by your lycence I wyll go to hym and shewe hym his folly as quickely as I can and counsayle hym to coÌe and make his excuse before youre grace and your counsayle And if he wyll nat thus do but do agaynst my counsayle I shall abandon to you all the townes and castels in my countrey and to prouyde for men of warre and to make warre against hym tyll ye haue taken hym to mercy Than the kyng regarded his brother his vncles and his couÌsaile and it semed to hym that this offre
he shulde go with him and thought that this companyons yet shulde se that he had founde somwhat and thought the same manne shulde do them some seruyce in their lodgynges and so Godynos rode on before on a lowe hackeney and the almayne folowed hym a foote with a hewynge axe on his necke wherwith he had wrought in the wode Godinos page lepte on his maysters courser and bare his bassenette and speare and folowed them halfe slepynge bycause he had rysen so early And the almayn who knewe nat whyder he shuld go nor what they wolde do with hym thought to delyuer hymselfe and came fayre and easely to Godynos and lyfte vp his are and strake hym suche a stroke on the heed that he claue it to the teth and so ouerthrewe hym starke deed the page knewe nat therof tyll he sawe his mayster fall Than the vyllayne fledde in to the wode and saued hymselfe This aduenture fell to Godinos wherwith suche as knewe hym were sore dyspleased and specyally they of Auuergne for he was the man of armes that was moste doughted of the englisshmen in those parties and he that dyd them most domage If he had been in prisone he shulde haue ben quyted out and if it had been for twenty thousande frankes ¶ Nowe lette vs retourne to the duke of Iulyers ¶ Howe the duke of Iuliers and the archebysshop of Coloygne departed fro the frenche kynge and wente to Nymay to the duke of Guerles and howe by their meanes he was reconsyled and brought to peace with the frenche kynge and with the duches of Brabante Cap. C.xlix YE knowe well as it hathe ben shewed here before howe the duke of Iulyers made his peace with the frenche king by meanes of the bysshoppes that treated in that behalfe and also to saye the trouthe the duke of Lorayne his cosyn toke great payne in the mater And as ye haue herde the duke promysed to go to his sonne the duke of Guerles and to cause hym to come to the kynges mercy or els to make hym warre Thus the duke of Iulyers was fayne to promyse or els all his countrey had ben loste Thus the duke of Iulyers and the archbysshoppe toke their iourney to go in to Guerles and passed the ryuer and came to Nymay where as the duke was who receyued his father with great ioye as he was bounde to do for there is nothynge so nere a man as his father and mother But he was nothynge glad of that he herde howe that the duke his father was agreed with the frenche kynge Than the duke of Iuliers and the bysshop shewed hym at length the hole mater in what case he and his lande stode in He made lytle therof for he was so sore alyed with the kynge of Englande that he wolde nat forsake hym for his herte was good englysshe and so excused hym selfe greatly and sayde to his father syr let me alone I wyll abyde the aduenture and if I take domage by reason of the frenche kynges comynge I am yonge ynough to beare it and to be reuenged herafter on some parte of the realme of Fraunce or vppon my neyghbours the brabansoys there is no lorde canne kepe warre without some domage sometyme lese and sometyme wynne Whan his father the duke of Iulyers herde hym so styffe in his opynyon he was sore dyspleased with him and sayd Sonne Willyam for whome make you youre warre and who be they that shall reuenge your domage Syr quod he the kynge of Englande and his puysaunce and I haue gret maruayle that I here no tydynges of the englysshe army that is on the see for if they were come as they haue promysed me to do I wolde haue wakened the frenche men oftener thanne ones or this tyme. What quod his father do you trust and abyde for the englysshmen they are so besyed in euery quarter that they wote nat to whome to entende The duke of Lancastre our cosyn lyeth at Bayon or at Burdeaux and is retourned out of Spayne in a small ordre and hath lost his men and tyme and he hath sente in to Englande for to haue mo men of armes and archers and he can nat get to the nombre of .xx. speares Also the englysshe men haue had but late in playne batayle a great domage in Northumberlande for all their chyualry aboute Newcastell vpon Tyne were ouerthrowen and slayne and taken so that as nowe the realme of Englande is nat in good quyete nor reste Wherfore it is nat for you to trust at this tyme on the englysshe men for of them ye shall haue no comforte Wherfore I couÌsayle you to be ruled by vs and we shall make your peace with the frenche kyng shall do so moche that ye shall nouther receyue shame nor domage Syr quod the duke of Guerles howe may I with myne honoure acorde with the Frenche kynge though I shulde lese all my hole lande go dwell in some other place surely I wyll nat do it I am to sore alyed with the kinge of Englande and also I haue defyed the frenche kynge Thynke you that for feare of hym I shulde reuoke my wordes or breke my seale ye wolde I shulde be dyshonored I requyre you let me alone I shall defende my self right well agaynst them I set lytell by their thretenynges The waters and raynes and colde wethers shall so fight for me or the tyme of Ianyuer come that they shall be so wery that the hardyest of theym shall wysshe them selfe at home in their owne houses THus at the begynnynge of this treatie the duke of Iuliers and the bysshoppe of Coloyne coulde nat breke the duke of Guerles purpose and yet they were with hym a sixe dayes and euery day in counsayle And whan the duke of Iulyers sawe no otherways he began sore to argue against his sonne and sayd Sonne if ye wyll nat byleue me surely I shall dysplease you and as for your enherytaunce of the duchy of Iulyers ye shall neuer haue one foote therof but rather I shall gyue it to a straunger who shall be of puyssaunce to defende it agaynste you ye are but a foole if ye wyll nat beleue my counsayle Whan the duke of Guerles sawe his father inflamed with ire than to apease his displeasure sayd Sir than counsayle me to myne honour and at your desyre I shall leane therto for syr Iowe to you all obeysaunce and wyll do Than the duke of Iulyers sayde Sonne nowe ye speke as ye shulde do and I shall loke for your honoure asmoche as I wolde do for myne owne Than it was deuysed by great delyberacion of counsayle that for to saue the honoure on all parties that the duke of Guerles shulde go to the frenche kynge and to do hym honoure and reuerence as he ought to do to a Kynge and to make his excuse of the defyaunce that he had sente to the kynge and to say after this maner Syr trewe it is there was a letter
gouernynge of his vncles euer syth the dethe of the laste kynge his father shulde than take on himselfe the gouernynge and charge of his hole realme and his vncles to cease of the gouernynge for they had ynough to do in other busynesses The kynge as thanne was paste twenty yere of age This was openly publysshed and euery man thought it was resonable The kynge came to Rennes at the feest of all sayntes and there helde a great feest and his vncles with hym And there they had fyrst knowledge that the Kynge of Castyle and the duke of LaÌcastre were coÌcluded vpon a peace and vpon a maryage to be had bytwene the kinges sonne and the dukes doughter Than the frenche kyng sported with the duke of Berrey and sayde Fayre vncle ye haue fayled of your entent a nother is lyke to enioy the wyfe that ye wolde haue had howe say you therto what sayeth your corage The duke of Berrey sayde Syr I saye nothynge but well if I haue fayled there I shall spede in some other place Than the frenche men beganne to murmure vpon this maryage and said this can nat be done without great alyauÌces whiche shal be a thynge greatly preiudycyall in tyme to come to the realme of FrauÌce And suche as considred the botom of the mater said howe that if Castyle Englande and Portugale be all of one alyaunce and accorde these thre realmes what by see and by lande they maye make warre to the realme of Fraunce Wherfore they sayde it were good that the kynge shulde sende and prouyde remedy by tymes consydringe that this vnhappy kyng of Castyle hath made alyauÌce in maner with a deed man For the duke of lancastre is as a man without men and puyssaunce Nor also they sayde howe the kyng of Castyll ought nat to make any aliauÌce with any man with out the counsayle of the Frenche kynge If he do the kynge maye sende hym worde that he wyll make hym as lowe a varlette as he hath made hym a great lorde Lette the kynge make warre agaynste the realme of Castyle and putte out the vnhappy kyng sonne to a bastarde and lette the kyng gyue the realme to his owne brother the duke of Thourayne who as yet hath no great herytage he shall well and sagely gouerne it Howe can or dare this kynge of Castyle make or treate for any peace or alyaunce with the duke of Lancastre without the knowledge or coÌsent of the Frenche kynge who hath so moche ayded honoured and auaunsed hym He had loste his realme if the puissaunce and blode royall of Fraunce had nat ben He hath well marchaundysed and yet he wyll marchaundyse But if it be as it is sayd lette hym be shamed and disheryted and lette hym haue suche punysshment that he may well knowe that he hath yuell done THese wordes multiplyed in suche wyse that all thynges consydered The kynge and his vncles and his counsayle determyned to sende in to Castyle to kynge Iohan and to shewe hym on the Frenche kynges behalfe that he be well aduysed and take hede what he dothe And that he be nat so hardy to make any treatie or alyaunce with the Englysshe men nor with the duke of Lancastre in any thyng that shulde be preiudyciall to the Crowne or realme of Fraunce And if he haue done or do or thynketh to do Lette hym be sure that the puyssaunce of Fraunce shall as moche or more sette hym a backe and hynder hym as it hath auaunsed hym before And that the kynge and the realme shall entende to do nothynge elles but to distroye hym Than it was consydred who shulde do this message And it was thought that who soeuer shulde do it ought to be a hardy man well spoken and sagely and valiauntly to declare the kynges pleasure It was thought that a meane and a symple persone ought nat to do that message Than there were thre persones named the lorde of Coucy sir Iohan of Vyen admyrall of Fraunce sir Guye de la Tremoyle Of these thre to take one to go in to Castyle on this voyage And all thynges consydred sir Iohan of Vyenne was apoynted to go Than the kynge and his counsayle sayd vnto hym Admyrall make you redy ye shall go on this voyage and ye shall haue none other letters to the kyng of Castyle but of credence ye are suffycieÌtly enstructed of the mater whervpon ye be sente And saye vnto the kynge of Spaygne that he aduyse well and cause to be aduysed And to rede and cause to be reed the alyaunces ordynaunces and êmyses sworne and sealed bytwene hym and vs and marke well youre aunswere that ye shall haue of hym and of his counsayle and thervpon we shall take our grounde to procede farther The admyrall aunswered and sayd it shal be done ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the Admyrall of Fraunce was ordayned by the Frenche kyng and his counsayle as ambassadour to go to the kynge of Castyle And howe the Duke of Berrey sente to the erle of Foize to treate for a maryage bytwene the duke of Berrey the erles doughter of Boulonge Cap. C.li. THe admyrall of FrauÌce taryed nat long at Paris but made hym quickely redye to departe and tooke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and tooke his waye by Burgoyne bycause he wolde go by Auygnone to se the pope and his brother and so he dyde ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke somwhat of Geffray Tete noyre who was enclosed and besieged within the castell of Vandachore But fyrste we wyll speke of the duke of Berrey who had great desyre to mary as he well shewed within that yere Whan he sawe that he had fayled of the duke of Lancasters doughter he was enfourmed that the erle of Boulonge had a fayre doughter named Iane doughter to the lady Elyanour of Comynges howe be it she was nat with her father nor with her moder she was in the countrey of Bierne with the Erle of Foiz her great frende and cosyn She hadde ben there brought vp and nourysshed well entreated the space of nyne yeres in the castell of Ortayes without cost or charge to father or mother The erle often tymes hadde been desyred to haue had her maryed but alwayes the erle aunswered that the damosell was to yonge Specially sir Bernarde brother to the erle of Armynacke hadde desyred to haue her and promysed that if he myght haue her in maryage the warre shulde ende bytwene them for the chalenge of the lande of Byerne But for all those promyses the erle wolde nat agree therto but aunswered euer howe that his cosyn was to yonge but amonge his owne men he wolde saye otherwyse For as sir Espaygne du Lyon shewed me he wolde saye howe they of Armynacke myght well repute hym for a beest if he shulde graunt their desyre seynge it was to his doÌmage For if he shulde graunt theym his cosyn in maryage he shulde strength them and enfeble
and so wente throughe the stretes to the kynges lodgynge called saynt Polle on the ryuer of Sayne with the quene there were mo than a thousande horses And the kyng went fro the palays to the ryuer of Sayne toke there a barge wente by water to his house of saynt Polle And for all that the house was great and large well amended yet the kyng had caused in the great court nere to the gate fro the Ryuer to be made a great halle whiche was couered ouer with clothes of the armes of Normandy And the walles were haÌged with clothes of arras of sondrie hystories In this hall the kynge gaue the ladyes a supper but the quene kepte her chaÌbre she was no more sene that nyght The other ladies and the kyng and the lordes daunsed and reuelled all that nyght nerchande tyll it was daye in the mornyng Than euery person departed and went to their lodgynges to slepe for it was good tyme. Nowe I shall shewe you what gyftes and preseÌtes they of Parys gaue on the Tuesday before noon to the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne who was but newly come in to Fraunce oute of Lombardy for she was doughter to the duke of Myllayne and she had the same yere wedded Loyes duke of Thourayne She was named Valentyne she had neuer before ben at Parys therfore the burgesses of Parys gaue her her welcome ON this Tuesday aboute .xii. of the clocke about a .xl. burgesses of Parys of the most notablest persons of the cytie all in one sute of clothynge came to the kynges house of saynt Polle brought a present for the quene through the stretes of Parys The present was in a lytter richely wrought and borne bytwene two strong meÌ properly apparelled lyke two auncient sage persones The lytter had a celler of a thynne fyue clothe of sylke so that the iewelles that were in the litter might well be sene through Whan they came to saint Polle first they caÌe in to the kynges chambre whiche was redy apparelled to receyue them for alwayes suche as bringeth any thyng are welcome thaÌ these burgesses sette downe the lytter on two trestels in the myddes of the chambre Than they kneled downe before the kyng and said Right dere lorde and noble kyng your burgesses of Parys presenteth your grace these iewelles here in this lytter in the welcomyÌg of your grace into the gouernauÌce of your realme of Fraunce Than the kyng sayd good men I thaÌke you they are right goodly and riche than the burgesses rose drewe backe therwith toke their leaue Whan they were gone the kynge sayd to sir Wyllyam of Lordes and to Montague who were by hym Sirs let vs go nere to this lytter se these presentes more nerer Than the kynge well regarded them Fyrst there were foure pottes of golde sixe lauers of golde sixe plattes of golde All this vessell wayed a huÌdred and fyftie marke of golde In lyke maner a nother sorte of burgesses richely apparelled all in one lyuerey came to the quene and presented her another lytter whiche was borne in to her chambre shewynge howe the good men of Parys dyde recoÌmende them to her grace and sent her that present Whiche present was a shippe of golde two great flagoÌs of golde two dredge boxes of golde two saltes of golde sixe pottes golde sixe lauers of golde .xii. Lampes of syluer two basons of syluer The soÌme was thre hundred marke what golde what syluer This present was brought in a lytter bytwene two men one in semblaunce of a Beare and the other in semblaunce of an Vnycorne The thirde present in lykewise was brought in to the duches of Thourayns chambre by two men fygured in the fourme of two blacke Moores richely apparelled with white towelles about their heedes lyke sarazins The lytter was fayre and riche couered with a fyne clothe of sylke and brought by .xii. burgesses all in one apparell who gaue this present to the sayd duchesse In the whiche presente there was a shippe of golde a great potte of golde two ewers golde two great plattes golde two saltes golde sixe pottes syluer two dosin saucers sylner two dosyn boules syluer SoÌme golde and syluer two huÌdred markes This present greatly reioysed the duches of Thourayne as it was reason for it was goodly riche and curtesly she thanked them of their gyfte Thus this Tuesdaye these presentes were gyuen to the kyng the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne It was greatly to be consydred the valeur of these presentes also the puyssaunce of the parisyens For it was shewed me by one who sawe all these pÌsentes that they cost the parisiens more than threscore thousande crownes of golde After these presentes this delyuered it was tyme to go to dyner But that daye the kynge and the quene other ladyes dyned in their chambres the soner to haue done For at thre of the clocke at after dyner they shulde drawe in to the felde of saynt Katheryne where as there was ordayned stages and scaffoldes a great nombre for the kynge and the quene and other to beholde the iustes ¶ Nowe shall I name by order the knyghtes that were called the kynges knyghtes of the sonne of golde there were thyrtie of theÌ FIrste the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the erle de la Marche sir Iaquemarte of Burbone his brother the lorde Guillyam of Namure sir Olyuer of Clysson constable of FrauÌce syr Iohan of Vien sir Iames of Vien lorde of Espaigny syr Guy of Tremoyle sir Gillyam his brother sir Phylyp of Bare the lorde of Rocheforde bretone the lorde of Raies the lorde Beamond syr Iohan of Barbencon the hazle of FrauÌce the lorde of Tourty norman syr Iohan of Barres the lorde of Nantoyllet the lorde of Rochfoucaât the lord of Garanciers sir Iohan of Harpedante the barone Dinury syr Willyam Marcyell syr Raynolde of Roye syr Geffrey of Caryn syr Charles of Changeet and sir Gylliam of Lignac All these knyghtes were armed and sheldes lyke there in the sonne raye and aboute thre of the clocke they were in the place of saint Kateryne and thyder was come ladyes and damosels And firste the quene came thyder in a chare rychely aparelled and all other ladyes in good ordre and entred into the scaffoldes that were ordeyned for them Than came the frenche kyng redy apparelled to iuste whiche pastyme he loued ryght well he was well accompanyed Than the iustes beganne there were many lordes of dyuers countreys Syr Gyllyam of Heynalt erle of Ostrenant iusted ryght goodly and so dyd suche knyghtes as came with hym as the lorde of Gomminies sir Iohan of Andregenes the lorde of Cautan syr Ausell of Transegynes and sir Clinquart of Hermo all dyde well their deuoyre to the prays of the ladyes Also there iusted well the duke of Irelande who was all that seasone with the frenche kynge Also there iusted well a knyght of
