Gaunte And moreouer we the sayd duke and duches praye and requyre oure welbeloued Aunte duchesse of Lusenbourcke and of Brabant and our right welbeloued brother the duke Iubert of Bauyer And also the aldermen coÌ„montie and counsayle of Gaunt And also we the duke duchesse of Burgoyne and our aldermen counsayle and coÌ„monties of Gaunt requyre and praye the barones and nobles of the countrey of Flaunders here after folowynge and to all good townes As Bruges Ipre the ferrouer of FraÌ„ke and the good townes of Malynes and Auuers That what for the well of the peace and knowledge of suretie of the foresaid thynges and of eche of them we desyre them to sette to their seales And we Iane by the grace of god duchesse of Lusenbourcke of Brabaunt and of Lancbourcke And we duke Aubert of Bauyere baylye and gouernour of the countrey of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande and of the seignorie of Frise And we Wyllyam eldest sonne of the erle of Namure lorde of Sluse And Hughe lorde daÌ„coyne Chateleyne of Gaunt And IohnÌ„ lorde of Guystelles and of Harues Henry de Bures lorde of Dysqueme we and of Haure Iohan lorde of Gonuseberge and of Ientoyse Arnolde of Iouste lorde of Estornay Philyppe lorde Daxalle Loyse of the Halse bastarde of Flaunders Gyrarde of Rasenhen lorde of Baserode Gaultier lorde of Halme Philyppe of Namure lorde of Eque IohnÌ„ Villayne lorde of saynt Iohans withoute the Chatcllayne of Ipre And Loyse lorde of Lambres knyght And we the borowe maysters and aldermen of Bruges and Ipre We Philyppe of Redehen Mountferant aldermen of MouÌ„tfranke and of Mountamare knight shyrife of terrouer of Franke for and in the name of the sayd Terrouer whiche hath no seale and the commons and counsayls of the townes of Malynes and Auuers Haue by the foresayd prayers and request for the welth of the peace And in wytnes of the trouthe and for more suretie of the sayd thynges and of eche of them we haue putte to the Seales of the sayd townes to this present treatie made at Tourney the eyghtene day of the moneth of Decembre in the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fyue AFter the makyng of these present letters and charters of peace and engrosed and Sealed they were publysshed and the duke had the one parte of them and the towne of Gaunt the other parte Than FrauÌ„ces Atreman the coÌ„mons of the towne of GauÌ„t beyng there toke their leaue humbly of the duke and of the duchesse and also of the lady of BrabaÌ„t Thankyng her a thousande tymes of her ayde and helpe in makynge of their peace and offred them selfe euer to be redy to do her seruyce The good lady thanked theÌ„ right swetely and exhorted them euer to kepe fermely the peace and so to styrre the people that they neuer rebell agaynst their lorde and lady So than euery body departed and went home to their owne The duke and duches retourned to Lyle and they of Gaunt returned to their towne Whan Peter de Boise sawe the sure confyrmacion of the peace and that all the people of Gaunt had great ioye therof and were in mynde and wyll neuer to rebell more nor to haue warr he was therof greatly abasshed and had dyuers ymaginacyons Wheder he shulde abyde stylle in Gaunte for all thynges was pardoned by the dukes charter sealed with his seale or elles to departe in to Englande with sir Iohan Bourchier and with the Englysshe men who apparelled them to go And all thynges consydred he thought in hym selfe that he coude nat trust this peace nor to abyde in Gaunte And whan Fraunces Atreman sawe that he wolde nat abyde he sayd to him Peter what thynke ye to do Why do ye feare ye knowe well that by this treatie sealed by the duke that for any thing that is past there shall neuer chalenge be made to you for that Than Peter answered sayd yea in letters written lyeth nat all true ê‘dons Some pardoneth well by mouthe and gyueth writyng therof but yet the hatered remayneth styll in their corages As for me I am a man of the towne of Gaunt of small reputacion and of base lynage to my power I haue susteyned the rightes lyberties fraÌ„cheses of the towne Thynke you that wtin this two or thre yere the people wyll remeÌ„bre it I feare nay There be great lygnages in the towne of Gylbert Mathewes and his bretherne They wyll retourne and they were enemyes to my mayster Iohan Leon gladly I wolde neuer se theym nor the parentes of sir Gylbert Brute nor of sir Symon Becte who were by me slayne wherfore in this case I can nat be sure of my lyfe And as for you Fraunces Atreman wyll you abyde amonge suche a sorte of treatours who haue so falsely broken their othe and promyse to the kynge of Englande I swere to you truely ye wyll repente it for it wyll coste you youre lyfe I can nat saye quod Fraunces but I truste so well in this peace and in the duke and duchesses promyse that I wyll ieoparde to abyde THan Peter de Boyse made a request to the aldermen and counsayle of the towne Sayeng Fayre lordes to my power I haue truely serued the towne of GauÌ„t and haue ben in many an harde aduenture in that be halfe And for all the good seruyce that I haue done In the name of rewarde I aske none other thynge but that I maye be sauely conducted with sir Iohan Bourchier whome ye sende in to Englande This is all that I demaunde And they all aunswered it shulde be done And as for sir Roger Emeryne and Iaques Dardenbourcke by whome this treatie was firste moued they were ryght gladde of his departure and so were dyuers other notable persones in Gaunt suche as loued the peace So thus Peter de Boyse departed frome Gaunte in the company of sir Iohan Bourchier and toke with hym all the substauÌ„ce that he hadde He was well furnysshed of golde syluer and ieowelles And sir Iohan Delle dyde conducte them vnder the dukes salue conducte to the towne of Calais and than the gauntoise retourned Sir Iohan Bourchier and Peter de Boyse as soone as they might they wente in to Englande and came to the kyng and to his vncles and shewed them the dedes of theym of Gaunte The kynge made Peter de Boyse good chere and so dyde the duke of Lancastre and his bretherne and gaue hym great thanke in that he was come to them and had abandoned theym of Gaunte to come in to Englande The kyng incontynent retaygned hym gaue hym an hundred marke sterlynge yerely to be payed out of the Staple of the wolles in London Thus Peter de Boyse abode styll in Englande and the good towne of Gaunt in peace And sir Roger Emeryn was made chefe alder man of the flete of Gaunt whiche was a good offyce and of great profyte whan the shyppes myght haue their course with marchaundyse And sir Iaques DardeÌ„bourc
and wordes reprouable of the Spanyardes the Portyngales toke this mayster Denyce basterde broder to kynge Ferant made hym kynge in his broders dayes there was no rekenynge made of hym nor the kynge that the comons wolde neuer haue chosen hym to theyr kynge and forsake his doughter as they dyd Howbeit often tymes this sayd knyght syr IohnÌ„ Ferant Andere sayd to the kynge how that this mayster Denyce his basterde broder had gretely the grace of the comons of the royalme wherfore he sayd it had ben good he had ben put to dethe but kynge Ferant answered and sayd howe the comons sholde neuer haue puyssauÌ„ce to do ony thynge agaynst the wyll of the noble men of his countrey and how that his sone in lawe the kynge of Castell sholde euer be puyssaunt ynough to constrayne them and to chastyce them yf they rebelled after his dyssease Wherfore he sayd there was noo cause to put his bastarde broder to deth nor put hym in pryson sayng how he was his broder and a man of relygyon and had ynoughe to lyue on besyde the crowne of Portyngale and so he was lefte alyue THese foresayd poyntes and artycles be true for I the auctoure of this booke haue ben sufficyently enfourmed therof by the nobles of Portyngale it is a thynge to be meruayled at to make a bastarde a kynge they of Portyngale saye and as yet sayth that the quene of Castel the lady Bâ—autryce doughter to the lady Elynour of Coygne was a bastarde therfore they wolde not take her as quene of Portyngale nor none heyre that came of her the same opynyon the erle of Foys layde to the knyghtes of his countrey when they wente in to Spayne to ayde the kynge of Castel for he had ben suffycyently infourmed in the matter bytwene Portyngale and Castel wherfore he sayd to theÌ„ at theyr departyng Syrs ye haue nothynge to do to busy yourselfe bytwene Castell and Portyngale for the quene of Castell who was doughter to kynge Ferant of Portyngale it is a warre euyll begon there maye moche euyl come to them that be busye in that matter but they answered hym syth they had receyued wages of suche a man as the kynge of Castell was they must nedes go and serue hym and so they wente moost parte of them there dyed as ye haue herde here before NOwe let vs retourne to the busynes of Portyngale For they be not for to be lefte for the grete aduentures that there hathe falleÌ„ And to cronycle al thynges as they haue fallen to the entente that in tyme to come they sholde be founde wryten and regystred yf aduentures were not knowen it were grete domage And by clerkes that auncyently haue wryten and regystred the hystoryes and bookes therby the hystories are knowen there is not so perpetuall a memory as is wrytynge truely I saye to you wyll that they that come after me sholde knowe that for to knowe the trouth of this hystory I haue taken therin grete payne in my dayes and haue serched many royalmes and countreys to knowe the trouthe and haue had acquayntauÌ„ce of many valyaunt meÌ„ and haue sene dyuers bothe of Fraunce of Englonde of Scotlande Castell Portyngale of other landes Duchyes and Countyes suche as they and theyr landes hath ben conioyned in these warres with them I haue spoken and ben instructed and infourmed and I wolde not that ony enquest sholde passe vnknowen syth I knewe it to be true and notable And whyle I was in Byerne with the erle Gaston of Foys I was there enfourmed of dyuers busynesses suche as fell bytwene Castell and Portyngale and when I was retourned agayne in to my countrey in the countye of Heynalte and in the towne of Valencennes and that I had refresshed me there a season then I determyned me to folowe the hystory that I had begon then I aduysed in myne ymagynacyon howe I coulde not suffycyently be instructed by the herynge of them that susteyned the opynyon of the kynge of Castell but that in lykewyse I ought to here the Portyngales as well as the Gascoynes and Spanyardes that I herde in the house of the erle of Foys and in the waye goynge thyder and retournynge I toke noo regarde to the payne or trauayle of my body but so I wente to Bruges in Flaundres to fynde there some of that royalme of Portyngale and of Lyxbone for there were euer some of yâ— countrey