Almayne besyde the Ryne called sir Seruays of Mirando These iustes were well contynued but there were so many knightes that one coulde nat rynne for another and the duste with rynnynge of their horses was so great that it troubled them sore The lorde of Coucy dyd maruelously well These iustes contynued tyll it was nyght than they departed the ladyes brought to their lodgynges The kynge with his company was brought to his lodgynge of saynt Pole and there was a supper for the ladyes with suche haboundauÌce that it were harde to recorde it and the feest and reuell with syngynge and daunsyng tyll the next mornynge the sonne rysinge And the prise of the iustes of the aunswerers that had best done and lengest contynued was gyuen to the frenche kynge by consente of all the ladyes and iudgement of the harauldes and of the chalengers the Halze of âlaunders bastarde brother to the duchesse of Burgoyne The knightes complayned of the dust so that some said they loste their dedes by reason therof The kynge made prouysion for it he ordeyned mo than two hundred barrelles of mater that watred the place wherby the grouÌde was well amended and yet the nexte day they hadde duste ynough and to moche Than the wednysdaye came to Parys the erle of saynte Pole frome oute of Englande he had made great haste to come to these iustes and feest and he had lefte behynde him in Englande sir Iohan of Chatell Morant to bringe the charter of the treuce with hym The erle of saynte Pole was well welcomed of the kynge and of all other lordes and the Quene and all other were glad of his comynge ON the wednysdaye after dyner euery man drew to the felde and the ladyes came thyder in goodly aray as they had done the daye before and mounted vpon their stages Than the iustes began fyersly and was well contynued tyll it was nyght Than euery person retourned and the ladyes had a great supper at saynte Polle Than the pryses were gyuen by consente of the ladyes and iudgement of the harauldes of the answerers the prise was gyuen to a squyer of Haynalte called Iohan de Flaron who was come thyder in the company of therle of Ostrenant and of the chalengers the prise was gyuen to a squyer of the duke of Burgoyns called Iohan de Pokerers And agayne the thursdaye iusted knightes squyers all togyther euery man payned hym selfe to do well and it endured tyll nyght And the ladyes supped agayne at saynt Polle and there the prise was gyuen of the vtter partie to sir Charles of Armoyes and of them within to a squyer of the quenes called Lons The frydaye the kynge made a dyner to all the ladyes and damoselles and aboute the ende of the dyner there entred in to the hall the kyng sytting at the table the duchesse of Berrey the duchesse of Burgoyne the duches of Thourayne the couÌtes of saynt Polle the lady of Coucy and a great meny of other ladyes and damosels they brought in two knyghtes on horsebacke armed at all peces for the iustes with their speares on their thyes The one was sir Raynold of Roy and the other sir Bouciquant the yonger and there they two iusted goodly togyther Than came thyder other knightes ser Raynold of Troyes syr Gyllyam of Namure syr Charles of Armoyes and the lorde of Garancyers the lorde of Nantoyllet Lardenoys of Ostende and dyuers other all these iusted there the space of two houres before the kynge and the ladyes than they returned to their lodgynges That fryday suche ladyes and damosels as wolde retourne to their owne houses toke their leaues of the kynge of the quene and also suche lordes as wolde departe The kynge and the quene thanked them of the payne they had taken comynge to his feest ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the lorde of the Chateau Morante whom the erle of saynte Polle had lefte behynde hym in Englande retourned in to FrauÌce with the charter of the treuce sealed by kynge Rycharde and his vncles to endure thre yere by see and by lande Cap. C.lviii AFter that all these lordes and ladyes were returned fro this greate feest to their owne houses than the lorde of Chastell Morant whome the lorde of saynte Polle had left in England retourned in to Fraunce to the kynge and to his counsayle and shewed forth the charter of the treuce sealed by kynge Rycharde of Englande and by his vncles and other to endure thre yere as well by see as by lande and the wordes in the charter sayd That whosoeuer breketh by any maner of coÌdicion any poynte or artycle conteyned in that treatie shulde be taken and reputed as traytours and to rynne in a mortall punysyon And bycause that the lorde of Coucy was souerayne capytayne chosen by the kinge and his counsayle to defende and kepe the outwarde marches bytwene the ryuer of Durdone and the see and all the countrey of Iuuergne and Lymosyn The copy of this treatye was delyuered to hym to the entente that he shulde publysshe and shewe it to all them that wolde do any thynge to the contrary And also to the entent that they of Vandachor of Chalusset of Dorbesidousac and of the garysons the made warre for the englysshe tytle shulde haue knowledge of that treuce that they shulde make none excuse if they fell in the payne In lykewyse the marshall of FrauÌce the lorde Loys of Xancer had also the copy therof whiche was ryght nedefull for he was gouernour of the outwarde marches of Languedoc fro the ryuer of Ronne and the bridge of Amyngnon and aboute the countreys and signories apendauÌt to the ryuer of Dordone as the couÌtreys of Beaucaire of Carcassone of Tholous of rouergne of Dagen of Querca of Bygore of Pyergourte and of Lymogines and in these countreys were dyuers garysons that smally regarded or obeyed any peace or truce but alwayes entended to make marre as the castell of Cullyer the stronge castell of Londre in Bygore on the fronters of Byerne they were greatly feared of their neyghbours ⸫ ⸫ ¶ The maryage of king Loys sonne to the duke of Aniou to the doughter of kynge Peter of Aragone and how he went with the quene of Napoles his mother to Auignon to se pope Clemente Cap. C.lix IN this tyme there was a treatye made of a maryage bytwene Loys of Aniowe sonne to the duke of Aniou who wrote himself kynge of Napoles of Cycyll and Iherusalem and erle of Prouynce and the doughter of kyng Peter of Arragon The quene of Napoles went to Auygnone to se pope Clement and there she founde the lorde of Coucy and had in her company her yonge sonne Loys The lorde of Coucy was ryght ioyous of her coÌmynge The quene was receyued ryght honorably of pope Clement and of the cardynalles as she was well worthy for she was a noble woman and a dilygent in all her busynesse There she desyred the lorde of Coucye to helpe to conuey her sonne Loyes
in to the realme of Arragone and to be about him tyll he were maryed The lorde of Coucye wolde nat refuce it but ordayned hym selfe so to do and sayde Ma dame there was no vyage this seuyn yere that I wolde be more gladder to accomplisshe than to go in to the marches of Cicyll Naples wich my lorde your sonne if I had lycence of the kyng my souerayne lorde Sir quod the lady I thaÌke you I se well your good wyll I doute nat but the kyng wyll be content that ye go with my sonne in to Aragon And the quene of Arragon wyll be glad to se you for your doughter hath maryed her brother sir HeÌry of bare The lorde of Coucy agreed to go this voyage Thus the younge kynge of Cicyll tooke his iourney well accompanied whan he had taken his leaue of the Pope and of his mother all wepynge For at the departynge of the mother and the sonne caused their hertes to relente For they shulde departe farre a soÌder knewe nat whan to se togyder agayne For it was ordayned that whan the maryage was accomplysshed that the yonge kynge and the yonge Quene shulde take the see at the porte of Barcelone and so to go and arryue at the porte of Naples or as nere as they myght SO longe this yonge kynge Loyes iourneyed that he passed Mountpellyer and Besyers and so came to Narbone where he was receyued ioyfullye of euery man There they refresshed theÌ and their horses one day and than departed and wente to Parpygnen the fyrst towne of the realme of Arragon The coÌmyng of this yonge kynge was well knowen in the court of the kynge of Arragon He sente menne to mete with hym and to conuey him as the vycount of Roâuebertyn and sir Raymonde of Baighes So long they rode that they caÌe to the cytie of Barcelone where the kynge the Quene and their doughter was There the yonge kyng was noblâ receyued and specially the quene of Arragon was ryght ioyouse of the coÌmynge of the lorde of Coucy and thanked the yonge kynge her sonne that shulde be for bringynge of hym in his company and sayd that all other maters shulde do and atcheue the better This Maryage was confyrmed bytwene these two chyldren but bycause wynter approched they delayed their voyage goyng to the See For in wynter the great Sees are perillous They said they wolde make their prouisyon that wynter to go in to Naples the nexte Marche after The lorde of Coucy beyng in Arragon receyued letters fro the Frenche kynge commaundynge hym to retourne Than he toke his leaue of the kynge of Arragon and of the quene and of the yonge kyng and his wyfe and of all other lordes suche as were there and departed And if he myght haue had leysar he wolde haue retourned by Auignon to haue sene the pope and the olde quene af Naples But he sente to them his excuse and retourned by Auuergne in to Fraunce WHanÌe this maryage was made bytwene the yonge kyng Loyes of Cycyll and the doughter of the kynge of Arragon wherby there was great alyaâces bytwene the parties and they of Arragon were bounde to ayde to serue the yong kynge to bringe hym in to the realme of Naples and nat to leaue hym tyll he had the realme pesably of Naples and of Cicyll with the appendauÌtes as Paule and Calabre and the cytie of Gaiet the whiche Margarete of Duras helde The aragonoys shulde serue hym as longe as his warre endured with .ii. hundred speares at their coste and charge a thousande crosbowes and a thousande bregandiers Whan the swete tyme of Marche was come and that the wyndes were apealed and the waters swaged of their rages and the wodes reuerduced and that their prouysions were made redy at Barcelone and the galees redy suche as shulde go with the yong kynge Than he and his yonge quene tooke their leaues of the kynge of Aragone and of the quene who wept at their departyng than the quene recoÌmaunded the yonge quene her doughter to the erle of Roodes a valyaunt knight to sir Raymon of Baighes These two toke the speciall charge natwithstaÌdinge that the erle of Vrgell and the erle of Lyne were there in a great company In these galees were a fyftene huÌdred speares two thousande crosbowes two thousande of other men of warre with dartes pauesses They wente thus fortifyed and well acompanyed to resyst the better if nede were agaynst their ennemyes And also to resyst all rencouÌters vpon the see for it is a longe waye by the see fro Barcelone to Naples And Margarete of Duras their aduersary myght trouble theÌ by the way therfore they thought to go surelye ¶ Nowe we wyll leaue to speke of this yonge kyng of Cicyll and speke of other busynesse of the realme of Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the Frenche kynge had desyre to go and visyte the farre partes of his realme howe he went fyrst in to Burgoyne and to Auygnon to se pope Clement Cap. C.lx. AFter this great Feest was accomplisshed that euery lorde and lady were gone home to their owne houses as ye haue herde here before that the FreÌche kyng sawe that he had truce with Englande for thre yere he hadde than ymaginacion to go visite his realme specially the vtwarde marchesse of Languedocke For the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan Mercier who were as than chefe of his preuy couÌsayle They exhorted hym to go to Auygnon to se pope Clement and the cardynalles who desyred to se hym and also to go to Tholous for they sayd to the kyng Sir a kyng in his youthe ought to visyte his realme and to knowe his people and to lerne how they be gouerned the whiche shulde be greatly to his profyte and the better to be beloued with his subiectes The kyng lyghtly enclyned to their counsayle for he had desyre to traueyle and se newe thynges And the lord de la Ryuer who was but newly come out of those marchesse herde great complayntes of the people of Tholous of Carcassone of Beaucayre and they desired greatly to se the kyng for they had ben sore charged with tayles and aydes by the duke of Berrey by the informacion of a seruaunt of his called Betysache who had pytie of no man He so pylled the people that nothynge was lefte therfore he counsayled the kynge to go thyder to prouyde some remedy And also that the kynge shulde sende for the erle of Foize to come to hym to Tholous The kyng made him redy to go thyder and sente afore all the way that prouisyon shulde be made for his coÌmyng sente worde therof to his vncle the Duke of Burgoyne and to his auÌte the duchesse how he wolde come a longe throughe their countrey and wolde se his cosyns their chyldren and to bring in his company his brother the duke of Thourayne and his vncle of Burbone whiche pleased greatly the
the sayd lady durynge the siege dyd many feates of armes The knyghtes of Faunce wolde fayne haue taken hym but they coulde neuer atrape nor enclose him his horse was so swyft and so redy to his hande that alwaies he skaped THe crysten men wolde gladly haue taken some sarazyn to the entente to haue knowen the state of the towne and countrey but for all their skrymysshynge they coulde neuer gette none The sarasyns toke good hede to themselfe and dyd pauesse themselfe agaynst the crosebowes genouoys they werenat so well armed as the cristen men it was nat their vsage nor they had no armorers nor metall to forge harnesse withall for most comenly they lacke yron and steele they be euer armed in lether and beare targettes aboute their neckes couered and made of Cure boley of Capadoce no wepen can perce it and the lether be nat hote so that whan they come nere to their enemyes they cast their dartes all at ones And whan the genouoys do shote at theym than they couche them selfe lowe and couer them with their targes and whan the shotte is paste than they caste agayne their fedred dartes Thus the space of nyne wekes durynge the siege they often tymes skrymysshed so that dyuers were hurte on bothe parties and specially suche as lyghtly without a uysement aduentured them selfe thus the crysten men toke good hede to themselfe and so dyd the sarazyns on their parte and the lordes of Fraunce and suche other as were comâ thyder to their ayde gladly regarded the dealynge of the sarazyns To saye the trouthe to lordes of astate and to gret men all newelties are dylectable And if the crysten men hadde pleasure to beholde them the sarazyns had as great pleasure to regarde the maner of the crysten men amonge them there were yonge lusty knyghtes who had great pleasure to beholde the armure baners standardes and penons with rychesse and noblenesse that was amonge the crysten men and at nyght whan they were at their lodgynges they spake and deuysed But as it was shewed me there was one thynge amonge them to be marueyled at I shall shewe you what THe sarazyns within the towne of Aufryke had great marueyle by what tytell or instaunce that the crysten men came thyder so strongly to make them warre It was shewed me howe they toke aduyse amonge them howe to knowe the trouth therof and determyned to sende to the crysten men to knowe their myndes and so toke a truchman that coulde speke Italyan and commaunded hym to go to the crysten host and to demauÌde of them in what tytle and instaunce they are come to make vs warre and why they be come so strongly in to the empyre of Barbary and in to the lande of Auffryke and saye howe we haue in nothynge trespased them of a trouth afore this tyme there hath ben warre bytwene vs and the genouoys but as for that warre by reason ought nat to touche the crysten men of farre countreys of as for the genouoys are our neyghbours they take of vs and we of them we haue been auncyente enemyes and shall be excepte whan treuce is bytwene vs. with this message the trucheman departed and rode to the crysten army and mette fyrst with a genoway and shewed hym howe he was a messanger sent fro the sarazyns to speke with some lorde of Fraunce The genoway had to name Anthony Marthy he was a centuryon of the crosbowes he brought this messanger to the duke of Burbon and to the lorde of Coucy who gladly herde hym speke and the wordes that he spake in his owne langage the centuryon genoway expowned theym in frenche Whan this messanger had declared his message he desyred to haue an anuswere The lordes of Fraunce sayde he shulde haue but first they wolde take aduyse in the mater Than a .xii. of the greatest lordes drewe togyder to counsayle in the duke of Burbons tent and concluded and so sent for the messanger and the genouoy made him his answere in al their names Sayeng howe the tytle and quarell that they made warre in was bycause the sonne of god called Iesu chryst and trewe profyte by their lyne and generacyon was put to deth and crucyfyed and bycause they had iudged their god to deth without tytell or reason therfore they wolde haue a mendes and punysshe that trespace and false iudgement that they of their lawe had made and also bycause they beleued nat in the holy baptyme and are euer contrary to their faythe lawe nor also bycause they beleued nat in the virgyn Mary mâther to Ihesu Cryst Fâr these causes and other they sayd they toke the sarazyns and all their secte for their enemyes and sayd howe they wolde reuenge the dispytes that they had doone and dayly do to their god and crysten faythe With this answere the treuchman retourned without parell or domage and shewed to his maysters all as ye haue herde At this aunswere the sarazyns dyd nothinge but laugh and sayd howe that aunswere was nothynge reasonable for it was the iewes that put Chryst to dethe and nat they Thus the siege styll endured euery party making good watche ANone after the sarazyns toke counsayle togyder and determyned that a seuen or eight dayes togyther they shulde suffre the crysten men in reste and nat to make any maner of skrymysshe with them and than sodaynly on a nyght about the hour of mydnyght to sette on the hoost trustynge therby to do a great feate As they ordayned so they dyd and an eyght dayes togyther they made no skrymysshe and on the .ix. day about mydnight they secretly armed them with such armure as they were accustomed to and so came close togyder without any noyse nere to the lodgynges of the crysten men and had enterprysed to haue done a great feate to haue entred nat on that side that their watche was on but on the other parte of the felde where there was no watche kept They had come to their ententes and god properly had nat ben agaynst them in shewynge of apparante myracles I shall shewe you howe As the sarazyns aproched they sawe sodenly before them a great company of ladyes and damosels all in whyte colour and one in especyall who in beauty without comparison exceded all the other and there was borne before her a baner all of whyte and reed within with this syght the sarazyns were so abasshed that they lacked spyrite and force to go any further and so stode styll and the ladyes before them Also it was shewed me that the Genouoys had a great dogge in their company that they brought with theym but they knewe nat fro whence he came there was none that chalenged the dogge to be his whiche dogge dyd theym great seruyce for the sarazyns coulde neuer come so pryuely to skrymysshe but the dogge wolde bay and make suche brewte that he wold nat rest tyll such as were a slepe were awaked euery man knewe whan they herde the dogge
father loued hym entierly Than he tooke his horse and tooke the kaye and rode to the castell of Orâhayes And all that season sir Ienbayne was sertchynge all aboute for they kayes and coulde nat fynde theÌ nor wyst nat howe to get the towre dore opyn it was so stronge nor also he hadde no instrumentes to breke it opyn with all And in this meane season the men of the towne hadde soone knowledge by varlettes or women that came to the hospytall howe therle shulde be deed These were harde tidynges to them for the erle was welbeloued withall his people They of the towne assembled to guyder in the markette place and sayde one to another suche as hadde sene sir Ienbayn passe through the towne alone We haue sene sir Ienbayne passe through the towne alone towardes the castell it semed by his councynaunce he was nat content Surely there is some thyng a mysse sor he was nat wonte to coÌe home before his father Thus as they were coÌmunynge toguyder there came in to the towne the Erles chapelayne ThanÌe the men of the towne came aboute hym and demauÌded newes of therle their lorde It hath been shewed vs that he is deed Is it so or nat Nay quod the preest he is not deed but he is sore sicke and I am come home before to cause thynges to be dressed for hym and than I muste retourne agayne to hym And so therwith he passed forth to the castell and dyde so moche that he entred of whose commyng sir yuan had great ioye For without the kaye that he brought he coulde nat haue entred in to the Towre where as the treasour was Than the men of the towne hadde great suspecte of the Erles dethe and sayde It is nere hande nyght and as yet we here nothynge of our lorde nor of none of his offycers and sir yuan and his chapelayne are entred in to the castell suspeciously Let vs watche the castell this night and to morowe we shall here other tidynges Lette vs sende secretely to the hospitall than shall we knowe howe the mater gothe Also we knowe well the moost parte of the erles treasour is with in the Castell and if it be stollen awaye by crafte we shal be blamed for it Ignoraunce shall nat excuse vs. They all thought it was best for them so to do ThanÌe the men of the towne drewe about the castell and kepte the gates of the towne surely that none shulde entre nor issue without lycence Thus they watched all nyght and in the mornyng they had parfyte knowledge of the dethe of their lorde Than euery man woman and chylde cryed out and wepte pituously for the Erle was welbeloued Than the watchmen doubled and encreased in harnesse aboute the castell WHan sir yuan of Foize sawe the maner of the men of the towne and sawe well howe he was êceyued and that they knewe the certayntie of the dethe of his father Than he sayde to sir Nycholas Sir I haue fayled of myne enteÌt I se well I can nat departe hens without lycence The men of the towne haue knowledge of my fathers dethe and they assemble in great nombre before the castell It behoueth me to humble my selfe to them for force can nat aueyle me sir ye saye trouthe quod the preest ye shall wyn more by swete and fayre word than by rude and frowarde dealynge Go your waye and speke with them Than sir yuan went in to a towre nere to the gate opyned a wyndowe ouer the bridge in the whiche towre he was brought vp in tyll he maryed the lady Iane of Boloyne who afterwarde was duchesse of Berrey as ye shall here after in this hystorie Sir yuan opyned the wyndowe and spake to them that were the princypals of the towne who caÌe on the bridge nere to the windowe to here what he wolde saye Than he spake a loude and sayde O ye good people of Orthays I knowe well the cause of your asseÌbly it is nat wtout a great occasion how be it I requyre you as derely as ye loued my lorde father that ye be nat displeased with me thoughe I haue aduaunsed my selfe to entre in to this castell first or any other shude entre and to take possession therof and of suche goodes as be within it for I wyll do nothyng but good ye knowe well my lorde my father loued me as well and entierly as his owne sonne and wolde fayne haue fouÌde the wayes to haue made me his enherytour And nowe it hath pleased god to call hym to his mercy without accomplysshyng of any thynge of myne aduauncement And nowe he hath lefte me amonge you where I haue been brought vp and lefte nowe as a poore knyght bastarde sonne to the erle of Foize without I haue your ayde and helpe Wherfore sirs I requyre you in goddes behalfe to haue pytie on me wherin ye shall do great almesse And I shall open the castell and suffre you to entre I wyll nat kepe it agaynst you Than they aunswered and sayde Sir yuan ye haue spoken so nobly that it ought to suffyce And sir we saye that we wyll abide with you and our entent is to kepe this castell and goodes with you And if the Vicount of Chastellon your cosyn who is next enherytoure to this countrey of Byerne as nexte parente to your father come hyder to challenge his herytage and mouables or he haue it he shall knowe well howe we shall defende you and your right fro hym and fro your brother sir Gracyen But we suppose that whanÌe the Frenche kynge was laste at Tholous and my lorde youre Father with hym that some order was takenne as touchyng your fathers enherytaunce And this can sir Roger of Spaygne your cosyn tell no man better than he We shall write to him and shewe hym of the dethe of the erle your father and desyre hym to come hyder to helpe and counsayle vs in all thynges concernynge the landes of Bierne and of Foiz and also for the mouables and for thentierment of my lorde youre father And this we promyse you faythfully to vpholde With this aunswere sir yuan was well contente And thanne opyned the gate of the Castell of Orthayes and suche entred as wolde And the same daye the Erles body was brought thyder At the metyng of the corse men and women wepte pituously in the remembraunce of his noblenesse and puyssaunt estate His wytte and prudence his Prowesse and largesse and the great prosperyte that he lyued in For there was nouther Frenche nor Englysshe that durste dysplease hym Moost parte of the people sayd Nowe our neyghbours wyll make vs war where as we were wonte to lyue in peace and fredome Nowe shall we be in bondage in misery and subiectyon Nowe there is none to ayde vs. AH Gascone Gascone fayre sonÌe Why dyde ye euer so dysplease your father that it coste you your lyfe If ye had ben lefte with vs it shulde nowe haue