beholde if myne aduenture were good or no yf I had sought a season .vii. yere I coulde not haue come to a better poynte then I dyd then for then it was shewed me that if I wolde go to Meldeboure in Selande I sholde fynde there a knyght of Portyngale a valyaunt man and a sage and of the kynge of Portyngales counsayle who was newly come thyder was goynge thens by see in to Pruce howe he coulde iustly and playnly shewe me of the busynes and aduentures of Portyngale for he knewe had ben ouer all the countrey These tydynges reioysynge me and so I wente fro Bruges with one of Portyngale in my company who knewe ryght wel this knyght and so we came to Sluse and there toke the see and dyd so moche by the grace of god that we came to meldeboure and the Portyngales that were in my company aquaynted me with this knyght and I founde hym ryght gracyous sage honourable courtoys amyable and acquayntable so I was with hym .vi. dayes or there aboute And this knyght enfourmed me of all the busynes bytwene the royalme of Castel and Portyngale syth the dethe of kynge Ferant tyll the departynge of that knyght out of that countrey he shewed me euery thynge so playnly and so gracyously that I toke grete pleasure to here hym and to wryte it And when I was enfourmed by hym of all that I desyred to knowe I toke leue of hym and he conueyed me to my shyp so dyd dyuers other ryche merchauntes of his countrey who were come fro Bruges fro other places to se hym in his company there was the sone of Nauarre in Portyngale dyuers other knyghtes and squyers of that royalme but he had the chefe honoure amonge them certaynly by that I coulde se and ymagyne of hym and of his estate he was worthy to haue honour for he was of noble porte and goodly stature and lykely to be a valyaunt man And wheÌ„ I retourne agayne fro Rome in to myne owne countrey I shall busy me to make relacyon of the wordes of this gentyll knyght called syr IohnÌ„ Ferant Porteler and shall cronycle all that hathe fallen in Portyngale and in Castell vnto the yere of our lorde M.CCC.lxxx and x. ¶ Howe they of Portyngale sent out messageres in to Englonde to shewe tydynges of theyr couÌ„trey to the kynge of Englonde and to the grete lordes there Ca. xliii HOwe sheweth the hystory that after this mayster Denys kyng IohnÌ„ of Portyngale had dyscomfyted kynge
you from your husbande or I mary you The lady coulde gete none other wordes of the kynge and she shewed all the matter to her husbande and when that knyght knewe therof he was sory and maleneolyous and regarded and studyed what were best for hym to do and sayd to hymselfe I wyll not thus leue my wyfe howbeit he doubted the kynge and wente out of the royalme of Portyngale into Castell to kynge Henry who receyued hym and reteyned hym to be of his house as longe as he lyued and soo dothe kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is Thus the kynge of Portyngale to accomplysshe his folysshe pleasure sente for the knyght and for the lady but the knyght was goone Then the kynge sente for the bysshophe of Connymbres who was as then chauncelloure of Portyngale and of the kynges counsayle and the kynge shewed hym his entent how he wolde wedde Elyanoure of Coygne and the bysshop fered the kynge bycause he knewe hym of an hyghe and a fyerce condycyon therfore he durst not saye contrary to the kynges pleasure and also syr IohnÌ„ Ferant Audere who was chefe of counsayle with the kynge to please the kynge ayd to the bysshop Syr ye may wed them wel ynoughe ones the kynge shal make recompence for all so the bysshop wedded them this lady was crowned quene so reputed in al the grete Cytees in Portyngale and had as moche honoure and reuerence as euer hadde ony other quene in the royalme of Portyngale and the kynge had by her a doughter who as nowe is quene of Castell True it was that whyle kynge Ferant lyued he sente on a day to Lyxbone for all the prelates and noble men of the countrey and for the counsayles of the Cytees portes and townes of Portyngale and this was or your broder the erle of Cambrydge came in to Portyngale and there the kynge made euery man to swere and to promyse that after his dyssease they sholde take his doughter the lady Beautryce Who was as then but fyue yeres of aege for herytoure of the royalme of Portyngale euery man sware whether they wolde or not Howbeit the moost parte of them that were there knewe ryght well that she was but a bastarde and borne in aduoutrye for her moders husbande was styll lyuynge called syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of Coygne who lyued in Castell with the kynge there as longe as kynge Ferant of Portyngale lyued and lenger how bert syr I thynke surely yf the kynges doughter had ben a sone that all the comonaltye of Portyngale wolde soner haue agreed to hym theÌ„ to his doughter For to her they sayd they wolde neuer agree but had rather dye then to be vnder the subiectyon of the royalme of Castell ¶ For as yet the royalme of Portyngale and the royalme of Castell neuer loued parfytely togyder But hathe often tymes haryed and made warre eche with other In lykewyse as the royalme of Scotlande dothe with that royalme of Englonde THen the duke of Lancastre demaunded of Laurence Fongase where kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is broder to kynge Ferrant was in kynge Ferrantes dayes Syr sayd the squyer he was in the royalme of Portyngale in a house of relygyon wherin be knyghtes of an ordre in whyte habytes with a reed crosse and he was souerayne of that house and was called mayster Deuyce The kynge set lytell by his broder but made hym ruler of that house of Denyce nor also kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is medled nothynge with the busynes of the royalme nor thought nothyng of the crowne therof For yf kynge Ferrant of Portyngale had thought ony thynge of that is fallen syth he loued his lady Elyanoure the lady Beautryce her doughter he wolde haue slayne his broder who is nowe kynge but bycause he sawe that he kepte his house with the bretherne of his ordre so mekely and duely he had no suspecte in hym but so let hym lyue in peas And syr as for the dyssencyon that is nowe bytwe-Portyngale and Castell surely syr to saye the trouthe therin the Spanyardes are cause ther of Why so sayd the duke I shall shewe you sayd the squyer The Castellyans when they sawe that kynge Ferrant had maryed his doughter to theyr kynge then they began to be prowde and began to speke grete wordes whiche sore greueo the Portyngales for the Spanyardes wolde say Oye Portyngales rude people lyke beestes The tyme nowe is come that we shall haue a good market of you for ye haue ben and shall be ours we shall deuyde and set you in companyes as we do the Iues who dwelleth by truage vnder vs ye shall be our subiectes with other venymous wordes often tymes they sayd thus when they met the Portyngales And whyle kynge Ferrant lyued had maryed his doughter in to Castell they engendred suche an hate that they murmured and sayd it were better to be deed theÌ„ to be vnder the daunger and subieccyon of the Castellyans and so kynge Ferrant fell syke whiche endured a hole yere And when he was deed and buryed in the chyrche of saynt Fraunce a relygyous house of freers in the cyte of Lyxbone Then the cytees good townes and castelles in Portyngale closed theyr gates they sente for the kynge that nowe is to Lyxbone who knewe ryght well the ententes of the .iii. other cytees as Connymbres Porte and Eure. Then they sayd Mayster Deuyce so he was called as then We wyll make you kynge of this royalme thoughe ye be a bastarde but we say that your cosyn the lady Beautryce quene of Castell is borne rather a basterde than you for as yet lyueth her moders fyrst husbande And syth it is so that the crowne of Portyngale is fallen in two wayes we wyll take for vs the moost profytable and also the moost parte of the royalme enclyneth to make you our kynge and that the crowne of Portyngale shall not go to a woman nor we wyll not be vnder the subieccyon of the kynge of Castell nor of the Castellyans we had rather ye sholde take all that we haue to ayde and to maynteyne vs and our fraunches theÌ„ the Castellyans sholde be maysters ouer vs wherfore syr receyue our gyfte for we wyl it shal be thus then this mayster Denyce who is as nowe kynge wolde not receyue theyr offre at the fyrst nor seconde request but answered and sayd Good people I knowe well of good affeccyon and entyer loue ye offre me the crowne of Portyngale whiche is a grete thynge and where as ye saye that I haue as grete ryght or more to the crowne as my coâ—yn the quene of Castell In lykewyse I thynke the same for true it is she is a basterde for as yet lyueth her moders husbande and is in Castel but there is one poynte ye all alone can not do this matter it behoueth that al the nobles or grete parte of them agre therto theÌ„ they of Lyxbone answered and sayd syr we haue ynowe We knowe all redy
the quene her doughter for she was in suche fray by the dethe of her knyght syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere that she thought no lenger to abyde in Portyngale for she sawe she coulde haue there no ther honoure nor rest then she caused mayster Denyce now kynge to be desyred to suffre her to departe and he lyghtly agreed therto and sayd howe that it pleased hym well that she sholde peparte for he sayd she had good cause soo to do The lady departed fro Lyxbone with all her company and she rode so longe by her iourneys that she came to Syuyll where the kynge of Castell and the quene laye and the same season that this lady came thyder there were assembled nere all the nobles of Castell for there they had a grete counsayle on the busynes for Portyngale for kynge IohnÌ„ there toke counsayle howe he myght do scynge the royalme of Portyngale was fallen to hym by successyon by the dethe of kynge Ferrant fader to the quene his wyfe Who agreed or he dyed that it sholde so be and all the countrey in lyke wyse This lady Elyanoure was receyued with the kynge and with the quene her doughter ryght honourably as it was reason Then she was examyned of all the busynes in Portyngale and she shewed them the trouthe of that she hadde sene and knowen and also she sayd howe that it well appered that by all lykelyhede the comons of Portyngale wolde crowne to theyr kynge mayster Denyce with out the kynge of Castell there agaynst made resystence and defence and for that cause they hadde slayne her knyght syr IhonÌ„ Ferrant of Audere bycause he susteyned and alwayes he had done the kynge of Castelles quarell and in all that this lady sayd she was wel byleued for they sawe it well apparent And also certayne barons and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale suche as hadde better affeccyon to the kynge