ben to vs a great coÌforte but we lost you to yong your father hath taryed to short a season with vs. He was but threscore and thre yeres of age He myght haue lyued for any age many a yere lengar It was no great age for suche a prince hauynge euery thyng at his ease and wysshe Ah thou lande of Bierne destytute and without conforte of any noble herytour What shall become of the Thou shalte neuer haue agayne suche another as was this gentyll erle of Foiz With suche lamentacions and wepynges the body of this Noble Erle was borne throughe the towne of Orthayes by eight noble knyghtes The first the Vycounte of Brunyquell and agaynst hym the lorde of Compayne The thirde sir Roger of Spaygne and agaynst hym sir Raymonde of Laysne The fyfthe sir Raymonde de la Mote agaynst hym the lorde of Besache The seuenthe sir Menault of Noualles and agaynst hym Rycharde of saynt George And behynde was sir yuan his bastarde sonne The lorde of Corase The lorde of Barantyne The lorde of Baruge the lorde of Quere and mo than threscore other knyghtes of Byerne who were soone come to the hospytall of Ryone whan they knewe of the Erles dethe Thus he was caryed with open vysage to the freers in Orthayes and there he was enbaumed and layde in leed so lefte vnder good kepynge vnto the day of entierment And nyght and daye withoute cease there was brinnynge aboute his body four and twentie torches borne by eight and fourtie yomen Foure and twentie in the nyght and foure and twentie in the daye ⸪ THe dethe of this noble erle of Foiz was anone knowen in dyuers countreis mo were rather sorie of his dethe than gladde for he had in his dayes giuen suche gyftes so liberally that it coulde nat be eschewed wherfore he was be loued of euery man that knewe hym Pope Clement whan he knewe of his dethe was right soroufull for hym bicause he had taken great payne in fortherynge of the maryage of his cosyn Iane of Boloygne who was duchesse of Berrey The same season there was at Auignon the bysshop of Palmes who durst nat com at his benifyce for a displeasure that the erle of Foize had to hym and yet he was of his lynage The cause was the bysshoppÌ wolde haue exalted his iurisdiction and abated therles for all that therle made hym bysshop Than the pope sente for the bysshoppe to come to his palais and whan he was coÌe the pope sayde Sir bysshoppe of Palmes your peace is made the erle of Foiz is deed Of those tidynges the bysshoppe was glad and within a shorte season after he departed fro Auignon and wente to his bysshoprike in to the countrey of Foize Tidynges of the dethe of this erle was anone come into FrauÌce to the kynge and to his counsayle The Frenche kyng and his brother and the duke of Burbone were sorie of his dethe bycause of his noblenesse Than the counsayle saide to the kyng Sir the couÌtie of Foiz is yours by right successyon seyng the erle of Foiz is deed without heyre of his body laufully begotten no man canne debate with you therin Also they of the countie thynke the same And sir there is one thyng that helpeth gretlye your tytell ye haue lende there on fyftie thousande frankes Sir sende and take possessyon of your guage and kepe it as youre owne enherytauÌce For they of the same couÌtrey desyre to be vnder youre hande It is a fayre countre and shall come to you to good purpose for it marcheth nere to the Realme of Arragone and also to Chattelone And paraduenture here after ye may happe to haue warre with the kyng of Arragon Than the countie of Foiz shal be a good fronter for therin be many fayre and stronge castelles to kepe in men of warre and to make good garysons The kyng herde well those wordes and anone enclyned to their counsayle and sayde Sirs lette se whome shall we sende on this message ThanÌe it was determyned to sende the lorde de la Ryuer bycause he was knowen in that countrey and with hym the bysshoppe of Noyon These two lordes prepared them selfe to go on this legacyon and whanÌe they departed they rode at leysar by small iourneys and toke their waye by Auignon IN this meane season worde was sente to the Vicount of Chastellon beyng in the realme of Arragon of the dethe of his cosyn the erle of Foiz Than he rode tyll he caÌe in to Bierne streyght to Orthays They of the towne made hym good chere howe be it they toke him nat as than for their lorde and saide howe all the countrey was nat assembled and that first they must assemble toguyder the prelates lordes and men of the good Townes and to counsayle toguyder what they shulde do Sayeng that is a good couÌtrey that holdeth of hym selfe and the lordes that dwelleth therin and hath herytages to be free ThanÌe it was aduysed for the best First to make the entierment of the erle Gascone of Foiz at Orthays and to sende for all the nobles of Bierne and of Foize suche as wolde come and than to take counsayle whoÌ they shulde accepte for their lorde Than all barones and prelates and heedes of good townes of Bierne and of Foiz were sent for They of Bierne caÌe thyder but they of Foiz refused to come there and sayde they wolde kepe their countrey For they herde saye the Frenche kyng wolde sende thyder to chaleÌge they countre of Foiz Howe be it the bysshop of Palmes was desyred to come to Orthais bycause of lynage and so he came thyder in good array as to hym apparteyned The day of the obsequy of the gentyll erle Gascon of foiz last erle of that name done in the freres in the towne of Orthays the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and a .xi. on a monday There was moche people of the countrey of Bierne and of other places bothe lordes knightes and other prelates There were four bisshoppes the bysshop of Palmes who sayd the masse and the bysshoppes of Ayre of Auron and of Tenues in Bierne There was a goodly herse and well ordred And duryng the masse tyme there was holden before the aulter by four knightes foure baners with the armes of Foiz of Bierne The first helde sir Raymon of Newcastell The seconde sir Espaygne du Lyon The thirde sir Peter deguier The fourthe sir Menaulte of Noualles sir Roger of Spaygne offred the sworde bytwene the Bourge of Campaigne and Pier of Arnaulte of Bierne capitayne of Lourde The shelde bare the Vicount of Bruniquell bytwene sir Iohan of Newcastell and IohnÌ of Chanteron The helme offred the lorde of ValeÌtyne and of Bierne bytwene Arnalton of Rostem and Arnalton of saynt Colombe The horse was offred by the lorde of Corase bytwene Arnalton of Spayne and Raymonet of Campaygne This entierment was honorably done accordyng to the vsage of the countre
and there were the two bastarde soÌnes of the erle of Foiz sir yuaâ and sir Gracien and the Vicount of Chastelâon and all the barons of Bierne and some of Foiz But assone as the seruyce was done they of Foiz departed and rode the same daye to dyner to Herytell two myles fro Orthais and the next day be tymes the bysshoppe of Palmes deêted he wolde nat be at the generall êlyament whiche was the same daye a monge them of Bierne Thus the erle was buryed in the freers before the hyghe aulter So there is no more mencion made of hym god haue mercy vpon his soule ¶ Nowe let vs speke of the order that was taken at Orthais AS it was enformed me it was said to the Vycount of Chatelion Sir we knowe well that as next of blode ye ought to succede in the herytagê as well of Bierne as of Foiz But as nowe we can nat receyue you as oure lorde for therby we myght bring the lande of Bierne in to great trouble warre and daunger For as we do vnderstande the Frenche kynge who is our good neighbour dothe seÌde hyder of his couÌsayle we knowe nat for what entent tyll we here them speke We knowe well so do you that our lorde the erle whome god pardone was this last yere at Tholous with the frenche kyng and had secrete coÌmunycacion toguyder the whiche firste hath nede to be declared for if he haue gyuen and released to the FreÌche kyng Foiz and Bietne the kyng than with puissance wyll haue optayne it Wherfore or we do any thing we wyll know the artycles for we of Byern be in other case of other coÌdycion than they of Foiz We be all fre without homage or seruytude and the countie of Foiz is holden of the Frenche kynge and also the people of Foiz their hertes be so Frenche that lightly they wyll receyue the frenche kyng to their lorde and soucraygne For they haue sayde sithe the erle was deed he hath none heritour of his body laufully gotten Wherfore the countie of Foize they saye shulde parteyne to the ordynauÌca of the Frenche kyng But sir we shall kepe our holde and we wyll serue no lorde but suche as we ought to do wheder it be the freÌch kyng or you But sir we wyll counsaile you to worke wysely in this busynesse by treatie or otherwyse Than the Vycount said sirs by what meanes wyll ye couÌsayle me to worke for I haue promised to worke by your aduyse in euery thyng accordyng to reason sir quod they we wyll aduyse you to desyre sir Roger of Spaygne your cosyn to kepe you company at your cost and charge And go in to the countie of Foiz and treate with the prelates and noble men and with theym of the good townes that they wolde receyue you to their lorde or elles to sytte styll and dissymule the mater tyll ye haue apeased the french kyng and taken with hym some coÌposicion by meanes of golde and siluer that ye might haue the enheritaunce in rest and peace if ye do thus than do ye wisely and if ye maye be herde with them that be sente fro the Frenche kynge in to the countie of Foize thoughe it cost you a hundred thousande or two huÌdred thousande frankes ye shall fynde ynoughe to paye it with all For the erle that is deed hath lefte ynoughe behynde hym Howe beit sir in any wyse we wyll that his two bastarde sonnes haue parte largely of his goodes Than the lorde answered and sayde Sirs I am content as ye wyll And here is my cosyn sir Roger of Spaygne and in all youre presences I desyre hym to ryde with me in this iourney Than sir Roger answered and said Sir I am content to ryde with you to be as meane bytwene bothe êties But if the Frenche kyng my souerayne lorde or his ambassadours desyre me to be of their couÌsayle orels coÌmauÌde me nat to medell than I must nedes leaue you The Vycount was content and saide Cosyn I trust they wyll nat agaynst your will take you fro me and if I may haue you nere me I thynke to make a good ende of all my busynesse THan as I was enformed the Vycount of Chastellon made a request before theÌ all to borowe fyue or .vi. thousande frankes to performe his iourney Also the two bastardes made their request that they might haue parte of their fathers richesse Than the couÌsayle toke aduise togider at last acorded that the VicouÌt shulde haue fyue thousande frankes And the two bastardes of Foiz eche of them two thousaÌde frankes and incoÌtynent the treâourers were coÌmaunded to delyuer the money All offycers that were in the Erles dayes were suffred to occupy styll without any chaungyng and than kepers were sette to kepe the castell of Orthais and the richesse that was within it The Vicount at his first coÌmynge to Orthais gaue pardon to all the prisoners with in the castell wherof there were a great nombre For the erle of Foiz was a cruell man wolde spare no man but to punysshe at his pleasure though he were neuer so great a êsonage He had ones in prisone the said Vycount of Chastellon in the botome of a dongion eight monethes for all that he was his cosyn germayne And whanÌc he delyuered him he sette hym to rauÌsome at .xl. thousaÌde frankes whiche was truly payde And also as longe as he lyued he loued hym neuer after so that the Vicount durst neuer come in his sight for if the erle had lyued two yeres lengar the Vicount shulde neuer haue had any parte of the heritage of Foiz or of Bierne THus this counsayle at Orthays brake vp and euery man departed and lefte the Vycount to prepare for his iourney who made hym redy as soone as he might and desyred certayne knightes squiers to go with hym Thus he departed fro Orthais with a two hundred horse and rode to Moriens a good towne on the fronter bytwene Byerne and Bygore a four myles fro Pauy and a sixe myle fro Tarbe And the seconde day he rode to saynt Gausens another good towne at the entre of the couÌtie of Foiz on the ryuer of Garone and there tidynges came to hym howe the bysshoppe of Noyon and sir Buryaulx de la Ryuer and other of the Frenche kynges counsayle were coÌe to Tholous Than the Vycount tooke counsayle of sir Roger of Spayne what was best for him to do sir Roger answered and sayd Sithe we haue herde tidynges of them let vs tary here and se what they wyll do I thynke they wyll sende shortely to vs and so there they taryed for in dede they coulde go no further in to the countie of Foiz for all the good townes castelles and passages were closed agaynst them As Calumuche Casteres MouÌttesquen Carthas Ortyngas Fossat the cytie of Palmes the castell Montaunt and all the castels on the fronter of Aragon they of the countie of
But he sayde he was very sorie for the dethe of the erle of Iouye of sir yuan of Foiz and of sir Charles of Poicters His vncles reconforted hym sayde Sir that is loste canne nat be recouered ye muste forgette the dethe of them and thanke god of the fayre aduenture that is fallen to your owne persone For all the realme of Fraunce by this incydent myght haue ben in great daunger of lesynge For ye maye thynke well that these people of Parys wyll neuer be styll for God knoweth if the mysfortune had fallen on you they wolde haue slayne vs all Theriore sir aparell you in estate royall and lepe on your horse and ryde to our lady in pylgrimage and we shall accompany you and shewe youre selfe to the people for they desyre soore to se you The kynge sayde he wolde so do Than the kynges vncles toke aparte the duke of OrlyauÌce and in curtesse maner somwhat blamed hym of his yonge dede that he had done He aunswered and sayde howe he thought to haue done none yuell Than anone ãâã the kynge and his company lepte on their horses and rode throughe the cytie to apease the people and came to our lady Churche there herde masse and offred and thanne retourned agayne to the house of saynt Poule and lytell and lytell this mater was forgotten and the obsequyes done for the deed bodyes Ah erle Gascoyne of Foiz if this had fortuned in thy lyfe dayes thou shuldest haue had great displeasure and it had been harde to haue peased the for thou louedest hym entierly All lordes and ladyes through the realme of FrauÌce and elswhere that herde of this chaunce had great marueyle therof ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe pope Bonyface and the cardynals of Rome sent a frere a wyse clerke to the frenche kyng Cap. C. xc.iii POpe Bonyface beyng at Rome with his cardinali es reioysed of this said aduenture bycause the Frenche kyng was agaynst theÌ The pope sayde it was a token sente fro God to the realme of Fraunce bycause they supported the pope at Auygnon who was proude and presumptuous and neuer had done good in all his lyfe but disceyued the worlde The pope at Rhome and his cardynalles were in counsayle and concluded to sende to the frenche kyng secretely a man of prudence a frere mynor a great clerke and he wisely to preche and to counsayle the kyng to folowe the waye of reason for they said the kyng toke a wroÌg waye seynge he was named to be the chiefe kyng of Christendome by whom holy churche ought to be illumyned and ayded Wherfore they charged this frere to go in to FrauÌce and delyuered hym instructions of the effecte that he shulde saye and do This was done but it was by leysar for the Frere had farre to go and also knewe nat whether he shulde haue audyence whanne that he camâ thyder or nat ¶ Nowe lette hym go on his iourney and we shall somwhat speke of the busynesse of Fraunce NAtwithstandyng for all these adueÌtures the dukes of Berrey Burgoyne and their counsayls lefte nat to pursue to haue distroyed the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan le Mercier who were in prisone in the castell of saynt Anthony in the kepyng of the vycount of Archy And it was said that they shulde be put to dethe and delyuered to the prouost of the Chattelet And it was ordayned that as sone as they shulde come in to his handes that they shulde be beheded openly as traytours agaynst the crowne of Fraunce and so they had been if God had nat prouyded for them And at the speciall instaunce and request of the duchesse of Berrey for and she had nat ben their dethe had been hasted specially she prayed for the lorde de la Riuer for by his meanes she was brought in to Fraunce the maryage made bytwene the duke of Berrey and her She sayde on a tyme to the duke her husbande all wepyng Sir that is layd to the lordes de la Ryuer is but a false selaundre and done for enuy And sir Remembre what payne and traueyle he toke to bring vs toguyder ye rewarde hym but smally to coÌsent to his dethe Thoughe all his landes and goodes be taken fro hym yet lette hym haue his lyfe For and he dye in this opyn shame I shall neuer haue ioye in my herte Sir I saye nat this of fayned corage but that I say is with all my hole hert wherfore sir I requyre you prouyde for his delyueraunce Whan the duke herde his wyfe speke so effectuously and also knewe well that she sayde but trouthe Than he had pytie and swaged his displeasure and the lorde de la Ryuer had been the sones delyuered and sir Iohan Mercier had nat been for they sought all the wayes that myght be to haue putte hym to dethe whiche they coude nat do without bothe shulde haue dyed THis sir Iohan Mercyer hadde wept so moche in prison that his sight was therby sore febled It they had folowed the duchesse of Burgoyns counsayle they had ben putte to execucyon longe before shamefully without fauour For she hared them bycause they and sir Olyuer of Clysson had counsayled the kynge to go in to Bretaygne to warre agaynst her cosyn the duke Also she sayde that Clysson le Ryuer and Mercyer were causers of the kynges maladye howe be it the kyng was well recouered and in good estate The dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne kepte styll the gouernauÌce of the realme of Fraunce for they had great profyte therby They had apoynted suche persones as them pleased to be about the kyng In those dayes the kynge bare the name of a kynge but as touchyng the busynesse parteynynge to the crowne of Fraunce he was but lytell obeyed for the dukes wolde se and knowe howe euery thynge paste The duchesse of Burgoyne was nexte persone to the Quene where with the Duchesse of Orlyaunce was nothynge pleased for she wolde haue hadde the honoure and preemynence And she sayde to suche as were secrete with her What the duchesse of Burgoyne ought in no condycion to go before me nor is nat so nyghe to the crowne as I am My lorde my husbande is brother to the kynge and it myght so fall that he shulde be kynge and I quene I wotte nat why she shulde take on her this honour and put me behynde Thus some enuy was amonge these ladyes ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue speakynge of them and retourne to sir Olyuer of Clysson YE haue herde howe he was sommoned fyftene dayes to apere in the parlyament chambre how certayne knyghtes were sente in to Bretaygne to seke for him as sir Philyppe of Sauoises and other who wente in to Bretaygne and sertched for hym in all places but they founde hym nat for he hydde hym selfe so couertly that they coulde neuer speke with hym for if they hadde they wolde haue rested hym At their retourne in to Fraunce they made relacyon of
they sayd sirs surely it wyll be harde to fynde hym for this daye he is in one place and to morowe in another But if it please you ye maye ryde ouer all the duchy of Bretaygne and sertche ouer all his forteresses and houses none shall be closed agaynst you Whan they sawe they coulde haue none other aunswere they departed thens rode and visyted all the fortresses great and small parteynynge to the lorde Olyuer of Clysson ThanÌe they came to Wannes and there founde the duke of Bretaygne and the duchesse who receyued them and there they taryed but halfe a daye and dyscouered nat to the duke the secrete mater that they came thyder for nor also the duke examyned them nothynge of the mater Also they coulde nat se there sir Peter of Craon THus they toke leaue of the duke and of the duchesse and retourned to Parys where they fouÌde the kyng and the lordes and there reported to the kynge to the duke of Orlyaunce howe they hadde sought all the places and townes parteynynge to sir Olyuer of Clysson but in no wyse they coulde fynde hym The dukes of Burgoyn and Berrey were right gladde of these newes and wolde nat it had ben otherwise Than anone after proceded the maryage bytwene the lorde Philippe of Arthois and the lady Mary of Berrey and so this lorde Philyppe was Constable of Fraunce and vsed the offyce with all profytes and aduauntages therto belongyng of auncyent ordynauÌces yet the lorde Olyuer of Clysson had nat renounced the offyce nor delyuered vp the Martell whiche is the token of the Constable of Fraunce For he contynued and sayd he wolde abyde styll CoÌstable and had done no cause why to lese it nouther to the kynge nor to the realme He knewe well the erle of Ewe was profered to haue the offyce of the Constable and to enioye the profyttes therof by consente of the Kynge and howe he hadde maryed the doughter of the Duke of Berrey the lady Mary He toke but lytell regarde to all this for he knewe hym selfe true to the kynge and to the crowne of Fraunce And knewe well all that was done agaynst hym was through enuy and hatered that the dukes of Burgâyne and Berey had against hym Thus the lorde of Clysson lette the mater passe and contynued styll his warre agaynst the duke of Bretayne whiche warre was right fierse and cruell without mercy or pytie The lorde of Clysson rode ofter abrode and layde busshmentes than the duke dyde And all other lordes of Bretayne satte styll wolde nat medyll The duke dyde sende for the lordes of his countrey and they came to speke with hym to knowe his entent than the duke requyred them of their ayde helpe agaynst his ennemy sir Olyuer of Clysson Than the lordes of Bretayne as the vicouÌt of Rohan the lorde Dignan the lorde Hermen of Lyon and dyuers other excused them and sayd they knewe no cause why nor they wolde nat make no warre agaynst the lorde Clysson but they said they wolde right gladlye endenour them selfes to bringe them to a peace if they coude Whan the duke sawe he coude haue none other conforte of them and parceyued well howe he lost and was lykely to lese mo men in that warre than sir Olyuer of Clysson than he consented that the sayde lordes shulde go to sir Olyuer of Clysson treate for a peace and to bringe hym vnder saueconducte to Wannes to speke with hym at whiche tyme he sayd he shulde be founde tretable and to agre to all reason And if sir Olyuer had done hym any displeasure that he myght haue amendes accordynge to their aduyse These lordes were well agreed thus to do and so they all thre wente to the lorde Olyuer of Clysson and dyde so moche that they spake with hym as I was enformed in the castell of Ioâelyn and shewed him the dukes entent And moreouer to bringe them to a peace for they sawe well warrÌ was nat fytting bytwene them but greatly noyed the noble men marchauÌtes and coÌmons of Bretaygne they sayd to the lorde Olyuer Sir if it wyll please you to go to the duke we shall bynde vs to abide here iÌ this castell tyll your retourne And we doute nat ye beynge ones in his presence ye shall fynde him so resonable that peace and good accorde shal be had bitwene you Sir Olyuer sayd Sirs what shall it profyte you if I were deed Thynke you that I knowe nat the duke of Bretayne He is so cruell and so haute that for all his saueconducte or what soeuer he saythe if he sawe me in his preseÌce he wolde neuer cease tyll I were deed and thanÌe shulde you dye lykewise for my men here wolde soone slee you without mercy Wherfore it is best that bothe you and I saue our lyues rather than to putte vs in that daunger I shall kepe me fro hym and I can and lette hym kepe hym as well fro me ThanÌe the lorde Charles of Dignan sayde Fayre cosyn ye may saye as it please you but we thynke surely thoughe he sawe you he wolde do you no displeasure This that we offre you is of good affection and to bringe you to accorde and we praye you that ye wyll thus do Than the lorde Clysson sayde Sirs I beleue surely ye meane well but I ensure you vpon this assuraunce I shall neuer go to hym But sithe ye medell in the mater bytwene vs we shall nat thynke that I shal be vnresonable I shall tell you what I wyll do Retourne you agayn to the duke and saye that I wyll nat take you for no pledge nor hostage Lette hym sende me his sonne and heyre who is maryed to the doughter of FrauÌce and he shall abyde here in this castell with my men tyll I retourne agayne This way I thynke more surer thaÌ the other for if ye shulde abyde here as ye offre Who shulde thanÌe entremedell in the busynesse bytwene the duke and me For without a meane we shall neuer come to accorde WHan these lordes of Bretayne sawe they coude haue non other answere they tooke their leaues and retourned to WaÌnes to the duke and shewed hym what they had done but in no wyse the duke wolde consente to sende his sonne to the castell of Ioselyn So their warre contynued styll wherby no persone durst ryde abrode and marchaundyse was layde downe thoroughe whiche the people of good townes cyties were sore hindred and poore laborers lette laboringe of the erthe The duchesse of Burgoyn couertly ayded her cosyn the duke of Bretayne with men of armes aswell of Burgoyne as of other places for the duke coude get none of his countrey to take his parte in that quarell agaynst sir Olyuer of Clysson They alwayes dissymuled the mater except suche as were of his owne house The duke of Orlyaunce on the other parte loued well the lorde Olyuer of Clyison and secretely so coured hym with men and sente