of Castell thenne to she kynge that nowe is bycause of kynge Ferrantes doughter and for to accomplysshe and fulfyll theyr othes that they had made to the kynge of Castell at the desyre of theyr kynge IohnÌ„ Ferrant when he gaue his doughter in maryage to the kynge of Castell therfore to acquyte theyr promyse they departed out of the royalme of Portyngale and wente in to Castell and lefte theyr owne landes and herytages on the aduenture to recouer them agayne as the erle Alphons Seroll the grete pryour of saynt IhnÌ„s in Portyngale syr Delagare his broder Ange Syluaste of Geneull IohnÌ„ Aussall and dyuers other to the nombre of .xxv. Wherby the royalme of Portyngale was sore febled and the royalme of Castell enforced Then the kynge of Castell made his somons thrughe out all his royalme that all noble men and all other able to bere armure bytwene .xv. and .xl. sholde in all hast come to hym in to the felde of Sebyll for he sayd he wolde with puyssaunce entre in to the royalme of Portyngale and conquere it as his owne herytage at his commaundement euery man obeyed as it was reason for suche as helde of hym and so they came to the felde of Sebyll and there assembled to the nombre of .lx. M. men of one and other ANd when syr Laurence of Coygne husbande to the lady Elyanoure whome kynge Ferrant of Portyngale toke to his wyfe and was quene of Portyngale vnderstode that she was come out of Portyngale in to Castell Then he wente to certayne of the kynge of Castelles counsayle and sayd to them as in demaundynge of them counsayle My lordes and my grete frendes howe shall I do with Elyamoure my wyfe who is come out of Portyngale in to this countrey I knowe ryght well kynge Ferrant toke her by force agaynst her wyll and nowe kynge Ferrant is deed and ye knowe well by reason I ought to haue my wyfe agayne what counsayle wyll ye gyue me therin and suche as he spake vnto gaue hym counsayle and sayd IohnÌ„ we counsayle you to make no scâ—â—blaunt therof nor demaunde her not agayne nor take her not for if ye do ye shall gretely abate the honoure of the lady and also blemyssheth the honoure of the quene of Castell her doughter for then ye sholde make her worse then a basterde ye se howe the kyng of Castell wyll demaunde and thynke to conquere the royalme of Portyngale as his owne ryghtfull herytage by the ryght of his wyfe Thus ye shode open clerely whiche is nowe somwhat in doubte and trouble and without ye take good hede it wyll cost you your lyfe yf ye make the quene of Castel a bastarde for they of this countrey susteyne her quarell and say that she was borne in iust maryage by dyspensacyon of the pope Well sayd the knyght then what is it best for me to do we shall shewe you sayd they the best that we thynke is that as sone as ye can gete you out of Castell and go agayne to your enherytaunce in to Portyngale leue the lady Elyanoure here with her doughter we se none other saufegarde for you but this by my fayth sayd the knyght I byleue you well for ye counsayle me truely and lyke good frendes So this syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of Coygne taryed not longe after in Castell but departed and wente to Lyxbone there he founde mayster Denyce now kynge and sayd how he was come to serue hym and wolde be vnder his obeysaunce for he wolde take hym for his kynge Mayster Denyce had grete ioye sayd howe he was welcome to hym so gaue hym agayne all his herytage and made hym capytayne of Lyxbone Thus syr as I haue shewed you fell the busynes bytwene Portyngale and Castell ¶ Howe Laurence Fongase ambassadoure fro the kynge of Portyngale in to Englonde shewed to the duke of Lancastre the maner of the dyscorde that was bytwene the royalmes of Castell Portyngale Ca. xliiii THe duke of Lancastre toke grete pleasure to 〈◊〉 Laurence Fongase speâ—â— he spake so attemperaciâ—â—â—o good Frensshe and 〈◊〉 bycause the matter touchâ—â— hym nere and to the enâ—eâ—â— that he wolde come to the botom of his desyâ—â— he sayd Laurence speke on hardely I 〈◊〉 harde no straunger speke this two yere thaâ— had rather here speke then you for ye go toâ— trouthe of the matter Also the letters that 〈◊〉 haue brought to me fro the kynge of Portyngale testefyeth howe there is nothynge thâ—â— hath ben done bytwene Portyngale and Castell but that ye can iustly informe me therâ— â–ª Syr sayd the squyer lytell thynge hath theâ—â— ben done as in dedes of armes but that I haue ben at them wherfore I can well speke of them and syth it is your pleasure and volante that I shall pursewe my wordes I shall shewe you euery thynge as I knowe Thus as I shewed you before kynge IohnÌ„ of Castel assâ—bled his people as soone as he myght and so came with a grete puysaunce and strength towardes Lyxbone or the kynge of Portyngale that nowe is
nyght at Ercyell and the nexte nyght at Tarbe he rode that daye a grete iourney and then he determyned to sende fro thens to syr Wyllyam of Lygnac and soo he dyd aduertysynge hym howe he had spedde with the erle of Foyze and desyrynge hym to come on forwarde with all theyr companyes and shewynge hym howe the countrey of Byerne and all the good townes sholde be open payenge trewely for that they take or elles not ¶ This messagere dydde soo moche that he came to Thoulouse and dydde his message and delyuered his letters ¶ And when syr wyllyam hadde redde the contynewe hereof he made it to be knowen to all his company that they sholde set on forwarde soo that as soone as they entred ony parte of the erle of Foyze lande to pay for euery thynge that they sholde take elles theyr capytaynes to answere for euery thynge this was cryed by the sounde of a trompet fro lodgynge to lodgynge to the entente that euery man sholde knowe it then euery man dyslodged out of the marches of Tholouse Carcassone Lymous and of Marbon and so entred in to Bygore and syr Wyllyam of Lygnac toke his hors and rode to Tarbe to syr Gaultyer his companyon and there made good chere togyder and theyr bandes and rowâ—es passed by and assembled togyder in Bygore to ryde in company thrughe the countrey of Byerne to passe at Ortays the ryuer of Gaure whiche renneth to Bayon AT the yssuynge out of the countrey of Byerne is the entre of the countrey of Bâ—squey in the whiche countrey as then the kyng of englande helde grete landes in the bysshopryches of Burdeaus Bayon there were a .lxxx. townes with steples that helde of the kynge of englande when they vnderstode of the passage of these frensshmen thrugh theyr countrey they were in doubte of ouer rynnynge brennynge exylynge for as then there were no men of war of theyr partye in all that countrey to defende theyr fronters the sage men drewe togyder sente to trete with the frensshe capytaynes and to bye theyr peas then they sent to Ortays .iiii. men hauynge auctoryte to make theyr peas These .iiii. men met by the way with a squyer of the erle of Foyze called Ernalton du Pyn shewed hym all theyr matter desyrynge hym to helpe theÌ„ to speke with syr Gaultyer of Passac and syr Wyllyam of Lygnac when they came to Ortays whiche sholde be within .iii. or .iiii. dayes after and to helpe to ayde to make theyr peas he answered that he wolde do so with a good wyll The nyght that the capytaynes came to Ortays they were lodged at the same squyers house and there he ayded them of Bysquey to make theyr apoyntment and they to pay .ii. M. frankes and theyr countrey saued fro brennynge and robbynge the erle of Foyze gaue a dyuer to these capytaynes and to syr Wyllyam of Lygnac a fayre courser the nexte daye they passed to Sameterre and entred in to the countrey of Bysquey whiche was redemed they toke vytayles where as they myght gete it and so passed thrughe the countrey without doyng of ony other domage so came to saynt IohnÌ„s de Pye of Porte at the entre of Nauare ¶ Howe syr IohnÌ„ Holande and syr Raynolde de Roy fought togyder in lystes before the duke of Lancastre in the towne of Besances Ca. lxxviii Here before ye haue herde howe the towne of Besaâ—ces was put in composycyon with the duke of Lancastre and howe it was yelden vp to hym for the kynge of Castell dyd comforte it nothynge and howe the duches of Lancastre and her doughter came to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale to se the kynge the quene there and howe the kynge and the lordes there receyued them ioyfully as it was reason and thus whyle the duke of Lancastre soiourned in the towne of Besances tydynges came thyder fro Valeolyue brought by an heraulde of fraunce who demaunded where was the lodgynge of syr IohnÌ„ Holande and so he was brought thyder then he kneled downe before hym and delyuered hym a letter and sayd syr I am an offycer of armes sent hyder to you fro syr Raynolde du Roy who saluteth you yf it please you to rede your letter then syr IohnÌ„ sayd with ryght a good wyll and thou arte ryght welcome and opened his letter and redde it wherin was conteyned howe syr Raynolde du Roy desyred hym in the way of amours and for the loue of his lady to delyuer hym of his chalenge iii. courses with a spere .iii. strokes with a sworde iii. with a dagger and .iii. with an axe that if it wolde please hym to come to Valeolyue he wolde prouyde for hym .lx. horse a sure saufcoÌ„duyte yf not he wolde come to Besances with .xxx. horses so that he wolde gete for hym a saufcondyte of the duke of Lancanstre When syr IohnÌ„ Holande had red these letters he began to smyle behelde the heraulde sayd frende thou arte welcome thou hast brought me tydynges that pleaseth me ryght wel I accepte his desyre thou shalte obyde here in my house with my company to morowe thou shalte haue answere where our armes shal be accomplysshed outher in Galyce or in Castell syr sayd the heraulde as it pleaseth god you ¶ The heraulde was there at his ease and syr IohnÌ„ wente to the duke and founde hym talkynge with the marshall then he shewed them his tydynges and the letters Well sayd the duke and haue ye accepted his desyre ye truely syr sayd he and I desyre nothynge so moche as dedes of armes and the knyght hath desyred me but nowe syr where shall it be your pleasure that we doo our armes the duke studyed a lytell and then sayd I wyll that they be done in this towne make a saufconduyte for hym as it shall please you and I shall seale it In the name of god sayd syr IohnÌ„ that is well sayd the saufcondyte was wryten for hym .xxx. knyghtes and squyers to come saufe and go saufe then syr IohnÌ„ Holande delyuered it to the heraulde and gaue hym a mantell furred with myneuer and .xii. aungell nobles The heraulde toke his leue and retourned to Valeolyue to his mayster and there shewed howe he had sped and delyuered the saufconduyte on the other parte tydynges came to the cyte of Porte to the kynge of Portyngale and to the ladyes there howe that these dedes of armes sholde be done at Besances Well sayd the kynge I wyll be therat and the quene my wyfe with other ladyes and damoyselles the duches of Lancastre who was as then there thanked the kynge in that she sholde at her retourne be accompanyed with the kynge and with the quene it was not longe after but the tyme approched Then the kynge of Portyngale the quene the duches and her other doughter with other ladyes and damoyselles rode â—orth in grete aray towarde Besances when the duke of