heyres as myght dyscende of the Duke of Lancastre shulde conioyne theym by maryage to the chyldren of some kynge in Fraunce or of dukes of Berrey Bretaygne or erles of Foize or Armynake or kynges of Nauarre or dukes of Aniou or of Mayne and than they beynge beyonde the see peraduenture in the parties of Fraunce shulde clayme their enherytaunce and therby put the countrey of Guyen in dyscorde and to bring it to be against the crowne of Englande wherby the kynge of Englande than reygnynge and the Realme also shulde haue peraduenture ouer moche payne to recouer it agayne and so the ryght to be put farre of fro thence whervnto it shulde retourne and be as of the demayne of the Crowne of Englande Wherfore ryght dere syr and redouted lordes and noble counsaylours please it you to consydre all these poyntes and artycles which I haue purposed in your presence and determyne it as ye shall seme best for syr the full opynion of all the countrey is they saye they wyll abyde styll in the obey saunce of you ryght redouted lorde and kynge and in the demayne of the noble Crowne of Englande Therwith this offyciall helde his peace and the prelates and lordes eche of them regarded other Than they drewe togyther and aproched to the kynge fyrste his two vncles and the erles of Derby and Arundell Than they of Acquytayne were coÌmaunded to departe tyll they were called agayne They departed and also the two knightes that were come thyder fro the duke of Lancastre Than the kyng demaunded counsayle what shulde be done and what aunswere shulde be made The prelates tourned the aunswere to the kynges vncles bycause the mater touched them rather than any other At the fyrst they excused them sayeng they myght nat well aunswere for the mater was coÌmune and ought to be debated by coÌmune counsayle and nat by lygnage nor fauour Thus they bode a good space but fynally the aunswere was layde on the duke of Gloucestre and he was prayed and requyred to saye his aduyse Than he aunswered and sayde howe it was a herde thynge to take a way or to dysanull the gyfte of a kynge confermed and sealed by the acorde of all his subgiettes and by delyberacyon of his specyall counsayle wherfore he sayde his subgiettes shuld be rebell that wolde nat obey for in that they wolde make that the kynge shulde nat be lorde of his owne enheritaunce if that he myght nat do with his owne what it pleased hym some glosed those wordes and some thoughâ in their corage that the aunswere was nat reasonable but they durste nat saye agaynst it the duke of Gloucestre was so sore dred and the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre was there presente who furthered those wordes and sayde Fayre vncle ye haue well sayd I am of your opinyon Therwith the counsayle began to breke and some murmured one with another and they of Guyen nor yet the duke of Lancasters knightes were nat called agayne at that tyme. Whan the kynge sawe all the mater he dyssimuled a lytell and it was his entensyon that they shulde assemble togyther agayne in counsayle after dyner to se if any other propre way myght be taken for the honoure of the crowne of Englande Than the kynge caused the bysshop of Caunterbury to speke of that he had gyuen hym in charge in the mornynge to speke of that was vpon the state of his maryage and to sende in to Fraunce The lordes were of accorde and named them that shulde go whiche were the archebysshoppe of Duuelyn the erle of Rutlande the Erle Marshall the lorde Beaumonde the lorde Hughe Spenser the lorde Loys Clyfforde and twenty knyghtes and xl squyers These were sent in to Fraunce to treat for the maryage of the frenche kynges doughter Isabell of eyght yere of age and yet she was all redy promysed to the duke of Bretayns sonne by a treatie that was made in Towrs in Thourayne Nowe beholde howe this myght be broken for the Frenche kynge and his vncles hadde sealed with the duke of Bretayne yet for all that thenglysshe ambassadours had their charge gyuen vnto them and so they departed out of Englande and aryued at Calays there taryed a fyue dayes and than departed in great araye and tooke the waye to Amyence and they sente before Marche the haraulde who had brought to them saueconducte goynge and comyng and besyde that the lorde Moncheuerell was sette to be their guyde and to se them serued of all thynges necessary ¶ Nowe we shall leaue to speke of them and retourne to our fyrste purpose NOwe as I haue shewed you before the counsaylours of the Cyties and good townes of Acquytayne prayed the kynge and his counsayle to whome they were boude to mayntayn their lyberties and fraunches as in the demayne of the Crowne of Englande as he was sworne to do affermynge that surely they wolde kepe their auncyente lyberties and wyll nat breke it for no maner of cause or condycion and in holdynge thus their opynyon foure partes of the counsayle and the coÌmune voyce of the countrey reputed theym for valyaunt and worthy men But the duke of Gloucestre was of another opinyon for he wolde that his brother the duke of Lancastre shuld haue bydden styll in Acquytayne for he thought he was ouer great in Englande and to nere the kynge as for his brother the duke of yorke he cared nat for the duke of yorke was a prince that loued his ease and lytell busynesse Also he had a fayre lady to his wyfe doughter to the erle of Kent on whome was all his pleasure But the duke of Gloucestre was subtyle and euer demaunded somwhat of his nephue kynge Rycharde yet he was but poore for all that he was a great lorde and constable of Englande and erle of Hertforde of Perces and of Bokyngham and also he had yerely out of the kynges cofers foure thousande nobles and neuer rode on the kinges busynesse nor for the realme one daye without he knewe why and wherfore For these causes he was nat indyfferent for the maters of Acquytayne for he wolde haue had his brother of Lancastre to haue bydden still in Acquitayn for euer for than he thought he wolde haue shyfted well ynoughe in Englande As soone as he had sayd his sentence as ye haue herde before and that he sawe some murmured in the kynges chambre and that the prelates and lordes talked togyther two and two he issued out of the chambre and the erle of Derby with hym and came in to the hall at Eâtham and made a clothe to be layde on a table and so sate downe to dynner and lefte all other styll talkynge togyther Whan the duke of yorke knewe that he was at dyner he went to kepe hym company and after dyner whiche he made shorte the duke of Gloucestre dyssymuled the mater and tooke his leaue of the Kynge syttynge at the table and so departed and toke his
tyme I demaunded theÌ of their beleue wherwith they were nat content and sayd howe they beleued on god and on the trynite aswell as we Than I demauÌded on what pope was their affection The aunswered me on hym of Rome ThanÌe I demaunded if they wolde nat gladly receyue the order of knyghthode and that the kyng of Englande shulde make theÌ knyghtes accordynge to the vsage of FrauÌce and Englande and other countreis they aunswered howe they were knyghtes all redye and that suffyced for theym I asked where they were made knyghtes and howe and whan They answered that in the age of seuyn yere they were made knyghtes in Irelande And that a kynge maketh his sonne a knyght and if the sonne haue no father alyue than the nexte of his blode maye make hym knyght And thanÌe this yonge knyght shall begyn to iuste with small speares suche as they maye beare with their case and rynne agaynst a shelde sette on a stake in the felde and the more speares that he breaketh the more he shal be honoured I knewe their maner well ynough though I dyde demauÌde it But than I sayd that the knighthode that they had taken in their youthe suffyced nat to the kynge of Englande But I sayde he shulde gyue theym after another maner They demaunded howe I aunswered that it shulde be in the holy churche whiche was the moost worthyest place Than they enclyned somewhat to my wordes Within two dayes after the erle of Ormonde came to theÌ who coude right well speke the langage for some of his landes laye in those parties He was sente to them by the kynge and his couÌsayle They all honoured hym and he them Than he fell in swete communycacion with them and he demaunded of them howe they lyked me They aunswered and sayde well for he hath well shewed vs the vsage of this countrey wherfore we ought to thanke him and so we do This aunswere pleased well the erle of Ormonde Than he entred lytell and lytell to speke of the order of chiualry whiche the kyng wolde they shulde receyue He shewed it them fro poynt to poynt howe they shulde behaue them selfe and what parteygned to knyghthode The erles wordes pleased moche these four kynges whose names were these Fyrst the great Ancle kyng of Mecte The seconde Brine of ThomoÌde kynge of Thomonde The thyrde Arthure of Mackequemur kynge of Lynster The fourthe Conhue kyng of Cheueno Darpe They were made knightes by kyng Richarde of Englande in the Cathedrall churche of Duuelyn dedycate of saynt Iohan Baptyst It was done on our lady day in Marche as than it fell on a Thursday These four kynges watched all the night before in the churche and the nexte daye at highe masse tyme with great soleÌpnyte they were made knightes and with them sir Thomas Orphen sir Ioatas Pado and sir Iohan Pado his cosyn These kynges sate that day at the table with kyng Rycharde They were regarded of many folkes bicause there behauyng was straunge to the maner of Englande and other countreis and euer naturally men desyre to se newelties Than I sir IohnÌ Froissart sayde Henry I beleue you well I wolde it had cost me largely that I had been there And surely this yere past I hadde come hyder and it hadde nat been for that I herde of the dethe of quene Anne of Englande whiche dyde lette me But one thynge I wolde desyre of you to knowe howe these four kynges of Irelande came so soone to the kynge of Englandes obeysaunce whan kynge Edwarde the kynges graunfather who was so valyaunt a prince and so redouted ouer all coude neuer subdue them nor putte them vnder and yet he had alwayes warre with theÌ and in that they are subdued nowe ye sayd it was by treatie and by the grace of god In dede the grace of god is good who so can haue it it is moche worthe But it is sene nowe a dayes that erthely princes getteth lytell wtout it be by puissauÌce I desyre to know this for whan I shall coÌe in to Heynalt of which countrey I am of I shal be examyned of this and many other thynges bothe by duke Aubert of Bauier erle of Heynalte of Holande and of zelande and also by his sonne WyllmÌ of Bauyere who writeth hym selfe lorde of Frese whiche is a great countrey and a puissaunt whiche couÌtrey the sayd duke and his sonne claymeth to haue by ryght successyon and so dyde their predecessours before them but the Fresons wolde neuer fall to any reason nor come vnder obeysauÌce nor as yet do nat vnto this day than answered sir Henry Christall sayd Sir Iohan to shewe you the very trouth I can nat but as many a one saythe it is to suppose that the great puissauÌce that the kyng had ouer with him and taryed there in their countrey nyne monethes and euery man well payed abasshed the yrisshe men Also the see was closed fro them on all partes wherby their lyueÌges and marchauÌdises myght nat entre in to their countreys thoughe they that dwell farre within the realme cared lytell for it for they knowe natte what marchaundyse meaneth nor they lyue but grosely and rudely like vnto beestes yet suche as lyueth on the marchesse of England and by the See coost vse feate of marchaundyse with vs and in to other places Kynge Edwarde of noble memorie in his tyme had to answere so many warres what in FrauÌce Bretayne Gascone and Scotlande so that his people were deuyded in dyuers places sore occupyed wherfore he coude nat sende no great nombre in to Irelande But whan the Irysshmen sawe the great nombre of men of warre that kyng Rycharde hadde in Irelande this laste iourney The yrisshmen aduysed them selfe and came to obeysauÌce And in dede of olde tyme there was a kyng in EnglaÌde named Edwarde who is a saynt and canonysed and honoured through all this realme In his tyme he subdued the Danes disconfyted them by batayle on the See thre tymes And this saint Edwarde kyng of Englande lorde of Irelande and of Acquitayn the yrisshmen loued and dredde hym moche more than any other kyng of Englande that had been before And therfore our souerayne lorde kyng Richarde this yere past whan he was in Irelande in all his armories and deuyses he lefte the beryng of the armes of Englande as the lybardes flour delyces quarterly and bare the armes of this saynt Edwarde that is a crosse patent golde and goules with four white martenettes in the felde wherof it was said the yrisshmen were well pleased and the soner they enclyned to hym For of trouthe the predecessours of these four kynges obeyed with faithe and homage to the sayd kyng Edwarde and they repute kynge Richarde a good man and of good coÌscience and so they haue done to hym faithe homage as they ought to do and in like maner as their predecessours soÌtyme dyde to saynt Edwarde Thus I haue shewed you
in this warre that he wanne more than he lost He toke two tymes all the dukes vessell and plate of golde and syluer and dyuers other iewelles wherof he hadde great profyte The conclusyon of the warre and hate bytwene the duke of Bretayne and sir Olyuer Clysson was thus The duke of Bretayne lyke a great lorde as he was sawe well he coude nat come to his entent of sir Olyuer of Clysson and that he had ouer many frendes in Bretayne for sauyng their alegiauÌce to the duchy of Bretayne All the bretons knyghtes squyers prelates and men of the good Cyties and good townes enclyned more to the lorde Clysson than to the duke And the highe barons dissymuled and had aunswered the duke that they wolde nat entremedle them with that warre but sayde they wolde gladly sette a peace and accorde bytwene theÌ Also the duke of Orlyaunce specially conforted couertly in many maner of wayes sir Olyuer of Clysson and he was alwayes ioyous whan he herde of his good spede in any of his entreprices The duke of Bretaygne who was a subtyle prince and ymaginatyfe and had endured moche payne duryng this warre and sawe well he was nat very well beloued with his owne people as the chyldren of the lorde Charles of Bretayne were the one called Charles of Bloyes who was slayne at the batayle of Alroy and IohnÌ of Bretayne erle of Ponthieur and of Lymogines who had to wyfe the doughter of sir Olyuer of Clisson and the lorde Henry of Bretayne his brother and their suster the quene of Naples and of Hierusalem Also the duke sawe that he began to waxe olde that his chyldren were but yonge and êceyued well he had no frendes in FrauÌce except the duke of Burgoyne the duches his wyfe And he sawe well his chyldren shulde haue as fewe for by their mothers syde they came were issued of the membres and braunches of Nauer whiche generacion was nat ouermoche loued in Fraunce for the great myscheues that kynge Charles of Nauerre father to the duchesse of Bretayne had done in tyme past in Fraunce wherof the remembraunce as than endured And the duke sawe that if he dyed in that estate bothe with sir Olyuer of Clisson and with the erle of Ponthieur he than douted that his chyldren that were so yonge shulde haue ouer many great enemyes and also he sawe that the alyaunce bytwene hym and Englande began to waxe colde For he was enformed that the kynge of Englande shulde haue to wyfe the doughter of FrauÌce thesame lady that was promysed to hym for his sonne and heyre The duke dyde cast all these doutes ThanÌe all thynges consydered he ymagined to breke his herte without dissimulacion and make a ferme peace with sir Olyuer of Clysson with Iohan of Bretayne And wolde putte hym selfe at their pleasure to make amendes for all wrathes forfaytes and doÌmages that euer they dyde to hym or to his men duryng the warre He wolde desyre nothynge but that they shulde take hym for duke of Bretayne and his children after hym accordyng to the artycles of the peace before made bytwene hym and the chyldren of sir Charles of Bloyes whiche charter of peace he wolde nat breke nor any artycle comprised therin And also to kepe and vpholde euery thyng that he had promysed to IohnÌ of Bloyes his cosyn erle of PoÌ-Ponthieur And if he hadde nat his parte of the herytage of Bretayne suffycient he wolde putte the ordring therof without any dissymulacion to the vicount of Rohan and to the lordes of Dignan of Leon of Lauall and of Beaumont and of the lorde IohnÌ of Harpeden Whan the duke of Bretayne had aduysed in hym selfe all this purpose without makynge of any man of his counsayle He called to hym his secratorie and in a chabre they two alone he caused hym to write a letter to sir Olyuer of Clysson as swetely amiably as coude be deuysed desyring hym that they might speke toguyder secretely on trust to haue good peace bytwene theÌ Whan this Letter was made deuysed and sealed Than he toke a secrete person coÌmaundyng hym to go to the castell of Iosselyn and saye I do sende the to speke with my cosyn sir Olyuer of Clysson and salute hym fro me and delyuer hym this letter and bring agayne an answere And on payne of thy lyâe kepe this secrete and shewe no creature whider thou gost nor who dothe sende the. He tooke his iourney and spedde hym so well that he caÌe to the castell Iosselyn The porters had marueyle whan they herde hym saye that he cae fro the duke of speke with their maister they wente and shewed their lorde therof Than he coÌmaunded that the messanger shulde coÌe to hym and so he dyde And well and wisely declared his message and delyuered his letter sealed with the dukes seale whiche sir Olyuer knewe ryght well and opyned reed the letter two or thre tymes the better to vnderstande it And in the redyng he had great marueyle of the swete wordes cretable and amyable that was comprised in the letter He studyed a season and at last sayd howe he wolde take aduyse and write agayne sir Olyuers men hadde great marueyle of this for before he had forborne no man of the dukes but outher he was slayne or putte in prisone ThanÌe sir Olyuer wente in to his lecrete chambre and began to muse and ymagyn vpon these newes At last he apesed his yuell wyll in that the duke humyled hymselfe so moche towardes him and that he wrote so swetely yet he thought in hym selfe to proue the duke further or he aduentured hym selfe to go to the duke for he thought if he toke any hurte no man wolde bewayle hym if he lost hym selfe by folly Than he wrote a letter to the duke ryght swete and tretable but the conclusyon was that yf he wolde haue hym to come speke with hym that he shuld sende his sonÌe and heyre to lye in hostage for hym tyll his retourne This letter was delyuered to the dukes varlet who retourned therwith to Wannes where the duke was there delyuered his letter The duke reed it and studyed a lytell and sayd I shall do it to the entence to treate louyngly with hym Than theÌ duke wrote a letter to the vycount of Rohan who was at the castell of Cayre Whan the vycount sawe the dukes letter he came incontynent to Wannes Than the duke shewed all his purpose and entencyon sayd Vycount you and the lorde of Mountbursier shall leade my sonÌe to the castell Iosselyn and leaue hym there and bringe with you the lorde Olyuer Clysson for I wyll agree and make peace with hym The vicouÌt sayd it shulde be done gladly So they toke the dukes sonne and heyre who was about the age of eight yere and ledde hym to the castell Iosselyn to the lorde Olyuer Clysson who receyued them ryght honorably And whan he sawe the chylde and the good affection