accusynge of them as he had doone before tyme trustynge therby to scape and to bringe them in the daunger and payne but that was nat the mynde of them that loued hym nat so as at that tyme they spake no more but departed and the duke of Lancastre went to his lodgynge and suffred the mayre and the men of lawe to procede They went to the Guyldhall where as all the maters of the cytie were determyned and than moche people asseÌ„bled there Whan they sawe the gouernours of the cytie go thyder they thought some iustice shulde be done as there was in dede I shall shewe you howe Fyrste the artycles that were made agaynst the kynge the whiche had been redde before hym in the towre were redde agayne there openly And it was shewed by hym that redde them howe the kynge hymselfe denyed none of them but confessed that he dyd theym by the counsayle of four knightes of his chambre and howe by their counsayle he had put to dethe the duke of Gloucestre and the erle of AruÌ„dell sir Thomas Corbet and other and howe they had longe encyted the kynge to do those dedes whiche dedes they sayd were nat to be forgyuen but demaunded punycion for by them and their couÌ„sayle the iustyce of right was closed vp through all the courtes of Englande Westmynster and other wherby many yuell dedes folowed and companyes and rowtes of theues and murderers rose and assembled togyther in dyuers parties of the realme and robbed marchauntes by the wayes and poore men in their houses by whiche meanes the realme was in great parell to haue ben lost without recouery and it is to be ymagyned that fynally the wolde haue rendred Calais or Guysnes or bothe in to the frenchmennes handes These wordes thus shewed to the people made many to be abasshed and many beganne to murmure and sayd These causes demaunde punycion that all other may take ensample therby and Rycharde of Burdeaur to be deposed for he is nat worthy to beare a crowne but ought to be depriued fro all honour and to be kept all his lyfe in prison with breed and water Though some of the villaynes murmured other said on hygh sir mayre of London and ye other that haue iustyce in your handes to mynyster execute iustyce for we wyll ye spare no man for ye se well the case that ye haue shewed vs demauÌ„deth iustyce in coÌ„tynent for they are iudges vpon their owne dedes Than the mayre and other of the gouernours of the lawe went togyther in to the chambre of iudgement than these four knyghtes were iudged to dye and were iudged to be had to the foote of the towre where as kynge Richarde was that he might se them drawen alonge by the dyke with horses eche after other throughe the cytie in to chepesyde and than there heedes stryken of there and sette vpon London bridge and there bodyes drawen to the gybet and there hanged THis iudgement gyuen they were delyuered to execucyon for the mayre of London and suche as were deputed to the mater wente fro the Guyldhall to the towre and toke out the four knyghtes of the kynges whose names were called sir Bernarde Brokas syr Marelays mayster IohnÌ„ Derby receyuour of Lyncolne and mayster Stell the kynges stewarde Eche of theÌ„ were tyed to two horses in the presence of them that were in the towre and the kynge myght well se it out at the wyndowes wherwith he was sore descomforted for all other that were there with the kynge loked to be in the same case they knewe them of London so cruell Thus these four knyghtes were drawen one after another a longe through the cyte tyll they came in to chepe and there on a fysshers stall their heedes were stryken of and set vpon London bridge and their bodyes drawen by the shulders to the gybet and there hanged vp This iustyce thus doone euery man went to their lodgynges Kynge Rycharde knowyng him selfe taken and in the daunger of the londoners was in great sorowe in his herte and rekened his puyssaunce nothynge for he sawe howe euery man was agaynste hym and if there were any that ought hym any fauour it laye nat than in their powers to do hym any ayde nor they durste nat shewe it Suche as were with the kynge sayde Syr we haue but small trust in our lyues as it may well apere for whan your cosyn of Lancastre came to the castell of Flynte and with your owne good wyll ye yelded you to hym and he promysed that you and twelue of yours shuld be his prisoners and haue no hurte and nowe of those twelue four be executed shamfully we are like to passe the same way The cause is these londoners who hath caused the duke of Lancastre your cosyn to do this dede had hym so sore bounde to them that he muste do as they wyll haue hym God dothe moche for vs if he suffre that we myght dye here our naturall deth and nat a shamfull dethe It is great pytie to thynke on this With those wordes kyng Rycharde began teÌ„derly to wepe and wringe his handes and cursed the houre that euer he was borne rather than to haue suche an ende Suche as were aboute hym had great pytie and recomforted hym as well as they might One of his knyghtes sayd Syr it behoueth you to take comforte we se well and so do you that this worlde is nothyng the fortunes ther of are marueylous and somtyme tourne as well vpon kinges and princes as vpon poore men The frenche kynge whose doughter ye haue maryed canne nat nowe ayde you he is to farre of if ye myght scape this myschefe by dyssimulacyon and saue your lyfe and ours it were a good enterprise peraduenture with in a yere or two there wolde be had some recouery Why ê™ the kynge what wolde ye that I shulde do there is nothynge but I wolde be glad to do it to saue vs therby Syr quod the knyght we se for trouthe that these londoners wyll crowne your cosyn of Lancastre as kynge and for that entent they sent for hym and so haue ayded hym and do it is nat possyble for you to lyue without ye consent that he be crowned kynge wherfore syr we wyll counsayle you to the entent to saue your lyfe and ours that whan your cosyn of Lancastre coÌ„meth to you to demaunde any thynge than with swete and treatable wordes say to hym howe that ye wyll resygne to hym the crowne of Englande and all the ryght that ye haue in the realme clerely and purely in to his handes and howe that ye wyll that he be kynge therby ye shall greatly apease him and the londoners also and desyre hym effectuously to suffre you to lyue and vs also with you or els euery man a parte as it shall please him or els to banisshe vs out of the realme for euer for he that leseth his lyfe leseth all Kynge Rycharde herde those wordes well and fyxed them surelye in
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 auauÌ„ce 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 reqÌ„st 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 CoÌ„sydring in my selfe howe there was no great dedes of armes likely towarde in the parties of Picardy or FlauÌ„ders 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 thaÌ„ke god I haue vnderstandyng and remembrauÌ„ce 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 coÌ„sydred I thought I wolde nat lette to pursue my sayde first purpose And to â—â—tent to knowe the trouthe of dedes done in 〈◊〉 countrieâ— I founde occasion to go to the â—â—ghe 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 straÌ„ge 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 recoÌ„mendacions to therle of Foiz And so rong I tode without parell or domage that I caÌ„e to his house called Ortaise in the couÌ„tre 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 couÌ„tre 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 câ—uâ—nant that Iohan to recouer our herytage So thus we become byder paradueÌ„ture 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 â—enture that ye lese the â—elde 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 tâ—e 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 hâ—m câ—uÌ„sayle that were nat after his apetyte and specially theâ—le of Orâ—forde 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 â—fye 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 ceÌ„quere 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 warâ—e on all sydes as well by Fraunce as by Scotlande rather than to enploy your tyme in
freer Iohn̄ the Cardynalles that were in his presence Syrs thus shall it fall on you of the chyrche for the Emperour of Rome and of Almayne and the other kynges crystened hyghe prynces of the worlde haue gyuen you the goodes possessyons ryches to the entente to serue god and ye spende it in pryde and superfluyte ¶ ye rede not the lyfe of saynt Syluester pope of Rome after saynt Peter ymagyne and consyder howe the Emperour Cōstantyne gaue hym fyrst the dysmes of the chyrche and on what condycyon Saynt Syluester rode nother with CC. nor CCC horse abrode in the worlde but he helde hymselfe symply closed in Rome and lyued soberly with them of the chyrche when the aungell of god shewed hym how the Emperour Coustātyne who was as then but an infydell sholde fende for hym in lykewyse the Emperour had it by reuelacyon of an aungell that Syluester sholde shewe hym the way of helthe for he was syke of the lypper so that his fless he fell in peces whē Syluester came before hym he shewed hym the way of baptyme so crystened hym and incontynent he was hole for the whiche the Emperoure Constantyne byleued in god and all his Empyre and gaue to Syluester to the chyrche all the dysmes for before the Emperoure of Rome helde them and besyde that gaue hym many fayre gyftes grete sygnyoryes augmentynge out fayth and the chyrche but it was his entencyon that the goodes and syguyoryes that he had gyuē hym that he sholde gouerne it humbly and truely and not to spēde it in pompe and pryde but nowe a dayes they of the chyrche do the contrary wherwith god is dyspleased and hereafter wyll be more dyspleased so that the grete lordes of the erthe wyll ware colde in theyr deuocyons and not be so lyberall in gyuynge ony thynge to the chirche But rather to be redy to take fro it that was gyuen before and I thynke it wyll not be longe or this besene ¶ Thus this freer Iohn̄ of Roche tayllayd whome the cardynalles helde in pryson in Auignyon shewed to them these wordes and dyuers other wherof the cardynalles were abasshed and wolde gladly haue put hym to dethe yf they myght haue founde ony iust cause agaynst hym But they coulde fynde none so suffred hym to lyue but they durst not let hym out of pryson for he shewed his matters so parfyte and layde for hym hyghe scryptures that peraduenture he myght haue made many in the worlde to haue arred Howbeit suche as toke more hede to his sayenge then I dyde sawe many thynges fall after accordynge as he sayd and wrote in pryson all that he sayd he wolde proue by the apocalyps the true prowes wherwith he armed hymselfe who saued hym fro brennynge and also some of the Cardynalles had pyte on hym and wolde not do theyr vttermoost to hym NOwe let vs leue to speke of these narracyons and retourne to our pryncypall matter hystory of Spayne of Portyngale of Fraunce and of Englonde and recorde the fortunes that fell in that season whiche be not to be forgotten ¶ ye haue herde here before howe kynge Iohn otherwyse called mayster denyce of portyngale bastarde broder to kyng Don Ferant was in possessyon of the royalme of Portyngale by the helpe all onely of .iiii. Cytees in Portyngale But as for the nobles and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale at the begynnynge acquyted them truely to kynge Don Peter to kynge Iohn̄ of Castell and to his wyfe the lady Beatryce yet thoughe some helde the opynyon of that lady neuerthelesse other named her a bastarde for she was doughter to a lady in Portyngale called Elynoure who had as then her fyrst husbande on lyue a knyght of that countre syr Iohn̄ Laurence of Coygne and the kynge of Portyngale had taken her fro hym and the kynge maryed her and put her husbande out of Portyngale who wente and dwelled with the kynge of Castell for he durst not dwell in Portyngale for fere of the kynge who helde his wyse yet he was of hyghe lygnage These thynges are to be meruaylled at For kynge Ferant of Portyngale reputed his doughter as lawfully begotten for he had a dyspensacyon of pope Vrban the .vi. And then the peas was made bytwene the .ii. kynges of Castell Portyngale that a knyght of the royalme of Portyngale called syr Iohn̄ Ferant Andere who was chefe of counsayle with the kynge of Portyngale treated of peas and made the mariage bytwene kynge Ferant of Portyngalles doughter and kynge Iohn̄ of Castell who was as thē a wyddower and had maryed before the doughter of Don Peter kynge of Aragon thoughe the kynge of Castell his counsayle dyd cast all these doubtes and howe they fered lest the kynge of Portingales doughter sholde not be taken as heyre of Portyngale after her faders dysseas but to put in suretye therof the kynge of Castell the kynge of Portyngale caused dyuers of the chefe lordes of Portyngale to swere that after the kynges dysseas to take her as theyr lady to tourne the royalme of Portyngale to the kynge of Castel Also the kynge of Portyngale had bounde certayne good townes to the kynge of Castel to take hym as theyr kynge on the payne of forfayture of .ii. thousande frankes thoughe this knyght Iohan Ferant Andere dyde his busynes for a good entente to make peas concorde bytwene Castell and Portyngale at the instaunce of his lorde yet the comons of Lyrbone slewe hym and chase to theyr kynge this mayster Deuyce for they sayd they wolde not be vnder the subiectyon of them of Castell they hated them so moche for they coulde neuer loue togyder also they sayd that the crowne of Portyngale myght not go to a woman and that the quene of Castell was not true herytour but a bastarde worse then a bastarde for kynge Ferantes lyuynges and after his dethe Iohan Ferant of Coygne lyued who was husbande to that ladyes moder and therfore they chase this mayster Denyce and was crowned by these .iiii. Cytees Lyrbone Vyc Eure and the porte of Portyngale they sayd they wolde haue a kynge amonge them one of the chefe incydentes that moued the comons to be agaynst the kynge of Castell was as I shall shewe you The Spanyardes whom I call Castellyans when the maryage was made bytwene them and Portyngale and that the kynge of Portyngale had graunted that after his dysseas the royalme sholde go to the kyng of Castell euer when the Spanyardes mette ony of the Portyngales they wolde mocke thē and say syrs whether ye wyll or not nowe ye shall come to our daunger we shall holde you vnder subiectyon and seruage and kepe you lyke slaues and Iues and do with you as we lyst they wolde answere saye they trusted that sholde neuer be neuer to be vnder subiectyon of ony other man lyuyng excepte god and for suche causes
was crowned to put the Portyngales in feare and to shewe howe he hadde ryght to the herytage of Portyngale And so fyrst he came before saynt yrayne whiche was the entre of Portyngale there he rested two dayes they of the towne with the gouernours therof were in grete feare with his comynge bycause of the grete nombre of men of warre that were with hym and soo they yelded vp theyr towne to hym And after he had taken theyr possessyon and lefte men of armes to kepe the towne for feare of rebellyon Then he departed with all his oost and soo wente tyll he came before the towne of Tuy whiche was ryght stronge there he layde his syege and a grete parte of them of Tuy helde with the quene of Castell For the lady Elyanoure had it lymytted to her for her dowry Wherfore lyghtely they yelded them to the kynge of Castell and became his subiectes and was vnder his obeysaunce And when the kynge of Castell hadde taken possessyon there he lefte men of armes to kepe it And when he hadde soo done he passed the ryuer and wente to the towne of Valencennes in Portyngale and thereto layde his syege and he sente his messagere vnto them that were whithin that they sholde yelde them and theyr towne vnto hym And they of Valence answered and sayd let the kynge of Castell passe forth and go to Lixbone and as soone as they myght knowe that he hath wonne that cyte outher by loue feare or perforce that then incontynente they wolde delyuer vp the keyes of theyr towne to hym This answere pleased ryght well the kynge of Castell and so departed fro Valence In lykewise dyd they of another cyte called Serpe whiche was stronge and fayre the kyng thought to haue gone thyder but when he knewe theyr composycyon he was content and came not there but so toke the waye to Lyxbone for he knewe yf he myght subdue that cyte he sholde haue all the resydue of the countrey at his case and where soeuer he wente he had with hym the quene his wyfe to shewe therby to the Portyngales that the ryght was his and that by good and iust cause he wolde conquere his wyâ—â—es herytage THus kyng IohnÌ„ of Castell came with all his oost before Lyxbone and there layde a grete syege shewed wel by his syege that he wolde not departe thens tyll he had the cyte at his pleasure and gretly thretened mayster Denyce who was within the cyte and sayd howe that yf he myght gete hym he sholde dye an euyll dethe and all the rebelles with hym The kynge of Castelles oost was grete for he had moche people for the Spanyardes and Frensshe men that were there closed so the Cyte aboute that none coulde yssue out nor entre with out he were taken or slayne somtyme it fell by skyrmysshes and otherwyse that the Spanyardes toke some Portyngales then the Spanyardes wolde put out theyr eyen or stryke of a fote or an arme or some other membre and so sente them in agayne in to the cyte commauÌ„dynge them to saye that they dyd they dyd in dyspyte of the Lyxbonoys and of theyr mayster Denyce whom they wolde make theyr kynge and also shewe them playnly that we shall holde this syege here so longe that we shall haue them perforce by famyne or otherwyse then they shall all dye an euyll dethe and set fyre on the cyte without mercy or pyre And when the Lyxbonoys toke ony of them they dyd not so for the kynge that nowe is of Portyngale made them to be well kepte at theyr ease so sent them agayne in to the oost without ony hurte or domage of theyr persones wherfore some sayd in the oost that it was done of a grete gentylnes for he rendred good for euyll And syr whyle this syege endured whiche was an hole yere and more euery weke there was one or two skyrmysshes and dedes of armes done some hurte and slayne on the one parte or on the other The kynge of Castell helde as well his syege by water as by lande and had plente of vytaylles for it came to his oost from all partyes out of Castell and on a day it happened at a skyrmysshe that was made at one of the gates syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of coygne who was capytayne of the Cyte yssued out of the barryers with his penon of the armes of Coygne before hym and with hym a good nombre of propre men of warre and at that skirmysshe there was done many a propre feate of armes and many a darte cast By my fayth sayd the duke of Lancastre of all the feates of armes that the Castellyans and they of your countrey dothe vse the castynge of theyr dartes best pleaseth me gladly I wolde se it for as I here say yf they stryke one aryght without he be well armed the darte wyll perce hym thrughe by my fayth syr sayd the squyer ye saye trouthe for I haue sene many a grete stroke gyuen with them whiche at one tyme cost vs derely and was to vs grete dyspleasure for at the sayd skyrmysshe syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of Coygne was stryken with a darte in suche wyse that the heed perced all the plates of his cote of mayle and a iacke stopped with sylke and passed thrughe his body so that he fel downe deed and therwith seased the skyrmysshe bycause of the dethe of that knyght and so was the lady Elyanoure a wydowe in one yere of bothe her husbandes FOr this syr Iohan Laurence of Cygne was made grete mone for he was a valyauÌ„t knyght full of good counsayle after his dethe there was chosen to be capytayne of Lyxbone a cosyne of his a ryght valyaunt maÌ„ called pouuasse of Coyne he made agaynst the Spanyardes thre or foure yssues and dyd to them grete domage ¶ Thus contynued the syege at Lyxbone and surely often tymes they within the towne were sore abasshed for they coulde se no comforte come to them frome ony parte and when they sawe that none came out of Englonde wheron lay all theyr trust TheÌ„ the kynge that nowe is was counsayled to haue taken a shyp and so to haue come hyder in to Englonde for syr IohnÌ„ Vadigothz of passe syr IohnÌ„ Cete Dore and the archedeacon of Lyxbone whom they had sent hyther in to Englonde to the kynge here to you to the erle of Cambrydge your broder for to haue some coÌ„forte ayde when they retourned in to Lyxbone they brought tydynges howe that ye wolde haue comforted them in the name of god sayd the duke all that is of trouthe so had I done and was redy and at the poynte to haue departed but as then the warre of Flaundres and of Gaunte dyd let me for the Gauntoys came hyder for ayde and helpe and so all suche or the moost parte of them that sholde haue gone with me in to Portyngale wente in to Flaundres with the bysshop of Norwyche