of the duke he humyled and apesed his herte greatlye and with that the knyghtes tolde hym and sayd sir ye se the good wyll of the duke he hath spoken nothyng but his hert dothe agre to the same I se it well quod sir Olyuer and for that I se and êceyue his good wyll I shall put me so farforthe that I shall yelde me vnder his obeysaunce And it semeth ye be ryght nere to hym seynge he putteth his affiaunce and trust in you to delyuer you his heyre to bringe to me to lye in hostage tyll I be retourned I wotte nat if he haue shewed you what he hath written to me sygned and sealed with his seale The lordes answered and said Sir he hath well tolde vs that he hath ryght great desyre to come to a peace and accorde with you In this ye maye right well beleue vs we be of your blode ThanÌe sir Olyuer went for the letters that the duke had sent hym and reed them Sir quod they all that is conteyned in this letter he hath said vnto vs and vpon the same estate he hath sent vs hyder Than sir Olyuer ordaygned hym to departe with the sayd lordes and toke the dukes sonne agayne with them and said howe they shulde bringe agayne the chylde to his father sayeng that he trusted right well his êmyse coÌsydring that he had proued hym so farre and that he had shewed suche humilyte He douted nat but that his herte was in vnyte So they came to Wannes The duke had apoynted that sir Olyuer shulde tary at a Freres without the towne of Wannes and there the duke shulde come and speke with hym as it was ordayned so it was done and whan the duke sawe that sir Olyuer had brought agayne his sonne and heyre he reputed if for a great curtesy and was well content therwt. Thus the duke and sir Olyuer mette in the Freres and there they two alone entred in to a chambre and coÌmuned toguyder a season and after issued out through a gardeyn and came to the ryuer syde and there they entred in to a bote and fro thens entred in to a shyppe that laye at ancre And so whan they were farre of fro all people they coÌmuned a longe season toguyder What their wordes were I knowe nat but their dealynge was as I shall shewe you THeir men had went they hadde been styll in the Freres but as it was shewed me they were thus in the shyppe more than two houres there made a good peace bytwene them and sware faythe and trouth eche to other without dissymulacyon Than they called agayne the boteman he brought them agayne where he had them and so entred agayne by the gardeyne syde in to the Freres Than anone after the duke caÌe out and ledde sir Olyuer of Clysson by the hande and so went in to the towne of Wannes and in to the castell called le Mote Of this peace euery man was greatly reioysed and to se them so amiably togyder and so was all the countrey At the makyng of this peace IohnÌ of Bloyes erle of Ponthieur lost nat for his reuenewes was therby augmented of tweÌtie thousande crownes of golde by yere for euer to hym and to his heyres And at this peace a maryage was ordayned for the duke of Bretaynes doughters to confyrme the better the loue and alyaunces bytwene them great newes ran through Fraunce and Englande of this peace ye haue herde here before howe sir Peter of Craon fell in the frenche kynges displeasure and of the duke of Orlyaunce bycause of sir Olyuer of Clysson in that he wolde haue slayne hym on a nyght as he went to his house warde howe the duke of Bretayne susteyned hym in his house by whiche occasyon the freÌche kyng wolde haue made warrÌ agaynst the duke if the sickenesse that tooke hym had nat been by whiche incydentes the kynges army brake vp also ye haue herde howe the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne bare great displeasure to all suche as counsayled the kyng therto As sir Olyuer of clysson the lorde de la Ryuer the lorde Iohan le Mercyer Montague and other who afterwarde endured therby great prisonment howe the two dukes had the gouernauÌce of the realme as long as the kynge was in his sickenesse also it hath ben shewed what mortall warre was bytwene the duke of Bretaygne and sir Olyuer of Clysson also howe the lordes de la Ryuer sir Iohan Mercyer and Montague were delyuered out of prisone whiche Montague had nat so moche trouble as the other had for as soone as the kyng was returned to his helth he toke MoÌtague agayne about hym made his excuse So by reason of these soÌdrie sickenesses that the kyng had dyuers tymes gretly troubled the realme of FrauÌce and moche abated the kynges puissaunce so that he had nat euery thyng done accordyuge to his wyll In this season sir Peter of Craon was nothyng displeased with the kynges sickenesse nor with the trouble that they of his counsayle hadde howe be it than he made sute to retourne agayne in to the kynges fauour and loue and the duke of Burgoyne and the lorde Guy of Tremoyle were his aduocates to treate for hym And lightly his peace had been made and the duke of Orlyaunce had nat ben for he letted all that treatie for as longe as the hate eudured bytwene sir Olyuer Clysson the duke of Bretaygne sir Peter of Craon coude come to no peace nor accorde but whaÌ it was surely knowen that there was a peas made bytwene the duke and sir Olyuer thaÌ the quarell agaynst sir Peter of Craon was molyfied and well apeased The same season quene Iane of Naples and Hierusalem and duches of Aniou had a plee in parlyament agaynst sir Peter of Craon for the soÌme of a. C.M. fraÌkes this lady lay styll at Paris the better to entende to her busynesse sir Peter of Craon that sawe hym selfe in that daÌger and that he was in sute in the êlyament and knewe nat howe his busynesse shulde passe outher with hym or agaynst hym for the ladyes partie was strong and had good profe of whom he had receyued the money in the dayes of kyng Loyes her husbaÌde All these thynges coÌsydred he ymagyned that it was nat easy for him to beare and also he knewe well he was in hate with the frenche kyng with the duke of Orlyaunce but the duke and duchesse of Burgoyne coÌforted and ayded hym asmoche as they myght He gate suche grace that he was at Paris secretly in the house of Arthoys with the duches of Burgoyne ¶ Nowe we shall leaue to speke of hym at this tyme. ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the kyng of Hungry wrote to the Frenche kynge the state of the great turke and howe IohnÌ of Burgoyn eldest sonne to the duke of Burgoyne was chefe and heed of the army that went thider Cap. CC.vi. IN this sayd season HeÌry kyng of HuÌgry sent
that they shall haue ynoughe to do TO coÌsydre these wordes one ought greatly to marueyle that the Lorde Galeas erle of Vertues and Duke of Myllayne who was reputed to be a christen man baptysed and regenerate after the Christen Lawe wolde seke or requyre loue or alyaunce with a kynge myscreant out of our lawe and faythe or to sende hym gyftes and presentes as he dyde euery yere As dogges haukes and fyne lynen clothes whiche are ryght plesaunt to the Sarazins for they haue none but that cometh fro our parties Also the great Turke sent to hym agayne other presentes of ryche clothe of golde and precyous stones wherof the Sarazins haue great plentie But in those dayes the erle of Vertues duke of Myllayne and sir Galeas his father reygned as tyrantes and so helde their signories It is marueyle to thynke of their dedes and fyrste howe they entred and opteygned the signorie of Myllayne So it was there were thre bretherne the lorde Manfres the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo They hadde an vncle who was archebysshoppe of Myllayne And so it fortuned that whan the lorde Charles of Lusenbourge kyng of Boesme and of Almayne emperour of Rome who reigned after kyng Loyes of Bauyer who opteygned to the Empyre byforce for he was neuer taken as Emperour by the churche but excoÌmunycate and a cursed by pope Innocent who reygned as thanÌe For this Loyes of Bauyer went to Rome and made hymselfe to be crowned emperour by a pope and .xii. cardynalles that he made And as soone as he was crowned he made the Almayns to be payed their wages to ouer ryn Rome and to robbe and to pyll it this was the rewarde that the romayns had for receyuyng of hym wherfore he dyed excoÌmunicat and in that sentence The pope and cardynalles that he made without any constreynâ came after to Auignon and submytted them selfes to pope Innocent who reigned before Vrbayne the fyfthe and there were assoyled of their errours ¶ Nowe to purpose howe the lordes of Myllayne came fyrst to that signorie I shall shewe you howe SO it was the archebysshoppe of Myllayne at a tyme receyued kynge Charles of Boesme emperour in to the cytie of Myllayne nobly and tryumphantlye after the Emperour had been before Axe the Chapell and had accomplysshed there his .xl. dayes accordyng to the vsage in the case parteyning and for the great chere that he made to the Emperour and for a hundred thousande ducates that he lent to the Emperour He made the bysshop vycouÌt of Myllayne and his nephewes after hym for euer to holde the lande and signorie of Mylayne free at his wyll vnto the tyme that the Emperour hadde payde agayne at one tyme the sayd soÌme of a hundred thousande ducates And so after the bysshoppe dyed and the lorde Manfres his nephue by the accorde of the Emperour and for loue of his vncle was receyued in to the signorie of Myllayne than his two bretherne who as than were nat very riche the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo counsayled toguyder determyned to reigne and to holde the landes of LoÌbardy bytwene theÌ and to coÌioyne theÌ by mariage to some great lordes to maynteyne their estates and to cause men to feare their displeasures And so they caused their brother MaÌfrese to be slayne by venyme or otherwyse after whose dethe they reygned puissauntly byforce and polycy All their dayes they lyued in good accorde toguyder and departed the cyties of Lombardy bytwene them The lorde Galeas hadde tenne bycause he was the eldest and the lorde Bernabo nyne And the cytie of Myllayne was gouerned one yere by the one brother and another yere by the other brother And to the entent to reigne puissauntly they sought the wayes to gader great rychesse by raysinge vp in possyons subsydies and gabelles and many other yuell customes wherby they gadered great store of golde and syluer and they caused their townes and cyties to be kepte with soudyours straungers as Almaygnes FreÌche men Bretons Englysshmen and of all other nacyons excepte their owne countrey men for they hadde no trust nor affiaunce in them for feare of rebellyon agaynst theÌ and these soudyours were payed fro moneth to moneth wherby they were so douted and fered of the people that none durste displease them For if any dyd ryse or dyde any thyng agaynst them there was cruell vengeaunce taken vpon them They distroyed many a one in their dayes to gyue ensaÌple to other IN all their signories no man hadde any thynge but atte their pleasure They wolde tayle a ryche man thre or foure tymes in a yere They sayd that loÌbardes were ouer proude and presuÌptuous in their richesse wherfore it was behouable to kepe them vnder subiection no man durst saye nay to any thyng that they coÌmaunded These two bretherne maryed them hyghlye and bought their wyues with the goodê and substaunce of their people The lorde Galeas hadde to wyfe the suster of the good erle of Sauoye named Blaunche payde to the erle for her a hundred thousande ducates The lorde Barnabo maryed hym in Almaygne to the suster of the duke of Bresnyche and payde no lesse money than his brother dyd These two bretherne hadde many chyldren and maryed them highly and richelye to atteyne therby great alyaunces The lorde Galeas had a sone called Galleas and as than the father vnderstode that whaÌ kynge Iohan of Fraunce was come out of Englande and put to rauÌsome to .xxx. C. thousand frankes and they of Fraunce wyst nat howe to reyse the fyrste payment ThanÌe he treated with the Frenche kynge and his couÌsayle to haue one of his doughters for Galeas his sonne The kynge and his couÌsayle entended to this treatie bycause they knewe well this lorde Galeas was grounded in richesse and thus he bought the kyngê doughter for sixe hundred thousande frankes whiche were tourned in payment to the Kynge of Englande And so his sonne maryed kynge Iohans doughter and to hym was gyuen the countie and erldome of Vertues in Champaygne Of that sonne and doughter issued a doughter whiche byforce of golde and syluer was maryed to the seconde sonne of kynge Charles of Fraunce called Loyes duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and Valoyes The maryage cost the erle of Vertus father to the sayde lady tenne hundred thousaunde frankes And the countie of Bloyes was bought of the erle Guye of Bloyes as it hath ben conteyned here before in this hystorie Thus these lordes Galeas and Barnabo acorded right well toguyder all their lyue dayes they neuer varyed nor their people toguyder therfore they reigned in great puissaunce No man coude haue reason nor right of them Pope cardynalles nor other that made any warre agaynst them sauyng alonely the marques of MouÌtferant that was by the meanes of the lorde Iohan Hacon and the Englysshe men with the routes of the companyons whiche Iohan Hacon brought them out of Prouynce in to Lombardy and made there great warre
mountante to the soÌme of thyrty thousande pounde besyde the towne of ValenceÌnes who in lyke wyse dyd their deuoyre and also in the towne of Monts These thynges thus concluded the valyaunt princes the good duke Auberte and Giullyam his sonne erle of Ostrenant seynge the good wylles of his men was ryght ioyfull whiche was no meruayle for he sawe well that he was well beloued with his subgiettes and shulde be well fournysshed with money Than he had couÌsayle to sende to the frenche kyng and to shewe him the enterprise of his voyage and to desyre ayde of hym and thyder was sent two valyaunt and wyse men that is to saye the lorde Lygne and the lorde of Ieumont who were two ryght valyaunt knyghtes and well beloued with the frenche men and specyally the lorde Lygne the kyng had made hym one of his chamberlayns and had hym in good fauoure he spake with the kynge and shewed hym the dukes entent and request to the whiche the kynge and his counsayle fauourably agreed specyally the duke of Burgoyner bycause his doughter was maryed to therle of OstrenaÌt wherby he thought that in tyme to come after it shulde be to their profyte and to their heyres howe be it many great lordes and other spake of this iourney in dyuers maners Some sayd to what purpose dothe these heyno wayes desyre the kyng of ayde they haue ben in Englande sought for ayde there Hath nat the erle of Haynalt of late taken on hym the blewe garter to tye his legge withall which is the ordre in Englande it semyth therby he hath no great affectyon to Fraunce Than other that were ryght wyse answered and sayd Syr ye do wronge to say thus though the erle of Ostrenant haue taken the ordre of the garter yet for all that he is nat alyed with the englysshe men but he is fermly alyed with Fraunce Hath nat he in maryage the lady Katheryne doughter to the duke of Burgoyne whiche is a farre greater alyauÌce than is a garter therfore neuer say but that he wyll loue and do pleasure to Fraunce by reason of his maryage rather than to Englande for yâ garter wherfore the kinge shall do right honourably to ayde hym Thus the frenche men deuysed amonge them selfe and spake in dyuers maners both of that iourney and also of the iourney in to Hungery and in to Turkey agaynst Lamorabaquy and the turkes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the army that the french kyng sente in to Frese in the ayde of his cosyns and the lorde Valeran Erle of saynt Powle and the lorde Charles de la Brete were capytaynes Cap. CC.xv THe frenche kynge assembled an armye of fyue huÌdred speares as well of pycardes as of frenchmen and made capytayns ouer theÌ the lorde Valeran erle of saynt Powle the lorde Charles de la Bret who were valyauÌt knyghtes and well expert in armes and they were apoynted to leade this company to the towne of Encuse in base Frese wheâ as the assemble shulde mete and there to take the see to entre in to high Frese as they dyd Whan these two knightes the lorde Lygne and Iumont sawe the kynges good wyll and that these men of warre were dyspatched their wages payed they came to the kynge and thanked him and toke their leaue and retourned in to Heynalt to their lorde the duke Aubert and to the lorde Gillyam his sonne to whome they were right welcome for they had well sped There they shewed the good answere and good chere that they had with gyftes of great presentes whan duke Auberte knewe that the Frenche kynge had sente hym fyue hundred speares than he assembled all his noble men knyghtes squyers and other of Haynalt as the lorde of Vertayne seneschall of Haynalte who was a valyaunt man and greatly renomed in armes the lordes of Lygne and Comygnes who was made marshall and the lordes of Haureth of Nychelet of Lalyne of Hordayne of Chyne of Cantan of Quesnoy of Fleron and IohnÌ his brother the lordes of Bouset and of Ieumont who were fresshe knightes on their enemyes also there was Robertle Rour and the lordes of MoÌthâaulr of FouÌtayns of Seuls and of Sars William of Hermes Pynchart his brother the lordes of Lens of verlamont of Ausealr of Trascigmes Octes Seausâes Gyrarde his brother the lorde Dyctre and Iohan his brother Bridaulx of Montaguy Damaulx de la powle and Guy his brother the lorde of Mastynge syr Floridas of Villyers who was a valyaunt man and had doone many dedes of armes amonge the turkes and sarazins and sir Eustace of Vertayn Fierebras of Vertayne who was newly come out of Englande syr Rase of Montiquy the lorde of Rorsyn sir Iohan Dandrâgntes and Persant his brother dyuers other knightes and squiers All these he assembled at Monts and desyred them to go with hym and euery man to bringe with hym company acordynge to their degrees and that they wolde auaunce them to the towne of Encuse in base frese and theraboute and so to go with hym by seem to hygh Frese about the myddes of August next after there he sayd he wolde âary for them for he wolde go thyder before to moue the holanders and zelanders to serue hym in lyke maner Than these sayd knyghtes and esquyers of Haynalt without any contradictyon acorded to his desyre promysinge to do hym seruyce as his trewe subgiettes whiche they fulfylled in dede and dyligently prepared for the same so that by the begynnyng of the moneth of August in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and syxtene they were all redy aparelled and assembled by companies at Anners there to take the water and fro thence to Encuse where the hole assemble shulde mete ¶ Nowe whyle this assemble was thus made in Haynalte it were to be demaunded if the ladyes and gentle women and other were ioyouse of this iourney We ought to say naye for than they sawe their fathers their bretherne their vncles their husbandes and their louers and frendes departe to that peryllous warre for some of them knewe well howe that in tyme paste the haynoways wente with their lorde in to Frese and neuer retourned agayne wherfore they feared leste it shulde hap so than to these as it dyd on their predecessours The duchesse of Brabant had defended all men in the countrey of Brabant no man to be so hardy to go oute of the countrey in that iourney The ladyes and gentlewomen of Haynalt desyred often tymes their frendes and louers to leaue that iourney but they coulde nat lette the mater howe be it they were sore displeased in their myndes with the basterde of Vertayne Fierebrase for they said he was one of the chyefe setters on of that busynesse Thus after that the duke Aubert and Guillyam his sonne had herde the aunswere of his men of Haynalte than he went in to zelande shewynge them his busynesse and they assented to his request by the chiefe settynge on of
the lorde de la Vere and syr Floris de Boesell Floris Dabell the lorde of zenembrige syr Clays de Boysell Phylyp Corteen and dyuers other gentlemen All these and other made them selfes redy in suche wyse that it apered well by their dylygence that they had great desyre to auaunce them selfe to that iourney IN lyke wyse the duke and his sonne went in to Holande and made there lyke requestes to the lordes and good townes as they had done in zelande The holanders were therof ryght ioyouse for of all men they hated the fresons for they were euer at warre togyther specyally on the see and on the borders of their countrey and therfore the lordes of Holande suche as the lorde Tarterell and dyuers other noble men knyghtes and squyers herynge the requestes of their lordes duke Aubert and the erle of Ostrenant they offered themselfe promysynge comforte and ayde to the best of their powers and that they well shewed for incontynent they made them redy and auaunced forwarde In lyke wise dyd the men of the good townes and of the countrey They sent forthe with these lordes a great nombre of crosbowes and morispykes and other men of warre So daylye men asembled at the towne of Encuise and shyppes and vesselles came thyder in suche wyse that the maryners were estemed to the nombre of .xxx. thousande It was sayd that there came out of the towne of Harle .xii. huÌdred whiche shyppes were well prouyded of all thynges necessary And of a trouthe if the ladyes and other damoselles were soroufull in Heynalt in lykewise so were they of Hollande and zelande Sir Danyell of Marebbed and Guillyam of Oruenbourge they durst nat apere before the ladyes gentylwomen for they had sore sette forwarde the busynesse for they hadde great wyll and desyre to be reuenged of the Fresons bicause of a batayle that hadde been there before wherin the Erle Wyllyam was pituouslye slayne and lost .xxxiii. cotes of armes of his lynage wherfore these two knyghtes wolde neuer take any treson to mercy nor rauÌsome So within a certayne space euery man was come to Encuise Fyrst came the Englysshe men and than the henous and their capyten was the seneschall of Iumont and the lorde of Comegynes who was marshall Than came hollanders and zelanders The freÌche men came nat so soone So they taryed a .xi. dayes for the Frenche men in whiche season there fell a debate bytwent the hollanders the Englysshe men and if the erle of Ostrenaunt had nat ben all the Englysshmen had ben slayne Whiche stryfe was apesed than the frenchmen came Than there was great ioye made and coÌmaundement gyuen that euery man shulde entre in to suche shyppes as they were assygned vnto before whiche was done And whan they were all shypped they hoysed vp sayles and sayled forthe the wether was fayre it semed as it was disposed to do theÌ pleasure There were so many shippes that if they had beÌ araynged one after another they wolde haue stretched fro encuse to the boundes of Condren whiche was in highe Frese where they purposed to arryue as they dyde whiche was .xii. leages by water but they sayled a front right ordinatly ¶ Nowe wyll we leaue spekyng of them and speke of the Fresons who as I was enformed were aduertysed long before of duke Aubertes coÌmyng with great puyssaunce on them WHan the fresons knewe and vnderstode that they shulde haue warre all the wyse men of the countre asseÌbled toguyder to take counsayle and aduyse what they shulde do Whan they had long debated the mater their enteÌcion was to fyght with their enemyes as soone as they myght knowe that they were entred in to their countrey sayeng howe they had rather dye as fre Fresons thaÌ to be in seruage vnder any kynge or prince or vnder subiectyon And therfore they sayd to dye in the quarell they wolde fight with their enemyes And concluded amonge themselfes to take no man to raunsome howe great soeuer he were Amonge them there was one man farre excedynge in greatnesse aboue all other He was hygher than any other man in that countrey by the heed He was called Iuye Iouer and some called hym the great Fresone This manne was greatly commended in Pruce in Hungery in Turkey in Rodes and in Cypres He hadde done many noble feates of armes so that he was greatlye renomed WhanÌe he harde the opynions of the Fresons howe they wolde fight with their enemyes he aunswered and sayde ¶ O ye noble and free Fresons knowe for trouthe there is no chaunce but maye tourne Though by your valyantnesse ye haue or this tyme disconââted the heyno wayes the hallanders and the zelanders Knowe for trouthe that suche as come nowe vpon you are people more experte in the warrÌ thanne they were before And beleue verily they shall do otherwyse than their predecessours dyde They wyll nat gyue it vp they wyll menteyne their dedes Therfore I wyll counsayle you to sufire them to entre and let vs kepe our forteresses and lette them kepe the feldes where they shall beate them selfes Our countrey is nat to susteyne theÌ long We haue many dykes They canne nat go farre in the countrey They canne nat ryde abrode in the Countrey and full yuell they maye go a foote wherby they shal be so werye that they shall waste theym selfes and so retourne agayne The moost they can do is to brenne a tenne or .xii. vyllages whiche shall natte greatly greue vs. They shall be soone made agayne if we shulde fight with them I feare me we be nat stronge ynough to fyght with them at ones for as I am enformed they be to the nombre of an hundred thousande armed heedes Whiche was of a trouthe they were as many or mo To his wordes consented thre other knightes of the Fresons the fyrst named sir Fewe of Dorekerque the seconde sir Gerarde of Canym and the thirde sir Tiny of Walturge but the people wolde in no wyse consente to that deuyse no more wolde other noble men called the Elyns that is to saye the gentylmen or iudges of the causes They replyed so with this great freson that he was coÌcluded with them that as soone as they knewe their enemyes entred in to their countre they shulde go and fyght with them They abode all on that opinyon and so made them selfe redy But to saye the trouthe they were but poorelye armed Many had no armure but their cootes of wadmoll and course grose clothe Some armed with lether and some with rustye mayle and some there were ryght well armed THus they armed theym and whan they were redy they wente to their churches and toke the crosses and baners and made thre batayls and in euery batayle ten thousande fyghting men came to a narowe passage well viked nere to the place where their enemyes shulde lande and they sawe well howe their enemyes were come had great desyre to take lande whiche was on saynt