syr Henry percy so that letted my iourney in to Portyngale in the name of god sayd the squyer it was thought amonge vs that there was some grete let in Englonde so that you coulde not come hyder howbeit we dyd as well as we myght maynteyned ourselfe valyauntly agaynst the kyng of Castell and all his puyssaunce whiche was no small thynge for he had mo then .lx. M. meÌ„ by see and by lande and thretened to byrne to exyle vs without mercy And syr thus whyle this syege endured an erle of our countrey of Portyngale called the erle of Angouse dyd vs on a day grete socour wherby he attayned grete honoure for he with .xx. Galeys aryued at the porte of Portyngale with a good nombre of men of armes prouysyon so came saylynge by the see before Valence and thrughe the grace of god he came by the kynge of Castelles army as they lay at ancre before Lixbone who were mo then a C. grete vesselles howbeit he dyd his entrepryse so gracyously and had the wynde at so good a poynte that in dyspyte of all his enemyes he entred saufely without peryll with all his galeys in to the hauen of Lyxbone and at his comynge in conquered .iiii. shyppes of his enemyes brought them with hym in to the hauen of whose comynge all that were in Lyxbone were ryght ioyous for it coÌ„forted them gretely By my fayth sayd the duke of Lancastre the erle of Angouse at that tyme dyd you a fayre seruyce But nowe fayre Laurence shewe me howe was this syege raysed and by what maner I wolde gladly here you speke therof syr sayd the squyer I shall shewe you with ryght a good wyll AS I haue shewed you the syege endured more then a yere before Lyxbone the kynge of Castell had sworne and auowed that he wolde not departe frome the syege tyll he had the cyte vnder his obeysaunce without the puyssaunce of a gretter kynge then he was raysed hym therfro by force And truly al thynges consydered the kynge of Castel kepte wel his auowe for the puyssaunce of a gretter kyng then he was raysed hym and caused hym to departe I shall shewe you howe a pestylence mortalyte meruaylous ferefull fell in his oost in suche wyse that meÌ„ dyed sodeynly spekyng one to another there dyed mo then .xx. M. persones wherof the kyng was sore afrayde wherfore it was counsayled hym to departe thens and to drawe to saynt yrayne or to some other parte and breke vp the syege and to gyue leue to his people to departe tyll the pestylence were seased whiche he dyd sore agaynst his wyll bycause he had sworne so solemply to kepe the syege howbeit of necessyte he was fayne to departe Therfore syr we say and hath ben sayd in Portyngale and it is the comon opynyon that god dyd sende that pestylence in to the kyng of Castelles oost to ayde vs and our kynge that nowe is for in the cyte wherin we were closed there dyed nother man nor womaÌ„ of yâ— sykenes this grace god dyd for vs. And when the kynge of Castell dyslodged fro Lyxbone the kynge of Portyngale that nowe is caused all suche as were within the cyte to be armed and to lepe on theyr horses and to folowe the trayne of the kynge of Castelles oost and there we dyd then grete domage for they dyslodged not in good aray wherby they â—ost parte of theyr men promocyon but the kyng of Portyngale made a crye that on payne of dethe no ma to take ony thynge that they founde in the felde nor to brynge ony thyng therof in to the cyte but commaunded euery thynge to be brente to the entent that it sholde brynge no infeccyon in to the cyte So prouysyon euery thynge was conuerted in to flame of fyre howbeit I thynke suche as founde other golde or syluer in money or place brent it not but saued it as well as they myght So thus the kyng of castel wente to saynt prayne at the entre of his countrey there taryed a season sent for more socour in to FrauÌ„ce specyally in to Gascoyne Byerne in to the laÌ„des of the erle of Foys he sent thyder .iii. somers laden with nobles of castel floreyns to gyue in prest to knyghtes squyers for he knewe well otherwyse he sholde not haue them come out of theyr houses And when the barons and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale on the partye of the kyng that nowe is sawe howe the kynge of Castell had raysed his syege whiche had endured more then a yere they toke then grete courage so dyd all the comons of the countrey and specyally they of Porte Ewre and Connymbres Then they toke counsayle togyder shortely to crowne to theyr kynge mayster Denyce whom they had chosen and gyuen hym theyr loue sayd how that it was goddes wyll that he sholde be theyr kynge for he had shewed his vertue agaynst the Spanyardes then a commaundement was made thrughout all Portyngale euery maÌ„ to come to CoÌ„mmbres at a certayne daye lymytted to the Coronacyon of mayster Denyce all suche as toke his parte came thyder and accordynge to the puyssaunce of that royalme there was moche people there kynge IohnÌ„ of Portyngale was crowned by the bysshoppes and prelates of the royalme with grete solempnyte as it aperteyned on trynyte â—ondaye the yere of our lorde god M.CCC.lxxx and .iiii. In the cathedrall chyrche of CoÌ„nymbres called saynt Maries whiche daye the kyng made newe knyghtes what of his owne countrey as of straungers to the nombre of .lx. There was kepte a grete feest .ii. or .iii. dayes and there the kynge renewed all homages of Erles barons knyghtes and squyers and suche as helde of hym and there the kyng sware to kepe the royalme in ryght and Iustyce and to maynteyne al theyr iurysdyccyons and euery man sware to take hym for theyr kynge and his heyres comynge of hym male or female that to dye in the payne neuer to forsake them thus kynge IohnÌ„ of Portyngale was crowned kynge WHen the kynge of Castell knewe how the comons of Portyngale had crowned mayster Denyce to theyr kynge had sworne to hym faythe and homage then he was more dyspleased then he was before for he had thought they wolde not haue done it so sodeynly bycause he had many of the nobles of Portyngale with hym then he sayd I se well it behoueth me perforce to conquere that is myne yf I wyll haue it there shall neuer be peace bytwene Castell and Portyngale tyll the Portyngales haue amended that they haue done And so after the kynge was crowned he came to Lyxbone and there taryed toke grete dylygence to set in a good way the busynes of his royalme to gete therby the grace good wyl and loue of his people and sent his knyghtes and men of warre in to dyuers garysons in to townes castelles on the
subieccyon of the Castellyans they wolde take one or other that were ferre of fro the blood of the kynge of Portyngale the kynge were deed without yssue male syr when the kynge of portyngale that nowe is came to the place of Iuberoth all these matters were shewed hym thus whyles that the constable and marshall were orderynge of theyr batayles there came to the kynge syr Iohn Ferrant Partelere who came the same morenynge fro his garyson of Dorech brought with hym .lx. speres the kynge had grete ioye of his comynge when all our bataylles were ordeyned that we abode for nothynge but for our enemyes that our fore ryders were sente forth to aspye theyr dealynge the kynge then my souerayne lorde came in amonge his men caused fylence to be made then he sayd syrs ye haue crowned me kynge shewe nowe your trouth faythfulnes for syth I am so forwarde specyally in this place of Iuberoth I shal neuer retourne agayne in to Portyngale without I fyght with myne enemyes then euery man answered and sayd syr we shall all abyde with you knowe for trouthe we shall not flye this daye TThus the batayles approched for the Castellyans had grete desyre to fynde vs to fyght as they well shewed we sente forthe our fore ryders to se knowe what our enemyes dyd they taryed fro vs more then .iii. houres that we herde no tydynges of theÌ„ so that we thought we had lost them howbeit at the last they retourned brought vs sure worde of them what nombre they were of by all lykelyhode they shewed vs howe theyr vowarde were a .vii. M. men of armes armed capa pee as fresshe as well horsed as coulde be deuysed in the kynge of Castelles rerewarde there were a .xxx. M. horse of good men of armes And when our kynge and his company knewe the nombre of theyr enemyes howe that theyr vowarde were a .ii. legges before the kynge for the Gascoynes straungers were not well of accorde with the Castellyans then we determyned to kepe vs close togyder in our strength to make .ii. wynges to our batayle our men of armes wherof we had but .ii. M. CCCCC speres to be bytwene the .ii. wynges syr there myght well haue ben sene good ordre of batayle people well recomforted then it was coÌ„maunded by the kyng on payne of dethe that no man take that daye no prysoner this was determyned amonge vs for the best for as the lordes capytaynes sayd if we sholde entende to take prysoners it sholde deceyue vs make vs take no hede of that we sholde do for it was sayd that it were better for vs to fyght wel then to take hede of takynge of prysoners to sel our lyues derely as good people ought to do This worde was vpholden obserued then our enemyes came before vs close togyder lyke good men of warre then alyghted on foote trymmed theyr harneys let theyr horses go so came approched vs fyersly surely there was the floure of chyualry and that they shewed well bytwene vs and them there was a lytâ—ell dyke no gretter but that a knyght armed myght well passe ouer howbeit to vs it was a lyâ—tell aduauntage for in the passynge ther of our mâ—en that were on bothe wynges with theyr dartes dâ—yd hurte mayme dyuers dyd sore trouble them when they were ouer the dyke then they assembled them agaynst vs for they thought that the kynge of Castell with his grete batayle had folowed them at hande but it was not so for they were all dyscomfyted slayne or the kynge of Castell came nere hande vs I shal shewe you by what meanes they were closed in bytwene vs the comons of our countrey who layde on behynde them with axes other wepons without sparynge our men of armes who were fresshe came on agaynst theÌ„ caused theÌ„ to recule backe to fall in the dyke one vpon another syr al this was done in lesse then halfe an houre there was slayne in the felde of men of armes mo then .iiii. M. none taken to rauÌ„some for wheÌ„ ony knyght or spere of ours wolde haue taken ony prysoner other of theyr coÌ„pany wolde slee theÌ„ in theyr haÌ„des THus clerely without recouery the vowarde of our enemyes were dyscomfyted then came the kynge of Castel with his batayle wherin he had .xxx. M. men well horsed but when they approched it was nere nyght they knewe nothynge what myschefe was fallen on theyr vowarde then they came mustred themselfe before vs a CCCCC of theÌ„ lepte with theyr horses ouer