Bartylmewes daye on a sonday in the foresaid yere And whan the Fresons sawe theÌ aproche they issued out vpon the dikes a sire thousande to haue lette the landynge of their enemyes Among the fresons ther was a woman apparelled all in blewe who all in a rage went fro the fresons and came nere to the heynowes within the shotte of a bowe Than she tourned her backe towarde the hey nowes and plucked vp her clothes and shewed her bare arse cryeng in her langage sers take this to your welcome As soone as they sawe the leudnesse of this woman they shot at her arowes and quarels so that she was stryken iââhe legges and loynes The arowes came flyeng at her as thycke as snowe Than some lepte out of the shippes in to the water and ran after this folysshe woman with their swerdes and ouertoke her and hewed her in to small peces ThaÌ euery man issued out of their vessels and so came agaynst the fresons who receyued them right valyantly and putte them of with longe pykes longe staues bounde with yron To saye the trouthe in takyng of lande there was many dedes of armes done on bothe parties many slayne and sore hurte But biforce of the Englisshe archers and cros bowes of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande They wanne the dyke agaynst the fresons and vpon that dyke they araynged their baners in good order taryeng for their coÌpany their reuke was more than halfe a myle longe Than the Fresons that were putte fro the dykes came to their coÌpany who were mo than .xxx. thousande closed toguyder in a grounde dyked rounde aboute with a great depe dyke and it was nat so farre of but they myght well se their enemyes wheee they were raynged on the fyrst dyke Thus they contynued tyll all the heynowayes were a lande and all their baggage and certayne tentes reyred vp There they rested them that sondaye and the mondaye aduisynge the Fresons their enemyes In whiche two dayes dyuers scrymisshes were made and on the Tuesday bothe parties were redy Than certayne newe knightes were made and it was ordayned to fight with the fresons Than they auauuced forewarde in good order of batayle and their archers before them and amonge them than sowned trumpettes and clarions and so caÌe a fayre pase to passe ouer the dike Than the fresons came to defende the passage and the archers shotte agaynst them fiersly and the fresoÌs couered them selfes with targes and with the erthe of the dyke that was bytwene them their enemyes Howe be it they were so nere aproched that certayne of the holanders entred in to the dyke and made bridges with speres and pykes and so with valyant corage began to enuade the fresons who defended their force right valyantly and gaue suche strokes against them that wolde mouÌt vp out of the dyke that many were ouerthrowen downe agayne But the Heynowayes Frenche men Englysshe men Hollanders and zelanders were so well armed that the fresons coude do them no doÌmage nor hurt but cast them downe to the grounde There were suche noble dedes done and atchyued that it were impossible to shewe it the newe made knyghtes dyde nobly their deuoyre the Fresons defended marueylously They were great and bygge men but they were yuell armed many were barelegged and bare foted In this assaut the lorde Lygne the seneshall of Heynault and the lorde Iumont and dyuers other as they wente aboute this dyke They founde awaye wherby they passed ouer the dyke and so came on the fresons with the poyntes of their speres wherof the Fresons were fore abasshed so that dyuers of them lepte the dyke So perforce the Fresons were fayne to opyn and sparcle abrode here and there In this batayle the great freson was slayne and the other began to flye The chase was horryble and cruell for none was taken to rauÌsome and specially the holanders slewe all they myght attayne vnto In so moche that suche as were taken by the Heynowes frenche men or Englysshe men the hollanders slewe them in their handes Amonge the hollanders the lorde Wyllyam of Oruenbourge and his two sonnes IohnÌ and Henry who were made knyghtes the same mornyng acquyted themselfe maruey lously well and slewe many Fresons for it semed well by them that they loued but litell the fresons Thus finally the Fresons were discoÌfyted and the moost parte slayne in the felde but fewe were takenne prisoners and caryed to Haye in Hollande and there were kepte a long season after The lorde of Cundren who was lorde of that couÌtrey where the felde was was the mondaye before yelden to the duke Aubert and his two sonnes and yet for all that they were in the felde with the fresons The two sonnes were longe after with the duke After this disconfyture they entred in to the countrey of Condren toke townes and fortresses howe be it they coÌquered but lytell for the Fresons dyde theÌ great doÌmage by preuy encouÌtrynges And whan they shulde take any prisoners they wolde neuer yelde but fought to the dethe sayeng they had rather dye free Fresons than to be vnder the subiectyon of any prince or lorde If any prisoners were taken there coude no raunsome be gotten for them for their frendes wolde nat quyte them out but rather suffre them to dye in prisone They wolde neuer quyte none of their people withoute it were to delyuer man for man And if they sawe that there were none of their people in prisone they wolde slee all their enemyes take no prisoner Thus about the ende of .v. wekes and that the heynous and other had taken and beaten downe certayne townes vyllages and fortresses of no great valure The leason beganne to waxe colde marueylously and rayned nerehaÌde euery day and the sees full of tempestes and wyndes The duke Aubert and his sonne consydringe the season purposed to returne in to base Frese fro whens they came and so in to Hollande the more easy to passe the colde wynter So they departed and came to Encuyse there gaue lycence to euery man to deête and specially to the strauÌgers and payde theÌ truely their wages and thaÌked them of their good ayde and seruyce Thus brake vp the iourney of Frese and had coÌquered but lytell all that season But within two yere after the sayd two noble princes assembled agayn the seconde tyme a great armye and wente in to Frese made a great coÌquest and dyd there many noble dedes of armes as ye shall here after But as nowe we shall leaue spekyng therof and declare the maner of the maryage of the kynge of Englande to the doughter of Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the mariage of the kyng of Englande to the doughter of FraÌce was ordred and howe the Frenche kyng delyuered his doughter to the kynge of Englande in his Tente by twene Arde Calys Cap. CC.xvi. YE haue herde howe the kyng of Englande was returned fro Calis in to Englande there
was tyll Michelmas that the êlyament at Westmynster shulde begyn And in the meane season great prouision was made at Calais and at Guysnes for the kynge and for other lordes sent fro the portes of Englande on that cost and great prouisyon was had out of Flaunders all came by see to Calais In lykewise for the Frenche kyng and for his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and his vncles other prelates and lordes of Fraunce great prouisyon was made at saynt Omers at Ayre at Tyrwyn at Arde at Mountoyre and at all other houses and abbeyes there about there was nothynge spared on bothe parties and specially the abbey of saynte Bertyne was well replenysshed of all thynges to receyue these kynges This êlyament at Westmynster began at Mychelmas and it was ordeyned to endure .xl. dayes But it was abridged for the king wolde nat tary there but .v. dayes wherin he declared the thynges most necessary parteyning to the realme and specially that mater that touched hym selfe and the cause why he caÌe fro Calais That done he retourned towardes Calais agayne and with hym his two vncles of Lancastre and Gloucestre and other prelates and lordes of Englande suche as were coÌmaunded to go with him They spedde them so in their iourney that they came agayne to Calays The duke of yorke taryed styll in Englande and the erle of Derby to gouerne the realme in the kynges absence Whan the kyng of Englande was thus returned to Calais the lordes of Fraunce beyng in Picardy were aduertised therof Than the duke of Burgoyn and the duchesse his wyfe came to saynt Omers and were lodged in the abbey of saynt Bertyne As sone as the FreÌche kyng knewe that the kynge of Englande was come agayne to Calais he sente to hym therle of saynt Poule to shewe hym what order was taken in Fraunce concernyng his maryage whiche the kynge of Englande was gladde to here ThanÌe the duke of Lancastre and his sonne Beauforde of Lancastre The duke of Gloucester and Affren his sonne the erle of Rutlande the erle mashall erle of Huntyngton the kynges chamberleyne and many other lordes knyghtes squyers and ladyes rode with the Erle of saynt Poule to saynt Omers where they were well receyued of the duke of Burgoyne and of the duchesse and thyder came the duke of Bretaigne and had lefte the Frenche kynge at Ayre and his doughter with hym ye maye well knowe all the chere that coude be deuysed was made to the Englysshe lordes and ladyes and other at saynt Omers and the duchesse of Burgoyne made them a great dyner There was the duchesse of LaÌcastre and her sonne two doughters there was great gyftes gyuen of plate of Golde and syluer nothynge was spared in so moche that the Englysshe men hadde marueyle therof and specially the duke of Glocestre sayd to his couÌsayle I se well there is great rychesse in the realme of Fraunce there was moche gyuen to hym to the entente to abate and to molyfie his rancour that he hadde agaynste Fraunce The lordes of Fraunce knewe well that he was alwayes harde to agre to the peace wherfore they shewed hym as moche token of loue and honour as they coude do He toke euer all their gyftes but alwayes the rancour abode styll in his hert for all that euer the Frenche men coulde do they coulde nat molifye his fell stomake for always he made herde answers as they treated for any peace The Frenche men be subtyle yet for all that they coude gette no hold of hym for his wordes and aunswers were alwayes so couert that they wyst nat howe to vnderstaÌde them Whan the duke of Burgoyne sawe his maner he sayde to his counsayle We lese all that euer we do to this duke of Gloucestour for as longe as he lyueth there shal be no sure peace bytwene FrauÌce and Englande For he shall alwayes fynde newe inuencyons and accydentes to engender hate and stryfe bytwene bothe realmes for he enteÌdeth nor thynketh none other thynge If it were nat the truste that we haue in the kyng of Englande wherby here after to fare the better the kyng shulde nat haue to his wyfe our cosyn of Fraunce WHan the duke and duchesse of Burgoyne the couÌtesse of Neuers the countesse of saynt Poule and the other lordes and ladyes of Fraunce hadde greatly feested the lordes and ladyes of Englande than there was coÌmunicacion howe these two kynges shulde mete speke toguyder and howe the lady shulde be delyuered thervpon apoyntment was made and leaue taken on all partes The Englysshe êtie returned to Calis to the kyng shewed what chere they had and what presentes had ben gyuen them These newes pleased well the kyng for he was gladde whan he herde any honour spoken of the Frenche kyng he was so in loue with hym bycause of his doughter whome he trusted to haue to his Quene Than anone after the Frenche kyng came to saynt Omers and was lodged in the abbey of saynt Bertyne and dislodged all other that were there before and had the duke of Bretayne in his company And than it was ordayned that the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone shulde go to Calis to speke with the kynge of Englande SO they came to Calays and were ioyouslye receyued had as good chere as coulde be deuysed These thre dukes had secrete communycacion with the kynge and his counsayle so that many bothe of Fraunce and of Englande reputed that there was a peace concluded bytwene Fraunce and Englande And in dede it was nere at a poynt and the duke of Gloucester agreed well therto as at that tyme. For the kyng of Englande hadde promysed hym if he wolde agree to the peace to gyue his son Affren the erldome of Rochester in herytauÌce and to make hym spende yerely in reuenewes two thousande pounde sterlyng and to gyue to hym selfe as soone as he came in Englande in redy money fyftie thousande nobles so that by reason of these gyftes the duke of Gloucestours hardnesse was well aleyed So that the lordes of Fraunce sawe well his opinyons were nat so obstynate as they were before for they founde hym than swete and meke WhanÌe euery thynge was ordeygned of that they came for they tooke leaue of the kynge and other and retourned to saynt Omers to the Frenche kynge and shewed howe they hadde spedde Than the Frenche kyng wente to the bastyde of Arde and the duke of Burgoyne to Mountoyre and the duke of Bretaygne to the towne of Esque and the duke of Berrey to Balyngham And in euery ête all aboute there were pyght vp Tentes and Pauilyons and all the countrey full of people what of FrauÌce and of Englande The kynge of Englande came to Guysnes and the duke of Lancastre with hym and the duke of Gloucestre to HaÌmes Thus on a Fridaye beyng the euyn of Symon and Iude in the yere of oure lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and sixtene about tenne
nat indomage vs if ye tary tyll all our hole puyssaunce be togyder Syrs this is the ordre that the kynge and his counsayle hath ordered I muste retourne agayne to the kynge Whan he was deêted the french lordes assembled theÌ togyder to knowe what was best for them to do Than it was demaunded of the lorde Coucy what he thought best to be done he answered and said I wolde counsayle to obey the kyng of Hungeryes coÌmaundement for that ordre semeth to be good And as it was enfourmed me syr Phylippe of Arthoys erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce was nat contented that the aduyse had nat fyrst haue ben demaunded of hym Than he for pride and dispyght helde the contrary opynyon and sayd ye syr ye the kynge of Hungery wolde haue the floure and chiefe honour of this iourney we haue the vowarde he hath graunted it to vs and nowe he wolde take it fro vs agayne beleue hym who wyll for I do nat than he sayd to the knyght that bare his banner in the name of god and saynt George ye shall seme this daye a good knyght Whan the lorde Coucy herde the constable speke these wordes he toke it done of a great presumpcyon Than he loked on syr Iohan of Vyen who bare the standarde of our lady and demauÌded of hym what he thought best to be doone Syr quod he where as wyse reasone canne nat be herde than pride muste reygne and sythe that the erle of Ewe wyll nedes set on we must nedes folowe howe be it we shulde be the stronger and if our puyssauÌce were hole togyther Thus as they deuysed in the felde styll the turkes aproched the two wynges eche of .lx. thousande men beganne to aproche and to close and had the chrysten men bytwene them so that if they wolde haue reculed they coulde nat for they were closed in with the sarazyns the wynges were so thicke Than dyuers knyghtes that were well expert in armes sawe well the iourney shulde be agaynst them howe be it they auaunced and folowed the baner of our lady borne by the valyaunt knight syr IohnÌ of Vien Euery knyght of Fraunce was in his cote armure that euery man semed to be a kinge they were so fresshly aparelled As it was shewed me whan they began fyrste to fyght with the turkes they were nat past a seuen hundred men Lo beholde the great foly and outrage for if they had taryed for the kynge of Hungery who were threscore thousande men they had been lykely to haue doone a great acte and by them and by their pride all was lost and they receyued suche doÌmage that sythe the batayle of Rounseualx where as the .xii. peres of FrauÌce were slayne crystendome receyued nat so great a doÌmage howe be it or they were dyscomfyted a great nombre of turkes were slayne for the frenche men dyscomfyted the fyrst batayle of the turkes and had them in chase tyll they came in to a valey where Lamorabaquy was with his hole puyssaunce Than the frenchmen wolde haue retourned to their hoost but they coulde nat for they were closed in on all partes there was a sore batayle the frenche men endured longe Than newes came to the kyng of Hungery howe the frenche men englysshmen and almayns were fyghtyng with the turkes and had broken his coÌmaundement and counsayle gyuen theÌ by his marshall wherwith he was sore dyspleased and nat without good cause Than he sawe well howe he was lykely to lese that iourney Than he said to the great mayster of the Rodes who was by hym Syr we shall this day lese the iourney by reason of the pride of the frenchmen for if they wolde haue beleued me we had been stronge ynough to haue fought with our enemyes and therwith the kynge of Hungerye loked behynde hym and sawe howe his men fled a waye and were discomfyted in them selfe Than he sawe well there was no recouery and suche as were aboute hym cryed and sayd Saue your selfe for if ye be slayne all Hungery is loste ye shall lese the felde this daye by reason of the pride of the frenche men their valyauÌtnesse turneth to folyssh hardynes for they shall be all slayne or taken none is lykely to scape therfore syr if ye beleue vs saue youre selfe and scape this daunger THe kynge of Hungery was sore dyspleased whan he sawe howe he had lost the iourney by dysorderyng of the frenche men and sawe no remedy but to flye or els be taken or slayne Great murder there was for in flyenge they were chased and so slayne They of Hungery fledde without ordre and the turkes chased theym howe be it god ayded the kinge of HuÌgery and the great mayster of the Rodes for they came to the ryuer of Dunce and founde there a lytell barge parteynynge to the Rodes they entered in to it but with seuen persones and so went of the shore or els they had been slayne or taken for the turkes came to the Ryuer syde and there slewe many a crysten man suche as had folowed the kynge to saue them selfe NOwe lette vs speke of the frenche men and almayns who fought valyauntly Whan the lorde of Mount caurell a ryght valyaunt knyght of Arthoys sawe that the dyscomfyture ranne vpon them he had by hym a sonne of his a yonge man than he sayde to a squyer of his Take here my sonne and leade hym away by yonder wynge whiche is open and saue hym I wyll abyde the aduenture with other of my felowes Whan the chylde herde his father say so he sayd howe he wolde nat departe but the father dyd so moche that perforce the squyer led hym away out of parell and came to the ryuer of Dunce but there the chylde had suche care for his father that he tooke small regarde to hym selfe so that he fell in to the ryuer bytwene two barges and there was drowned without remedy Also syr Wyllyam of Tremoyle fought in that batayle valyauntly and there was slayne and his sonne by him and syr Iohan of Vyen bearynge the baner of our lady was slayne and the baner in his handes Thus all the lordes and knightes of FrauÌce that were there were distroyed by the maner as ye haue herde Syr Iohan of Burgoyne erle of Neuers was so rychely besene and in lykewyse so was syr Guy de la Ryuer and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes of Burgoyne that they were taken prisoners And there were two squiers of Picardy ryght valyaunt men called Gyllyam Dewe and the Bourge of Maytequell these two by valyauntnesse two tymes passed through the felde and euer retourned in agayne and dyd marueyls but fynally shere they were slayne To say the trouthe the frenche men and other strauÌgers that were there acquyted them selfe valyauntly but the frenchmens pride lost all There was a knyght of Pycardy called syr Iaques of Helley who had dwelte before in Turkey and had serued Lamorabaquy and coude somwhat speke the langage of
Turkey whan he sawe the batayle loste he yelded hym selfe and the Sarazyns who are couetous of golde and syluer toke and saued hym Also a lquyer of Tornasys called Iaques du Fay who had before serued the kynge of Tartary called Tauburyn as soone as this Iaques knewe that the frenche men came to make warre in Turkey he toke leaue of the kynge of Tartary and departed and was on the sayd felde and taken prisoner by the kyng of Tartaries men who were there in the ayde of Lamorabaquy for kynge Tauburyn of Tartary had sent to hym great nombre of men of warre THe frenchmen were so richely arayed that they semed lyke kynges wherby they were taken and their lyues saued for sarazyns turkes are couetous they trusted to haue great raunsomes of these that were taken and reputed them greater lordes than they were Sir Iohan of Burgoyn erle of Neuers was taken prisoner In lykewyse were the erles of Ewe and de la Marche the lorde Coucy syr Henry of Bare syr Guy de la Tremoyle Bouciquant and dyuers other And syr Philyp of Bare syr Iohan of Vyen Willyam of Tremoyle and his sonne slayne and dyuers other This batayle endured thre houres fyghtynge and the kinge of Hungery lost all his baggage and all his plate and iowelles and was gladde to saue hym selfe but with seuen persons with him in a lytell barge of the Rodes els he had been taken or slayne without recouery There were mo men slayne in the chase than in the batayle and many drowned happy was he that might scape by any maner of meanes WHan this dyscomfyture was doone and passed and that the turkes suche as were sent thyder by the Sowdan were withdrawen in to their lodginges whiche was in to tentes and pauylyons that they had conquered whiche they founde well replenysshed with wyne and meate redy dressed wherwith they refresshed them and made ioy and reuell lyke suche people as had ateygned vyctorye on their enemyes Than Lamorabaquy with a greate nombre of mynstrelles acordyng to the vsage of their countrey came to the kynge of Hungeryes chefe tent whiche was goodly aparelled and hanged with riche stuffe and there he toke great pleasure and glorifyed in his herte of the wynnyng of that iourney and shanked their god acordynge to their lawe Than he vnarmed hym and to refresshe hym he sate downe on a tapyte of sylke and caused all his great lordes to come to him to iangle and to talke with them He made as great myrthe as myght be and sayd howe he wolde shortely with great puyssaunce passe in to the realme of Hungery and coÌquere the countrey and after other countreys vpon the crysten men and to bringe them to his obeysaunce for he sayd he was content that euery man shulde lyue after their owne lawes he desyred nothynge but the signory but he sayd he wolde reygne lyke Alysaunder of Masydone who was twelue yere kynge of all the worlde of whose lynage he sayde he was dyscended All that herde him agreed to his sayenge Than he madethre coÌmaundemeÌtes The fyrst was that who so euer had any prisoner crysten to bringe hym forthe the seconde daye after in to his presence the seconde was that all the deed bodyes shulde be vysyted and sertched and such as were likely to be noble men to be layde aparte by them selfe in their raymentes tyll he came thyder hym selfe for he sayd he wolde se them The thyrde was to enquyre iustely if the kyng of Hungery were deed or a lyue All was done as he coÌmaunded WHan Lamorabaquy had well refresshed hym than to passe the tyme he went to the place where the felde was to se the deed bodyes for it was shewed hym that he had many of this men slayne and that the batayle had cost hym greatly of the which he had great marueyle and coulde nat byleue it Than he mounted on his horse and a great nombre with him he had with hym two of his bretherne called Basaache and Surbasaach as some people sayd but he wolde nat be knowen of them for he sayd he had no bretherne Whan he came to the place where the batayle was he founde it of trouthe that there were many deed and slayne he sawe that for one crysten man deed he founde .xxx. turkes slayne wherwith he was marueylously dyspleased and openly sayde Here hath been a cruell batayle and marueyloussly defended of the crysten men but I shal make them that be a lyue to bye it derely Than the kynge went to his lodgynge and so passed that nyght in great furour of hert and in the mornyng or he was vp moche people came to his tente to knowe what they shulde do with the chrysten prisoners the renome ranne that they shulde all be put to dethe without mercy Lamorabaquy for all his dyspleasure ordeyned that suche crysten men as were in the batayle in great a ray and lykely to be great men shulde be all sette togyther in one parte for it was shewed hym that they myght well pay great raunsomes Also there were dyuers sarazyns and panyms of Perce of Tartary of Arabye and suryens that had many prisoners by whome they thought to haue great aduauntage as they had in dede they hyd them out of the way so that they came nat to knowledge Amonge other syr Iaques of Helley was brought before Lamorabaquy he that had him durst nat hyde hym no lenger Syr Iaques de Helley was beknowen with some of the kynges seruauÌtes who toke hym fro them that had him whiche was happy for hym as ye shall here after for many crysten men were afterwarde cruelly slayne and put to dethe Kynge Basaach had coÌmaunded to enquyre whiche were the greatest of the crysten men and that they shulde be set a syde to the entent to saue their lyues So they were tryed out and set a parte Fyrst the lorde Iohan of Burgoyne Erle of Neuers who was chiefe aboue all other and than syr Phylyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe the erle of Marche the lorde Coucy syr Henry of Bare syr Guy of Tremoyle and other to the nombre of eyght persones And Lamorabaquy went to se and to speke with them and beheld them a longe seasone and he coniured these lordes by their faythe and lawe to saye the trouthe if they were the persones that they named them selfe for and they sayde ye And yet to knowe the more certaynte he sente to them the frenche knyght syr Iaques of Helley to knowe them for he had serued Lamorabaquy before therfore he had his lyfe grauÌted hym He was demaunded if he knewe the frenche knyghtes prysoners He aunswered and said I thynke if Ise them I shall knowe them Than he was coÌmaunded to go and auewe theym and to shewe playnely their names He dyd as he was coÌmauÌded and whan he came to them he shewed them his aduenture and howe he was sente thyder to knowe surely their names Than they sayde Ah syr Iaques ye knowe vs
Turkey with his preseÌtes and message Than letters were written sealed and delyuered agayne to the same messaÌger and so he departed to retourne in to HuÌgry ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duchesse of Orlyaunce doughter to the duke of Myllayne was had in suspecte of the Frenche kynges syckenesse Cap. CC.xx. YE haue harde here before howe the FreÌche kyng lightly euery yere was sore enclyned to fall in to a fraÌsey so that there was nother Phisycion nor surgion that coude remedy hym Many said they wolde helpe hym but whanÌe it came to the poynt all their labour was in vayne for the kynges sickenesse wolde nat cease nother for prayers nor for medycins tyll it had ron his full course Some of his phisycions and arioles and charmers whan they sawe no remedy than they said surely howe the kynge was poysoned or be wytched by crafte of sorcerye whiche noyse made the lordes other to haue many in suspecte And some of these nigromancers affyrmed that the kynges sickenesse came by reason of sorcery and charmes And to make theÌ beleue it was so they sayd they knewe it by the spyrites who had shewed it to them Of these deuins arioles and charmers there were certayne brente at Parys and at Auignon They spake so moche and sayd that the duchesse Valentyne of OrlyauÌce doughter to the duke of Myllayn hadde witched the kynge to the entent to attayne to the crowne of Fraunce They had so sclaundred this lady the brute ran through the realme that she vsed suche craftes of sorcery sayeng that as long as she was about the kyng and that he myght se her the kyng shulde nat ameÌde So it behoued this lady to auoyde this sclaunder and to flye fro the paryll therof to departe fro Parys and so she wente to Asyners a fayre Castell nere to Pontoyse êteyning to her husbande the duke of OrlyauÌce And afterwarde she went dwelt at Newcastell on the ryuer of Loyre parteynynge to her husbande who was sore displeased in his hert that suche a brute ran vpon his wyfe howe be it he dissymuled the mater as well as he myght Nor dyd nat absent hym selfe fro the court for he had moche busynesse for the maters of the realme The duke of Myllayne called Galeas was well enformed howe his doughter the duchesse of Orlyaunce was accused wherof he was sore displeased And he sente twyse or thrise ambassadours to the Frenche kyng and his couÌsayle and offred to fynde a knyght to fyght at vttrauÌce with any man that wolde accuse his doughter of any trayson And the messaÌgers in a maner thretned that the duke wolde make warre in to Fraunce bycause the frenche kyng beyng in good helthe at Balyngham bitwene saynt Omers and Calis said that assone as he were retourned in to FrauÌce he wolde entende to nothyng but to make warre vpon the duke of Myllayne And also the kyng of Englande who as than called hym selfe his sonne bycause he had maryed his doughter promysed to sende hym a thousande speres and sixe thousaÌde archers wherof the frenche kyng was right ioyfull Prouisyon was made for the Frenche kyng in the countie of Sauoy in the Dolphenry The kynges mynde was to entre that waye in to Lombardy to make warre on the duke of Myllaygne But that iourney toke none effecte For whan tidynges was brought in to Fraunce of the disconfyture of the batayle before Nicopoly in Turkey and of the dethe and takynge of the lordes of Fraunce The kynge the duke of Burgoyne were so charged and busyed in that behalfe that the iourney in to Lombardy was defected And also they sawe well that the duke of Myllayne was in fauoure with Lamorabaquy so that they durst nat displease hym so lette hym alone ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse his wyfe toke great dylygence to fynde the meanes to redeme out of prisone the erle of Neuers their sonne and the other prisoners beyng in Turkey Cap. CC.xxi THe duke of Burgoyn and the duches studyed all the wayes they coulde deuyse by what maner or tretye they myght gette their sonne out of prysone they knewe well or they coulde haue hym they shulde be fayne to pay for hym a great raunsome they mynisshed their housholde and kept a meaner estate and gathered as moche golde and syluer as they coulde for without that they coulde nat bringe aboute their purpose And they gate theym aquayntauuce with marchauntes venycience and genouoys and suche other for they thought by their meanes they shulde the rather come to their purpose the duke of Burgoyne lay styll at Paris with the kynge his nephue and had the chiefe gouernaunce of the realme wherby his busynesse had the better effecte The same seasone there was at Parys a marchaunt of Turkey who had all the doynge for all other Lombardes he was knowen and spoken of through out all the worlde his name was called Dyne of Responde by hym all exchaunges were made He was in good fauour with the kyng and other lordes before this iourney in Turkey but than after the batayle he was moche more made of Often tymes the duke of Burgoyne demaunded of hym counsayle howe he myght entre in to treatie with Lamorabaquy for the redempcion of his sonne and of the other prisoners in Turkey Sir ê this marchauÌt lytell and lytell some meanes wyll be founde Syr the marchauntes of Gennes and of other isles are knowen ouer all and occupyeth the trade of marchauÌdyse in Quayre in Alexandre in DaÌmas in Danuet in Turkey and out in farre countreys hethan for as ye knowe well marchaundyse flyeth ouer all the worlde Syr let the kynge and you write amyably to theym and promesse them great benefytes and profytes if they wolde do for you There is nothynge but it is ouercome with golde and syluer And also syr the kynge of Cyper who hath hadde no warre with the kyng Lamorabaquy he may ryght well ayde you Syr as for me ye may be sure I wyll do what I canne for I am bounde therto It is nat to be marueyled though the duke of Burgoyne and the duches sought out wayes howe they might recouer agayne their sonne for he was their heyre therfore it touched theÌ ryght nere The ladyes of Fraunce tooke great sorowe for their husbandes and louers specyally the lady of Coucy coude nat forget her husbande she wepte pytuously nyght and daye and coulde take no comforte The duke of Lorayne and syr Henry her two bretherne came to saint Gobyn to se and to recomforte her as moche as they myght they sayd they wolde sende in to Turkey to knowe howe he dyd for they said they vnderstode howe he had a more gentyll prisone than any of his felowes had The lady Coucy thanked greatly her two bretherne for their counsayle and great comforte Than she desyred sir Robert Den a valyaunt knyght of Cambresys to take the payne to go in to Hungery and in to Turkey to
the countrey is so hote that the people be of sobre dyet and vse moche spycery and specyally suger and gotes mylke wherof they haue great haboundaunce the whiche is coÌmon drinke of the sarazyns and they haue plenty of bredde made of a grayne called mylle he had euer aboute hym a seuen thousande fawconers and as many hunters So it was on a daye he wente a hawkynge and had a flyght with a fawcon at an Egle in the presence of the erle of Neuers the whiche flyght pleased nat Lamorabaquy wherwith he was sore dyspleased and as it was shewed me for the same faute there was at the poynte a two thousande fauconers to haue loste their heedes bearyng them in hande that they were nat dylygent in kepynge of his hawkes Another tyme in the presence of the erle of Neuers a woman came to complayne to the kynge desyringe to haue ryght and iustyce vpon a seruaunt of his sayenge Syr kynge I come to you as to my soueraygne I complayne me of a seruaunt of your chambre as it is shewed me he is come this same day in to my howse and the mylke of a gote that I had for me and my chyldren he hath dronken it agaynst my wyll and syr I said to him that if he wolde do me that wronge I wolde complayne to you and as soone as I sayde so he gaue me two great blowes wolde nat forbeare for all that I spake in your name therfore syr kynge do me iustyce as ye are sworne to do to all your people The kinge marked well the womans wordes and so caused his seruaunte to come a fore hym and the woman also and than he caused the woman to renewe her complaynt The seruaunt began to excuse hym and sayd that he knewe nothynge of that matter The woman spake wysely and affyrmed her wordes to be trewe Than the kynge sayde woman aduyse the well for if I fynde thy wordes vntrewe thou shalte dye an yuell dethe Syr quod she I am content for if my wordes were nat true what nede me to come in to your preseÌce do me iustyce I desyre none other thyng Thou shalt haue iustyce quod the kynge for I haue sworne so to do to euery man and woman Than the kynge caused the man to be taken and caused his bely to be opened to se if he had eaten or dronken the mylke or nat and there he founde that he had dronke the mylke for it was nat turned to digestyon And whan the kyng sawe that the womans wordes were trewe he said to her thou haddest good cause to complayne go thy way quyte thou art well reuenged of the trespase that was done to the and she had a good recompence and the man deed This iudgement the lordes of Fraunce sawe and herde ¶ Howe the lordes of Fraunce returned by see to Venyce and of the isles they founde by the waye Cap. CC.xxiiii WHan the Erle of Neuers and the other lordes of FrauÌce who had ben taken prisoners at the batayle before Nycopoly in Turkey whan they had sene a season the state and maner of Lamorabaquy and that he was content of euery thynge and vnderstode that the lorde of Mathelyn and the lorde of Damyne and the marchaunt of Sio were come to Burselle in Turkey than he gaue them leaue to departe So they came all togyther before Lamorabaquy excepte the erle of Ewe and the lorde of Coucy who were bothe deed thus they toke their leaue and thanked hym of his curtesies Than Lamorabaquy said to therle by a truch man Iohan I knowe well thou arte a great lorde in thy Countrey and sonne to a great lorde thou art yonge and peâ aduenture shall beare some blame and shame that this aduenture hath fallen to the in thy fyrste chyualry and to excuse thy selfe of this blame and to recouer thyne honour peraduenture thou wylt assemble a puyssaunce of men and come and make warre agaynst me if I were in doute or feare therof or thou departed I shulde cause the swere by thy lawe and faythe that neuer thou nor none of thy company shulde beare armure or make warre agaynst me but I wyll nother make the nor none of thy company to make any suche othe or promesse but I wyll that whan thou arte retourned and arte at thy pleasure rayse what puyssaunce thou wylte and spare nat but come agaynst me thou shalt fynde me alwayes redy to receyue the and thy company in the felde in playne batayle and this that I say shewe it to whome thy lyste for I am able to do dedes of armes and euer redy to conquere further in to crystendome These hygh wordes the erle of Neuers vnderstode well and so dyd his company they thought on it after as longe as they lyued Than they tooke their leaue and they were conducted with a great nombre vnder the leadynge of Assybaathe and Surbasaache and so delyuered to the lordes of Mathelyn and Damyne who were cause of their delyueraunce and whan their galees were redy they entred and their conducte retourned to their kynge So they sayled tyll they came to the porte of Mathelyn where they were receyued with great ioye THe lady of Mathelyn was ryght honourable and gentle as well assured of her selfe as any lady in Grece for in her youth she had ben brought vp in the emperour of Constantyne the nobles courte with the lady Mary of Burbone where she had lerned moche norture for in Fraunce the lordes and ladyes be more honourable than in many other couÌtreys This lady was right ioyouse to se in her house the erle of Neuers and syr Henry of Bare sir Guy of Tremoyle and the other she receyued them ryght honourably with great ioy and dyd what she coude to do them pleasure First she newly aparelled all the lordes and knyghtes of Fraunce with shyrtes gownes and other aparell of fyne damaske acordynge to the vsage of Grece and all other euery man after his degre The lady spared nothyng on them wherfore they gaue her great thanke and greatly praysed her estate and ordre In lykewyse they thaÌked and praysed the lordes of Mathelyn and of Damyne who made them good chere and honourable Anone tydynges of their delyueraunce was knowen at the Rodes wherof the great mayster of the Roodes and all the knyghtes there were ryght ioyfull and they determyned to arme forth two galees and to sende for theym to come in to the isle of Rodes and so they dyd and in the one galee they sette syr Iaques of Brassemont a burgonyon marshall of the Rodes So longe they sayled and rowed that they aryued at Mathelyn The marshall was well receyued of euery man and of the lady of Mathelyn Than these lordes and other refresshed them there a foure dayes and on the fyfte daye their galees were redy Than the erle of Neuers tooke leaue of the lady of Mathelyn and thanked her greatly and the lordes also and the erle of Neuers
sette to write letters and messangers were sente forthe to gyue knowledge to their frendes of their comynge These newes was anone knowen ouer all the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse ordeyned for the state of their sonne as vessell and plate of syluer and golde aparell and stuffe of housholde all this was sent to Venyce on soÌmers and the lorde of Angyers and syr Iaques of Helley dyd conuey all this stuffe and so came to Venyce And all the other lordes and knyghtes frendes dyd sende thyder in lyke maner And ye maye beleue well that this was nat dooue without great coste for there was nothynge spared and also they laye at Venyce at great coste and charge for Venyce is one of the derest townes in the world for straungers to lye in Thus these lordes kept their estates there and therle of Neuers was more charged than any other as it was reasone for he was the chiefe there The duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse sette all their ententes for the delyueraunce of their sonne for they desyred greatly to se theym and so dyd many other and the duke sayd that without ayde of his men and good frendes that were in his landes as well in Burgoyne as in Arthoys and in Flaunders he coulde nat tell howe to atteyne to the somme of money that Lamorabaquy shulde haue for his sonnes raunsome and to beare the costes that dayly grewe by that occasyon for though their raunsomes drewe but to two hundred thousande floreyns all thynges consydred their other charges drewe to as moch as they sayde that had the receyte and delyueraunce therof The duke tooke counsayle where this money shulde be reysed for the duke coulde nat breke nor mynysshe his estate nor it was nat his mynde to do Than it was determyned that the ryche men in all his good townes shulde be tared and specyally they of Flaunders bycause they were ryche by reason of their marchaundyse This taracyon was sette forwarde and whan they of Gaunt were called curtesly to the mater they aunswered and sayd that they wolde gladly helpe to ayde their enâerytour with the soÌme of fyfty thousande florayns In lykewyse they of Bruges and of other good townes in Flaunders were redy to ayde their lorde The duke and duchesse thanked them curtesly in lykewise so dyde they of Arthoise and of Burgoyne Also the Frenche kynge ayded well for his parte And also it had cost hym great riches in sendynge of presentes and knightes in to Hungry and Turkey howbe it he was well contente therwith syth his cosyns and his knyght Bouciquaunt were come to Venyce in suretie THerle of Neuers laye thus styll at Venyce for his enteÌt was nat to deête thens tyll euery thynge was payed and discharge For the furnysshing of this fynaunce sir Dyne of Responde toke great payne to the entente to pleace the Frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne In suche busynesse he was subtyle and wyse Thus these Frenche lordes and knyghtes sported them eche with other The same season there felle in Venyce a great mortalyte and it began in the moneth of Auguste and dured without ceassynge tyll saynt Andrewes tyde wherin dyed moche people and there dyed sir Henry of Barc eldest sonne to the duke of Bare and herytoure by his wyfe of all the lorde of Coucyes landes excepte the ladyes dowrye Thus in the same season bothe the ladies of Coucy were widowes and their husbandes deed the whiche was great doÌmage His body was enbaulmed and caryed in to Fraunce and buryed in Parys as I beleue and there his obsequy was done solempnely To flye and eschewe fro this deth at Venice the erle of Neuers went and taryed at Trenuse with all his estate and there taryed a four monethes with all his company THus the erle of Neuers beynge at Trenuse It was shewed the kyng of Hungry by them of the Roodes howe the Frenche lordes were agreed with Lamorabaquy to paye for their soÌmes two hundred thousande florens Than the kyng sent letters by a bysshoppe and certayne knightes to them of Venice in the fauour of the Frenche knyghtes And also they were charged to saye certayne wordes to therle of Neuers as ye shall here for whan they caÌe thider they said to hym Sir we are sent hider fro our souerayne lorde the kyng of Hungry your cosin who saluteth you by vs and here be letters that he hath sente vnto you and he vnderstaÌdeth howe ye are delyuered fro the handes of the turkes his aduersaries for certayne rauÌsome the whiche otherwyse ye coude nat haue ben deliuered wherof he is right ioyouse And sir the kynge knoweth well that your treatie coude nat haue ben made without great cost and charge for besyde that ye lost in the batayle your raunsome and other charges hath ben and is dayly great Wherfore sir the kyng sayth if he myght ayde you with any thyng he wolde gladly do it for he thynketh him selfe bounde therto as well by lynage or otherwyse but sir he and his toke suche doÌmage at the daye of the batayle before Nichopoly as ye knowe well And also his reuenues of his realme for this yere and the next be in a maner as lost but whaÌ he hath recouery therof and is of power he saythe he wyll so purney for you that ye shal be wel content with hym thus to do he is of good wyll And sir to th entent that ye shall gyue credence to his promise and sayeng He hath in the cytie of Venyce of yerely renenewes seuyn thousande ducates And sir he is content that this be solde to the venycience and that of the money that shall ryse therof that ye shulde vse it and ayde your selfe therwith as ye wolde do of your owne goodes And sir of this we shall delyuer quitauÌces to the venicyence we haue authorite so to do this offre greatly pleased the erle of Neuers and his couÌsayle and the lorde of Rocheforde answered and said howe the erle and all his coÌpany thanked greatly the kynge of Hungry in that he wolde sell or laye to gage his enherytauÌce for to ayde them Sayeng howe his oââre was nat to be refused nor forgotten desyring to take a lytell counsayle in the mater and so they dyde Within a brefe tyme after it was shewed to the kyng of HuÌgeries ambassadours in the behalfe of the erle of Neuers that it shulde nat be coÌuenyent that the kyng of Hungry shulde sell or ley to pledge his enherytaunces for other mennes causes But if so be the ambassadours wolde do so moche as to shewe to the venicyeÌce that they wolde do so moche as to lende therle of Neuers a certayne soÌme of florence to helpe to paye the erles by charges to paye agayne to the priour of saynt IohnÌs in Acquitayne the .xxx. thousande florens that he lent to theÌ in the isle of the Rodes In thus doyng they saide they wolde highly thanke the kynge of Hungry his counsayle The