the dike but syr al suche as passed ouer neuer repassed agayne for there was slayne a grete parte of the noble men suche as desyred feates of armes a grete nombre of the barons knyghtes of Portyngale suche as were there with the kynge of Castell agaynst vs when our people sawe our enemyes so dyscomfyted then we passed ouer the dyke for m .xl. places the dyke was stopped with deed meÌ„ toke our horses folowed the chase but that was not ferre for it was nyght we wolde not folysshly go ferre for doubte of busshmeÌ„tes nor also we were not so well horsed as the Castellyans for surely yf we had they had receyued more domage then they dyd the kynge of Castell taken or slayne but the nyght came on so darke saued hym and many other syr I shall shewe you the names of the moost parte of the noble men of Fraunce Gascoynes Portyngales that dyed in the felde at the batayle of Iuberoth FIrst the erle Don IohnÌ„ Alphons Serole of Portyngale the grete pryour of saynt IohnÌ„s in Portyngale Don Dilgaures his broder Ange Saluace of Geneue Don IohnÌ„ Ausalle syr dangoues Medrich dricho Persement Peter Resermant Lugares of Versaunt the grete mayster of Calestrane his broder called Don Dygo Dygares Peter Goussart of Seball IohnÌ„ Radigo of Herriers the grete mayster of saynt Iaques And of Fresshmen syr IohnÌ„ of Rys syr Ieffrey Ricon syr Godfrey Pertenay syr Espaynolet of Spayne syr Reynolde of Solyere a knyght called Lymosyn marshall of the kynge of Castelles oost of gascoyns of Bierne the lorde of Bierne the lorde of Mortan the lorde of Bryngoles syr Raymonde Durach syr Bertram of Varuge syr IohnÌ„ of Asolgme syr Raymonde of Valentyne syr Adam of mourase syr menuent of Sarement syr Peter of Sarembiere dyuers other mo then .xii. C. knyghtes squyers all gentyll men Nowe syr I shall shewe you the names of them that were slayne on our party Fyrst the erle of Nauare coÌ„stable of Portyngale Galopes Porteke Peter Porteke Agalype ferrant Porteke his broder PoÌ„nase of Coygne Egeas Toille of Podich Dassue vasse martyne of mielx his sone vasse martyne who was stryken with a darte clene thrughe his body Also there
as ye desyre soo that ye bere with you nothynge but that is your owne and not to robbe nor pyll the towne nor that ye haue wonne in the countrey for that may cause ryot to be made bytwene you and our men syr sayd the bastarde we shall cary nothynge with vs but that is our owne and yf ony of our company haue bought ony thynge of ony of the towne are but euyll payde yet we shall make noo ryot therfore I thynke as for mete and drynke syth we came hyder in garyson our men haue payde no thynge as for that sayd the marshall is excepte take all vytayle in aduauntage for soo wyl our men do but I say ye shall cary away no mouables Syr sayd the barstarde we be not soo wyse men but that some of our company wyll take somwhat Well sayd syr Iohan Holande let them passe that is theyr owne is theyr owne we wyl not go so nere them as to serche theyr males soo be it sayd the marshall then there was an abstynence made for that daye and the nexte daye they sholde departe Then the englyssh men went to theyr lodgyng and vnarmed them and toke theyr ease and the Bretons all that daye trussed and gadâ—red togyder grete pyllage that they had wonne before in the countrey of Castell for all was abandened to them soo that therby suche as came fyrste in to that countrey wanne grete good and so in the trussynge of theyr baggage they toke many thynges from the men of the towne as clothe and fethers and other stuffe suche as they founde And when ony of the poore men spake to them sayenge syrs that good ye take is none of yours it is our good ye brought it not hyder then the Bretons wolde say agayne holde your peas ye vyllaynes we haue a commyssyon of the kynge of Castell to paye ourselfe of our wages ye wyll not paye vs and thoughe ye hadde payde vs well and truely yet we must haue newe wages agayne therfore this that we take is our owne THen the nexte daye the marshall lepte on his horse and a .lx. speres in his company and soo came to the barryers of the towne there taryed a space Thenne the capytaynes of the Bretons came thyder and the marshall sayd Syrs be ye redy to depart ye syr sayd they so we may haue conduyte to guyde vs whether wyll you go sayd the marshall to the towne of Arpent sayd they well sayd quod the marshall beholde here them that shall conduyte you thenne he called forthe a knyght of Englande called syr Steuen Stebery and sayd to hym take .x. speres with you and brynge these Bretons to Arpent and retourne you to morowe he dyd as he was commaunded and soo guyded forthe these Bretons with moche baggage And whenne they were al departed thenne the marshall and his company entred in to the towne and the people of the towne made hym grete reuerence for many of them thought it had ben the duke hymselfe when the marshall sawe these Bretons departe with so grete caryage he demaunded of them of the towne yf they hadde taken away ony of theyr goodes or not ye syr truely sayd they and that to a grete substaunce Why dyd you not sayd the marshall shewe me that betymes for I sholde haue caused them to haue rendred it agayne syr sayd they we durst not for they thretened to slee vs yf we spake therof syr they be cursed people there is none of them but he is a stronge thefe it is noo meruayle thoughe they robbe vs for eche of theÌ„ wyll robbe other The marshall smyled and then he sente for the chefe men of the towne and they came before hym then he made them to swere to holde the towne of Aurene of the duke of Lancastre for euer in lyke maner and fourme as the other townes in Galyce hadde doone before ¶ Then he ordeyned newe offycers and toke of euery man theyr faythes and othes and so dranke and retourned to the duke in to the felde vnder the shadowe of the Olyue trees for the hete of the sone whiche was soo excessyue hoote that man nor horse coulde abyde it nor noo man durst ryde a foragynge tyll after the houre of .iii. for the hete THe gretest ymagynacyon that the duke hadde was for that it was shewed hym howe the kynge of Castell was abrode with a grete armye comynge agaynst hym to fyght for he sawe well that he coulde not perfytely come to the chalenge of Castell but by force of batayle and soo he sente oute spyes in to euery coost but thenne it was surely enfourmed hym by his spyes and by pylgrymes that the kynge of Castell made none assembly for to come in to the felde but kepte hymselfe and his men in garysons And also that the duke of Borbon was not as then come in to Castell nor no tydynges there of his comynge Soo when the duke hadde taryed fyue dayes in the marches of Auranches he determyned to goo to Noye and there to assaye by assaulte to passe the brydge ouer the ryuer of Erne ¶ Then the knyght that had conduyted the Bretons to the towne of Arpent retourned agayne And it was demaunded of hym what company of men of warre were there in garyson he sayd howe syr Olyuer of Clesquy was there with a thousande speres Bretons and Frensshemen Then the constable and marshall sayd to the duke syr it were well done we wente and scrymysshed with them peraduenture they wyll yssue out to demaunde dedes of armes For there be some of them hath grete desyre therto I am conâ—ente sayd the duke let vs dyslodge here we take noo profyte then it was ordeyned to dyslodge the nexte mornynge and to goo to Noye and thenne after to Arpent ¶ Nowe 〈…〉 speke of the kyng of Portyngale and of the waye that he toke for to entre in to the royalme of Castell and thenne we shall retourne agayne to the duke of Lancastre ¶ Howe the kynge of Portyngale brente a towne when he was departed fro Porte and besyeged .ii. castelles Ca. lxxxix THe kynge of Portyngale departed from Porte and lefte there the quene his wyfe and her syster doughter to the duke of Lancastre and to kepe them and the cyte he ordeyned the erle of Nowar to abyde there with a hundred speres of Portyngales and Gascoynes suche as were come to serue hym and then he rode forthe and the fyrst nyght lodged a thre legges from the cyte of Porte and the nexte daye departed in thre batayles a fayre softe pace bycause of his fote men wherof there were a .xii. thousande with all the caryage and after the kynge folowed with a thousande speres there was with hym Don Galoys Ferrant Partecke and Ponnase de Cougne Vas Marten de Cougne bare the kynges baner Also there was IohnÌ„ Radyghes de Sar and the mayster Denyce called Ferrant Radyghes with other grete barons and knyghtes and the reregarde
duke Iulyers and to the duke of Lancastre except Chinay whiche shulde go to them of Conflans by homage and the couÌ„tie of Soissons whiche parteyned to therle of Bloys and was auÌ„ciently alyed to hym The lorde of Coucy was enherytour therof by reason of his delyuerauÌ„ce out of prisone in EnglaÌ„d Also the landes of Drages Monny shulde retourne to other heyres And the landes of Holande and zelande shulde retourne to the erle of Heynaulte Thus these fayre heryteges shulde be sparcled abrode this knewe well the lordes of FrauÌ„ce wherfore the duke of Thourayn who had money lyeng by hym thought to bye these laÌ„des if he might haue any resonable bargayne ThaÌ„ he thought to entreate the kyng to moue therle of Blois in this mater and specially at the lest to bye the countie of Bloys whiche was a fayre and a noble countrey and well syttinge for hym for the countie of Bloyes marched on the duchy of Thouraygne and to the Countie of Bloys parteyned many goodly fees This duke of Thourayne rested styll on his purpose seased nat tyll he spake with the kynge his brother the duke of Burbone with the lorde of Coucy bycause he was great with the erle of Blois and had to wyfe the doughter of his cosyn germayne the duke of Loreyne The duke of Thourayne and the other lordes of his affyuite kept this mater secretely fro the duke of Berey I shall shewe you why The lady Mary his dought was endowed in all the countie of Bloys to the soÌ„me of .vi. M. frankes by yere and the duke of Berrey trusted by reason of his doughters dowrie the the countie of Bloys shulde be his after the erles dethe this duke of Berrey was a marueylous couytous prince the duke of Burgoyne in lyke wise trusted the landes of Holande zelande Heynalte to be his bycause that Margarete his eldest dought was maried to Wylliam sonÌ„e to therle of Heynalte wherby he thought outher by bieng or by soÌ„e other incident that chose landes shulde returne to his sonÌ„e erle of Ostrenant otherwyse called IohnÌ„ of Burgoyne who as than had maried Margarete eldest doughter to therle of Heynalte Thus the kyng and these said lordes purposed that at their deê‘tyng fro Tourse iii Thourayn to ryde by Blois to se their cosyn therle Guy of Bloys who was an eight myle fro Tourse in a