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 puyssauÌce 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 couÌsayle whiche was to his hurte and great doÌmage 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 Gloucestrâ 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 FrauÌce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great asseÌble 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 BlaÌcquebourge 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 OrlyauÌce 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 FrauÌce 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 FrauÌce The duke of OrlyauÌce set euery man
than dissymuled the mater as moche as he coulde and suffred them to make their prouysyon where they lyst THe newes spredde abrode in dyuers countreys of the defyaunce bytwene the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall Many men spake therof in dyuers maners and specyally in Fraunce They sayd lette theym alone the knyghtes of Englande are ouer proude at length they wyll dystroy eche other for it is the worste nacyon in the worlde vnder the sonne for in that realme dwelleth the moste presumptuous people that canne be Other there were that spake more so berly and sayde that the kynge of Englande shewed no wysdome nor was nat well counsayled whanne for wylde wordes he to suffre suche two noble men of his blode to enterprise armes in defyaunce he shulde rather whan he herde the wordes fyrste haue sayde to them bothe ye are two lordes of my blode and lygnage wherfore I coÌmaunde you bothe to be in peace and lette nouther hate nor rancoure engendre bytwene you but be frendes louers and cosyns togyther and if this lande canne nat contente you go in to what countrey ye wyll and seke aduentures of armes there If the kynge had sayde those wordes and apeased these lordes thus than he had done wysely The duke of Lancastre was sore dyspleased in his mynde to se the kynge his nephewe mysse vse hym selfe in dyuers thynges as he dyd he consydred the tyme to come lyke a sage prince and somtyme sayd to suche as he trusted best Our nephue the kynge of Englande wyll shame all or he cease he beleueth to lyghtly yuell counsayle who shall distroy hym and symply if he lyue longe he wyll lese his realme and that hath been goten with moche coste and trauayle by our predecessours and by vs he suffreth to engendre in this realme bytwene the noble men hate and dyscorde by whom he shulde be serued and honoured and this lande kepte and douted He hath caused my brother to dye whiche is one thynge to be noted and the erle of Arundell bycause they shewed hym trouthe but he wolde nat here them nor none other that wolde couÌsayle hym agaynst his appetyte He canne nat better dystroye his realme than to put trouble and hatred bytwene the noble men and good townes the frenche men are right subtyle for one myschiefe that falleth amonge vs they wolde it were ten for otherwyse they canne nat recouer their doÌmages nor come to their ententes but by our owne meanes and dyscorde bytwene our selfe And wese dayly that all realmes deuyded are dystroyed it hath been sene by the realme of Fraunce Spayne Naples and by landes of the churche as we maye se dayly by the two popes whiche is and shall be to their dystructyon also it hath been sene by the countrey of Flaunders howe by their owne meanes they are distroyed Also presently it is sene by the lande of Frece with whome our cosyns of Haynalt are in warre and howe the frenche men amonge theym selfe are dystroyed in lykewyse amonge ourselfe without god prouyde for vs we shall dystroy our selfe the apparaunce therof sheweth greatly Nowe the kynge suffereth that my sonne and heyre shall do batayle for a thynge of nought and I that am his father maye nat speake to the contrary for myne owne honoure and for my sonnes for my sonne hathe the body of a knyght mete to entre in to armes agaynst the erle Marshall howe be it take the best therof they shall neuer loue agayne togyder as they dyd before Thus said the duke of Lancastre ALl the seasone that these two lordes dyd prouyde to do dedes of armes at vtteraunce the duke of Lancastre came neuer at the kyng nor but lytell at his sonne and that he dyd for a polycy for the Duke knewe well that his sonne was marueylously well beloued in Englande both with noble men and with other and specyally with the londoners for they had promysed and sayd to hym Syr be ye of good comforte in this busynesse for howesoeuer the matter tourne ye shall scape with honour whether the kynge wyll or nat or all the Marmosettes aboute hym for we knowe well this mater is made and conueyed by enuy to the entente to driue you out of the realme bycause ye be well beloued with many men and if so be that ye departe in trouble ye shall entre agayne with ioye for ye ought rather to rule than Rycharde of Burdeaulx for they that wyll seke out the profoundenesse of the mater maye well knowe fro whence ye came and fro whence he came wherby they maye knowe that ye be more nerer to the crowne of Englande than Rycharde of Burdeaulx though we haue made to hym faythe and homage and haue helde hym for our kyng more thanne this twenty yere but that was by fauour and purchase of his grauntfather good kynge Edwarde who douted of this poynte that we nowe speke of and on a tyme great question was made bytwene kyng Edwarde your grauntfather by youre father syde and duke Henry of Lancastre your grauntfather by your mother syde the Lady Blaunche of Lancastre but the lordes of Englande that than reygned apeased the matter for kynge Edwarde was so valyaunt a man and so happy in all his enterprises that he had the loue of all his people poore and riche nor also your grauntfather of Lancastre wolde nothynge to the Kynge but well and good and serued the kynge in his tyme nobly and trewly so that he is as yet to be recommaunded These maters well consydred by kynge Rycharde he myght well repente hym that he is no better gouerned than he is Suche wordes these londoners spake thoughe they knewe but lytell of the trouth that they spake was of a synguler fauoure The erle of Derby receyued their wordes well a worthe and dayly prepared for the batayle and he desyred his frendes to be at that iourney and so euery man prepared hymselfe accordynge to the Erles desyre THe kynge all the season that these two lordes prepared for their batayle he had many ymagynacyons whether he shuld suffre them to fyght or nat Thoughe he were kynge of Englande and more douted than any other kynge before hym yet nyght and daye he kept about hym a garde of two thousande archers who were payed their wages wekely for the kynge trusted nat greatly in theym that were nexte of his blode excepte his brother the erle of Huntyngton and the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne sonne to the duke of yorke who was well in the kynges fauoure and certayne knyghtes of his chambre as for all other he cared lytell for Whan the day aproched that these two lordes shulde do their dedes of armes as they hadde promysed and had euery thynge redy prepared Than on a daye certayne of the kynges counsayle came to the kynge and demaunded what was his entencyon that these two lordes shulde do and sayde Sir wyll ye suffre theym to fyght ye truelye
hym selfe The nexte day be tymes the bell sowned to the consistory and than there was a conuocacyon of all the cardynalles that were at Iuygnon They all assembled at the palays and entred in to the consistory and thyder was called the bysshop of Cambraye who in laten shewed at length his message and the cause of his coÌmyng thyder Whan he had sayd than he was aunswered howe the pope shulde take counsayle to answere and in the meane tyme he to departe out of the house so he dyd and in the meane season Benedic and his cardynalles counsayled togyder and were longe debatynge of the mater and many thought it herde and a contrary mater to put downe that they had created than the cardynall of Amyence spake and sayd Lordes whether we wyll or nat it must behoue vs to obey the Frenche kynge and the kinge of Almayne sythe they be conioyned togyder for without theÌ we can nat lyue howe be it we shulde do well ynough with the kyng of Almayne if the frenche kynge wolde take our parte but it is otherwyse for he coÌmaundeth vs to obey or els he wyll stoppe fro vs the fruites of our benefyces without the whiche we can nat lyue Trewe it is holy father that we haue created you as pope on the condycion that to your power ye shuld ayde to refourme the churche and to bring it in to parfyte vnyon and this ye haue alwayes sayd and mayntayned therfore syr aunswere atemperately and in suche maner as we may prayse you for syr ye ought better to know your owne corage than we Than dyuers other of the cardynalles sayd syr the cardynall of Amyence sayeth well and wysely wherfore syr we pray you all in generall that ye wyll speke and shewe vs what ye wyll do Than Benedyc aunswered and said The vnyon of the churche I desyre and I haue taken great payne therin but syth god of his deuyue grace hathe prouyded for me the papalyte and that ye haue chosen me therto as longe as I lyue I wyll be pope and I wyll nat depose my selfe nouther for kyng duke erle nor other treatie nor by no processe nor meanes but that I wyll abyde pope Than the cardynals rose vp all togyder with great murmurynge some sayd he had spoken well and some sayd contrary Thus they dyffered and were in dyscorde The most parte departed out of the consystory and toke no leaue of the pope and retourned to their lodgynges Some suche as were in this popes fauour taryed styll with hym Whan the bysshoppe of Cambray sawe howe they departed in suche maner he knewe well they acorded nat well and therwith auaunced hym selfe and entred in to the consystory and so came to the Pope whyle he sate styll in his see and without doynge of any great reuerence sayde Syr gyue me myne aunswere sythe ye haue had your counsayle aboute you ye ought to gyue me myne aunswere that I may retourne This pope Benedic who was in great dyspleasure for the wordes that the cardynall of Amyence had spoken sayd Bysshoppe of Cambray I haue counsayle of dyuers of my bretherne the cardynals who hath created me in to the dignyte papall and haue receyued all the solemynytyes therto belongyng and am writen and named pope by all my subgiettes and as pope I wyll abyde as longe as I lyue I wyll nat do the contrary to dye in the payne for I haue doone no cause why to lese it and saye to our sonne of Fraunce that hyther vnto I haue taken him as a good catholyke prince but nowe bysynister meanes if he wyll entre in to great errour he wyll repente it I praye you to say to hym fro me that he be well aduysed howe he enclyneth to any thinge that shulde trouble his conscyence Therwith this Benedic rose out of his chayre and went in to his chambre and certayne cardynalles with hym and the bysshoppe of Cambray retourned to his lodgynge and dyned sobrely and than after toke his horse and passed the bridge of Rone and came to vile Nefe and at nyght lay at Baignoulx whiche partaygned to the Realme of Fraunce and he vnderstode that syr Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce was come to porte saynt Andrewe a nyne leages fro Auygnon The nexte day thyder came the bysshoppe of Cambray and shewed hym the aunswere of Benedic Whan the marshall vnderstode that this pope Benedic wolde nat obey the kynge his maysters ordynaunce he sayd to the bysshop syr ye are best to retourne in to Fraunce ye haue no more to do here and I shall execute that I am coÌmaunded to do by the kynge and his vncles The next daye the bysshoppe departed and toke the way to Albenoys and to Pyne and the marshall set clerkes awarke to write and sente for knyghtes squyers and men of warre through all the countrey of Viurays of Vyuieres and Auuergne to Mount pellyer for he had coÌmyssyon so to do by the king and also he sent to the seneschall of Beaucayre that he shulde close all the passages as well by the ryuer of Rone as by lande to the entent that nothynge shulde entre in to Auignon He wente hym selfe to the pownte saynt Esperyte and closed there the passage ouer the ryuer of Rone that nothynge shulde entre that way in to Auygnon Thus the marshall daily gathered men of warre and many came to serue hym some for obeysaunce and some to pyll and robbe theym of Auygnon There came to hym syr Raymonde of Thourayne and the lorde de la Both the lorde of Tornon the lorde of Monclaue and the lorde Duses so that the marshall had a great nombre of men Than the marshall sent an haraulde to defye pope Benedic in his palays and all the cardynals that wolde take his parte This was harde tydynges to the cardynals and to them in the cytie of Auygnon for they knewe well they coulde nat longe susteyne the warre agaynst the puyssaunce of the Frenche kynge than they determyned to go and speake with the pope and so they dyd and shewed hym howe they coulde nat nor wolde nat susteyne the warre agaynst the frenche kynge for they sayd they must lyue and haue their marchaundyse to go as well by lande as by ryuer This Benedyc aunswered folysshly and sayd syrs your cytie is stronge and well prouyded I wyll sende for men of warre to Gennes and in to other places and to my sonne the kynge of Aragon that he come and serue me whiche I am sure he wyll do for he is bounde therto for two causes he is of my lygnage and also he ought to be obeysant to the pope Sirs ye are abasshed of to lytell a cause go your wayes and kepe and defende your towne and I shall kepe my palays Other aunswere the cardynals and the men of the cytie coulde nat haue of this Benedyc So euery man retourned home This Benedic had of longe tyme purueyed his palays with wyne corne larde oyle and of all
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 coÌmynge 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 coÌmynge 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 delyuerauÌce 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 enherytauÌce 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 coÌmynge 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 demauÌded 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 wroÌges 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 couÌsaylours 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
the kyng and oftentymes talked togider and men of warre before behynde in great nombre and all suche as were of the kynges courte rode toguyder in a company That night they laye about Oxenforde The duke of Lancastre ledde kyng Richarde by no castelles nor good townes for feare of styring of the people but alwayes kepte the feldes Than the duke gaue lycence to a great nombre of his people to departe and sayd Sirs ye maye departe for we haue that we desyre the kynge can nat flye nor scape fro vs we our owne company shall bring hym to London and putte hym in sauegarde in the towre he and all his are my prisoners I may bringe them whider I wyll Therfore sirs go your wayes home tyll ye here other newes They dyde as the duke coÌmaunded theÌ who toke the way to Wyndsore and came thyder and moost parte of the LoÌdoners retourned to London other to their owne places the duke of LaÌcastre deêted fro wynsore wolde nat ride by Colbroke but toke the way by Shene so caÌe to dyner to Chersay the king had desyred the duke that he shulde nat bringe hym London waye nor through the cytie and therfore they tooke that waye As soone as they had the kynge thus in their handes they sente notable êsones to the yong quene who was at Ledes in Kent And they caÌe to the lady Coucy who was seconde persone there next to the quene and sayd to her Madame make you redy for ye must deête hens and at your departyng make no semblant of displeasure before the quene but saye howe your husbande hath sent for you for your doughter also This that we saye loke that you do accomplysshe on payne of your lyfe nor axe ye no questyons no further And ye shal be conueyed to Douer and there haue a shyppe that shall bring you to Boloyne the lady who douted those wordê for she knewe well Englysshemen were cruell and hasty said sirs as god wyll I am redy to do as ye wyll haue me Anone she made her redy and horses were prouyded for her and for her coÌpany So all Frenche men and women departed and they were conueyed to Douer at the next tyde they toke shippyng and had good wynde and so arryued at Boloyne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the state of quene Isabell of englande and howe she had all newe êsones apoynted to wayte vpon her and howe kyng Richarde was sette in the towre of London Capi. CC.xlii AS for the state of the quene was so tourned and broken for there was lefte nouther man womon nor chylde of the nacion of FraÌce nor yet of Englande suche as were in any fauour with the kyng Her house was newly furnisshed with ladyes and damoselles and other offycers and seruauntes They were charged all that in no wyse they shuld nat speke of the kynge nat one to another Thus the duke of LaÌcastre departed fro Cherisay and rode to Shene and fro thens in the nyght tyme they conueyed the kyng to the towre of London and suche other knightes and squyers as the kyng wolde The nexte mornyng whan the Londoners knewe that the kynge was in the towre they were gretly reioysed but there was great murmuring among theÌ bycause the kyng was conueyed thyder so secretely They were angry that the duke had nat brought hym throughe London openly nat to haue done him honor but shame they hated hym so sore Beholde the opinyon of coÌmon people whaÌ they be vp agaynst their prince or lorde and specially in Englande amonge them there is no remedy for they are the peryloust people of the worlde and most outragyoust if they be vp and specially the Londoners and in dede they be riche and of a great nombre There was well in LoÌdon a. xxiiii thousaÌde men in harnesse complete and a.xxx. thousande archers and they were hardy hygh of corage the more blode they sawe shedde the lesse they were abasshed ¶ Nowe lette vs somwhat speke of the erle of Rutlande constable of Englande sonne to the duke of yorke who was taryed at Bristowe and the lorde SpeÌser with hym who had his suster to wyfe Whan they knewe that the castell of Flynte was gyuen vp and the kynge taken and brought to London thanÌe they thought surely the matters wente nat well for the kynge Therfore they thought no lengar to tary there and gaue leaue to al their men of warre to departe and the erle of Rutlande and the lorde Spenser rode toguyder with their owne seruauntes to Hull in the marchesse of Wales a fayre maÌner of the lorde Spensers there they taryed tyll they herde other tidynges And the duke of yorke laye styll in his castell medled with nothynge of the busynesse of Englande no more he dyde before he toke euer the tyme aworthe as it came howbeit he was sore displeased in his mynde to se suche difference within the realme and bytwene his nephues and blode ¶ Nowe let vs retourne to speke of kynge Richarde WHan the duke of Lancastre had set his cosyn kyng Richard in the towre of London and certayne of his couÌsaylours and had sette sure kepynge on theÌ The fyrst thyng than that the duke he sent for the erle of Warwyke who was banysshed and coÌmaunded to lye in the ysle of Wyght and discharged hym clene therof secondly the duke of Lancastre sent to therle of Northumberlande and to the lorde Percy his sonne that they shulde come to hym and so they dyde After he enquered and sought out to haue the foure companyons that had strangled his vncle the duke of Gloucestre in the castell of Calais They were so well sought out that they were all taken They were sette in prisone aparte in LoÌdon than the duke of Lancastre and his couÌsayle toke aduyse what shulde be done with kyng Richarde beyng in the towre of LoÌdon where as kyng Iohan of Fraunce was kept whyle kynge Edwarde wente in to the Realme of FrauÌce Than it was thought that king Rycharde shuld be put fro all his royalte and ioy that he hath lyued in for they sayd the newes of his takynge shulde sprede abrode in to all realmes crystened He had been kynge .xxii. yere and as than they determined to kepe him in prisone Than they regarded what case the realme stode in and dyd put all his dedes in artycles to the nombre of .xxviii. Than the duke of Lancastre and his counsayle went to the towre of London and entred in to the chambre where kynge Rycharde was and without any reuerence makynge to hym there was openly redde all the said artycles to the whiche the kynge made none aunswere for he sawe well all was true that was layde to his charge sauynge he sayd all that I haue doone passed by my counsayle Than he was demaunded what they were that had gyuen couÌsayle and by whome he was most ruled he named them in trust therby to haue ben delyuered himselfe in
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 EnglaÌd The Frenche men were gladde therof For there was a coÌmon brute that there shulde be no good peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande as long as he lyued And in all treaties bytwene FrauÌce and Englande he was euermore harder and obstynaier thanÌe 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 IrelaÌde 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 discoÌfyted 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 coÌmaundemeÌt 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 êties on suche coÌdycion 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 grauÌted 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 thaÌked 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 incoÌtinent 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 couÌsayle and sayd Suche dedes ought nat to be suffred as to putte to dethe so hyghe a priÌce 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 LoÌdon and