castell of his owne called the Castell morant there to treate of this marchaÌ„dise with hym with his wyfe the lady Mary of Namure who was a couytous lady So it was there was a valiant knight and of great prudence bayly of Blois called sir Raynolde of Sens who had ê‘fyte informacion of all this busynes by what meanes I knowe nat Whan he knewe it he had gret pyte therof for loue of therle his lorde for he thought by reason of his sale of his laÌ„des he shuld be dishonored for euer disherite the true rightfull heyres whiche shulde be damnacion to his soule He thought to lette this mater if he coude so rode fro Blois spake with therle said sir the frenche kynge the duke of Thourayn the duke of Burdon and the lorde Coucy cometh hyder to you that is true ê™ therle why speke you that Sir ê™ he I say it bycause ye shal be requyred to sell your enheritaÌ„ce wherfore ye haue nede to take good aduise therin of those wordê therle had great marueyle said I can nat let men to speke make requestê but or I make any suche bargayne to sell myne enherytauÌ„ce or to disheryte myne heyres to my shame rebuke I shall rather sell or ley to pledge all the plate I haue Well sit ê™ the knight remeÌ„bre well the mater whan tyme is for this that I haue shewed you is without dout Bayly ê™ the erle I am nat so yong nor folysshe to enclyne to any suche treaties thus the bayly deê‘ted fro therle rode againe to Blois for he wolde nat be sene there at the kynges coÌ„mynge Whan the kyng and these said lordes caÌ„e to the castell the erle made them good chere as it was reason The erle and the countesse were right ioyfull that the kyng wolde visyte them in their owne castell Than the kynge to drawe the erle to his loue to bring hym to his entent sayd Fayre cosyn I se well ye be a lorde of our realme garnysshed with honour and larges and haue ben at great cost and to ayde you and somwhat to recoÌ„pence you We wyll you gyue and ayde that shall be well worthe to you twentie thousande fraÌ„kes in the countie of Blois Th erle thanked the kyng of his gyfte but he had neuer profite therof for he had neuer nothyng Than the kynge began to treate the Erle to sell the countie of Bloyes to the duke of Thourayn The kynge and the duke of Burbone spake fyrst and founde therle very colde and tarre of in that mater Than the lordes drewe to the countesse of Bloyes and shewed her so many colored reasons and she hers that after her husbandes dethe she was lyke to be but a poore lady Wherfore they said it were moche better for her to be a ryche lady and a puissaunt of golde and syluer and iewelles than to be poore Sayeng howe she was lykely to ouerlyue her husbade Therfore they desyred her to counsayle her husbande to make this marchaundyse The countesse who was a couytous lady And for loue to haue the floreyns she enclyned to their desyres and she dyd so moche with the helpe of other as the ayde of a varlet of the Erles chambre called Sohier borne at Malygnes sonne to a weyuer of clothes but he was so great with the erle of Bloyes that all thynge was done by hym without hym nothyng done And the erle had gyuen hym in fees and herytagê more than fyue hundred frankes by yere Be holde and consydre what myschefe great lordes be brought vnto by meane of seruauÌ„tes This Sohier had nother wytte nor reason to be greatly alowed but it was alonely the folysshe loue that his maister hadde to hym In lykewise the duke of Berrey the same season had one with hym called Iaques Thybaulte who was of no reputacion yet the duke at dyuers tymes had gyuen hym the soÌ„me of two hundred thousande frankes and yet all was but loste This Sohier coulde nor can nat excuse hym selfe but that if he had lysted he myght well haue broken that marchaÌ„dise that therle his mayster made but to please the kynge the duke of Thourayne the duke of Burbone the lorde of Coucy and the couÌ„tesse who was agreed therto by couitousnes of the florens He rowned so in his maisters eare that the Erle wente from his promyse that he had made to his bayly And to there the reuercion of the countie of Bloyes after his discease was solde for the somme of two hundred thousande frankes and the duke of Thouraygne to delyuer to
Line To speke truely this cardynall was an holy manne and of good lyfe This electyon was made condycionally that if the frenche kynge and his counsayle were content therwith or els nat Nowe regarde and considre the great subiectyon that the churche was in In that where the churche shulde be free they submytted them to be vnder suche as shulde haue ben ordred by theym Thus this cardynall de la Lyne was chosen pope and named Benedic He gaue generall graces to all clerkes that wolde come to Auignon And by the couÌ„sayle of his bretherne the cardynalles he wrote of the creacyon of his papalyte to the Frenche kynge But as I was enfourmed the kynge toke lytell regarde therto for as than he was nat determyned whether he shulde take hym for very pope or nat and ther vpon the kynge sent for the greatest clerkes of the vnyuersyte of Paris to haue their aduyse and counsayle Than mayster Iohan of Gygâ—neourte and mayster Pyer Placyous who were in prudence and lernyng the greatest clerkes in Parys sayde to the kynge in the name of all the hole vnyuersyte howe that the cysme of the churche corrupted the crysten fayth and howe that it myght nat long endure in that estate without all crystendome shulde repent it and rynne in great daunger and specially the prelates and preestes of the churche They of the vnyuersyte were determyned to sende no rolles to Auygnon for any clerkes to haue any graces of this Pope Benedyc The frenche kynge sawe well their opynyons were reasonable and wolde haue none of his clerkes enrolled to seke for the popes graces tyll the mater were better determyned Thus that mater abode styll in that estate Howe be it the duke of Berrey exalted greatly this pope Benedic and sent his roll wherby moche people were purueyed of graces of this Benedic The duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse dyssymuled the mater with the kinge and so dyd the duke of Orlyaunce with many other great lordes of Fraunce and some for fauoure helde them to this pope Benedyc who denyed no man his graces to the entent that his courte at Auygnon shulde be full and to haue the more reputacyon The duke of Bretaygne folowed the frenche kynges opinyon for he was before tyme so abused by the enformacyon of his cosyn the erle of Flaunders that his herte wolde neuer enclyne to beleue on Pope Clemente though the clerkes of Bretaygne beleued and helde hym for pope So whan any promocyon was voyde in Fraunce the kynge promoted his clerkes without gyuynge any knowledge therof to this pope Benedic wherwith he and his cardynalles at Auygnon were sore abasshed and douted leste the frenche kynge wolde restrayne suche rentes and profytes as they were wonte to haue of the benefytes gyuen in the realme of Fraunce Than they determyned to sende a legate in to Fraunce to speke with the Kynge and his counsayle to knowe howe he wolde ordre hym agaynst the churche and to shewe hym howe that he that is chosen pope is vnder this condycyon that if he be pleased than he to abyde styll as pope or els they to put hym out of his papalyte and the cardynals to entre agayne in to conclaue and chose one after the kynges pleasure At this tyme was come to Paris and was about the kynge the freer mynour a meke man who was sente in to Fraunce by pope Bonyface of Rome The frenche kynge herde gladly this freers prechynge Than came in to Fraunce the legate fro Auygnon who was a great and a subtyle clerke and well langaged Than the hole vnyuersyte counsayled the kynge and sayde howe it were well done that eyther Bonyface or els Benedyc to be put out of thâ— is papalyte and all his cardynalles to be putte out of their cardynalyties And in stede of them to be chosyn good clerkes wyfemen and of good conscyence as well of Almayne and Fraunce as of other nacyons And they to be sette toguyder by good delyberacyon and counsayle without fauour or yuell wyll to sette the churche therby at one poynt with one pope They sayde they sawe well there was none other waye to bringe it to a good conclusyon bycause pride and enuy so reygned in the worlde that the princes and lordes eche helde their owne partie This preposycion that the vnyuersite hadde made before the kynge pleased right well the kynge and the dukes of Orlyaunce of Surgoyne And the kyng sayd he wolde write and sende messangers to the kynge of Almaygne and of Boâ—sme and of Hungry and to the kyng of Englande And he thought hym selfe sure ynough of the kynges of Castyle of Nauer of Aragon of Cicyle of Naples of ScotlaÌ„de that they wolde obey to suche a pope as he and his Realme obeyed vnto And vpon this the frenche kyng sente his letters messangers to these sayde kynges There was good leysar in doing of this bothe in goyng and coÌ„myng agayne with answere and in that meane tyme there passed out of this worlde at Parys the noble clerke maysters Iohan of Gygencourt of whose dethe the kynge and the lordes and the hole vniuersyte were right sorie for he laste nat his felowe behynde him and he had in his dayes taken great payne to reforme the churche and to haue brought it in to a perfyte vnyte ¶ Of a clerke named mayster IohnÌ„ of warennes Capi. C.xcvii THe same season there was a great clerke at Auignone bothe of Scyence and of prudence doctor in the lawes auditor of the palais of the casion of RaÌ„nes called maister Iohan of warennes And by reason of suche seruice as he had done to pope Clement to other he was greatly auauÌ„ted and promoted with benefices and he was at that poynt to be a bysshop or a cardynall he had been chapelayne with one at Auygnone called saynte Peter of Lusenbourge The same maister Iohan WareÌ„nes for all his promocions he resigned theÌ„ all and retayned to hymselfe but a small lyueng and that was the sextenty of our lady churche in Renes worthe by yere if he be resydent a C. frankes in absence but .xxx. and so deê‘ted fro Auignon came to dwell nere to Renes in a village called saint Ley. there he ledde an holy lyfe preched the worde of god and exalted moche the pope at Auygnon and condeÌ„pned in his wordes the pope at Rome He was visited of moche people of all countreis that came to se hym and to se the holy lyfe that he ledde He fasted euery day Some people sayd that the cardynals at Auignon by crafte and subtylte hadde sent hym thider to exalte and to colour their opinyon or els he was come thider to shewe his holy lyfe He wolde in no wyse be called the holy man of saynt Ley but the audytor He had alwayes in his coÌ„pany his mother He sayd masse euery daye deuoutly and all that was gyuen him he wolde gyue it agayne for god dessake He wolde aske nothyng of